June Field Trip - June 2011 - The Vegetable Garden

[beth1704]

Beautiful garden! Good advices!

[alderaforall]

I've used a hoe kinda like that hook and crooke one you're sportin. I found it in my grandpa's barn when trying to help him keep his garden weed free years ago. They are slick tools. I have been looking for one ever since, looks like my search is over.

[webcajun]

@alderaforall ... You won't be disappointed.......Donald

[buffalopatriot]

Hi Donald - I did remove the dirt from around the onions as you suggested and 'oui la', within a few days they are growing like crazy.. Thanks again Professor.

[webcajun]

@buffalopatriot ...Glad the video helped......Donald

[jamisonbrooks]

I have a worm farm any advice on keeping thin alive

[webcajun]

@jamisonbrooks ...keep em fed, moist and out of the sun.......Donald

[jamisonbrooks]

@webcajun thank you for the advices

[deasttn]

I like the videos. Love the dog. I got a friend whose family is from Marksville. Grandmother played the piano/organ at church for many, many years. Family used to own Ford dealership.

[s98131182]

your garden looks AMAZING!!!!!! My gardens here in Kentucky got a late start this year... way too much rain, couldnt even till until mid may, it rained every day, now it has stopped completly. I have started Cantelope this year for the first time, any tips you could give me? they are starting to come up, but they are very small so far. Also flying saucer squash is best on grill with olive oil and garlic, cayanne, salt and pepper. grill for about a minute on each side in thin slices!!!

[webcajun]

@s98131182 ...Keep the Canteloupe watered and they grow fast. Stop watering a couple of weeks before harvest and they'll be much sweeter. Started picking a good bit of the Buttercup squash, I like the taste.....Donald

[s98131182]

@webcajun thanks for the advice! will do!!!! My squash is called Patty Pan

[buffalopatriot]

I didn't know you were supposed to remove the dirt from the onion bulbs ... but that does make sense. Looks like I'll have some extra gardening to do tomorrow.

[webcajun]

@buffalopatriot ...This is the first year I had to do that. Usually we get enough rain to wash the rows down enough to expose the bulbs but not this year.  Just harvested that row today......Donald

[hitmhard]

@webcajun if you remove the dirt does that make them grow to a normal size oinion.. Cause when we tryed to grow sweet red onions the only grew to the size of golf balls if that???

[frank35419]

Hey it's frank again I was just wondering if you ever grown pole beans because I did Not a good idea ! Haha. But u can grow them were the peas were think about it !! Thanks. Frank. Survival 101

[webcajun]

@frank35419 ...I grew pole beans last year but not this year. They need to have something to climb on......Donald

[fiddlestix2006]

Boy, u sure do know what you're doing and have a pretty place there. :):) Just 2 questions tho, and hope u have time to answer. Okay, do u sell your harvest to the public? And how do u water such a big garden? Do u have an irrigation system rigged up or what? Hugs to u, and thanks for all u do. :)

[webcajun]

@fiddlestix2006 ...No I don't sell to the public but I do give some away to family and friends. Most of my watering is done off the golf cart using a water tank. Much of the garden doesn't get watered......Donald

[martathon]

You all are having a drought down there? In south western ontario we've been one of the rainiest springs ever. Do you seed save and if so have you done zuchini or cucumbers? Mart

[webcajun]

@martathon ...First they have to be OP / Heirloom to save seeds. Wait to harvest the seeds from a mature vegetable.......Donald

[Anthony15481]

Wow now that's a drought!

[webcajun]

@Anthony15481 ...Yes it's getting pretty bad........Donald

[Anthony15481]

The corn is looking good Donald! I have some corn going to, it's just about three weeks old now. It's going on four weeks. And I here you about it being dry. Albuquerque NM is really dry. It hasn't rained in months! It's a pretty bad drought. We could really use that rain.

[webcajun]

@Anthony15481 ...If you go to the forum on the web site I posted some pictures of a row splitting open right down the middle. Now that's dry for us......Donald

[dutdut1981]

ha Dutdut is the name my brother gave to me as a kid. Its sounds like butt butt but with a d it stead of a b LOL

[webcajun]

@dutdut1981 ...OK Dusty......Donald

[lestempsnoir]

Hi Donald please help!! I'm growing Green and yellow beans as well as Squash and peas. These plants are still very young about a foot or less.I noticed some very small white bouncy bugs as well as some dark one. The dark ones are round and small. They attach to the stems and to the leafs. The leafs then turn yellow and die off. I'm a first timer. I began to grow an organic vegetable garden but I'm not sure what these bugs are and how to naturally kill them. What can I do?

