That is an awesome idea, too EG!! I'm keeping a spreadsheet on the veggies with varieties, first flowers, comments, amt of fruit, etc... I planted a 50 day tomato to see if I can get a fall crop of tomatoes in October. In our neck of the woods, that's pretty unusual, but I'm planting it in a self-watering container to experiment with: 1) do tomatoes excel in an independent environment? 2) can I haul this thing in and out during the first frosts? 3) Is a winter garden feasible in my area, or is it better to just put stuff up?

Carolyn - cool! I'll let others chime in, and give their opinion on it. One thing that I feel would be great for this particular thread is a chart of some kind, that tells the heavy feeders, as well as suppliers of a particular nutrient, so we could plan our fall crop accordingly. That way, it would help with the soil amendment, if necessary. If anyone has this information, please add it to the thread. As an example, I currently have corn in my 4x9 box (which I know is a very heavy feeder of nitrogen), and i'm planning on growing collards and turnip salad in it's place. The information about the differences would help me to amend the soil properly.

EG

ok carolyn, the tomatoe's do good in the self waterer's. i was in another group where a guy who's handicapped does all of his stuff in containers, even asparagus, on a roof top. but the point is they all did great!
eg, the one that replenishes the soil, i'd love to hear more on this! LOL i thought i'd read it was beans? but i thought there was another one also. but my question is why does it do that? ok done now. befor i get ot. LOL ~Medo

My understanding is that legumes (beans, peas, there's another one that I've heard of...is it borrage?) as a class put nitrogen in the soil.

EG, I hope you do not think I am being braggadocios or showing off when I post photos of my success. I am only being the devils advocate to those that say that you cannot grow veggies in 100% pure compost. This is my first year at SFGing and I plan to post my assessment of the SFG at the end of the growing season. A little hint is I will sure as hell be SFGing next year.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

So far I would say that my Sq Ft garden is way way behind where my traditional garden was at this time last year and I planted the square foot garden at least 2 weeks earlier this year than the traditional garden last year but I am blaming this on the weather.

We had a very cold June even for us. Now I heard on the news that they are predicting that we could get a September that is like our normal July so I sure hope so.

Unless I build some cold frames I will get nothing in for a fall crop that will have time to do anything as I am still 3-4 weeks away from havesting lots of the garden.

I just updated my thread about my smashed garden, with photos of the progression. I'm very happy with it so far. I have to call mine mid-summer planting, as the first seeds went into the ground on July 11 (bush beans, beets, carrots, leaf lettuce, pole beans, mesclun, and transplants of rosemary, parsley, chives, basil, marigold). I left one box empty for trench composting, which I have filled up. It has sprouted two of the loveliest sweet potato vines from some that had sprouted before I could use them, so it looks as though my neighbor and I will each get a houseplant bonus....unless they have the time and ability to actually grow sweet potatoes. I don't know anything about them.

I'm hoping to get my other garden finished in time to try a fall planting of peas. I was thinking of a variety such as "Little Marvel" to grow in the future raspberry bed, as they need no trellising and the vines would be a nice addition to the soil after harvest.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I am so glad you started this post. I was going to start one just this morning but I got busy. Thanks EG.

I have never grown fall/winter/earlier spring crops either but I have been thinking about it all summer. My problem is that I am not even close to finishing up the summer garden. I've only gotten cukes and grape tomatoes so far so......no way! With the days getting shorter, space is my problem. I started some seeds a couple of weeks ago just to test the water - spinach, root veggies and brassicas. I would be so delighted to have broccoli and cauliflower in my freezer for soups over the winter.

I do have a couple of schemes, hare-brained perhaps so be nice. So here goes..... One idea was to build a movable greenhouse to place over one of my raised beds. Since I would like to keep the cost to a minimum, I was going to use materials that I already have: 2 x 3's (or 4's) and some heavy duty clear (opaque) plastic. I thought this would at least prolong the season if not allow me to do succession plantings of cool weather veggies. Maybe double-layering the plastic with a layer of bubble wrap (pool cover) in between. Overkill? I wanted it to be high enough so that I could actually walk into it. Does the airspace between the soil and roof need to be closer for heat retention? Although I would love for this to work out, I am willing to experiment and if nothing comes of it, so be it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The second idea was for a cold frame. I have a spot on my deck that I thought would be good for a cold frame made from old wooden windows. It is pretty well sheltered and once the leaves come off the trees, it will get more sun than my summer garden gets now (even with the shorter days). I thought I would put down a piece of insulation to sit the cold frame on and surround the cold frame with bales of hay for side insulation. Maybe line the inside with black plastic.

