Virginia Gardeners

[shelleybean]

I had been stalling but today was my first round of summer garden clean up. I pulled out a lot of zinnias that had overtaken my beds. The plants were HUGE. I've never seen zinnias grow so large. Some were all tangled up with sweet potato vines but I finally got all that sorted out. Pulled out butter beans that were done and the last of some spring onions that have been in the garden since March. So after all that, I planted Oxheart carrots and Alabama Blue collards. I'll wait a bit longer and then plant my lettuce and beets.

Most of the summer veggies are still going strong. Lots of tomatoes are setting for fall, though I'm not picking a whole lot at the moment. Peppers and eggplant look great. We have Jimmy Nardello's, Ashe County Pimentos and Rooster Spur. I made some pimento cheese yesterday with the Ashe County. Stewart's Zeebest okra is really branching out now so I'm able to pick a lot more. Grew it a few years ago and it is back this season. I'm done with shelling beans for this summer but still have two plantings of green beans to pick from. I still have cucumbers. This is the longest my vines have ever lasted. This is Sumter, which I got from Victory. Great mildew resistance with this one. It will be back next year. My second planting of crookneck squash is growing quickly and will start to flower soon.

It was so cool and breezy here last night, I put a jacket on while we grilled. Back to hot, sticky weather today though. It was nice to get a break while it lasted.

[GardeningCook]

Originally Posted by shelleybean

It was so cool and breezy here last night, I put a jacket on while we grilled.

I can't even BEGIN to tell you how envious I am - lol!!!!

[shelleybean]

Wow, though it's been a "cool" week here, disease is reaching its peak in my garden. Is anyone else experiencing this? I pulled half my tomato plants yesterday, all my cucumbers. My remaining tomatoes don't look so great, but still hanging in with a lot of green fruit on the vines. Not sure if it's some kind of speck/spot. Not fusarium, not early blight. Something I haven't seen before. Just lots of tiny black spot on the foliage and some on the older fruit. Aphids are terrible this year. They finally moved into the cucumber bed. Up until now, I've had a very good tomato season and cucumber season, so I really can't complain. Just wanted it to last a little longer.

So all my carrots are planted. After reading the fall/winter gardening info at SESE, I tried something new. Maybe Ken B can comment on this. I had a 2015 packet of seed for green onions, unopened. I saw that I could still plant them until the beginning of August. I wouldn't have used them next year anyway, so I thought I might as well give it a try. I planted 10 feet of row. We'll see what happens.

Looking ahead, I'll be planting some beets and Seven Top turnip greens. I'll wait until next month for the lettuce, I think. It's been oddly cool here for a while but I doubt it'll last, so I'll wait just to be on the safe side. I think the soil is just too warm for lettuce to germinate.

I'm very curious to hear about other Tidewater gardeners and gardeners across the state, to hear how your season has gone and what you have planned coming up.

[Ken B]

Michele -- lots of downy mildew doing in our cukes and muskmelons here!

We planted out most of our tomatoes late this year (~June 8-12th) so that we'd have them be in good shape for the September tomato tastings, and so our main crops are looking pretty healthy. But going over to a neighbor's last week who planted at the regular time, their tomatoes looked scary, they'd had big harvests already, but between septoria and early blight, they were down to about 1/4 healthy foliage left.

Green onions -- main challenge this time of year is keeping the soil moist enough when you're direct-seeding onions -- putting brown paper bags or burlap or something on them for the 5+ days til they start emerging.

[Ken B]

Reposting this with the time added:

For any Virginia folks who're interested -- we'll be having an open house and tomato tasting here on SESE's farm on Saturday, Aug. 29th, 2-4 PM -- should have ~40-50 tomato varieties ripe for tasting by then, plus some peppers and maybe melons. PM me for directions if interested!

We're in central Virginia, in Mineral (near Louisa), halfway between Charlottesville and Richmond.

[shelleybean]

I wanted to go to the tasting tomorrow but my husband wanted to do something with friends so I agreed to stay here with the kids. Have fun! Do you do this every year?

I'm very pleased with the way the green onion seed sprouted! I'm glad I read that. It wouldn't have occurred to me to sow at this time of year. Thanks!

This weekend I hope to get beets and turnips sown. Still too hot for lettuce.

Crossing my fingers Erika stays away next week.

[Ken B]

hi Michele --

Too bad you can't make it! But, we do try to do this every August, so I'll post a note again next summer once we've got it scheduled.

You might be able to get lettuce started if you try keeping the soil shaded -- sow the lettuce in the evening, water in with cold water, then cover the soil with burlap/cardboard for 3+ days til the lettuce starts emerging. (Then take the covering off as soon as you see sprouts -- there'll be some insects like grasshoppers hanging out under the covering, and they'll love to eat any tender blanched sprouts if they get the chance...)

We're behind with our own fall garden -- we got a bunch of broccoli and cauliflower etc. transplanted, and sowed some beets and lettuce and collards, but we missed the planting window for getting carrots and rutabagas in. We're getting beds ready now for more greens and for root crops like turnips and radishes, should get those in later this week.

