+ Reply to Thread
Page 8 of 9 FirstFirst 1 8 9 LastLast
Results 141 to 160 of 173

Thread: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

  1. Link to Post #141
    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    7th February 2010
    Location
    Ecuador
    Posts
    34,268
    Thanks
    208,997
    Thanked 457,539 times in 32,788 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I didn't really 'plant' this, and nothing happened 'today'. And one can't eat this, either. But what happened does seem to be something worth sharing.

    These are bromelias (sometimes locally called tree orchids'), remarkable plants that live on adopted tree branches in every forest in Ecuador. They're described as 'parasitic', but they don't take any nutrition from their hosts, happily sitting there quite independently with no damage to the trees. This is what they look like in the wild:



    I rescued one almost exactly a year ago from where it had fallen all on its own into a field near my house. So I picked it up and tied it to one of my fence posts, doubting it would survive its ordeal.

    But since then, it's thrived, reaching for the sky. What baffles me is that I have NO idea where it gets its nutrition from. It's just grown and grown. It's nowhere near any soil, and seems to take everything it needs simply from the air and the rain.


    (I'll replace this photo when the sun's shining brightly so it can be seen a little more clearly )


  2. The Following 18 Users Say Thank You to Bill Ryan For This Post:

    Brigantia (2nd April 2023), Ernie Nemeth (2nd April 2023), Ewan (20th April 2023), gord (20th April 2023), happyuk (2nd April 2023), Harmony (3rd April 2023), Ioneo (23rd May 2023), JackMcThorn (26th June 2023), jaybee (2nd April 2023), kudzy (2nd April 2023), Loorus (3rd April 2023), Mari (23rd May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Peace in Oz (3rd April 2023), Sue (Ayt) (2nd April 2023), Szymon (16th April 2023), Yoda (2nd April 2023)

  3. Link to Post #142
    Avalon Member gord's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th October 2015
    Location
    The Vampire State
    Language
    English
    Age
    61
    Posts
    694
    Thanks
    14,972
    Thanked 4,605 times in 673 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I found out recently that in the small city where I live, this time of year residents can get 6 5 gallon buckets each of compost, top soil, and mulch for free every weekday while it lasts. It's converted from yard and household waste collected during the previous year. I might be busy for a while.
    The only place a perfect right angle ever CAN be, is the mind.

  4. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to gord For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (26th April 2023), Brigantia (20th April 2023), Ewan (20th April 2023), Harmony (20th April 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Peace in Oz (27th April 2023), Sue (Ayt) (21st April 2023), Szymon (30th April 2023)

  5. Link to Post #143
    Ireland Avalon Member
    Join Date
    12th January 2023
    Language
    English
    Age
    66
    Posts
    49
    Thanks
    128
    Thanked 238 times in 47 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I live in the Irish countryside on a few acres of land. We are attempting to become self sufficient in veges, but it is challanging to say the least. Each year we build upon last year's mistakes and take note of what works. I love foraging for wild foods and at least twice a week in Spring and Summer I use nettles, wild garlic, dandelion, sticky lizzie and plantain as a substitute greens for a simple French soup, called Leek and Potatoe soup. Nettles is truely a superfood and is so tasty.
    We are going through a dreary Spring, not much sun. There have been a few high octain volcanoes lately, spewing sulpher dioxcide over the higher latitudes, I suspect we will see a lot more of this soon which will make gardening more challanging. But it is worth it, the delights, dissapointments and flops makes one all the more eager to learn natures ways.

  6. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to Applesprig For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (26th April 2023), Brigantia (26th April 2023), Ewan (26th April 2023), Harmony (27th April 2023), Mari (23rd May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Peace in Oz (27th April 2023), Sue (Ayt) (27th April 2023), Szymon (30th April 2023), Tracie (Bodhicee) (27th April 2023)

  7. Link to Post #144
    Avalon Member Delight's Avatar
    Join Date
    12th January 2012
    Posts
    6,081
    Thanks
    8,692
    Thanked 39,308 times in 5,717 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Sprouts can be grown indoors. Nutrient dense foods heal.


