An inadvertent experiment: I started two flats of onion seedlings in January, and when I put them out to harden in March, some varmint plowed through the flat of Candy.

So I planted out the red seedlings and ordered Candy plants which arrived a month later, much bigger than my skinny little seedlings.

Well, skip to May, and the reds are at least as big and strong as the bought plants. It'll be interesting to compare them at harvest time.

What size pots are you using for the squash? If they are on the ground, the roots might eventually go through to the soil. Might need more water than in the ground too. Are slugs crawling up into the pots? I'd put a stop to that pronto. You can use Sluggo (or generic alternative) around vegetables.

Every year is an experiment for me! However, I am trying to grow a pumpkin plant which I have NO room for, so I'm training it out of my garden and down an adjacent alley. So far so good, it's about 2' out into the alley and has a couple pumpkins on it too, little greenies.

Growing an eggplant for the first time this year, also yellow zucchini instead of the green.

Have fun experimenting. It's the way we learn, isn't it?

I have a few new crops I'm playing with -- Adzuki beans, cluster beans, pigeon peas (which won't do anything, they're a perennial tropical legume that won't bear here, I just wanted to see the plant). And I bought some lentil seeds to throw in to the flower garden here and there, since they're kind of attractive.

Oh yes, I'd love to hear about your container size for the squash. I've hadn't had luck with that, they do better in ground for me. Opposite situation with peppers and eggplant, though.

I'm doing 6 cherry tomatoes varieties this year, hoping to figure out which ones we like the best. Also trying beans again, didn't have much luck with it previously but hoping I can do better this time around.

They are in 3gal.pots @ socks12345,we usually go slug hunting with the kids everynight those things are vicious,then we put them on a bucket with water I have a theory I think those buggers can swim,lol; getting some sluggo tonight:)Also growing eggplants for the first time,I found out there are some varieties I really don't care for(black beauty-green thai) and found these Mexican-Asian store that carries a variety label as "indian eggplant" small purple it may be similar to "rosita" it was good:)I realized last year that I prefer yellow squash instead of green zucchini,so I went for that also growing "magda" didn't know anything about it and could't find info related I was just curious about if it was a vining or bush type,aparently is a bush that is how it looks so far.DENNIMNI:I was tempted with the pigeon peas as well and got them in a trade,after I look for info about them and decided to send them to my sister that lives in TX,she may have better luck than me,I threw 3 seeds in the ground neglect them and they are growing just nothing to wow me yet,will see...@ ltilton funny thing after a trip to the nursery you'll see things so big and practically blooming and of course you panick, don't want to be the neighbor left behind just to find out later that you tiny seedlings had catch up and now they are better looking than the ones you got @ the store:)Also did a little test on melons I have 3 in a pot 2 direct seeded and 1 started in a peat pot at the same time later transplanted in the same container with the others well the one in the peat pot sprouted faster but was clearly set back at transplanting time now is the smaller of the 3 and probably will have to go,but that was something I have read numerous times so just playing around:)

Dennis, I have day-neutral pigeons that I got from ECHO last year. They produced for me in north florida between frosts whereas the standard tropical cultivar of guandul did not. So I brought some of the second generation seed back here and got some in plants pots that I am about to put out. If they make seed by frost then I'll send you some over the winter. The florida crop was quite tasty. it is one tough plant to grow through the florida summer no irrigation and competing with perennial weeds.

Check in with me in november.

This year my experiments are trellising melons and growing shelling beans for the first time. The melons are smaller single serving melons so I hope they don't have to be secured to the trellis. Deer just found the beans, even though I live in the middle of suburbia, so that experiment has been set back a bit. I am excited to see how they both turn out.

Well, I sowed a few Contender beans 2 or 3 weeks early this year as an experiment. The ones that came up are making beans. Very tasty bean. I have had enough for a "mess" for three people from just four plants! I will definitely plant them again (later) next year.

After one after another SVB attacks last year, I have planted only moschata varieties this year. The Tromboncinos (the only summer squash moschatas I could find. Are there others?) are blooming now and I am anxious to try them. Internet reviews rate them as anything from tasty to yucku. We'll see. If we don't like them, I'll pull them out and plant something else. The three winter squash (Mosque de Provence, Pennsylvania Dutch crookneck, and Black Futsu) have been difficult to germinate for some reason, but they're all up and running now.

I am eagerly watching my first garlic crop. Some have started to offset and regrow new leaves, due, I expect, to a wet spring. Those heads, I dug today. I will definitely need to use them first. The others are not ready. They still resemble big green onions with no cloves visible. So, like an expectant mom, I will keep watching for the "signs". It has been fun and educational. I will definitely try garlic again next year. It's easy and I have plenty of room through the winter here.

