Kill the deer.
I'm betting its our yard deer. She had a fawn, but we saw a dead fawn on the road a couple of weeks ago, and now she is alone. Tired of the beans, so I'll let her have em. Been giving them all away anyhow. Next year there will be one of the pneumatic tired garden seats for picking those beans. That 5 gallon bucket gets real uncomfortable.
On the tomato sucker issue, We've always just left them. They will build leaves, set flowers and fruit just like any other branch. They are typically pruned like any plant, to control the direction of growth and density of the plant. Some say more suckers makes for more smaller fruit rather than fewer larger ones. That's not been my experience as most suckers means more leaves tapping every ray of sunlight the plant can get. For control, I normally just put a t-post at each end of a row with some 1x2 stakes every othe plant and weeve nylon rope about every foot or so of growth to help control the plan while saving the hassle of pruning. You just end up with a wall of tomatoes.
This year we tried making some terra prata to run a little experiment. This was the worst year for it as we were two months late getting into the ground but went ahead anyway. While there is much more to it, Terra Prata is a rain force practice of creating charcoal (biochar is hippy circles) which is basically gasified wood reminents leaving only the nice carbon material remaining. This is finely ground (if patient enough) and mixed with the oil at somewhere around a 5-10% volume. The idea is that the char is basically activated carbon so it functions to hold nutrients better and to condition the soil for subsurface biology. I don't have all the details handy but I can say that using the same oil in beds built the same time, the terra prata plants (all bought from lowes at the same time) are twice the size of the other bed with much better production. Only other difference is I lined the non-terra prata bed with one layer of card board and the other has none. Beds are 12in deep with fresh load of soil. Anyway, first year on this so thought I would share. If ever in need of fuel, building a gasifier is pretty easy to run whatever and the remains of the gasification chamber are char coal that is not used for fire can be crushed up as a soil amendment. I'll post some pics of the beds tomorrow.
Pulled this little stash out of the gardens yesterday. Maybe this will help on that diet my loving wife is always asking about.
CHenry - That zuchini is freaken awesome! Need to let us in on that secret.
This year we tried making some terra prata to run a little experiment. This was the worst year for it as we were two months late getting into the ground but went ahead anyway. While there is much more to it, Terra Prata is a rain force practice of creating charcoal (biochar is hippy circles) which is basically gasified wood reminents leaving only the nice carbon material remaining. This is finely ground (if patient enough) and mixed with the oil at somewhere around a 5-10% volume. The idea is that the char is basically activated carbon so it functions to hold nutrients better and to condition the soil for subsurface biology. I don't have all the details handy but I can say that using the same oil in beds built the same time, the terra prata plants (all bought from lowes at the same time) are twice the size of the other bed with much better production. Only other difference is I lined the non-terra prata bed with one layer of card board and the other has none. Beds are 12in deep with fresh load of soil. Anyway, first year on this so thought I would share. If ever in need of fuel, building a gasifier is pretty easy to run whatever and the remains of the gasification chamber are char coal that is not used for fire can be crushed up as a soil amendment. I'll post some pics of the beds tomorrow.
Pulled this little stash out of the gardens yesterday. Maybe this will help on that diet my loving wife is always asking about.
CHenry - That zuchini is freaken awesome! Need to let us in on that secret.
Very nice, 1krr ...
Oh ... and I'm afraid to ask CHenry what he's done to his zucchini ...
BTW, I tried this recipe last night ... it was really yummy!!
Zucchini "Chips"
Slice zucchini thinly, either in round slices (like chips) or strips (like french fries) ... Dip in egg that has been salted and peppered and beat, then roll in bread crumbs. I used panko but you can use regular bread crumbs if you want. Place on racks on cookie sheets (so the heat can get all around the zucchini otherwise you will have to turn them to keep them from being mushy on one side. Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or so.
Very tasty!!
The outside is very crisp ... the inside moist, almost creamy in texture ... They are really, really good.
The zucchini is so mild you can also use other flavorings like garlic and top with cheeses like parmesan ... or add grated parmesan to the bread crumbs ...
Oh ... and I'm afraid to ask CHenry what he's done to his zucchini ...
BTW, I tried this recipe last night ... it was really yummy!!
Zucchini "Chips"
Slice zucchini thinly, either in round slices (like chips) or strips (like french fries) ... Dip in egg that has been salted and peppered and beat, then roll in bread crumbs. I used panko but you can use regular bread crumbs if you want. Place on racks on cookie sheets (so the heat can get all around the zucchini otherwise you will have to turn them to keep them from being mushy on one side. Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or so.
Very tasty!!
The outside is very crisp ... the inside moist, almost creamy in texture ... They are really, really good.The zucchini is so mild you can also use other flavorings like garlic and top with cheeses like parmesan ... or add grated parmesan to the bread crumbs ...
Those zucchinis are just a freak of nature. We didn't do anything out of the ordinary. It just happened.
We sliced it like chips, topped with olive oil, garlic, cavenders and motzerella cheese. Tossed them on the grill for 15 minutes and YUM.
I had one zucchini get that big, but it was the lone fruit on that plant after the Vine Borer Insurrection, so my theory is that it was some kind of survival stress reaction.
The others are all regular size.
The others are all regular size.
Tons of Tomato's, Jalapeno's, Onion's, but our Squash, Zucchini did not do so well, too much rain?
Last nights haul, short 4 tomatoes. (chickens hit them while I had my back turned)
Have Cucs, tomatoes & onion marinating in Balsamic vinegar, olive oil with garlic and black pepper for my accent to grilled pork chops and squash for tonights dinner.
I guess its not been hot enough to get the okras going. I only get one or 2 a day.
Have Cucs, tomatoes & onion marinating in Balsamic vinegar, olive oil with garlic and black pepper for my accent to grilled pork chops and squash for tonights dinner.
I guess its not been hot enough to get the okras going. I only get one or 2 a day.
