97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Anyone grow their own vegetables? I usually grow a couple tomato plants, but I stepped it up big time this year. I'm growing 3 cherry tomato plants, 1 grape tomato plant, and 2 heirloom tomato plants. I also have a green bell pepper plant, 2 pots of basil plants, a Hungarian wax pepper plant, and 2 yellow banana pepper plants.

Using only miracle grow organic potting soil and organic fertilizer. Anyone else?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

I have tons of chilli pepper plants, one habenaro and the rest are like a mix of thai peppers.

got some lettuce growing, as well as some tomatoes.

oh and some chinese veggie plant that OVER TAKES everything

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Nice man! I've been really fighting with the heat this year and having to water constantly, but I'm finally starting to see some fruit on my plants. I started about a month later than I should have

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

melons too! haphazard pumpkin patch that grows every year..and some catalopes

got a little papaya tree too.
an orange tree. 2 actually, one blood orange and the other i forgot

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Here's my basil plants
IMG_20160809_172841263_TOP_zpsztqlezpf.jpg

And here's my banana pepper plants, I just took these yesterday
IMG_20160809_172258148_zpsehrcmluy.jpg

Don't have any recent ones of my tomato plants

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

the heat is brutal.
i saw my water bill go from 30 to 90 dollars.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

we used to have an annual veggie garden cause

but when we moved into current house, life, babies and wild animals like rabbits, deer, groundhogs, chipmunks, etc haven't allowed us to set one up... i'm still trying to get the yard in order so most likely next year i'll be able to set up some boxes and put up some proper fencing/chicken wire to keep wildlife out...

stogie1020

Have a small herb garden in a container outside with (currently) basil and mint. Has also had oregano, dill, parsley.

Wifey tends to it all, I just set it up on the drip irrigation for her.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

this reminds me, i need to get my rain tanks set up...

oo7spy

This year I have 7 cherry tomato, 5 jalapeño (from last year; survived the winter), 1 chili tepin, 4 okra, 5 cucumber, and 1 strawberry plant. I have a 550 gallon tank to collect rain water for them and my flowers as well.

Nicks2001tl

Good call on the thread.

Have basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, banana peppers, red sail lettuce. Around here August is salad month. Nothing beats getting some of your produce from the backyard.

Not in my garden, but Sweet Corn from WI. is ready right now and if you can get some at your local grocery store grab it up.

oo7spy

I tried growing corn last year, and I realized the amount of work it takes isn't worth the result. The US produces more corn than any other country by far. It is just too cheap to justify the attention IMO.

Nicks2001tl

Red Sail Lettuce

Nicks2001tl

Plus corn is cheap. Right now at peak season it`s 3 bucks for a half doz.

Nicks2001tl

Also makes a hell of a lot of sense to grow your own lettuce with the prices where they are with Romaine and Iceberg.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

pic please??? i thought i was badass with my two 55 gal drum set up... you just pwn't me...

Nicks2001tl

What to do with all that basil?
Mint, Basil, Cucumber & Lime Fizz
2 large basil leaves
4 mint leaves
3 small slices of cucumber
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 – 1 tablespoon simple syrup

Muddle all these ingredients in a large glass. Really smash up the cucumber and herbs to release their fragrance. Fill with soda water. Taste and adjust to your liking. Garnish with lime wedge and more cucumber.

oo7spy

Not only that, but it's really cheap too.

Nicks2001tl

csmeance

10th generation farmer, don't be afraid to prune your veggie plants, esp pepper plants. Otherwise you'll end up with mini mini mini peppers.

SamDoe1

Location: Austin, TX

Not sure that's winter...but ok.

Anyway, we have had an 8x10 garden with raised beds for the past few years. Last year we grew bell peppers, zucchini, cucumber, onions, sweet potato, jalepenos, tomatoes, and corn. This year we are doing bell peppers, zucchini, onions, green beans, jalepenos, tomatoes, and peas. I'll snap a couple pics later.

I really need to get a rain barrel though...

oo7spy

Sure.

doopstr

@ your avatar.

CCColtsicehockey

Good thread Ack. I was thinking of posting one of these cause the previous owners of my home already have two large boxes made in the yard that are fenced and ready to go. I would probably mainly do tomatoes and an assortment of peppers. Maybe try some lettuce as well.

I don't know a thing about gardening or especially trying to grow my own veggies though so it should be interesting.

rockstar143

iTrader: (6)

Y'all just got me thinking about it too...wife has been hinting at gardening...
Plus, we get our irrigation water from the canal so it's technically free, just need to pay for electric to water them and keep them from too much direct sun.
I'd want to grow tomatoes, peckers, romaine and other lettuce...
Yum!

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

just note... sun is good for tomatoes... it helps ripen them...

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

thanks... that looks awesome... how does overflow work? do you just use gravity or do you have an external pump? i'll get my system finalized this weekend then post my pics...

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

nice set up spy!!

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

make your own...

get this diverter

https://www.amazon.com/Rainreserve-2...ds=rainreserve

then look on craigslist for 55 gal barrels you can convert... that's what i did and was up and running for under $100... some of the pretty premade rain barrels are pricey...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Good to know, so I should trim the bigger leaves back?

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

trim the bush and the tree looks bigger...

Nicks2001tl

Here is my basil, a little different than 97BlackAcksCl. Any body know why they are different or a name?

oo7spy

As you can see by the angle of the 4" elbow, the intake isn't sealed. (That's actually a new intake I recently changed and I need to trim back the back gutter to line up with the tank.) When the tank is full, the water just runs over the edge of the reducer. I just use gravity on the outlet. I raised the tank on a platform so I could get a 5 gallon bucket underneath the hose bib.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

thanks... i'm trying to get some ideas on water transfer from the tanks to where i need the water... it's fine carrying two 5 gallon buckets back and forth but on a hot day, can get old pretty quickly...

in oz, water tanks are really common and a requirement in drought states where they have water restrictions. every new house that is now built must have some sort of reusable resource (i.e. solar or rainwater tanks). at my uncles house he has a few thousand liters of water in reserve and has a pump to bring the water to his toilets inside the house... it's really genius... i'm not that extreme yet but it's quite fascinating...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Yours have flower buds on the top, I pinched mine off when they started growing to force them to grow more leaves.

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

I don't have that problem

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

probably tons of different variations of basil.

I have a "chocolate" mint plant

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

Flowers on basil is bad if you're harvesting the leaves like I do

Basil Plant Flowering ? What To Do For Blooms On Basil

SamDoe1

Rain barrels around here are about $100 anyway and look pretty nice. I am just going to route the gutter into the top over a screen and anything that overflows will just pour out the exit spout. The screen is fine enough to trap debris and won't allow insects in.