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Garden planning

Posted on 2/10/17 at 9:33 am
Posted by ChrisN
Alexandria, LA
Member since Oct 2014
253 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 9:33 am
Making a list for my spring garden.

Essentials for a Cajun cooking garden!
Posted by Delacroix
Member since Oct 2008
3985 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 9:48 am to
I've started from seed this year for the first time. I'll have tomatoes, Jalapenoes, Bell Pepper, Garlic (planted in October), Strawberries, Spinach, Lettuce, Shallots, and Herbs.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
5337 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 9:53 am to
I started seeds for my tomatoes and peppers already. I do that inside under grow lights until I'm ready to plant. I grow an assortment of each with some staples on the pepper side each year. My heaviest producers are Corno Di Toro and Burpee's Costa Rican Sweet. Proper bell peppers never produce large or pentiful enough for my liking. These styles keep me in mountains of peppers half of the year.

(Costa Rican Sweet)


(Corno Di Toro)
Posted by nes2010
Member since Jun 2014
6757 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 10:33 am to
I agree that bells never produce enough for me and I'm rarely patient enough to let them turn. Italian sweet pepper are great producers. I guess I better harvest the collards and get ready for tomatos. OP might want to do some eggplants too. I used to do some radish, spinach and other spring crops when I was further north but I'm sure it's a waste on the gulf coast.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
5337 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 10:50 am to
Spinach will bolt rather quickly and taste pretty strong in my spring experience. I don't think I've tried Radish.
Posted by Earthquake 88
Mobile
Member since Jan 2010
3011 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:03 am to
Radish is easy. They grow quick. But they are also cheap to buy in the store. My advice to the OP is to plant stuff that is expensive in the stores. I have good luck growing regular green bell peppers but my yield on the red, orange and yellow ones has been lackluster. All the other peppers I've grown though do well like jalapeño, cayenne, etc. I steer clear of corn and peas because I can buy that cheap and my space is limited. I like to grow stuff like squash, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. I save a ton by planting my own herbs. Green onions are easy. Cucumbers and watermelon are easy but you have to have a lot of room. Pole type beans do good for me. My winter greens of all kinds do great for me. I guess plant what you like to eat because it sure is rewarding to eat what you grow.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
5337 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:11 am to
I'm going to build a long raised bed just for Okra this year. That will be a new endeavor. Regarding beans, I only grow the Asian yardlongs. They produce like crazy and I can easily get meals out of a 8 linear feet of trellis. Clip the stem end and a fast chop into manageable bite sized pieces.

I totally agree with raising expensive stuff. I try to grow varieties of things that I'd never see in a grocery. I enjoy the few staples (previously mentioned peppers & yardlongs) but enjoy mixing in new and interesting varieties just to try. It keeps it fun each year shopping for seeds.
Posted by Zappas Stache
Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
Member since Apr 2009
38676 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:13 am to
Just planted Onions, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Kale, parsely and Arugala. My basil plant made it through the winter....its in a pot so I could bring it in when it got below 32.....which has only been a couple of times in Dallas.
My asparagus is already shooting up so I'll be eating that soon. Tomatoes aren't at the nursery yet....Ive tried growing from seed before but they never produce as much fruit as the nursery bought plants. Not sure why. I won't plant peppers for another month or so as it is still too cold for them.
Posted by Delacroix
Member since Oct 2008
3985 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:20 am to
Anyone think it's to early to transplant my tomatoes? I started them from seed, probably too early and they are getting too big for my growing space. I'm hoping we are done with the severe cold weather but I know as soon as I plant them a random 20 degree cold front will come through
Posted by ChrisN
Alexandria, LA
Member since Oct 2014
253 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:23 am to
Here's what I'm working with!





Posted by ChrisN
Alexandria, LA
Member since Oct 2014
253 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:24 am to
Planning on putting another raised bed where the big pine straw patch is.
This post was edited on 2/10/17 at 11:24 am
Posted by Zappas Stache
Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
Member since Apr 2009
38676 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:28 am to
quote:

Anyone think it's to early to transplant my tomatoes?