[webcajun]

@lestempsnoir ...I'm not organic when my garden is being destroyed. I use liquid sevin, takes care of the bugs.......Donald

[lestempsnoir]

@webcajun Thank you..I will research Sevin since I dont know what it is..

[231MasseyFerguson]

Another Great video Mr. Donald... Been waiting on this one!! LOL.... How many times a year you plant corn?? My G-90 was all over and done with a couple weeks ago... Got 1 more row of red beans to pick next week and that's it... What else can I plant this time of year and WHEN? I'm wanting more squash, potatoes, corn, cucumbers, and maybe some more Red beans and Cranberry/ Horticulture Bush beans. We got LOTS of them, but would like to plant a couple more rows if the time is right... THANKS!!

[webcajun]

@231MasseyFerguson ...Planted two crops of corn about a month apart, that's it for me this year. As for a list of things to plant and when go to the LSU Ag Center web site and download the vegetable planting guide. It contains a ton of information, too much to list here.....Donald

[gettinready100]

hi love your garden . have you every planted pumpkins or butternut squash? would you know what makes the leaves turn yellow am i watering to much or not enough your help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

[webcajun]

@gettinready100 ...My last crop of pumpkins I lost to vine borers, I hope that's not what you have. I would say a good deep watering about once a week is plenty.......Donald

[crewlla]

roast the sunflower seeds and use them as a snack. new dog is so cute but you can tell just like the other dogs he likes to eat the garden too. My dogs have figured out how to open the gate between the garden and their cage. How can dogs eat rashberrie bushes is beyond me. they also ate the spinage and green onions arrghh dam knought head dogs.

[webcajun]

@crewlla ...I'm sure he's going to develope a taste for all sorts of vegetables. I've yet to find anything he's good for. lol.......Donald

[richiealvey]

What kind of dog do you have at 2:30 in the video.. it looks EXACTLY like the dog I just got.. up to the black tail. The one we got was part jack russel.. part something else that we don't know hehe.

[webcajun]

@richiealvey ...It's a very rare breed, "Little Brown Dog". LOL......Donald

[webcajun]

@eyemla ...Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.....Donald

[9aspengold5]

Do you have any ideas how to protect tomato plants from burning up in the heat wave we are having in VA.? I can protect the soil with mulch, but what about the leaves and plant itself ?.

[webcajun]

@9aspengold5 ...I'm in the same boat. When it gets this hot the flowers just dry up and fall off. You could use some type of shade cloth but I'm not sure if it would help......Donald

[9aspengold5]

@webcajun thanks for the comment. I had thought about a shade cloth since my garden is much smaller than yours, but in the end the cost of so much cloth would out-weigh the savings from growing my own vegetables. so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed for more cloudy days! marcia

[webcajun]

@gardenbytom ...Thanks and you're welcome......Donald

[ilsdmspjs]

looking good! I wish it would rain here too once in a while...garden is growing a little slow. I noticed a bunch of interesting plants growing in my compost pile...I don't remember throwing any veggie scraps in there though..it's my pile for leaves and grass clippins, but I transplanted one into the garden bed and it's growing better than anything else...looks like the squash vine you've got growing...that would be a nice surprise if it is.

[webcajun]

@ilsdmspjs ...I don't know how some of those plants are surviving in my garden with no rain and no watering. They must have a real deep root system.

I sometimes have stuff that will come up in some weird places that will do better than what's in the garden. Maybe we should just mix up all the seeds we have and throw em out there in the garden and see what happens. lol.....Donald

[ilsdmspjs]

@webcajun lol, I like your idea

[prairiepatch]

Beautiful garden as always, Donald. That sure is a splashy hoe, I have something similar & is does work very nice. Make lots of videos this year Donald, so I can continue to enjoy gardening through your videos. It has been so wet here that I won't get a garden in at all this year. As bad as I feel this is the second year that the farmers haven't gotten their crops in. I live in the bread basket of the world so that is very bad.

