this years garden

[Rush2112]

As my garden season ends, I suppose some of you are getting ready for planting or may already have seedlings going. Wanted to share some experiences I had, maybe helpful.

best surprise: red russian kale. tried to grow kale for the first time and was pleasantly suprised at how productive and easy to grow it was. We have been clipping off kale for the past 4 months and still have an abundance of kale. Kale actually prefers cooler climates so may grow even better in the UK. I can see the plants here wilting in the affternoon heat so think I'll harvest the entire lot over the next week or two. Going to try to preserve by dehydrating some and canning some in a vinegar solution.

biggest disappointment: corn/maize. tried again with a different variety and same results: attacked by insects, all lost. I've tried several different varieties over the years and come to the conclusion I cannot grow corn without use of insecticide. So no more corn for now.

tomato fungus: got widespread fungus just as fruiting began. Sprayed with soap/water solution and had great results. Killed fungus over night, infected foliage wilted. new growth was ok.

our survival crops: sweet potatoes, yellow beans, yellow squash, kale,tomatoes

we also grow peppers and romaine lettuce, but if we were dependent on the food to eat this space would be used for something else.

IMO, this gives us a decent start in food production in combination with some fruit trees, herbs and berry bushes. TPTB dont allow any livestock in our area.

Good luck to all of you starting out this season! What do you consider your survival crops?

[Barneyboy]

how much soap to water did you use,or is it just a guesstimate? ,would like to now as my toms took a kicking last year thankyou

[Straight Shooter]

My grandfather used to wash a pair of socks in a steel coal bucket Barney, using a bar of soap and scrubbing the socks did not use that much soap.....then he would spray everything using a pump spray....like a 2inc tube thing ....not unlike a old bike pump

[Mortblanc]

Rush if you are in south Florida I am about 1,000 miles north of you. Whole different climate pattern here.

I have three kinds of tomatoes at the seedling stage right now, also three types of peppers.

I am going to plant more beans this year, snap beans and pintos.

I am also putting in Red Kale and some Collards. Also thinking about some turnips to get some cold weather greens.

I always plant lots of Okra. It is one of my favorites. I did not put in enough last year. That will not happen again.

[Rush2112]

yeah, it was a guesstimate. A few squirts of dish soap in an old all purpose cleaner bottle. Dont fill the bottle all the way- leave room for foam. So to use shake the spray bottle and create the foam, then spray generously covering leaves and stalks with the white foam. I think what it does is suffocate the fungus, cause it literally turned brown and shriveled over night.

i was surprised because i've tried soap/water for insects and has no effect other than providing a bath.

another problem i have is caterpillars on the yellow squash. i've been removing by hand as there are only a few plants. dont understand where they come from, just seem to appear one day.

i dont want to use insecticide so that has been a determining factor in what can be grown.

[Barneyboy]

im the same pal .don't like to use poison ,must of filled a tray filled with water of cabbage white caterpillars' drowned the little sods .