Welcome to the jungle! đ
Oh my goodness my yard is a mess. But you know what? As long as I get everything weeded before the leaves start to drop in the fall I’ll be a happy camper. I feel like if I can get everything weeded, and then HH removes all the leaves after the big drop in the fall {I don’t DARE leave any because they are the PERFECT hiding spot for ticks!} then the ground will freeze over and we will be in pretty good shape for Spring.
Once the snow melts, I’ll put a thick layer of cardboard down over every inch that is not a plant and we will mulch the beds and HOPEFULLY, have a weed free summer next year. That’s the plan anyway, only time will tell if it works out that way.
Look what I found this morning…. A sweet little birdhouse gourd! I don’t know if she’ll make it before the first frost but I’m going to leave the vine alone and see if she does.
And look at this beauty! The Cinderella pumpkin will be perfect for the front porch.
Lucy’s little sugar pie pumpkins are doing well too. I think we’ve got about a dozen growing in front of the potting shed.
Our sunflowers are on their last leg and this poor little guys head popped off so I set it on the fence just in case a bird wanted to peck at it or something. The biggest sunflowers though, I plan on harvesting those seeds for next year’s garden.
Would you believe this is the only apple we harvested this year? I think it’s a Macintosh. There are three apple trees on the property and this is the only one that made it. What’s up with that? The farm stand down the road from us has acres of trees with beautiful apples growing on them.
Black Fatty and her crew. I’m pretty sure there is at least one egg layer in the bunch because for about the last week or so around mid afternoon I hear some sort of noise in the woods {you know, the kind a chicken makes after they’ve laid an egg}. I’m not going back there though with all the bugs and creepy crawlies though so I guess I’ll just have to wait until you know who finishes the chicken run and they are confined.
Yesterday I set out all these gorgeous tomatoes {plus a few baskets more} and I didn’t have a single buyer. The HH said it was because of the heat {95 degrees} and nobody wants to buy anything when it’s that hot.
Some sort of seed. Anyone what kind?
And then there’s the corn…..
I guess we waited to long to pick it? Help! I need someone who grows corn to chime in. This is my first year. I only picked the one cob this morning but now I’m tempted to go out there and pick all the rest of it. I can just cut off the top right? Why is it all mushy on top? Any help would be much appreciated.
~Mavis
The backyard vegetable garden tally of 2018:
Beets 22 pounds 12 ounces
Blueberries 31 pounds 8 ounces
Cucumbers 63 pounds 6 ounces Done!
Green Beans 1 pound 9 ounces
Green Onion/Scallions 12 ounces
Lettuce 11 ounces
Onions 1 pound 15 ounces
Peppers 1 pound 13 ounces
Potatoes 1 pound 3 ounces
Sugar Snap Peas 1 pound 2 ounces Done!
Swiss Chard 8 pounds 9 ounces
Tomatoes 122 pounds 7 ounces {AWESOME!} Over 52 pounds this week!
Turnips 9 pounds 3 ounces
Zucchini 3 pound 14 ounces {So weird!}
Herbs
- Basil 1 pound 10 ounces
- Chives 6 ounces
- Mint 4 ounce
- Oregano 13 ounces
End of the driveway farm stand tally $161.06 {3 weeks!}
Total Food Harvested in 2018Â 262 Pounds 15 Ounces
Total Eggs Collected in 2018 {with 7 hens} 0 {the ladies are just 18 weeks old}
Total spent growing 198 pounds 6 ounces of food this year $811.00 {about $3.10 a pound so far!} My goal every year is to get this down to $1.00 a pound or less by the end of the season. What did I spend my garden money on this year you ask? Well, $399 on Manny and the rest on seeds, compost, grow light bulbs and small garden tools/supplies.
Are you growing a vegetable garden this year? If so, what are harvesting these days? Curious minds want to know!
Have a great day everyone!
If you are new to gardening or just want to learn more about organic gardening, my #1 favorite garden book is The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food
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Melinda W says
The corn is mushy because a corn earworm got to it, or that’s what it looks like to me. Just cut off the top part and give it to the chickens. They love corn and worms. đ The rest should be fine. When I get a bunch from the local Memmonite farm, there’s the occasional mushy spot and occasional worm, since they don’t treat then with chemicals.
Linda Harber says
I’m thinking the same thing. But if the rest of the ear looks okay – it should be fine to eat.
Amy says
You might consider planting the corn in a different location next year. New location will not solve the problem, however, when I have planted in the same area that earworm was a problem one year it was worse the next.
Christy L says
The mushy on the corn is worms/bugs that have gotten into it and consumed that portion. Sometimes you will find the worm still there. Just cut the end off and consume the rest. My corn is doing the same thing and we are eating it. I only pick when the corn is ready but don’t let it go too long of it tastes old… I’ve done that in the past đ
RE the apples, apple trees require spraying in the spring to produce apples. The previous owner probably did not do this since they would not be there for the harvest. Talk to you neighbor who is grown bunches of apples and see what they do.
Trava O. says
We moved to our acreage in rural southwest Minnesota 12 years ago and inherited an apple tree on the property and have NEVER sprayed it! Yet, we harvest large amounts of apples every year and they make the best apple jelly, apple pie filling and apple sauce! They are tart so more of a baking apple than fresh eating apple!
Patty P says
I agree about the spraying. We have lived at our place for over ten years and have NEVER sprayed the apples with anything. They may not be the prettiest, perfect apples, but they make great apple sauce and apple pie filling. The problem could have been a late frost OR the trees that you have just might not be big producers. Might have to give it a year or two to see what you have.
Amy says
Those would be corn ear worms causing the damage to your corn ears. You’ll either have to plan on losing a bit of corn and throw the worms to the chickens or you’ll have to spray. Not sure the chemicals to use for a garden, my dad grows corn commercially. As the corn matures, the silks will turn brown, and the ear will expand. You can carefully pull just a bit of the husk back to check on the ripeness of the corn; if it’s not ripe just tuck the husk back up tight.
Deborah says
BT is an effective organic solution for corn earworms, I use to buy a granular one that you just sprinkled down the center of the stalk when they are about knee high. Have since given up on corn because the squirrel s won’t share .
Aline A says
Yes, as Amy says, you an check readiness by pulling down a small portion of husk to check and then pull it back up to cover the ear again. Also remember that raccoons and other interested parties know exactly when the corn is ready and will consume all they want or all of it if you don’t get there first!! đ And yes, you can cut off the bad spots, wash, and eat the good parts. Enjoy!!
Deborah says
Have you made any fried green tomatoes yet. Yum. I made some earlier this year. If they still have some at the grocery store, Iâm gonna get me some and make some more. Are you canning or freezing any of your produce? It will be so good this winter. Like fresh, but preserves.
Mavis Butterfield says
I have plans for tomato sauce and tomato jam. We are preserving what we are not eating fresh, offering for sale at the stand.
Deborah says
Yum! Good for you.
brenda says
Fresh Preserving website has recipe for Tuscan tomato jam that is da bomb. I just pulse all my tomatoes, I do not seed or skin them, and follow the directions. Fancy smancy Ketchup for a foodie! Get some white balsamic if you plan to use any yellow tomatoes.
Brenda says
In Michigan, the apple trees are all trimmed a lot. Maybe your trees need to be pruned? It also makes picking the apples easier.
My son wanted to try growing corn this year so we planted some starts. They were growing nicely, about shoulder height and I weeded them. That night a critter came and ate/knocked them all down. Maybe the weeds were hiding the corn from the critters, haha. So we bought corn from the farm down the road.
Mavis Butterfield says
All the trees and shrubs were nicely pruned last fall so I know it’s not that. And about the weeds…. since I stopped pulling the weeds by the corn and sweet potato patch the bunnies have not been back. đ So that part has been nice.
Karen says
When fruit trees are pruned, they often don’t produce fruit the next year. Were there blossoms on the apple tree? Did you have a cold snap which killed the blossoms?
Every year is different. Next year should be better. Good Luck!
Mavis Butterfield says
No cold snap and tons of blossoms.
Brenda says
I didn’t mean pruned for pretty, I meant pruned for function. The trees in the orchards are pruned short and squatty, with lots of middle branches removed for accessibility and air flow. They kind of look like upside down triangles on trunks, lol.
Maybe your tree needs to be sung to or something to get it to produce!
Em says
I saw the previous comments about spraying and pruning the apple trees. My thought was they might need fertilizer. I would love to know what you learn about them.
Mim says
I noticed a few posts ago that you were reading/thinking of reading the $64 Tomato. He talks in there about the sad realities of growing apples and the need for chemicals. Ours are wild and while the fruit is small and not beautiful, the sheep and deer love them and they make a great pie!
Betta from daVille says
My uncle in CT was telling me that last year, his apple trees gave a bumper crop. As a result, this year, he was expecting zilch. So, your lack of apple production might be because of last year. Did you have many buds on the trees?
Heidi P says
Our apple trees are never sprayed and they produce big big harvests every other year. I debate spraying every year because we do get lots of buggy apples but so far this year has been a great bumper crop. Hopefully your apples are just on an off year.
Jennifer Jo says
Mushy tops on corn is normal. It’s a fungus or something….and in some places in the world it’s a specialty food.
Unfortunately, your corn looks a lot like ours did last year—about four days too old—so it will probably be starchy and less sweet.
Dad planted corn for us, so it should be ready when we get back. (This year, we’re picking it on time — I’m not making that mistake again.) I can’t wait!
Pat says
What you are referring to is a fungus called smut. The mushy corn is from corn ear worms.
Carol says
Trees donât like grass or a similar ground cover growing under them, as it robs the tree of water and nutrients. Fruit trees like a cleared area about as big as their canopy in circumference. They also like a healthy top dressing of compost or manure and some mulch that doesnât touch the trunk. I use wheat straw. Leave a small area clear around the trunk, so as not to invite damage from rodents. Also, apple trees need to have their fruit thinned each year to have a regular, annual production of apples. If the fruit isnât thinned and managed each year, the tree may start to have a big crop every other year, instead of each year. It takes 3 years for a fruiting spur to produce, so careful pruning with the three year cycle in mind is important. Spray can be used to control insect pests and diseases. We have an organic garden so, if needed, we spray miscible oil, in spring before the tree leafs out and use an organic fungicide or a small amount of baking soda in water (1 Tblsp. baking soda, a Tsp. of soap-not detergent- to a gallon of water) on the leaves to keep powdery mildew in check. If mixing your own fungicide, be sure to try it on a few leaves first and wait a day to make sure you donât damage leaves. Sometimes heat and other climate conditions can affect how a fungicide works.
Tracy says
A tip: I am a big fan of spreading newspaper alllll over my beds as soon as my plants are up enough to tell whatâs what. I do it in late May when I spread my âSweet Peetâ cospost/mulch blend directly on top. Completely stops all weeds for the entire season and breaks down to gorgeous soil in one year if mulched well. Worms love it, too. I much prefer newspaper to cardboard as the former is much easier to manipulate around the plants. Use a minimum of five sheets thick. Newspaper is printed with soy inks now so no harm done. Better than the glues used in most cardboards, too, and so much easier to source in quantity.
Molly Jo says
that is exactly what I do too with newspaper, thanks for explaining it so well. đ
Melissa D says
Our elderly neighbor and my late grandfather who died at 98 both swore that hitting an unproductive apple tree in the fall with a baseball bat would cause it to produce. We whacked our tree hard a few times, and it worked! It puts the tree into (minor) distress, so it throws out a ton of flowers the following spring.
Heidi says
Could the seed be from a milkweed plant?
Emily E says
yes, I think milkweed as well.
MEM says
I really envy that Cinderella pumpkin! I’m in Greater Boston so I bet the same seeds would grow down here. Can you remember where you got the seeds? Thanks!
Mavis Butterfield says
Botanical Interests.
MEM says
Thanks!
Kim says
Please explain to me how you can have free range chickens and a garden?! This is the first time in 28 years Iâve not bothered with more than tomatoes and I orange fenced The heck out of them. Still, 2 tomatoes is all Iâve managed to save. The chickens eat. Everything. Before. I. Can. Get. It. Picked! zero grapes, zero blueberries. Eggs are about $1 a dozen from the store and $2 from my neighbor. Anyone want to buy layers?
Mavis Butterfield says
For some strange reason they stay to the side without the veg garden. I am just as surprised as you.
Mel says
We never spray our apple tree, but we bag the apples as they start forming to prevent bugs.
I’ve found that cardboard breaks down FAST, especially since you have to wet it down to keep the wind from catching it. Someone above suggested newspaper, which might take a bit longer to breakdown and be easier to fit around the plants. I might try it when I finally get around to cleaning out our herb bed. Our parsley exploded, and I can’t clear it out or weed until the Swallowtail Butterfly chrysalises on them hatch.
Jenny Elliott says
Mavis, my corn is doing the same thing and the culprit seems to be those pinching bugs âearwigsâ that are destroying them. Do you know how to get rid of them or a spray to use?
Thank you.
Betsy in MN says
I hope you save your leaves to mulch your gardens. Best mulch/fertilizer and free! Can’t be beat.
About the apple trees, I have struggled with my orchard. I usually use a dormant oil spray in the spring, which is not chemicals. But the reason for no apples may be a pollination issue. Did you see any bees this spring? You may want to get a couple mason bee houses to encourage them in your orchard. I plant mint, daylilies, bugleweed, and any extra plants under my trees to encourage beneficial insects.
One book you may want to check out is The Apple Grower by Micheal Phillips. He lives in New England and has helped my apple growing skills. I first got it at the library, before deciding to purchase it.
Mineral oil placed on the silk of each cob controls the corn borer worm.
Mavis Butterfield says
I don’t think it was lack of bees, as there have been a ton this year. Thanks for the book recommendation.
April Sazama says
Watch your corn . If the cobs are left on the plant too long the corn will get starchy and gummy. When I can feel kernels through the husks, I start to pull back on the husks and watch the color. When I see the kernels are white, it seems to be about a week before picking.
We have never sprayed our apple trees-actually have left them alone for many years (because we are renting out that house). They seem to be on a 2 year cycle. They produce a lot one year and none the next year. This is the good year and the deer will get many apples since we could never use all of them. I would like to make cider but to rent the press is expensive.
Lace Faerie says
We couldnât afford a press either but we were lucky enough to have borrowed my MILâs juicer/steamer, like this: https://smile.amazon.com/Cook-Home-NC-00256-11-Quart-Stainless-Steel/dp/B0055Q2D2W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535647186&sr=8-3&keywords=Juicer+steamer. (There are less expensive brand to keep your eyes out for.)
It produces a clear pure juice, however, if you use a potato masher it cloudies the juice and make it feel closer to cider than just juice. Itâs an excellent way to make juice for jellies. I can the juice and we savor it all winter. Blackberry, grapes. Some people do veggies, too.
Pat says
The corn issue is corn ear worms. You’ll find some on the ends of those chewed up ears. They get big and gross! They attack late in the season. Make sure to pick the corn before the sugar turns to starch or it will be tough and not nearly as good. If you push your fingernail into a kernel and it shoots milk, it’s good. If it just kind of smooshes, it’s too far gone. Just cut off that part that is chewed and give it to the chickens
Jenny Elliott says
I have had this problem from when the ears started growing. My ears are only halfway developed currently. Is there something I can spray on it to stop the worms?
Lace Faerie says
I heard putting a drop of cooking oil on the tip with the silk will protect against worms.
jean fletccher says
When we last had a garden, and planted corn, we set up a bug light. it attracts the moths that make the corn worms. Never had a problem with corn worms. But I see that is not your problem, so do not know what to recommend.
Tracy says
Another thought about why you may not be getting many apples. Apple trees have to be cross pollinated and while it doesnât have to be the exact same variety of tree, it does have to be one very closely related. I have an espalier apple tree that bore fruit for quite a few years despite my not have any other apple trees on my property. Then, suddenly, production screeched to a halt. Tons of blossoms, no apples. Turns out my neighbor had finally removed an old, contorted apple tree and that must have been the cross pollination source. Unless bees, wasps or other pollinators have access to the right tree, the pollen theyâre carrying wonât fertilize your apple blossoms.
Edna Mocanu says
I think your flowe r is a Shasta daisy. I just bought one for my garden. I feel silly saying this but having planted an apple tree and waited 3 years beyond its mature date and never saw even one. I was sharing my annoyance with my grandma Alvera and she sent me for my hubby s leather belt. We used the belt, each giving t he trunk a half dozen licks and then she gave it a solid mule kick for good measure. The following spring we had so many apples i had to discard three or 4 per branch. I wish you the best.