# 2015 Garden Report thread



## Whitetail_hunter (Mar 14, 2012)

Got a small garden going mostly vine type plants way to close together :lol: then random tomatoes around the yard. Didn't want to plant to much incase of a move.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Peas and green beans are done. 

Fennel is all pulled maybe too early but it was great. 

Tomatoes are exploding with fist sized fruit. 

Green peppers are producing medium sized fruits. They are a little shaded and crowded by other stuff. 

Carrots are coming into the mature zone. 

Zinnias are flowering nicely. 

Brussels sprouts are still going, no buds showing yet. Fall harvest. 

Schwarzwurzel is making progress, it will be a fall harvest for these.


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## WHITE BEAR (Jan 12, 2005)

My garden is doing great except for the slugs. They are out of control. Our tomatoes are doing exceptionally well. Still all green but exploding with fruit. We have brandywine and sweet 100s growing. The sweet 100s are probably 12 feet tall and have hundreds apon hundreds of tomatoes on them. Been eating beans, cukes and zukes for about a month now. Not sure how we're gonna handle all the tomatoes we're gonna get. This is our first garden. I guess we'll need a crash course in canning. I'm also going to start lacto fermenting. Putting my first batch together today actually.


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## WHITE BEAR (Jan 12, 2005)

Well here goes nothing. ....


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## WHITE BEAR (Jan 12, 2005)

My tomatoes are so close. Why did it have to get hot? I'm hoping to start picking next week.


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## Ugottaluvit (Jan 29, 2003)

Noticed TOMATO WORMS today. I picked off 4. I have 27 Brandywine plants. The worms were on each
end of the garden, just a couple of plants. I thought I'd let you know. Keep an eye out.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Tomatoes have been very good. Green peppers not so much, don't know why. The fruit is green and medium sized but the flavor isn't what I hoped for.

Carrots had a great crop, all pulled now and a few left in the fridge. 

Beans are done. Have them blanched and frozen. Having some with Lk Michigan salmon for dinner tonight.

Ate the last of the peas two nights ago. They were also blanched and frozen. 

Zinnias are waning, time to pull them soon. 

Brussels sprouts are chugging along. Seeing some black spots on the stems and leaves, also holes in the leaves. Is this a problem? 

Schwarzwuzel is chugging along. 

How are the gardens coming along?


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Tomatoes are still producing but slowing down. Green peppers are still producing. The peppers don't have much flavor. Has anyone experienced that before?

Zinnias are done and need to be pulled out. Brussels sprouts are slowly emerging. Schwarzwurzel leaves are still green. Not sure when to harvest this, I have read that when the leaves die, it's time. We shall see...


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Picked all the green tomatoes, and what was left of the green peppers and pulled the plants. Ground them up with onions, celery and a few jalapeños. Will make relish with them tomorrow. 

Brussel sprouts are chugging along. Sprouts are developing slowly. I think something might be eating them but I don't see any footprints in the garden, e.g. ****, skunk or rabbit. 

Schwarzwurzel is chugging along. I think it will be a November harvest.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Starting to harvest the brussels sprouts. They are delicious! I had some steamed for lunch, together with a piece of broiled Lake Michigan salmon. Good eats. The size of the home grown sprouts is very small, maybe 1/4 the size of store bought. I planted too densely, and will spread them out next year. 

Schwarzwurzel is still in the ground and new green leaves keep coming. I'll dig them up next week or the week after, just to see what is happening. I'll eat whatever root there is to eat, and then will be more knowledgeable for next year's crop.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Dug up the schwarzwurzel today. Even with several frosts, the leaves were still green and growing a little. The roots looked pretty good, they need deep well tilled soil to grow long and straight. 

Wash, peel and cut the roots into bite sited pieces. Store them in a bowl of acidified water (lemon juice works), until ready to cook. They oxidize and turn brown quickly. 

I simmered them for around 10 minutes in a sauté pan with around 3/4 cup water, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 Tbsp butter, salt and a 1/2 tsp flour, until the water is almost gone. They taste reminiscent of asparagus, with the texture of carrot but more fibrous in a good way. I had them in my lunch which included more Brussels sprouts from garden and a piece of broiled Lake Michigan salmon.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Another pic of the schwarzwurzel.


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## jasonvanorder (Feb 23, 2009)

Anybody planning their garden for next year? The place we moved into in July had a small garden. It was really too small for what they were growing. They had cucumbers watermellon cantaloupe squash anything that had vines like that. They just completely took over everything else. No matter what you picked it didnt taste quite right either. I plan on at least doubling the size. Right now is maybe 30x15. The plus side is I have been told by the neighbors that the area is great for tomatoes. My wife loves them so plan on canning a ton if she doesnt eat them first.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

jason good idea. I have started planning for 2016. There is a new thread for it here: 

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/threads/2016-garden-planning-and-report-thread.554572/


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

If your space is limited, try using cages for multiple tomato plants, and trellises for vining plants - beans, cukes, etc. I built some A-frame trellises years ago using 2x4's and welded wire fencing. Also built great tomato cages with the same fencing. Just cut it for the right circumference, last it together to form a "roll" with some wire, and stake them with cheap fence posts. Here is the fencing I used for both projects. I built the trellises, and tomato cages over 20 years ago, and they still work fine. I used a staple gun to fasten the fencing to the trellis' sides, and base. 

I usually put 3-4 tomato plants in a cage that is 3 feet in diameter. I can grow a ton of pole beans, and cukes on 2 trellises that are 8 feet long. Plenty of beans to eat, can, and still give a lot away. 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-5-ft-x-50-ft-14-Gauge-Galvanized-Steel-Welded-Wire-308303HD/204331896


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