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Garden time is coming

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Kinda like tomatoes, but not in the same family. Almost always green in color. Their biggest use is in green salsas, but can be used in other ways.

Wow thank you my friend :) I think I had one in my garden, seed musta got carried over from my neighbor and I didn't know what to do with it :rolleyes:
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Here's my second plot of late green bean cropP1470823.JPG

In the background of the beans you can see okra comin up, in top pic it's to the left of beans outside fence and in bottom look outside the fence too.

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And this is my boc choy
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I've never grown it but heard it was good so thought I'd give it a try, very easy to grow
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

DIY Root Cellar: Cold Storage Basics​

Use these plans to construct your own DIY root cellar. Cold storage is the best way to store potatoes and onions, and even certain fruit and leafy greens!​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Building Root Cellars in Basements​

Building root cellars in basements is a safe way to preserve your harvest. Although not the least labor intensive it will keep your fruits and vegetables fresh for years to come.​

DIY Basement Root Cellar​

Living without refrigeration, this resourceful homesteader creates a DIY basement root cellar.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Root Cellar Ideas For Harvesting Vegetables​

In this excerpt from the book Root Cellaring (1991), learn about some of the best root cellar ideas and tips to get the most out of storing your vegetables and fruits.​

How to Build an Easy Root Cellar with SIPs​

Put up the summer's extra harvest in this easy root cellar. This above-ground root cellar design is built with structurally insulated panels (SIPs).​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
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Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I hope everyone is enjoyin food that they grew, it's so much better for you than store bought, and for those who haven't started yet I truly hope this thread has inspired you to start, even just a plant or two, after you eat the wonderful fruits of your labor I am sure you will want to grow twice as much
:)
 
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Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Happy Monday, Jimi!

☀️We hope you had a great weekend! Were you able to get outside and enjoy some gardening time over the weekend? Wouldn’t it be great to have the opportunity to continue your vegetable gardens well into the fall as well?

The exciting news is that you can!

Not sure how to get started?

When Grow Your Own Vegetables friend and expert gardening instructor Jason Matyas presented during the Superfood Garden Summit, you expressed interest in learning more about fall gardening so we invited him to present a live event for you.

Tomorrow (August 15th), Jason is hosting a free Fall Gardening Webinar at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern time for the GYOV community.

In this free training webinar, Jason will cover:

🍂 What crops are best for a fall garden
🍂 How to use your first average fall frost date to plan your plantings
🍂
How to optimize the use of your available garden space to maximize production
🍂 How to use successive plantings to produce fresh vegetables as long as possible
🍂
How to use extension tools and methods to keep your garden producing into the winter

After his presentation, Jason is going to host a live Q&A session. You will be able to ask a fall gardening expert your questions directly. Simply submit your questions any time during his presentation.

🍂🍂 To save your spot at the training, simply click HERE 🍂🍂



Still not sure? Maybe you’re thinking…


  • "I'm busy working and don't have time to watch live."
  • "What if I just started a fall garden myself?"
  • “Does Jason really know what he's talking about?”


Well, in response to those questions…


  • Sign up. If you can’t watch live, you will be sent the replay recording to watch later.
  • Fall gardening is a unique type of gardening so why not learn from an expert.
  • Yes! Jason has been gardening his entire life and plants multiple gardens every year including fall gardens.
Here’s what a previous attendee to Jason’s webinars has to say about his teaching:

“This was excellent! One of the things I appreciate very much about Jason's presentations is that not only are they filled with very useful ideas and strategies, he is also great about explaining how he got to those insights. We get the blessing of an independent thinker and an expert who can explain how to think independently!" - Sandy

If you want to get the most from your garden this year, you need to be planting a fall garden. Jason’s webinar is the perfect resource to help you find success in that effort, whether you've never planted a fall garden before or you've done it for years and want to learn ways to improve.

The free Fall Gardening Webinar will be presented live on August 15th at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern.

