So who's planning a veggie garden for the summer?
#356757 - 03/17/10 10:06 AM
|
|
|
|
Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
|
|
|
Have you already started? What are you growing? Is anyone able to plant enough that all of their summer produce comes from their own garden?
I'm doing several types of heirloom tomatoes, and lots of herbs, some edible flowers (which I love to use as garnishes on desserts). Probably a zucchini, although we had no luck with squash and pumpkin last year.
Anyone have a garden that doesn't really get enough direct sun for veggies? Have you found some alternatives that do work in that environment?
- H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
They say that you aren't supposed to plant tomatoes in the same place each year so I use pots and put them on my deck.I also plant in the garden but I have a very large property so I can move my garden around.
I never have enough veggies left to freeze ...my kids always hit the garden and munch away.  Not that I mind but it barely makes it to the table.
How do you plant enough to eat ,munch AND freeze??
--------------------
IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
It's still a little too cold here in the foothills of California to start an outdoor spring garden, though many here are already starting their seedlings indoors or in their little outdoor hothouses or raised beds with glass over them (old glass doors and/or windows work just fine for this type of hot bed method!).
Just make sure that you are not buying any genetically engineered seeds, which can be disasterous to health and the environment as well.
Following is one link that will provide those interested in growing their own veggies (at least in part), and links to a wealth of other info around growing lush and healthy veggies.
There is nothing like digging our hands into the soil and connecting with Mother Nature. The rewards of our efforts are beyond words.
While there are dozens and dozens of internet sites about home gardening and organic ways as well, this site will offer a place to start.
http://www.growvegetables.org.uk/cool_warm_season_vegetables.htm
I would like to see others post sites that they find helpful too! 
This is fun and a way of 'bonding' together with a wealth of information through sharing.
--------------------
Senior female, IBS-D, presently stable thanks to Heather & Staff
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
We have veggies garden every year and manage to store enough bean, beets and a few other things that last my wife through the winter.
I use to grow carrots for myself but our growing season is short so they don't mature until very late in the year. The cost of raising home grown carrots is least 10 times the cost of buying them and I can buy fresh carrots from the store long before I can get them from the garden. I find that there is not much difference in taste so now I buy carrots instead of growing. On the other hand since I cannot buy yellow zucchini in the store I grow them. 
--------------------
STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Heather, last year I was very fortunate to have a great garden, all except my tomatoes. They just did not thrive. So, really the only veggies I bought at the Amish farm were tomatoes and corn.
Last year I had green beans; snap and half-runners(my favorite), three kinds of cukes; pickling, hybrid, and english; green peppers, green onions, and zucchini squash.
I haven't started yet this year.
I love tomato sandwiches and cucumber salads with homemade croutons in the summer. Umm umm good!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Some garden tomatoes, some diced cucumber, maybe a little diced onion, and then homemade croutons (or if it's too hot and I'm too lazy, just ripped chunks of good bread).
I toss it all with a quick dressing of balsamic vinegar and just a bit of olive oil, maybe some smashed garlic or smashed anchovy fillets, or a little dijon mustard. Throw some fresh basil from the garden into it and it's dinner many nights of the week in the summer.
It's so easy and flexible - I've added chunks of canned tuna, leftover sauteed zucchini, used other herbs instead of basil, etc.
- H
--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Tomatoes like heat!... and not direct sunlight during the hottest time of the day which can cause 'sunscald'. If you can find a place in your garden that is warm or even hot absent direct sunlight in the heat of the day, and/or has filtered light all day, or at least morning sun and afternoon shade, your tomatoes will do well.
Withholding water once your tomatoes reach the size you want makes them ripen on the plant juicy and sweet. In other words, stop watering them at that point and allow them to ripen on the vine. If you don't, often they will start to split open and they won't have much taste even if they don't split.
At the end of the season when cleaning up your garden area, you can pull of all green tomatoes remaining. At this point you have a choice... You can have some fried green tomatoes (yum!), and/or or you can put those green tomatoes in a warm, yet shady, place and they will ripen juicy and sweet off the vines.
Growing tomatoes is fun! If you ever grow 2-3 vines up a fence of cherry tomatoes, you will have more than enough for a whole growing season and lots to share with neighbors and friends. If birds are a problem, then cover the vines loosely with fine plastic mesh or even some cotton gauze which can be purchased by the yard or the bolt lots of places. I like the latter, as the birds don't notice the bright red fruit underneath as easily.
Whatever you choose to do when growing tomatoes, DO REMEMBER that the following year you need to plant them in a different place in your garden. Tomatoes do not thrive in the same place the following year... thus the known philosophy of 'crop rotation'.
--------------------
Senior female, IBS-D, presently stable thanks to Heather & Staff
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Winchimes, last year is the first year my tomato plants suffered and I can't figure out why. I even had my dad over, who is the consummate gardener, and he couldn't even figure it out. The early spring planting season was good, so I am wondering if it is the seeds we used. The rainfall was about right, so this one has me stumped.
I am not a fried green tomato girl but my mom and dad are, so I always pull some for them.
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
I have a 1/3 acre "garden" and sell CSAs, farmers' market and a stand. I just got done teaching a gardening class. I was hoping with all the interest in vegetable gardening now a days, the class would be very full but alas only 7 people were in it and 2 were kids! I had experienced and beginner gardeners in it.
I have an aphid infestation on my pepper and pansy seedlings and am going to the store for homemade insecticide ingredients. I sure hope it works! All I saw the last two nights when I shut my eyes was aphids on my plants! I can't believe how fast they multiply.  
Losing pepper seedlings is out of the question. I need to plant 168 and could never afford the plants. Plus I started the hottest pepper in the world and hope to sell the seedlings for a decent profit.
--------------------
IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
|
|
Aren't aphids a nuisance?
I rarely see them in my garden any more. What I did in the past was wash the plants down with a garden hose spray nozzle, until all aphids that I could see were off of the plants. Then I did one of two things: 1) Mix some mild natural soap (not detergent) with water in a spray bottle and spray the plants and the ground around them. 2) I've also used a solution of white vinegar and water and sprayed the plants and soil around them. Both of these treatments kept the aphids from returning to the plants. The most important thing seemed to be getting the aphids off the plants before any type of non-toxic treatment is applied.
If you have other ideas for ridding plants of aphids, do let us know. We never know when we are going to have an aphid year!
By the way, are those peppers that you are planting habaneros?, or is there actually a pepper even hotter than these?
--------------------
Senior female, IBS-D, presently stable thanks to Heather & Staff
Print
Remind Me
Notify Moderator
|
Posts
