FBG Gardening Thread - 2025 (1 Viewer)

[Scoresman]

My sole tomato plant that I grew from seed is doing amazing, producing a ton of fruit. The two I bought from the nursery are kind of not. One is producing fruit about half the size it should be and the other has these weird brown burnt or rotting looking spots on the sides.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Woke up to the raspberry patch full of red berries. It always amazes me how they seem to pop overnight. Love raspberries so this is always exciting.

https://imgur.com/a/3ruhPuG

 

[berndog]

I love reading all the success stories!!

I was off to a good start with plenty of blueberries, cukes and beans. My tomatoes and peppers were starting to pop when I went on vacation at the beginning of July and I haven’t laid eyes on it since.
My vacation was interrupted when my father in law was hospitalized and we headed to western New York and don’t think I’ll be back home until late August.
My son drive a couple hours and harvested a 5 gallon bucket of peppers(Marconi, jalapeño and hot wax) and a bunch of tomatoes.
I had him pull everything except the peppers and hope for a strong second bloom for canning.
Keep sharing your stories so I can live vicariously.

 

[heckmanm]

My zucchini is producing, but the blossom ends aren't closing up - most of them look like this.

Anybody familiar with this? Never had it happen before, and I'm trying not to let them get 2 feet long waiting for the blossom to fall off.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Had some rabbit issues and got some liquid fence spray and low and behold they stopped nipping stuff. Didn't really think it would work, so pleasantly surprised.

Got a bunch of cucumbers today. Feels good to start getting some payoff.

 

[Wingnut]

My banana tree snapped under the weight of the rack of bananas so I had to cut them earlier than I wanted. They were due to start ripening any day, and it only took 2 days for them to start turning yellow. I hung them in my garage and I counted 82 bananas. Because they didn't ripen on the tree, I feel like the flavor and aroma is a tad bit lighter than they wouldve been had they not had to be cut early, but man are they delicious.

Rack after cutting:

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Image 20250802 162739 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

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2 days later:

IMG 175434560982F 1

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[Cowboysfan8]

My zucchini is producing, but the blossom ends aren't closing up - most of them look like this.

Anybody familiar with this? Never had it happen before, and I'm trying not to let them get 2 feet long waiting for the blossom to fall off.

I’ve never seen it. I believe I’d just pick them like normal and cut that end off

 

[heckmanm]

My zucchini is producing, but the blossom ends aren't closing up - most of them look like this.

Anybody familiar with this? Never had it happen before, and I'm trying not to let them get 2 feet long waiting for the blossom to fall off.

I’ve never seen it. I believe I’d just pick them like normal and cut that end off

I'm used to them keeping for a week or two after picking, but these seem to start rotting from that end really quickly. We actually didn't get enough good zucchini this year. May need to get some other folks' surplus to make muffins and such.

 

[Phil Elliott]

We have some nice spider lily plants but for some reason something decided to start eating the leaves. Looks like a deer just chomped the leaves off but they are suppose to not like them. Grasshoppers maybe but haven't seen any. Sprayed them with neem oil just in case. Good thing is they will come back next year just fine.

 

[Peggy]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

Which part of the country?

 

[heckmanm]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

I'm in a similar boat with cukes and squash. Basil starting to flower out so it'll be done in a few weeks.

Tomatoes just starting to ripen. My serrano and Anaheim are still green, and my poblano has juuuuust started putting on fruit.

Location: NE Indiana

 

[Wingnut]

I ended up freezing the majority of the recent banana harvest, giving some away and still have more than we can eat. It's crazy how many damn bananas it produced.

And now my new banana flower is pumping out hands of bananas like crazy...the rack I just harvested had 6 hands. This one has 8 already and it's nowhere near done yet. Looking good!!

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[The Longtime Lurker]

I ended up freezing the majority of the recent banana harvest, giving some away and still have more than we can eat. It's crazy how many damn bananas it produced.

