Home Grown Foods (A Gardening Discussion)

Favorite edible plant to grow?

Tomato	34.7%	[ 52 ]
Pepper	9.3%	[ 14 ]
Cucumber	5.3%	[ 8 ]
Eggplant	1.3%	[ 2 ]
Strawberry/Other Berry	21.3%	[ 32 ]
Squash/Pumpkin	7.3%	[ 11 ]
Corn	2.7%	[ 4 ]
Pea/Bean	8.7%	[ 13 ]
Melon	2.0%	[ 3 ]
Other (please post)	7.3%	[ 11 ]
Total Votes:			[ 150 ]

[Ta Lu]

Ratttking

Silverdream_Shadowcatcher

I have a plethora of strawberries. Anyone have any recipe suggestions for them? Getting bored making smoothies and dehydrating them for my cereal.

Both baked and refrigerated pies. Jams and jellies if you don't mind canning. Simmer them in heavy syrup to make a topping for ice cream and cheesecake. Trifle is fabulous. If you drink, you could macerate them in vodka, light rum, or brandy for a while then strain and sweeten to make cordial. Chocolate-dipped strawberries using white, milk, and dark chocolates - with optional sprinkles. Last but not least, strawberry shortcake. You could vary the types of cakes used to make it.

I like to chop them up into manageable pieces and tosses them into the freezer for ice cream!

[xXFurygeistXx]

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

[Cupcake Latte]

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

yay for the cucumbers!!! i wish you guys liked sharing pics like i do lol. i'd love to see them xD

omg no, beetle. go away, beetle

[Cupcake Latte]

i get excited over the stupidest things.

yesterday i cooked a crock pot chicken and saved all the bones, fat, and excess stuff people don't eat and today i'm totally making broth, combined with other chicken bones i've saved

so excited @w@

[Lazuli Kitten]

I love gardening, but currently have only a small patio sized area with a 8 foot fence, and a huge pepper tree in the neighbor's yard nearby throwing a lot of shade in the morning.
I decided to just grow pole beans up a trellis close to the building.
I ran string from the top of the trellis to the opposite fence, and now have a completely shady area with the beans growing overhead.
Getting an amazing number of beans, more than enough for everyday use.
I will let some stay on the vine at the end of the season for next years seeds.

[Cupcake Latte]

Lazuli Kitten

I love gardening, but currently have only a small patio sized area with a 8 foot fence, and a huge pepper tree in the neighbor's yard nearby throwing a lot of shade in the morning.
I decided to just grow pole beans up a trellis close to the building.
I ran string from the top of the trellis to the opposite fence, and now have a completely shady area with the beans growing overhead.
Getting an amazing number of beans, more than enough for everyday use.
I will let some stay on the vine at the end of the season for next years seeds.

that's a really cool setup! i kind of want to do something like that with my snow peas i'll be growing, but i think i might be too lazy to set that up haha

[Ratttking]

Cupcake Latte

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

yay for the cucumbers!!! i wish you guys liked sharing pics like i do lol. i'd love to see them xD

omg no, beetle. go away, beetle

I don't have a camera, and my BF's phone cam is not great plus he has a plan that sucks so he has to pay each time he sends a pic.

[Cupcake Latte]

Ratttking

I don't have a camera, and my BF's phone cam is not great plus he has a plan that sucks so he has to pay each time he sends a pic.

dang it sad

[Ratttking]

Cupcake Latte

i get excited over the stupidest things.

yesterday i cooked a crock pot chicken and saved all the bones, fat, and excess stuff people don't eat and today i'm totally making broth, combined with other chicken bones i've saved

so excited @w@

Ha, I do that too. There's nothing like good homemade broth so rich it gels when you chill it.

[Cupcake Latte]

Ratttking

Ha, I do that too. There's nothing like good homemade broth so rich it gels when you chill it.

totally! it smells so good. just waiting for it to cool off a bit before i handle it but the aroma is to die for. can't wait to make chicken and dumplings with it

and i've got pork neck bones cooking in the crock pot tonight. so i plan on making pork stock with it, which i've never done before so this should be interesting lol

[xXFurygeistXx]

Cupcake Latte

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

yay for the cucumbers!!! i wish you guys liked sharing pics like i do lol. i'd love to see them xD

omg no, beetle. go away, beetle

I keep forgetting to take the camera outside with me. sweatdrop

[Ratttking]

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

Mine are overflowing their cages, I really should stake them. You might be able to repair the broken stem still.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-tomato-plant-stem-44535.html

You don't need to buy grafting tape, you can use almost any tape.