I'm in Dallas and I would do it now if I had tomatoes ready to go. If it gets cold just cover them with a bucket and blanket.
Posted by nes2010
Member since Jun 2014
6757 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 11:30 am to
I think it's probably too early to plant the tomatoes. It doesn't have to get down to freezing to hurt them and slow them down. Plus they won't really take off until the ground warms up anyway. You could pot them up and put them out and watch the weather closely. Or build a cheap frame with visqueen.
Posted by CocoRobichaux
River Parish
Member since Jan 2017
169 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 12:33 pm to
It's really a little too early to plant your tomatoes right now. I start mine from seed every year the first week in January and move them out of the greenhouse sometime in February as they get bigger and the weather starts warming up. First week in March is usually when I put them in the ground when the chance of a late freeze significantly decreases.
Posted by TigerTaco
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2011
373 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 6:26 pm to
quote:

My heaviest producers are Corno Di Toro and Burpee's Costa Rican Sweet.


Those look interesting. I have shishito peppers and padron pepper seeds sprouting now. First time trying those. I saved the seeds from Thai peppers I grew last year, so I have those going too. So far, Thai peppers are my favorite.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
5337 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 9:41 pm to
I do Shishitos most years, including this one. I found they produce heavily early and taper off when the real heat kicks in. Enjoy early and often. In their peak, 3 plants would yield a side dish every other day. The padrons were very similar, but I never really utilized them. The shishitos id cook very hot and fast in a skillet with olive oil and kosher salt sprinkle.
Posted by Martini
Near Athens
Member since Mar 2005
48838 posts
Posted on 2/10/17 at 10:17 pm to




These are a few of my boxes. I have some onions in and put a bunch of rosemary around them to keep the rabbits out. They are ready to plant so I'll start easing into the the next few weeks. Still a bit early but I'm prepped for the most part.
Posted by TigerTaco
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2011
373 posts
Posted on 2/11/17 at 7:08 am to
quote:

The shishitos id cook very hot and fast in a skillet with olive oil and kosher salt sprinkle


Yep. That's the best way.
Posted by Sidicous
Middle of Nowhere
Member since Aug 2015
17143 posts
Posted on 2/11/17 at 12:04 pm to
My garden is gonna be a crapshoot again this year due to my pancreatitis.

Found out last Spring as the Radish matured. Nope, cannot eat them any more, triggers pancreatic pain and swelling cooked or raw. Icicle and red, both = same troubles.

At Thanksgiving, adding iceberg lettuce to a cold turkey sandwich blew me up like a blimp. Plain white meat on white bread with mayo and a bit of black pepper is fine. Throw a leaf of lettuce on there and may as well call 911 for serious pain and bloating.

Gotta forego the squash this year. Crop rotation thing. The squash bugs were terrible last year.

Once the weather stabilized last year I had good results from the Bell Peppers and Italian Peppers. Pimento have also done well here: sweeter, meatier Bell's essentially that ripen red faster than Bell.

Good results from my 1st year Mint. Nice to grab a few leaves and add to tea (hot or iced) or ice cream or brownies.

Kinda torn on cucumbers. 7 plants last year gave me pounds and pounds of production. Still have 3 jars of pickles untouched in fridge and 2 packages of frozen slices. Gave 3 plastic shopping bags full to my dentist on my semi-annual checkup too.

Watermelons did really well. Pumpkins usually do really well but the wet/dry/wet weather last year messed them up.

The deer really enjoyed my okra and probably did me a favor. The 3 plants they left out of a dozen provided me just enough product.

Carrots don't do so well here flavor-wise. They grow nicely but the piney woods nearby all around REALLY flavor them. Some varieties I could just as easily be chewing on the pine trees themselves.

Tomatoes always do well for me. Grandad used to grow peas, beans, potatoes, corn on this place too. Always had to fight the animals for good production though. Grandma's garlic and basil is still a stable producer. Those reseed themselves and require zero effort for all I want.

Should be some ideas for your place in this^
Posted by Degas
2187645493 posts
Member since Jul 2010
11389 posts
Posted on 2/11/17 at 12:22 pm to
quote:

rosemary around them to keep the rabbits out
I didn't know this about rosemary. Why didn't you put a plant on each end? Seems like they'd be able to enter from the ends, or is it just the scent that keeps them away? Just curious.
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