No garden section.... ?

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Either we are going to have a mild winter or its going to be blizzards and storms. Since I planted late I strongly suggest you get your snow shovels and long long johns out, its going to be a cold winter :biggrin:

I planted 30 turnips, 30 'winter' carrots, and 6 broccoli and 6 cauliflower.

I usually get these in the ground late September and they do well. What light frost we usually get they survive.

Of course they will be younger and tenderer by November 2nd than usual.. so wait and see.

Its not like temperatures drop to the 20's (F) during the day, we may get a couple hours in the high 20's of a few nights a year - typically it hoovers closer to 30-32.

The only problem is shade. With the low sun one of the pine trees on the far end of the property is now tall enough to cut of direct sunlight for a few hours over most of the garden.

[Blue]

Of course, that explains why it drooped for the mid to upper 60's to 42 here last night. :tongue: It also explains the snow in the northern states already.

I'll be ready for the Alberta Clipper when it gets here in a few day - then I'll load up all of the snow and bring it to you. :biggrin:

I do hope it doesn't freeze you winter vegies out though, or get too cold for your liking out there.

[zeon]

I think gardening is one of the most rewarding things ever... I mean you can turn a complete tip into a beautiful garden and a place to relax... I grow my own strawberries and blackberries and this time of year it starts to welt... I am gonna miss fresh blackberry crumble and juice for another year but mind u December 21st our days get longer and Difiant and rainbowmums get shorter

[pellaz]

been green grass and sunshine here. The summer was very dry hot this year

[GossamerMoon]

I just spent over an hour digging at sweet potatoes. Damn things are a pain to get out of the ground! LOL

[pellaz]

sweet potatoes; make some baked french fries

[Bowyn Aerrow]

I just spent over an hour digging at sweet potatoes. Damn things are a pain to get out of the ground! LOL

Next year do a small hill - say 1 foot in diameter and 6-8 inches high for each slip. Then fill around with mulch material (oh about a foot high). The sweet potatoes will grow into the mulch (on top of the soil) or only half buried. This way in fall all you have to do is rake back the mulch to expose them.

I tried in just mulch but all I got was a lot of vine and very thin roots. That might me a watering issue or too high of a nitrogen in my mulch.

I was trying to do something similar to the basket method: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/grow-sweet-...24089.html without a basket....

I have had great success with growing normal potatoes in a 'cage' a 3' diameter 4' tall wire fencing cage that I slowly fill with mulch (composting material, leaves, straw (not hay, hay has seed), grass clippings. I figured its possible to do with sweet potatoes but haven't gotten to experimenting that far.

I thought a tall cage with vines flowing over the sides might look nice.

[AquarianDragon]

A garden section would be good. Always nice to share garden stuff especially with others from different hemispheres and climates.

My veggie patch is very productive this time of year. I've got spinach (silver beet), spring onions, celery, leeks, parsley and herbs. I never have much luck growing garlic as it tends to rot with hot wet & humid summers.

Nothing beats picking fresh from the garden, even if only a few herbs.
Just planted basil, and I have cheery tomatoes, planted over 25 years ago, still self seed and fruit each summer.

In a couple of months I'll give it a break, as leafy things like spinach and celery are too prone to black spot and rust here with humid weather.

[lizzielee]

Summer is nearly nearly here and my roses are just gorgeous. My sweat peas are nearly finished and I am looking forward to growing more herbs