Scoot Over!

My garden is indeed flourishing! In just a few short weeks, we have already harvested 30 pounds of squash, 14 pounds of cucumbers, enough banana peppers for 9 pickled half-pints, a dozen bell peppers, a handful of jumbo jalapenos, 2 eggplant, 5 tomatoes, and an unknown number of cherry tomatoes. There are numerous baby pumpkins, baby cantaloupe, and baby watermelon; and corn, beans, and winter squash (spaghetti, butternut, acorn) are emerging nicely in the lower garden.

So what do I have to complain about? Nothing really. Except...

I really overcrowded the kitchen garden! I thought 32'x22' would be more than enough space, but I planted way too much! All of the plants are elbowing each other for more space. The watermelon vines are climbing the fence on one side, and growing in and around the yellow squash on the other. The tomatoes are holding hands with the peppers on one side, and are cheating on the peppers with the pumpkin and cantaloupe on the other. And they're doing much more than hold hands!

As the growing season progresses, some veggie plants always get out of hand. We're two months into our growing season, and perhaps it's a little early for garden sprawl here, but I'm not so locked into "rows" that I'm going to start freaking or get upset, even though I've tried to put all the trailing vines back in their own assigned spaces. I'm learning to be less anal and let nature have some of the control (as long as I still have a walking path).

I don't mind the intermingling of veggies in the garden, as long as everybody gets along. My concern is that, before the end of the season, I may be harvesting squatershmelons, and tomeppers, not to mention tomkins and cantalatoes! And the hard part will be finding recipes for such things!

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Latest Activity

Glenn Fletcher commented on Glenn Fletcher's photo 'My Allotment'

Hi Kathryn This image is a screenshot from Google Earth. The only drawback with Google Earth is that you cannot zoom in as close as you would like. I have a greenhouse in the bottom right and a shed and covered compost bin at top right. A lot of t...

2 hours ago

Glenn Fletcher commented on Salma Kamal's blog post 'Pakistan: “Home Kitchen gardening to crush hunger”.'

Hi Salma I am lucky in that my allotment is only a short bicycle ride from my house. Some people in larger cities like London have to travel to theirs in a car. It is interesting to find out from you just how things are in your country. I think as...

2 hours ago

Bea Kunz replied to Roger's discussion 'Press inquiry: Women gardeners feeding the hungry'

Thanks for sharing Roger, I sent my info and will let you know what transpires. Have a Joyful day~ Bea Kunz

2 hours ago

Salma Kamal commented on Salma Kamal's blog post 'Pakistan: “Home Kitchen gardening to crush hunger”.'

How times have changed. There was time when there was no food shortage and agriculture was not a profitable business. The poor farmer was having a hard time. After toiling in the field from dawn to dusk he failed to generate enough money to suppor...

4 hours ago

Salma Kamal commented on Salma Kamal's blog post 'Pakistan: “Home Kitchen gardening to crush hunger”.'

Glenn!British allotment system is quite interesting. It should be initiated here in Pakistan. Is this alloted land close to your home? I mean you have to travel to your home kitchen garden to fetch your vegetables ??

4 hours ago

James R. McBride replied to PiscesGirl's discussion 'Seed Sources?'

I also recommend Seed Savers Exchange. Not only does Heritage Farm offer seeds they've grown, but you can become a member and exchange thousands of seeds with other gardeners. The beauty of seed savers is you can use heirloom seeds that you have g...

11 hours ago

Amanda Williams and Georg Strafella joined Kitchen Gardeners

15 hours ago

amna mufti commented on Salma Kamal's blog post 'Pakistan: “Home Kitchen gardening to crush hunger”.'

........So the story is that this land is under the unlawful use of big wigs.No body dares to touch them.As they are usually in govt.or are the relatives of those in power.That is why I was telling Salma,problem is not simple.It is so intricate,it...

yesterday

amna mufti commented on Salma Kamal's blog post 'Pakistan: “Home Kitchen gardening to crush hunger”.'

