2026 Gardens - My Nebraska Kitchen

This topic has 44 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 hours, 33 minutes ago by Mike Nolan.

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 45 total)

← 1 2 3 →

Author

Posts
May 26, 2026 at 1:42 pm #49300
RiversideLen
Participant
That's a lot of tomatoes, Mike. Do you can the excess?

CWC, I checked Gesthemane's delivery zones, I'm not in there. That's too bad because I wouldn't mind getting some stuff from them.

It's been a little over 2 weeks since I planted my garden, everything is looking good. Tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, and basil.

Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.
May 26, 2026 at 4:53 pm #49304
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
As Paul Harvey used to say, eat what you can, can what you can't.

Last year I made several batches of tomato relish and tomato sauce, but it was not a great year for tomatoes here, about half of my plants only produced a handful of tomatoes. That's why I'm trying several new varieties (for me) this year including

Celebrity Plus
Trophy
Kuzco
Unity
Blue Beech

Estiva was one of my better producers last season, along with 4th of July. (I even had tomatoes ON the 4th of July last season, but I don't expect that to happen this year because the tomatoes are in the ground about two weeks later than a year ago.)
May 26, 2026 at 7:44 pm #49308
cwcdesign
Participant
Len, that's too bad about the delivery zone. Maybe someday you'll go on an adventure. Your plants look gorgeous, however
May 27, 2026 at 2:27 pm #49311
RiversideLen
Participant
I'm lucky that this guy can't reach my tomato plants!

Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.
May 27, 2026 at 6:27 pm #49314
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I haven't seen a lot of rabbits lately, I think the foxes keep the population down. I did have one last year who kept nibbling at my dill.
June 6, 2026 at 1:09 pm #49408
RiversideLen
Participant
My containers are crowded but everything looks good so far.

Buttercup winter squash.

Tomatoes

Tomato and peppers

Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.
June 6, 2026 at 8:15 pm #49413
cwcdesign
Participant
I'm jealous of your tomato plants Len. They are hard to grow here in the heat and humidity and we don't have enough sun at our house to even try.
June 6, 2026 at 8:17 pm #49414
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
Your tomatoes are ahead of mine, but it looks like all of the ones I put in the ground two weeks ago will make it, even the one that looked weak is throwing out new leaves and has a more solid looking main stem now though it is still much smaller than the others, some of which are getting close to a foot tall.

I started seeds indoors for the next round of the hydroponic tomato garden. I'm hoping to have the seedlings in the pots by the 2nd week of July, and that should put me on schedule to start getting tomatoes in October, around the time that the outside plants will be shutting down.

I've got 2 each of five different varieties, I'll take the best looking plants in 4 different varieties for the hydroponic garden. (A 4" net pot will only support one tomato plant.)
June 6, 2026 at 9:39 pm #49415
BakerAunt
Participant
Your garden is looking great, Len! Ours went in late. A deer ate the top off of the plant I bought at last week's farmers market that my husband had planted in a grow bag. It's on the side of the house, so outside of the fence. He plans to put some Deer Out on it, which is what he uses for his trees.
June 7, 2026 at 10:50 pm #49425
RiversideLen
Participant
I like to put cages on my stuff right away to help deter deer. About a week or so ago I saw a couple of deer frolicking around in the yards across the street.

If you compare my latest pic to the ones I posted on May 26, the progress has been great.

I planted 3 squash seeds and intended to pull out one, but they look so good I just can't bring myself to doing it.
June 8, 2026 at 6:43 pm #49429
BakerAunt
Participant
I'm a firm believer that one can never have too many squash!
June 9, 2026 at 5:56 am #49430
Joan Simpson
Participant
Len all your plants look great!
June 9, 2026 at 10:19 am #49431
Mike Nolan
Keymaster
I'm a firm believer that one can never have too many squash!

I feel that way about tomatoes.

My mother-in-law's brother once planted a dozen zucchini, thinking each plant only gave one or two fruit. He was giving them away by the bushel basket, ran out of people in Omaha to give them to, so he was bringing them down to Lincoln.
June 9, 2026 at 7:22 pm #49438
BakerAunt
Participant
I agree with you about tomatoes, Mike, but sadly, we do not have enough garden space that gets sun to allow us to plant as many as I would like.
June 10, 2026 at 4:38 pm #49461
RiversideLen
Participant
The squash is growing like a weed. I really don't know how it's going to work out in the container but time will tell.

I agree with tomatoes being the main thing. The thing is the taste of a homegrown tomato is so much better than store bought. With many other veggies, you get better freshness and no chemical residual but the difference in taste is not as pronounced.

I saw flowers on my pepper plants today, so yeah!
Author

Posts