Garden thread

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  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    4wig518o3c7n.jpg

    Jealous!
    I love rhubarb but mine died last year. If I didnt live on another continent and know that customs would throw them all away, I'd come by and take them all :yum:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    4wig518o3c7n.jpg

    Rhubarb pie at @AnnPT77 ‘s house!! 😁☺️

    She needs to get together with @MeganD1704 next month for strawberry-rhubarb pie :lol:
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @AnnPT77 - that is a LOT of rhubarb! Wow! I would bundle it up and sell it or even give it away?? I planted 3 plants this year (one is battling the hosta for growing space, forgot they were there), mainly for jellies and jams since they were family favorites when my uncle made them.

    I'd be more inclined to do that, if not for our current stay-at-home orders. I've offered some to friends, who could come and cut their own, but I'm daunted at handling food for strangers, and this is not the kind of neighborhood where you can put bags out by the sidewalk for strangers to take (busy secondary road, 55mph speed limit, no sidewalks, not a good place to encourage people to stop at the roadside).

    Drat, I was going to suggest giving it away via freecycle.org or the Free section on craigslist.

    Maybe there is a local charity that takes food? My neighbor gets a misfit vegetable box delivery and gives me what she doesn't want or recognize, which lately included a 4 pound jicama. Now, I like jicama, but there's no way we can finish 4 pounds worth.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @AnnPT77 - that is a LOT of rhubarb! Wow! I would bundle it up and sell it or even give it away?? I planted 3 plants this year (one is battling the hosta for growing space, forgot they were there), mainly for jellies and jams since they were family favorites when my uncle made them.

    I'd be more inclined to do that, if not for our current stay-at-home orders. I've offered some to friends, who could come and cut their own, but I'm daunted at handling food for strangers, and this is not the kind of neighborhood where you can put bags out by the sidewalk for strangers to take (busy secondary road, 55mph speed limit, no sidewalks, not a good place to encourage people to stop at the roadside).

    Drat, I was going to suggest giving it away via freecycle.org or the Free section on craigslist.

    Maybe there is a local charity that takes food? My neighbor gets a misfit vegetable box delivery and gives me what she doesn't want or recognize, which lately included a 4 pound jicama. Now, I like jicama, but there's no way we can finish 4 pounds worth.

    If you were closer, I'd trade you rhubarb for jicama. I live alone, and I'm pretty sure I could eat a 4 pound jicama before it spoiled . . . I'd love to try. ;)
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    I'd love some rhubarb, but, yeah, not that much!
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    I dislike rhubarb but this showed up in my FB feed. Thought of your right away.

    80 Rhubarb Recipes to Make This Spring (and Summer!) https://tasteofhome.com/collection/rhubarb-recipes-for-spring/?trkid=soc-toh-facebook

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    I dislike rhubarb but this showed up in my FB feed. Thought of your right away.

    80 Rhubarb Recipes to Make This Spring (and Summer!) https://tasteofhome.com/collection/rhubarb-recipes-for-spring/?trkid=soc-toh-facebook

    OOoo: Some of those look really good. I especially like the looks of that tart with amaretto and mascarpone! (Now, how much do I want the tart, vs. not want to go to the grocery store for mascarpone and puff pastry . . . ? :lol: ).

    Thanks!
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 6,476 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @AnnPT77 - that is a LOT of rhubarb! Wow! I would bundle it up and sell it or even give it away?? I planted 3 plants this year (one is battling the hosta for growing space, forgot they were there), mainly for jellies and jams since they were family favorites when my uncle made them.

    I'd be more inclined to do that, if not for our current stay-at-home orders. I've offered some to friends, who could come and cut their own, but I'm daunted at handling food for strangers, and this is not the kind of neighborhood where you can put bags out by the sidewalk for strangers to take (busy secondary road, 55mph speed limit, no sidewalks, not a good place to encourage people to stop at the roadside).

    Drat, I was going to suggest giving it away via freecycle.org or the Free section on craigslist.

    Maybe there is a local charity that takes food? My neighbor gets a misfit vegetable box delivery and gives me what she doesn't want or recognize, which lately included a 4 pound jicama. Now, I like jicama, but there's no way we can finish 4 pounds worth.

    If you were closer, I'd trade you rhubarb for jicama. I live alone, and I'm pretty sure I could eat a 4 pound jicama before it spoiled . . . I'd love to try. ;)

    I'm with you, I have jicama every day on my salad and decided it's the one thing I DON'T want to run out of, it's great dipped in salsa too! Haven't tried making tortillas out of it yet or cooking it but love it raw.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    @AnnPT77 - that is a LOT of rhubarb! Wow! I would bundle it up and sell it or even give it away?? I planted 3 plants this year (one is battling the hosta for growing space, forgot they were there), mainly for jellies and jams since they were family favorites when my uncle made them.

