Garden Growing

[Knight9]

Kent,

<font color=blue> I've got about 70 tomato plants (8 different kinds)</font color=blue>

Good grief!! 70 plants!! We have 3!!! You must really like tomatoes. Do you jar them? Make sauces? or eat them like candy??? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Nice looking garden. Is the windmill ornamental only, or there for pest control??

Kevin

 

[Ozarker]

That reminds me of the first garden my wife and I put in a couple of years after we got married many moons ago. I don't remember how many tomato plants we put it but it was way too many for us. We had tomatoes coming out our ears and was taking them to work to give away to anyone and everyone who would take them. People started avoiding us so they wouldn't have to take more tomatoes. We ate tomato sandwiches for lunch for weeks and weeks.

 

[Steelfan]

Kevin, We canned about 40 quarts of Spaghetti Sauce last year, 20 quarts of Chili Sauce and 25 pints of Salsa. We used all the Salsa, but got a couple Spaghetti Sauce left. Canned with my Mom, and Dad. My Mom passed away about three months ago, so we are now without the head canner. She know all the recipes by heart. I hope she taught me right. Also we give to everyone in the neighborhood. I just love to grow stuff.

Yes, the windmill is for pest control. We live next to a Beagle Club, and there are a couple hundred rabbits running around. They breed them, and release them for the dogs to chase. Very interesting thing to watch. They don't shoot them, or allow hunting, and the place has a fence around it. They still get out, and come into my garden. I figure they got to have something to eat./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif The road in the picture is the entrance to the club.

 

[Bird]

Yep, 70 tomato plants of 8 different kinds is lots of tomatoes. A couple of years ago, I set out a dozen each of 4 varieties and figured we harvested about 1,500 pounds before I mowed them down, so I cut back. This year I only set out 18 each of two varieties and still have more than we can get rid of.

 

[Steelfan]

The last couple years were very ,very dry around here, so my tomatoes didn't do as well as I expected. I've got a pump to pump water from the creek in the picture, but its not like when it rains. I need to pump water tomorrow morning most likely. The worst part of tomato growing for me is picking them. I need to wear long sleeves, because the plant gives me a rash. Something doesn't agree with my system there. Kent

 

[Bird]

Kent, I've heard of people with some kind of allergy to tomato plants like that, but don't think I ever knew anyone that was bothered by them. Now okra is another matter. Neighbor behind me loves okra but has to wear long sleeves and gloves to pick it, and my wife needs to wear gloves to wash and cut up the pods or she complains about her hands itching. I usually feel some mild itching on the back of my hands and arms after I pick it, but not enough to bother me.


And unfortunately, I have to use "city" water to water my garden, and that works, but like you said, it isn't nearly as good as a good rain. Long story in the local paper this morning about the grasshopper plague and how they like the hot, drought conditions. The county agent says we need a cool wet Spring to get rid of them. We'll hope for that for next Spring, but right now I'm afraid we're in for 3 months of hot, dry, miserable weather.

 

[Steelfan]

Yeah, I started developing more allergy problems in the last 5 years or so. When I was younger I had none. I could run through Poison Ivy if I wanted to.

The creek is my best source of water. It runs all the time, pretty fair size creek. I have a Waterbug pump to pump water to the sprinkler. Works pretty good. Covers about 3/4 of the garden, and runs for about 45 minutes without running out of gas. I usually run it twice and move it the cover the other 1/4 of the garden. Still not as good as a good rain. I'm amazed by your Grasshopper Plague, I hardly ever see any around here. Course being further north, the cold weather helps with bug control. Good Luck with the Hoppers. Kent

 

[Ozarker]

If you put a solar pump on that it will pump as long as the sun shines.

 

[MrP]

Knight,

Looks good.

We just harvested the first red tomatoes last week. Not bad since any before July 4th puts me ahead of the game in my neck of the woods.

We got a frost the third week of May that killed half the garden.

 

[Chuck52]

I thought I'd better issue this warning: It hasn't rained at my place since June 11. I intend to get tomatoes from my garden this year if I have to deplete the Ozark aquifer all by my lonesome. Just figured I ought to warn anyone else who uses the same source.

Chuck