Gaia: Integral Veg*n - Raw Gaia - My garden is in!

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:46:31 GMT

Thanks for letting us know Lizzy! That helps to know. Yum on the veggies. Any advice on preparing this food or ways that you eat it sort of ideas, I am interested. Good luck with the site... it seems we are always tweeking our sites to help keep them in present time, hm!

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:26:16 GMT

Hi all! have been busy helping set up another site. Just an update.
My tomatos and peppers are going well, my cukes, so-s0.
the eggplant-not so good. but I am looking forward to next year.

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:37:54 GMT

I forgot to put in my other e-mail that it's in a pot.
The summer has been rather cool this year.

Re: My garden is in!

http://organics.gaia.com — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:19:32 GMT

Hi Lizzy!
Thanks for writing! The blossom drop could be an array of things, but my first questions would include:

* Is the plant in a pot, or in the ground?
* Do you have bees around and have you seen any in the blossoms?
You'll always have far more blossoms than will set fruit--natures way of making sure that at least some will get pollinated. You probably wouldn't be able to knock off any blossom that had been pollinated, or was even going to able to be pollinated, so I'd have no concern about that.

The plant, no matter what vegetable, will only set as much fruit as that particular plant can support. You can have a thousand blossoms, but if the plant will only be able to grow and develop one fruit, that's all you'll get, regardless of pollination.
Eggplants are a warmth loving plant, and if the nights are too cool, say in the mid-50's to low 60's or colder, they just won't produce well. For the first time in 25 years, my Japanese eggplants--really big beautiful plants, simply set almost no fruit at all. It's been a very cold spring and very cool early summer for us-and my worst eggplants ever. I finally considered them a waste of space and pulled them out to plant something else. The Black Beauty in the same bed as always, has produced only 13, which were a month later than usual. I've had 45-75 Black Beauties from the one plant for over 20 years.

I'd still think it was me, but I have two gardening clients in our location. We had Ping Tung Long, Japanese and Black Beauties from different seed, different nursery starts, etc., and all have had the same dismal eggplant production this year.
Of course if you're soil isn't well balanced with nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and calcium, minimally, that could be part of the reason--or all of the reason.

Cucumbers always have loads of male blossoms. The only way to tell is to watch and see which have tiny fruits behind them--and I can never tell that until the blossom has been pollinated and the tiny cuke starts to grow.
Let me know how I might help further?

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:35:14 GMT

sounds so yummy Lizzy! I look forward to lee's answer when he's here.

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:28:21 GMT

Had my first taste of cucumger this morning.
Actually it was a small one, I gleaned it out because I am hoping that it will urge the others to grow.
It was sooo gooood!

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:54:01 GMT

Ok, "momma" has to brag again. My eggplants are really taking off!
I counted this morning--there will be nine of them! and my cukes are popping out too. I don't want to go on ad nausum, but I get alot of deep satisfaction out of my little 'green space".
It has added something to my life that I really can't define. It lifts me up and makes me just glad to be alive!
I hope that I am not boring anybody, but I have struggled with depression for most of my teen and adult life.
I wish I had discovered the uplifting qualites of watching things grow a long time ago.
It brings a sort of peace and calmness.

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:56:40 GMT

It's more like being a hands on “mom” again

How precious that this stirs your nurturing instincts - the Mother is probably the most loving of beings

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:20:19 GMT

You have brought up such a good point HummingBird... on love. I look forward to reading your posts on your site. This is like a journal from the garden here and all of the nurturing and love keeps sprouting each day we read of a new veggie that is ready to be harvested and turned into energy for the body. I am lovin' it too. Keep journeling...

Re: My garden is in!

http://organics.gaia.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:09:28 GMT

Hi Lizzy!

I just learned how to set my settings :-)

I am going to invite you to also be a friend. Thanks for letting me know here.
Happy gardening,
Lee

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:37:19 GMT

tell the truth hummingbird, It's more like being a hands on "mom" again.
My daughter left home when she was 17 to join the Navy. she is out now and going on 24 using her GI Bill for graduate school.
Like when my little girl was home, my "babies" aways need something- food, water, pruning-Just this morning I had to retie the peppers so that they would not fall down.
I kind of feel like a Ralph Finnes movie( The Constant Gardener).
Thanks to the containers, I don't have to worry about weeds.
OH and Lee---I could not access your blog--I have to be friended first.
But thanks for the tip on the cukes.

Re: My garden is in!

http://anuradha.gaia.com — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:29:51 GMT

wishing you all a wonderful gardening experience this weekend. Enjoy the 'fruits thereof'

Lzzyl, this thread is a journal on your Garden - I'm loving it and even though I don't always leave a comment, I keep looking forward to the next installation. It reminds me of the Journal Room in the Meeting Love group. Unfortunately too many people don't realise love can be found in unexpected places! You are having a full on love affair with your garden, bravo!

love

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:10:05 GMT

I dug out some green tomato pickle recipes. My aunt used to make a green tomato pickle to die for! Unfortunaly for me, I never got her recipe.
I am also going to be trying my hand at making relish and sweet pickles.

Re: My garden is in!

http://organics.gaia.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:59:36 GMT

It is so much fun to harvest! I have to share with friends & neighbors and love to do that because it is so abundant. At the end of the tomato season when some of them stay green, just wrap them individually in newspaper and put them in a cool cupboard and they will turn red... or you can make fried green tomatoes or tomato relish. Your yard is mouthwatering. Feel free to read my blogs on gardening and hopefully some of them may be of help... my favorite thing to do.

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:39:20 GMT

Thanks Lee!
Two of my eggplant blossoms opened this morning, one is about to and I have three more on the way!
I saw another cuke this morning too.
and my tomatos and peppers are just burdgoning. It was a slow start but now it just seems to be explodeing daily.

Re: My garden is in!

http://organics.gaia.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:19:26 GMT

The cucumbers will keep producing for a while longer. Enjoy~reads as if you are doing all the right way. Your garden must be beautiful & tasty!

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:46:38 GMT

Question for you more experenced gardners. Does any one know about cucumbers. I have been getting alot of blossoms, thing is some turn to cukes and some don't. This being my first time out, it's alot of trial and error.
Any one know?

Re: My garden is in!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:12:13 GMT

Thanks for directing us to your blog. Very cool. Yeaaaaaa on the new peppers.

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:14:03 GMT

My peppers are coming in!!!!!

Re: My garden is in!

http://LizzyL.gaia.com — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:38:46 GMT

I just put something on my blog today that really moved me when I was tending my plants this morning.
go over and take a read.