Vegetable Gardening

[smilingcat]

Do blueberry bushes and strawberry bushes count? That's all we're getting this year. Actually moving into our new home this weekend. The blueberry and strawberry bushes are planted already. Hubby wants to build a raised garden and that is one of his projects for this summer/fall. The main project before moving in was painting kitchen (now tan, was hot pink) one bedroom (was light green, now light blue) and the bonus room (was two tone green, now bottom carmel and top a lighter shade that has a bit of an italian type feel to it). The bedroom color was ok, but having been a kid's room was pretty scuffed up, so it got repainted. The other major project was making two rain barrels which are awesome.

Sure. why not? We are nearly finished with our move. Our animals are moving next Monday. Already at my new place, I have about 10 blueberry, 6 raspberry, 3 marion berry, 2 logan berry, 50+ strawberry plants are waiting to be planted. The berry plants will be formed into hedgerow to give us wind break for our veggie garden. strawberry will be used as ground cover to control erosion.

Since our move has been taking longer than I want and the weather in Portland area has not been conducive to growing, we are planning on making a solar heated poly tunnel to make up for the late start for our heirloom tomato and rest of our veggies.

We are looking at the weather for the move. not too hot and not raining. Next Monday looks like the day for the final move.

[Brandi]

Does anyone know how to harvest lettuce when it is young to keep it producing? I just planted a mix of baby lettuce plants but I am not sure when I can start to harvest. It looks good enough to eat now! Also how about swiss chard? Can you eat baby swiss chard?

[Koronin]

Sure. why not? We are nearly finished with our move. Our animals are moving next Monday. Already at my new place, I have about 10 blueberry, 6 raspberry, 3 marion berry, 2 logan berry, 50+ strawberry plants are waiting to be planted. The berry plants will be formed into hedgerow to give us wind break for our veggie garden. strawberry will be used as ground cover to control erosion.

Since our move has been taking longer than I want and the weather in Portland area has not been conducive to growing, we are planning on making a solar heated poly tunnel to make up for the late start for our heirloom tomato and rest of our veggies.

We are looking at the weather for the move. not too hot and not raining. Next Monday looks like the day for the final move.

Congrats on your move. I so know what you mean about it taking longer than you want it to. We're hoping to have everything moved by the end of the weekend. Then will need to clean (hire people to do carpets and spray for fleas as required by the rental company, and are going to hire a person to do cleaning as well, lady we are hiring knows exactly what the rental company inspects and will make sure it passes the inspection.)
Sounds like you have a great idea for your garden.

[Blueberry]

Also how about swiss chard? Can you eat baby swiss chard?

Definitely! I like it better when it's small. I usually take the outer leaf or 2, and leave the rest for the plant to use

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lots of blended or mesclun lettuce seed mixes are intended to be cut-and-come-again. Once it's over 2" tall just start giving it haircuts and using the longer tender leaf tops- it'll keep growing! Just don't cut it too close to the ground so that it can't recover.
Swiss chard is slightly different- don't give it a 'haircut' but rather cut and use the whole outer leaves as often as you like, even when small and tender.

[Brandi]

you don't pluck lettuce? You cut it?

[hebe]

I have potatoes, radishes, carrots and spring onions in tubs outside, all are coming through now except the spring onions. I have mint, basil, coriander and parsley inside on the kitchen windowsill. The Mister has promised me raissed beds if I can find someone to build them (he is open to the idea of less lawn to mow).

I love the vertical garden!

[Blueberry]

I have potatoes, radishes, carrots and spring onions in tubs outside, all are coming through now except the spring onions. I have mint, basil, coriander and parsley inside on the kitchen windowsill. The Mister has promised me raissed beds if I can find someone to build them (he is open to the idea of less lawn to mow).

I love the vertical garden!

You could also look at these. They may not be pretty, but they're fairly cost effective (when I priced them against lumber) and they definitely work. They're easy to put together - particularly the 3x3's.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

you don't pluck lettuce? You cut it?

