Friday, June 7, 2013

Timing

My last post was mostly about how I messed up my timing. Well yesterday I hope I got it right. My planting times this year are skewed a bit. I'm going to be gone in the middle of July for two weeks. Certain crops ripen in the middle of July. Beans, cukes, zukes come to mind. And though my townhouse mates will still be here and I could ask them to pick while I'm gone, I've found in the past that even when I tell them that something NEEDS to be picked every few days or they start to go to seed (in this case beans), it doesn't always happen. I guess not everyone's life revolves around the garden. Such strange people, right? I also don't want to miss that first big flush of cucumbers for making pickles. Timing is everything this year. I want all the spring things out of the garden before I leave and to not have the summer produce start until I get back.

The cukes and zukes take about 50-60 days to start to fruit. So I planted them yesterday. My schedule said June 4th, but I was too tired before to do it, so it got done two days late. The bed for the cukes and zukes was a mess.

It was just full of weeds. Not only that but the ground had netting on it (to keep the cats out) and it was a pain to weed.

But it got done. I planted three Costata Romanesca zucchini. And a row of Cross Country pickling cukes. I don't grow the typical slicing cukes as I like the pickling cukes better. This year I'm not growing another variety of either. I'm hoping to save seed from both of these. I put them under the row cover to protect the cukes from the cucumber beetles that were so bad last year and gave the cucumbers wilt. And it will protect the zukes from the squash vine borer that always kills my plants at the beginning of August. I'll take the row cover off the cukes when I get home, but will leave it on the zucchini for longer. I'll hand pollinate for a while. Hopefully I can still get the cukes trained up the trellis then. You can see the start of the trellis at both ends of the bed. I have some netting that I can string up across it. It will have a middle support when the cover comes off.

And can you see the nice stand of favas in the photo above?

They are doing the best they ever have. No signs of aphids yet. And their stems are covered in flowers. Usually I'd get a bunch or two of flowers but this year they are all the way up the stems. Those aphids really did suck the life out of the favas.

I do have one plant that looks like it was burnt. I'm guessing what caused it was the four days above 90F that we had. But for all I know it is some weird disease. It seems to only be effecting one plant. I hope it stays that way as the favas are just starting to form. Michelle eats her favas as pods as well as the beans inside. I've never tried that. I wonder if I should pick some pods young and try it out. Anyone else eat them like this? Do they taste like beans?

The other vegetable starting to form is the snap peas. I have a pretty good stand going along the back of a whole 16' bed.

And the peas are starting to form. I'm guessing I'll start picking tomorrow. I can't wait. It is about now that I stop eating salads for lunch and start eating veggies with dip (usually a yogurt or honey mustard dip). I'll have radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, and peas.

And eventually the carrots will join the party, but they are still way too small right now.

12 comments:

  1. Your garden is going strong! Our snap peas look just like yours. We don't have any carrots or beans planted. They'll replace our lettuce soon and then garlic when that time comes. We've seen no signs of scapes yet. Lucky you! Yours look so tempting.

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  2. OMG, your carrots look good! I have on small square that is that far along, but my others are teeny-tiny yet. At this time last year I was eating fresh garden carrots. And beets. I might get lucky and get a meal of beets tonight, but not sure if they are quite large enough yet.

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  3. Your Favas have a huge amount of flowers - way more than mine. What variety are they?

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    1. They are Windsor planted on about 9" centers, used innoculant, low nitrogen fertilizer, planted very early. In previous years they haven't had this many flowers. Not 100% are setting but most of them are.

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    2. Thanks for the info. Re picking crops when you are absent: I have the same problem! My brother is always reluctant to pick for me, because he thinks "If I leave it a bit longer the beans will get bigger and Mark will be happy because the harvest is greater that way"! :(

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  4. Wow, your garden looks great, how do you like the new row covers, are they stretchable, I'm thinking I should get some this year.

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    1. So far I love them. They aren't really stretchable. Though if you order them order in the length that you want. I ordered to cut them down to individual ones and I swear I was shorted a foot because of a slight stretch. But I can't yet really recommend them as I haven't had them long enough and I don't know how they will hold up for the long haul. They are too expensive just to buy for a couple of years. A roll of remay would be cheaper for that. They held up very well for the first year. If you are looking to protect from flea beetles this is not the row cover for you. Flea beetles can get right in. I usually don't have too much trouble with them though so I don't care about that. So far I like them much better than remay.

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  5. So, are the PVC pipes for the hoop house pounded into the ground, and then just bent over to the other side? And they stay stable even in the wind?

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    1. No the pvc is placed over rebar - 2' rebar, at laest one foot of which is pounded into the ground, the other sticks above. And yes they are stable in the wind. Even the microburst last year didn't take the pvc down (though it did rip the cover off). The pvc I use is the typical one sold in home improvement stores in 10' lengths. They come straight, but I bend them over. I push as much of them into the ground over the rebar as possible. I then use more rebar to put over all the sides and ends of the cover to keep it on. I also put rocks or bricks at each corner as the rebar isn't really heavy enough to keep the wind from ripping the cover off.

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  6. I have never eaten Fava beans! I hope your schedule works out for you with the garden. It was the wrong timing for us going on vacation in May! Carrots looks great! Nancy

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  7. Your garden looks so full of lush life! I'm growing pickling cucumbers in a friend's greenhouse this year for the first time and really hoping for a good crop. I'm a big broad bean (fava) fan too and planted lots, several different varieties including the crimson flowered variety.

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  8. I cannot believe how far along your carrots are! Mine are just tiny yet. Your whole garden is looking great. I never grow fava beans (not really sure why but I just never have) so I am not going to be able to help you out with your question.

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