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What Did You Do In The Garden?
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flowerbug
Garden Master
picked the last large batch of tomatoes for the season (about 90lbs). will have to get them put up tonight so i'm taking a break for now. picked beans this afternoon and weeded. nice day outside. catbirds calling and the bluejays too.
seedcorn
Garden Master
No. Peppers (although a perennial), tomatoes, watermelons, okra, egg plants still are going.
Zeedman
Garden Master
Somehow, I wouldn't think of mowing as a garden task... but that is mostly what I did today in the rural garden. Fortunately, the mower fit between most of the rows, and along the fence line. Crab grass got out of control during our "Midwest monsoon", so I set the cut high & used the bag to collect most of the seed heads, which were dumped into the adjacent field. I also mowed all 3 squash patches, so I could put an end to the squash bug infestation. A considerable amount of stomping followed. 
I still need to cut down the sweet corn stalks, so I can mow the grass in that area.
I picked a little dry seed while I was there. Pole beans in that garden are now done, except for limas & runner beans. The "21 Peas" cowpea is still trying to make up for lost time, and continues to produce a lot of dry seed. The dry mung beans appeared mostly undamaged, maybe the resident cat finally caught the rodent that was 'harvesting" them. Incredibly, the mung beans have flowered & set a whole new bunch of pods, without slowing down or dying back. It is possible there will be a second harvest.
I still need to cut down the sweet corn stalks, so I can mow the grass in that area.I picked a little dry seed while I was there. Pole beans in that garden are now done, except for limas & runner beans. The "21 Peas" cowpea is still trying to make up for lost time, and continues to produce a lot of dry seed. The dry mung beans appeared mostly undamaged, maybe the resident cat finally caught the rodent that was 'harvesting" them. Incredibly, the mung beans have flowered & set a whole new bunch of pods, without slowing down or dying back. It is possible there will be a second harvest.
flowerbug
Garden Master
how long does it take those to go from flower to full sized beans? they're pretty tiny so it seems like they should be quick, but i've never had them survive here to know.
Zeedman
Garden Master
I've never timed it, but I would guess flower to dry is anywhere from 3-5 weeks. There are quite a few larger green pods that should make it, weather permitting.
Zeedman
Garden Master
The field where I dump noxious weeds is just an un-mowed area on the same property, and the owner doesn't mind. I would never make such a transgression against a neighbor, whether I liked them or not. Unfortunately, the neighbors on my back lot line don't show a similar respect for my property... I'll have to erect a fence to stop their dumping into my tree line.
Zeedman
Garden Master
The gardens are winding down. Although okra, eggplant, cukes, and snap beans are still valiantly hanging in there, most of what remains is peppers, soybeans, Vignas, and some vegetables let go for seed. I've harvested about 1/2 of the ripe WI 5207 cucumbers; those will be allowed to cure for awhile before processing for seed. The gherkins & eggplant let go for seed will be harvested just before frost.
All but one of the soybeans have begun drying down, and 4 varieties (DV 2371, Sakamotowase, Bei Liang 11, and GL 2216/84) have now been completely harvested. 8 others are yellowing, have been partially harvested, & should be completely dry within a week.
One long-DTM soybean (PI 427088 I) is still in the green stage, and is in a race against frost. That was 2012 seed that I had to start as transplants, so it will get whatever TLC it needs, even if that includes a tent & heater to survive the frost. Like the other soybean transplants this year, it has been surprisingly productive; and DD, who really loves edamame, asked me to cut a couple plants. This is not an edamame variety, and the seeds are rather small... but they are fat, often 4 in a pod, and 2 bushes yielded a big bowl full of pods. I steamed them for 6 minutes - and they are really good! A pleasant surprise, from a variety I'd almost given up on. This will make a great end-of-season edamame in the future.
While DW cut the last harvest of water spinach, I harvested the ripe peppers from 4 of the pepper cages. More on those tomorrow, after they have been washed & photoed.
All but one of the soybeans have begun drying down, and 4 varieties (DV 2371, Sakamotowase, Bei Liang 11, and GL 2216/84) have now been completely harvested. 8 others are yellowing, have been partially harvested, & should be completely dry within a week.
One long-DTM soybean (PI 427088 I) is still in the green stage, and is in a race against frost. That was 2012 seed that I had to start as transplants, so it will get whatever TLC it needs, even if that includes a tent & heater to survive the frost. Like the other soybean transplants this year, it has been surprisingly productive; and DD, who really loves edamame, asked me to cut a couple plants. This is not an edamame variety, and the seeds are rather small... but they are fat, often 4 in a pod, and 2 bushes yielded a big bowl full of pods. I steamed them for 6 minutes - and they are really good! A pleasant surprise, from a variety I'd almost given up on. This will make a great end-of-season edamame in the future.
While DW cut the last harvest of water spinach, I harvested the ripe peppers from 4 of the pepper cages. More on those tomorrow, after they have been washed & photoed.
flowerbug
Garden Master
The field where I dump noxious weeds is just an un-mowed area on the same property, and the owner doesn't mind. I would never make such a transgression against a neighbor, whether I liked them or not. Unfortunately, the neighbors on my back lot line don't show a similar respect for my property... I'll have to erect a fence to stop their dumping into my tree line.
so they'll just pile their junk along your fence?
