| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Jan 04 2011 : 06:25:20 AM
I am so excited -- this year I'll actually be able to complete my raised bed garden, with enough room for just about everything we eat, veggie wise. With the help of the greenhouse my dh got me for Christmas, I'm gonna be sowing seeds like crazy. Every year I try to plant something a little different from my norm. This year, I saw in an RH Shumway catalog a new Snowball White Tomato. Too fun, so I just had to order some seeds! Is anyone else going to try something totally different -- or a very unusual plant or veggie this year?
from the hearts of paradise... |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Oggie |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 6:13:53 PM
Here in Northern Maine we pick the Fiddleheads when they are about 1-2 inches high, clean well in water getting the brown paperish parts off, then boil for 10 minutes, serve right away with butter and vinegar.
I am growing a couple of new things: the first is Bittermellon which is suppose to work miracles on just about any ailment like high blood pressure, diabetes, and such. They taste pretty awlful unless you know just how to cook it (which I don't yet). I learned this from a guy from Tiawan. We are also going to try banana mellon and popcorn. Of course we still have tons of snow but hopefully one day soon it will be spring!
Ginny
Farmgirl #2343
www.thedewhopinn.com
"I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with."
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." Both by Elwood P. Dowd (Jimmy Stewart) in the Movie Harvey
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| Cibola |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 12:42:46 PM
I am looking forward to doing my raised bed gardening again this year. Last year was the first time I did this and my husband and I made two raised beds. We live where there are deer and we put up a fence. I also planted 200 daffodills in the meadow - can't wait to see what survived. The snow will have left by mid April and I will be ready with my camera to take pictures of the daffodills.
farmgirl: #2537 |
| tatersgirl913 |
Posted - Mar 05 2011 : 11:21:23 AM
We're tying Pink Banannas (from rareseeds.com) can't wait to see what they look like!!
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;.." Jer 1:5a
Motherhood is a sweet, sweet moment that lasts an eternity and an eternity that lasts but a moment.
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| NancyM |
Posted - Feb 21 2011 : 10:23:23 PM
I'm going to try giant pumpkins. I took a class at a farm expo and the teacher gave us some of his personal seeds. I'm hoping for something larger than the norm, but certainly not a fair winner. There is quite a science to it!
Nancy
Farmgirl Sister #159 |
| Sunflower64 |
Posted - Feb 20 2011 : 2:41:07 PM
Thanks to Sandy, we are planting Peter Peppers this year (red hot peppers resembling a male part) and Loofa Gourds...a gourd that dries out to be a loofah sponge...can't wait for these!! And we are getting those mushroom plugs to put in a tree stump...hoping those work out too! If anyone would like more info on any of them email me!
"The country way of life is the closest thing to heaven" |
| countrymommy85 |
Posted - Feb 16 2011 : 08:53:34 AM
I looked high and low for German Beer radishes... Finally found them from Terrior seeds, I ordered them last week and they just came in!!! We are also doing blueberries and I'm trying my hand at blue potatoes and a bunch of heirloom/OP seeds! I can't wait to get out in the garden!!!
~We can make the world a better place for our kids and future generations by what we do today!~
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
| Mary Ann Newcomer |
Posted - Feb 15 2011 : 11:25:11 AM
I just love reading what everyone is trying this year. I am getting ready to lay out my plans (for real) for the new raised beds! I am so inspired. Thanks all.
Farmgirl w/a city garden, Dirt Diva on the radio. Sister chick #246
www.gardensofthewildwildwestcom |
| paradiseplantation |
Posted - Feb 15 2011 : 07:04:56 AM
Mel, my raised beds are ALWAYS open to you! I wish you could come this year -- we would have a blast. But you do know that first I have to get R to actually help me BUILD those beds! And with the weather we've been having, that hasn't been easy. Have you (or anyone else reading this) ever grown Kiwi? I saw some in one of my catalogs, and am considering trying it. Would love to have some advice on this one, as my space is getting pretty limited. Saffron????? Mel, you have so much more ambition than I do!
from the hearts of paradise... |
| eriko |
Posted - Feb 14 2011 : 12:38:44 PM
I did leeks last year, just planted the scraps from the roots of leeks I purchased in the store. They grew great. Not a huge quantity but enough to get an additional meal out of them. I do the same with scallions/green onions when I buy them in the market. I always plat those roots!
