Fall Garden November 2010 -- Growing a vegetable garden

[TheBettie40]

what type of fertilizer do you use

[webcajun]

@TheBettie40 ...Most of the time I use either 13-13-13 or 17-17-17......Donald

[4077phil]

where do you buy all your seeds i buy alot from the feed store but what about the variety and i only live like twenty min away from you i was wondering if sometime this winter i could come see you garden thanks phil

[webcajun]

@4077phil ... Hey Phil, I get most of my seeds online. The feed and seed stores just don't carry the variety of OP vegetables I'm looking for. You're welcome to come visit anytime......Donald



[4077phil]

@webcajun i will come pass by in october or november and that is were i get alot of my seeds too.!

..Phil

[4077phil]

just set the tomato on the window

[webcajun]

@4077phil ... That works but when you have a bunch you run out of windows. lol.......Donald

[angelalewis32]

I really enjoy this man!

[paidskn1488]

How much land do you have?

[webcajun]

@paidskn1488 ...You see 5 acres in the video.....Donald

[sparkie119]

Do you have Forthook Giant Swiss Chard? We're growing some now in are garden Donald. It grows really good here in Albuquerque Nm. Swiss Chard is good to make stir fries with, or omletes. Try the Chard with an omlet, boy is it good. lol

[webcajun]

@sparkie119 ...When it comes to greens I was raised on mustard greens and it's hard to find anything that taste as good to me. Tried collards and swiss chard and just not to crazy about em.....Donald

[1cldillon]

hey I really enjoy your videos..... and I was wondering if you could tell me how to get seed from carrots, and tomatoes.... thanks and please keep up the helpful videos

[webcajun]

@1cldillon ...Allow the tomato to ripen fully then remove the seeds and dry em out. Carrots have to form a seed head on the plant......Donald

[RICHROOFER1]

Thanks for the reply,thats what the stores do in storage and shipping,no light, they just wait for them to rippen on there own.I couldnt post that before because it was to many words.One of these days ill get camera and make some videos of my own to help others as you have.Again thanks for all the great videos and why the heck havent you made another one.

[webcajun]

@RICHROOFER1 ...Check out my channel, there's a few more up there. Looking forward to your videos.......Donald

[RICHROOFER1]

Hi Donald,Ive picked green tomatoes many of times well mostly because i love fried green tomatoes plus gettin impaitent waiting for them to ripen,But no matter how you store them they will rippen.Ive done done this with green tomatoes because of slight blemishes or the chanch of loosing my small crop.However the green ones will take longer to ripen away from light wich is a great way to make them last longer,The stores keep the tomatoes in the frige until they ripen then put them out for sale.

[webcajun]

@RICHROOFER1 ...I really like the newspaper idea. When I unwrapped em they had ripened to a deep red without a trace of green left on them. Picture perfect and the taste was pretty good too.......Donald

[preptimenow]

You can always fry or pickle them there green tomatters.

[webcajun]

@preptimenow ... my goal was to can some ripe ones for soups and stuff this winter. I ended up with plenty red ones and quite a few qts. put up......Donald

[preptimenow]

@webcajun Did the newspaper work okey?

[webcajun]

@preptimenow ... it sure did......Donald

[pindi2009]

Hello Donald ....my father used to "hide" all green tomatoes in a cupboard covert with newspaper and slowly ...one after an other, they started to change their colour in red .....works really fine ....that is what i remember from my childhood in my fathers garden ....you can "safe" a lot of green tomatoes if you do it ....so, just give it a try ........Barbara

[webcajun]

@pindi2009 ... check out the web site, I've got a picture of doing just what you mentioned........Donald

[1TruPatriot]

Hey Donald, Just wanted to wish you, your family, and all of your subscribers a Happy New Year!! Thanks for all of your great videos!!

[webcajun]

@1TruPatriot ... hope you have a good year too my friend..........Donald

[metroman482]

Thanks for all the great videos. They really help us Northerners survive winter's cold and gray days. It appears that your beds are not as wide in this vid. Do you use a walk behind rototiller? My family gardens approx. 3 acres and I am searching for a good walk behind tiller. Any suggestions. Best wishes for the New Year!

