Quarantine Vegetable Gardens

[honesty]

My kids shop at Aldi’s a lot. They come to my place for whatever I get from the church and produce pickups. The food pickups are big sometimes. Meat, dry goods, dairy, veggies. I can’t use everything they give us. They ask us to distribute to the community. So I text my kids & friends.

Last weekend I sat cabbages, cayenne peppers and sweet potatoes on the curb. What was left at the end of the day wasn’t much but I threw it away since it was going bad.

My kids will buy a bag of gluten free flour for me. I’ll make them cookie dough and mini loaves of bread. Drop it all in my freezer for their next visit. I love doing it for them.

Aldi is a awesome resource. We get to shop there occasionally as well and usually stock up when we do get to go.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Lots of veggie growth this week. I found some pots in the shed and added some more stuff to the garden. Extra cucumbers, another lettuce, celery, a few herbs. I covered my grow bags last night since my beans and the butternut squash are coming up.

I must have chosen the wrong type cauliflower seeds. Nothing is coming up. I noticed the seed pack says plant in July for SWFL. Ooops. I’ll give them another week. Then drop in some broccoli, beets, rutabaga or something.

Today I gathered the terra-cotta pots from around the yard and filled them with dirt. I’m not sure what I’ll put in these yet. Maybe go look at herb seeds when I’m done getting the oil changed in my truck.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Lots of growth and a few bugs. Made the neem oil, dish liquid and water mixture in my spray bottle. I picked a bug off the corn and squished him dead. I think I found out what he is by comparing it to pictures online. I haven’t seen another one.

This morning I transplanted some butternut squash. I had accidentally planted them where I wanted the yellow squash to be.

My bean plants are going to need a trellis soon. I have some old vinyl lattice, old pieces of wood and string. I bought a pack of bamboo poles and a pack of tomato stakes. I need to rig something up until the corn is tall enough to handle the bean vines.

One area of Romaine is doing well. The carrots that are different colors are doing better than the orange ones. I need to thin them. The 3 sisters area is growing fast. The broccoli is growing well. The cauliflower is finally up.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

Right here in my community! What a cool idea. Hopefully it will inspire lots of gardens.

Seed libraries coming to Livonia, Westland and Redford

 

[PayrollNerd]

Right here in my community! What a cool idea. Hopefully it will inspire lots of gardens.

Seed libraries coming to Livonia, Westland and Redford

That is neat. I hope it does inspire even some little pots with veggies. Gardening isn't near as prevalent as in the past but nowadays, it sure needs to be.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Todays gardening fun. I had a carrot wood tree which is an invasive species from Australia. They’re illegal in FL. In 2018 I had it cut down. Then eventually ground out. However it always grew back. So today, the excavator guy dug out the core roots. Now I can get the dirt ready for my avocado tree!!

 

[Quiet Time]

I've been wanting to plant an avocado tree for years. I think I've finally found the perfect spot.

I've read that they recommend planting 2, for the pollenating process.
Has anyone else read that?

 

[PayrollNerd]

I've been wanting to plant an avocado tree for years. I think I've finally found the perfect spot.

I've read that they recommend planting 2, for the pollenating process.
Has anyone else read that?

That is what I was told also. My friend in GA gave me this avocado tree last Oct. I don't know how old it is but she had two pots, each with 2 trees in them. So she gave me one for my yard. When she lived in FL she grew an avocado tree and said it will do great. I've been watching videos and reading all about them.

 

[Quiet Time]

Well, your plant looks like it's got a good start!

Good luck.

 

[PayrollNerd]

 

[PayrollNerd]

Lots of progress in the garden. I’m
Still very worried about my mini cucumbers. They’re struggling as is the broccoli.

The celery did not germinate at all. Not sure why. It’s been 3+ weeks. The Rosemary didn’t either so I planted more. In the 2 teal containers on the ends I planted marigolds.

 

[sassyblue]

Rosemary and celery seeds have a slow germination. Rosemary is pretty stubborn about it too.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I’m finally getting some greens. I added some stakes and still need to tie some plants up. It has been very hot for 2 weeks. We did get some rain but I still need to water.

I know not everything is going to make it but I’m happy with my crops. Some will struggle but I’m just going to keep plugging along. This is my test garden. I’ll have a better idea what grows well by fall.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I’m finally getting some greens. I added some stakes and still need to tie some plants up. It has been very hot for 2 weeks. We did get some rain but I still need to water.

I know not everything is going to make it but I’m happy with my crops. Some will struggle but I’m just going to keep plugging along. This is my test garden. I’ll have a better idea what grows well by fall.

Your garden looks amazing. Thanks for sharing the pictures. You truly have a gift for gardening. I know you worked hard and it will be fun to watch it grow.

 

[PayrollNerd]

I'm down to 3 mini cucumber plants and one is getting tall and is climbing up the trellis now. The other 2 are smaller and not tall enough just yet to climb. But I'm happy that for $8 for 10 seeds, I have 3 reasonably healthy plants. I looked online today and the same pack of seeds is now $10 each. I may go ahead and buy another pack for fall.

I tried to transplant some Romaine that was too close together. I may have waited too long. They're looking pretty stressed out. It's in the mid 80s in the afternoons but the mornings are in the mid to upper 60s. I think that has been helping my cold weather type veggies. The cauliflower and broccoli are perking up. The beets are hit/miss. Two plants look ok, the rest are tiny.