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by Ken B

Reposting this with the time added:

For any Virginia folks who're interested -- we'll be having an open house and tomato tasting here on SESE's farm on Saturday, Aug. 29th, 2-4 PM -- should have ~40-50 tomato varieties ripe for tasting by then, plus some peppers and maybe melons. PM me for directions if interested!

We're in central Virginia, in Mineral (near Louisa), halfway between Charlottesville and Richmond.

Hello Ken

You may know me as Mrjustice but my Name is Joyce Beggs.

I remember when you only had about 8 Heirloom Tomatoes listed. We have grown together over the years in collecting historical food history, especially from Virginia. We are both here in Virginia. We both farm on Historical Property.

It seems that my Quest and Mission to save the only home from the Contraband Slaves and their food History is not wanted, but very important to society, because with the unusual summer with secret farming skills of Native Americans, we here at Angel Field Had a very good season.

Every time I apply for a Farming Grants or seek help, I do not get any answers nor Replies. Maybe we can work together, because my company has been hacked a well. I wish I can sing and dance at your future events with my display of historical Vegetables from Virginia. Singing is one thing no one can take away from me. Please give me an opportunity to work with you all there.

Do you want "Singers" at your Farmer Market and Farming Events????

Just contact Angel Field http://www.angelfieldfarms.com/-agri...rtainment.html.
We have Fresh Historical Winter Vegetables and Winter Squash from Native Americans grown on our Historical Farm ready to displayed, along with our beautiful Heirloom Tomatoes .
Angel Field Singers will Sing at your Children Party, Church Events, School Events, Private Party, Corporate Event, or Special Occasions an unforgettable educational experience then you have come to the right place! Just Contact Us
.

[roper2008]

Historical vegetables from Virginia would be really cool to see Joyce. Maybe you
can be there next year if they continue the open house.

Here are some pictures I took of the tour at SESE. My phone battery was dying
so I couldn't take many pictures. I was also able to buy some seeds.

[shelleybean]

Great pictures, roper!! Thank you for posting those!!

[MrsJustice]

Great pictures. I see you-all used the "Morning Glory Protection" Native Americans welcome the morning glory under a control environment in very hot conditions to provide protection from the sun.

We farm on Shepard Mallory Contrabands property and take care of all his historical plants still growing there. We take care of the Home built by a contraband slave named James Kirkpatrick who skills as a slave were construction.

[roper2008]

Originally Posted by shelleybean

I had been stalling but today was my first round of summer garden clean up. I pulled out a lot of zinnias that had overtaken my beds. The plants were HUGE. I've never seen zinnias grow so large. Some were all tangled up with sweet potato vines but I finally got all that sorted out. Pulled out butter beans that were done and the last of some spring onions that have been in the garden since March. So after all that, I planted Oxheart carrots and Alabama Blue collards. I'll wait a bit longer and then plant my lettuce and beets.

Most of the summer veggies are still going strong. Lots of tomatoes are setting for fall, though I'm not picking a whole lot at the moment. Peppers and eggplant look great. We have Jimmy Nardello's, Ashe County Pimentos and Rooster Spur. I made some pimento cheese yesterday with the Ashe County. Stewart's Zeebest okra is really branching out now so I'm able to pick a lot more. Grew it a few years ago and it is back this season. I'm done with shelling beans for this summer but still have two plantings of green beans to pick from. I still have cucumbers. This is the longest my vines have ever lasted. This is Sumter, which I got from Victory. Great mildew resistance with this one. It will be back next year. My second planting of crookneck squash is growing quickly and will start to flower soon.

It was so cool and breezy here last night, I put a jacket on while we grilled. Back to hot, sticky weather today though. It was nice to get a break while it lasted.

I didn't know what downey mildew was until today. At SESE they have problems with it
also. All my cucumbers get it, but I still get cucumbers before the plant dies. I may
try the Sumpter next year along with my usual Suyo Long.

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by roper2008

I didn't know what downey mildew was until today. At SESE they have problems with it
also. All my cucumbers get it, but I still get cucumbers before the plant dies. I may
try the Sumpter next year along with my usual Suyo Long.

The only way for us to avoid downy mildew is by following the Farmers Almanac for prediction of hot weather, than use Native Americans farming techniques to get a jump on the season. For Virginia and everyone in our growing zones may have only suffer downy mildew in the last summer season, if they knew not to water all cucurbits crops in the morning time. But watering late evening put me and many farmers in health jeopardy because the hot weather and high humidity made breathing very difficult with 99 or higher in the evening. I was able to save my crops and seed inventory, but risk my health with suffering in weather sometimes over 100 or higher. I promised my Pastor I will call in for farming help next time. So maybe we can pull together and help each other. Call it "Farmer To Farmer".

[MrsJustice]

I prayed for the Palm Trees in Virginia beach in June because they were looking so bad from the late cold spring. I went there yesterday to the Cultural Events and the Palm Tree are looking good... So someone was concerned and helped them save their trees. So maybe we can all help each other. My husband took me down the beautiful Virginia Beach Walk Way on the beach and we saw the display for the Contraband Slaves. ""I had happy tears""".

I do suffer from dyslexia but that condition has never stopped me for doing God Work with Mother
Nature.

[Ken B]

Mid-30s here this weekend, so starting to strategize in case of frost -- harvesting winter squash etc.