The Dawg Patch

[GoDawgs]

This is Kalibos cabbage, a very upright cone shaped cabbage with beautiful color. It's a new one for me; one of those where you see the catalog pic and just have to try it. Baker Creek's eye candy, of course.

24.11.01 Kalibos cabbage with Stonehead behind.JPG

It's fun to watch something new go through growth stages and changes. Kalibos was a lot more purple when it was younger and more like the photo, kind of like that large burgandy leaf laying flat on the ground. Now they're taking on more of a blue green hue with reddish stems almost like the color of the Blauerspeck kohlrabi I grow.

Another characteristic that was touted in the catalog that drew me is that because they are upright they can be planted closer together. I like saving space but it looks like the older they get the more spread out they get. We'll see. Those small cabbages on the other side of the bed are Stonehead. Those are definitely space savers and make nice rock hard heads. I plant them both spring and fall.

[JayneR13]

Ah, the seed catalogs! I suspect the marketing department has one tool we don’t use in the garden: photoshop! I’m sure that’s at least part of why stuff looks different in the ground than it does on the page. Yummy looking stuff though! That’s all that matters,

[GoDawgs]

We're supposed to get 3-5" of rain starting later today. It's coming up from the Gulf, generated by that new hurricane that's trying to form down there. The rain will be useful!

Yesterday afternoon I cut that first head of Packman broccoli before it got all loosey goosey. Seven inches across.We'll have it with lunch today.

24.11.05 First Packman head, 7 inches wide.JPG

After being up until 2:15 this morning, I think this afternoon's main activity will be a nice nap.

[GoDawgs]

The fall garden has really recovered from Helene. I'm always amazed at how resilient plants are. It's about time that I can see how my staggered plantings are working out. More or less needed?

The first planting of kohlrabi is almost gone and the second planting is kicking in. These are 'Kolibri' kohlrabi, a real quickie at 45 days. I pulled these yesterday. They taste like a really mild turnip and can be roasted, steamed or however you like turnips.

24.11.08 Kolibri kohlrabi.JPG

These are kale (right) and collards (left). I just cut a bunch of kale ten days ago and already they need cutting again. Tomorrow I'll take the first cutting of collards.

24.11.08 Collards (l), kale (r).JPG

Kale front, collards back.

24.11.08 Collards (b), kale (f).JPG

More broccoli getting ready; maybe one more week to size up without getting loose.

24.11.08 More Packman broccoli almost ready.JPG

I think I'll go out there right now and cut those collards. They can be part of dinner tomorrow.

[GoDawgs]

I was out in the garden early this morning and happened to spy the sun shining on an asparagus fern. Kind of like little diamonds!

24.11.12 Heavy dew on asparagus fern.JPG

There are one and a half beds of garlic planted this fall and I got it mulched today. This is the full bed with Lorz Italian on one side and Polish White on the other.

24.11.12 Garlic bed mulched this morning.JPG

24.11.12 Garlic, Lorz Italian.JPG

And finally, a meager picking this morning; just a handful of beans and two turnips.

24.11.12 Meager pickings from the garden.JPG

This is the latest I've ever had beans make. Usually frost has done them in by now. We had a light first frost on Oct 17th (as usual) and the beans were covered for one night. Then it turned warm again and has been until now. Still, no hard frost in the ten day forecast. Usually we get hit with one around Nov 7-10. So the beans keep making and I won't complain about that.

The turnips were a bust this fall for the first time ever. It was just too hot to germinate. Even after replanting fresh seed hardly anything came up. I'm going to try again this Friday as it's cooling off. It might be a bit too late but I'm going to do it anyway. Turnip seed's cheap at the feed 'n weed.

[GoDawgs]

I thought I had a good general map figured out for the upcoming spring garden. Since the big pecan tree has been blown over, there are about five beds that will have full sun all day instead of maybe just 11am-4pm. Lots of new possibilities right at the time I'm seriously thinking of cutting back a bit. The problem is that I'm having a hard time motivating myself into rearranging the whole thing again.

Of course, I can probably just leave the current plan in place and do some amending and cover cropping of those five beds until next fall. On the other hand there's a real possibility that enthusiasm will kick in when the seed catalogs start to arrive. It never fails!