So, am I dreaming in technicolor? Talk to me SFG friends - time is of the essence.

I too count in the "not-given-up-for-Summer" catatory. My pole beans have yet to produce, my corn is not ready and my ripe tomatoes can be held in one hand. That said, I've planted salad greens, radishes, carrots and cauliflower so far for fall/winter and will be planting more. I will be utilizing my hoop covers that worked so well last winter. I'll try to keep them up all winter this year to harvest cool-weather crops basically year round. It's another experiment.

My yields have been pathetic, unless you count salad greens, and maybe cukes and hopefully potatoes. hehe. Though with the harvest I have gotten, it would weigh a lot from the cukes and potatoes, hehe.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure!

This is really going to be a great thread for future reference, it may even max out at 150. Thanks for all input.

Medo - I think you and carolyn are correct...the beans do somehow replenish nitrogen into the soil. I don't know how it does it, though.lol

John - I never think of your success as "bragging". I'm very glad that your garden is doing well. Please keep the photos coming. You are a very big asset to this forum. I hope that you are keeping up with your harvest numbers.... I bet it will be impressive. I have a half barrel of homemade compost that will be used to jump start the garden for next Feb/March, but for this fall - will rely on store bought stuff. Yuck! Anyway, keep up the good work "Compost Man" lol

Mike - Many congrats for your beautiful creation way up north. I visit your thread every time you add some new photos to it, and it's remarkable what you've done with it. You should receive some type of reward for your efforts. I would think the cold frames would be a necessity for a fall crop.

Granny - Hey! Ahem....if you were my neighbor, i'd come over there and help you build that other garden. Really!

Maureen - Aw man....if i'd known you were thinking about starting the same thread, I wouldn't have jumped the gun like this. I just couldn't wait to start talking about the fall stuff. I can't wait for the broccoli either....I've heard great things about the taste of homegrown. As far as the method of frost protection that would be best for you....I would have to go with a low-profile coldframe constructed out of light materials, and accessibility would have to be high on my list, as well. I would also have to believe that if you built something tall enough to walk into, an extra heat source would be necessary to keep the temps to a desired level. The reason for my thinking is because of the greater surface area for the heat from the inside to be absorbed by the obvious lack of heat outside (hot always travels to cold, when speaking in terms of temperature differences, and psychrometric characteristics of air) Ahem......Even though the solar energy during the day is very effective at warming up a frame, I almost believe I would line the bottom of the frame (as well as sides) - with large rocks, or bricks. That will retain the solar heat, for use at night.

Sinfonian - I predict that your fall crop will be much better than the summer. Also, I honestly believe your tater harvest will be the best one of all, i've just got that feeling.

EG

and make sure to do that right, we put our plastic on the porch and i didn't cover the plastic on the edges with any type of board and a blizzard came thru, almost all of it was gone, then i got it back up, then some winds came thru then some of it came down, so just make sure you get it up good the first time if you do the plastic, do it good. :')
i have rattlesnake beans and one of my friends say they are very good, i'm also gonna try them. don't know if they are bush or not. ~Medo

And don't use any metal in your greenhouse structure. I bought a beautiful little ficus tree (Indian Laurel) last fall for my yard in Arizona. It was growing like mad, but we do get some freezing temps in January where I live, so I thought I was being real smart when I pulled out my aluminum ladder, straddled it over the tree and draped a heavy quilt over it. Unfortunately, every place the metal touched the tree it froze. Tree survived, but it's smaller than when I bought it, due to the extensive pruning I had to do.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I am new to this forum and this is my first year doing the square foot gardening. So far, my sumer harvest has been minimal. I have 1 bed constructed that I have begun planting carrots, peas, broccoli and fennel in. I also plan to start some more broccli and cauliflower in pots that I will later transplant into beds after the cukes die off. Sometimes we get an early frost or snow storm and then we will have beautiful weather for a while. I am going to try to make a frame for one bed of tomatoes to harvest those as long as possible. In some of the other beds I will probably plant lots and lots of garlic.