[webcajun]

@metroman482 ... I use a pto powered tiller mounted on the tractor. 3 acres would be a lot for a walk behind tiller. I would be looking for an industrial model. Happy New Year.........Donald

[hitmhard]

I know I don't comment, or haven't commented in a while. But I still watch all your videos.... And still love them all. Thanks Don for your vids. I love all of them and look forward to them every new one you upload! Keep them coming buddy!!!

[webcajun]

@hitmhard ... Here's hoping we both have a great garden next year...........Donald

[respekitmor]

Yes Please Do a greenhouse. Show us how its done properly!!

[ImDaveCrazy]

Hey Donald, the best way to ripen the tomatoes it put all the green ones in a paper bag with a red one and the red on will ripen the others. I have heard the red ones give of ethylene or some such chemical which stimulates the others to turn red. I did it this year and it worked perfectly.

[webcajun]

@ImDaveCrazy ... I'm on my last batch of green tomatoes now. I will keep that in mind for next year. Thanks............Donald

[wicker762]

Donald, as always, your garden is wonderful! What more could I say?

[webcajun]

@wicker762 ... Not sure if it's something I did or the weather but this fall garden is producing like crazy.........Donald

[prairiepatch]

Wow, I just loved seeing your fall garden. Everything looks fantastic. Even the stuff you say is frost damaged, looks great to me. Up here in Canada where I am we have a foot of snow on the ground and have had some -30 degree weather to go with it. Nothing green up here right now. It is just so amazing that you are able to garden all year long. I love your videos, don't stop making them.

[webcajun]

@prairiepatch ... it's been about 50 years since we've had anything close to a foot of snow on the ground. I guess that's good but boy does it get hot down here in the summer. Thanks and glad you enjoy the videos.........Donald

[sadia102]

It is always such a delight to see your seasonal gardens. I had no luck with broccoli, cabbage or cauliflower this year but am a bit better off with tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelons than last year when I had practically no luck at all. Love those green tomatoes...a banana near them will do the trick. I dug up some of my small lawn this year and threw down potato peelings to break up some of the clay soil. Potatoes are now coming up like crazy. Love the lady bugs.

[webcajun]

@sadia102 ... I didn't have any luck this year with my snap, lima and butter beans. I think it got too hot, too soon. The fall garden is making up for the beans. Got more vegetables than I know what to do with. Unless your ground freezes during the winter those potatoes will make........Donald

[Rustico62]

Hello Donald, Happy Thanksgiving.

I am wondering if you can't plant all those greens, the lettuces, beets, brocolli and related plants, late summer through early spring, in successive plantings? Not saying you should, just wondering if it would work out planting through the winter? What kind of problems might that bring if any? I ask because my climate is temperature wise a lot like yours(less humidity).

Congratulation on terrific gardening result and another great video.

[webcajun]

@Rustico62 ... you sure could do successive plantings. Cauliflower would be one of the few that really don't do well (in my area) when it gets real cold. The greens don't need to be replanted, harvest and they'll just keep growing back.........Donald

[Rustico62]

@webcajun

If you have time to follow up on this question, Donald, would you say that the later plantings of the "successive plantings" go slower due to colder weather and/or shorter days?  It seemed like last year's plantings slowed down around now and started really cooking about February. I am Thinking more like the beets, spinach,chard and carrot? Cabbage family did fine throughout fall/winter/spring. I don't think it ever got below 30F at night.

[webcajun]

@Rustico62 ... yes the colder it gets the slower the plants will grow and produce........Donald

[Rustico62]

@webcajun

Thanks for that confimation, Donald. I am kind of reluctant to plant much more of certain stuff even though technically it will grow and flourish eventually.We are still going to experiment with small plantings until this timing is better understood.

The onions are popping up in the temporary plastic tote bed. Thanks for that lesson too!

Next question, when are you going to do a greenhouse? Just kidding , but the south or west side of your shop WOULD be great.

Take care.

[webcajun]

@Rustico62 ... For the few seedlings I start during the winter that shelving unit with clear plastic is all I need. I could start over 500 seedlings in there which is way more than I want to plant. lol..........Donald

[webcajun]

@holton2 ... Thanks, it's a good year for a fall garden..........Donald

[stankdawg199]

@webcajun Donald, It's starting to get a little cooler and I haven't seen any of your famous cookin lately. How about some home made Jamblaya on that wood stove?