[webcajun]

@prairiepatch ...We are just the opposite down here, very hot and very dry. Looks like I'll be lucky to get a doz. small tomatoes this summer. Hoping for a good fall crop. As long as something out there is still alive I'll keep shooting the videos. lol......Donald

[shartne]

that is a beautiful garden.

[webcajun]

@shartne ...Thanks but it needs rain bad......Donald

[shartne]

@webcajun I know mine does too I wish it would rain for about a week. where do I get a hook and crook hoe at?

[webcajun]

@shartne ...Google Hooke 'n Crooke, they have a web site........Donald

[mossy112965]

Donald are your contenders planted in a single row or several plants wide? The rows look so wide"

[webcajun]

@mossy112965 ...I did have to replant so there are some 2 wide.....Donald

[SouthernGardner]

also you should apply for a youtube partnership

[SouthernGardner]

what camera do you use very nice quality

[webcajun]

@SouthernGardner ...Canon GL2......Donald

[wwwBorsingPhotoCom]

Nice garden, we are just getting started and although our shallow well jet pump broke down (replaced with a submerge-able from TSC) we still need a wagon, cultivators etc for our garden tractor. high on our list is to somehow clean / increase water flow in our well, add 30% sunshade over our garden and build our greenhouse...

[webcajun]

@wwwBorsingPhotoCom ...Sounds like you have a few projects on you hands......Donald

[wwwBorsingPhotoCom]

Indeed, luckily I was raised on a 250 acre horse ranch (Sweden) so I know enough to manage various constructions. We have lots of deer so the first lesson from last season was to build a 7.5' deer fence around the garden, then it's those bugs I saw last year but hopefully the beneficial nematodes, insecticidal soap and diatomaceous earth will help control them, after the 30% sun shade is up we're adding guinea hens to our garden. I can't wait to use / modify the cultivators for next season...

[chiliprepper]

Very nice Don. Your garden never disappoints. That squash is unbelievable. Do you ever suffer vine borer attacks? Thanks to your referral, my candy onions are HUGE and tasty. The tops have fallen over on most so I'll be harvesting next weekend. Also, Topcrop bush bean does NOT flower along the top of the plant. Well, maybe it does eventually, but it starts at the bottom - LOL. Good tasting though. Thanks so much! Love these vids

Chili

[webcajun]

@chiliprepper ...Chili, I lost one of the 3 squash plants to vine borers. You are correct about the Top Crop beans, I don't see much difference between them and the Contender as far as where the pods grow. I think I'll stick with the Contender and maybe some more pole beans.....Donald

[SouthernGardner]

You should try growing sugar cane thats good stuff

[webcajun]

@SouthernGardner ...No need to grow it got sugar cane fields all around me......Donald

[SouthernGardner]

I have a question im 13 and new to gardening but is your summer garden what you plant in the summer and harvest in the fall or a garden you plant in the spring and harvest in the summer. Also what do you usually plant in the seasons.

[webcajun]

@SouthernGardner ...Most of the garden was planted in the spring but I do plant something just about year round. Check my calendar on the web site, it list what and when I planted......Donald

[Harleyman440]

Another great video donald keep up the great work

[webcajun]

@Harleyman440 ...Glad you enjoy the videos......Donald

[webcajun]

@minifarmgirl11 ...Hadn't had much of that joy in a couple of months now. I'm ready to get happy. lol.....Donald

[ELHIEGER1]

Hard to believe June is already here. When do you start to think about your fall plants, and begin to plants broccoli seeds, and fall tomatoes? -Eric

[webcajun]

@ELHIEGER1 ...Planted my first fall tomato the other day. Broccoli seeds won't go in the garden until around September.....Donald

[foofarters]

You should sell the hoe and personalize it....I want one...looks like it works like a cats ass....

[webcajun]

@foofarters ...compared to a regular hoe it's about 1/10 the effort.......Donald

[TheCajuntransplant]

Dang it Donald! I'm just gonna quit now before I'm driven to strangle you. LOL That garden is so pretty and perfect. I AM GONNA SCREAM IF I DON'T GET ME A TRACTOR SOON!!!!!! All I'm growing is a few maters, cukes and a major jungle. Just got our first rain in months. the ground is still powder and yet the weeds and grass keep growing.....arggggghhhhhhh

[webcajun]

@TheCajuntransplant ...Let me ease your mind, 90% of the reason there's no grass and weeds is cause we have had no rain. Makes it easy to keep up that way. lol.......Donald

[charlie29943]

Donald How many Times do you Pick Your Squash during the life of the plant? I picked mine 3 times and there Dying. Is this Natural?

