Zero harvest and zero gardening this past week. Forced to stay indoor the whole week.
All outdoor activities were at a standstill and all commitments and classes were cancelled or rescheduled due to a nasty spring cold compounded by seasonal allergies. By weekend was able to remain in a vertical position most of the day, so this week promises to be a better one. Not yet fully recovered, but should be a good week nonetheless, and by weekend I should be 100%. Better be, company is coming.
Many of my indoor seedlings have suffered from this past week’s neglect and it is too late to restart. Fortunately there are local nurseries where I can go to purchase a number of the plants I need.
But even better, there is the Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County master gardener yearly plant sale where I know for sure they have the Ping Tung eggplant I grow and 21 variety of tomatoes (this is a dilemma, trying to decide which tomato varieties to grow, I have limited garden space and can grow only so many tomato plants).
Click here for more information about the Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County master gardener’s plant sale, May 17 & 18, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. and their list of annuals, vegetables, culinary herbs and perennials.
The “Comments” column of each plants’ list contains a wealth of information. You may want to peruse the lists even if you are not able to or have no interest in purchasing plants.
My ginger (started rooting on 1/14/13 posted an update on 2/18/13) all sprouted (100%).
The smaller ginger rhizomes are doing well
The thicker ginger rhizomes are not doing well
Don’t know what the problem is. Maybe due to the yo-yoing weather, maybe they need to be bumped up to larger pots. If the latter is the case, I have a big problem on my hand. Lacking a greenhouse, where am I going to house all those plants until early June when the soil is warm and I can plant them in the ground? Need to put on my thinking cap.
The chayote (started rooting on 4/1/13) is growing
This is so exciting, looking forward to following the chayote’s progress and wondering if I will be harvesting any chayote????? Am hoping I will. Shall keep you posted.
Daffodils
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Garden to Wok 
I hope you get over the spring allergies soon my friend and your ginger shoots look so healthy!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hello Uru,
We had rain and that helped reducing the pollen.
Thinking about you Norma. Soon Warm weather will come and you will feel better. Phyll
Hello Phyllis,
Thanks, feeling a lot better today. Happy belated birthday, sorry I missed Friday.
I hope you feel better each day! We did you proud in the vegetable garden at Locust Grove last Thursday. Most of the garden was weeded and topped with manure. Hope to see you this Thursday! Pat
Hello Pat,
Thanks, feeling a whole better today. See you Thursday, hopefully the whole garden is tilled and we will be in full planting mode.
Oh no, I hope you’re feeling better soon and can get back to garden business.
Hello Barbara,
I cannot wait to get back to garden business, lots of catching up to do.
I’ll be interested to see what comes of your Chayote too! Hope it goes well. Sorry you have been sick and your seedlings have suffered.
Hello Shawn Ann,
I hope the chayote grows well too, my first try.
Sure hope you really are on the mend. Sounds like you were really knocked down for a while. Good idea about plan “B” for the seedlings. Always a way to deal with set backs. I have ginger in pots in the greenhouse but it is too cold yet for them to make an appearance. I am hoping in May that I will see them begin to emerge as the night time temps start increasing for us.
Hello Laura,
Yep, I was surely down but am up as of yesterday and itching to get into the garden. Our nighttime temp is still in the 30’s, I too am hoping it starts to increase soon.
Despite all that…I do like your fighting spirit…Way to go Norma….hope you feel much much better and will have the best week ever 🙂
Hello Anne,
Thanks for cheering me on, I needed that. Feeling a whole lot better today.
My daffodils haven’t bloomed yet, they are still too afraid to come up, way too cold; it even snowed on and off on Saturday. The ginger looks good, too bad about the larger ones. My garlic hasn’t sprouted yet and I’m a bit worried.
Hope you allergies are done, I have a slight allergy to mold so the spring thaw is never nice for me.
Hello Eva,
What’s wrong with mother nature, doesn’t she realize April is coming to an end? Hope the snow did not stick around and your daffodils will be in full bloom soon.
Do you know any gardener who could spare you some garlic greens? If so, plants the whole thing and it should form head, will not be very large but still a head.
Had some rain which dampened the pollen and that help, season should be over soon.
Thanks for the tip Norma. No, thank goodness the snow was very temporary. This week should be warmer. I can see the blooms on the trees, so I’m hoping this is spring.
I hope you are feeling 100% ASAP Norma!
Hello Alyssa,
I am feeling a whole lot better today and by weekend I hope to be 100%.
I’m glad you are feeling better. The season allergies are getting to me too.
Hello Daphne,
Thanks, itching to get into the garden, but should wait a few more days. Hope your seasonal allergy is not too serious.
Get well and stay fit, Norma.
Hello Angie,
Thanks, I hope to stay fit from now on.
Thanks for the updates, dear Norma!
Hello Sophie,
You are welcome.
I grew chayote last year, 2 of them. They grew and grew, lots of nice big green leaves, but no chayote. I hope you’ll have better luck. And get healthy soon, too.