And now my new banana flower is pumping out hands of bananas like crazy...the rack I just harvested had 6 hands. This one has 8 already and it's nowhere near done yet. Looking good!!

20250807 153255 1

Image 20250807 153255 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

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Do these produce like this annually?

 

[Dezbelief]

Had some rabbit issues and got some liquid fence spray and low and behold they stopped nipping stuff. Didn't really think it would work, so pleasantly surprised.

Got a bunch of cucumbers today. Feels good to start getting some payoff.

Does that stuff work for raccoons? Those little thieves are running off with my watermelons.

 

[Wingnut]

I ended up freezing the majority of the recent banana harvest, giving some away and still have more than we can eat. It's crazy how many damn bananas it produced.

And now my new banana flower is pumping out hands of bananas like crazy...the rack I just harvested had 6 hands. This one has 8 already and it's nowhere near done yet. Looking good!!

20250807 153255 1

Image 20250807 153255 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

freeimage.host

20250807 153333 1

Image 20250807 153333 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

freeimage.host

Do these produce like this annually?

Each plant produces once and dies. They make pups that turn into the next producers, and each of those will make pups, and so on. I started with one plant a year ago and right now there's about 8. I cull most of the pups and only keep what will give me a harvest or 2 per year, all the trees are varying heights/age so hopefully the harvests will be staggered. So far so good.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Had some rabbit issues and got some liquid fence spray and low and behold they stopped nipping stuff. Didn't really think it would work, so pleasantly surprised.

Got a bunch of cucumbers today. Feels good to start getting some payoff.

Does that stuff work for raccoons? Those little thieves are running off with my watermelons.

It's supposed to. This scares me to hear. I've got a few almost ready and have been spraying them along with the corn and so far so good.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

I ended up freezing the majority of the recent banana harvest, giving some away and still have more than we can eat. It's crazy how many damn bananas it produced.

And now my new banana flower is pumping out hands of bananas like crazy...the rack I just harvested had 6 hands. This one has 8 already and it's nowhere near done yet. Looking good!!

20250807 153255 1

Image 20250807 153255 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

freeimage.host

20250807 153333 1

Image 20250807 153333 1 hosted in Freeimage.host

freeimage.host

Do these produce like this annually?

Each plant produces once and dies. They make pups that turn into the next producers, and each of those will make pups, and so on. I started with one plant a year ago and right now there's about 8. I cull most of the pups and only keep what will give me a harvest or 2 per year, all the trees are varying heights/age so hopefully the harvests will be staggered. So far so good.

That's really cool. I had no idea how bananas grew.

 

[Peggy]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

Which part of the country?

SW Virginia.
Next year I'll start more crops later, maybe get in two of some.
Onions done. Not real great. I think it was a little too wet and too many damn weeds.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

Which part of the country?

SW Virginia.
Next year I'll start more crops later, maybe get in two of some.
Onions done. Not real great. I think it was a little too wet and too many damn weeds.

There’s still time for lettuce, peas, greens etc

 

[Cowboysfan8]

My cukes croaked. It was not a good year for them for me.
My tomatoes are going wild. Most including my Early Girl are over 6 ft tall. Some are starting to turn we are one earlier this week and will be having another tonight.
My Anaheim’s and poblanos and hot and sweet Hungarians are doing well. Lunch box pepper plants are big , no peppers yet

 

[Peggy]

Peas all done
Potatoes all done
Corn all done
Tomato's all done
Beans all done
Cucumbers all done
Squash all done

Still have beats in the ground and we need to dig up the onions.
Peppers are going wild, lost count how many bags have been vacuum packed and put into the freezer and the habeneros haven't even started to turn yet.
After that it's just pumpkins and giant marijuana plants.

I'm in a similar boat with cukes and squash. Basil starting to flower out so it'll be done in a few weeks.

