Fivers greenhouse and garden

[fiver]

that started out as a bare root stick and I been babying it along to see what it does,
I have a bare root walnut tree next to it that will be going out in probably june or so when the outside weather matches the spring green house weather.
we can get red-wood here but it is some pricy, those 4x4's around the perimeter of the base are redwood [12 and 10 foot long] and I had to take in a breath before writing that check.

the peppers do give me some grief getting going because of the temps in the shop when I want to get them going, oddly enough I can grow all of the egg plants, tomatoes, and Jalapeno's I want from seed no problem. [I only want the egg plants though]
I keep thinking of a 30$ heat mat to get the seeds going a bit better, but then I'd want a couple for the lighted section, and the red/blue LED lights, and well... LOL.
I figure I can buy a lot of 50 cent bell and other pepper plants early then up plant and baby them along for 6-7 weeks before putting them out for the cost of the extra equipment.

those poly tunnels you see there are ones I put together pretty much for pepper plants, and to get colder weather stuff going early spring.
the ones outside the fence already have broccoli,cauliflower,brussel sprouts,onions,beets,and carrot seeds going.
the cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli should be finishing off in late june or so, then I will cut them off and over plant them with something else.

I think you can barely see the long one in the actual garden [between the trees] it will be filled with pepper plants all summer.
I can get the temps in those up to or over 100-F no problem through the [mid-70] day time and keep good over night time temps in there too.
I just open it about 9-10 in the morning to let them get their Sun light and to let the wind have at them, then close the lid about 2.5-3hrs before dark and let them gather enough temp to hold over night.
it seems to keep a fairly consistent temp all day and night that way and kicks the temps up to where peppers like to be.

this time of year they will hold low-mid 40's at night and close to 70 maybe 80 during the day depending on the light.
some days this time of year I crack them open, close them, open them further, crack them down again, close them at 3-4 or leave them open till 7pm. it sucks but it works.

 

[JonB]

Wow, That garden looks awesome.

JW,
I like Gooseberries as well, basically they are the Big ugly sister of the current, LOL. They are great for Jam or wine. We had them growing up, they'd grow wild in parts of the County where I lived.

 

[runfiveslittlegirl]

Redwood is probably $15 for a 2x4x8

I had never heard anything about gooseberry so when I had an option if currant or goose berry I chose the currant

 

[JWFilips]

Gooseberries look like little transparent watermelons ( that is what we called them as a kid...."watermelon bush" They have a crunchy skin and gelatinous interior Tart & sweet taste Light Green about 3/4 in long and make excellent sweet tart pies....Jam is great also!

When I used to host our big 18th Century weekend at Old Mill Village We had a pig roast feast on Saturday night. The ladies used to bring home made pies for the table My wife made Gooseberry Pies! The folks that knew them were first in line....then the folks that were unsure since they never had a piece tried it!
Yearly it became the first pies to go! She made great 18th Century recipes! Some strange stuff but never any leftovers!

 

[fiver]

I have heard of them being made into wine and Pies.
I think gooseberries like a little lower PH in the soil to do well kind of like blueberries do.
eventually the green area will be all berry bushes and perennials except the long box in there it will be vegetables and Peppers.
some of the yard is being a real pain because of the cold weather and high shade they are in.
I just have to keep trying things in that area eventually something will take... LOL.

we have June berries and huckle berries that grow wild here.
it seems like most everybody has a little hidey hole where they go pick them each year and we are slowly working into some out of the way spots nobody else knows about.
I see the juneberries growing right along the freeway, but doubt the state troopers would be too excited about us making use of those bushes.
they both make great jam and syrup or ice cream topping, as do the wild choke cherry's.
I have pretty much a free hand on gathering the choke cherries since it seems nobody else wants them, but god they make good jam. [and we can mix all of the berries together for an even better taste]
the only problem is there are so many of them you could make 10 gallons of jam without even trying and take 4 years to eat it all.

 

[blackthorn]

My Mother used to make choke cherry syrup to put on our pancakes. She also made ketchup from high-bush cranberries. Wild current (both black and red), jelly, canned raspberries, strawberries and some kind of wild plums.

 

[John]

When you get the gooseberries and currants established, take your Christmas tree and limb it out before you toss it. Put the limbs on or in the snow around the bushes and it will lower the PH by the time you're ready to mow. You can toss or burn them then. It works well for blueberries too.
Don't bother if you don't have real, untreated trees.

 

[fiver]

good tip.
pine needles and cedar tree needles are easy to get.
I have a yard full of cedar needles and Littlegirl has 2 giant pine trees in front of her place that need constant cleanup.