  8. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Delight For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (23rd May 2023), Brigantia (23rd May 2023), Ewan (23rd May 2023), Harmony (23rd May 2023), Mari (23rd May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (23rd May 2023)

  9. Link to Post #145
    UK Avalon Member Brigantia's Avatar
    Join Date
    29th May 2019
    Location
    Near Chizzit Land
    Language
    English
    Posts
    1,352
    Thanks
    25,329
    Thanked 12,979 times in 1,342 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I constructed a compost bin for the grand total cost of 60p for 4 angle brackets from the local car boot sale. I've linked below the vid that shows you how to construct it, really easy even for a DIY numpty like me. The pallets came from my local garden centre where they let you have them for free.

    Compost is terrible this year - and more expensive - it's all peat-free which is good for the environment as peat extraction ruins the habitat, but I've heard twice that commercial growers they know have lost about £30K of stock with plants they are rearing peat-free. A local expert gardener said that he uses soil-based John Innes no. 2 for everything; he has a penstemon national collection and has been gardening for decades.

    So, with my new bin in place I should have plenty of free compost from next year. At college we've been taught that you should have a mixture of greens (green growth but never weeds), browns (twig) and spent compost. Turn it over every now and then to aid the breaking-down process.


  10. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Brigantia For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (23rd May 2023), Ewan (23rd May 2023), Harmony (23rd May 2023), Mari (23rd May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024)

  11. Link to Post #146
    Great Britain Avalon Member Mari's Avatar
    Join Date
    29th March 2015
    Location
    Devon, UK
    Posts
    681
    Thanks
    5,832
    Thanked 5,309 times in 674 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    I didn't really 'plant' this, and nothing happened 'today'. And one can't eat this, either. But what happened does seem to be something worth sharing.

    These are bromelias (sometimes locally called tree orchids'), remarkable plants that live on adopted tree branches in every forest in Ecuador. They're described as 'parasitic', but they don't take any nutrition from their hosts, happily sitting there quite independently with no damage to the trees. This is what they look like in the wild:



    I rescued one almost exactly a year ago from where it had fallen all on its own into a field near my house. So I picked it up and tied it to one of my fence posts, doubting it would survive its ordeal.

    But since then, it's thrived, reaching for the sky. What baffles me is that I have NO idea where it gets its nutrition from. It's just grown and grown. It's nowhere near any soil, and seems to take everything it needs simply from the air and the rain.


    (I'll replace this photo when the sun's shining brightly so it can be seen a little more clearly )

    Here you are, Bill, copied online :

    Air plants, also known as bromeliads, get their nutrients in a variety of ways. In the wild, they typically grow in trees or on rocks, and get their nutrients from the air, water, and debris that collects in their rosettes. They also have specialized scales on their leaves called trichomes, which absorb moisture and nutrients from the air. Additionally, some bromeliads have developed a symbiotic relationship with certain types of algae or bacteria that live in their rosettes, which provide them with additional nutrients.

    Clever critters, aren't they?

  12. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Mari For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (23rd May 2023), Brigantia (23rd May 2023), Ewan (23rd May 2023), gord (29th May 2023), Harmony (24th May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Peace in Oz (24th May 2023)

  13. Link to Post #147
    United States Avalon Member onawah's Avatar
    Join Date
    28th March 2010
    Language
    English
    Posts
    22,209
    Thanks
    47,682
    Thanked 116,100 times in 20,640 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Grow Your Own Groceries LIVE SUMMIT online 6/9-6/11
    From a Forbidden Knowledge email newsletter: Forbidden Knowledge TV <newsletter@forbiddenknowledgetv.net> via slshare.com
    info@forbiddenknowledgetv.net



    "If you have been thinking about making that change and growing your own food, now is the time!

    Many of us are feeling the pinch at the grocery store. Prices are the highest we’ve ever seen.

