2021 Gardening Thread

[Killer]

Haven't been hot enough for okra as was stated. May have to replant this year.

[El General]

Is it too late to plant okra?

[Man]

When Okra takes hold and hits the go button....you can litterly stand there and watch it grow. Amazing how fast the Okra fruit itself grows. I try to pick them at 3" but man you have a short short window. You miss 1 day and they are 6" woodies.

[No-Tox]

You miss 1 day and they are 6" woodies.

That's what she said.

My garden is struggling with all this rain and cool weather.

[ctom87]

I want to make a raised garden. Is it too late to plant anything? Can I save my seeds and will they last a year until next year? I have sage, parsley, spearmint, rosemary, cilantro, oregano, tomato, okra, bell pepper and basil.

[txtimetravler]

Get after it ctom.

You could plant okra now.

Save the other seeds for a fall garden. Look up the planting season but perhaps July/august.

[tps7742]

Any ideas on how you store your canned goods? I am looking for a type of crates etc that you can stack. I have asked this question before but lost the information and I couldn’t find it in a search. Thanks in advance.

[tps7742]

I don’t know, 1/4 lb maybe. The row of beans next to the corn are pintos, 2 middle rows are Blue Lake I believe (long round beans) and the one on the other side of those are Roma, they are flat beans like the pintos. I usually plant 2 rows of these but couldn’t find the seed when I was ready to plant so planted pintos instead. Found some seed about a week later though.
[ATTACH]1050026[/ATTACH]

Nice looking well kept garden. We plant the Roma bush beans also they are very hardy and easy to grow from our experiences.

[El General]

I want to make a raised garden. Is it too late to plant anything? Can I save my seeds and will they last a year until next year? I have sage, parsley, spearmint, rosemary, cilantro, oregano, tomato, okra, bell pepper and basil.

The seeds will last in a cool dry place out of sunlight or the refrigerator.

Okra you can plant right now.

Rosemary, just throw the seeds out next to your hose bib and they will take off. They don't need much water and the little that leaks from your faucet will be enough.

If you want to buy some grow lights and what not, you could probably start seeds for tomato and bell pepper for fall right now, but they probably won't do well outside.

Mint is not native and it can take over a garden. I don't know if spear mint is the same. But, plant it away from your garden in a pot and keep it under control if it is the same as mint.

The other herbs might start, but they will get burnt up in the heat before they get too big.

If you really need something to plant right now find a bush variety (unless you want to put upp a trellis) of southern beans (zipper creams, purple hulls etc) and plant them. They like the heat and will do well in Texas summers. If you have a normal in town size backyard garden, then they will yield a ton of meals, but they are legumes and fix nitrogen which will benefit everything you plant this fall. Also, they will provide ground cover and keep weeds out.

Eggplant is the other thing that likes texas summers.

Another thing you could do is plant some marigolds where you intend to plant tomatoes as they will discourage nemotodes that like to eat on your tomatos and they make a good cover crop.

[eradicator]

Any ideas on how you store your canned goods? I am looking for a type of crates etc that you can stack. I have asked this question before but lost the information and I couldn’t find it in a search. Thanks in advance.

I just put some in the pantry and then store the rest in the flats that the mason jars come in and stack them in a closet.

[tps7742]

I just put some in the pantry and then store the rest in the flats that the mason jars come in and stack them in a closet.

Thanks. We also use the canning boxes the jars came in but a few are wore out. My shelving will work but limited. I remember someone posting a link of where you can buy a crate type holder.

[tps7742]

I found some options. Thanks.

[eradicator]

I found some options. Thanks.

You mind posting them? Would be interested to see what you came up with

[tps7742]

I ordered these type. Will see how it works out.

https://www.rootsandharvest.com/product/canning-safecrate-pint-and-quart-jars/canning-accessories

[ShoootLow]

For everyone that is concerned with the hot summers here, don’t give up yet. I hung solar screens (40%) over my raised beds last year and it’s made a world of difference. Minimizes evaporation from the soil and keeps everything a bit cooler also.