How is everyones garden doing

[RedskinFan]

Maryland here. Cabbage, Turnips, Beets, Collards and Kale are doing well and at the end of their season. Squash and Zucchini are producing but not as much as in past years. We started our tomato and pepper seeds late so neither are close to ripening except one lone cherry tomato plants from which we've had a few red tomatoes. Our super hot pepper plants aren't growing but it hasn't been hot here yet. We are supposed to have a really hot week so I'm hoping they take off!

Earlier in the season, we lost some lettuce and a head of cabbage to a groundhog.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have a nice size box for planting and can't get out to do it. I want to grow corn and herbs.

 

[amberpi]

Been putting up fresh basil for over a month, now tomatoes. Tonight I'm making something with 3 kinds of tomatoes, fresh basil, squash, spinach and zuccinni. Some I grew, a lot my mom did.

ETA: I can't tell you how much corn I've helped my folks freeze. Its worth it to have peaches and cream corn in the winter though.

 

[soccerdad72]

Slowly - we got a late start to planting, so we'll see if we get anything. Have a few green tomatoes on a container plant we have on our deck and a couple zucchini blossoms in our little garden, but that's about it so far.

 

[Monykalyn]

So far-
5# potatoes (haven't dug the rest up yet, but think only have a couple pounds left to dig)-was an experiment as I had bunch red potatoes with eyes that I cut up and tossed into an unused end of one of my garden boxes. Corn not quite ready yet. Several gallon bags of green beans in freezer already (and have eaten several pounds and given some away). Kale (finally) going to seed. Basil in rolled paper towels in freezer (gallon bag stuffed full) so far. Tons of tomatoes-going to start freezing those soon (have eaten or given away a bunch already). 6# carrots so far (have more coming along-expect to get 20# or so). Several # of onions up. picked first jalepeno and green pepper this weekend. Squash and zucchini coming slowly. Also have parsley, rosemary, dill and sage coming out of everywhere! For some reason my cilantro died(first time that has happened). Even with the japanese beetles eating half the green bean leaves still have tons of beans. The Japanese beetles ate my plum tree, apple tree. Something is wrong with my peach tree (fruit shrivels up and rots on branches).

Don't have too much issue with critters-have a small fence around the beds to keep chickens out when growing things. The chickens favorite bed from the winter is where the tomatoes are planted and growing wildly!

I count on my garden to help with food costs-love love being able to pull stuff from garden or freezer vs having to go to store!

 

[amberpi]

Basil in rolled paper towels in freezer (gallon bag stuffed full) so far./QUOTE]

I'm unfamiliar with this technique but have tons to put up. I do mine in ice cube trays and then freeze in olive oil. Makes a fantastic base for so much cooking.

 

[Monykalyn]

I will do the olive oil trick too, but sometimes I don't want the extra oil. I experimented last year with this-wash, dry thoroughly (I lay leaves out on paper towels until dry). Then lay in single layer and roll up in clean/dry paper towels. I will do a few longer rolls, shorter rolls. Put in ziploc and squeeze air out, toss in freezer. Freezing will turn the leaves that dark green/black but the taste is like fresh (and heavenly smell!). Works great in sauces/soups (it thaws quick and I chop or slice like fresh).

 

[amberpi]

I will do the olive oil trick too, but sometimes I don't want the extra oil. I experimented last year with this-wash, dry thoroughly (I lay leaves out on paper towels until dry). Then lay in single layer and roll up in clean/dry paper towels. I will do a few longer rolls, shorter rolls. Put in ziploc and squeeze air out, toss in freezer. Freezing will turn the leaves that dark green/black but the taste is like fresh (and heavenly smell!). Works great in sauces/soups (it thaws quick and I chop or slice like fresh).

Thank you so much! I'm going to do this tomorrow in fact! Very appreciated!

 

[karen4546]

YOWSA! I hope to have a large garden one of these days. Do you can with boiling the water like the old days?