    Organic eggs in Michigan are going for $10 a carton. You can, however, make a change for yourself and begin your own homestead.

    My friends at the Grow Network are offering the 2023 Grow Your Own Groceries Food Summit – for FREE!

    This event is packed full of useful information that will help you to make the changes necessary to grow your own food. You can worry less about the grocery store and get excited about the food in your own garden.

    This summit has speakers that are respected experts in their field. The best part is that they are just like you and I – people who wanted to make a change for the better. Their advice is useful regardless of your skill-set or the size of your garden.

    Patio garden? City dweller? Apartment living? The presentations steer away from the need to own acres of farmland to succeed.

    Instead, they focus on real-world solutions usable by you.

    Ready to make the change? Or maybe you simply want to learn more? No time is better than the present. The best part – it is FREE! Click Here Now to Grab Your FREE Ticket!

    Here’s a sneak peak of some of the exciting presenters: Jill Winger and Marjory Wildcraft discuss Food Preservation and Storage Methods. They will weigh-in on why you need to do this

    NOW more than ever!

    Lisa Steele and Marjory will chat about what came first, the Chicken and the Egg. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without… making the most use out of your chicken!

    Tom Bartels discusses Growing Food in Small Spaces. He promotes thinking about your garden as a mini ecosystem with plant with diversity in mind.

    Stacey Murphy and Marjory Wildcraft discuss Healing, Spirituality and Communing with the Divine through Gardening.

    Scott Sexton shares his best tips for Beginner-Proof Foraging. Learn his favorite 12+ edible wild plants and what to do with them and the berry color you should never eat.

    Plus, when you snag your free ticket today, you’ll get these handy bonus gifts sure to boost your knowledge:

    • Kami McBride's 4-Part Video series, Turmeric Sessions

    • Jill Winger's Favorite Canning Resources and Heritage Cookbook

    • Scott Sexton's Universal Edibility Test eBook

    And more...
    Register for FREE Now and Download your Free Bonus Gifts!

    Warmly,
    Alexandra Bruce

    SEE:https://thegrownetwork.com/gyog-regi...id=33&affid=96



    Get Your FREE TICKET to Attend The Grow Network's FIRST ANNUAL Grow Your Own Groceries LIVE SUMMIT

    Your FREE TICKET entitles you to access THE GROW YOUR OWN GROCIERIES SUMMIT
    Enjoy LIVE and Pre-recorded Presentations by your favorite Homesteaders

    The 2023 Grow Your Own Groceries Summit Airs on Friday, June 9th at 9:00 a.m. CST to Sunday, June 11th at 11:59 p.m. CST
    Each breath a gift...
    _____________

  14. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to onawah For This Post:

    Alekahn2 (17th September 2023), Bill Ryan (29th May 2023), Brigantia (5th June 2023), Ewan (29th May 2023), Harmony (29th May 2023), Icare (29th May 2023), Mari (30th May 2023), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024)

  15. Link to Post #148
    United States Avalon Member Alekahn2's Avatar
    Join Date
    20th October 2013
    Language
    English
    Posts
    128
    Thanks
    7,522
    Thanked 903 times in 125 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    ...Bump



    a webinar on self-sufficiency, free for 7 days...given by Marjory Wildcraft
    (https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2023-...ient-half-acre)

    https://thegrownetwork.com/i-can-gro...=117&affid=351
    ~ "...burn for no reason, like a lamp in the daylight" ~

  16. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Alekahn2 For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (18th September 2023), Brigantia (18th September 2023), Dennis Leahy (15th October 2023), Ewan (18th September 2023), Harmony (18th September 2023), Mari (15th February 2024), palehorse (15th February 2024)

  17. Link to Post #149
    United States Avalon Member Dennis Leahy's Avatar
    Join Date
    14th January 2011
    Location
    North Carolina
    Language
    English
    Age
    69
    Posts
    6,741
    Thanks
    47,010
    Thanked 48,583 times in 5,817 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I frequently hear people say that they cannot grow their own food, and of course, that's true if by "food" you mean something like grains that require large fields to produce a bag of flour.