[webcajun]

@charlie29943 ...That's hard to pin down, weather and insects play a big part in that. I can tell you that I can't eat all the squash on those 3 plants. On average I'd say I can pick every day for a couple of weeks maybe....Donald

[charlie29943]

@webcajun It has been real dry in North Fl .

[cfenster]

I think Dusty pronounces it "DUTT DUTT"

[webcajun]

@cfenster ...You are correct. lol....Donald

[MrLarryHorse]

Hey Donald, why do you remove the dirt from around the onions? Does that "pre" cure them before you pull them?

Great Video as always!! I'm still waiting to see on you on PBS or a garden channel.

[webcajun]

@MrLarryHorse ...The dirt is removed to allow them freedom to grow. Looking for an agent now. lol.......Donald

[MrLarryHorse]

@webcajun I'll be trying that with my onions this year when they start bulbing out.

[Richardofdanbury]

What are the dimensions of your garden? I notice you have no fence, don't you have trouble with deer, woodchucks, and other wildlife?

[webcajun]

@Richardofdanbury ...The garden is L shaped 150' in the front and about 75' in the back or about 1 1/2 acres planted right now. My big prolem is with coons, only an electric fence or good dog would help.....Donald

[TomasLancastre]

Your garden looks so good!! Can I just go live with you? Lol. Do you rely on rain during the summer or you usually water the plants?

[webcajun]

@TomasLancastre ...I water stuff like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and young plants. The rest is mostly on it's own.......Donald

[soxnes]

ok so we have the same type of onions!!!!! mine aren't as big as yours... yet but i can't wait until i harvest them.

[webcajun]

@soxnes ...Check out the forum on the web site. I harvested one today and it went 1 lb. 5.3 oz. Give em time and they'll get big.....Donald

[webcajun]

@Efetida ...I plant in mid January when the weather permits and harvest in May or June. You can get a second crop by planting in August.....Donald

[flyguy1725]

Another great video...I love each and everyone of your updates..I have learned so much from the videos and use on my own garden...feel free to check my garden out..Thanks again for all the information and cant wait for your next update!!

[webcajun]

@flyguy1725 ...Thanks. You need to send those two helpers down here to Louisiana to spend the summer, got lots of stuff to harvest. lol.....Donald

[anamariavideo]

I love you so much and your spiffy garden is as nice as you are. When you described the potatoes - it made me want potatoes to grow.

A New Fan.

[webcajun]

@anamariavideo ...Potatoes are really easy, give em a try. Thanks......Donald

[vikes51349]

Love your videos was just wondering have you ever done a collard green one? Growing and cooking would be awesome.

[webcajun]

@vikes51349 ...I do grow a few collard greens but my favorite is the Mustard Greens......Donald

[TheClownCentral]

Nice...where can i get me one of those tools? Ohh and heads up on those sunflowers...lol You are going to have bees Galore when they are in full bloom.

[webcajun]

@TheClownCentral ...Google "Hooke 'n Crooke" they have a web site. I have some that have opened up and you're right, lots of bees working em........Donald

[TheClownCentral]

@webcajun ok Thanks...Don't get me wrong Bees are great and we need them, just i wont plant anymore sunflowers because they got so bad i couldnt even work my garden for the swarms...lol Take care

[LawnsAreDumb]

Everything looks great! Makes me wanna plant more beans!!! :-D

[webcajun]

@LawnsAreDumb ...It's not too late.......Donald

[monkeylovedump]

You're lazy and you should've taken those down!...lol just kidding. I enjoy watching your vids and I really find your tips helpful. I got a late start on my garden up here in northeast Illinois due to all the rain we've been getting. Corn is just popping up but my peppers are looking great. Gotta get those tomatoes in next....

[webcajun]

@monkeylovedump ...Believe it or not, I started planting my fall tomatoes the other day.....Donald

[fabforceone]

Looking pretty good so far Donald.

[webcajun]

@fabforceone ...We better start getting some rain or the next update will not look so good.....Donald

[fabforceone]

@webcajun well, Donald, I'm up north and i thought it was never gonna stop raining for a while but it has stopped. My tiny garden is doing good so far except for the water melons, I don't know what i'm doing wrong with them. I think maybe the soil i got them in does not drain good enough...I don't know. As for some of the big farms i got around me, they haven't planted yet. I just saw that they had one field prepped last night as i was pass'n by. The land was too wet for tractors. We'll see????