Thanks tishtoshnm - I forgot about garlic! Advice anyone?

garlic is planted in the fall and lester pulled his this summer. ~Medo

Tater Tidbits...
If you're harvesting potatoes remember that they will continue to grow as long as the tops are green. So dig only as many as you need for immediate use. The ones left in the ground will actually keep better there than in your home.

Dang John!!!! LOL i just found this in savvy gardener! (which i'm not) LOL

Carolyn - did you get all teary eyed when you had to pull the zucchini? I would have. Oh well, it's a tough decision...but it's gonna happen in my garden this weekend, as well. Yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, okra, hot peppers, and turnips are history as of this upcoming weekend. The only things that will stay is corn, cantaloupes, watermelons, and bell peppers.

EG

what??? don't tell me that you get all teary eyed?? for real?? man i'd be so happy!! if its done for real, i'd be so happy to put it in the compost!! there's a good use for it somewhere!! but....if its still producing something i'm sorry but i'll still use it. LOL also, i was reading in the soil forum, geeze, what's his name, blu something, anyhow he uses ashes in his soil to make his garden really good. he talks alot but i like how he likes to go back to the old times of doing things, i havent been there in ages!! i wonder how that would work in our sfg?? what do you think??

Medo - the zucchini is really gonna bother me. Because of my drainage issue in that location - my yield is VERY low. Oh well, it will be much better next year. I also read something about using potash, or something like that in the soil. I think fall is the time to add it, if i'm not mistaken. I'm sure it was discussed over at the soil forum. Anyway, I can't wait to get started on this new crop. All of the strings used to make the grids in mine broke, and it just doesn't look as neat as it did when I built it. One thing that i'm definitely looking forward to, is the lettuce and other leafy vegetables. I've got a bottle of BT, and i'm just gonna spray them once a week to keep the worms at bay. I've got to believe that there's alot less maintenance involved, than the summer crops.

EG

I'm hoping the leaf miners are finished for the season. I never could grow spring spinach, for all the damage they do. They always got my spring beet greens too,and these late beets I planted show no signs of damage, so fingers are crossed. I planted four squares of spinach today, nine seeds per square. At this rate, if I get 100% germination, I'll have a lifetime supply of spinach seeds for a buck sixty-nine!

My zucchini and yellow crooknecks are just getting their second wind, and are loaded with blossoms. I whacked off the tops and side stems of my cherry tomatoes, hoping to force them into ripening. I didn't have the nerve to beat them down with a broom! The cucumbers had slowed a bit, too. I think the heat was just too much for everything in the garden. Now I'm getting gorgeous cucumbers again.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Update on current summer crop-
Everything is really slowing down. Although there are lots of green tomatoes on the vines, the quality is just not as good as a few weeks ago. Those remaining will be fried with squash, okra, and bacon bits.Yum! Also, the cucumbers, squash, and peppers have gotten close to the end of their productivity cycle. The numbers in yield is no longer worth the efforts to maintain them. Okra is still kickin', but has got to be removed, to make room for the fall crop. Corn did not reach adequate size, before the extreme southern heat took it's toll on it. Must plant sooner next year.
*Note to anyone in my region - plant corn no later than May 1st. Mine was planted from seed on May 22nd, and best I can tell - needed about 2 weeks to fill out properly. Oh well, there's always next year!

EG

EG, farmers around here start corn much later than you did for an extended season, and we have terribly hot (100+) summers. Are you sure it was the heat, or was it a pollination problem? Corn needs to be planted in blocks for it to pollinate properly, and I really think Mel's spacing is a bit too close. I don't remember offhand just how close he advises, but I always had very good luck dropping 2 seeds every 12" and planting the seeds in a diamond pattern. I wouldn't even attempt corn in less than a 4'x4'block. And never plant two varieties close to each other or to your neighbor's corn, they will cross pollinate.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Granny - it's possible that pollination troubles might be part of the problem, but i've got my doubts about it. The corn was planted in a 4x9 block, and the spacing was no more than 2/sf. While tasseling, I can remember on several occasions - that it was a little breezy at times. This should have been adequate for pollination. The old timers have a saying around here, that if the corn aint knee-high before memorial day - it aint gonna make. When August arrives, it's quite frankly unbearable for most here, and all foliage of any kind really gets stressed, and just burns up. I'm gonna ask some of the farmers at the seed and feed store about the timing, and hopefully will do much better next year. Thanks for your help

also for the pollination, you could plant some flowers inbetween. we did that with some of the stuff out back, great pollination!! :') and also we have tons of clover all over!! and i'm a poet and didn't knowet!! LOL **smiling** ~Medo

Medo - heh. clover all over....Got any seedlings growing yet? I've got 11 broccoli and 13 cabbage....