    I'd be more inclined to do that, if not for our current stay-at-home orders. I've offered some to friends, who could come and cut their own, but I'm daunted at handling food for strangers, and this is not the kind of neighborhood where you can put bags out by the sidewalk for strangers to take (busy secondary road, 55mph speed limit, no sidewalks, not a good place to encourage people to stop at the roadside).

    Drat, I was going to suggest giving it away via freecycle.org or the Free section on craigslist.

    Maybe there is a local charity that takes food? My neighbor gets a misfit vegetable box delivery and gives me what she doesn't want or recognize, which lately included a 4 pound jicama. Now, I like jicama, but there's no way we can finish 4 pounds worth.

    If you were closer, I'd trade you rhubarb for jicama. I live alone, and I'm pretty sure I could eat a 4 pound jicama before it spoiled . . . I'd love to try. ;)
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    I'm with you, I have jicama every day on my salad and decided it's the one thing I DON'T want to run out of, it's great dipped in salsa too! Haven't tried making tortillas out of it yet or cooking it but love it raw.

    Please help me with the jicama here! https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10796365/recipes-needed-to-use-up-a-4-pound-jicama
  • MeganD1704
    MeganD1704 Posts: 733 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    4wig518o3c7n.jpg

    Rhubarb pie at @AnnPT77 ‘s house!! 😁☺️

    She needs to get together with @MeganD1704 next month for strawberry-rhubarb pie :lol:

    Mmmm that would be delicious. I will let you know when they start poppin up lol
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    I dislike rhubarb but this showed up in my FB feed. Thought of your right away.

    80 Rhubarb Recipes to Make This Spring (and Summer!) https://tasteofhome.com/collection/rhubarb-recipes-for-spring/?trkid=soc-toh-facebook

    OOoo: Some of those look really good. I especially like the looks of that tart with amaretto and mascarpone! (Now, how much do I want the tart, vs. not want to go to the grocery store for mascarpone and puff pastry . . . ? :lol: ).

    Thanks!

    You're welcome.

    My Mom loved rhubarb and always had 1-2 plants. She still gave away a ton of it after having all she wanted. Funny thing was, every time I visited during the season she would tell me to go out and cut a big bag for myself. Every year I would tell her I hate rhubarb. Every year she would ask "since when?". Uh, Mom . . . all my life. She passed away when I was 60 and she never got it.
  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,335 Member
    I love all of the pictures and ideas that are here and I hope y'all are having a fantastic day...

    Checked on my plants last night and all there was was dirt and plants. I woke up this morning and opened up my door to see mushrooms in one of my Bell Pepper pots. I read that this was a sign of nutrient rich soil and that the mushrooms help decompose the wood in the soil and further enrich it. I hope this is the case! The Bell Peppers are two weeks up from seeds today and parsley is coming up in the pot on the bottom. i8tyv1hb5ggo.jpg
  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,335 Member
    LoveyChar wrote: »
    I love all of the pictures and ideas that are here and I hope y'all are having a fantastic day...

    Checked on my plants last night and all there was was dirt and plants. I woke up this morning and opened up my door to see mushrooms in one of my Bell Pepper pots. I read that this was a sign of nutrient rich soil and that the mushrooms help decompose the wood in the soil and further enrich it. I hope this is the case! The Bell Peppers are two weeks up from seeds today and parsley is coming up in the pot on the bottom. i8tyv1hb5ggo.jpg

    Super weird wonder that is nature but the mushrooms are almost gone...very interesting...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Sharing because I find this funny: A couple of years back, my next door neighbor asked if he could use my veggie garden area, which I was not planting. Of course, I said "sure". What he didn't say was that he planned to plant, um, ample? amounts of rhubarb, a perennial (comes back every year, very robustly in its case). He planned to make rhubarb wine, but would let me cut what I want, too.

    Now, my neighbor, who's a dear man but a little bit of a fibbertigibbet, has decided not to make rhubarb wine (as far as I know, never did make any). He will maybe plant some other things out there (still fine), but called to let me know I should cut whatever rhubarb I want, up to and including all of it. This is enough rhubarb for at least 20 normal (non-rhubarb-obsessed) families, I think. I don't even like the stuff all that much, I mean, it's OK, but I'm not going to cut it by the bushel, and freeze/can it.

    This is like a 30-foot row of rhubarb. :lol:

    I dislike rhubarb but this showed up in my FB feed. Thought of your right away.

    80 Rhubarb Recipes to Make This Spring (and Summer!) https://tasteofhome.com/collection/rhubarb-recipes-for-spring/?trkid=soc-toh-facebook

    OK, so, strictly speaking, this is off topic here, I know. Forgive me?

    I didn't (yet) go out for the puff pastry and mascarpone, but I did decide that it could be a good idea to make rhubarb upside-down cake. I didn't use the recipe (I don't have cake mix, which it calls for, either, but I do have cake ingredients, and a "whatever fruit" upside down cake recipe I've used before).

