Last harvest
- Thread starter Figgin' A
- Start date
StrangeCharmSam
Well-known member
I'm still harvesting basil seeds, okra seeds, and very occasional figs. ^_^
TorontoJoe
Administrator
That's impressive! I'm still eating tomatoes that have been ripening indoors since it got cold.
I'm still eating mounds of parsley every day. It really seems to like the cold. Green onions are still plentiful in the garden too.
Sadly, while carrots taste good after a frost they do stall. I typically plant mine in the onion beds right when onions are harvested. This year I was late because work was super busy. They're totally fine but didn't mature enough to put on any size. If I can get a cold frame on them I might be able to save a bunch before it gets too cold. I've never actually tried to over winter them... I have no idea what to expect.
I'm still eating mounds of parsley every day. It really seems to like the cold. Green onions are still plentiful in the garden too.
Sadly, while carrots taste good after a frost they do stall. I typically plant mine in the onion beds right when onions are harvested. This year I was late because work was super busy. They're totally fine but didn't mature enough to put on any size. If I can get a cold frame on them I might be able to save a bunch before it gets too cold. I've never actually tried to over winter them... I have no idea what to expect.
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Figgin' A
Well-known member
Thank you. I also have some tomatoes left, but they are getting too soft to enjoy fresh, so we mostly use them for sauces and soups. Are yours the same? I already miss a good tomato... will try to give a couple of plants a really early headstart so I can start harvesting in late May... I've done it once. Now, with all the figs I grow, I may not have space for the tomatoes
Yeah, carrots need to go in right after onions here for them to get a good size. Also, spacing them out helps a lot, otherwise they won't grow big. I don't have much space and initially tried to squeeze in more, but that only resulted in a smaller size, so I don't do that anymore.
I used to use cold frames, but stopped. I'd get way too much condensation, and eventually all the green stuff would start to rot. I tried opening/closing them, but that didn't help much. I am sure there is a way... but I didn't bother testing and coming up with a solution as I don't think it's worth it for me.
superdave336
Well-known member
You might could install one of the greenhouse window automatic openers on the cold frame. 
Figgin' A
Well-known member
Thanks! These will go in my unheated garage, where they will store quite well for 3-4 months. Ideally, you'd want to refrigerate them, but fridge space is limited.
Yellow Uzbek carrots are less sweet and have a more delicate flavor. They are used in some Central Asian dishes, which my wife loves as she grew up there.
That's mostly why we grow them. But we use them in salads and other dishes, alone or mixed with regular carrots. My dogs also love carrots, so we give them some as treats.
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Figgin' A
Well-known member
That could be a solution, but I mostly grow these in 2x3 containers/raised beds, so I'd have to install multiple openeres... too much work and expense for what seems very little benefit. I also don't know if that would work well with our heavy snowstorms.You might could install one of the greenhouse window automatic openers on the cold frame.
bushdoctor82
Well-known member
My garden is all done for the year. Harvested the remaining carrots and beets 2-weeks ago. The parsley I planted for the rabbits is still growing strong and untouched.
FigLab
Well-known member
Wow, once again, your pictures bring such joyous memories for me. Central Asia has such special cuisines - and hospitality valuesThanks! These will go in my unheated garage, where they will store quite well for 3-4 months. Ideally, you'd want to refrigerate them, but fridge space is limited.
Yellow Uzbek carrots are less sweet and have a more delicate flavor. They are used in some Central Asian dishes, which my wife loves as she grew up there.
That's mostly why we grow them. But we use them in salads and other dishes, alone or mixed with regular carrots. My dogs also love carrots, so we give them some as treats.
Figgin' A
Well-known member
So, you harvested your carrots and beets even sooner than I did... Interesting. I'd imagine some of your cold weather crops would stay in longer than here. They don't have to; though, some, like carrots, get a little sweeter after a few light frosts.
Figgin' A
Well-known member
The picture is not mine, though... I pulled it off the internet... I have plenty of my own somewhere on my phone... maybe not as mouth-watering as this one...Wow, once again, your pictures bring such joyous memories for me. Central Asia has such special cuisines - and hospitality values
Figgin' A
Well-known member
I checked the soil in my raised beds, and it was frozen pretty solid down to about 3-4 inches. Glad I pulled my carrots when I did. I am sure they would have been fine, but harvesting them wouldn't have been fun.
Our temps got down to 24F-25F last night. Parsley looks unscathed. Sage, mint, and green onions look just a touch unhappy, but not bad overall... Decided not to take any chances with my large and vibrant rosemary plant and moved it to the garage two days ago.
Last year I had dill all over the backyard until almost January. This year, we pulled it all a couple of days ago as it started to look a bit wilted. I have two different dill varieties, and I suspect what I planted last year may have been different from this year's. Need to keep better notes on my herbs. Or maybe the weather was warmer last year?
Our temps got down to 24F-25F last night. Parsley looks unscathed. Sage, mint, and green onions look just a touch unhappy, but not bad overall... Decided not to take any chances with my large and vibrant rosemary plant and moved it to the garage two days ago.
