Jardín del Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

59 plants, awesome! And cheers! If I wasn’t so full of liquor from this chili I made for dinner I’d pop one open and have one with you.

Thanks for the sentiment, Mark; there'll be another time.

I used to live on the Harris County side of W. Fuqua Road just east of a (then) two (2) lane Hwy 288 to Freeport.

Probably filled in a little bit since Spring/Summer of 1976...

The Gotch

[MarkAndre]

59 plants, awesome! And cheers! If I wasn’t so full of liquor from this chili I made for dinner I’d pop one open and have one with you.

Thanks for the sentiment, Mark; there'll be another time.

I used to live on the Harris County side of W. Fuqua Road just east of a (then) two (2) lane Hwy 288 to Freeport.

Probably filled in a little bit since Spring/Summer of 1976...

The Gotch

How about that! And 1976 was a great year IMO. I reckon it has. We do have a knack for filling in green spaces.

[karstopography]

59 plants, awesome! And cheers! If I wasn’t so full of liquor from this chili I made for dinner I’d pop one open and have one with you.

Thanks for the sentiment, Mark; there'll be another time.

I used to live on the Harris County side of W. Fuqua Road just east of a (then) two (2) lane Hwy 288 to Freeport.

Probably filled in a little bit since Spring/Summer of 1976...

The Gotch

Don’t remember traipsing over by W. Fuqua ever during my 8 or 9 years living in the Montrose area of Houston. Hwy 288 is the primary north south artery I take now into the city, though, whenever I venture there.

Metro Houston has gone from 2 million in 1976 to 6.7 million currently. Urban development has expanded all down hwy 288 past Pearland into Manvel and Iowa Colony now. Pearland had about 10,000 residents in 1976, now it has 125,000. A lot of gentrification going on along hwy 288 north of 610 loop. Sunnyside just east of hwy 288 from where W. Fuqua becomes Almeda Genoa has the reputation of the most dangerous neighborhood In Houston.

Back to gardening, My one Domingo, my first crack at growing Domingo, plant so far is a dud. Plenty of green growth and a wide bodied plant, but little in the way of blooms and those are dropping off. Not giving up, some plants take a while to build up steam. Based on past seasons, our best fruit setting weather continues for another six weeks or possibly longer so there’s still time.

Big Zac is doing better here and has set a couple of fruit, but is still behind some of the others. Hillbilly is the only other on your list that I’ve grown here and it is productive mid-late and fairly heat tolerant.

Good luck, hope the year 2023 is the best yet.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@karstopography; "Metro Houston has gone from 2 million in 1976 to 6.7 million currently."

Houston was the fastest growing town in the known Universe back then, with a happenin' Night Life!

Heck, I even wrote a paper about the...um...lack of zoning laws (which really made it the Wild Wild West...for developers) for a fall '76 semester Urban Planning/Poli Sci class.

I worked/traveled pert' 'near the entire Lone Star State (Northrup King Garden Seeds/Retail Division) the Spring-n-Summer of '76 & Summer of '77, and have been from Texarkana to Nacogdoches to Sulphur Springs to Amarillo to San Angelo to Pecos to El Paso to Eagle Pass to Laredo to Brownsville to Freer to Corpus to Victoria to Pasadena to Orange (and New Braunfels, Austin, San Antonio, College Station, Paris, ad infinitum) and a whole lot of other towns in between.

Sure cherish the experience and memories!

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

And in the First Tomato To Break The Surface category, the winner is...........

Boxcar Willie! A mere 58 to go...

The Gotch

[karstopography]

And in the First Tomato To Break The Surface category, the winner is...........

Boxcar Willie! A mere 58 to go...

The Gotch

Good golly, miss Molly, that was quick. Planted April 2nd, up on the 5th. What temperature are you germinating?

[Danny]

When I read Northrup, I first think of planes. Bet you could have used one, too.

I was frequently down to Houston years ago, when the Loop was going to really help traffic congestion, LOL!! I used to say the mayor of Houston made all the unemployed drive around the loop at least 3 times a day for their checks.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Good golly, miss Molly, that was quick. Planted April 2nd, up on the 5th. What temperature are you germinating?