Tomatoes just starting to ripen. My serrano and Anaheim are still green, and my poblano has juuuuust started putting on fruit.

Location: NE Indiana

I've frozen a bunch off poblanos already, a ton more comming. The hot peppers: red pepper and habanero haven't turned yet. I've got some habaneros that are 3 inches long and still green.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Next year I'll start more crops later, maybe get in two of some.

You should be able to get at least two plantings of tomatoes in, and three in a good year. Lag planting by 4-6 weeks, depending on weather.

 

[Desert_Power]

My cukes croaked. It was not a good year for them for me.
My tomatoes are going wild. Most including my Early Girl are over 6 ft tall. Some are starting to turn we are one earlier this week and will be having another tonight.
My Anaheim’s and poblanos and hot and sweet Hungarians are doing well. Lunch box pepper plants are big , no peppers yet

We got so many cucumbers this year. Thought it was done but saw a smaller one a couple days ago.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Raccoons demolished my corn. Spraying with liquid fence seemed to be working, but we had a good deal of rain and it washed off I'm sure. They took the opportunity before i could get back to eat the small cobs and break all the stalks. Blah. The attempt at an off-site garden hasn't been super successful, but i went into it knowing this was going to be a learning experience. Critters have officially kicked my butt.

Watermelons, peas, peppers, pumpkin, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, beets, tomatoes all still on track, but the rest were critter chow.

Fall mushroom foraging is just about here so looking forward to that. Hoping to find a good deal of giant puffball, and whatever chicken of the woods and lions mane i can come across.

 

[dkp993]

Disaster all around this year. Can’t catch a break. Stubborn Powdery mildew on my Cukes, tomato worms galore (both of which Neem oil has always worked well, not this year though) and I suspect blight, or some other disease, in my herb area which I believe is also hitting the Tomatoes. I hate my garden right now, it’s zapped my mojo for it.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Disaster all around this year. Can’t catch a break. Stubborn Powdery mildew on my Cukes, tomato worms galore (both of which Neem oil has always worked well, not this year though) and I suspect blight, or some other disease, in my herb area which I believe is also hitting the Tomatoes. I hate my garden right now, it’s zapped my mojo for it.

What do you think caused all the disease and such?

 

[dkp993]

Disaster all around this year. Can’t catch a break. Stubborn Powdery mildew on my Cukes, tomato worms galore (both of which Neem oil has always worked well, not this year though) and I suspect blight, or some other disease, in my herb area which I believe is also hitting the Tomatoes. I hate my garden right now, it’s zapped my mojo for it.

What do you think caused all the disease and such?

Good question. I’m not sure, still trying to diagnose. My best guess on the blight/or other is I’ve planted the same stuff in the same locations for the past 3 years, as I understand it best practice is to rotate them. For the tomato worms and powdery mildew, not sure why the neem oil isn’t working like it has years past. I’m a bit flummoxed right now honestly.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Disaster all around this year. Can’t catch a break. Stubborn Powdery mildew on my Cukes, tomato worms galore (both of which Neem oil has always worked well, not this year though) and I suspect blight, or some other disease, in my herb area which I believe is also hitting the Tomatoes. I hate my garden right now, it’s zapped my mojo for it.

What do you think caused all the disease and such?

Good question. I’m not sure, still trying to diagnose. My best guess on the blight/or other is I’ve planted the same stuff in the same locations for the past 3 years, as I understand it best practice is to rotate them. For the tomato worms and powdery mildew, not sure why the neem oil isn’t working like it has years past. I’m a bit flummoxed right now honestly.

I've been humbled aswell. I have an entirely new appreciation for the garden my grandparents used to grow and feel a little down about the fact that i never cared. It was an epic task to pull it off like they did.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Sausage and peppers

Mild Italian this time. We freeze these then when ready to cook thaw , brown in an oven safe pan in a lil oil. Add tomato sauce and bake in oven til bubbly. Cover the peppers with fresh mozzarella and serve with pasta



ETA- I like to freeze them on the tray then vacuum seal

 

[Wingnut]

Summer fruit update:

My newest rack of bananas is, well...bananas. Its pretty huge and should weigh over 50lbs easy.

