What Did You Do In The Garden?

Hello there! Oh, today I had a very busy day but I had a moment in my garden to clean it a bit. I needed to pick up leaves in my garden and also clear out branches that left after cutting down some trees. Unfortunately, I didn't have so much time to do it all so tomorrow's day will also be hardworking!

Ridgerunner said:

I tend to grow the flat leaved varieties of chard and kale.

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Ridge' have you tried Siberian kale?

It is a fair amount different from the Scotch and Italian. Oh, I guess that I could mention Portuguese kale - it's another flat leaf choice.

Siberian is a separate species from the others and has somewhat of a different flavor. I gotta say that it may be even more popular than the others with the aphids, however. Flat leaf, so soap or oil sprays will hit them better but ... it seems somewhat obvious to me that insects have flavor preferences, too.

Steve

I tried Siberian one year in Arkansas, was extremely disappointed in productivity. Only tried it the once.

Digging sweet potatoes-great crop this year.

Chard is just a rootless sub-species of beet, which is the reason the leaves are so similar. In some countries chard is even called "silverbeet".

I first observed chard in my youth, when a neighbor several houses down was growing it. He grew trophy chard, leaves as large as rhubarb... although I never ate chard as a child, it left a lasting impression. So did the first variety I grew - and it was not a favorable impression. Lucullus has huge leaves; but they are deeply ruffled, and offer good hiding places for things you don't want in your food. Even after washing thoroughly, there would still be slugs, bugs, and spiders crawling out. After two years, I became so disgusted with the "cling ons" that I stopped growing chard for quite a few years. Only after I found smooth-leaved varieties did I begin to grow it again.

@digitS' , Verde de Taglio does look interesting; I may have to try that myself. I have to confess, though, that I actually enjoy chard with some of the younger chopped stalks added in. As you say, tastes differ... what a boring world it would be if that were not the case.

Zeedman said:

Chard is just a rootless sub-species of beet, which is the reason the leaves are so similar. In some countries chard is even called "silverbeet".

I first observed chard in my youth, when a neighbor several houses down was growing it. He grew trophy chard, leaves as large as rhubarb... although I never ate chard as a child, it left a lasting impression. So did the first variety I grew - and it was not a favorable impression. Lucullus has huge leaves; but they are deeply ruffled, and offer good hiding places for things you don't want in your food. Even after washing thoroughly, there would still be slugs, bugs, and spiders crawling out. After two years, I became so disgusted with the "cling ons" that I stopped growing chard for quite a few years. Only after I found smooth-leaved varieties did I begin to grow it again.

@digitS' , Verde de Taglio does look interesting; I may have to try that myself. I have to confess, though, that I actually enjoy chard with some of the younger chopped stalks added in. As you say, tastes differ... what a boring world it would be if that were not the case.

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my first exposure to chard was called swiss chard and it was very large leafed and very red stemmed. it was chopped up and stuffed in a pastry of some kind along with brie cheese. instant love. i like beet greens too.

the first few times i grew beets here i was so disappointed by how poorly they did. the leaves were never very big and a lot of spots. as the soils have gradually improved so too have the beet greens. i've also grown various chards here at times and the best growers have usually been the plain red kind. the mixed color pack i grew was ok, i did eat them, but in the end i always liked the red the best (because it seemed to taste the most like the beet greens ).

when i cook it up i think it tastes pretty sweet and a little salty too. Mom hates it. so i only grow a few plants here or there for when she's away i can cook it up and not gross her out (along with a few turnips if i have them ready too ).

catjac1975 said:

Digging sweet potatoes-great crop this year.

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I got about 1 bucketful, but they were mostly long and "fingerling." What is your secret?

We finished bringing in the dahlia roots, yesterday. Not all of the tubers were cleaned beyond washing off some dirt but they are all in the garage. Yay!

Went on to get half of the gladiolas. Should be able to get the other half in the garage, today.

If I can get the stakes out and cut down any taller plants since the corn and sunflowers are already down ... nah, no reason to knock ourselves out. What a blessing to have nice weather at this time of year.

Steve

ducks4you said:

I got about 1 bucketful, but they were mostly long and "fingerling." What is your secret?

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They are a southern heat and water loving crop. I buy plants from Steele plant company. I only buy those recommended for northing growing. For the last 2 years I have used reusable weed barrier cloth. Weeding them is a nightmare because of the vining so the cloth has eliminated weeding except for keeping the weeds down around the edges. It also holds the moisture.They tell you to put the cloth down one the soil 2 weeks before planting to warm the soil. Last year I had a rodent problem. We used those thumpers that you see advertised for chasing rodents. They seem to have helped reduce the mouse population and I had very little damage. As I lifted the last of the barrier 2 mice scurried out. My cat was keeping me company and immediately pounced on it one and ate it. Her brother joined her and the 2 stood guard looking for some tasty meat. Georgia jets and beauregard seem to do the best for me. My problem has always been storage. I am curing them in a shed and will move them to my greenhouse. I read they should be cured at 75 degrees. My greenhouse did the best job at keeping them so far. I thought the fridge would be a good place but they mold and rot very quickly.

I think to store them they need to be cured really well. I don't know how critical 75 degrees is but warm and with decent air circulation works for me. I probably cure mine at least three weeks out of the sun and in the dry. I made a frame out of 1/2" hardware cloth and 2x4's that I dry them and other things like onions on. I also use this frame to sift compost. These are Beauregards curing in my workshop sitting on 2x4's to get air circulation underneath.



I used to get plants from Steele's in Tennessee and was happy with the but started to sprout my own.

I stored them in my attached garage. If they ever freeze you've lost them, they rot. The coldest it got in that garage was probably the upper 50's with the 60's more common in winter. When the weather warmed up probably the upper 70's maybe lower 80's. We'd still be eating them the following April or May before they went bad. I think they store better kind of cool but not to cold and definitely dry.

This is one thing I will not be able to grow after the move. The climate is great but the backyard is way too small.