Gerald

[webcajun]

@stankdawg199 ... we may do just that before the winter is over. lol ..........Donald

[oam2surf]

Was just curious about what you use to keep off the pests. I live in Florida and having a problem with those pesky caterpillars. I've used BT and Pyrethrin but they only work for about a week and then the pests come back. Your veggies look untouched. I've heard about using agricultural lime which works but makes a mess. Thanks

[webcajun]

@oam2surf ... I usually use liquid Sevin. Have to watch em close and stay on top of the problem..........Donald

[AwakePublius420]

Thanks for sharing!

[webcajun]

@AwakePublius420 ... you're welcome.........Donald

[amiraprod525]

The ladybugs love your camera :)

[webcajun]

@amiraprod525 ... my camera, arms, neck, pockets, just anything they could get into. lol ......Donald

[sirolo1]

Lâche pas la patate!

[webcajun]

@sirolo1 ... yeah you right. lol........Donald

[yakyakyak69]

Green, unripe tomatoes are sprayed with ethylene gas by farmers right before they are shipped. This helps them ripen while they are being transported so they will be ready to go to market. You can ripen tomatoes naturally with a banana.

Because bananas let off ethylene gas as they ripen, you can put tomatoes with bananas to make the tomatoes ripen faster.

Place a small banana and two-to-four tomatoes in a jar with lid. Change banana if necessary. Tomatos will ripen in 2-4 weeks.

[webcajun]

@yakyakyak69 ... it's been taking a week to 10 days in the newspaper. Give it try...........Donald

[djlancastre]

You don t need the tomatoes in newspaper, just put them near a ripe one or a banana or apple and they will ripen very fast

[webcajun]

@djlancastre ... even the hard, green ones? .........Donald

[djlancastre]

@webcajun yes! even those! just give them a little bit of time and they'll ripen. give it a try...

thanks for your videos

keep them coming

[checkfoldcallraise]

i always feel inspired after seeing your progress in the garden Don. last year i planted my very first garden on Nov. 15th and i got a lot of guidance through your videos. i had great success with carrots, broccoli, spinach, chives, belle pepper and especially potatoes. i got lots of potatoes! so i've started a new garden that i planted a few days ago. beets, spinach, broc, brussel sprouts and lettuce, and of course potatoes. its fun to get back in the groove after a hot hot summer here in fla.

[webcajun]

@checkfoldcallraise ... lots of folks think that the garden is over in the fall but it's just the start of another round of planting and harvesting. Wish you the best of luck........Donald

[ojibway3]

Looks like this Country Boy is surviving just fine, pup & I enjoyed the ride Don.

Paul

[Hoovesandpaws61]

Thanks for such kind words Donald. I live on a small farm in NC. I love every video you make and I love my little garden. I watch your videos several times and always learn so much. Too bad you live all the way in La. You come across so friendly, just like a neighbor. I hope you keep gardening and making videos.

[MajorRager76]

i want to thank you for your videos between you ray and john something clicked or i caught the gardening bug so thank you Don for all your videos

[webcajun]

@MajorRager76 ... one of the good things about gardening is you can have anything from 1 container on the patio to several acres. Either way it's enjoyable........Donald

[easein]

You really should have your own cable show.

Perhaps PBS.

As always, look forward to your posts, and thanks for the wisdom.

[webcajun]

@easein ... then it would become a job. lol .........Donald

[crewlla]

I love watching your videos.

[webcajun]

@crewlla ... Thanks, glad you enjoy........Donald

[jstrunck]

Yes Sir! Looking pretty good! I predict good thing are in store for your kitchen table this winter.

I tried the green tomatoes in a cardboardbox at one time. Maybe newspaper will work better. grin

I gotta give your okra an A for effort. Seems like it loves the heat! Really hard to kill it. Although cold is a different story altogether.