🍂🍂 Be sure to save your spot HERE 🍂🍂



🌽 Ensure you aren’t corn-fused about fall gardening!
🌱 The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team 🌱
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Home Canning for Beginners: How to Can Your Food Year-Round​

Read home canning for beginners to learn how to can food throughout the year, including tips for choosing jars, hot pack versus cold pack, pressure canning, and boiling water bath canning.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Home Canning Guide: How to Can Foods​

Home canning is easier and more satisfying than you think. Once you learn how to can foods, you'll be able to put up summer flavor for many seasons to come.​

How To Can Meat With A Pressure Canner​

Wondering how to can meat with a pressure canner? Learn to preserve meat without refrigeration and increase your self-reliance.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

How To Make Apple Juice Without a Juicer​

Wondering how to make apple juice without a juicer? Learn how to make clear apple juice and use your autumn apple harvest!​

Canning Foods at Home for Flavor​

Learn water bath and pressure canning skills to preserve fresh homegrown flavor by canning foods at home while saving your budget.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Cold Hardy Vegetables For Fall​

If you're interested in getting started with fall gardening vegetables, late summer is the perfect time to plan. Here are some of the best cold hardy vegetables for fall and how to help them thrive.​

Best Fall Garden Crops: What, When, and How​

Thinking about your fall garden? Here’s expert advice on planting and growing fall garden crops, including a fall garden planting schedule.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Gardening has its ups and downs.

In an ideal world, you’d float through the garden season effortlessly, harvesting armfuls of beautiful unblemished produce.

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But if you’re trying to do the garden work all by yourself, you’ll find yourself trudging through the season and wading through the produce with holes in the kale and worms in the tomatoes, looking for a few measly bites.

That’s why expert growers partner WITH Mother Nature.

Because the truth is, you’re not alone.

There are tens of thousands of microbes and insects galavanting about your garden.

So the goal is to have more of those tens of thousands on your side, helping you get fresh, unblemished harvests.

That’s why Garden Trainer Crystal Meserole created this complimentary guide—to help you get started growing more harvest with less effort.

🗝️🗝️ Download the “5 Keys to Invite Beneficials into Your Garden HERE” 🗝️🗝️

Inside, you’ll learn to:

🕷️ Adopt a pest management mindset of sustainability and balance
🐛 Use “trap crops” to draw pests away from your garden
🐜 Introduce beneficial insects into your garden—and keep them there
🐝 Include flowers and perennial herbs in your garden plan for natural pest protection
🐞 Protect and support your beneficial insect populations

🗝️🗝️ Learn the 5 Keys to Invite Beneficials into Your Garden 🗝️🗝️

You’ll discover garden friends that you never knew you had! 🐞


To Less Work & More Harvest!

🌱 Grow Your Own Vegetables Team 🌱
 

MyMagicMist

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years



DIY Root Cellar: Cold Storage Basics​





Use these plans to construct your own DIY root cellar. Cold storage is the best way to store potatoes and onions, and even certain fruit and leafy greens!​








Helped my Pap & uncle build a very similar root cellar for my Grandma one Summer. Pap had the plan in his head, he told my uncle, and my uncle drew it in the air for me. All three of us were then on the same page. Got cinder block, tar paper, some liberated foam from the hatchery, it was going for trash anyway. Had it built in about a week and a half. Would have had it done sooner, but something called fishing took up our "union" meetings. :)
 
Looks like your gardening patience paid off! 🌱🌿 These small onions are the cool, crisp result of your diligent care and the replacement seeds that gave your garden a fresh start. Your 'harvest-to-be' is chilling out nicely in the fridge, ready to add that extra flavor to your dishes. Can't wait to see those individual pics showcasing their growth journey!

Edited by a Moderator- removed the link
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
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CAN YOU EAT ENOUGH TO BE HEALTHY?​

When the soil is depleted of nutrients and our grains, fruits, and vegetables are now contaminated with glyphosate from Round-up...can you eat from the grocery store and still be healthy?

This blog post dives into the challenges of eating healthily when buying food at the grocery store. It's an exciting read...check it out.

READ MORE HERE



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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AI AND THE FUTURE OF FOOD
As we're sure you've noticed, AI (short for Artificial Intelligence) is quickly creeping into many aspects of our lives . . . and our farms are no exception.

