Adventures of a Sufficient Self Suburbanite wanna-be.

[WendyJ]

Thanks! So far I have only pulled about a dozen beets, and a few handfuls of carrots, but I am hoping the tomatoes keep looking nice (and that they ripen all together when I have time to can them). Spring was really late this year, because we get so much rain we need to wait quite a while to plant. I know, most people want more rain, but when you get 4 inches in 90 minutes it isn't good. This was basically a trial year, and I have certainly learned things to change, but I am still happy for the most part with how things are growing.

 

[WendyJ]

Lessons from tomato plants....
Blossom end rot? Plants were allowed to dry out too much?



"Health Kick" plants produce lots of nice tomatoes but seem to be indeterminate, and will need lots of stakes as they grow about6-7 feet tall!

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm not sure how tall my tomatoes are now, but they're over my head. The trellis I made seems to be doing a good job. I was looking at a friend's tomatoes. They used cages, and the cages are all falling over.

 

[WendyJ]

I am used to determinate tomatoes that aren't vine like (perhaps with our shorter growing season they do better here?), but these ones would have been 7' if I hadn't cut them back. Will need to come up with a better support system with the containers for next year, might try attaching the side pieces to the container.

 

[WendyJ]

One of my Brussels sprouts is looking okay, the other one has some disease, I need to find a list of problems that includes pictures.

 

[Denim Deb]

I know they're getting eaten by something, but don't know if that would cause the one part to turn black like that.

 

[WendyJ]

I'm thinking it is mildew for part of it. I will pick up some chamomile tea on the way home from work to see if making a spray with it helps.
We also have a bit of a mouse problem in that area thanks to the owners next door leaving food out for days after previous tenants bolted, hopefully now that a new family is in the house the mousies will move on?

 

[WendyJ]

So if when life hands you lemons you make lemon aide, what do you make when life hands you a dozen duck eggs?

 

[sumi]

If life hands me a dozen duck eggs I'd hatch them I hear they are wonderful for baking with.

I just had a look at your container plants, very nice! We're having our first ever go at growing vegetables in containers. They are still at the seed stage, but we'll see how it goes. Hopefully they'll grow as well as yours!

 

[Denim Deb]

I've had no luck hatching duck eggs. I'm just going to get a few ducks, then let them hatch out duck eggs.