GMG Green Thumb Club

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I think there may be some problems in wine production this year, someone I know was in the southern Rhône and commented that the vines are in a terrible state because of the dryness. I have a large ornamental vine, Vitis coignetiae,  which is suffering terribly and I wouldn't be surprised if it dies.

Apart from that I've noticed that my own fruit crops are excellent this year, I have a huge quantity of pears and apples, and even now, well before they should, they taste good.

Have they instituted any sort of water restrictions in your area Mandryka?

Sorry to hear about you ornamental vine.  Do you have any mulch under it to help?

Nice to hear that you fruit is doing so well.  Wonder if they are maturing early due to drought (as in racing to go to seed as it were)?  Any rain come your way lately?

Garden's doing pretty well here.  My eggplants are starting to come in and if the weather stays along the same lines as it has been, I expect a bumper crop.

PD

[Mandryka]

Very little rain, and there are restrictions on water use starting next week.

The past six months have been unusual not only because they have been hot and dry, but also because the spring started off unusually warm in March, and then became very wintry for a week or more, killing off the new growth. You can imagine the stress the plants are under.

Enjoy your eggplants. I don't grow them and I've been a bit reluctant to buy them recently because the last lot I bought were bitter.  I hope you know my favourite eggplant dish - caponata.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Very little rain, and there are restrictions on water use starting next week.

The past six months have been unusual not only because they have been hot and dry, but also because the spring started off unusually warm in March, and then became very wintry for a week or more, killing off the new growth. You can imagine the stress the plants are under.

Enjoy your eggplants. I don't grow them and I've been a bit reluctant to buy them recently because the last lot I bought were bitter.  I hope you know my favourite eggplant dish - caponata.

Yes, we also had a cold spell and, as you mentioned, it really does mess with plants and their health--poor, confused things!

You'll have to share with us what your favorite caponata recipe(s) are and what you like to serve with them...perhaps over in the cooking/food thread?  I've made it once (a few years ago)...trying to remember what all I had with it?  Probably just a baguette; I remember sharing some of it with a neighbor who liked it.

I've been pretty fortunate re my eggplants being not bitter and tasty overall.  This year, I'm trying two plants each of three different varieties:  Fairy Tale (which produces very tiny ones--first time growing it); Dusky (which produces your typical grocery-store-dark purple-large-Italian variety); and Beatrice (which is supposedly similar to a favorite of mine heirloom variety called Rosa Bianca).  Here's a link to the Beatrice one:  https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/eggplant/beatrice-eggplant-uses-and-care.htm  I believe that I provided a link earlier to Fairy Tale.

Need to get my watering done soon!

PD

[Szykneij]

Due to the exceedingly dry weather lately, I haven't been able to accomplish the things I'd normally be doing around the garden. Planting and re-potting is out of the question until we get some significant rain.

I had my best cucumber crop ever, but the vines are just about dried out at this point. My wife and I can still enjoy freshly-picked tomato sandwishes on the patio, although  those plants are also starting to yellow way earlier than usual.

I watched the radar on the few days rain was predicted and, invariably, the encouraging mass of green would either change direction or fizzle out completely as if there was a force field around our area. I have many plants and shrubs in containers, so watering them by hose is easier and more beneficial than watering those in the ground. The topsoil is so dry, even a thorough soaking dries up quickly and some trees and hedges are starting to show the strain.

I have a lot of non-native as well as native plants on the property. The natives seem to be going dormant early, which is probably a good thing as they'll come back in the spring. I'm wondering if I'll need to alter my future choices if this weather trend continues. We're in U.S. planting zone 6. When I purchase a plant I'll be, at least initially, putting in a container, I play it safe and make sure it's hardy to zone 5. If the warming trend extends into winter, I might be able to grow some varieties I've previously passed on. On the other hand, I should probably think about avoiding anything that's not drought tolerant.

[Irons]

"Wonky-looking vegetables" on the way due to drought:  https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62575247

Have any of you (not just in the UK) been noticing any differences in the quality/taste/shape/size of either produce from your garden or locally?  Or shortages?

PD

Runner beans! Each year we make runner bean chutney from excess pickings which with a chunk of cheese and a bag of crisps is our lunch for most of the winter months. The heat has decimated crops with the flowers unable to set. We have tried tomato and courgette chutney but they are a sloppy mess!
Talking of which, the way it is going a first for tomato to be grounds for divorce.

