This is a journal of my vegetable gardens. Skippy was my first dog and he thought the garden was his, even though I did all the work. Now Suzie and Charley follow in his footsteps. We're located near Boston (USDA zone 6A). I have a community plot, a backyard vegetable garden, fruit trees, berry bushes, chickens, and bees. I use sustainable organic methods and do my best to grow all of my family's vegetables myself.
Just wonderful! I am not getting anything like this. Did you do multiple sowings of onion or are the first once still green? What is the green thing looking like gourd! Huli
I have two types of onions this year. Both are in this photo. I have bunching onions, which are the small white bulbs with green tops. I also have large white onions. Both get planted from seed in the winter, I think February, and grow under lights inside til planting outside in early spring. I have been pulling a few of the bunching onions regularly since mid June.
The large onions are just now ready for pulling as the tops are falling over. I usually grow a large patch of large storage onions and did so agin this year. However, this year squash plant volunteered in the midle of my onion patch. I know I should have pulled it and gotten rid of it, but I was curious to see what it was. So I let it grow. I has turned out to be a nice Buttercup, but the vine is big and it is shading the onions. Onions seem small and it seems they can share their space, but they really do need their own light to grow big. As a result of the squash, I will only have a few big onions this year.
I think I have about 40 onions growing. These first ones are the biggest. They are just now starting to fall over and ready for harvest. usually I take care to cure them inthe sun so they store well, but with a small harvest it is not important as we will eat them fast.
We are planning a bit of a gathering and grilling party tomorrow and will roast a coupe of these onions.
ahhahah....I like when you go on your way talking about your garden :] I understood. My onions already fall over and they are no bigger than golfball. I guess I have never seen buttercup squash before which is a big surprise for me. Thanks for the answers and I love fallowing you here in your garden. Huli
I agree, my beets never turn out like that! How do you grow your potatoes though? It was my first year and it didnt go so well. Perhaps a few pointers? Yours are gorgeous!
Squashes should be harvested when their stems turn brown and dry. Let them cure in the sun a few days turning regularly or wipe clean with very dilute bleach solution. They should store all winter in a cool dry place.
Beets need LOTS of sun. I never could grow them in partial sun at home. Grow them in soil that has been amended by digging in 2 inches of compost in early spring. I never fertilize beets during their growing.
For potatoes, main thing is to get them in early. They die back in the hot sun and you want the tubers formed before this. - I order seed tubers from Fedco and plant soon after they arrive. (They ship at just the right time for planting.) Plant in FULL sun. Prepare bed by digging in 2 inches of good compost in the spring. Dig a 6-8 inch trench and plant seed tubers 2 inches deep at the bottom of the trench. As the plants sprout, fill soil into the trench leaving the top few inches of the plants uncovered. Continue filling trench with soil and eventually hilling up about 4-6 inches of soil around the base of plants. The more potato stems that are underground, the more potatoes wil form. Fertilize during heavy growth with 5-10-5 garden tone. Water well.
Fantastic organic veggie garden. Thanks so much i have picked up some great tips. I am planning on having some in for for Australian veggie gardens on my web site soon too. Check it out.
Nice harvest! Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteJust wonderful! I am not getting anything like this. Did you do multiple sowings of onion or are the first once still green? What is the green thing looking like gourd!
ReplyDeleteHuli
I have two types of onions this year. Both are in this photo. I have bunching onions, which are the small white bulbs with green tops. I also have large white onions. Both get planted from seed in the winter, I think February, and grow under lights inside til planting outside in early spring. I have been pulling a few of the bunching onions regularly since mid June.
ReplyDeleteThe large onions are just now ready for pulling as the tops are falling over. I usually grow a large patch of large storage onions and did so agin this year. However, this year squash plant volunteered in the midle of my onion patch. I know I should have pulled it and gotten rid of it, but I was curious to see what it was. So I let it grow. I has turned out to be a nice Buttercup, but the vine is big and it is shading the onions. Onions seem small and it seems they can share their space, but they really do need their own light to grow big. As a result of the squash, I will only have a few big onions this year.
I think I have about 40 onions growing. These first ones are the biggest. They are just now starting to fall over and ready for harvest. usually I take care to cure them inthe sun so they store well, but with a small harvest it is not important as we will eat them fast.
We are planning a bit of a gathering and grilling party tomorrow and will roast a coupe of these onions.
That comment got away from me... I hope some of it made sense.
ReplyDeleteI do only one planting ( in Feb), but two types of onions, bunching and large storage onions.
The green squash is a Buttercup. My first winter sqush of the season.
ahhahah....I like when you go on your way talking about your garden :] I understood. My onions already fall over and they are no bigger than golfball.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have never seen buttercup squash before which is a big surprise for me.
Thanks for the answers and I love fallowing you here in your garden.
Huli
What a great harvest! I wish I could grow beets like that..
ReplyDeleteFirst time growing buttercup. What do you look for when harvesting them?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I agree, my beets never turn out like that! How do you grow your potatoes though? It was my first year and it didnt go so well. Perhaps a few pointers? Yours are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteSquashes should be harvested when their stems turn brown and dry. Let them cure in the sun a few days turning regularly or wipe clean with very dilute bleach solution. They should store all winter in a cool dry place.
ReplyDeleteBeets need LOTS of sun. I never could grow them in partial sun at home. Grow them in soil that has been amended by digging in 2 inches of compost in early spring. I never fertilize beets during their growing.
For potatoes, main thing is to get them in early. They die back in the hot sun and you want the tubers formed before this. - I order seed tubers from Fedco and plant soon after they arrive. (They ship at just the right time for planting.) Plant in FULL sun. Prepare bed by digging in 2 inches of good compost in the spring. Dig a 6-8 inch trench and plant seed tubers 2 inches deep at the bottom of the trench. As the plants sprout, fill soil into the trench leaving the top few inches of the plants uncovered. Continue filling trench with soil and eventually hilling up about 4-6 inches of soil around the base of plants. The more potato stems that are underground, the more potatoes wil form. Fertilize during heavy growth with 5-10-5 garden tone. Water well.
Fantastic organic veggie garden. Thanks so much i have picked up some great tips. I am planning on having some in for for Australian veggie gardens on my web site soon too. Check it out.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.angusfinlayson.com.au