Probably right around the temperatures, and humidity, that yer used to. It's ~ 80°F/26.7°C and high humidity (70% +) inside the plastic shrouded seed starting rack. I think I'll start unzipping the sides to let 'em cool off a little during the night.

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What remains of 2022 Butternut Squarsh Crop is off to the left.

The Gotch

[MarkAndre]

@karstopography; "Metro Houston has gone from 2 million in 1976 to 6.7 million currently."

Houston was the fastest growing town in the known Universe back then, with a happenin' Night Life!

Heck, I even wrote a paper about the...um...lack of zoning laws (which really made it the Wild Wild West...for developers) for a fall '76 semester Urban Planning/Poli Sci class.

I worked/traveled pert' 'near the entire Lone Star State (Northrup King Garden Seeds/Retail Division) the Spring-n-Summer of '76 & Summer of '77, and have been from Texarkana to Nacogdoches to Sulphur Springs to Amarillo to San Angelo to Pecos to El Paso to Eagle Pass to Laredo to Brownsville to Freer to Corpus to Victoria to Pasadena to Orange (and New Braunfels, Austin, San Antonio, College Station, Paris, ad infinitum) and a whole lot of other towns in between.

Sure cherish the experience and memories!

The Gotch

That sounds like a lot of fun! You’ve seen more of my home state than me. I grew up in Amarillo and we thought Houston, where my uncle lived and lawyered, was a far-off and fantastical land.

Working for a seed company sounds pretty interesting to me, but then I am on a gardening forum! NK sold the packet of Red Brandywine that I’ve always wanted to recover. I don’t think it was true Red Brandywine, but it was fantastic.

Nice looking starting setup!

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Ananas Noire, Daniel Burson, Inzhir Rozovyi, Mushroom Basket, Radiator Charlie/Mortgage Lifter, & Yaqui Hybrid have joined the mix!

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Containers and Miracle Gro©™® Organic Potting Mix in the On Deck Circle await fast approaching + 60°F/15.6°C-70°F/21°C temps.

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The Gotch

[MarkAndre]

Containers and Miracle Gro©™® Organic Potting Mix in the On Deck Circle await fast approaching + 60°F/15.6°C-70°F/21°C temps.
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The Gotch

Beautiful! Is that a cattle panel arch I spy? I really want to try that.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@MarkAndre " Is that a cattle panel arch I spy?"

Two (2) of 'em, 16'/4.9 meters x 50"/1.27m; a real challenge to transport, but well worth it.

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The Gotch

[MarkAndre]

@MarkAndre " Is that a cattle panel arch I spy?"

Two (2) of 'em, 16'/4.9 meters x 50"/1.27m; a real challenge to transport, but well worth it.
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The Gotch

Gorgeous and STURDY looking beds. (Thinking those didn’t come from a kit.) You have them anchored against the bed, which was what I was wondering. None of my beds are sturdy and my beans are planted in a row, so not sure it would work there. Thanks for the pics.

[MissS]

I'm not familiar with Pink Magic. Is it a paste/sauce type? What is it's history?

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

I'm not familiar with Pink Magic. Is it a paste/sauce type? What is it's history?

It, along with the Gift and Gigantic, were given to me by a friend who picked them up in Bulgaria.

HUGE Pink BeefSteaks all, I'm led to believe; stay tuned!

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@MarkAndre "You have them anchored against the bed, which was what I was wondering."

The left side isn't anchored by the timbers (note two [2] Titan A-Frame Trellises), but by metal T-Posts, which help anchor it on the right, as well.

Pound those babies in well enough and them there cattle panels ain't goin' nowheres!

The Gotch

[MarkAndre]

@MarkAndre "You have them anchored against the bed, which was what I was wondering."

The left side isn't anchored by the timbers (note two [2] Titan A-Frame Trellises), but by metal T-Posts, which help anchor it on the right, as well.

Pound those babies in well enough and them there cattle panels ain't goin' nowheres!

The Gotch

Thanks for the correction, that really helps! I was making assumptions but I can see it now that you mentioned it. This is doable!

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Direct seeded 30 April Cross Daikon Radishes (my fave!) in yesterday's marvelous 70°F/21.1°C weather.

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Direct seeded ~30 Space Hybrid Spinach (another fave) yesterday in the marvelously accommodating PLUS 70°F/21.1°C weather.

The Gotch