2020 Gardening thread

[rocky]

Today’s bounty!!

Nice harvest!!

[No-Tox]

Strawberry question... I planted strawberries this year and they are producing quite well. 12 or so ready to eat each day from 3 plants. They taste great and have a good texture. My complaint is that they are only about the size of a penny round. Smallest ones I have seen. If I leave them on the plant once they turn bright red, the next day they will be mushy and not edible. Any thoughts?

They get bigger as the years go along. The plants get bigger and deeper roots to bring bigger strawberries. Around year 3 is when you will start getting the regular size you may be used to. Getting 12 a day is pretty string from 3 plants. Enjoy those.
At the end of the season, just let them die off and next spring, new plants/runners will emerge.

[Big Lee]

They get bigger as the years go along. The plants get bigger and deeper roots to bring bigger strawberries. Around year 3 is when you will start getting the regular size you may be used to. Getting 12 a day is pretty string from 3 plants. Enjoy those.
At the end of the season, just let them die off and next spring, new plants/runners will emerge.

Thank you for the info!!

[Let's go Brandon!]

Made a curiosity dig in the potato patch.

[locolobo]

Any of you ever heard of leaf cutter bees? Apparently their entire reason of living is to pollinate, unlike honey bees that pollinate as a side when trying to collect pollin to take back to their hive.
These bees are very docile and won't sting because they don't have a need to protect the hive or a queen. They stay within 300 yards of their home so perfect for a garden and flower bed around the house.
They cocoon over winter and come out when temps are above 80. Got a shipment of 200 bees this past week, put up their house by the garden and they should "hatch" within 21 to 30 days. At the end of the season when it starts cooling off, this year's bees will have laid their eggs into the empty tubes and can be stored in the fridge till next spring.
Figured I would try them out. Also the kids will get to enjoy seeing them buzz around without me worrying that they are going to get stung.
House and 200 bees for $70 using GYG promo code to get 10% off. Got that from Growing Your Greens YouTube video he had on these bees.
www.midasbees.com

Got a hive/box on sale @ TS & put it up @ the garden. Looks kinda like yours but made outta wood. Supposed to attract the natives. Have not seen any activity yet.

[Joe H]

I have 22 tomatoe plants. Today I picked 12.5 # from one plant and 80# total. Scale tared to zero for weight of lugs.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[No-Tox]

I have 22 tomatoe plants. Today I picked 12.5 # from one plant and 80# total. Scale tared to zero for weight of lugs.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

You starting a produce stand??? That's a lot of maters.

[Pedernal]

I can’t compete with Joe H but I am getting all I can use of tomatoes, zucchini and calabasas from my small garden

Joe your garden is impressive

[No-Tox]

Tomatoes aren't coming in just yet but getting other veggies.

[JES]

No pictures but our Roma tomatoes are producing like crazy. My wife made some marinara sauce with them and canned it. Our garden is doing better than our previous attempts. I credit the rabbit poop we’ve been adding for 6 months prior to planting and we’ve had plenty of rain so far.

Our cucumbers are doing great as well.

Yellow squash didn’t do well, we only planted two and they both have died.

Okra is doing good so far.

We planted broccoli and it did ok, but has been nothing but work so not going to plant that again.

Jalapeño plants ae doing ok, have gotten some fruit, hopefully will have plenty come dove season.

[Codypatt1]

May want to spray your tomatoes with copper fungicide if showing signs of disease.

[czechgrubworm]

I found my first little group of squash bugs.. I am not happy..

[czechgrubworm]

Broccoli Question for you

No pictures but our Roma tomatoes are producing like crazy. My wife made some marinara sauce with them and canned it. Our garden is doing better than our previous attempts. I credit the rabbit poop we’ve been adding for 6 months prior to planting and we’ve had plenty of rain so far.

Our cucumbers are doing great as well.

Yellow squash didn’t do well, we only planted two and they both have died.

Okra is doing good so far.

We planted broccoli and it did ok, but has been nothing but work so not going to plant that again.

Jalapeño plants ae doing ok, have gotten some fruit, hopefully will have plenty come dove season.

What do you mean about broccoli being so much work?

[FULL DRAW]

Question for you folks with raised garden beds. I have picked up some 2x6 untreated pine and was going to go three high as the soil in Austin is horrible. I am struggling on where to put my beds. I was going to ask some of y'all who have them on the side of your houses if they get enough sun? And also if the 16.5 inches is overkill with the three 2x6's stacked. I plan to build them 2' by 6' and 16.5 inches high and have up to 3 of them on my sides of my house. Note: I live in a subdivision with houses on both sides.

I will probably start with organic filler material, then 50/50 organic compost, and garden soil blend from a dirt yard in Buda. They will fill my bed of my truck with a half yard of each for $45. I have always had flower gardens and planted with my mom but this will be my first crack at vegetable gardening. I like being in the yard and so do my kids. They love the idea of a vegetable garden(s) to take care of so I figured why not.

Lastly, what can we plant this late? I plan on buying plants that are already started from the Natural Gardener, Lowe's, or Home Depot. Bonnie Plants maybe since I have procrastinated this long.

Thanks in advance.

[Chew]

My cukes in a barrel are going wild. We've been picking a lot. Look at the root growth. It was a lot longer than that.