The Vegtable Garden Thread (2 Viewers)

[surfpig]

Ok Rob, You use a different name than what I'm used to. Yes I've had growers use horse beans (local name for fava) as a "Green Manure Crop" utilizing the Nitrogen fixation of legumes. Legumes are a big and important rotation crop in our area. Garbanzos, and alfalfa being 2 of the most popular.

I've used what was sold to me years ago as "bell beans". I plant them every fall.

 

[surfpig]

 

[BrotherRob]

View attachment 1109000

Damn, those look good.

 

[rusty_tlc]

The problem I have with cover crops is we try to push the fall season harvest. By the time I'm ready to plant a cover crop it's to cold for them to germinate.

 

[BrotherRob]

The problem I have with cover crops is we try to push the fall season harvest. By the time I'm ready to plant a cover crop it's to cold for them to germinate.

It doesn't need to be a crop. Just grab some dried beans and toss them around your garden. They'll sprout and grow among your other plants. If any get in the way cut them down. Winter will likely kill them and your soil will be augmented in the spring.

 

[rusty_tlc]

It doesn't need to be a crop. Just grab some dried beans and toss them around your garden. They'll sprout and grow among your other plants. If any get in the way cut them down. Winter will likely kill them and your soil will be augmented in the spring.

I want something more like hairy vetch that will protect the soil over the winter. Maybe I'll just throw a bunch of seed out around mid September.

 

[BrotherRob]

I want something more like hairy vetch that will protect the soil over the winter. Maybe I'll just throw a bunch of seed out around mid September.

Can't hurt might help. I usually grow snow peas over the winter. They've been resistant to frost and freezes. You may find that other legumes fair well through the winter.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Can't hurt might help. I usually grow snow peas over the winter. They've been resistant to frost and freezes. You may find that other legumes fair well through the winter.

Reno winters are pretty harsh. I've done some research and hairy vetch is the plant that comes up most often.

 

[BrotherRob]

Reno winters are pretty harsh. I've done some research and hairy vetch is the plant that comes up most often.

I heard a story about Alaska gardeners using black plastic to cover gardens in the winter to get a jump on spring.


http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6265-hairy-vetch.aspx

Pricey but may be worth it.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Mini eggplant update. I threw a couple on the grill whole last night, they were great. Cooked in the same amount of time as the chicken breast and treated great. The perfect solution for me since I'm the only one who rays them at my house.

 

[FLATU8ER]

Vetch is a common seed additive when mixed with what is called "Winter Forage" around here. Would be good to grow legumes in-between other crops in your garden. You would have to hedge them to keep them from covering your other veggies, they would also be a good indicator crop to monitor the invasion of/or first infestation of insects/pathogens. Quite a few grape wine/raisin, and tree fruit growers, are planting roses at the ends of their rows, I'm figuring as an indicator crop.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I heard a story about Alaska gardeners using black plastic to cover gardens in the winter to get a jump on spring.


http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6265-hairy-vetch.aspx

Pricey but may be worth it.

1/4 pound would more than cover my beds, only $4.65

 

[BrotherRob]

1/4 pound would more than cover my beds, only $4.65

I just dropped 3 lbs of black beans in my garden.

 

[BrotherRob]

Bean patch

 

[splitshot]

I miss the years these had a chance to ripen on the tree (usually mid August). Between the birds and bugs, they have to ripen in little brown bags.

Just picked and bagged about 65 pounds worth saving. Rough guess about 1/2 the crop was a loss.

 

[surfpig]

I miss the years these had a chance to ripen on the tree (usually mid August). Between the birds and bugs, they have to ripen in little brown bags.View attachment 1114426

View attachment 1114427

Just picked and bagged about 65 pounds worth saving. Rough guess about 1/2 the crop was a loss.

Fxxxers. Squirrels for us.

 

[surfpig]

This might keep me busy for a while...

 

[BrotherRob]

It's the finches around here. In the cooler weather, they live high up in the trees. As soon as it gets hot, they hang out in the foliage near the ground and eat everything. My main garden is netted from June to October. But the stuff out in the open is fair game. They've even discovered basil seeds, so I rarely get volunteer plants.

 

[surfpig]

.....

 

[myquestoyota]

Serious pepper harvest yesterday. Best crop we've ever had, must have been the warm stretch. Three bell pepper plants and two jalapeno, one banana pepper plant.