    One food to remember is sprouts, with my particular favorite (in terms of nutrition, lack of anti-nutrients, texture, and taste) is broccoli sprouts. Even if you live in a tiny house or tiny apartment, you can easily grow sprouts. A 5 pound bag of seeds can be found for about $50US. I'm only guessing on this, but I'll bet that 5 pounds of broccoli seeds sprouted is probably equivalent to the size of a bale of hay. It would be boring to just eat sprouts for weeks or months, so it shouldn't be the only "larder" or "prepper" food you store, but to me, it really makes sense for its aforementioned properties to be one of your key supplies.

    The only other thing you need is a jar to sprout in, and cheesecloth or screen and a rubber band to let the sprouts respire and to keep bugs out. You can get a 'fancy' sprouting lid sized for a Mason/Ball jar if you prefer. If there are more than one mouth to feed and if they are getting gobbled-up quickly, you can add a second or even third jar and cycle the process (which takes about a week to grow sprouts.)


  18. The Following 11 Users Say Thank You to Dennis Leahy For This Post:

    Alecs (15th October 2023), Bill Ryan (15th October 2023), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Ewan (16th October 2023), gord (15th October 2023), Harmony (15th October 2023), Miller (22nd February 2024), palehorse (15th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Peace in Oz (17th October 2023), Reinhard (25th February 2024)

  19. Link to Post #150
    Avalon Member palehorse's Avatar
    Join Date
    13th April 2020
    Location
    Gaia
    Language
    English
    Age
    46
    Posts
    1,630
    Thanks
    12,042
    Thanked 11,413 times in 1,572 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I made a post on another thread "Seeds-think-about-them-now" but I believe that post belongs here, on maybe belong to both.

    https://projectavalon.net/forum4/sho...=1#post1600796


    Here is a turmeric plant, it is about 5 months old, I got older ones almost ready to harvest. I grow them in small vases and they do well with only morning sun and water every 2 days or so.

    --
    A chaos to the sense, a Kosmos to the reason.

  20. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to palehorse For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Ewan (22nd February 2024), Harmony (16th February 2024), Mari (15th February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024)

  21. Link to Post #151
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Turmeric grows like crazy in my region. This season I dedicated half of one of my garden beds with some roots I had left over from last year. Here is the result so far - see the garden bed on the left:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2971.jpeg
Views:	6
Size:	654.1 KB
ID:	52737

    Plant in late spring. When the soil is warm (or after the last threat of frost), loosen up the soil and plant the roots just under the surface. My method is to make sure the soil is nice and loose (not clay, but not sandy either) before planting. When the upper leaves start to brown off, it’s nearly time to harvest. This is usually during early to mid-fall season in the tropics. I have a small worm farm, and I fertilise ONCE with the worm-juice just after the first large leaves form. I don’t usually need to add any more fertiliser during the growing season, but if the leaves start to turn yellow (and you’re not over-watering), add a small amount of organic fertiliser.

  22. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Ewan (22nd February 2024), Harmony (22nd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Reinhard (25th February 2024)

  23. Link to Post #152
    Australia Moderator Harmony's Avatar
    Join Date
    11th May 2020
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,610
    Thanks
    92,152
    Thanked 18,755 times in 2,614 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    What a beautiful garden Tigger, it looks so tropical

  24. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to Harmony For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Ewan (22nd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (22nd February 2024), Tigger (22nd February 2024)

  25. Link to Post #153
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Growing potatoes is well-worth the time and effort if you have enough space to do so. Last year I planted three varieties: Sebago, Royal Blue, and Red Lady. I used seed potatoes that I ordered online from a certified source in Victoria, Australia.