[Szykneij]

Runner beans! Each year we make runner bean chutney from excess pickings which with a chunk of cheese and a bag of crisps is our lunch for most of the winter months. The heat has decimated crops with the flowers unable to set. We have tried tomato and courgette chutney but they are a sloppy mess!
Talking of which, the way it is going a first for tomato to be grounds for divorce.

Looks like you have a nice mix of varieties.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Runner beans! Each year we make runner bean chutney from excess pickings which with a chunk of cheese and a bag of crisps is our lunch for most of the winter months. The heat has decimated crops with the flowers unable to set. We have tried tomato and courgette chutney but they are a sloppy mess!
Talking of which, the way it is going a first for tomato to be grounds for divorce.

Sorry to hear of your runner bean problems. 

I'm back inside and just finished lunch.  I spent awhile outside trying to improve my bird netting situation over the eggplants.  It's better but not perfect (trying not to squish the tops of the eggplants).

What about trying to make some salsas?  You can make a variety of fresh ones and can also have a go at canning some too.  Re your courgettes, sometimes I'll cut up some smallish ones and cook them with onions and fresh corn (cut off of the cob)...add some fresh basil and parsley.  You could also include some of your peppers into the sauté.  You can toss it with some grated parmigiana reggiano and a bit of olive oil, or make a pesto  and mix it in with cooked pasta, etc.  Courgettes are also great grilled.

Good luck and enjoy your bounty!

PD

[Irons]

Looks like you have a nice mix of varieties.

Crimson Crush. A favourite.
Mountain Magic. Like CC blight resistant.
Tigerella. Attractive striped tomato.
Golden Surprise. New variety, very sweet.
Coeur de Boeuf. A beefsteak type.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I was trying to find a link to a news story that I saw about a farmer who has about 600 acres and she spends hours each day going around to fill about 60 water stations up with water for the wildlife.  She also has put up some game cameras to catch images of some of the critters who come to drink up.  Great story!  So far, I haven't been able to find that one, but whilst looking, I did run across a very interesting story about some farming experiments going on in the UK involving planting large numbers of trees on farms and silvofarming/silvopastures--which I hadn't heard of before now.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/16/im-seen-as-the-fool-the-farmers-putting-trees-back-into-the-uks-fields

PD

p.s.  Ah! Found it!     https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-suffolk-62575058  It's a short video: " Suffolk farmer says heatwave is 'big wake-up call'"

[Szykneij]

Crimson Crush. A favourite.
Mountain Magic. Like CC blight resistant.
Tigerella. Attractive striped tomato.
Golden Surprise. New variety, very sweet.
Coeur de Boeuf. A beefsteak type.

Nice! I planted over 50 varieties this year and I don't think I've come across any on your list. It's incredible how many different types there are! I'll keep my eye out for Crimson Crush for next year.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Nice! I planted over 50 varieties this year and I don't think I've come across any on your list. It's incredible how many different types there are! I'll keep my eye out for Crimson Crush for next year.

Over 50 varieties?!  How many tomato plants do you have? 

I have a total of 5--two of which were some "freebies" that sprouted in another container.  I suspect that they are 2 X Plum Regal which are a paste type.  How well they come out, I'll find out as, if they are the ones that I think they are, they are F1s--meaning hybrids.....so, how close they come out to their parent, we'll see!  I had a bit of extra room and so decided "What the heck, I'll give them a chance".

I was thinking that I had grown Tigerella before, but I'm not seeing it on my garden calendar.  I suspect that I was confusing it in my mind with Striped Zebra which is a cool striped green tomato. 

Was able to harvest a few more tomatoes today; hard to get at them behind the bird netting! 

PD

[Szykneij]

Over 50 varieties?!  How many tomato plants do you have? 

Looks like I ended up with 44. This is a chart of the Tomato section of the garden with a few eggplants included. (I do have a few more in a different area.)

[Mandryka]

Heinz has 57 varieties.

[Szykneij]

Heinz has 57 varieties.

Something to shoot for. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Looks like I ended up with 44. This is a chart of the Tomato section of the garden with a few eggplants included. (I do have a few more in a different area.)

Wow, that's a lot of tomatoes!  How do you fit them all in?  How big of an area do you have for them and your eggplants?  Are they all in the ground or are some in pots?  And do you swap seeds with friends and/or save some of the heirloom ones for future planting--as that's a lot of seed packets to buy?

Ever the curious one here. 

And do you make lots of sauce/salsas, etc.?  I recall you saying that your neighbors received some of your bounty. 

A hawk was squawking at me earlier when I went to water my plants.  I told it that I was also going to fill up the bird bath too; however, it didn't seem to care. 