My wild and crazy plantings will be chayotes and perhaps some other squash. But not all planted in my yard. I'm doing some "guerrilla" gardening (planting on public/abandoned land) on the edges of some scrubby woods near my house. I live in a townhouse/condo that doesn't have a lot of property and the only place that gets sun is the front yard, where it is forbidden to plant food items! Can you imagine? In the past I've sort of stuck to their rules and only grown herb plants in big pots in the front but I think this year I'm going to challenge them. I'll keep it neat (no corn plants or giant tomatoes!) and I don't think anyone will complain as long as it's nice. What's the difference between "ornamental kale" and kale that will go in my stomach? As far as I'm concerned, I'd be thrilled if all my neighbors dug up their lawns and planted food. It would certainly liven up the place and give us a better sense of community!
Peas,
Eriko |
| Dorinda |
Posted - Feb 10 2011 : 05:22:50 AM
I am thinking about trying some leeks this year. I made a leek soup a while back and it was really good. Leeks are really expensive here at our stores. I tried swiss chard last year and it did not do very well. All my other greens did great.
Seize The Day!
Dorinda |
| momdrinkstea |
Posted - Feb 10 2011 : 05:00:15 AM
White tomatoes! And a lot of kooky heirloom plants that just looked really fun.
Oh, and hungry kids! LOL
Stacked Stone Farm
feel free to follow my blog: www.stackedstonefarm.blogspot.com |
| earthmamaT |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 3:20:33 PM
I am going to grow loofahs this year!
Tammy ~
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Gandhi |
| Catherine |
Posted - Jan 13 2011 : 08:28:33 AM
I try something new each year, this season it will be Red Noodle Asparagus Beans :) . I grew green ones last year, spring and fall with great results, the red ones look very interesting!
blessings,
Catherine :)
http://stillroomherbs.blogspot.com
http://lovelivingsimply.blogspot.com/
Farmgirl Sister #1801
Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant. ~Robert Louis Stevenson
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| Bellepepper |
Posted - Jan 10 2011 : 10:27:48 AM
About the saffron Crocus, Most crocus bloom in the early spring. The saffron crocus bloom in the fall. I think I learned this from the Penzey spice catalog. I was at a garden store in KC and sure enough, there were Saffron Crocus, fall blooming. I bought 20 bulbs and planted them last fall in the Herb garden (where else?). I can't wait to see what I get, if anything.
Probably not do much NEW stuff. Going to try for the third time to get a strawberry bed started. Will replace some of my blueberries that didn't survive last summer's heat. Also working at a new asparagus bed. My old bed is about to fizzel out after 20 years.
My "time in the sun" is limited. So will stick with the tried and true.
Belle |
| graciegreeneyes |
Posted - Jan 10 2011 : 08:32:57 AM
I'm going to try kohlrabi this year - the description in the seed catalog sounds intriguing.
I'm also going to do the super tall sunflowers and some purple bean tee-pees so there is a part of the garden that is just for my granddaughter.
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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| Montrose Girl |
Posted - Jan 10 2011 : 06:39:41 AM
They are great steamed. Fiddleheads that is. You have to get them before they start to uncurl. We had them in Vermont. They were great/ Like asparagus, which is what we have now in the high desert.
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Jan 10 2011 : 12:28:27 AM
Hi,
I've never eaten them before or even grown them, but my husband and I love ferns, and since I am wanting to have as many edibles as possible on our new property/homestead, and we'd like to create a woodland look to the back half of our 1 1/4 acre which has lots of trees on the back 1/2 of the property I figured I'd look in to growing the ostrich fern. I've seen it mentioned that they taste similar to green beans and asparagus (which we love) and to prepare them you simply rinse them very well, add to a saute pan and add a bit of olive oil , garlic, and salt and pepper and sort of steam/saute them.