Happy Trails,

John

[webcajun]

@jstrunck ... Hey John, not sure if it's something I did or it's the weather but this fall garden is doing way above average. The plants came up and started growing like weeds.  Those two rows are producing way more than a family could eat, in fact several families. Leaving the grass strips between the rows is one of the best things I've done. I can get in there even after the biggest rain.........Donald

[ln4359]

Beautiful Garden :)

Thank you for this video :

[webcajun]

@ln4359 ... picked the first of the broccoli and cauliflower yesterday. Ate it last night for supper. You just can't beat stuff right out the garden. Gardeners are lucky to know what vegetables are suppose to taste like. Glad you enjoy.........Donald

[webcajun]

@eyemla ... really didn't do anything special. I sprinkled the seeds on top the soil, watered them in real well and they grew. There's 20 ft. of lettuce that's producing enough to feed a doz. families. Throw in some spinach, a tomato, a few radish and it makes the best salad you've ever eaten..........Donald

[TheUrbanOutdoors]

garden looks great as always...nice to see a new vid from one of my fav youtubers

[webcajun]

@TheUrbanOutdoors ... this is a great year for the fall garden. The plants grew like crazy and really producing. Glad you enjoy the vids..........Donald

[MrBenelli12]

Noticed you have grass strips between the rows. Was this in an area previously tilled? Why the grass strips?

[webcajun]

@MrBenelli12 ... first time planting in this area. I left the grass strips between the rows to avoid all the mud from the winter rains. Now I can walk through there and harvest vegetables even after the biggest rain. It's kind of funny when I say "I'm going cut the grass in the garden". It's working like a charm...........Donald

[crosspecans]

wonderful garden..loved all the diff kinda greens.

[webcajun]

@crosspecans ... greens grow really well in cold weather. In fact they taste better after a few frost or freeze. The fall is not the end of the garden, it's the beginning of another phase........ Donald

[markhess]

Great to see the update Donald! I am now inspired to get out there and do a winter update on my farm. Maybe this weekend. Although, I believe you have me beat - yours looks great! - Mark

[webcajun]

@markhess ... get out there Mark, I always enjoy watching your vidoes. I have my camera set to only shot the nice looking vegetables. lol .......Donald

[fetch33]

Regarding the tomatoes, supposedly, you can pull up the whole plant and hang upside down in the garage and the green tomatoes will ripen naturally.

[webcajun]

@fetch33 ... I'm not at that point yet cause the weather hasn't gotten cold enough to kill the plants and they're still growing. I've been picking the largest ones, wrapping them in newspaper and they're ripening.  Being so late in the season each day is a roll of the dice. lol ........Donald

[logos2600]

good point with the lady bugs and non-organic growing

[webcajun]

@logos2600 ... There are things I do in the garden that some would call organic. Other things like spray for insects that's not. Believe I'm about in the middle.........Donald

[logos2600]

@webcajun very nice, 'everything in moderation.' Does the open compost pile work well?

[webcajun]

@logos2600 ... it does take about a year to break down but if you start a new one each year you'll always have compost......... Donald

[NoNORADon911]

Are you growing organic seeds, meaning non GMO?

Stay away from that Monsanto crap. I grow organic seeds but still use chemical fertilizer. I try to use organic bug spray but it did not really cut it for the Tomatoes & Corn. I am in central Fl. Organic tomatoes are getting $5-6 a lb!

Worth trying to grow your own organic tomatoes but was not easy for me.

Lets pray that Bill S-510 does not pass today!! I called both Fl senators yesterday and advise others to do the same. NO on Bill S-510 !

[NoNORADon911]

Bill S-510 if voted yes will end organic farms and private organic

vegetable gardens...at least by law..let them try and stop us!

This govt needs to be removed & started over! We the people!!

If Monsanto has there way we will all be eating there franken foods!

[webcajun]

@NoNORADon911 ... NO GMO, I grow both heirloom and hybrid. I contacted my senators some time ago about these bills..........Donald

[12jordanolson]

What do you do with all the produce that you grow. Do you eat it all or sell it too. I would love to have the land you have to grow as much as you.

[webcajun]

@12jordanolson ... I eat a little, give a little away and sell a little to help pay some of the expense.......Donald

[fabforceone]

No doubt about the money Donald but if it gets passed there is gonna be some big hassles coming.

[redcrystal69]

LOL I love all the lady bugs!

I enjoy watching your videos! Thanks for sharing.

[webcajun]

@redcrystal69 ... there were a bunch of em.  Hope they were doing their job........Donald

[FIyingPengwin]

How much land do you have total?

[webcajun]

@FIyingPengwin ... In the videos you're seeing 5 of the 7 acres I live on........Donald

[MrBenelli12]

I just put my end of season green tomatoes in a box, close the lid and store in the cool basement. They will ripen in a week or two.

[webcajun]

@MrBenelli12 ... by putting the lid on the box you're trapping the Ethylene Gas which rippens the tomatoes. Works really well.........Donald

[Allen2045]

Donald do you have critters that try to eat the produce from your garden? Or do the dogs run them off?

