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Hungry? Let’s trip on over to Eric’s house

Posted Nov 5, 2009 by Loren Omoto

Updated Nov 5, 2009 at 10:58 PM

It seems to have become something of a Dirt initiation rite: When someone new starts commenting here, we hound them for garden photos till they cough some up.

Showing excellent response to nagging, whiz kid agrigeek Eric Young emailed several great photos—along with information about what he’s got growing. Like Chip and Diane, he has quite the edible landscape.

I have never seen asparagus growing, and for good reason—it’s supposed to be very difficult to grow this far south. Not only does Eric have asparagus, he’s managed to harvest a few spears.

“It was really not enough to make a meal of,” he writes, but he expects more next spring.

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“The other side of the asparagus. My papaya tree has a few fruits on it. Hoping to harvest them before the freezes. The beds below the tree have tomatoes, basil and strawberries.”

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Those papayas are impressive!

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“My HydroStacker (minus a few parts). These things are really convenient and take up about 1/5th of the space! They use a soil-less medium, perlite, so they are extremely light. You do have to fertilize them frequently but they are worth it! I grew so much basil/herbs on it last year I had more than I knew what to do with!”

Check out HydroStackers at www.hydrostacker.com.

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“I just put in my sugarsnap peas a few weeks ago and they’re not doing so good. They seem to be drying out fast. Last year we picked a TON of them.”

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“My family’s favorite citrus: the Pomelo. This large relative of the grapefruit has either white or pink flesh and has a much milder taste than the grapefruit.”

I’ve had pomelo and it’s really good. It can also sit around for months without rotting after it’s picked. (Correct, Eric? That’s what I was told—haven’t tested the theory!)

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Delicious looking garden, Eric. I can’t wait till I reach Asparagus Level. I think I have a long way to go. 

 

Reader Comments

Posted by (mangoman) on November 05, 2009

Thank you for the posting! You did a great job writing it up! Strange looking at my garden in pictures… everything doesn’t look as real…

Again, Thanks!

Eric Young

Posted by (Dave C) on November 05, 2009

Papaya’s intriguing. I think it’ll grow well where I reside. I just might give it a shot.

Posted by (Dave C) on November 05, 2009

By the way… Does anyone know how to eradicate balsam apple vine? These things seem to be impossible to shake!

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on November 05, 2009

What a pretty plant the asparagus is. My fave veggie. Fennel is pretty and feathery like that too. And what a lovely smell too. I’ve never seen mangoes growing either. Interesting. Does the tree get bigger than that?

What an articulate young man with an awesome green thumb. I’m impressed. Another Farmer Rick in the making. Way to go Eric.

Posted by (Dave C) on November 05, 2009

We’re trying milkweed in pots out front. They seems to be doing great, blooming already and expanding rapidly. The Biz and Meyer are planted, taking their time.

Haven’t had much time to devote to the yard lately. We’ll get moving on it again shortly.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on November 06, 2009

I had to look that up, Penny. You are right about fennel being a butterfly food, along with dill and parsley. They attract the swallowtail variety. And here I only liked the plant for it’s feathery looks. Nature is full of fun surprises and has such a wonderful order about it.

BTW—-there is a new gardeners site I stumbled onto.
www.gardenersindex.com

Posted by (Chip) on November 06, 2009

Way to go Eric asparagus is a hard crop to do here but you really have found its happy spot! Being able to eat the fruit of your labor just make’s it just a bit better.  “Chip”

Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on November 06, 2009

Eric, Great looking vegtable garden. Do you know who sells papaya? I would like to plants some at the school I work at. Have you tried growing banana trees? Very easy and would look good with the papaya trees. Janice

Posted by (mangoman) on November 06, 2009

Janice, I don’t know anybody personally that sells papaya trees. I’ve got one that I can’t plant sitting in my backyard right now if you want it. It’s about 3 feet tall. I can’t plant it due to lack of room in my yard but if you want it please take it. I’m not sure that winter would be the best time to plant a papaya tree. I would wait until at least march (they really get hurt in the freezes).

I’d love to plant banana trees but I’m out of room.

Eric

Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on November 06, 2009

Eric, The area at the school I want to plant the papaya is a toasty place surrended by red bricks. I will have Penny give you my email address so you can contact me and I can come pick it up. Thanks Janice

Posted by (Janna) on November 06, 2009

Wow, Eric! Impressive garden - what a green thumb you have! I really like the papaya (looks like you’ll have a good crop!) and I’ve never seen asparagus growing before - yours looks nice and healthy. The HydroStacker does seem like it’s perfect for herbs! Thanks for sharing the photos and info!