EG

not yet, we've been going back and forth from our place to topeka, but this weekend we're gonna be home for good!! and back to doing my gardening!! and planting my stuff!! i told hubs i'm late on this!! i'm not to worried though. hey check it out!! your a poet it!! LOL my tomatoes are thinning out, all except my potato/tomato one's!! they are still looking good!! what's the deal with that?? LOL i wonder if they have to do good to have the potato's produce? i mean the plant looks good. not much on the tomatos like it used to be. but no browning. i might dig gently to see. i'm just sooooo curious!!! :') **big grinn** ~Medo

I started my fall garden 2 weeks ago. This is my first dabble at SFGing. I planted all from seeds in a 4x4 area.

After almost 2 weeks just starting to see my first sprouts poking up, just a few so far though. This seems to be very slow in starting up. I have a few questions of technique to see what I may be doing wrong.

I am not sure if i am watering too much or not enough. I have a moisture meter, should I use it to determine the moisture content? Should it be the same as regular moisture on the meter?

It is still fairly hot here during the day into the 90s. I have built a mesh topped cover to keep the critters out. Should I use some type of shade screen to protect the seedlings and small plants if they ever come?

HI photopilot!! welcome aboard!! and good luck!! i have absolutely NO idea!! BUT they know when they're ready "i think" and there lies the problem!! LOL **big grinn** but if they're not yellow or brown, i'd say they are probly hiding to stay a little cooler!! being smart little fella's!! *big grin** believe me they'll come out sometime and BANG you'll be like "what the heck"???? LOL
ok EG i'm most curious about this early winter everyone on winter sowing forum is talking about and how everything is turning to fall early, how is that gonna affect our fall crop?? do ya think? or anyone heck........ ~Medo

photopilot, I can tell you one thing for sure that will not germinate well in the heat, and that's carrots. If you plant carrots you can't let those little seeds dry out, so mist them well and then cover them with a board to keep them moist until they germinate. Lift up the board and check them each day, and as soon as they begin to sprout get the board off.

Good luck!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Photopilot - I would like to welcome you to the best forum on GW. There's some really nice and helpful people in here. Some things are best germinated indoors, and others do fine direct sewn. I have cleaned up 75% of my total garden in the last 2 days, and after adding composted manure - have already planted those areas. Sugar snap peas and cowpeas were direct sewn, and 12 broccoli seedlings were transplanted. I can't help you with your moisture questions, I can only tell you that most leaves will turn yellow when receiving too much water.

Medo - Yes, signs of fall are everywhere I look. There were alot of yellow leaves blown from the trees today, because of the remnants of tropical storm Fay. My only thoughts are to get the fall crops in the garden as soon as possible. It is definitely time.

Granny - that's good to know about the carrots. I'll be planting them for the first time this fall, and need all of the information that I can get.

EG

I screwed up this year. I can only get to one area of my garden. Plants from adjacent boxes have closed the pathways. Fortunately, I can get in to pick mature veggies with only minimal damage, but getting in to replace soil amendments is out of the question. One thing I found out this year is that the old saying is true "location location location", wait a minute that is from another subject, ÂÂ..but it also applies here. I usually plant greens, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, beets, turnips, and radishes. This year it will only be greens and garlic. LQQK out next year though, I am going to be ready.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

i agree with the location bit from what i've seen on other peoples gardens, like keeping the tall stuff planted with some of the shorter that likes some shade. i did read that on one of those organic magazines. and it was about sfg. she did asparagus and strawberries. ~Medo

Hi Everyone. I'm just going to jump on in here to commet on something EG mentioned. First, it seems alot of us are planting broc, cabbage for fall. I am too. I planted some brussel sprouts in mid May for the first time. They were continually CHOMPED on my those pesky cabbage worms. I sprayed and sprayed with Sevin...sorry...all I could find. The leaves looked terrible. I ran out of sevin, thank goodness, and went with my old tried and true. I went to Joann Fabrics and picked up 6 yards of tulle, you know the netting stuff used for veils. I covered the sprouts, and lo and behold, the next one foot growth of leaves look perfect. Not one, I repeat, not one, single hole in a leaf. And just so everyone knows, it only costs about $1.20/YD. aND with their 40 % off coupon only about 88 cents/yd. Not too bad for a bit of SANITY. Anyway, I recently planted cauliflower, carrots, cabbage transplants, and broc seeds (my seedlings bit the big one) and covered the whole thing with another piece of net. I;m not letting those rotten moths lay their eggs on this batch! LOL. Oh, and EG....WHERE did you find the BT? I looked at all the stores this summer to try to save my brussel sprouts. No one knew what i was talking about. Is there a brand name? Thanks to all for the wonderful information and entertainment.
Fanfortony

