Let's see those '11 gardens!

[shilala]

Okay, here's some before and after shots. I wish I had pics from before I started working the dirt. It was awful.

Way to go, Scott!

[Mr B]

Lookin Good Scott!!

[jjirons69]

Read the paper - front page - the lack of rain. The airport has gotten 4.03 inches since March 15. That's 3 months! The normal level is a little over 11 inches. I know my house, which does not have an airstrip, hasn't gotten 4 inches in the past 3 months. Seems all the corn, cotton, and soybeans in the local farming areas are starting to kill over. Another week or two and it's a complete lose. The paper said much more and we'll be on par for the drought from 1986. Don't remember that, I was chasing teen-aged girls and probably damn glad the grass was dying and I didn't have to mow it. I've got two left feet, so I don't think a rain dance is in the equation.

[jjirons69]

Hallelujah!!! It's raining right now...right now!!! Thunder and lightning, too. What a joyous sound!! Thank you, Lord!

[Noodles]

How long before tomatoes ripen? I have this two fruit (for lack of better term) that showed up maybe 3 weeks ago. The size has remained the same for two weeks now. A few more fruit showed up since. I think I have about 20 of various sizes in my two plants showed up the last couple of weeks.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Noodles

How long before tomatoes ripen? I have this two fruit (for lack of better term) that showed up maybe 3 weeks ago. The size has remained the same for two weeks now. A few more fruit showed up since. I think I have about 20 of various sizes in my two plants showed up the last couple of weeks.

It can take weeks before they ripen. If you like the size, you can just pick them now and let them ripen off the plant. I can't tell a difference in taste.

BTW, I have abandoned my garden for the summer. Yesterday was triple digit heat. Only cactus grow in that type of weather. So I am seed saving and collecting more seeds for August, when I plan to do SFG.

[jjirons69]

Wayne, I wish I had some peyote seeds to send ya.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Noodles

How long before tomatoes ripen? I have this two fruit (for lack of better term) that showed up maybe 3 weeks ago. The size has remained the same for two weeks now. A few more fruit showed up since. I think I have about 20 of various sizes in my two plants showed up the last couple of weeks.

Fruit is right. Maters are fruit. You're right on the money, brother. Anything that flowers, is fertilized, then has a body that covers the seeds is a fruit. Beans, peas, punkins, melons, tomatoes, peppers, squash, eggplant, cucumbers, apples, oranges, bananas, they're all fruit. It's the biological action I described that determines whether something is a fruit. (I simplified it a bit, but that's the gist of it.)

The first thing I'd say about the tomatoes you have is to just be patient. Two tomatoes on a plant is really nothing, comparatively. If there were 20 or so, that'd be something. I'm guessing the plant has to be real small, too. I don't know how long they've been in the ground, either.

That said, I'll tell you guys a trick that's super awesome...
If you've got a loaded, well-established plant and you want early tomatoes on the table, all you need to do is push a shovel through half the roots. Use some sense not to get the main leader (stalk). When you do that, it will stress the plant. It's immediate reaction will be to ripen the fruit in order to save it's species future by readying the seeds to drop, thus assuring it's survival through it's progeny seeds.
It works great, never misses so long as you make sure to get enough roots cut off.
I've never tried it with a small plant with two fruits, but I see no reason why it wouldn't work, theoretically. Being so small, with such a small root mass, I'd say it's more likely to just die before anything ripens.
On the other hand, if it survives (and it probably will with a little extra care), it'd probably catch right up to the other plants in a short time.

What I usually do with early greenhouse fruit is pick them off and chuck them. They just stall the plants cause it isn't time for fruit yet. I just picked all the little peppers off my pepper plants last night or the night before, cause they very much hold a plant back from growing. That's bad.

I got my first harvest: radishes.
The bok choi is still small but it's starting to flower. I planted it in succession so I will see how later crops do.

[jjirons69]

I'm at work - I know my garden is wilted. Too damn hot for June!! Wind chill - 100F. August is going to feel like Venus!

Weather Report
Charleston, South Carolina
As of 3:15 PM on Monday 20 Jun 2011 (Local Time)
Clear Clear
100°F
Feels Like: 105°
Wind Chill: 100° Ceiling: Unl
Heat Index: 105° Visibility: 10mi
Dew Point: 66° Wind: 8mph
Humidity: 33% Direction: 270° (W)
Pressure: 29.87" Gusts: 16mph
Today's Forecast

That weather would be normal for us here but we haven't seen 100s yet.
You know, Jamie, there is such a thing as irrigation. Water is expensive here but everyone is used to it.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

That weather would be normal for us here but we haven't seen 100s yet.
You know, Jamie, there is such a thing as irrigation. Water is expensive here but everyone is used to it.

I thought I could save mine by upping the water, but it's still too hot for the plants to do well around here. Sweet potatoes, field peas and crop cover is about all that is growing well right now in this heat/drought.

[jjirons69]

I watered deeply yesterday evening. The garden is good and wet (and mulched). It's just this stifling heat and humidity causes stress on everything. Plants have problems transpiring under these conditions. Irrigation - whew! - I've spent more trying to keep my grass alive this year than I have in the last 8 years combined. We got 0.87 inches of rain last Wednesday night, but that's been it in 2 months.

I think I have 2 or 3 more squash to gather and it's it for them. I picked the biggest jalapeno I've ever grown (or ever seen) yesterday. Will post a picture of it later. Insane!

[jjirons69]

Here's the last couple of pics before the borers set in on the squash. Last nice haul.

Also, the last pic is that giant-azz jalapeno I just picked. I can't wait to bust into it.

[shilala]

Holee sh1t, Jamie. That jalapeno is a monster!!!
I'd stuff that mammajamma with sage sausaage and cheddar cheese and go to town. Maybe wrap it in bacon, too. Geez, I gotta quit talking, I'm gettin a chub.

[jjirons69]

This is from a "normal" plant. I bought 6 of them. I bought 1 plant labeled "Monster Jalapeno" and it has some freakin' monsters on it, too. I know I didn't mix them up, the Monster came is a special pot. I bet I could fit an entire string cheese stick in it. Almost like eating a stuffed bell pepper, but with some heat. I'm saving the seeds from this plant!!

That big pepper is in the middle picture on the bottom right side of the plant (prior to picking). You can see I'm gonna have some damn fine peppers this year.

[Fordman4ever]

Wow, that thing is amazing.

[Mr B]

That Jalapeno is a Donkey! I had some nice big ones last year called "Mucho Nacho". I forgot when I was buying peppers this year and just got the regular ones. Those big mamas are great for stuffing.

[Ahbroody]

Things are starting to pickup here.
Pulled some beans and a head of lettuce this morning. Peppers are squash and Tomatoes are starting to look good.