Last year I had dill all over the backyard until almost January. This year, we pulled it all a couple of days ago as it started to look a bit wilted. I have two different dill varieties, and I suspect what I planted last year may have been different from this year's. Need to keep better notes on my herbs. Or maybe the weather was warmer last year?
TorontoJoe
Administrator
Thank you. I also have some tomatoes left, but they are getting too soft to enjoy fresh, so we mostly use them for sauces and soups. Are yours the same? I already miss a good tomato... will try to give a couple of plants a really early headstart so I can start harvesting in late May... I've done it once. Now, with all the figs I grow, I may not have space for the tomatoes
Yeah, carrots need to go in right after onions here for them to get a good size. Also, spacing them out helps a lot, otherwise they won't grow big. I don't have much space and initially tried to squeeze in more, but that only resulted in a smaller size, so I don't do that anymore.
I used to use cold frames, but stopped. I'd get way too much condensation, and eventually all the green stuff would start to rot. I tried opening/closing them, but that didn't help much. I am sure there is a way... but I didn't bother testing and coming up with a solution as I don't think it's worth it for me.
Yeah.... that period between last and first tomato of the season is sort of a dark-age period around here. I have a couple of my smaller heart tomatoes that are still firm enough to eat fresh in a salad but that's over in the next day or two for sure....
I am trying something new this winter. I've tried growing tomatoes indoors in the past with zero success. Most dwarfs were still too big and micro's didn't produce enough for the work needed. I also did it in DWC buckets before. This year I'm going with sterile mix and in a window with lights. The tomato is one I mentioned before.
This plant stayed very compact but yielded a load of tomatoes that were golf ball size. And the taste was very good. Not an heirloom oxheart... but way better than anything at the supermarket.
bushdoctor82
Well-known member
I planted a bit on the early side after I removed a lot of blackberries to extend the vegetable garden just to get something in the ground. The mustard bolted kind of quick after some hot days, but the carrots and beets (both inground and potted) grew and produced well.
Figgin' A
Well-known member
I see. Your longer growing season and hence earlier start in general certainly plays a role in that. I am always curious how gardeners grow their crops in different climates.
bushdoctor82
Well-known member
Now that my garden space is ~9’ x 30’, I’ll have one 30’ row of cucumbers and tomatoes on the north side, 20’ row of peppers in the center, with the remaining 10’ for carrots and beets in the Spring and Fall. The front row is still up in the air - may just be a mix of herbs, marigolds and calendulas. I’m trying to figure it out and come up with a reasonable plan and spacing so I can easily replicate each year.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
@bushdoctor82 Loving your Christmas tree! 
Figgin' A
Well-known member
I once grew indeterminate tomatoes indoors with good success. With some creative pruning, you can keep their size in check. While they tasted good, they weren't the same quality as my July-August outdoor-ripened, so I stopped growing them. No indoor/greenhouse-grown produce can match outdoor-grown for taste, as far as I am concerned. That kind of demotivates me and keeps me away from ripening tomatoes indoors. One of my favorite varieties for a really early start indoors, but ripening outside, is Tumbler. It keeps low profile but it very productive and tastes very good. I can headstart it indoors and have the ripening timed to start at the end of May, two weeks after it goes outside. Here are some pics from prior years.Yeah.... that period between last and first tomato of the season is sort of a dark-age period around here. I have a couple of my smaller heart tomatoes that are still firm enough to eat fresh in a salad but that's over in the next day or two for sure....
I am trying something new this winter. I've tried growing tomatoes indoors in the past with zero success. Most dwarfs were still too big and micro's didn't produce enough for the work needed. I also did it in DWC buckets before. This year I'm going with sterile mix and in a window with lights. The tomato is one I mentioned before.
This plant stayed very compact but yielded a load of tomatoes that were golf ball size. And the taste was very good. Not an heirloom oxheart... but way better than anything at the supermarket.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
I once grew indeterminate tomatoes indoors with good success. With some creative pruning, you can keep their size in check. While they tasted good, they weren't the same quality as my July-August outdoor-ripened, so I stopped growing them. No indoor/greenhouse-grown produce can match outdoor-grown for taste, as far as I am concerned. That kind of demotivates me and keeps me away from ripening tomatoes indoors. One of my favorite varieties for a really early start indoors, but ripening outside, is Tumbler. It keeps low profile but it very productive and tastes very good. I can headstart it indoors and have the ripening timed to start at the end of May, two weeks after it goes outside. Here are some pics from prior years.
That's a perfect looking tomato plant! Wow!
I agree with you 100% that an indoor tomato is no competition for one grown in controlled conditions. For me it's a matter of anything, in any way better than grocery store crap. Maybe not outstanding... but even a but better, tomato-shaped cardboard.
The other issue for me is totally personal. If I'm not mistaken, Tumbler is an "owned" hybrid. I come come from a homestead culture of peasants saving seed... so perhaps I'm a caveman... I'm ok with that. I don't claim to be sophisticated. I've just become increasingly concerned with growing seed to which some private party has ownership.... and I can't keep or grow without permission under license. Maybe I'm weird about that part.... or maybe I don't really understand it.... Just... every modern wisdom seems to insit I abandon heirloom to the benefit of something out of community control