Something New in the Veggie Garden?

[digitS']

Okay, okay!!

Tell us about you hulless oats. What was your intention for these -- are you feeding them to your chickens? If so, what did the birds think of 'em?

There has been some studies of hulless oats as livestock feed. Oats are a high-protein grain but they have a lot of fiber! That is, the oats with hulls have a lot of fiber. And, chickens don't do well on a diet with too much fiber.

A bad tomato year seems to be the story for the Pacific Northwest, Old Fashioned. I'm lucky that this is a little more of the Intermountain West than the PNW. By the time the coastal weather blew away in July, my poor tomato plants were in a heck of a state, however. Really, all the warm-weather crops that were planted before July suffered from the cool, cloudy days, and the wind - especially the wind! The result: stunted plants and a smaller with later than usual harvest here.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

Chayote. I've eaten a lot of it but this is the first year I grew it. Jicama next year. Both need to be planted only once and can be harvested for years in my climate.

 

[obsessed]

I tried a bunch of new tomatoes but they got blight or something. One tomato that did really well was a lime green salad. Excellent for salsa. I did a richmond green apple for my cuke this year and it was uber delish. I am torn though. It tasted superior to the regular marketmore variety but it was small. On the other had I did not have any problems eating them where as when I am drowning in tons of regular size cucumbers I struggle. So I guess I am not trying a new thing more as a different variety. Next year I want to widdle down my varieties to things I like more. LIke this year I tried a ton of pepper and no jalapeno. And as much as I love other pepper hot or not. I just felt lonely without my jalapeno.

 

[digitS']

. . . I just felt lonely without my jalapeno.

Now, that's just sad .

digitS'

 

[old fashioned]

Okay, okay!!

Tell us about you hulless oats. What was your intention for these -- are you feeding them to your chickens? If so, what did the birds think of 'em?

There has been some studies of hulless oats as livestock feed. Oats are a high-protein grain but they have a lot of fiber! That is, the oats with hulls have a lot of fiber. And, chickens don't do well on a diet with too much fiber.

A bad tomato year seems to be the story for the Pacific Northwest, Old Fashioned. I'm lucky that this is a little more of the Intermountain West than the PNW. By the time the coastal weather blew away in July, my poor tomato plants were in a heck of a state, however. Really, all the warm-weather crops that were planted before July suffered from the cool, cloudy days, and the wind - especially the wind! The result: stunted plants and a smaller with later than usual harvest here.

Steve

My intention of growing the grains was to see if I could & how easy or difficult it was to grow & harvest for future use for ourselves, the chickens & to increase seed supply. My idea is-why buy it if I can do it myself & ya never know when you might need something like that.
As for hulless vs hulled, I had read that it was more difficult to get the seed out of hulled oats so I went with hulless to make it somewhat easier.
The chickens love em as long as I extracted the seed from the papery flowerhead. But didn't want anything to do with them if I gave it intact.

Thankfully we don't have the wind you do on the eastside, but usually (?) August & into September is fairly hot & dry here---not this year. AND we are supposed to have a bad La Nina winter bringing 'colder & wetter' weather that equals lots of snow & ice. We shall see what happens.

 

[bills]

I have been growing different variety's of green bush beans the last few years. The Japanese restaurant that I sell most of them to, told me they would prefer a longer bean, as they use them for their tempura dish's.

I tried a variety called "Lynx" this year, and they were an excellent choice. I also can, and eat a lot myself, and will grow these again! Good production, excellent flavor, and they grow approx 7" long, and still remain tender.

 

[digitS']

I see that Pinetree has "Lynx," Bill.

Those would be small packets.

In the bean patch, I have been stuck with the same old/same old for a number of years!

S'

 

[vfem]

Oooh... I haven't decided on my beans for next year, but the kentuky pole beans failed for me this year.

I was quite pleased with my saffron addition the garden, they are STILL blooming and I've already collected some saffron, dried it and made a scallop chowder with saffron and white wine. It was to die for. I used the last onion from my garden in it. Apparently 30+ onions cured was NOT enough for this household... I planted over 100 bulbs this fall.

Also, the chinese cabbage is new to our garden as well... it has survived where my other cabbages have been destroyed by worms. So good call there.

I do want to look into those lynx beans though... they sounds fabulous.

 

[digitS']

Real saffron, V?! The spice made from the flower of the crocus??

Oh, my . . . . That soup sounds absolutely wonderful!

Steve

 

[vfem]

Real saffron, V?! The spice made from the flower of the crocus??

Oh, my . . . . That soup sounds absolutely wonderful!

Steve

Yes Yes Steve... I was lucky enough to find bulbs this year, that I couldn't find last year. They were $0.35 each, but couldn't get more then 25 at a time.

Hattie shared some great helpful sites with it... the grew very well in the share of my front garden, and I will be putting in some rocks around them since they like shade and rock gardens... and humidity in the cool season.