Right now here in the burbs my cherry tomatoes are producing. I planted a bunch of varieties a few yrs ago and they come back every yr., lol.

We use a water bath with the acidic stuff like salsa, relish, jelly etc but for corn and green beans we use a pressure cooker.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Been putting up fresh basil for over a month, now tomatoes. Tonight I'm making something with 3 kinds of tomatoes, fresh basil, squash, spinach and zuccinni. Some I grew, a lot my mom did.

ETA: I can't tell you how much corn I've helped my folks freeze. Its worth it to have peaches and cream corn in the winter though.

How is the best way to freeze corn?

 

[NFLDERS]

What garden!?

No garden last year, drought.

No garden this year, T-storms with hail, damaging winds, flooding, has decimated plants 2x's now! It's T-storm right now, and expecting hail any minute!! So... I'm done.

Enjoy YOUR gardens!

 

[amcnj]

I started my seeds on time, but after transplanting outside, had some late cool nights early in the season. So the first cherry tomatoes just started to turn red over the past few days. The other types are green and growing. Pumpkin vines (seeds and "guts" from last year's jack-o-lanterns were put in the garden) are off and running, taking over everything as usual! Let's see if I can outlast the vine borers this year. Zinnia flower seeds were started indoors, but a little late as an afterthought, (for some reason it is hard to find zinnia plants in my area anymore; they were one of the staples when I was a kid) but they have been flowering for weeks now. I also sowed some California poppy seeds outside early this spring and they have been flowering for a couple weeks. The sunflowers were also direct sown but are the giant varieties so no flowers yet. I don't see any of the direct sown tithonia yet. They did really well the last few years so who knows what happened this year. I'll blame it on bad seeds. Basil and chives are growing well. Now the extreme heat is back so we'll see how many of the numerous tomato flowers currently in bloom bear fruit.

 

[lovesmurfs]

How is the best way to freeze corn?

We don't grow it, but when it's cheap I buy a lot of it and freeze it on the cob. This is the method I use (because I'm too lazy to type it out....).

http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-method-for-freezing-corn-on-the-cob-315512

 

[amberpi]

How is the best way to freeze corn?

Best way? I can't guarantee best, but this is how my great grandmother, grandmother, mom, and I did/do it. Shuck, silk, blanche at a high boil for 5 minutes, throw out the water, let the corn cool, put it freezer bags, suck out the air, and off to the freezer. Its not hard, the shucking and silking sucks, but you have to do that do matter how you put the corn up. Its about the easiest thing to put up besides blackberries. Other people may have better ways, but that one will work.

 

[lovesmurfs]

the shucking and silking sucks.

So one of the smartest things I did when I had a houseful of kids over was have them do a corn shucking relay race. Winner got a dollar, I believe.

Yes, I had to go back over them for silk, but it kept the kids busy AND got my corn shucked!

 

[kimmar067]

....ours is growing like wildfire! I picked 2 zucchinis and grilled them, and I also picked a cuke to put into the salad....tomatoes got about another 10-15 days.....

 

[kimmar067]

Surprisingly well. I started out small, since this is my first garden. All of my herbs (Rosemary, basil, mint and cilantro.) are booming.....

....I don't have cilantro, but I have curly parsley, that actually grew from LAST year!

 

[Kitty 34]

I just have a flower garden, several in fact but the deer think it's their buffet table!!

 

[Corbie]

Horribly! Growing tomatoes for first time (Brandywines in containers). Thought they were doing alright, but something has chewed holes into all the fruit. I've looked and looked and don't see any hornworms. Don't see anything. Hard to treat when I can't find the cause. I half suspect something's coming out at night and chowing down.

All my peppers are doing well, though. That's something.

And native perennial bed we put in late spring is doing well, but darn it, I want tomatoes!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I've lost a few to something attacking bottom of tomamtoes.
I have well over a hundred growing so I'm not to worried. Hoping they start to ripen this week.
I think I might get over a hundred cucumbers this year. For a Queens NY that's not to bad.