Vegetable Garden Harvest

[Hillhunter4]

Despite adverse conditions we are starting to get daily Vegetable harvest. Adding a picture from a couple months ago so you can see the adversity.

[TXWatson]

Awesome! Green beans are like my #1 thing I can count on. Okra would be the second I think. It's been Murphy's law for me when it comes to my vegetable garden this year. If I ever get any peppers or tomatoes they will be super late.

[FigMamaJanet]

Norman,

Your garden looks awesome!! I am sure you started it early, are you in a warmer climate.

I started mine May around Mother's Day, as they say then we are out of danger from frost in New Jersey.  We planted raised beds, I will take pictures.  Swiss chard, a lot (3-1/2 raised garden beds of) of Jersey Tomatoes, all of the different colored bell peppers, white eggplant, radishes, every lettuce you can think of, and cilantro, Italian parsley, Italian basis, oregano (these herbs we grow a lot, as I dry them to use over the winter.)

So they are just getting started, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers will be a while yet.  Tomatoes have started to grown, and little buds for the peppers.  It should be a good harvest.

Good luck with your garden

[TXWatson]

Janet,
Do you really like Swiss Chard? I can't bring myself around to it. I have one plant that stayed in my raised bed all winter, survived down to -6F, and still hanging on in our heat. I'm keeping it around because the large leaves make great chicken fodder 

[Ashley]

Great looking harvest.    I am sure there is great delight in cooking something you grew.

[Hillhunter4]

Planted tomatoes and beans on March 23. That is usually safe but we had a late frost first of April. Covered everything up and they survived. The. Flash flood middle of April and they survived again. Okra and Eggplant haven’t started producing yet. Been tying up tomatoes this afternoon.

[Hillhunter4]

Janet, you have a large variety. Lease post pictures when you get a chance

[LaFigGwr2019]

Garden is very impressive.  Wish all of y’all the best of luck.  Later this fall I am hoping to plant some Swiss chard cause I really want to try them. 

[FigMamaJanet]

Tyler, Norman, & Arturo,

I will send pictures as soon as I take them.  We had some rain the past few days off and on.  Now we need more sun for the garden and the figs.

Swiss Chard has a sweeter taste than spinach, or escarole (escarole is a lettuce type plant which you can have as a lettuce, or cut leaves and boil them and then fry in olive oil, salt, pepper and a lot of fresh garlic.  This is the Italian way.  I do my swiss chard the same way, since I am the only one who will eat it except my Dad who is now deceased.  He had awesome gardens, he planted everything.

Try the swiss chard, they sell it in grocery stores.  I never tried it fresh, I don't know if it can be eaten that way, I am sure there are recipes around, if you can eat it that way.

We even go to a huge Pick-your-own farm - a lot of them in New Jersey.  I used to get my swiss chard there.  But now we are planting it, clip it and leave the roots and it will keep producing until winter.

[opiem10]

Wildlife in my area keep me from growing a true garden.   I am jealous.   Between deer that go over or through fences, to groundhogs that dig under fences, and rabbits to get what they can reach, I would have to make my property look like a fenced in prison in order to grow vegetables.   I am limited to 4 tomato plants on my deck with some cilantro and basil which the animals won't touch.

The deer have been decimating my peach trees.   Anything 6 feet or lower has been eaten.   Thank goodness there is a good crop of fruit higher up on my trees.   Same for my Asian Pears.   Plums are imprisoned within a fenced area so only squirrels have to be trapped and relocated to the mountains.

[FigMamaJanet]

John,  I know the deer can be quite a problem.  I have a fenced in yard, so I don't have to worry about them.  Its just the other little visitors.  Hope you are able to get some tomatoes on your patio plants

[LaFigGwr2019]

Janet,

I have being wanting to try them cause of what I read.  I was going to do it this spring but we had a crazy spring and I just did not want to waste the seeds.  I figured, there is always fall.  My wife and I love greens and I was planning on cooking them the same way or in a soup.  Can’t wait to see your pics.

I have being trying to grow tree collards/kale for that reason but weather/mother nature just does not want to give me a chance.  I will try one last time, hopefully I can keep them growing.

[Hillhunter4]

Janet,
I am planning on trying Swiss Chard. I think it will grow nearly year round here. We eat a lot of greens, collards, turnips and mustard.
While moving today I found evidence where squirrels have been eating my tomatoes. Not cool

[FigMamaJanet]

Norman,

Oh no, not the tomatoes!!!!  The only thing in our tomato garden are my 2 dogs chasing chipmunks.  So far none of them have uprooted any of the tomatoes!! I hope it stays that way  

I was told red hot pepper flakes (the spice jar kind), shaken around your flowers and plants/garden will chase the animals away.  Its hot and they do not like it.  I'm going to try it.  They sell it cheap in the Dollar Tree or any store like that. 

[Hillhunter4]

Janet,
Pepper is worth a try on squirrels. I may have to go Caddy Shack on them. 🧨🧨💣