Comments on: Sometimes It’s Hard To Tell the Vegetables From the Flowers http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/ Organic Grocery Market, Shop Local, Small Farms, Family Farms Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:01:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tony Flynn in Papua New Guinea http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5433 Tony Flynn in Papua New Guinea Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:57:59 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5433 Hi Gene, Your books have shown me that my dream here is achievable. I am starting at 72 in a remote location called Wau in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. There are subsistance farmers here in Papua new Guinea, there are no small farmers as known to the readers of your books. I am trying to develop 60 acres of clay soil adapting your guidelines. I have to produce clay drain tiles from the clay for subsoil drains 4ft. To do this I have to produce bricks for a kiln. Nobody has this technology in PNG, maybe a reader could pass on their experience in small scale clay manufacture. I learnt how to protect wheat from insects in a steel drum by lighting a candle to exhaust the oxygen. This was shown to me by an American couple at Kabiufa SDA High School, it sems very sensible with the benefit of cheapness. Regards Tony Flynn Hi Gene,
Your books have shown me that my dream here is achievable. I am starting at 72 in a remote location called Wau in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
There are subsistance farmers here in Papua new Guinea, there are no small farmers as known to the readers of your books. I am trying to develop 60 acres of clay soil adapting your guidelines. I have to produce clay drain tiles from the clay for subsoil drains 4ft. To do this I have to produce bricks for a kiln. Nobody has this technology in PNG, maybe a reader could pass on their experience in small scale clay manufacture.
I learnt how to protect wheat from insects in a steel drum by lighting a candle to exhaust the oxygen. This was shown to me by an American couple at Kabiufa SDA High School, it sems very sensible with the benefit of cheapness.
Regards
Tony Flynn

]]> By: inadvertent farmer http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5409 inadvertent farmer Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:42:34 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5409 Love potato blossoms but pea blossoms are my favorite...I personally belive flowers are more beautiful when I know they are leading to something yummy to eat! Kim Love potato blossoms but pea blossoms are my favorite…I personally belive flowers are more beautiful when I know they are leading to something yummy to eat! Kim

]]> By: Kerri http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5374 Kerri Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:15:22 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5374 I don't know if it's because I always start potatoes so late or if the growing season isn't long enough but I haven't had flowering potatoes here in Anchorage, AK. Potato tubers happen whether they flower or not, a good thing - yes? It's bloom city around my garden now. Shell peas, strawberries, corn, squash, pumpkin, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, Empress of India nasturiums, Himalayan poppies, daylilies, horseradish, borage, and hardy roses - not to mention fireweed, white clover, plantain, dandelion, chickweed, butter and eggs, lambsquarter, pineapple weed, salvia, valerian and chives. Bush and pole beans should start soon. Might have to look close for flowers (chickweed in particular) but it's quite the profusion. The bees love it and so do I! Kerri in AK I don’t know if it’s because I always start potatoes so late or if the growing season isn’t long enough but I haven’t had flowering potatoes here in Anchorage, AK. Potato tubers happen whether they flower or not, a good thing – yes?

It’s bloom city around my garden now. Shell peas, strawberries, corn, squash, pumpkin, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, Empress of India nasturiums, Himalayan poppies, daylilies, horseradish, borage, and hardy roses – not to mention fireweed, white clover, plantain, dandelion, chickweed, butter and eggs, lambsquarter, pineapple weed, salvia, valerian and chives. Bush and pole beans should start soon. Might have to look close for flowers (chickweed in particular) but it’s quite the profusion.

The bees love it and so do I!

Kerri in AK

]]> By: Gene Logsdon http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5372 Gene Logsdon Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:27:15 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5372 Jan, I just don't know. Pinching and suckering and pruning in many cases means bigger fruits, as in suckering tomatoes. My response is always the same including suckering tomatoes. It is a lot of work and is it worth it to get bigger fruits or more foliage or whatever? I don't really want bigger potatoes. Medium sized ones are easier to cook, right? Gene Jan, I just don’t know. Pinching and suckering and pruning in many cases means bigger fruits, as in suckering tomatoes. My response is always the same including suckering tomatoes. It is a lot of work and is it worth it to get bigger fruits or more foliage or whatever? I don’t really want bigger potatoes. Medium sized ones are easier to cook, right? Gene

]]> By: Jan Steinman http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5366 Jan Steinman Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:09:53 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5366 My dad always pinched off the flowers. He said it made the potatoes bigger if the plant didn't put its resources into setting seed. I know a lot of gardeners who follow similar procedures on other plants -- pinching of basil flowers to make the plant produce more foliage, for example. Apart from the obvious disadvantage of not being able to enjoy the flowers, what do you think of that theory, Gene? Is it just "an old wives' tale?" My dad always pinched off the flowers. He said it made the potatoes bigger if the plant didn’t put its resources into setting seed.

I know a lot of gardeners who follow similar procedures on other plants — pinching of basil flowers to make the plant produce more foliage, for example.

Apart from the obvious disadvantage of not being able to enjoy the flowers, what do you think of that theory, Gene? Is it just “an old wives’ tale?”

]]> By: Gene Logsdon http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5363 Gene Logsdon Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:40:48 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5363 Jennifer: the variety in the photos is Red Norland. We got the seed potatoes from friends with an organic garden farm business. I had never heard of Red Norlands before two years ago, but for a red potato, they are really super. Our other variety, Yukon Gold, has creamy white flowers as you describe. Ann: what a great story about Marie Antonette and potato blooms. Let us not check it out too closely but just assume that it is true. Kathy, I confess I never knew about Passionflower. I must try it but it may be too cold here. Susan: obviously you have lots of company in the appreciation of vegetable flowers. Gene Logsdon Jennifer: the variety in the photos is Red Norland. We got the seed potatoes from friends with an organic garden farm business. I had never heard of Red Norlands before two years ago, but for a red potato, they are really super. Our other variety, Yukon Gold, has creamy white flowers as you describe.
Ann: what a great story about Marie Antonette and potato blooms. Let us not check it out too closely but just assume that it is true.
Kathy, I confess I never knew about Passionflower. I must try it but it may be too cold here.
Susan: obviously you have lots of company in the appreciation of vegetable flowers. Gene Logsdon

]]> By: karen http://www.yourlocalmarketblog.com/2009/07/01/sometimes-its-hard-to-tell-the-vegetables-from-the-flowers/#comment-5362 karen Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:55:00 +0000 http://organictobe.org/?p=3021#comment-5362 Yes, indeedy, my potatoes are also exceptionally floriferous this year, and the blue ones are fruiting, so I will be experimenting with seeds. Alway something to look forward to.... Yes, indeedy, my potatoes are also exceptionally floriferous this year, and the blue ones are fruiting, so I will be experimenting with seeds. Alway something to look forward to….

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