[MissS]

I find it hard to get motivated for next year when I am still putting everything away and cleaning up. The days are getting shorter and daylight dims. After a rest, my gardening soul starts to sprout and I get the itch to be playing in the dirt. I get out my seed list and start to pour through it deciding what will be going into the gardens next year.

Get something on those beds for now be it leaves, grass clippings or a cover crop. You will find a use for them and have them planted next year.

[JayneR13]

Agreed! Now is the time to rest and hibernate. Next year's garden will form in our mind's eye when the seed catalogs start to come. I'll be starting some things in March, when the snow is piled high outside and the heat mats are mandatory. My fingernails are entirely too clean but I need a rest!

[GoDawgs]

Today I'm setting out scallions that should have been planted out a month ago. Too much going on at the time plus low motivation. There should be enough starts for an 18' row. Also seeding more daikon radish and turnips. Not real excited to do this but it needs to be done. We had some rain yesterday so the ground should be soft.

Meanwhile, on the indoors front it's winter piddle time. In the front are cuttings of an old sanseveiria (Mother-in-Law's Tongue or Sword Plant). Behind those are germination tests of six lots of corn that have been in the freezer a long time. The oldest is some Boone County White from 2017. Others are 2018 Golden Bantam, 2022 Incredible and three lots of Silver Queen ('17, '19, '22). Doing 20 seeds of each. If they're good I'll plant some come spring. If not, out they go.

24.11.15 Sanseviera cuttings, corn germ test.JPG

I also have three micro tomatoes going; (r to l) Red Robin, Krasny Milo and Golden Hour. Behind them are two pots of parsley and one each of basil and Chinese chives that I started from seed yesterday.

24.11.15 Micro tomatoes and herb seed starts.JPG

Frying Korean chicken wings for lunch. The cornstarch in the batter makes them shatteringly crisp!

[MissS]

@GoDawgs This is the first I have heard of starting cuttings of sanseveiria. It looks like you cut the leaf into pieces to start them. Is this so or are you just using the base of the leaf where it attaches to the plant? How long does this take to get new plants?

[GoDawgs]

@GoDawgs This is the first I have heard of starting cuttings of sanseveiria. It looks like you cut the leaf into pieces to start them. Is this so or are you just using the base of the leaf where it attaches to the plant? How long does this take to get new plants?

It's been years (decades?) since I did one and that was back when I was going through the ornamental horticulture proigram at Augusta Tech. We did a lot of propagation in their greenhouse. You take cuttings of any leave and make sure to stick the "south" end (pointed towards the roots) in the soil. This is Pickles' project. I just asked her if she used rooting hormone powder and she said she forgot. And it looks like she might have cut them a bit short so we'll see if they take. I can't remember how long it takes to root but if they fail, there are plenty more leaves to cut up!

It looks like I should have told her to look up the techniques instead of just giving general directions and letting her have at it. LOL! Here are more clear instructions:

https://gardenforindoor.com/propagate-sansevieria/

[GoDawgs]

I picked 5 oz more of green beans yesterday afternoon. Added to the 3 oz the other day we'll have half a pound to enjoy tomorrow with Sunday dinner. There might be one more small picking before the first killing frost late next week. I also pulled two more kohlrabi. Since there are already three in the veg bin in the reefer I need to dig out another recipe for them.

More winter putters are under way. I have two Frank's Sweet peppers going from MMMM seed I received. I read that hey're supposed to get just 2' tall and that will fit under my lights. Right now the larger of the two peppers is 11" tall. That's an oregano between them.

24.11.15 Peppers and oregano.JPG

Yesterday the flower buds started blooming so I got out a cotton swab to play pollinator.

24.11.15 Frank's Sweet Pepper blooms.JPG

Making a pizza for lunch today. I usually make extra dough and sauce, freezing the extra in one-pizza portions. That works really well and saves a lot of time.

[PlainJane]

The peppers sure look like they’re enjoying themselves!

