@flowebug...I grow Red Kuri every year...it produces well and I like the size and flavor. The first year I grew it, we got into the heat, and the entire plant wilted overnight, it looked like it was on death's door. I posted on a forum asking what could be wrong with it..the reply I got was that...
I have so much I'd like to do, but we've had huge amounts of rain this winter, instead of snow, so ground is just too squishy...I can't even get out to trim my fruit trees, I don't want to compact the soil. I have to admit, I am liking the warm winter we've had so far...way above average temps...
Do you try mostly new things every year? I just try to keep varieties that give me the flavor I like best, and are productive in my climate. I will usually try something new every year, but mostly stick with what I know works here.
I had new garage doors installed a couple of years ago and had the installers leave me the old tracks...they made great supports for more bean growing...they thought I was crazy...I never stop thinking about how to cram more veggies in without sacrificing productivity...it's a constant experiment.
I can plan all winter and almost as soon as I start planting, the plan always changes ! I have never stuck to a garden plan, it's impossible for me. I can plan "general" areas,squash, melons, tomatoes...etc., but not a row by row plan.
Every year I have most of my garden planned with tried and true things, but always manage to find something I haven't tried yet.
This year it will be Giant Bullet Head Wax Melon ...mostly because I have diabetic friends and I'm always looking for things for their diets. This melon is supposed...
I tried kabouli type a few years ago, and won't grow them again. I found them to be large sprawling plants with very few pods per plant...just not enough yield for the space they hogged.
I might try the Carol Deppe variety that's supposed to have 300 pods per plant, but so far I've had zero...
I've only seen 1 here in the last 30 years, and that was a long time ago. We have the grey squirrel...they grab my hickory nuts and bury them all over every year. I don't mind, as long as they stay out of my garden ! They seem to prefer hickory to hazel nut, so that's a good thing for me...I...
I had to ask because many years ago I was in Canada and saw a black squirrel for the first time....I thought it was beautiful. I asked and found out that we have them in the States, too, they're just rare in areas where the grey squirrels are because they run them off...so I was wondering if you...
Is anyone aware of any studies done on the height of shade cloth above plants with respect to increase/decrease in percentage of shade ?
I googled it, and just found a couple sites that said 2-3 feet above plants, but nothing with a study or a reason.
I always start my carrots under cardboard, but after 3 or 4 days I use stones to raise it up off of the soil. This still keeps the soil moist, but gives seeds a chance to sprout. I have excellent germination with that method...it keeps the moisture in.....if carrot seeds dry out, even once, they...
I was just thinking...in a year of intense drought, many plants die off, leaving the more drought resistant plants for you to save seed from....but you couldn't have changed the genetics in 1 growing season, right?
I always thought it was due to crosses...even self pollinating plants will outcross every now and then.
I thought just the opposite of your answer for heirlooms...keeping the same genetics is why we can save seed and grow them year after year and get the same plant????
You can't save seed...
Location may not change genetics, but seed will adapt to your climate over many years of seed saving..I have seen this myself with seed growing better for me (producing better and growing stronger plants) over years of growing it.