    I planted each of the 3 varieties in raised garden beds:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2699.jpeg
Views:	1
Size:	149.5 KB
ID:	52738

    I planted late in the season (July, in the Southern Hemisphere), and harvested in November. The results were pretty good:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2873.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	116.4 KB
ID:	52739

    This was my first attempt at potato farming. Although I was happy with the result, I felt the yields were low. My next-door neighbour (he’s 500m away across the river), who is a commercial farmer, came over to see what I had produced. He told me that the reason why the yield was lower was because I had not loosened up the soil to begin with, and I probably did not supply enough water during the growing phase. Lesson learned…

    However, these potatoes were of incredibly high quality. I baked them in the oven at 240 degrees C, and, oh-boy, they were probably the best potatoes I’ve ever eaten. I sold the surplus to our local restaurant!

    I’ve kept some potatoes in cold storage in the basement, and today I’ve planted them out again so that I can keep the crops growing true-to-type. Technically it’s not the season to plant now (so I’m told), but I had an empty garden bed, so I thought I’d experiment. I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out

  26. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Ewan (22nd February 2024), Harmony (23rd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Reinhard (25th February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (22nd February 2024), wondering (22nd February 2024)

  27. Link to Post #154
    Scotland Avalon Member Ewan's Avatar
    Join Date
    24th February 2015
    Location
    Ireland
    Age
    62
    Posts
    2,437
    Thanks
    51,932
    Thanked 18,956 times in 2,391 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Tigger (here)
    Turmeric grows like crazy in my region. This season I dedicated half of one of my garden beds with some roots I had left over from last year. Here is the result so far - see the garden bed on the left:

    Attachment 52737

    Plant in late spring. When the soil is warm (or after the last threat of frost), loosen up the soil and plant the roots just under the surface. My method is to make sure the soil is nice and loose (not clay, but not sandy either) before planting. When the upper leaves start to brown off, it’s nearly time to harvest. This is usually during early to mid-fall season in the tropics. I have a small worm farm, and I fertilise ONCE with the worm-juice just after the first large leaves form. I don’t usually need to add any more fertiliser during the growing season, but if the leaves start to turn yellow (and you’re not over-watering), add a small amount of organic fertiliser.
    What is the average size of the rhizome you get?
    If you left them in the ground would they grow on the following season?

    We've got our poly-tunnel here all seeded and ready to go.

  28. The Following 10 Users Say Thank You to Ewan For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Brigantia (22nd February 2024), Harmony (23rd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Pam (22nd February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (22nd February 2024), Tigger (22nd February 2024), wondering (22nd February 2024)

  29. Link to Post #155
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Ewan (here)

    <snip>

    What is the average size of the rhizome you get?
    If you left them in the ground would they grow on the following season?

    We've got our poly-tunnel here all seeded and ready to go.
    Dear Ewan,

    Thanks for asking.

    Last year, the average size was well over 20cm. When I harvest this year’s crop, I’ll be sure to add some photos of the rhizome size. I suspect it will be larger!

    Mind you, the turmeric harvest from last year was more than enough to supply us with fresh rhizomes until now. We’re still using them in juices and cooking!

    Oh, by the way, if you bake your own bread, be sure to add some minced turmeric and caraway seeds into the dough!

    I did leave some of them (the old rhizomes from last year) in the ground (in the same garden bed that you see in my photo), mainly because I had far too much for one harvest!), and those grew again, along with additional rhizomes I re-planted this season.

    I was actually really surprised that some of the original rhizomes re-sprouted after the ‘winter’. I’m fairly new to this, and I have to admit I was not prepared for the yield!

    Now, I really ought to say that, this season, I tried growing ginger from store-bought roots. They are similar to turmeric, but they are growing very slowly in comparison (I should upload some photos at some point). I’m told that many grocery stores deliberately spray some sort of retardant on the ginger so that it doesn’t grow ‘sprouts’ and look ugly in the shop. Perhaps this is why my first attempt to grow ginger is looking ‘lacklustre’.

