Gaurī Rasp

Tiffaney Dex wrote:I jumped at reading this because I can't grow lettuce, either. The ones I buy are not grown very far from me and have a soft, mild taste  I plant the same varieties and they end up with a bitter taste. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I also make sure to water my lettuce very regularly. Too little water results in a stronger, less yummy taste.

Jim Small wrote:We're thinking of trying harder for rhubarb. We have a plant that has sort of produced for us but it's getting old (like me.) So I bought some rhubarb seeds which I'll try sprouting, and also probably get some starter plants at our local nursery since I hear it take a couple of years to get a crop from seed.

We'll repeat our "wild forest" garden. I just let whatever grew last year, grow again but also put in some cherry tomatoes (The Incredible Wife loves the little yellow pear tomatoes.) I get a kick out of starting tomatoes from seed. Then lots of tomatillos, seed and volunteers. Peppers especially Jalapenos, cukes, etc. For some reason I'm the only gardener in the world who does not get buried in zucchini or yellow squash! Don't know what I'm doing wrong.

We noticed that we really didn't have a lot of pests with multiple mixed flowers, cosmos, marigolds, borage, etc. Maybe it worked--the plants brought in the predators? That would be cool...

**Let me know where you are and your planting zone AND if you have any success. I’ve tried for 3 years & lots of $$$$ spent on rhubarb plants & they all fizzle out over the course of the season. I’ve planted them in sun, in part shade. Always good soil. Nothing worked. We’re in western North Carolina.

My garden pre- and post-hurricane Helene.
The bad thing is I lost 4 years of building excellent soil, most of the infrastructure, a huge pile of compost & mulch, and many plants. My fruit trees were completely flattened. And right through the middle of my garden are thick deposits of sand. I’ve probably removed 75 wheelbarrows & I’m still not done.
But the good thing - if that’s possible - is that I can reconfigure the beds & paths. Make the garden function better. And position the cattle panel arches so that any future flood waters flow through them rather than broadside them.
Since I lost so many of my cattle panel supports & trellising I’m rethinking where I’ll plant tomatoes and climbing veggies such as cukes, pole beans & peas. I’m going to experiment planting tomatoes inside my arches as I read that some afternoon shade is good for them.
I’m also going to plant different types of melons

Hands down wish I could grow mangoes or avocados! That would be about as close to heaven as I could get!!!
Meanwhile I’ll take the raspberries & melons that I CAN grow!

Showers in the summer!
Hot baths in the winter!

Lots of coffee to start…from nice freshly ground beans.
Then I make a nice big fruit plate w 4-5 fruits - banana, berries, grapefruit, mango, apple, pear, stewed prunes.
A staple for us is a steamy hot bowl of oat bran topped with nuts, dried cranberries & drizzled w maple syrup or maple sugar.
Yummmmmmm!

I gather many many many loads of leaves and dump them between my planting rows. The cattle panel trellises mostly hold them in place from the wind. I also pull wheelbarrows full of soggy, partly rotted leaves from our creek. It’s just excellent for soil building!

A branch of jalapeños

Perfect timing! Thanks for all the ideas as my jalapeño plants are so full of peppers that the branches are breaking off!
Giving lots away.
And I plan to slice & freeze portions to use in taco, sauce & corn bread!

Lots of good advice here.
As someone with asthma, I take homemade Elecampane tincture, elderberry syrup & mullein tea. These definitely help.