Whole tree, you can see the rack upper middle:

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Closer look:

Screenshot 20250817 152913 Gallery — Postimages

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My favorite thing I did with my first banana harvest was cut about 10 of them lengthwise and coat them in melted unsweetened chocolate and freeze em. Such a delicious snack.


Here's a pic of my 1.5ft tall Key Lime tree, its got 30+ fruit at the moment:

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Key lime pie will be happening soon.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Key lime pie will be happening soon.

My 2nd favorite pie in the world after pumpkin

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

 

[SWC]

i ate my first pepper pot jalapanos yesterday and they were great take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Cowboysfan8]

pepper pot jalapanos

What’s this?

 

[SWC]

pepper pot jalapanos

What’s this?

i have flower pots on my front porch and i grow jalapenos pablanos and but jolokias in them i call them pepper pots and every once in a while a chipmunk will take a bite and run the hell away and i say to myself you may be small and cool as hell but you have learned a valuable lesson this day my adorable little friend take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Ron Swanson]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

This seems unfathomable to me. We've still got at least 60 days of heat.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

This seems unfathomable to me. We've still got at least 60 days of heat.

It's pretty early for here too. It was patchy and mostly in the really low spots, but my wife's work building had the entire roof covered in it this morning. We've got a warning again for tonight. Between the smoke, heat/humidity, and now unseasonably cool weather it's been an interesting summer.

 

[ChiefD]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

This seems unfathomable to me. We've still got at least 60 days of heat.

It's pretty early for here too. It was patchy and mostly in the really low spots, but my wife's work building had the entire roof covered in it this morning. We've got a warning again for tonight. Between the smoke, heat/humidity, and now unseasonably cool weather it's been an interesting summer.

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

This seems unfathomable to me. We've still got at least 60 days of heat.

It's pretty early for here too. It was patchy and mostly in the really low spots, but my wife's work building had the entire roof covered in it this morning. We've got a warning again for tonight. Between the smoke, heat/humidity, and now unseasonably cool weather it's been an interesting summer.

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

Yup, Thursday looking like the real cold one then it warms up again.

Not sure what I'm gonna do, probably pick what's ready and close to ready and hope for the best. I have plastic and tarps to cover stuff, but not sure when I'll be able to get back to uncover. Just have to cross my fingers it misses me.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Had our first frost this morning I'm not prepared for this already, but I'll take any help with the ragweed I can get. My plants should be ok where my garden is, but I'll find out forsure tomorrow.

This seems unfathomable to me. We've still got at least 60 days of heat.

48 here when I left for work this morning

 

[Ron Swanson]

I somehow missed just how loaded one of my lime trees was this year....until it started dropping ripe limes this week. Hundreds of huge limes still on the tree. Guess I'm going to have to make some ceviche and a few cubatas. Wish I liked margaritas. Maybe some ranch water.

Ready to juice.

Cubata time.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I somehow missed just how loaded one of my lime trees was this year....until it started dropping ripe limes this week. Hundreds of huge limes still on the tree. Guess I'm going to have to make some ceviche and a few cubatas. Wish I liked margaritas. Maybe some ranch water.

Ready to juice.

Cubata time.

It sounds awful to be you surrounded by an over abundance of ripe fruit.

5:30 AM this morning I chased a groundhog away in my underwear.

 

[heckmanm]

Only disappointment this year was the zucchini. Blossom ends didn't close on most of them, and they started rotting much faster than usual.

Tomatoes - went with a Florida weave and fairly aggressive pruning. Much more manageable, and still getting plenty of Cherokee Purples especially. The other one (Celebrity I think) is running a bit later, but it doesn't look like I'll be buried this year.