Good to see you back here, Dave. Nice to know your milkweed is doing well - I have some milkweed seeds I’ll be planting soon.

Posted by (Chip) on November 06, 2009

I know what you mean about not enough room Eric! our garden is encroaching on our neighbors on both side’s. we are lucky to have such good neighbors [they do not mind as long as I do the work!] Kerby’s Has a big selection of fruiting tree’s Diane and I went there after the field trip. They even had jack fruit and Barbados cherry those are the two oddest fruit tree’s I have ever seen. when we go there I get a bad case of the “I want’s” then where would we put it comes up and well a guy can dream right? ..“Chip”

Posted by (mangoman) on November 06, 2009

Yeah, I know what you mean Chip. I recently saw somebody on gardenweb that had sooooooooo many types of fruit trees (he’s in south fl though) the list would’ve taken at least two pages! That list made me drool!!  Who was it that wanted the chinese skullcapp seeds?

I’ll be working at Mrs. Brandies open garden tommorow from 9:30-1. It’s open to anyone.

Eric

Posted by (Janna) on November 06, 2009

Eric, I was the one that wanted some skullcap seeds if you have extra. I can save some hollyhock seeds for you if you want. (The flowers are not edible, but they are big and beautiful!) I know what you and Chip mean about needing more garden room. It probably won’t be long before I start ripping up some more grass to make room for flowers (including the yesterday, today and tomorrow seeds I got from Chip.)

Posted by (Janna) on November 06, 2009

I will be out of town tomorrow, but for the future, where is Mrs. Brandie’s garden?

Posted by (mangoman) on November 06, 2009

Ummm… My mom drives me there so I never think about how to get there… Her address is 1508 Burning Tree lane Brandon, fl. I guess you could google or mapquest it.

I’ll bring the seeds to her house next saturday. I might be out of town at my grandparents house (:D) but I’m sure if I leave it there she can give them to you.

Does anybody here have a gardenweb acount?

Posted by (mangoman) on November 06, 2009

Yes, Nov. 14 is also 10-1.

Eric

Posted by (Kim Franke-Folstad) on November 06, 2009

I picked up a papaya tree a few months ago at Lowe’s. It looks just like Eric’s—but without the papayas! I can’t wait until mine gets some fruit. I have it in a nice sunny place on the side of the house.
Like Eric, I am running out of room in my yard. (It’s my own fault, though.) The poor tree sat in its pot for a couple of weeks before I found a place for it. Now it is growing and growing.

Posted by (Chip) on November 07, 2009

Any one else going to the plant auction? No fish fry this year!  to bad that made the trip worth it by it self. If you know some one who need’s to re landscape there house this event is for them, these guy’s all try and out do each other each year with what they donate to the auction so most of there very best is sent in! See you there if you are going ...“Chip”

Posted by (Chip) on November 08, 2009

That was a lot of fun! I didn’t know the auction was going on at the same time as the county fair that made those free tickets even better. There were bargains every where you looked. Diane spotted a real find on the silent action table six tomato plants that everyone over looked.  they are black plum,stupice,old ivory,purple Russian,big zebra and giant Belgian.I need to thank some one at Hudson’s nursery they really know tomatoes. we got out bid on the mango tree but there was two avocado tree’s that we wanted and after a friendly agreement with a gentleman he bid on one and Diane and I the other now we have to find room for it!...“Chip”

Posted by (Chip) on November 08, 2009

From Diane ( Chip’s better half-I’m not kidding here folks lol )

Thanks for arranging the tour of Riverview Farms - Great folks! It was wonderful meeting those dirty girls my hubby spends so much time with. ( that was just a joke )
The tour was very informative and BEAUTIFUL ! I will always check Home Depot for plants first from now on- I know I can trust the people what supply them.

Hope there is another field trip this spring.

If you folks missed the plant auction you really missed some bargains and some fun.

Thanks again to all of you good people , the dirty girls, bloggers and especially Riverview farms.

Happy Planting ! Diane

Posted by (Janna) on November 09, 2009

Wish I could’ve made it to the plant auction. Chip and Diane, sounds like you got some great stuff! Keep us posted on your garden progress…

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