I have seventeen different varieties of tomatoes this year, including 3 hybrids: Sungold, Juliet, and Big Beef. I am picking tomatoes from Sungold, and the other two are imminent. The heirlooms are loading up, though. I am on the hunt for the best tasting, most productive varieties for my hot climate. We shall see!

And, as soon as my sweet potato slips arrive, I'll begin that experiment....

And yes, I also have cucumbers, beans, and cowpeas growing! :)

Everything is an experiment for me as this is my 1st veggie garden.

ItsyBitsy -- put some soap in the slug water -- kills 'em whereas plain water won't.

Season 3 (F3) of a Cubanelle x Anaheim cross trying to produce a prolific thick-walled Anaheim-type with the taste/sweetness characteristics of a Cubanelle type I love, but is very thin-walled and crinkled. I try to get 2 generations in the ground on these kinds of experiments, but I've not had the space or time the past few years. I'm not in a hurry, though.

The plants are being selected for taste, vigor, flower/fruit set, unwrinkled Anaheim-type blunt/pointed nose pods, and thick walls (lots of thick fruit mass).

It's gonna take a few more years to stabilize (mostly pod type/shape and vigor based on last year).

Donna what signs do you watch for before digging the garlic? When the leaves start to brown? I think I let mine go too far last summer as the heads were oversized and overgrown.

Garlic is pretty cheap at the store, but it's fun and super-easy to grow your own, and it hasn't been sprayed with anything (at least mine).

So do you have to bag the flowers and do artificial pollination?

I think the whole garden is an experiment, sometimes! I always have lots of experiments in varieties, have new corn, tomato, potato, garlic, leeks, beets, cowpeas, yard long beans, bush beans, and pea varieities. I'm experimenting with different mulching materials, succession planting, a cattle panel, plus experiments with storage methods and canning, etc... Plus of course experiments with new recipes! Also trying new fertilizing techniques and some new tools. This is the stuff I live for! :)

Yes, I bag and pollinate to make the initial cross, but I only bag 2-3 flowers/pods per plant I want to continue. I usually do this to 3-4 plants.

It's informal, but not messy.

For the initial pollination, I get to the flowers before they open, but are very close to bud break. I remove the petals with a tweezer. The pollen is pretty much "too sticky" at this point and self-pollination chances are lessened. There's generally always a flower open on the male donor to collect pollen from. I could collect/dry/freeze pollen for later germination, but I've never come close to having to do this for a pepper cross.

Oh yeah...and I bag the flowers of whatever seeds I want to select for future generations after the initial cross fruits (and all generations following until "stable").

Since peppers are self-fertile this is extremely easy and accurate since you can bag them before they open.

My grapes grow along a Geneva Double Curtain trellis system. There is ample ground beneath the vines. This year i decided to plant my winter squash under the trellis to see if they would grow well in the partial shade. So far so good, some of the vines are 5 feet long with fruit on them already.

Yes,just got back from my snail hunting and did as suggested by Deborah(thank you),SOAP it works like magic,sooo theraupedic,:D(evil smile).What variety of winter squash are you growing? pitcom:)
That's very interesting nc-crn,I'm not in the cool people league yet;)

Trellising cantaloupe, honeydew, and jack b little pumpkins. Also started a worm bin indoors.

Donna, Contender is a great bean to try early in the South. Leave the Northern varieties like Provider and Bountiful for the North. Contender is NOT good for fall, though, unless you plan to shell it. Pods develop a plastic-like fibrous layer in cool fall weather. I did an experiment with heat-tolerant beans at various seasons one year, and Brio worked nicely planted in hot soil for fall harvest. It can be hard to even get dark-seeded beans to sprout in hot soil.

This year, I'm comparing two "black" cherry tomatoes, two orange ones plus two red ones on compact plants. For bigger tomatoes, I'm comparing two black varieties, three pink and three orange or yellow varieties. Plus I'm comparing disease-resistant, common red varieties for adaptation to our climate and fruit characteristics.

I took my leftover potatoes we didn't get around to eating and planted some in a potato tower, some in a planter in the house a couple months ago...the rest just regular in the garden. I'm growing watermelon radishes for the first time, and pak choi. Things have been rather hectic around here this spring, so I'll be starting cukes and bush beans tomorrow rather than a month ago.

A good gardener is always experimenting. The more you learn, the more you realize how much you still don't know. ;-)

- Trellising my "Zucchetta Rampicante" (a.k.a. Tromboncino) summer squash. The vines will be supported by CRW (concrete reinforcing wire) on an old swing set frame (row 1), and a string trellis between fence posts (row 2). It will be interesting to see which trellis works better. I've trellised Tromboncino before, but just one plant... usually I just let them trail, since the vines root where they touch the ground. No extra roots this year, so probably less plant vigor late in the season. I expect less per plant, but there will be more plants closer together... I will be comparing the yield with what I usually harvest from the same area.

