The 2019 Garden Thread

[JayKay PE]

I'm doing a CSA too but still going to attempt to grow things since he has space.

He finally put more nutrients in there on Sunday, after mentioning needing too on like Thursday. It's supposed be around 700 but it was at 250. No wonder some of the lower leaves were brown 

Ah!  Where are you (I'm just curious on CSA pricing across the country/how big your share usually is).  On LI/NYC area, shares are usually around $650+ per season, but I feel like you do get your money's worth since the season is usually around 25-weeks/pickups plus a bunch of extra stuff.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Ah!  Where are you (I'm just curious on CSA pricing across the country/how big your share usually is).  On LI/NYC area, shares are usually around $650+ per season, but I feel like you do get your money's worth since the season is usually around 25-weeks/pickups plus a bunch of extra stuff.

I'm in southern ME. The farm I get it through is a micro-farm, they grow on about an acre of land. It's 400$ for the "small share" with forage added on. It's enough veggies for 1-2 people. 25$/week. They are also organic but not certified. And all of her produce lasts so much longer than produce I've gotten in other CSAs or even at the farmers market. 

 

[JayKay PE]

I'm in southern ME. The farm I get it through is a micro-farm, they grow on about an acre of land. It's 400$ for the "small share" with forage added on. It's enough veggies for 1-2 people. 25$/week. They are also organic but not certified. And all of her produce lasts so much longer than produce I've gotten in other CSAs or even at the farmers market. 

Ah!!!!  Maine!  I wish I could move up there, so I'm not locked-in an island.  I've tried a couple of CSAs out here, everyone is certified organic which might be why the prices are a little more?  I'm interested in the one I'm most recently enrolled in; they have something where you're allowed to choose what is in your share.  Maybe this means more of a veggie or something when they post what is harvested?  Trading in parts of your share?  Either way, I'm hoping this will force my family to eat more veggies (I've always done a half share or a every-other week share for me/single person, and it's a tonnnn of veggies.  Lots of Bok Choy!)

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Ah!!!!  Maine!  I wish I could move up there, so I'm not locked-in an island.  I've tried a couple of CSAs out here, everyone is certified organic which might be why the prices are a little more?  I'm interested in the one I'm most recently enrolled in; they have something where you're allowed to choose what is in your share.  Maybe this means more of a veggie or something when they post what is harvested?  Trading in parts of your share?  Either way, I'm hoping this will force my family to eat more veggies (I've always done a half share or a every-other week share for me/single person, and it's a tonnnn of veggies.  Lots of Bok Choy!)

I also get a 10% discount since I've been a CSA member before.

I've seen CSAs around here that do something like that. I believe my farm is doing that at the farmers market that they frequent, you get X dollars to spend each week and you don't end up swimming in kale and kohlrabi (2 things I'm not too keen on) 

 

[JayKay PE]

I also get a 10% discount since I've been a CSA member before.

I've seen CSAs around here that do something like that. I believe my farm is doing that at the farmers market that they frequent, you get X dollars to spend each week and you don't end up swimming in kale and kohlrabi (2 things I'm not too keen on) 

I think my breakdown is around $27/week if you do the whole season.  Ah!  That's an interesting method with the X dollars each week.  I think my CSA is going to be like "You get BLANK amount of items, feel free to exchange and get 2 of one item" or something like that.  As for kale and kohlrabi....I love both of those things so much, tbh.  Kale chips/kale with eggs and kohlrabi sticks!!!  yum!

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

I think my breakdown is around $27/week if you do the whole season.  Ah!  That's an interesting method with the X dollars each week.  I think my CSA is going to be like "You get BLANK amount of items, feel free to exchange and get 2 of one item" or something like that.  As for kale and kohlrabi....I love both of those things so much, tbh.  Kale chips/kale with eggs and kohlrabi sticks!!!  yum!

It's going to be a challenge to get boyfriend to eat those...

In the 7.5 months we've known each other, I've introduced him to:

green beans

asparagus

beets

parsnips

summer squash

lamb

cauliflower

cantaloupe

And I think a few more things. I've also had him eat NON-FIRED fish! GASP

 

[JayKay PE]

... @LyceeFruit...Is your boyfriend okay?  I mean, I get parsnips, they're kinda weird to people who didn't grow up on root vegetables (aka; I can't say no to a turnip encased in wax), but the green beans?  Cantaloupe?  Was he one of those kids who only ate 'white' things, as my mom calls them: chicken nuggets, white rice, bread, french fries, etc.?  I'm seriously curious.  I'm assuming bf is around 25+?

