Worth's Octopuses Garden in the Shade.

[Worth1]

Onions planted.
Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Worth, the place where I get my onion transplants from tell me they are from Dixondale. The onion roots are in a light brown clay soil. I'm wondering if yours had that clay on the roots too?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Worth, the place where I get my onion transplants from tell me they are from Dixondale. The onion roots are in a light brown clay soil. I'm wondering if yours had that clay on the roots too?

They aren't Dixondale I bet they are from someplace in Texas they had a sandy soil on them.
I just cant remember the name or place to save my life.
Worth

[Worth1]

What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails and puppy dogs tails.
Thats what little boys are made of.

What are little girls made of?
Sugar and spice and everything nice.
That's what little girls are made of.

Well here is the spice every flag you see has turmeric or ginger planted next to it.
about half and half.
I'm not even going to bother watering it for a few days there is no need to.
Along the fence is sugar snap peas.
So we have sugar and spice and everything nice in Worth's Octopus's Garden in the Shade.
Worth
IMG_20160117_7308.jpg

[Worth1]

With any luck at all I should have sugar snap peas running out my ears.
Not only have I mass planted them along the fence I have now planted them on the back side of the onion beds.
I know these do well because this is where I have planted them before.
I bought a 1/4 pound of seeds.
In all honesty I dont expect much out of the shade garden with everything but I planted so many different things maybe something will work.
I did read where the peas would do good in an area that has moving shade and that is what it does.
If everything works I am going to have a jungle on my hands.
Worth

[Gardeneer]

I though that turmeric and ginger need/take a lot of warm weather to root and grow and need sun !!
While in Atlanta, GA I tried them once with little success. They needed much longer season and maybe overwintering (frost free). I got a few fingers of turmeric. No ginger.

Gardeneer

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I though that turmeric and ginger need/take a lot of warm weather to root and grow and need sun !!
While in Atlanta, GA I tried them once with little success. They needed much longer season and maybe overwintering (frost free). I got a few fingers of turmeric. No ginger.

Gardeneer

They are an under story plant (forest floor) and can handle a little cool weather it is also the reason I didn't water.
The whole project didn't cost but $7.00 if it doesn't come up I will try again in a month.
Anything below the ground here doesn't freeze we have wild elephant ears that have escaped peoples yards and are now growing up and down the rivers.
I grew some ginger in an other spot the leaves bit back but the plant rhizome didn't die.
What killed it was I wasn't around to water it.

Worth

[seaeagle]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Just so I dont break the rules by not putting tomato and pepper plants in it later I will.
But for now I have a little shady area that gets pretty good sun in the mild winter and spring.
As the summer comes on the leaves come out and shade it more.
I have no idea how well this is going to work but if I even get sub par plants out of it I will be happy.
I think the tree cutting is going to help some.
Besides it is wasted space.
In this area I have planted lettuce, carrots, radishes, beets, cabbage, cilantro, parsnips and soon to be radicchio.
The area is about 12X23.
One thing I have noticed it the wild varieties of plants the grow here do very well without me even watering them.
This includes Queen Ann's Lace (kin to the carrot) and wild lettuce.'
The clover also does well in the area and has grown here for years.
It is a thick layer of decomposed leaves and sandy loam on top of clay.

So far the radishes have sprouted and today I planted the cabbage beets and cilantro seeds
I might even stick a New Big Dwarf plant in there and see how it does.
I can protect one plant from freezing if need be.
Worth

Arugula grows good in the shade if you can eat it.Not very good by itself, but mix it up pasta, tomatoes, red peppers and some good dressing ( I just mix up a little Miracle Whip and organic apple cider vinegar), grated cheese and it is delicious.

[Gardeneer]

Arugula ( AKA Rocket ) is a good cool crop. It is similar in taste to garden cress and some mustard with a horseradish like taste. I use it in salads like spring mix.
Being a cold crop , it will bolt in no time. There is slow bolt varieties. It is easy to grow : just dirct sow it. So, I think on places like Austin now is the time to sow and let it grow on its own terms.

Gardeneer

[Worth1]

My cabbage and sugar snap peas are starting to sprout.

Worth

[Worth1]

Alert Alert Alert!!!!
Carrot starting to sprout.
Get the Octopus's Garden news here.
Exciting updates as it happens.

Worth

[Worth1]

Not that I am going to plant them in the shade but there is no need to start another thread.
So from now on this will be where I post comments on general gardening when it come to things not onion tomato or pepper related.

I picked up two packs of Bean seeds toady in Austin.
One is Rattle Snake I have never grown them before.
The other is an old favorite Kentucky wonder.
Both are pole non hybrid and both packs are 4 ounces.
I also picked up two more packs of Boston Pickling cucumbers.
And three more bundles of 10 15 Y onion sets.

Worth

[Worth1]

I picked up a roll of hog fence on the side of the road some time ago.
Here it is being put to good use.
Support for the sugar snap peas to climb on all twenty four feet of them.
Then it will be cucumber or bean support.
Another good reason to put posts up in your beds.

Worth
IMG_20160124_28784.jpg

IMG_20160124_19153.jpg

[Worth1]

I looked out back today and I see a whole row of carrots coming up.
A row of beets are starting to form.
The radicchio looks like it is trying to sprout and I have some more sprouting in a flat.
Cabbage is making a nice row.
Something is stealing the lettuce probably a bird.
Radishes are starting to put on true leaves.
No sign yet of any cilantro or parsnips.
The first row of sugar snap peas are starting to come up out of the ground.

Worth

[imp]

Doesn't anyone grow the old mean yellow onions? The ones that could make you cry? I liked those best, but everywhere all I see is sweet onions.

I think the mean ones caramelize down better in an iron skillet and are so good. The sweet ones aren't the same.

I like what you are doing, worth, and it should be neat to have fresh ginger and all the other goodies, too.