This eye-opening interview, probably the most impactful interview we have ever done, dives into the topic of AI, and its growing effects on the future of food.​

 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Happy Monday Jimi,

Summer isn't over yet! Sunburns and annoying insects are still in full force!

Synthetic products are effective, and you already know they are based on unnatural chemicals that we really don’t want to inhale or slather onto our skin. Not only are these chemicals bad for us, but they can also harm the environment.

While sunscreen is crucial for protecting our skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation, specific formulations, and usage practices can pose potential risks to both human health and the environment.

Here are a few reasons why sunscreen may be harmful:

Human Health Concerns:


  • Chemical Absorption: Certain chemical sunscreen ingredients can be absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream, potentially leading to hormonal disruptions and allergic reactions.
  • Endocrine Disruption: Some chemical UV filters, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, have been linked to endocrine disruption, affecting hormone balance in the body.
  • Skin Sensitivity: Some individuals may experience skin irritation, redness, or allergic reactions due to the presence of certain sunscreen chemicals.
  • Nanoparticles: Nanoparticles used in mineral sunscreens (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) can pose inhalation risks when sprayed, potentially harming the respiratory system.

Environmental Concerns:

  • Water Contamination: Chemical sunscreens can wash off in oceans, lakes, and rivers, leading to water contamination and potential harm to aquatic life.
  • Microplastic Pollution: Some sunscreens contain microplastics or nanoplastics, which can accumulate in water bodies and harm marine organisms.
  • Impact on Wildlife: Chemicals from sunscreens may affect aquatic organisms, such as fish and other wildlife, disrupting their endocrine systems and overall health.
  • Bioaccumulation: Chemical UV filters can accumulate in the environment over time, potentially entering the food chain and posing risks to humans who consume contaminated seafood.
  • Loss of Biodiversity: The harmful effects of sunscreen on aquatic ecosystems can lead to loss of biodiversity and disruption of delicate ecological balances.
  • Air and Water Quality: Spraying sunscreen aerosols can contribute to air pollution, affecting air quality and potentially causing respiratory issues in humans.
 

SnapDragon NY

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Press Corps
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VU SWAT
Hi Jimi- here is a pic of my first garden haul. What makes me sad is I may only get 5 tomatoes this year out of 8 plants(something ate the tops of the plants where all the flowers were). My egg plants are still in the flower stage. It has been a cool and rainy summer here. The green and Jalapeno peppers are doing great!
Winter squash leaves look terrible, there are some flowers, maybe some hope?

20230821_153606.jpg
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Those really look good, the weather has beat up you this year and you kinda got in late this year also but I am hearin that it may be a warmer than usual fall which will some stuff grow like maters. Deer will top off maters sometimes, not sure what else it would be but they will still make new blooms on what's left (a plants mission is to give off seeds so it will find a way) We are havin a heavy blight year here :( but gonna make the most of it. Oh and my first green beans are startin to bloom:bliss: Hmmm, have you seen any squash bugs, they can be crafty and hide from you but you'll always see their eggs hooked to a leaf (they look like a metalic brown cluster of little eggs. I even find cucumber beetles on my squash leaves munchin away.:mad:
 

SnapDragon NY

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No many of the squash leaves are full of what looks like mildew, not many flowers either on the zucchini,yellow squash and butternut squash. I don't think deer can get into the garden. My dad thinks I have those horned caterpillers, I don't see them either.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
That is probably powdery mildew, there is an home solution you can use to kill it and let your leaves recover
Ok combine: 2 tablespoons of bakin soda, 10 drops of dish soap in a gallon of water shake and spray it everywhere you have the problem.
Yes if deer can't get to them then it probably is hornworm, I just pick them off and squish them but when I see one with little white eggs on it I let it go, it won't live long and will be the host to predator wasps eggs
 

Bliss Doubt

Platinum Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I even find cucumber beetles on my squash leaves munchin away.:mad:

The only companion planting deterrent I can find for cucumber beetles is nasturtiums. I found them easy to grow, and beautiful, but I don't know how soon you'd have to get them started. You can get them already started in nurseries of course.