Glenn! we also have the same allotment system.In which about 550 square feet ,(if I am not mistaken) or so is alloted to a family to grow fuel wood on it .Govt. only plants the trees and then the family looks it aftern grow what everthey want alon...

yesterday

Mussarat Nadeem is now friends with Kathryn and amna mufti

yesterday

Everett H. Scott joined Chris Bocchino's group

Wild Edible Hunters

DIscussion group for people who hunt wild edibles.

yesterday

Everett H. Scott left a comment for amy

yesterday

Kathryn commented on Glenn Fletcher's blog post 'What is an Allotment'

I would love to have an allotment, there needs to be more of them.

yesterday

Kathryn commented on Glenn Fletcher's photo 'My Allotment'

great shot, yours seem to have the most on it.

yesterday

amna mufti commented on amna mufti's photo 'Flight of fancy'

Thanx!

yesterday

Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal commented on amna mufti's photo 'Red bugs.'

Your Organic Friends...

yesterday

Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal commented on amna mufti's photo 'Flight of fancy'

BRILLIANT...

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Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal added 4 photos to the album 'TURKY'

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Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal updated their profile photo

yesterday

Glenn Fletcher commented on Glenn Fletcher's blog post 'What is an Allotment'

I pay £50 pounds a year approximately for my allotment. This amount has doubled in the last few years as their popularity has increased. Mine is 300 square yards, although there are smaller ones. The trend nowadays is to split them in two, so they...

yesterday

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Notes

HOW TO - ADD A LINK

Several people have experienced difficulty putting working links into comments and blogs etc and I know it is clumsy.... so here is how you do it.....

First type the text you want to appear.... ie IAN'S PAGE

Then go back and highlight the link text.

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Your browser may intervene and request permission to allow temporary scripting or some similar message. Allow it and go back and highlight the text again

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Created by Ian Jun 7, 2009 at 7:28pm. Last updated by Ian Jun 8.

Forum Policy

Hi, I'm starting to put together a few guidlines on using the discussion forum on here.

I would be happy to hear any comments you may have. This is very much a work in progress so plese feel free to ask me to add anything you think is needed.

I don't want to make our community hide bound by rules and regulations but I think that, as the community has grown, some explanation of what is expected is needed.

Administration

You can refer any que

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Created by Ian May 23, 2009 at 1:55am. Last updated by Ian May 25.

Climate maps

Hi following recent discussion I have put climate maps of the USA, Australia and Europe on here for reference..

Climate map of the USA

Climate map of Australia

Climate map of Europe

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Created by Ian Sep 12, 2008 at 6:20pm. Last updated by Ian Apr 14.

Recipes, Recipes, Recipes

Hi Everyone, I've started to collect together recipes from various posts on the site and put them all together here.

If you have a recipe you want to add on here, just post it on the site and leave a comment on my page telling me where it is and I'll go and fetch it back here.

They are organised in Contributor Order but I'm open to better suggestions!

BEVA'S RECIPES

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Created by Ian Jun 2, 2008 at 9:54am. Last updated by Ian Apr 13.

US STATES ABBREVIATIONS

US STATE ABBREVIATIONS

AK - Alaska               AL - Alabama              AR - Arkansas
AZ - Arizona              CA - California           CO - Colorado
CT - Connecticut          DC - Dist of Columbia *   DE - Delaware
FL - Florida              GA - Georgia              GU

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Created by Ian Jan 27, 2009 at 4:27pm. Last updated by Ian Jan 27.

HOW TO - MAKE COMPOST

Recently there was an excellent discussion about composting. I’ve pulled together all the various comments here. You can also watch KGI's video on composting here.

KATE’S ADVICE

I used to have a tumbler that we made from a wine-barrel but

1 you have to fill it up all at once

2. it seemed mostly

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Created by Ian May 30, 2008 at 5:29am. Last updated by Roger Jan 15.

Notes Home

Welcome to Notes.

To view notes that are in the system hit the "all notes" button above.

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Created by Ian May 28, 2008 at 12:10pm. Last updated by Ian May. 30, 2008.

A Note about Notes

I have just written this note so that I can see what we can achieve by using this new feature.

If you read this and have any suggestions then please leave a comment on my page or email me.