[xXFurygeistXx]

Ratttking

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

Mine are overflowing their cages, I really should stake them. You might be able to repair the broken stem still.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-tomato-plant-stem-44535.html

You don't need to buy grafting tape, you can use almost any tape.

I went outside and found it broken all the way off and dragged away from the tomato bushes, pretty mangled *shakes fist at those damn raccoons*. So no saving it now. Guess I'll just pick the tomatoes from it and hope they ripen. Saving that grafting info, tho, just in case I have any more sufferers. I swear...next year I'm gonna do what the nursery guy does and buy a couple of giant tubs, fill 'em with dirt, build a teepee and plant the tomatoes in it. Doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work. Easier to stake the branches as they grow, and everything stays nice and confined and up off the ground. And since the tubs are huge, raccoons will have a hard time knocking them over. 3nodding

[Ratttking]

xXFurygeistXx

Ratttking

xXFurygeistXx

Harvested two cukes from the vines, about 7 inches long each, and there has to be 10 or 12 left on the vine in various states of growth. Also what appears to be the beginning of a single zucchini. I saw the first of the SCOURGE....saw a single japanese beetle on my brandywine. *narrows eyes* If it weren't raining I'd Sevin dust your shiny beetle butt to death. *hiss* When staking the tomatoes, I snapped off one of the brandywine's branches. crying Hoping that the tomatoes on it will still ripen if I leave 'em in the sun, otherwise...what a waste! Never leave staking off until the things are almost full grown like dumbass me or you may end up with less tomatoes as you break ALL THE DAMN BRANCHES....ugh. All the shame. All of it. emo

Mine are overflowing their cages, I really should stake them. You might be able to repair the broken stem still.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repair-tomato-plant-stem-44535.html

You don't need to buy grafting tape, you can use almost any tape.

I went outside and found it broken all the way off and dragged away from the tomato bushes, pretty mangled *shakes fist at those damn raccoons*. So no saving it now. Guess I'll just pick the tomatoes from it and hope they ripen. Saving that grafting info, tho, just in case I have any more sufferers. I swear...next year I'm gonna do what the nursery guy does and buy a couple of giant tubs, fill 'em with dirt, build a teepee and plant the tomatoes in it. Doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to work. Easier to stake the branches as they grow, and everything stays nice and confined and up off the ground. And since the tubs are huge, raccoons will have a hard time knocking them over. 3nodding

I'm sorry. If they don't ripen you can make fried green tomatoes, just slice them about a half inch thick, bread with panko or cornmeal, and fry or saute until the breading is lightly browned. Remoulade is a classic topping. Pickled green tomatoes are another tasty option to make.

[Cupcake Latte]

It's sad to think but pretty soon i'll be tearing up my summer garden D; but the upside is i will be
re-tilling and replace it with the rest of my fall/winter garden.

i wanna grow carrots, lettuce, snow peas, potatoes, onions...(i'll probably do more if i can)

my green bean plants are starting to look sun-fried, and my watermelon vines are no longer
making more watermelon

so this coming weekend i'm gonna pick the remaining watermelons (which are a ton) and give
them away to everyone or something haha, then i'll clear out that area. man growing those
watermelons were fun and so productive!

the green beans, tomatoes, and pepper plants could probably produce for a while longer but i
don't mind tearing them up since i had nice harvests from all those plants. (well, except the
tomato plants. they made plenty of tomatos but they are all still small and green and to be
honest, i like tomatoes and all but i'm tired of waiting lol. lesson learned, though. next year i'll
start the tomato seeds WAY earlier)

and the cucumber plants are retiring lol. they've had it after giving me way more cucumber than i
knew what to do with haha

so it's kinda sad to know that soon i will say "goodbye summer garden" but exciting to say
"hello fall/winter garden"

i want to make carrot cake form my own home-grown carrots biggrin