Anyway I planted them by themselves, not as a deterrent to anything, but because they're good in salads, kind of peppery tasting, and so pretty on the table.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
The only companion planting deterrent I can find for cucumber beetles is nasturtiums. I found them easy to grow, and beautiful, but I don't know how soon you'd have to get them started. You can get them already started in nurseries of course.

Anyway I planted them by themselves, not as a deterrent to anything, but because they're good in salads, kind of peppery tasting, and so pretty on the table.
They do make a wonderful taste in salads
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Hi, Jimi!

What is so great about zucchini?

It is one of the most abundant plants when it comes to producing lots of food and producing it fast!

Many gardeners grow this plant in their garden every year, meaning that there tends to be lots of zucchini available at farmers’ markets, too.


We celebrate this abundant plant by calling it Squash-a-Palooza.


Squash-a-palooza




The abundance, though, can also be a problem—unless you have some great zucchini recipes easily available.

>>> Download this eBook of three quick and easy zucchini recipes that kids love, too! <<<



🧑‍🍳 Take a whisk and try these great recipes today!

🌱 The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team 🌱

P.S.
These zucchini recipes are great for any zucchini—whether it comes from your garden, the farmer’s market, or the grocery store. Grab your copy HERE of “Fast Food: 3 Quick & Easy Zucchini Recipes.”
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

How to Save Seeds From Tomatoes​

Saving heirloom tomato seeds ensures that the precious, delicious tomatoes from yesteryears find themselves growing again in the gardens of the future. Learning how to save seeds from tomatoes is a safeguard against tomorrow's uncertainty.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Saving Culturally Significant Seeds​

Preserve traditional practices and foodways by cultivating crops that carry a legacy.​

How To Start A Seed Library​

Wondering how to start a seed library? Build a library seed exchange in your own community to strengthen bonds and promote healthier living.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years

Saving Seeds from Sweet Corn​

Wondering how to preserve sweet corn seeds? Saving seeds from sweet corn is an easy way to keep your harvest delicious year after year.​

Seed Saving Guide: How to Store Seeds​

Bevin Cohen lays out a seed saving guide, including how to store seeds, the importance of seed saving, and seeds' connection to culture.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
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We are sharing this email with you because gardening and health go hand-in-hand. You garden to grow healthy and delicious food that nourishes your body. You need your health to be able to garden. You may also garden for the additional physical and mental health benefits. Because of your passion for gardening and health, we feel that this email will be of interest to you.

The science has spoken, Jimi!


📚 As you have learned through the various GYOV courses, videos, and presentations, gardening comes with a lot of great health benefits. Science continues to learn and expand its knowledge of what can be done to further improve our health—often in easy natural ways!

🗝️ Recent studies have shown that a healthy heart is key to maintaining a clear and functional brain. An ailing heart has been linked to daily troubles such as insomnia, depression, anxiety, and exhaustion.

The good news is that the right diet and lifestyle choices could prevent up to 90% of cardiovascular problems, thus preventing brain issues at the same time!

That’s why GYOVis excited to share with you a free masterclass on heart and brain health, hosted by our gardening friend and partner Ocean Robbins of Food Revolution Network. Ocean is joined by Dr. Mimi Guarneri, an award winning holistic cardiologist, who has been featured on TED Talks, NBC, PBS, and more.


Button: Click HERE to Register for the Healthy Heart Masterclass
In this masterclass entitled “4 Major Heart Disease Myths & 10 Recent Breakthroughs,” you will learn how to slash your risk of cardiovascular disease and switch off the genes that cause heart disease—and also lead to brain problems—using natural, delicious, and wholesome foods.

A healthy heart AND a healthy brain! Talk about a great twofer!

❤️ Sign up for the Healthy Heart Masterclass HERE ❤️

(Free for a limited time)


Follow your heart—but don't forget to take your brain with you!

🌱 The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team 🌱
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Jimi, did you know that you can do everything in your garden perfectly and still throw away a BIG part of your harvest?