[webcajun]

@Allen2045 ... I have coons and squirrels that love the sweet corn and apparently a rabbit that had a taste for young broccoli plants. The dogs help out a lot........Donald

[fabforceone]

It would criminalize seed saving  turning backyard gardeners who save heirloom seeds into common criminals. This is obviously designed to give corporations like Monsanto a monopoly over seeds.

[fabforceone]

This law would also give the U.S. government the power to arrest any backyard food producer as a felon (a "smuggler") for merely growing lettuce and selling it at a local farmer's market.

[fabforceone]

This tyrannical law puts all food production (yes, even food produced in your own garden) under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security. Yep -- the very same people running the TSA and its naked body scanner / passenger groping programs.

[fabforceone]

hey Donald...what's your thoughts on.... Senate Bill 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, has been called "the most dangerous bill in the history of the United States of America." It would grant the U.S. government new authority over the public's right to grow, trade and transport any foods.

[webcajun]

@fabforceone ... All someone has to do is follow the money and you'll see exactly who's really behind it. It has nothing to do with safety..........Donald

[NoNORADon911]

@webcajun Yep same with 911, if you want the truth follow the money.

[Hoovesandpaws61]

Great fun seeing your garden. Wish mine looked 1/2 that nice!

[webcajun]

@Hoovesandpaws61 ... I bet next year yours will look better than mine. Stick with it........Donald

[barnett1129]

Beautiful garden ,Thanks for sharing..

[webcajun]

@barnett1129 ... You're welcome........Donald

[djsunshyne1]

you wrapping your tomatoes up in newspaper i have to try that ...collards looking really good. thanks for the update LaShone

[webcajun]

@djsunshyne1 ... Hey LaShone, I found out it works really well. Not one spot of green left on them.........Donald

[24JoeyL]

webcajun love you videos, also you dont have to wrap the green tomatoes to get them to ripen, just set them somewhere cool out the way and give them a few days,

[webcajun]

@24JoeyL ... try wrapping a few and check out the results.......Donald

[sakinehbs]

Thanks Donald, I love your videos

[webcajun]

@sakinehbs ... you're welcome........Donald

[DrunknShooter]

Everything looks pretty good. Let us know how that newspaper trick works with your tomatoes. Thanks for taking the time to update us on the Fall Garden.

[webcajun]

@DrunknShooter ... I already ripened several by wrapping them in the newspaper. They'll go from green to fully ripe, inside and out, in a week to 10 days........Donald

[treehot16]

Great looking garden down there. Everything is gone in Kentucky. Drought got it. Take a few of those kohlrabi, peel and slice into rounds, add some sliced onions, cover with vinegar and water and salt and pepper, let set in the fridge for about a day and enjoy.

Take care

[webcajun]

@treehot16 ... it's a good year for the fall garden. Thanks for the tip on the Kohlrabi.........Donald

[alyshells]

You're like a gardening super hero to me. I want to be just like you someday.

[webcajun]

@alyshells ... I can't take too much credit, mother nature is the real hero.........Donald

[galegregory97comcast]

ITS FUN I SEE THAT

[dianemummvideos]

I did enjoy your video, nice row crop vegetables, looks great.. and I love your dog too.

[webcajun]

@dianemummvideos ... the dogs won't let me go anywhere outside without following. They like to ride the golf cart too..........Donald

[Trex1268]

Beautiful land!!

[webcajun]

@Trex1268 ... this is some real good soil for the garden. A natural mix of sand and clay..........Donald

[freestylze]

you always impress me with your gardening skills!....never really see a garden that is good as yours!...2 thumbs up!

[webcajun]

@freestylze ... the fall garden is really doing well this year. I think the weather has a lot to do with it. Thanks...........Donald

[mikesamc]

you sell off your crops? awful lot for personal use.

[webcajun]

@mikesamc ... got to plant enough for the wild animals and the bugs so I can get a few for myself.........Donald

[jakearick]

will potatoes take frosts? I live in a mild climate but we do get frosts and one or two freezes in the winter

[webcajun]

@jakearick ... I grew potatoes last winter and they did pretty good. Not like the ones planted in January but enough for a few meals..........Donald

[MadBadVoodo]

★★★★★