John - I bet you will be ready! Oh well, my yellow squash gave me fits, as well. I do love that spacing, though. I pulled my 4 yellow squash vines today, and some were 10 ft long! As they started getting out of control, I just kept making them coil up. It all stayed in there...4 plants in a 4x4 area!

Fanfortony - I bought my bottle of concentrate BT at a small seed and feed store, for $11.50. The brand name is Green Light, and it comes in a 16 oz bottle. It will make several gallons of spray (it's mixed at 1 Tbs to a gallon of water). I'm really gonna keep the leaf veggies sprayed, because in the fall, the different bugs/critters run out of stuff to eat - as all of the wild plants die for winter. You're very welcome for the humor. We try to have a good time, when we can. There's a time and place for it though.

EG

fanfortony - here's a link to their website

EG

Here is a link that might be useful: BT worm killer

(so he thinks!!) thanks for your info on the fabric!! that's very great!! have you ever tried any other kind of....say...ivory soap (bar, but in the melted or very wetted form) and oil, and water? mixed to spray on your plants?? it helps. but you have to reapply after it rains. but i do love the idea of that fabric!! and welcome to our little lovely community!! :') ~Medo

I love the idea of the fabric as well. Thanks for the tip! I wish I could see a pick of exactly how to cover them with the veil fabric, but I'll give it a whirl, especially at that price.

As for watering seeds, I watered mine once per day that were started in cups inside the house and twice per day for the ones I started outside. I just misted them with the sprayer that held mostly water, but also had a little hydrogen peroxide as that is suppose to be really good for the plants.

It sure seemed to do the trick. I had nearly 100% germination, which blew me away as I thought I had a black thumb!

~Angela

Granny: You too on Spinach Leaf Miners? I'd say they damaged half my leaves and made 10% inedible. I tried to remove the infected leaves fast but was no match for them. I will cover with mesh cloth cloches this spring to keep the little black flies off them. I remember seeing them and thought nothing of it. Now I know!

EG: My corn had the same problem. I think it was the close quarters that did it. I'm not sure if I had cross pollination too but my corn was not so good. I've only had one ear but I'm not thrilled to eat another. I may just do one type next year to be safe and give it more space, at least 6 inches apart this time, hehe.

Angelady, yes, the fabric works great for the bugs. I'd love to post a picture. Not quite sure how though. I just laid the fabric lengthwise over the sprouts and secured with clothes pins around the edge connected to a short little fence edging I had there. Where I planted the seeds and transplants, I put up 3 pvc hoops with the hopes that I could use them to hold the fabric. Didn't work. All I had were clothes pins and the pvc was too wide for them to clip to. So I just used bricks around the back and the clothespins on the little fence thingy. Then I gathered the ends in a bit of a bunch and clipped it together. This works great for the bugs, like I said, but what do you use for frost protection? Where do you get the white "row cover cloth" I keep hearing about? Anyone think there is a fabric at the fabric store that could be used? Does it have a specific name other than "row cover"?

There were a few veggies that were left in the garden, because some things just hadn't came in yet. Watermelons, cantaloupes, zucchini, and winter squash were all spared. I've picked 3 cantaloupes so far, no watermelons, and i'm picking a nice zucchini today - with 3 more on the plant to reach maturity before next week - then, the zucchini is history. The winter squash (spaghetti and butternut) were planted late, and quite frankly - are very questionable whether they will reach maturity before the first frost. It's gonna be real close. I will make better preparations for these squash next year. This whole season has been such a learning experience for me. I'm already excited about next spring.

Granny, Sinfonian - I looked at the Alabama vegetable garden planning chart this morning, and for my location - Corn can be planted anytime between March 20 and June 20. I'm gonna try to plant mine next year around April 15, and see how that does.