The greens are doing good. The tomatoes are staked up and I have a few blossoms. All the squashes are doing pretty good. The butternut squash is struggling with powdery mildew. I need to treat that tonight at sunset. I still think my carrots are too close together. I may try to thin them again. I'm not sure if any of the onions are going to make it.

I'm learning a lot and enjoying spending time out there. I'm not doing much as I recover from a heart attack and Covid. It is nice to garden watch while resting tho. I will upload some photos from my phone.

 

[Yesiamapirate]

I'm down to 3 mini cucumber plants and one is getting tall and is climbing up the trellis now. The other 2 are smaller and not tall enough just yet to climb. But I'm happy that for $8 for 10 seeds, I have 3 reasonably healthy plants. I looked online today and the same pack of seeds is now $10 each. I may go ahead and buy another pack for fall.

I tried to transplant some Romaine that was too close together. I may have waited too long. They're looking pretty stressed out. It's in the mid 80s in the afternoons but the mornings are in the mid to upper 60s. I think that has been helping my cold weather type veggies. The cauliflower and broccoli are perking up. The beets are hit/miss. Two plants look ok, the rest are tiny.

The greens are doing good. The tomatoes are staked up and I have a few blossoms. All the squashes are doing pretty good. The butternut squash is struggling with powdery mildew. I need to treat that tonight at sunset. I still think my carrots are too close together. I may try to thin them again. I'm not sure if any of the onions are going to make it.

I'm learning a lot and enjoying spending time out there. I'm not doing much as I recover from a heart attack and Covid. It is nice to garden watch while resting tho. I will upload some photos from my phone.

@PayrollNerd your garden looks great!! And I am sure it is good for the soul. You have been through so much with the heart attack and COVID. I hope you are well enough soon to enjoy your garden.

 

[Kavya01]

I'm down to 3 mini cucumber plants and one is getting tall and is climbing up the trellis now. The other 2 are smaller and not tall enough just yet to climb. But I'm happy that for $8 for 10 seeds, I have 3 reasonably healthy plants. I looked online today and the same pack of seeds is now $10 each. I may go ahead and buy another pack for fall.

I tried to transplant some Romaine that was too close together. I may have waited too long. They're looking pretty stressed out. It's in the mid 80s in the afternoons but the mornings are in the mid to upper 60s. I think that has been helping my cold weather type veggies. The cauliflower and broccoli are perking up. The beets are hit/miss. Two plants look ok, the rest are tiny.

The greens are doing good. The tomatoes are staked up and I have a few blossoms. All the squashes are doing pretty good. The butternut squash is struggling with powdery mildew. I need to treat that tonight at sunset. I still think my carrots are too close together. I may try to thin them again. I'm not sure if any of the onions are going to make it.

I'm learning a lot and enjoying spending time out there. I'm not doing much as I recover from a heart attack and Covid. It is nice to garden watch while resting tho. I will upload some photos from my phone.

Shade cloth for your lettuces will be your friend, it will lower temps alot and keep your lettusce from boltuing and otherwise stressing out:

shade cloth for lettuce - Google Shopping

your garden looks great though! specially for a test garden!

 

[PayrollNerd]

I have veggies! They're all very tiny and cute. I will upload photos. I harvested 1 small yellow squash today. I diced it up, cooked it with some spinach and added both to my pasta sauce.

I watered in sulfur granules to lower the pH. I'm not sure how long that takes or if I used enough. I will test the soil again tomorrow. But, my spinach seems to be doing better. Now that plants are producing, I added center hoops and installed bird netting, clamping it down. The afternoon sun seems to shade the tomatoes so that is a relief.

I am not sure the broccoli, cauliflower and beets will actually do much. But that's ok. I'm learning a lot so my fall garden will be much more efficient. I need to plant way more spinach. I need to do one big section of corn instead of 4 small sections. I need to put the beans in a sunnier area.

Most of all, I think I just need more garden beds. If I really want to feed all of us (me & 2 kiddos) I am going to want to plant more items. I have to figure out how to do that financially, not to mention physically. I really enjoy growing food. I'd have a food forest if I could pull it off!

 

[155etta]

I have veggies! They're all very tiny and cute. I will upload photos. I harvested 1 small yellow squash today. I diced it up, cooked it with some spinach and added both to my pasta sauce.

I watered in sulfur granules to lower the pH. I'm not sure how long that takes or if I used enough. I will test the soil again tomorrow. But, my spinach seems to be doing better. Now that plants are producing, I added center hoops and installed bird netting, clamping it down. The afternoon sun seems to shade the tomatoes so that is a relief.

I am not sure the broccoli, cauliflower and beets will actually do much. But that's ok. I'm learning a lot so my fall garden will be much more efficient. I need to plant way more spinach. I need to do one big section of corn instead of 4 small sections. I need to put the beans in a sunnier area.

Most of all, I think I just need more garden beds. If I really want to feed all of us (me & 2 kiddos) I am going to want to plant more items. I have to figure out how to do that financially, not to mention physically. I really enjoy growing food. I'd have a food forest if I could pull it off!

You can save some of your own seed!

 

[PayrollNerd]

You can save some of your own seed!

Yes, I want to do that, not only to save money but to participate in the seed exchange. The county exchange office has this cabinet with little drawers. Each little drawer is labeled with the type of seed. I will have to research how to preserve the seed and what you store them in.