Donnabaskets, Tromboncino is a vigorous climber, so you might want to try this. As I mentioned, on the ground the vines will root & get stronger throughout the season. They will take up A LOT of space if allowed to trail... up to 10-15 feet in all directions even here, and you've got a lot more growing season than I do.

- Still selecting from "Purple Pod Parsley", an unstable purple-podded shelling pea. It has parsley-like leaves in place of tendrils, so it grows like a bush & doesn't need support. This will be the third generation, and I expect to see a high percentage of completely purple pods, and to begin selecting for flavor & yield. The plants are grown under cover to prevent crosses by insects.

- I have two winter-hardy multiplier onions that I usually plant in Fall, along with my garlic. This year, I held back some of each to Spring plant. This was easy, because they have a very long storage life. I will be comparing the bulb development between the two plantings. If Spring planting is successful, I might be able to Fall plant the results, and double the rate of multiplication. I held back some bulbs of Pearl Onion as well, but they proved to be poor keepers, and died in storage.

- Will be trying shredded leaves as mulch on my garlic this Fall. I've tried wheat straw in years past, and there were so many seeds in the straw that the bed looked like a lawn come Spring! Marsh hay was better, but just introduced different weeds. Tried no mulch at all last Fall, which I've tried before with great results... but with our early warm-up this year (and numerous subsequent freezes) frost heave killed almost 1/3 of my garlic. The shredded leaves will overcome the weed issue & prevent frost heave, but it remains to be seen if they will hold in too much moisture & cause rotting.

- Unlike most years, I am not using inoculant on my yardlongs & cowpeas this year. I'm not a big believer in inoculating beans & peas every year, but I make an exception for cowpeas. I noticed a serious decline in productivity in yardlongs during one season when they were not inoculated. That wasn't the greatest of years, though, so I am testing the theory again this year. It's worth noting that I experimented with inoculant vs. control that same year with cowpeas, and the inoculated were noticeably more vigorous.

- Will be trellising my indeterminate tomatoes this year, trimming them to 2-3 runners each & pinching off all suckers. It is my hope that this will reduce or eliminate damage by slugs & rodents, without getting sunburn in exchange. Not sure what I'm getting into, though, since I already use about 400 feet of trellis each year without tomatoes.

- Am growing 3 plants of Egyptian spinach in a large pot, to be moved indoors when the weather cools. It has set pods before, but I could never quite get seed before frost. While indoor lighting may not be ideal & I expect the plant to shed most of its leaves, I hope it will allow the plant to mature & dry at least a few pods.

That, and growing 95 different vegetables for seed, plus 20 onions & garlics.

Sorry for the long post... but you did ask. ;-)

Denninmi, what is the source for the adzuki you are trying? If it doesn't work out, I've got two named short-season cultivars that you might like to try, "Buff" and "Takara Early". I'm growing both for seed this year. My seed for "Takara" is from 2005, and still has about 90% germination. Which reminds me...

- I planted a wide range of my older seed this year, and am observing germination rates to get a better idea of their respective storage lives. Most of the seeds (74 varieties) were grown in 2005-2007. The experiment is still ongoing, since I planted the last of my beans & soybeans today... but the results so far are encouraging. I will post again when the experiment is complete.

Because ya'll mention the "tramboncino" squash I did a google search and find it very interesting,someone out there has is trained over a pergola with all the blossoms (male and female)hanging down it it looks beautiful almost like yellow angel trumpets stunning I wonder if is a challenge to peel when fully mature...

I had 4 test plots with Bahia Grass on them.
1) I tried solorization with transparent Polyethylene on one plot. I covered the plot & forgot about it until the poly ripped from the sun & wind damage,(90 days) by then most of the grass was dead.

2. I tilled the soil & removed the loose grass down 6-8 inches on plot 2. I got about 1/100 of the grass out of the soil, before the planting time on raised bed took me away from the experiment.It is now covered with more grass,worked 5 hours on it & did not get back for 36 days. It is now covered again with grass & weeds.
   3)On plot 3, my plan was to used Herbicide to kill the weeds. I saved this plot til last so I could see how well the others did. Plot 1 was so easy & killed 98% of the grass, that I am not going to use any herbicide. It may be as quick or quicker, but I think as long as I can kill the perennial grass with poly, then no herbicide.
   4) 4th plot has 1/2 inches of cardboard on it, between the Blue berries. It is killing everything, but the bahia grass,
   I can not till or use herbicide which could kill the blue berries.So I may hoe the bahia grass & hope for the best.
   Need to kill the grass, before mulching the plot.
   I also tried mulching a plot with 8-12 inches of unfinished compost to smoother the plants & grass. I now have not weeds in that plot, only 12 inch tall bahia grass, with matted root system.