Peppers - All of them are producing heavily - serrano, Anaheim and poblano. I'm letting most of them ripen to red and will put up some fermented hot sauce with the serranos. Anaheims stuffed with sausage and cheese are quite tasty.

 

[ChiefD]

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

So did this yesterday after work. Fully enclosed the entire garden 19' x 19' in plastic - including the top. Worked fine.

I have one contiguous piece that goes all around the sides. Like a wrap. Two pieces for the top.

I call it my Growphalactic.

Took it all down this morning since it's going to be a nice sunny day today. Based on the forecast shouldn't need it for another week or so.

The plan after work today is to basically "stitch" the two top pieces together with duct tape on both sides so I can just pull the top on in one piece. Store for when we need it next time.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

So did this yesterday after work. Fully enclosed the entire garden 19' x 19' in plastic - including the top. Worked fine.

I have one contiguous piece that goes all around the sides. Like a wrap. Two pieces for the top.

I call it my Growphalactic.

Took it all down this morning since it's going to be a nice sunny day today. Based on the forecast shouldn't need it for another week or so.

The plan after work today is to basically "stitch" the two top pieces together with duct tape on both sides so I can just pull the top on in one piece. Store for when we need it next time.

Did you get any frost? Report from my area was 39, but I'm not there to know if there was any frost, but where my garden is, is pretty close to you.

 

[ChiefD]

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

So did this yesterday after work. Fully enclosed the entire garden 19' x 19' in plastic - including the top. Worked fine.

I have one contiguous piece that goes all around the sides. Like a wrap. Two pieces for the top.

I call it my Growphalactic.

Took it all down this morning since it's going to be a nice sunny day today. Based on the forecast shouldn't need it for another week or so.

The plan after work today is to basically "stitch" the two top pieces together with duct tape on both sides so I can just pull the top on in one piece. Store for when we need it next time.

Did you get any frost? Report from my area was 39, but I'm not there to know if there was any frost, but where my garden is, is pretty close to you.

No. We were still good. No wind last night where I live.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

So did this yesterday after work. Fully enclosed the entire garden 19' x 19' in plastic - including the top. Worked fine.

I have one contiguous piece that goes all around the sides. Like a wrap. Two pieces for the top.

I call it my Growphalactic.

Took it all down this morning since it's going to be a nice sunny day today. Based on the forecast shouldn't need it for another week or so.

The plan after work today is to basically "stitch" the two top pieces together with duct tape on both sides so I can just pull the top on in one piece. Store for when we need it next time.

Pics?

 

[ChiefD]

Yeah, we were on the fringe of it last night. Supposed to be 37 at night on Thursday.

I bought 10' x 200' of 4mil plastic this morning. I'm gonna wrap the entire garden for a few nights - like a greenhouse.

So did this yesterday after work. Fully enclosed the entire garden 19' x 19' in plastic - including the top. Worked fine.

I have one contiguous piece that goes all around the sides. Like a wrap. Two pieces for the top.

I call it my Growphalactic.

Took it all down this morning since it's going to be a nice sunny day today. Based on the forecast shouldn't need it for another week or so.

The plan after work today is to basically "stitch" the two top pieces together with duct tape on both sides so I can just pull the top on in one piece. Store for when we need it next time.

Pics?

I did take one. And some video.

The garden has done great this first year up here. Eating sweet corn literally 12 minutes from when you harvest it is pure heaven.

 

[Judge Smails]

We just did a full remodel of the backyard including landscaping. We’ve got ground squirrels non stop munching on our new sod. Coming from our neighbors stack of firewood along our adjoining wall. We’ve put mesh fencing from the bottom up 4 feet feet ourselves but they laughed at that. Cayenne pepper hasn’t worked, nor has putting reflecting ribbon, music that they supposedly hate. Etc. Hate to get more aggressive than those steps but I’m about to. Any suggestions?