EG, your spring planting date is about a month ahead of mine, but I find I can plant later into the season. Here I can plant corn from April 25 until July 10. For about thirty of my gardening years I have followed the planting guide found in "Crockett's Victory Garden" and it has never failed me.

I wish I had only planted half of that darned mesclun bed. Anybody have a pet rabbit who would like to share? Maybe I'll go out and thin it, after all. Or maybe I'll go out and taste it to see if there's anything I'd want in my own salad. Something in there smells just like a skunk when I cut it, and I don't think I would care to eat that one!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Well, if you will remember what the 7 foot okra section looked like in a previous picture, here's what the section looks like now. This section is primarily planted with cowpeas, but the trellis on the left has a whole row of sugar snap peas planted beside it. It honestly felt good to rip up the okra, and install new strings for the grids. I think it looks neat again.

This section was where the 4 mammoth yellow squash were growing. It is now planted with broccoli and lettuce. If you look closely to the right side, you can see the little broccoli seedlings.

EG

Fanfortony - Thanks so much for the additional information! I can see it now. If you want to learn how to post a pic for the future, though, just go to the junk forum and there is a thread there on the first page that explains it in detail. As for the hoop houses not working with it... hmmmm... I'm gonna have to give that some EG thinking... I really want it to work with my hoop houses that I'm doing for this fall and winter. I could reuse the hoops over the garden for the spring and summer with the row cover material if I can figure it out.

EG - It hurts me so that you're yanking those squash... you can't spare the squares for the fall, huh? ugggggh It's would be much too difficult for me to pull plants that are producing before the first frost comes to kill them. Have you considered even extending them further with protection or are you determined to take all you learned and start over in the spring rather than extending now? You just clean broke my heart with the old okra squares section having a new pic...

~Angela

Angela - I have enough squash and okra in the freezer to last me for quite a while. I'm planning on having 3 different plantings of veggies next year, One in Feb/March for cole crops - another on May 1st for the warm weather veggies - and of course, a fall crop to be planted toward the end of August. I just prefer to do it that way. In my opinion, the summer veggies that are left to produce until cool weather lose their quality as the temps get cooler. To me, that's what this style of intensive gardening is all about - get as much from the space as possible, for the entire year. There will only be about 2 or 3 months that I will not be growing anything - but, you can bet that ol' EG will definitely be planning. :)

EG

I've never planted an actual "garden" before and I feel so lost. ( I don't believe I have researched so much before on the interweb as I have now.)

Well, here goes...On August 21, 24 & 27 I planted with my children some warm ( tomatoe, jalapeno, tomatillo, bush beans, chives, parsley, thyme, oregano, yellow onions, squash, zucchini and corn ) and cool ( cabbage, carrots, spinach, brussel sprouts, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, peas and red onions ) weather crops in hope that something would grow. It is still extremely hot ( 98 - 106 degrees ) here in my zone. Some seedlings did happen to make it but the heat caused them to wilt so my husband suggested covering the above ground boxes with mulch or dried out clippings. In doing so we have acquired some little fly bugs and ants. We purchased some Sevin spray and applied it this morning.

Does anyone have any suggestions for us?

Caligardengirl - I would think that the cool weather crops wouldn't be an option for you at this time, because of the outside temperatures. However, the warm season veggies should thrive. The ants shouldn't be a problem, but the numerous aphids that they herd to your plants can be, if they are left unattended. If you have any specific questions, i'll try my best to answer them for you. Also, welcome to the sfg forum! There are alot of nice and very capable gardeners on here.

EG

My temps here are also over 95+ degrees every day. I started mostly warm weather crops and started them all indoors. The tomatoes are the only ones that are still indoors. They just can't hang with this kind of heat. The others are in pretty decent shade for most of the day outside. When it gets under 90 degrees on a regular basis, I'll move the plants that are currently in small containers or on my white shelf still as plantlings to my garden. To my surprise, the plantlings, even though most are not in the garden yet, are taking up very little room on my back patio. I have tons of the cutie pies, too. I bought the white plastic, stackable shelf at Wal-Mart for $15. When I transplant them to the garden, I've beat the heat and still have plenty of time for them to mature there and produce.

~Angela

Four pounds picked today, and I still have to cut greens and check for cucumbers.

{{gwi:1283124}}

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Granny's Blog

Forgot to put the onions in the photo, so I deleted it and here is the one with ALL the stuff!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Granny's Blog

Granny - that is a very colorful harvest. My harvest days are over with, until the fall crop matures.

EG