    When I uproot those ginger rhizomes I will re-plant some in the greenhouse and see how they grow over the winter. With any luck, I’ll have some ‘untarnished’ rhizomes to plant again next spring

  30. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Ewan (23rd February 2024), Harmony (23rd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Reinhard (25th February 2024)

  31. Link to Post #156
    Avalon Member norman's Avatar
    Join Date
    25th March 2010
    Location
    too close to the hot air exhaust
    Age
    68
    Posts
    8,902
    Thanks
    9,946
    Thanked 55,093 times in 8,175 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    From 20 to 12 years ago I successfully grew very nice Garlic from a couple of garlic I bought locally from a locally grown producer.

    After several years of neglecting my back garden entirely, I bought some garlic from a couple of big supermarkets to try again. The garlic I bought was imported from far away where the seasons and climate are probably very different.

    The planted garlic in my garden that year had no idea where it was or what time of year it was. I planted it in November ( as I had always done with the good garlic ) expecting the same result, that is, it would establish a good root cluster and poke a tiny bit of green shoot to the surface and wait all winter before bursting into growth very early in the following year giving it a good chance to mature fully during my short northern England season.

    But, that didn't happen. It tried to grow as soon as I planted it and became very straggly and miserable all winter and failed to gain anything from the following spring and summer. It was such a poor patch of garlic I didn't even bother trying to harvest it.
    ..................................................my first language is TYPO..............................................

  32. The Following 8 Users Say Thank You to norman For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (22nd February 2024), Ewan (23rd February 2024), Harmony (23rd February 2024), Miller (22nd February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (22nd February 2024), Tigger (22nd February 2024)

  33. Link to Post #157
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Bananas

    I found some banana plants in a section of the property when I first moved here a few years ago. They were overgrown and in pretty bad shape. I cleared off a lot of the surrounding vegetation and removed the old and dead banana plants, leaving just the healthier young plants:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2991.jpeg
Views:	3
Size:	158.6 KB
ID:	52751

    They are a dwarf-type banana, and I haven’t been able to find out exactly what variety they are. They are rich, creamy and delicious eating! Nobody I’ve spoken to so far seems to know about this banana variety and I haven’t seen it anywhere else, so there’s no way I want to risk losing them. But the plants are in an odd section of the garden and ultimately I want to move them to a better location. So I decided to remove some of the ‘suckers’ (the new young plants that grow near the base of the main plant) and propagate them in pots in the shade-house. Some of these I will plant outside; I have enough room to keep one or two in the shade house (protected from rats and bats):

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2983.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	146.8 KB
ID:	52750

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2984.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	173.6 KB
ID:	52749

    I won’t remove the original banana plants until these young ‘suckers’ have grown large enough to bear fruit and produce suckers of their own. In the tropics, that’s probably about two more years.

    Once a banana plant produces its bananas, it will then die back. So banana plants tend to grow outwards in a ring, with the newer plants on the outside.

    With the rapidly rising cost and declining availability of fresh fruit and vegetables, these plants will prove to be a very wise investment.

  34. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (25th February 2024), Ewan (25th February 2024), Harmony (25th February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024)

  35. Link to Post #158
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Turmeric vs. Ginger

    I promised I’d add some photos of the turmeric and ginger plants currently growing side-by-side. These are in a separate garden bed from the other turmeric plants I showed earlier…

    I planted both tumeric and ginger rhizomes at the same time (November I think it was). The tumeric is from the same rhizomes I was growing last year. The ginger is from store-bought ginger I had left over in the kitchen. The net over the garden bed is to stop turkeys digging up the roots - I did this AFTER a turkey ripped up half of the garden:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2974.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	170.8 KB
ID:	52754

    As you can see, the ginger is growing very slowly in comparison to the turmeric. Turmeric is on the left, ginger on the right:

    The rest of the garden bed was not cultivated before I put the nets over it. Surprisingly, some carrot seeds and potatoes from last season came up, so I just left them to grow:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2973.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	179.4 KB
ID:	52753

  36. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (25th February 2024), Ewan (25th February 2024), Harmony (25th February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024)

  37. Link to Post #159
    Australia Moderator Harmony's Avatar
    Join Date
    11th May 2020
    Language
    English
    Posts
    2,610
    Thanks
    92,152
    Thanked 18,755 times in 2,614 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Your garden looks wonderful Tigger, so lush and healthyThanks for explaining all that you have done, I know how much time is involved in getting things right. It's lovely to see this thread active again

    I have a ffew photos of some of the produce coming out of the garden. It is so great to have things fresh and full of life, and it tastes so good.