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

... @LyceeFruit...Is your boyfriend okay?  I mean, I get parsnips, they're kinda weird to people who didn't grow up on root vegetables (aka; I can't say no to a turnip encased in wax), but the green beans?  Cantaloupe?  Was he one of those kids who only ate 'white' things, as my mom calls them: chicken nuggets, white rice, bread, french fries, etc.?  I'm seriously curious.  I'm assuming bf is around 25+?

He's 29. His dad owned a pizza shop when he was growing up and his mom died when he was 11 (cancer) so it was a lot of fried foods. He isn't anti-veg, he's just a major creature of habit. Like buys the exact same snacks every week (peanuts, green apples, green grapes) and makes the same like 4 things. And his ex wouldn't let him cook or grill. So IDFK lol 

In his defense, I didn't eat certain things growing up (tuna, parnsips, brussels sprouts) because I was raised by my grandmother and she didn't like them so she didn't make them. 

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

@JayKay0914 he's willing to try any recipe we find at least once. So at least he's expanding his palate. 

 

[JayKay PE]

He's 29. His dad owned a pizza shop when he was growing up and his mom died when he was 11 (cancer) so it was a lot of fried foods. He isn't anti-veg, he's just a major creature of habit. Like buys the exact same snacks every week (peanuts, green apples, green grapes) and makes the same like 4 things. And his ex wouldn't let him cook or grill. So IDFK lol 

In his defense, I didn't eat certain things growing up (tuna, parnsips, brussels sprouts) because I was raised by my grandmother and she didn't like them so she didn't make them. 

Nah, that totally makes sense.  When you're not exposed to something growing up, it does make it kinda difficult to start trying/jumping into the deep end spending money on food that you may or may not like.  The willingness to try is really good, as well as want to trying and cook!  I didn't realize how much stuff I didn't know about cooking until I was living on my own and was like, "I want chili" and then realizing how much work technically went into it.

 

[ktulu]

Someone in my office did bring in a huge bag of chocolate mint for me to bring to my mom/let her plant.  Hopefully she likes it!

Plant it in a pot and not in the ground. It will take over. 

 

[ktulu]

@LyceeFruit How did you boyfriend set up his hydroponic?  I've been thinking about maybe dabbling to start doing some leafy green stuff during the off-seasons, but I don't really know where to start?

The Kratky hydroponic method seems to be the easiest for beginners. 

 

[mudpuppy]

Plant it in a pot and not in the ground. It will take over. 

This!  Mint will spread everywhere.  I've seen a house where the whole back yard was mint.

 

[JayKay PE]

Plant it in a pot and not in the ground. It will take over. 

My mom kinda alluded to that when I gave it to her, she was like "Ah, yes, I have the perfect pot for these monsters" and then she kinda shook it and cackled while running into the backyard.

I assume this is what she meant.  That it spreads if not potted.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

my egg crate starters are sprouting!!!

Zucchini is the middle 6, top 6 are cukes (no sprouts), and bottom 6 are tomatoes.

Still havent started green beans. Just got some small starter pots for strawberries

 

[leggo PE]

Our tomato plant seems to be very happy! Thankfully, my fiance is doing a good job of watering it basically every day.

The pepper plant isn't visibly growing so quickly, but I know it's also not ever going to get as big as the tomato plant will.

I still wish we had gotten a bigger pot for the tomato plant, but the fiance says the one we got is plenty big enough.

 

[leggo PE]

The tomato plant is growing like crazy and has, I think, at least doubled in size since we got it 2.5 weeks ago. It has four little flowers buds already. 

The pepper plant is growing much more slowly, but I expected this as it's goal is not to be as big. It is showing new growth though!

And we just moved them to spots where they will actually get more sun, due to the arrangement of the little balcony we have them on being more shaded at one end than the other.

 

[Supe]

I've tried a new Spectricide liquid product to see if I can stop whatever the hell is decimating my plants.  They're growing, but leaves are all chewed to shit!

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

I still haven't started my green beans, I had to give up my pots for the zucchini which is taking off - it's basically outgrown the egg crates but we can't transplant outside yet.

I also got strawberries to start. Boyfriend is attempting to salvage some of what sprouted in the hydrophonic cage things, algae grew. Still no cukes either. I think I'll try again tho, the little pickling cukes are my fave. 

 

[mudpuppy]

Meanwhile in MI, it's almost time to plant.  I think this morning was the last threat of frost.  Wife is planning to pick up some plants this week.

We did have a bunch of collards come up, and the rhubarb and strawberries are doing excellent.