I am very much looking forward to trying to grow them here as I have wanted to try them for quite a while now.
( ***I will note: please make sure that what you wish to consume is the Matteuccia struthiopteris variety)
~I Dream of a Better World..where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!~
blogs:http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and http://thevictorygardener.blogspot.com
magazine: www.stliving.com
etsy shops: http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com
and http://myvictorygarden.etsy.com |
| melody |
Posted - Jan 09 2011 : 7:51:55 PM
Tina,
I have a lot of ferns that grow around our house and I have always wondered how do you prepare the fiddleheads? What do they taste like?
Melody
Farmgirl #525 |
| Tina Michelle |
Posted - Jan 09 2011 : 6:21:46 PM
I am hoping to add Ostrich fern/ Fiddlehead ferns from which the edible fiddle heads are produced in early spring to our property. We have a partially wooded lot from which we have removed the underbrush from around the pines/oak and we'd like to create a woodland feel ,but to have our ornamental looking plants serve a dual purpose if possible.
~I Dream of a Better World..where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned!~
blogs:http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/
and http://thevictorygardener.blogspot.com
magazine: www.stliving.com
etsy shops: http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com
and http://myvictorygarden.etsy.com |
| LadyInRed |
Posted - Jan 09 2011 : 01:17:13 AM
Melody...I did not realize that is where Saffron came from. You taught me something new
today. That would take a lot of harvesting to get a substantial amount of saffron...now I
know why it is not cheap. lol
Blessings,
~peggy
Farmgirl #1326
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
http://pegsmiles7.wordpress.com
http://www.sunshinefarmgirlcoop.com/PeggySmithsStudio.html#
"I'm only as strong as the caffeine I drink, the hair-spray I use and the Girlfriends that I have." |
| melody |
Posted - Jan 08 2011 : 09:02:59 AM
Peggy....That's a crocus!
Crocuses typically have three stamens. The spice saffron is obtained from the stigmas of the crocus plant. Can you imagine harvesting this on a grand scale??
Melody
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| LadyInRed |
Posted - Jan 08 2011 : 12:49:54 AM
Melody...is that a picture of Saffron or is that a Crocus? It sure is a brilliant purple/blue!
Gorgeous!
Blessings,
~peggy
Farmgirl #1326
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
http://pegsmiles7.wordpress.com
http://www.sunshinefarmgirlcoop.com/PeggySmithsStudio.html#
"I'm only as strong as the caffeine I drink, the hair-spray I use and the Girlfriends that I have." |
| melody |
Posted - Jan 07 2011 : 9:00:49 PM
Well Julie dear.....
Our season is so blasted short and not near as warm as I would like it to be and I have to be so careful about what I want to put into the beds because there just isn't any time to change my mind.
What I wouldn't give to live on the plantation and borrow a few of your raised beds. If I could I would love to grow some SAFFRON!!!
Melody
Farmgirl #525
www.lemonverbenasoap.etsy.com
www.bythebayhandcraftedsoap.blogspot.com |
| natesgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2011 : 2:19:25 PM
We've chosen several purple items this year; carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and tomatoes. We also are gonna grow jade blue corn. It's kinda gray when it's fresh and turns very blue when cooked.
I am also growin mexican sour gherkins. Tiny cucumbers that look like barbie doll watermelons and taste like they've been soaked in lemon juice! I got my hands on a few to taste last year and fell in love!
Oh! And you can't forget the ghost chilies! The hottest heirloom chili in the world!
I think that about covers all our wierd and wild stuff.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
| Annab |
Posted - Jan 07 2011 : 10:05:52 AM
We are going to srt blueberries too.
I just completed going throgh the catalog and marking all the seeds we need to order.
For spring we are going to try the dark purple potatoes. These particular ones don;t fade when cooked. And purple carrots.
Coolest one in our garden for summer will be the round zucchini called cue ball
I can't wait for winter to end! |
