Baymule's 2019 Garden

[Lazy Gardener]

I just came in. I had a bunch of beets, partial packets. So I planted them. I planted Bulls Blood, Chioggia, Albino, Cylindra, and Sugar Beets. I planted Purple Plum and Daikon radishes.

I planted 4 1/2 rows of Painted Mountain corn- 214 seeds. I planted 30 Purple of Sicily Cauliflower plants. Some look good, some are kinda small.

Then I watered everything in real good, fed critters and came in. Drinking a glass of water, then fixing chicken wings this evening.

Only a true gardener takes the time to count all her corn seeds!!!

 

[CrealCritter]

You have been busy, your soil looks pretty dry and good enough to work

 

[baymule]

The Painted Mountain corn is an experiment. Mine never get over 4' tall. A TEG friend in Idaho, hers gets 7' tall. So we exchanged seed. I planted double rows, 1 Texas, 1 Idaho next to each other. When they tassel, I'll shake the tops to help cross pollinate the 2 types. Then I'll save seed, marking each one Texas and Idaho, repeat next year and see what I get.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

So, you gonna name your F1: Tedaho or Idas?

 

[CrealCritter]

The Painted Mountain corn is an experiment. Mine never get over 4' tall. A TEG friend in Idaho, hers gets 7' tall. So we exchanged seed. I planted double rows, 1 Texas, 1 Idaho next to each other. When they tassel, I'll shake the tops to help cross pollinate the 2 types. Then I'll save seed, marking each one Texas and Idaho, repeat next year and see what I get.

If you can bend the top over to the row right beside it that may help also. I found it best to pollinate corn in the morning, just right after the morning dew evaporates. But I have to fight off the honey bees in order to thump the stalks.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

IIRC, Blooie used to work in the corn fields. Varieties that the farmer was intending to hybridize would be planted in alternate rows in the field. When corn tasseled, she would be sent out to cut the tassels of one variety of corn, leaving the tassels of the rows of the cross pollinators in place. Then, All of the ears from the cut stalks would bear seeds of the desired F1 hybrid.

I'm flying by the seat of my pants here, but I think if I was working on BM's corn, I'd clip some mature tassels from the Idaho corn and simply tap them above the silks of the Texas corn, and vice versa. How big a corn plot are you planting, @baymule ?

 

[Marianne]

NICE!!!!

 

[baymule]

The corn patch is just a small patch, maybe 20' long rows. I have 6 or 7 double rows. I intend on mixing the pollen from the Idaho and Texas tassels. Same corn, just a difference in the height. Maybe I should have asked for some of that Idaho soil. LOL LOL

 

[Lazy Gardener]

It could very well be a difference in the fertility level. You'll know soon enough. If you get those rows planted, and can't tell the difference between the Idaho and Texas strains. If they grow equally well, no need to worry about deliberate hybridizing. Just let nature take over.

 

[baymule]

Weeds have galloped through the garden. They got so bad that my husband mowed them. It has rained and rained and rained and RAINED! We even had hail.

My poor Painted Mountain corn.

Lambs quarters. The sheep love them, me, not so much.

English peas. They have since this picture was taken, produced enough for us to enjoy and are now dying back.

I have some pretty lettuce growing, but it is about to bolt now.

Mowing down the weeds.

I have two rows of sugar snap peas. They made so many that we couldn't keep up with them, so I let them get bigger and picked them for shelling peas.

I was able to put 10 bags of shelled peas in the freezer!

I have tomatoes set out and they took hold and are growing. I hope I get a good harvest this year. Last year was just so-so. I didn't get many canned and none dehydrated. I need a good tomato year!