Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[kayrobbins]

Marsha, you need to try the Indigo Apple. I know you would like it and I think it would be popular in next years seed offer. It was bred at OSU for the Pacific Northwest but it seems right at home in Florida. It has done better than my supposedly heat tolerant varieties. You know I would be happy to send you some seeds for your next planting.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Marsha, you need to try the Indigo Apple. I know you would like it and I think it would be popular in next years seed offer. It was bred at OSU for the Pacific Northwest but it seems right at home in Florida. It has done better than my supposedly heat tolerant varieties. You know I would be happy to send you some seeds for your next planting.

Thanks Kay, but I think I am off of antho varieties after this season.

[TC_Manhattan]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thanks Kay, but I think I am off of antho varieties after this season.

Marsha, what did you think of Lucid Gem?
Is that not worth it either?

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Ella, in Plant City, Fl they grow large sweet onions on the end of the strawberry rows. They are nicknamed strawberry onions. Just Google plant city onions.

I will. Thank you, Marsha.

[maxjohnson]

I was just about to ask what causes my Black Beauty's flowers to rot and getting BER at a very high rate. It's in the same container and mix as the other variety, and not too wet or dry, but it's the only one that have the issue out of all my current plants. The leaves doesn't show any deficiencies. My Cosmic Eclipse is producing, but not very much. Maybe they just don't like my climate. I thought about giving up on blue tomatoes as well as they're just taking up space and not producing much, but I will give Lucid gem a try.

[Zone9b]

Oregon Giant Snow Peas. I have tried growing other varieties a few times and never had very good results. This variety has produced the best results for me so far. Next time I hope to grow more than the 3 short rows I grew this season.
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Larry - That looks like a lot to me.

We had our house painted last week so I didn't want to get in the crews way, so other than water, ignored the plants. This week I'm playing catch up and also painting (staining I guess) the porch and then the pool deck. They look especially bad now that the house looks so good. Also attempting to not grow on the deck anymore after the spring season. Next fall far fewer plants.

How is everyone's fall tomatoes doing? The ones I cut way back are doing great, but I'm pulling some for spots for the spring tomatoes. Momotaro is still producing the same size tomatoes as it did early on.

[Barb_FL]

Max - Did you find what is wrong with your plants? Maybe Marsha will see this.

I had Russet Mites and for the most part every time I check with my cheapo scope I usually see 1 or 2 larvae. I had them on my spring seedlings too.

[maxjohnson]

I think the variety just doesn't do well, I haven't had success with it twice so I won't grow it again. The Cosmic Eclipse are producing much better. Most of my tomatoes are doing very good, I have about 60+ plants and more dwarfs coming, so I will keep a record and review each variety when the time come.

-

I blame global warming. I will have to try again next year and put out the broccoli in November instead of December.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Larry - That looks like a lot to me.

We had our house painted last week so I didn't want to get in the crews way, so other than water, ignored the plants. This week I'm playing catch up and also painting (staining I guess) the porch and then the pool deck. They look especially bad now that the house looks so good. Also attempting to not grow on the deck anymore after the spring season. Next fall far fewer plants.

How is everyone's fall tomatoes doing? The ones I cut way back are doing great, but I'm pulling some for spots for the spring tomatoes. Momotaro is still producing the same size tomatoes as it did early on.

Barb,
I surely will miss seeing and hearing about all your beautiful plants on your pool deck. My fall tomatoes are all but done. Harvesting a few that I planted from cuttings around the time of the hurricane. I' going to have to try Momataro. Hope to get my Spring Season tomato plants in the ground in 1-2 weeks. Also, I;m' anxious to start planting Bush Snap Beans. I am even more anxious to pick and eat them.
All the best,
Larry

[Zone9b]

My 3rd Broccoli crop in the same Raised Bed (RB) has been harvested. I harvested the entire crop in 2 days. Only a couple of plants didn’t produce a head. Also, only a few heads were picked undersized. The harvest was 39 and 40 days from transplant. This will in all likelihood be my best crop of the year.
The 4th crop has now been transplanted into the same RB. I lost a few days while I rebuilt and extended the RB to approximately 15 ½’. I’m staying with the same spacing of 5” from the borders, 11” between rows and 8” spacing within the rows. This spacing seems to work the best for me and also allows for a lot plants in the RB. I’ve experimented with closer spacing with 8” between rows and while this works, it is more difficult to work with, which is not what I’m looking for.
Larry

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by maxjohnson

I think the variety just doesn't do well, I haven't had success with it twice so I won't grow it again. The Cosmic Eclipse are producing much better. Most of my tomatoes are doing very good, I have about 60+ plants and more dwarfs coming, so I will keep a record and review each variety when the time come.

-

I blame global warming. I will have to try again next year and put out the broccoli in November instead of December.

Max,
You might give Castle Dome a try. While I'm sure there are other good varieties, Castle Dome is doing quite well for me. Also it is quite early and the taste seems very good. If you lived closer I would give you a bunch of plants. While I don't plan for a 5th crop in succession this season, I have many more plants than I need.
Good Luck,
Larry

[Barb_FL]

Max - I 2nd Castle Dome. I've picked 29 heads so far. At first I was picking one and then planting a replacement in its' spot. But my weed barrier was getting loose pulling out the old plant. So I ended up waiting for the row to picked.

Larry - How many Head's do you harvest at one time?

I have 7 seedlings left waiting for spots and then I will just leave the plants intact for florets. This in the past has produced until May.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Max - I 2nd Castle Dome. I've picked 29 heads so far. At first I was picking one and then planting a replacement in its' spot. But my weed barrier was getting loose pulling out the old plant. So I ended up waiting for the row to picked.
Larry - How many Head's do you harvest at one time?
I have 7 seedlings left waiting for spots and then I will just leave the plants intact for florets. This in the past has produced until May.

I usually harvest what Broccoli that is ready but sometimes I harvest before heads are fully mature, so I have Broccoli to cook. When possible I eat Broccoli twice a day and 7 days a week. When I have lots of green beans then I’m eating loads of green beans. And when the Broccoli has been harvested and the green beans are not ready, well then it’s loads of Kale. Then in the summer it’s Arugula, Cow Peas and more Arugula.
My mother always grew a large garden, where we lived in Western Iowa. As a child I always looked forward to eating new potatoes and peas, so tasty. I also loved the Parsley she grew. Parsley is so good. I wish I could grow it successfully here.
We blanch and freeze lots of Broccoli, Snap Beans and Tomatoes.
Another thing I like about Castle Dome is when I cut it (usually approx 4” above the soil) it will soon reproduce a plant of often 3 stems. Not exactly side shoots like say Packman but it actually produces another plant. The heads that it produces are often 3 to 4” in diameter, sometimes a bit larger and sometimes smaller. The photos below show examples. These plants in the pictures below were originally harvested 1 month ago and this is their second crop.
Larry

[Zone9b]

The first image below is of Jade Cross E F1 Brussel Sprouts. Plants are up to 46” high. The Sprouts are not as large as I would like but there are lots of them. I will start to harvest in a week of two. They are currently 120 days from transplant. Brussel Sprouts are one of my favorite vegetables to eat and I wished they did better here in Central Florida, but they don’t. The second image is Lacinato Kale. Kale is one of the easiest vegetables to grow that I have found.
Larry