[MajorRager76]

good to see you and your family didnt get flooded and whats great about sunflowers they pull out toxins out of the soil

[webcajun]

@MajorRager76 ...We got lucky this time with the flooding.......Donald

[BalconyGrow]

Things are looking good. :0)

[webcajun]

@BalconyGrow ...Thanks.......Donald

[nerdmom920]

Beautiful garden, you gonna eat those squash blossoms?

[webcajun]

@nerdmom920 ...No, I'm going to eat the squash.  lol......Donald

[nerdmom920]

@webcajun Dude, heat up some oil, cut up some cheese and stuff them in the squash blossoms. Then, fry them in the pan! Delicious!

[richard1948benz]

donold, hang in there. one day you may become a gardner. your garden looks good

[webcajun]

@richard1948benz ...I'm working on it Richard. lol.....Donald

[moonchildsoaps]

The onions look great! I got a "stirrup" hoe, and I love it! Yours looks great too! Garden looks awesome! Mine's actually doing ok this year as well!

[webcajun]

@moonchildsoaps ...I like how easy the Hooke 'n Crooke hoes slice through the soil. Makes weeding a lot less work. lol.....Donald

[peacelovehippychick]

everything looks fantastic, as always. i love your new hoe. my friend gave me a can of cajun spice called "slap ya mama!" i thought of you immediately. it smells really good and i can imagine using it on everything you showed in your garden.

[webcajun]

@peacelovehippychick ...I use Tony's Seasoning but "slap ya mama" is good too......Donald

[MrJay3470]

Yes tell us about the soil off the onion bulbs?

[911no]

@MrJay3470 you pull the soil off your bulbs so they can get big and become round. if you leave them covered they will stay small and almost long as apposed to round.

[webcajun]

@MrJay3470 ...X2 what 911no said........Donald

[RocketCityGardener]

Why do you pull the soil off the tops of the onion bulbs?

[webcajun]

@RocketCityGardener ...I normally don't, just let the rain wash the row down but this year we had little to no rain so I had to remove the dirt so the onions can reach full size. They've got to have room to grow......Donald

[HowToHydroponics]

how is the worm composter doing? would love to see an update on it.

[webcajun]

@HowToHydroponics ...Just filled the bin with corn husk for em to eat. Maybe when that is almost gone I'll do an update.....Donald

[alyshells]

amazing as always

[webcajun]

@alyshells ...Thanks.......Donald

[MrMunchiemo]

Keep us up to date on those Cucuzza Squash. That seems like a good idea to let them just grow on the old vine. Oh and those corn that you are not crazy about they are looking good. We too have not had any rain to speak of. I wish mine was as good as yours.

[webcajun]

@MrMunchiemo ...We harvested that corn and it did much better than I expected. There must be some moisture deep under the rows.......Donald

[henrycems]

It's looking very tasty at your garden. I will do a container garden up-date soon and post as a video response because I am using a self watering bucket that I seen on one of your videos. I have been doing a test with tomatoes,very interesting out come so far.

[webcajun]

@henrycems ...I just planted a wax pepper in one of those. I think you have to water heavy at first then it starts working on it's own......Donald

[Jimaera]

This was more fun than any field trip I ever went on in school, lol. You have such a beautiful, well-tended plot of land.

[webcajun]

@Jimaera ...A lot goes into it and it pays off.  Thanks......Donald

[bradkrit]

So... does your growing season start in January!? Your squash plants are as big as my car haha

[webcajun]

@bradkrit ...I can grow vegetables (in season) year round......Donald

[bradkrit]

@webcajun wow, thats great. I was raised in new england, where the growing season is short. I'm halfway down the coast now, which is a nice change for my garden.

[twbigdogsgirl]

Your garden is looking good.

[webcajun]

@twbigdogsgirl ...It's holding up pretty well but we do need rain.....Donald

[specialks1953]

Very nice looking garden and crops. Your green thumb and hard work is showing!!!!

[webcajun]

@specialks1953 ...Thanks. If we don't start getting some rain my green thumb will turn brown. lol......Donald

[specialks1953]

@webcajun - Amen!