    I usually grow Red Runner beans and Purple King beans each year, but it was a coolish start to this latest season and I didn't get very many Purple King beans this year. I will be planting against a warm wall next Spring.

    Name:  IMG_4667.JPG
Views: 32
Size:  102.6 KB

    This year I grew carrots in a bue plastic barrel cut in half to make two big pots. Its important to drill quite a few holes in the bottom and along the lower side to ensure good drainage.

    I used copper tape around the top edge of the barrel lip to prevent slugs from wandering in and eating the carrots when they are just sprouting. The soil should be loose and well drained and not too rich in nitrogen or you might get really good carrot tops and small carrots.


    Name:  IMG_0248.JPG
Views: 32
Size:  63.1 KB


    The berries have been quite good this year with daily supplies of two or more berries to eat.

    Name:  IMG_0228.JPG
Views: 34
Size:  71.3 KB
    It's been lovely to have greens on hand all year for salads and tomatoes from the green house for quite a few months. I have been growing small cherry type tomatoes that seed them selves each season now as they are easy to grow and produce well in the cooler climates.


    The zuccini's are also grown in the green house as the seasons can get just a litle too chilly otherwise. A few more strawberries, blackberries and blueberries pictured as wel.

    Name:  IMG_0250.JPG
Views: 31
Size:  95.5 KB

  38. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Harmony For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (25th February 2024), Ewan (25th February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024), Sue (Ayt) (25th February 2024), Tigger (25th February 2024)

  39. Link to Post #160
    Australia Avalon Member Tigger's Avatar
    Join Date
    23rd August 2010
    Location
    Atherton, QLD Australia
    Language
    English
    Posts
    422
    Thanks
    6,091
    Thanked 2,622 times in 345 posts

    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    This is incredible Harmony! Look at your produce!

    It’s really great to see what you’ve produced. It gives me inspiration and encouragement!

    Do you grow blueberries? I do not yet have any real knowledge on how to grow those.

    Apart from those random carrots that popped up in my turmeric / ginger bed, every time I grow carrots, they fail. I don’t know why. I’m growing them from seeds, and the last three crops have failed. Carrots. Seriously? How come they keep failing? Now that you mention it, it’s possible they’ve been drowned with all the rainfall we’ve had recently.

    I found a fig tree seedling in the nursery yesterday, and I was thinking about growing it in the shade house, because I don’t want birds to eat them. But somebody told me that they need full sun, so it’s a compromise between full sun and hungry birds.

    Cherry tomatoes seem to grow well up here. Look at this old garden bed that needs topping up with soil:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2981.jpeg
Views:	3
Size:	147.6 KB
ID:	52761

    Every time I come to fill this garden bed up with new soil, there are more tomatoes growing. So I keep leaving them to grow another season. I know I shouldn’t, but I simply can’t resist!

    And, in the old potato bed, I grew some radishes (now finished) and some snow peas grown out of season. The rain has not been kind to them and they’re growing more slowly than they do in the dry season:

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2976.jpeg
Views:	2
Size:	149.1 KB
ID:	52760

  40. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Tigger For This Post:

    Bill Ryan (25th February 2024), Ewan (25th February 2024), Harmony (25th February 2024), Nenuphar (26th February 2024), palehorse (28th February 2024)

+ Reply to Thread
Page 8 of 9 FirstFirst 1 8 9 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts