My Turn! - Page 6

Daox · 09-01-09, 01:15 PM

Any difference in taste? I'm with Higgy. I've only seen the lighter green ones with squigly lines.

Christ · 09-02-09, 02:04 AM

RE: Growing bigger fruits and veggies

If you want your melons to come out bigger, clip the smaller ones before they really start to grow. Experimental and Prize gardeners do this to obtain the massive veggies they often show.

It's a matter of how big you want your pickings to get. If you're better off with smaller melons, harvest them as soon as they're ripe. If you'd rather have a few less melons, but much larger, get rid of the smaller ones before they suck up nutrients, and the plant will focus on the one or two that are growing well, assuming the others are a lost venture. (Yes, plants assume things. :P)

Same with most veggies. For bigger tomatoes, you can do the same... anything really, including peppers. Peppers are tricky, though, because you can remove them and use them before they're actually ripe, depending on what you're using them for. Peppers are great because of this, because you don't always need a whole 1/4lb pepper, sometimes, you only need 1/2 a pepper, and then the other half often ends up forgotten in the fridge. In the case that you can anticipate the need for smaller peppers, such as for single servings of meat sauces and pizzas, just pick them a bit early, and allow them to ripen in a paper bag on a window sill for a day or two, until they thoroughly green out.

EDIT: The above only works for plants whose fruit grows above ground. I don't believe I ever recall it working with vine plants, either. (Like legumes.)

In some cases, with some plants, the faster you pick the fruit, the faster it will propagate more fruit. I can't think of which plants are best for this at the moment, but it's in one of my Horticology books, if I can find them in my Father's attic.

RE: PB and Celery; YUM. That is all.

insaneintenti0n · 09-02-09, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgy

Wow that's awesome. Ya, I've never seen that kind of watermelon before. I only have seen the kind in the store...light green with squigly lines.

Those were all i was familiar with. I just saw a packet of these in the store and figured I'd try em out. the insides are the same. It's just as yummy.

insaneintenti0n · 10-27-09, 06:41 AM

I really haven't updated in a while, here's the 'final' outcome for the year.

4 Green Pepper Plants - 102 Peppers (there are still a few on the plants)
4 Broccoli Plants - 6 lbs
5 Celery Plants - 1.5lbs (including the two smalls one I have to pull yet)
4 Lettuce Plants - 0 (I actually have some in the ground now that I started 2 months ago, tried a leafy, i might pull it this week to try)
2 Watermelon Plants - 3 melons - 17.25lbs, 4.25lbs, and 5.75lbs.

Here's a few estimated values:
So, GPs @ $1 each + celery @ $1.59/stalk + Brocolli @ $1.29/lb + Watermelon @ $0.59/lb = $102 (find this hard to believe) + $6.36 + $7.74 + $16.08 = $132.

Which, I think means I more or less broke me even for the year for what I put into it cost wise, and what it returned.

Granted I gave away ~6 dozen peppers. And a little of everything else, but that was a fun experiment, and I'm sure I'll try it again next year. Maybe I actually get some of my compost in there too. (even though the mixture is way off right now, at least I'll have some leaves to add very soon)

Daox · 10-27-09, 07:37 AM

Nice! Gonna go bigger next year?

insaneintenti0n · 10-28-09, 06:38 AM

I would definitely love to. Just have to figure out WHERE, and what. I gotta try Corn. Probably going bigger on the broccoli, though, I'm still eating all the frozen stuff I have.

I'll have to think about what else I want. Maybe more salad ingredients.

insaneintenti0n · 11-04-09, 06:17 AM

Certainly getting cold out there, but I'm still pulling stuff.

Actually, I had started a second round of seeds the end of July and got them outside the end of August. The main test was lettuce, again, tried iceberg and Romaine. Well, they're doing just fine actually. The iceberg, still not a head, but it looks like I should have just eaten the first batch, I ate some of this batch last night (just pulled the leaves) and it's fine. Mixed in with the Romaine, and some of my broccoli i froze, and a green pepper (and some chicken) not a bad salad.

And I've still got celery in the ground, so i pulled some and cut it up.

Can't wait to start next years (even though this year isn't completely done yet) I've still probably got a half dozen peppers, another celery stalk (or two) and the rest of the lettuce.

Daox · 11-04-09, 06:25 AM

What about continuing to grow some things on your porch? As I recall, its enclosed.

insaneintenti0n · 11-04-09, 09:33 AM

fully enclosed, even from the heat in my house. it gets... about as cold in there as it does outside. though, when sunny, it does heat up nicely, so maybe...

that has me half tempted to transplant a lettuce inside, though, i tend to stop eating cold stuff around this time... time to switch to soups and other hot meals, lol.

insaneintenti0n · 02-10-10, 01:35 PM

So, I had some hopes of starting earlier this year than last, maybe a month earlier, meaning this time next month... but I have a problem here... my entire area looks like this

we're getting 1-2' of snow (right now as I type this) on top of 2-3' of snow we already have. this is not usual weather for the east coast. forget about what my energy bills are going to look like... we've been at risk for losing power for the last 2 weeks, so i've been keeping things warmer (plus my hot water heater up) just in case.

09-01-09, 01:15 PM	#51
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Any difference in taste? I'm with Higgy. I've only seen the lighter green ones with squigly lines. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

10-27-09, 06:41 AM	#54
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I really haven't updated in a while, here's the 'final' outcome for the year. 4 Green Pepper Plants - 102 Peppers (there are still a few on the plants) 4 Broccoli Plants - 6 lbs 5 Celery Plants - 1.5lbs (including the two smalls one I have to pull yet) 4 Lettuce Plants - 0 (I actually have some in the ground now that I started 2 months ago, tried a leafy, i might pull it this week to try) 2 Watermelon Plants - 3 melons - 17.25lbs, 4.25lbs, and 5.75lbs. Here's a few estimated values: So, GPs @ $1 each + celery @ $1.59/stalk + Brocolli @ $1.29/lb + Watermelon @ $0.59/lb = $102 (find this hard to believe) + $6.36 + $7.74 + $16.08 = $132. Which, I think means I more or less broke me even for the year for what I put into it cost wise, and what it returned. Granted I gave away ~6 dozen peppers. And a little of everything else, but that was a fun experiment, and I'm sure I'll try it again next year. Maybe I actually get some of my compost in there too. (even though the mixture is way off right now, at least I'll have some leaves to add very soon) Last edited by insaneintenti0n; 10-27-09 at 06:48 AM..

10-27-09, 07:37 AM	#55
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Nice! Gonna go bigger next year? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

11-04-09, 06:25 AM	#58
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	What about continuing to grow some things on your porch? As I recall, its enclosed. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-02-09, 02:04 AM	#52
Christ Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 123 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	RE: Growing bigger fruits and veggies If you want your melons to come out bigger, clip the smaller ones before they really start to grow. Experimental and Prize gardeners do this to obtain the massive veggies they often show. It's a matter of how big you want your pickings to get. If you're better off with smaller melons, harvest them as soon as they're ripe. If you'd rather have a few less melons, but much larger, get rid of the smaller ones before they suck up nutrients, and the plant will focus on the one or two that are growing well, assuming the others are a lost venture. (Yes, plants assume things. :P) Same with most veggies. For bigger tomatoes, you can do the same... anything really, including peppers. Peppers are tricky, though, because you can remove them and use them before they're actually ripe, depending on what you're using them for. Peppers are great because of this, because you don't always need a whole 1/4lb pepper, sometimes, you only need 1/2 a pepper, and then the other half often ends up forgotten in the fridge. In the case that you can anticipate the need for smaller peppers, such as for single servings of meat sauces and pizzas, just pick them a bit early, and allow them to ripen in a paper bag on a window sill for a day or two, until they thoroughly green out. EDIT: The above only works for plants whose fruit grows above ground. I don't believe I ever recall it working with vine plants, either. (Like legumes.) In some cases, with some plants, the faster you pick the fruit, the faster it will propagate more fruit. I can't think of which plants are best for this at the moment, but it's in one of my Horticology books, if I can find them in my Father's attic. RE: PB and Celery; YUM. That is all.

10-28-09, 06:38 AM	#56
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I would definitely love to. Just have to figure out WHERE, and what. I gotta try Corn. Probably going bigger on the broccoli, though, I'm still eating all the frozen stuff I have. I'll have to think about what else I want. Maybe more salad ingredients.

11-04-09, 06:17 AM	#57
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Certainly getting cold out there, but I'm still pulling stuff. Actually, I had started a second round of seeds the end of July and got them outside the end of August. The main test was lettuce, again, tried iceberg and Romaine. Well, they're doing just fine actually. The iceberg, still not a head, but it looks like I should have just eaten the first batch, I ate some of this batch last night (just pulled the leaves) and it's fine. Mixed in with the Romaine, and some of my broccoli i froze, and a green pepper (and some chicken) not a bad salad. And I've still got celery in the ground, so i pulled some and cut it up. Can't wait to start next years (even though this year isn't completely done yet) I've still probably got a half dozen peppers, another celery stalk (or two) and the rest of the lettuce.

11-04-09, 09:33 AM	#59
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	fully enclosed, even from the heat in my house. it gets... about as cold in there as it does outside. though, when sunny, it does heat up nicely, so maybe... that has me half tempted to transplant a lettuce inside, though, i tend to stop eating cold stuff around this time... time to switch to soups and other hot meals, lol.

02-10-10, 01:35 PM	#60
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	So, I had some hopes of starting earlier this year than last, maybe a month earlier, meaning this time next month... but I have a problem here... my entire area looks like this we're getting 1-2' of snow (right now as I type this) on top of 2-3' of snow we already have. this is not usual weather for the east coast. forget about what my energy bills are going to look like... we've been at risk for losing power for the last 2 weeks, so i've been keeping things warmer (plus my hot water heater up) just in case.