My experiment to prevent cucumber beetles was to spray nematodes over the entire area, plant a trap plant and spray it with systemic incecticide, and place a cucumber beetle lure and trap next to the trap plant. All of which I have done, but as usual, not a single beetle has appeared. Nothing on the sticky trap with the lure, no sign of beetle damage on the trap plant, no dead beetles.

I suspect another failed experiment, and I'm now expecting them to come out of nowhere in another month and lay waste, as usual. Unless the nematodes work on the grubs laid by beetles that don't seem to exist.

So far, most of my experiments involve just trying to do something successfully. This year's I am hoping to successfully grow celery root and Belgian endive for forcing. I am also playing with rhubarb. I bought a plant, got it in the ground and then it became hot very quickly, I just hope it survives. I am hoping to acquire some Jerusalem artichokes as well this fall. I also am continuing on my quest for winter gardening ala Eliot Coleman. My biggest challenge has been finding the right time for seeding things and which varieties work best for my climate.

Next year, I want to begin experimenting with corns for flour and garbanzo beans. If I get more ambitious, I may try standard artichokes.

Itzy - If you use tromboncino as a summer squash there is no need to peel it. I love this squash but only use it as a summer squash. One word of warning, in addition to it's huge size, I have grown numerous plants and all of them have produced good squash except one. If you squash starts out as kind of a dull yellow color then just yank the plant because the squash will be hard and yucky. It should be light green and very thin skinned. The neck has no seeds and the bulb has very few when it is small. The flesh is a nice buttery color.

My experiment this year is growing a bunch of onions that are long day types even though I live in a intermediate day climate. So far they are big and strong, but just now starting to bulb up when my intermediate day onions are almost finished. I didn't expect it to work, but it looks like it may.

everything is an experiment this year lol. I have been container gardening the last few years with peppers and tomatoes. This year is the first I have an in-ground garden. Peppers, zuchinni, cucumber, bush beans, and okra. Due to deer problems I still keep my tomatoes in containers. So far the deer has eaten all the okra and half a row of string beans. I put up a motion sprinkler and so far my beans are safe. my second batch of okra seedlings are almost ready to transplant. i'll have to get another sprinkler to keep the deer off of them

This is basically my first garden... The whole thing is an experiment!!

I sowed mung beans yesterday for the first time, as a cover crop, to see how they do in this climate.

I'm growing yard long beans instead of the usual pole beans this year. And I have sage, which I've never planted before. I'm excited about the beans. They're tiny, but I can't wait to see what they do.

alys, the seed pack of yard long beans I have says to pick the beans at 18 inches, because they are tender at that length. I agree with them, they were great.

I'm currently experimenting with growing kiwano, sugar cane, and stevia for the first time.

I also had some spare peppers that I've been doing experimental pruning on.

Well, my whole garden is an experiment every year (Mom vs. the bunnies, Mom vs. slugs, Mom vs. the neighbor's cat. Who will win?).
But my real experiment this year is growing potatoes.

I used certified organic seed potatoes and planted them in raised beds in four short rows about a month ago and now have plants growing like gangbusters. I have hilled them once with soil, and again with salt marsh hay. One more hilling with the hay will probably be needed in a month, according to the directions I have. Having a bale of salt marsh hay handy has been great for the other vegetables, too, for mulching to keep the weeds down. And the hay smells like the ocean!

I won't know the outcome of the "potato experiment" until it's time to dig some out. I am operating totally on a combination of info I got from Seedsavers (where I got the seed potatoes) and Gardeners Supply. I am not hoping for enough potatoes to get us through the winter (as if), I am just hoping for a few suppers with "mom grown" potatoes.
Wish me luck!

Itzybitzy,

I am growing many varieties of winter squash this year. We have a horribly large population of vine borers here in the mid-atlantic states, so I am trying many new varieties this year. So far, the bugs win against everything, even the moschata types. I do however get decent crops before the plants die out. Here are some of the ones I am growing...

Long of Naples
Vegetable Spaghetti
Blue Hubbard
Rogosa Violina Gioia Butternut
Chiriman
Galeux D Eysines
Musquee De Provence Pumpkin

And finally, one I am really excited to try, Geraumon Martinique.

So cool to read what everybody is doing,learning so much had not idea that the funky melon was also called "kiwano",sugar cane in zone7 impresive:o)Edymnion...lol@MCgregor;o.Awesome list you have there pitcom!!!

Yeah, I lost one cane to a couple of freezes, but the other one is going gangbuster right now.