    So, I made whole wheat/maple rhubarb upside-down cake, and ate it with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon. Definitely edible, though not very photogenic. ;)

    I've also got some rhubarb-ginger sauce cooling, that I made the the excess rhubarb I cut. May add something orange flavored (Grand Marnier, maybe?).

    Thanks again for the inpiration! :yum:

    5ewk1mmrw1ej.jpg

    Handsful of the recently-up fresh oregano was pretty tasty on my home-made whole wheat crust veggie/cheese pizza, too. A little bit of home garden cooking tonight! :)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Oof, accidentally made my post go poof. Try again...

    Mulberries are out in force just now, so I made a compote of sorts, needed more lemon to jam up properly but perfectly delicious and edible. I also made some lavender syrup and used that with my lemons for some soda and also in icing for scones yesterday.
    msbye6pyek2b.jpg

    Been able to eat some salad greens from my own crops. Spinach is getting a bit thin but I am good on kale for a little longer, and threw the rest of my seeds down yesterday.
    smtwjxztealv.jpg

    Because we don't spray and trapping doesn't help a bit, I am trying some low-tech fruit protection measures. This is an apple tree we never get to see anything from, and I have some peaches I should bag today and a pomegranate that is just bursting with blooms and new fruit. Between birds and rats and squirrels I have to keep my eye on things! One year they ate the mulberry bare of even the leaves as they were sprouting. I cut the branches off the ground and flashed the trunk and now I get to enjoy my own fruit.
    mfd3z95o6bs0.jpg

    The bags look so silly but I think they might work!
  • KNoceros
    KNoceros Posts: 324 Member
    I’ve got a bit of a courgette plant glut going on. Planted 30 seeds expecting quite a ligh failure rate. Got... 29 plants! There’s only two of us! Can’t even give the things away.

    Rhubarb is going great guns, which I love.

    Also have been cutting asparagus since before Easter and have potatoes, onions, leeks, green and runner beans in the ground.

    This weekend we have experimentally put chillis, peppers and tomatoes (some from seed, some plants) in the Polytunnel.

    🤞🤞🤞
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    Follow up rhubarb note, since I suspect many others are harvesting. The rhubarb sauce with ginger root** (minced, and quite a lot of it), honey (not tooooo much), and - after cooking - a splash of Cointreau . . . that was really, really good. Definitely worth doing again.

    I don't do recipes, so I can't specify exactly, but I think it was around a cup and half of 2" rhubarb chunks, maybe 2-3T honey, an inch or so chunk of ginger root, and a splash (tablespoon, maybe?) of Cointreau.

    ** There are other good methods, but I like keeping chunks of peeled ginger root steeping in sherry in my refrigerator (just middling drinking sherry, not cooking sherry). They keep indefinitely, and as the ginger level drops, the ginger-y sherry is pretty nice in cooking, too.
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    Oof, accidentally made my post go poof. Try again...

    Mulberries are out in force just now, so I made a compote of sorts, needed more lemon to jam up properly but perfectly delicious and edible. I also made some lavender syrup and used that with my lemons for some soda and also in icing for scones yesterday.
    msbye6pyek2b.jpg

    Been able to eat some salad greens from my own crops. Spinach is getting a bit thin but I am good on kale for a little longer, and threw the rest of my seeds down yesterday.
    smtwjxztealv.jpg

    Because we don't spray and trapping doesn't help a bit, I am trying some low-tech fruit protection measures. This is an apple tree we never get to see anything from, and I have some peaches I should bag today and a pomegranate that is just bursting with blooms and new fruit. Between birds and rats and squirrels I have to keep my eye on things! One year they ate the mulberry bare of even the leaves as they were sprouting. I cut the branches off the ground and flashed the trunk and now I get to enjoy my own fruit.
    mfd3z95o6bs0.jpg

    The bags look so silly but I think they might work!

    @MelanieCN77 - Those bags are genius! That produce/lavender photo was awesome! I love anything and everything lavender. Funny enough - all the times I’ve been to Provence - the bushes and fields are never purple! The quest to see them in bloom continues!


  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited May 2020
    1v76s59nl2en.jpeg

    nr7xn9aty06l.jpeg


    It’s so nice to see plants in their all their glory! I used to think this was a honeysuckle bush on our property — now I’m not so sure. It’s super fragrant. I figured a gardening wizard here might know. ;)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    edited May 2020

    @MelanieCN77 - Those bags are genius! That produce/lavender photo was awesome! I love anything and everything lavender. Funny enough - all the times I’ve been to Provence - the bushes and fields are never purple! The quest to see them in bloom continues!


    I had seen pics of people putting clamshell plastic pods, like you get strawberries in, over growing fruit but never really researched the realistic options that are out there. I bagged a bunch of peaches today as well as the few figs coming in on my recovering tree (it needed a severe prune two years back and is still a bit irked) as well as a ton of pomegranates.

    I just put my lavender syrup over some cold brew coffee and almond milk and I'm in heaven.