You can…

🌱 Make sure the seeds go in at the right time
🐌 Check for pests & diseases daily
💧 Water on a consistent schedule
✂️ Prune to ensure the biggest vegetables

You can do everything right and still throw a lot of your harvest away. Yikes!! 😲

Why? Because sometimes you grow TOO much food! 🤯

Many of you are already experiencing this, and many more will as the harvest season continues.

🍅 No one can eat 100 tomatoes in 2 weeks!

Once you have filled your refrigerator, what do you do with everything left? Share with your friends and family? But then what? Still more left? Do you throw it away? Put it in your compost pile?

Or maybe there is a different option!

🎉 Starting August 28th, join us for a three-day Pickling Party 🎉

What’s a Pickling Party, you ask?


A Pickling Party is three fun-packed days where you’ll learn…

🥒 The best ingredients for crunchy pickles, sauerkraut, smoothies, and more
🥒 Six ways to preserve your harvests to enjoy the maximum flavor year round
🥒 The secret to saving over 40% on your grocery bill
🥒 The “weird” way kids’ snacks are used to inspire delicious fruit treats
🥒 The benefits of fermented foods for your gut
🥒 How to transform boring pantry staples into restaurant-quality meals
🥒 The healthy habit that lets you create nutritious meals in minutes
🥒 The reasons to start planning your preservation steps now

Learn how to enjoy the fruits of your gardening efforts all year long. You get 3 fun-filled days to soak it all in!

This info is straight from a portion of the Grow Your Own Vegetables “Preserve the Harvest” course. If you haven’t taken this course before, then the Pickling Party is definitely for you. It will get you from your garden to your pantry to your dinner table in a snap!

Laptop with Day 1-3 Schedule


The FREE Pickling Party will take place August 28th through August 30th.

Button: Join the Pickling Party, Click Here!
No thanks. I’m not interested in attending.


🥦 🥕 🥒 This event is a great one to share with your favorite younger gardeners to help them learn more about veggies. Making pickles, preserves, and homemade frozen vegetables together is a great family tradition to start. Bond over old family recipes that have been passed down for generations.

🎉 Bring your enthusiasm and your family and join us for the Pickling Party!

Don’t miss this dill to learn about preservation for free!

🌱 The Grow Your Own Vegetables Team 🌱

P.S. Don’t miss the 3-Day Pickling Party beginning Monday, August 28th.

Button: Reserve Your Spot at the Party!
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
🥳 It’s a Pickling Party! 🥳
Learn how to turn one season’s produce into a year’s worth of meals, resulting in little to no waste from your harvest this year. You can say goodbye to endless searches and conflicting advice on the best practices to preserve food. During the Pickling Party, you will learn:

🥒 The secret to saving over 40% on your grocery bill
🥒 Six ways to preserve your harvests to enjoy the maximum flavor year round
🥒 The benefits of fermented foods for your gut
🥒 How to transform boring pantry staples into restaurant-quality meals

By dedicating only 30 minutes a day for three days, every fresh food lover will walk away from the Pickling Party with information that will benefit your pantry—and your wallets—for years to come!

The 3-Day Pickling Party begins August 28th at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern.​
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
💚 Gardening = Healthy Heart = More Energy to Garden 💚
We all garden to grow nutritious foods to improve our health. However, did you know that heart health has been directly linked to a person’s energy levels and stamina? So, if you grow and eat healthy foods, you improve your heart health, which allows you to have more energy to do what? GARDEN MORE!!!

There’s more to it, though, than just eating healthy. It’s about eating the right healthy foods and getting the right type of exercise to specifically benefit your heart. Our fellow gardener and friend Ocean Robbins from Food Revolution Network has teamed up with top holistic cardiologist Dr. Mimi Guarneri (as seen on TEDx, PBS, and at the Vatican) to share with our gardeners a free masterclass entitled “4 Major Heart Disease Myths & 10 Recent Breakthroughs.”

In this class—available to watch for FREE through August 26th—you learn how to slash your risk of cardiovascular disease and switch off the genes that cause heart disease using natural, delicious, and wholesome foods. These steps also increase your energy, your sleep quality, and your athletic performance PLUS help you to drop any extra weight almost effortlessly.

More energy. More stamina. Faster performance. More motivation. Longer endurance.
 

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