Hello NG,
What zone are you in? This is my first time growing it so I have no idea what to expect, I am in zone 6.
I’m also in zone 6, but I may have planted mine too late. From what I read, they need about 5 months of growing season to produce fruits. Mac from High Desert Garden mentioned that you can eat the young shoots, so even if you don’t get any fruit I’d say it wouldn’t be a total loss. I haven’t tried the chayote shoots myself, but I’ve tried opo squash shoots and they are quite delicious.
Hello NG,
I did not know you could eat opo squash shoots, learnt something new, thanks.
Yes, Mac had mentioned that she uses chayote shoots, looking forward to trying it. Am thinking perhaps I should pinch back my chayote so that it will branch out more since I have only one plant.
Hope your back to your best real soon………….I can imagine all the plans and lists your making whilst resting! Thanks for the link to the Co -op plant sale, very interesting!
Hello Andrea,
Thanks, I hope so too. Will you be going to the plant sale?
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been sick! I hope this week is much better for you, Norma! xx
Hello Celia,
Thanks, I am sure this is going to be a much, much better week.
So sorry to hear you haven’t been well. I love the look of the ginger. It has taken off so very well. Can’t wait to see your harvest xx
Hello Charlie,
I can’t wait for my harvest too, but first I need to get the seedlings into the ground, nighttime temp is still in the 30’s. Waiting for warmer nights.
A cold on top of allergies? You poor thing. I have allergies most of the time because I’m allergic to cats and we have two (dumb, I know). Take care of yourself. I know your harvest will be terrific this year. It *feels* like a good year.
Hello Maureen,
Thanks for the vote of confidence, I sure hope this is a good harvest year, am way behind but will try to catch up.
Sorry that you’ve not been feeling well, Norma, and I hope you’re feeling better very soon. I’ve not been bothered much by allergies but have stayed indoors, nonetheless. Our weather has been cold and rainy, too much for any kind of work outdoors. This too shall pass … 🙂
Hello John,
Am feeling much, much better, thanks. Built up a lot of “cold-immunity” (I hope).
I’ve just realised that what you call Chayote is what we call a choko. They grow like weeds here and no one seems to eat them. I hope yours do well as I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with them.
Hello Liz,
Yes, chayote and choko are the same item. Chayote is not supposed to grow where I am, but thought I’d give it a try and since I am giving it a head start, perhaps I will get a few little fruits.
Sorry that you haven’t been feeling well. I hope this week is much better so that you can enjoy your company. 🙂
Hello Karen,
I am feeling much, much better, thanks.
Thank goodness…I’m happy you are better.
Hello Karen,
Thanks, not quite up to speed but getting there.
Glad to hear your feeling a bit better! The weather is tricky this spring, I agree. My little seedlings aren’t doing all that great either…thinking they need more sun (as do I)! I may be buying a few plants too this year…
Hello RRB,
I think, I hope, our weather has stabilized, night time temp is still in the 30’s and 40’s though. May be by next week weather will be back to normal.
Darn allergies! I have them too. Have you tried a teaspoon of local honey each day? I’ve read it helps, but not sure if its true.
Hello FA,
It was allergies + a nasty cold. I heard about the local honey and I do have local honey in the pantry but I do not have a sweet tooth and cannot see myself downing a teaspoon of honey every day.
I just bought some chayote and planning to grow them too. The shoots can also be eaten so it is a bonus.
Hello Diana,
How do you cook the chayote shoots?
Hope you feel better soon Norma…I look forward to see the chayotes 🙂
Hello Juliana,
I am feeling better, thanks. I too am looking forward to the chayote progress.
Sorry to hear about your allergies. I get those too around the spring time. Have you tried neti pot or Nettle tea? It came highly recommended from my Naturopathic doc. Feel better!
Hello Anne,
It was allergies + a nasty cold. No, I have not tried neti pot or nettle tea, thanks for the suggestion, will look into it.
I hope you’re feeling better. We’ve had that going around here too. Here’s wishing you speedy recovery!
Hello Kristy,
I am feeling better, thanks. Whatever it was it was nasty. Hope you and the family are all well.
Norma, I’m so sorry you’re still fighting this cold. My mom, who I just came back from visiting, had one for 3 weeks, extremely exacerbated by pollen. Take good care and I hope the weekend finds you well on the mend.
Hello Betsy,
Guess I had the same thing as your Mom, took me 3 weeks also to recover, glad allergy season is coming to an end.
So glad to hear that you ARE recovered, Norma! 🙂
Hello Betsy,
Thanks, I am glad too, it was not a fun 3 weeks.
So sorry to hear that you are not feeling too well Norma,
I hope you will be fully recovered soon, please take good care of yourself
Hello Sawsan,
I am feeling much, much better, thanks.
Hope that you are feeling better Norma. Looking forward to watching that chayote grow, as I don’t know much about them!
Hello Barb,
Thanks, am feeling much, much better. This is the first time I am attempting to grow a chayote not sure what the results will be.