You can't really cut head lettuce and have it grow a new head, so you harvest the whole head and that's it.
Leaf lettuce will continue putting up new leaves if you either cut off whole outer leaves or give the whole plant a little haircut and take maybe the top half.

All lettuce tends to get bitter as it gets older, so it;s good to keep planting seed at intervals and discard the older lettuce plants once they get spindly and send up flower stalks, if you haven't used them already. Lettuce is best when young, sweet, and tender. Never sow lettuce seeds all at once.

[Brandi]

You can't really cut head lettuce and have it grow a new head, so you harvest the whole head and that's it.
Leaf lettuce will continue putting up new leaves if you either cut off whole outer leaves or give the whole plant a little haircut and take maybe the top half.

All lettuce tends to get bitter as it gets older, so it;s good to keep planting seed at intervals and discard the older lettuce plants once they get spindly and send up flower stalks, if you haven't used them already. Lettuce is best when young, sweet, and tender. Never sow lettuce seeds all at once.

So head lettuce you mean like ice berg? Most of my little lettuce is red leaf, butter, romaine (I think) and a frilly green one. It was a 6 pack. I should try the seeds. I have them in containers because the snails are so bad here. right now they are all about 3 inches tall and looking very pretty.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My 10 little baby blueberry bushes that we planted last Spring are flowering for the first time, and I can see some baby blueberries forming! Our first blueberries, so exciting! Looks like we might get a few dozen. (And yes, I already bought some excellent bird netting that we'll put on just before the berries start turning blue)

Got the 13 tomato plants in. Planted the cucumbers and the bush beans too.

Salad-wise, we are already harvesting lots of lettuce, bok choy, kale, spinach, scallions, and radishes.

[Reesha]

I was just outside in the rain planting 30 radicchio plants. I find that managing the garden at school keeps me much more on track than if I tried to do it at home. I like gardening for the cafeteria and we also sell to my friend's restaurant. It keeps me on my gardening toes!

The tomato plants we planted a few weeks back still don't seem to be taking, but there are a number of plants I kept under the grow lights inside that are much heartier and will probably succeed with more oomph when I plant them out there.

I started the carrots from seed and they seem like really slow starters-- then again, this is the first time I've ever grown carrots. The seedlings were extra tiny for weeks and weeks and now they are just starting to increase in size. It could be a function of the clayey Missouri soil... I have a mind to make two new raised beds with a sandier peatier soil exclusively for carrots and other root veggies that like things loose and limber.

The zucchini is ridiculous right now-- if I can keep the ants away, I'm going to have loads of it to sell! But the crookneck squash is having a tough time adapting to the outdoors after being started inside. We'll have to see.

Now if I could just keep the squirrels from eating my cucumber seedlings straight away, I'll be a happy woman!

Some pictures!

English pea trellis:


The garden prior to planting this March:


I'll try to get some current pictures up soon!

[tulip]

Nice, Reesha!

Here are some of my recent photos. I harvested a bunch of sweet peas this morning. Mmmm. My tomatoes are about 3-feet tall and producing fruit, and my potatoes have started to bloom. Lots of lettuce and kale still, too.

[Reesha]

Oooo beautiful lettuce tulip. I love your landscaping too! The herbs amongst the pavers is especially darling.

I have big plans for my back yard, but I think I want new wheels for my bike more... hmmm

I ran out and took some pictures of the garden and my set up at school. It is too much fun to get paid to do this. First you see the grow light set up in my classroom (just after planting radicchio, hence empty tray), the zucchini box, the wild sugar snap pea tangle and some lovely rained-on lettuce that is still too tiny to harvest.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wonderful gardens everyone! I love the fresh greens and the shady stones.

In a way, it felt good to get a break from gardening all winter. It enables me to come back to it all excited and refreshed each Spring. I lived in Puerto Rico where there was no enforced 'winter break' for gardens and after a several years I lost that sense of seasons and big Spring excitement.
Sort of like the old country western song- "How can I miss you if you never go away?" lol!