[GoDawgs]

Yesterday was a misty morning here, the kind where if you were outside you'd get soaked before you realized it. I played in the kitchen and baked bread. It finally cleared up in the afternoon so I got out in the garden and cut the kale. Half of it had to be thrown away because the undersides of the lower leaves were literally encrusted with aphids! They weren't there two weeks ago. When I got back to the house I had to inspect each of the good leaves and wash off any aphids found. That took a while but I don't need that kind of protein. Got a pound and a half of destemmed kale.

Lots of broccoli and cabbages coming.

A front is coming through today with winds gusting up to 20mph and temps will drop. Lows and wind chills in the low 30's tomorrow so I finally pulled the bean plants, picking off the last green beans in the process. That last picking was a half pound of pretty beans! And it's the latest I've ever picked fall beans.

Today we'll put the insulation cups on the outside faucets for the winter and put a heavy blanket over the well's pressure tank and faucet underneath the well cover. Fall is officially over!

[GoDawgs]

It's 35 this morning but no frost due to the breeze. The weather dude says our first freeze could be coming next weekend. Yesterday afternoon I said goodbye to the fall bean plants, pulling them up and picking the last beans off. There were 9 oz of pretty beans! Due to the warmer fall this year this is the latest I've ever had beans last.

On Oct 25th when Pickles cleaned out the box holding the last of spring's potatoes, she took the last way-sprouted little red potatoes and planted them in two 15 gallon buckets. Just a fun little experiment that cost nothing. They're looking good!

24.11.21 Fall potato experiment using Pontiacs.JPG

Not taking any chances with frost, she put tomato cages over the buckets yesterday afternoon and covered them.

24.11.22 Covered potato buckets.JPG

I'm wondering if the buckets should be stuck in the ground down in the garden to insulate them before it gets too cold. Something to consider. Or not.

[JayneR13]

If there are tomatoes in those buckets, they'll likely succumb to the cold eventually no matter what. I would call that a lot of work for not much gain. Soil heating cables would be easier, albeit far from cheap and requires an outlet nearby. Or just let nature take her course! Even Southern gardeners get a winter break.

[GoDawgs]

If there are tomatoes in those buckets, they'll likely succumb to the cold eventually no matter what. I would call that a lot of work for not much gain. Soil heating cables would be easier, albeit far from cheap and requires an outlet nearby. Or just let nature take her course! Even Southern gardeners get a winter break.

You must have read right past the word "potatoes". ROFL! Pickles uncovered them for the day and then just put the cover back over them ten minutes ago. It will be interesting to see how long they last and then when the cold finally gets them the foliage will be cut off, more mulch added and then we'll see if they put back out in the spring. Hardly any work at all and cheap entertainment out here in Cow Pie County!

By the way, how's Miss Yin? Lester sends head butts.

[JayneR13]

I must have done! I blame it on aging eyes LOL. Ah yes, potatoes will stand the cold far longer than tomatoes will. It'll be interesting to see how long they last and how much yield you get. That's entertainment in the city too. I don't go out much LOL.

Miss Yin is doing well! She really likes being an indoor kitty, with regular food and no one sneaking up on her. She comes by me to be loved on quite frequently, and has allowed me to rub her belly a few times! It's about time for her annual physical and shots, but I'm thinking to skip since she becomes Hurricane Yin when I try to put her in the carrier and destroys my living room. However, she has managed to get out once and I'd like the stool sample to confirm that she got enough medicine to get rid of the Giardia. Pilling her is a not-happening deal. You'd have to see the terror in her eyes and how hard she fought to really understand; I suspect her last humans found it funny to put drugs like LSD down her throat and watch her freak out. Many people don't deserve the love of a good cat, and a few need to be shot outright But she's doing good now! Belly is round from good food, fur is soft, and the human serves. She sends a head butt back to Lester! How's he doing?

[GoDawgs]

She sends a head butt back to Lester! How's he doing?

Lester is eating us out of house and home. "Winter's coming, Mom. And I gotta make more insulation! By the way, got any more treats in that drawer?" That winter coat of his is getting thicker so he looks bigger. He spends evenings draped across my chest whenever I'm in the recliner. Such a snuggler!

[JayneR13]

No kidding! I can't go within arm's reach of the treat container without Miss Yin's notice! She wants her yums and she wants them NOW! Of course, by indulging her she's learned to train her human. Cats who have lived outdoors know the benefits of their own private human! No doubt about it.