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Lots of great info. Thanks again. I'm wondering if any of the varieties mentioned here are ones from which I can be successful saving seeds.

"I'm wondering if any of the varieties mentioned here are ones from which I can be successful saving seeds."

Reading back over this thread, I realize I drifted away from the original question in my last post. "Fortex" and "Emerite" are pole snap beans, not limas. I have, however, been able to save seed from both. "Fortex" is very slow to mature, and a bit of a challenge to get dry seed here.

Not sure of your location Creek-side, but I assume your climate is not much different that my East-central Wisconsin location. Chances are that unless foul weather prevents you from planting on time, you should be able to save seed from almost any commercially available edamame soybean. "Envy" and "Agate" (and "Cha Kura Kake", if you can find it) are early varieties; you are almost certain to get dry seed from them, even in less than perfect years. "Butterbean", "Shirofumi", and "Sayamusume" are later, and might be racing the frost for maturity some years... but I have saved seed from all of them successfully. The later varieties tend to have the largest seeds & heaviest yields.

Limas are more difficult (especially if direct seeded) for the reasons already given. Small-seeded bush varieties like "Henderson" and "Thorogreen" are the earliest, and probably the best bet to save seed from. Large-seeded bush varieties like "Fordhook 242" and "Burpee's Improved" are possible to save seed from (I have) but you might get very little - or none - in cool or wet years.

"Sieva" and "Carolina Red" are two of the earliest pole varieties, and the only two that are reliable here when direct seeded. If planted on time (June 1st for me) they should produce plenty of dry seed. Large-seeded pole limas are difficult to get seed from in our climate, at least on a reliable basis. However, most limas will (usually) give you a good crop - and at least some dry seed - if started early as transplants.

So how did this years crop do that you planted in August?

It's funny, when I was about 9 (MANY years ago) I planted an area of turnips, probably about 15' x 8'. Knew nothing about turnips, didn't even like them. Just had a packet of seeds from somewhere.

We had so many turnips that year. Didn't even harvest them all, just left them to rot.

This August's planting was 2 10' rows. We're hoping we'll get enough for a couple of meals from the ones still going.

August temps were in the high ninetys and hundreds, same with most of September. Even October was mostly 80s. We kept them watered, but no precipitation at all.

Guess we'll try again next year.

gary

There are also some tomato varieties that are grown specifically for storage, such as Long Keeper, Ruby Treasure, Winterkeeper, and Yellow Out Red. If you do a web search you will find directions for optimal storage conditions as well.

Peppers will store for a while in the fridge as well.

And then there are the veggies grown for storage in a cold cellar such as cabbage, potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes, etc.

Regarding the paper bag approach mentioned above... My comments are: 1) IME it works well. 2) I did not use a paper bag. Instead I individually wrapped each tomato in a piece of newspaper and put them in a single layer in a cardboard box. This approach made it easy to identify a tomato which spoiled and to then discard it before it contaminated the rest of the bunch.

oh that white stuff is some leftover perlite I threw in
Someone told me I am over watering, can that be the problem?
I don't think I have used too much fertilizer, potting mix is coco peat, compost and perlite

I don't know where you're located but if you're anywhere in the North America, growth is going to be slow. Overwatering or fertilizing may be an issue though. For overwatering, that's easily fixed --- wait until you see the plant wilt before watering.

What are you using for ferts?

Is that particle board/plywood? The glues and chemicals used in processing can't be good for any soil.

Kevin

They are so pretty! Thanks for sharing jrslick.

Thank you Donna for the info about ripening, and thank you for the list Farmerdill!! I'll have to order and try some of these this year.

Jay, your peppers are just lovely!

I think I'm putting Lilac and Tequila on the top of the list based on both of your recommendations.

Well you know. Patience has not always been my strongest suit :-) I still have several more SmartPots going, but I emptied one out just to see what was going on and I would say, out of 5 plants, I probably got about 7 pounds. Could definitely see lots of babies that undoubtedly would have grown bigger, but what can I say, we had a good dinner :-)

Good for you! They look lovely. Thanks to you, I've just made up my mind to add another row to my potato patch.

Getting thing like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, early in ground in cool air and soil temperatures, without special provisions has NO advantages and often causes stress and delayed growth. If Nothing else, they will not move much.
Provisions to extend your season (in spring) are: Wall O Water, Cold Frame, Hoop, Row Cover, covering soil with black plastic.
Peppers, in particular need warmer temps to take off but they actually do not need real hot weather.
As mentioned, you have to look into prolific types. I am personally in the same situation. I have abandoned growing bells. Instead I plant things like Cubanelle, gypsy, banana, cascabel and some mild peppers with some heat.

In over 40 years of gardening I never had much success with bells--late fruit and then not very many. Then I started to grow Corno di toro, an Italian pepper that, while not bell shaped, tastes like a bell. Seed is available for both red and yellow. Corno di toros are very early and very prolific.

I don't understand spraying the leaves. Isn't that unhealthy, if you plan to eat the plants? Maybe try some diluted fish fertilizer around the roots, next time? My mom has success with that...I just put lots of aged horse manure in the soil and don't fertilize with anything else. So far, so good :)

"I don't understand spraying the leaves. Isn't that unhealthy, if you plan to eat the plants?"

There's no toxic chemicals in compost tea.. Only thing that would be a concern is the bacteria and other pathogens.. If you are using tap water, that would be a second, that's about it..

If i was in your shoes, i would add compost and an organic source of nitrogen(blood,feather,alfalfa meal,etc.. I wouldn't go out of the way throwing sulfer or any synthetic chemicals to lower pH or fertilize.. Most plants do just fine in that pH... Plus the compost will probably help balence the pH..

So i would add a compost(least couple inches, ideally)and mulch(couple inches) with leaves, grass clippings, straw, etc.. Probably add some organic fertilizer, or compost if the plants seem yellow and deficient.. Keep adding compost every season.. That's about it..

Nancy-literally!

Not much to add, except I think chard, beets, and maybe spinach all like a higher pH. So your soil might grow some really good ones.

Well, if we're talking about baking compost, get out the clothespins and put them on your nose! Ick. Don't do that.

I have grown hundreds of pepper, tomato and other vegetables per year for the better part of 50 years, using just soil from my garden with a little perlite and dried moss mixed in. I have never any sort of issue with losing plants, or even with any significant number of weeds to deal with. Call it dumb luck.

Planting garlic right now is fine I think, but you might not get to see any sprouts until spring time when the tulips and daffodils come up. But your skips will make roots. EXCEPT, we get a very warm rest of DEC and JAN.

I live in Iowa, and I planted garlic in February of last year, and I had a decent crop. They weren't big bulbs, but I just used some organic garlic I bought at Trader Joe's.

I am also in N Cal, 45 miles SW of Sacto. I did put out some garlic this weekend, and I've heard folks in cold places do this even after a freeze, but most things have been out for at least 4 weeks. I like to wait until it cools off, and after the first rain for sugar snap peas, chard, collards, and mustard, and try not to go later than Thanksgiving for the garlic shallots and favas. None of it is harvested until the spring, although I often get usable greens over the winter.

This December seems unprecedented though, and I have had to cover EVERYTHING this week. I usually like the fall/winter/spring garden because it takes less effort than gardening when it's 90 plus degrees, and dry.

Thanks for all your help. I have really good planting schedules for my area received from our local extension office. It really comes down to that I need to experiment. Just wanted to get some thoughts. They recommend plant by nov 1st. But then we start our same plants around the end of January. Ill be mostly planting from the Brassica family and some lettuce. Ill try planting some end of Dec and see what happens.