Articles by Jason

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This Summer’s Garden

August 27, 2010 in updates by Jason | No comments

Like Lacey said in the previous post, it has been a very challenging year for gardeners. I had big plans of having a small garden that had some of everything we grow in it then recording short videos of every thing we did in the garden. Unfortunately, I broke my leg and that didn’t really happen. So like Lacey said, there is always next year.

Also I need to apologize to all of you who posted comments that went unanswered until now. There were a couple of settings wrong on the website that did not notify me of the comments. Please accept my sincere apology in the delay. I think we have it all fixed now.

Hope your garden was better than ours and here’s to next years effort!

Charley’s Garden Pictures

June 10, 2010 in updates by Jason | No comments

Tags: corn, garden, gardening, peppers, squash, tomatillos, vegetables, watermelons, zucchini

Picking Squash In Charley’s Garden

June 1, 2010 in updates by Jason | No comments

A couple of quick videos of Charley’s garden and picking squash.

Tags: garden, gardening, squash, vegetables

Charley Is Going Fishing

March 26, 2010 in updates by Jason | No comments

Charley is thinking about going fishing this afternoon. Since it rained yesterday, the ground is too wet to plow. As soon as the ground dries out enough for long enough, we are going to get some veggies planted. In the mean time, here are some pictures of Charley’s Veggies that we might get to plant.

Tags: eggpplant, garden, gardening, growing, peppers, planting, squash, tomatoes, vegetables

Cole Crops

March 23, 2010 in updates by Jason | No comments

broccoli-1204 Cole Crops refer to early season cold hardy vegetables that include cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, lettuce and chard.

In the deep south, cole crops need to be planted by the first of March. In the mid-south (Arkansas and Oklahoma) they should be in the ground by the middle of March. However this year, we have had such a cool, wet March so far the ground has been too wet to plant. I think that gardens will be able to plant their cole crops later this year.

What happens with cole crops is when the temperatures heat up, the plants just don’t fo as well. So planting early and growing cooler is better.

Farther north, cole crops can be planted on up into April.

Tags: broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cole crops, garden, gardening, vegetables

Lacey’s Garden – Lessons Learned

October 7, 2009 in updates by Jason | No comments

Summer has officially ended! Autumn is here – cool nights, beautiful leaves, pumpkins and scarecrows. What does an autumn garden look like? Well, I am determined to find out. I have pulled up everything and planted turnips, beets, lettuce, garlic, radishes, and carrots. This is definitely a learning process for me as I have never planted any of these things in the fall. Learn with me – I will keep you updated on the fall growth (or not, as the case may be! J)

Things I have learned this summer:

1) Straw mulch is awesome!!! This was the best thing I have ever done for me and my garden. It kept even the Bermuda grass from taking over my garden. Usually by July I have thrown in the towel and totally admitted defeat to the Bermuda grass, but not this year!

2) Rain is good is small measured amounts. Too much or too little is not good.

3) Gourds grow really fast.

4) My kids will eat anything that comes from the garden, and most friends who visit will at least try it.

5) I still like to garden.

These pictures are the last of the summer garden and the beginnings of the fall garden. Next posting will be about the fall garden completely. This will be an adventure!

Happy gardening.

Tags: fall, flowers, garden, gardening. lessons, gourd, vegetables

Lacey’s Garden – Pictures

September 17, 2009 in updates by Jason | No comments

Here some pictures of my very lush and verdant garden….it has really liked the rain!

Tags: artichoke, cantaloupe, cosmos, garden, gardening, gourd, tomatoes, vegetables

Lacey’s Garden – Gourds, Tomatoes, Herbs and Fall Vegetables

September 15, 2009 in updates by Jason | No comments

It’s been a while since the last post – so sorry!

Things here are very wet. I think this must be how folks in Seattle feel. It is not flooding; it just rains a little every day and stays gray and cloudy. Yuck!

What is left in the garden is thriving! I have three gourd vines that have taken over the whole back half of the garden completely. They grow so quickly that I have to trim them back in some places so I can pick tomatoes, but then they grow even more vigorously where they were trimmed! I think there are about 20 gourds out there so far and more coming on each day! Gourds anyone?

The tomatoes still have never ripened on the vine. I have been picking them when they first start to change from a darker to a lighter green, and letting them ripen on the window sill. This seems to be working but it just isn’t the same as seeing lovely red tomatoes on the vine. Oh well!

I have been harvesting herbs to dry for the winter and seeds to plant next spring. I have all sorts of sunflower seeds and zinnias. I have saved a few squash and will try to save some of the black cherry tomato seeds too. I have some moon and stars watermelon seeds and cantaloupe. Oh and I am pretty sure I will have plenty of gourd seeds to share too!

I planted some radishes and lettuce and will be planting turnips, beets, and cabbage as soon as I clear out the okra and melons. I want to see how these things do over the winter. I really want to plant garlic, too, if I can find some.

Well even though it is the end of season there is still plenty to do – keep at it and happy gardening!

Tags: garden, gardening, gourds, herbs, seeds, tomatoes, vegetables

A Rainy Week In The Garden

August 21, 2009 in updates by Jason | No comments

It has been a rainy week! It started raining the day after I posted about not getting any rain! And, it has not stopped. It has rained or stormed for about a week a little each day. I have not been in the garden very much what with the rain and school starting for the kids. One would think that with the girls out of the house for most of the time, I would be able to work in the garden! The few times I have been out there I pulled up overgrown marigolds and checked for ripe tomatoes. Still no ripe tomatoes! Oh well! My fall tomatoes look great and I think they will ripen before the ones that have been in the garden all summer will.

The community garden is coming along. We have a meeting with the city to request a donation of a water meter; after that meeting we will start entering grant proposals. Then we wait….

So long and good gardening in your neck of the woods!

Tags: community garden, fall tomatoes, rain, tomatoes

Lacey’s Garden – Heirloom Tomatoes, Beans and Gourds

August 10, 2009 in updates by Jason | No comments

Well. It has been sweltering couple of weeks here! No rain to be had in Claremore anyway. We have had thunder storms all around but none that come over us. The garden is still looking good, but it sure has not produced very much. I do not know why…maybe I do. Heirlooms do not produce as prolifically as hybrids; all of my plants are heirlooms. They sure are tasty and I like to think that I am contributing to posterity, but they would not be very helpful in feeding the family. All I can say…thank goodness for the Red White and Blue. We live in a land of plenty and for that I am grateful.

I have picked beans this week. Some finally came up and took off. I thought they had drowned in the flood. I also have a lot of gourds coming on. Those things grow really fast!! The black cherry tomatoes have just taken off…they are about 6 feet tall and bushy all around. I have a couple of other tomatoes that are about 6 ½ feet tall too! The pictures show the garden from the back fence. There is a whole other garden back there!! I will be pulling up some of the vegetables and planting more lettuce and other fall crops like broccoli and cauliflower by the end of August. Happy gardening to you.