PD

[Szykneij]

Wow, that's a lot of tomatoes!  How do you fit them all in?  How big of an area do you have for them and your eggplants?  Are they all in the ground or are some in pots?  And do you swap seeds with friends and/or save some of the heirloom ones for future planting--as that's a lot of seed packets to buy?

Ever the curious one here. 

And do you make lots of sauce/salsas, etc.?  I recall you saying that your neighbors received some of your bounty. 

A hawk was squawking at me earlier when I went to water my plants.  I told it that I was also going to fill up the bird bath too; however, it didn't seem to care. 

PD

All of the tomatoes are in containers. As the season progresses, I can move them around to accommodate different growth rates. When we bought the land adjacent to the back of our original property, it gave me the opportunity to expand the garden. I save a few seeds, but only from favorite varieties and from types I'm reasonably confident will grow true-to-seed. Fortunately, tomato seeds stay viable for a number of years, so those I purchased for the current season will be good for next year.

I give excess vegetables to my neighbors and my wife has been making sauces, relishes, and pickles. I do lose a few to varmints, but there's plenty for all.

Do you know what kind of hawk was giving you a hard time?

The picture with my dog Gilbert was taken early in the season. The other is more recent and shows the tomatoes nearing their inevitable end.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

All of the tomatoes are in containers. As the season progresses, I can move them around to accommodate different growth rates. When we bought the land adjacent to the back of our original property, it gave me the opportunity to expand the garden. I save a few seeds, but only from favorite varieties and from types I'm reasonably confident will grow true-to-seed. Fortunately, tomato seeds stay viable for a number of years, so those I purchased for the current season will be good for next year.

I give excess vegetables to my neighbors and my wife has been making sauces, relishes, and pickles. I do lose a few to varmints, but there's plenty for all.

Do you know what kind of hawk was giving you a hard time?

The picture with my dog Gilbert was taken early in the season. The other is more recent and shows the tomatoes nearing their inevitable end.

I was thinking that you grew in containers.  But, wow, that is a lot of potting up and moving around!  How big are those containers?  And, yes, I've also kept seeds going for at least several years too.  Sometimes I've passed along extra plants (or produce) to other friends and/or neighbors (hate to see them go to waste). 

A RTH was the one squawking at me yesterday...I think.  I know that blue jays can mimic their calls; could barely see it moving near the tippy-top of a tall tree.  Perhaps another bird was harassing it?

PD

[Szykneij]

I was thinking that you grew in containers.  But, wow, that is a lot of potting up and moving around!  How big are those containers?  And, yes, I've also kept seeds going for at least several years too.  Sometimes I've passed along extra plants (or produce) to other friends and/or neighbors (hate to see them go to waste). 

A RTH was the one squawking at me yesterday...I think.  I know that blue jays can mimic their calls; could barely see it moving near the tippy-top of a tall tree.  Perhaps another bird was harassing it?

PD

The containers I use are mostly 10 and 20 gallon nursery pots. I don't need to move things around much, but I like having the ability to do so if need be. At the beginning of each season, I remove about a third of last year's soil and amend what's left with fresh soil and manure or compost. This year I also added some granular phosphate and calcium for the vegetables.

The good news is, it rained today!!!

[Mandryka]

The containers I use are mostly 10 and 20 gallon nursery pots. I don't need to move things around much, but I like having the ability to do so if need be. At the beginning of each season, I remove about a third of last year's soil and amend what's left with fresh soil and manure or compost. This year I also added some granular phosphate and calcium for the vegetables.

The good news is, it rained today!!!

Is there an automatic irrigation system? 20 gallons is a big pot - is that one plant. I grow Phyllostachys vivax in a pot which is about 20 gallons! I'll post a pic tomorrow if I can - it's thriving.

[Szykneij]

Is there an automatic irrigation system? 20 gallons is a big pot - is that one plant. I grow Phyllostachys vivax in a pot which is about 20 gallons! I'll post a pic tomorrow if I can - it's thriving.

No automatic irrigation (although I have a family member who owns an irrigation business.) I use a garden hose and resorted to a sprinkler on occasion this summer because the weather has been so dry. It takes a bit of time to water everything, but I don't mind because I find it relaxing (except on those brutally hot days).  Luckily, we finally got rain today and have more on the way this evening.

I put more than one plant in some of the bigger pots, the cherry tomatoes in particular. 

Do post the picture. I'm curious to see how tall it is. It looks like it's rated as U.S. zones 6-8, so it could do well where I am.