Lots of plants, almost ready to get transplanted into the big garden.
It's good to have internet access again. I've pulled up the cold frame for the year, and we're going to get rain later today. I hope the high winds bypass us, though.
/johnny
Posted on 03/28/2014 12:39:07 PM PDT by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks.
No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. There is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.
Last night we had high winds, thunder and lightening, but I never saw a drop of rain. Our rain barrels are full though, so no worries yet.
Potatoes are greening. Indoor tomato has 4 almost ripe cherry tomatoes. Basil needs to be harvested. Covers are off the garlic and perennials.
Plan to continue prepping the beds this weekend. I have been planning the container gardening which will be stepped up this year. I can add more than 100 sq. feet if I put lots of containers on the back patio with walkways around and in between.
Hubby went to Walmart and came home with several gardening magazines. I have been reading the Mother Earth Guide to Organic Gardening. It's chock full of good stuff and lots of websites for additional info.
It has a section on Building food for self sufficiency too. This reminds me that their website has some interesting stuff too: www.MotherEarthNews.com
I will be ordering some stuff from Diana's Company-Jungs as soon as payday gets here. This is a year that I am not ordering much, because I over ordered last year, and need to use those seeds while the viability is still really good.
Have a great weekend. God Bless.
Hello from the police state of Connecticut! It’s still quite chilly here but my snowdrops, crocus and primroses are coming along beautifully. Tulips and daffodils seem to be unaffected by the recent cold snap and are about 2” out of the ground. I planted sugar snap and super sugar snap peas about a week ago; they have yet to sprout, but the ornamental sweet peas that I planted along a trellis have sprouted. I love this time of year. :) Happy gardening!
Pinging the list. Sunken Civ has alerted me to this posting by orsonweb regarding sources of seeds.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3137873/posts
I really love tulips, daffodils, hyacinths. Too bad they don’t last longer. It’s really feeling like spring here. I don’t want to get over excited, we have been known to have snow in April, but I’ll be doing all I can do the next 2 weeks to get the garden ready, and the spring cleaning wrapped up for a while.
orsonweb = orsonwb
Lots of plants, almost ready to get transplanted into the big garden.
It's good to have internet access again. I've pulled up the cold frame for the year, and we're going to get rain later today. I hope the high winds bypass us, though.
/johnny
How neat! What do you have there?
I read your description of the deck corn. I am really looking forward to getting those started. Still haven’t received my containers from the Mega Store. Hope they can fill the back order soon.
/johnny
That’s a good bunch of plants there for transplanting. So glad you are back. We missed you.
I think I’m going to try some peas tomorrow, it looks like upper 60’s here early next week, enough to get them going.
“I read your description of the deck corn. I am really looking forward to getting those started.”
Don’t know if you are direct planting in final container or sprouting seed inside. Once they come up in the cup inside, they grow faster than one would think and when put outside, have exceptional growth (that’s according to my impression).
Glad to hear you got some springtime up your way. I know you are thrilled.
It’s 82deg here, and bright sunshine, too.
“cilantro”
Shoot, that reminds me I don’t have any and I definitely want it. That is one spice type I would actually use. Rats, now I have to find it.
GETTING EARLY ZUCCHINI SQUASH.... Honey bees don't like to visit squash flowers. Solitaire bees do, but they don't emerge very early in the year. Do your first few squash shrivel up and fall off the vine? Mine used to, but not anymore. Early in the day, each morning, I hand pollinate my squash. I also do the same with tomato plants to get early tomatoes.
It is May 4th and the squash and tomato garden in our front yard is doing very well.
But the solitaire bees are not out and about yet. Regular honey bees don't pollinate squash.
Father Nature comes to the rescue with a brush made of pheasant tail feather barbells.
The top flower is a female flower with large bulbous heads in the center.
The bottom flower is a male flower with a pistil with pollen on it.
The top flower is the female flower with a tiny squash behind the flower.
The bottom flower is a male flower with just a stem behind the flower.
Father Nature to the rescue. Here is the pheasant tail feather brush loaded with pollen.
I have first loaded the brush with pollen from a male flower. The pollen sticks to the brush.
I merely brush the pollen on the center of the female flower and Voila, the job is done.
Now the tiny squash behind the female flower will develop into a mature squash.
Good Hunting... from Varmint Al
If anyone read my '2 crops a year' post, I have discovered a happy fact.
The dill seeds you harvest from the 1st crop, and presumably sow perhaps the following week turn out to have a STAGGERING germination rate (which fact, of course), I discovered completely by accident by sowing the new seeds like grass seed. Please sow more thinly than I indicated by AT LEAST half.
Well, I figured I could either let the plants kill each other by competition and wind up w/a lot of stunted dill, not good, or have a go at transplanting them elsewhere.
I know the common wisdom, "You can't transplant dill, the roots are too long and delicate." Horse puckey -- I didn't even have to kill a bunch of seedlings to learn what's what.
Clear, then loosen up a patch of soil with a hoe or a hand trowel. Since the dill (in this essay) is too dense in its bed, wet down (do not soak) a portion of the bed that you want to transplant. With a trowel, dig up a DEEP plug, lots of soil on the bottom. Take the plug over to where you're transplanting.
Let the plug de-moisten. When the earth in the plug is just a bit damp, start popping off little chunks of the plug. Sometimes, your little new pluglet will have just one seedling; great -- just dig a hole 1 to 1 1/2 in. deep, drop in the pluglet, cover up to the starter leaves, press the earth down and water.
If the pluglet has 2 or more seedlings, either plant them right together as above, or, VERY gently untangle the roots and proceed as above for each seedling. THIS IS NOT HARD TO DO, a little patience untangling works wonders. (Plus, if a fumblethumbs like SAJ can do this, ANYONE can!)
So far, I've moved 116 seedlings in this fashion. Killed 2. An acceptable record, I'd say.
Oh, yes, when you've finished transplanting to their new home, water the seedlings generously, immediately, but do not soak. You may have to press down the earth again afterwards.
Happy herbing!
Hey /johnny I bought me a cheap $6.00 Aquarium air pump at Walmart and aerating your recommended compost tea formula in a 5 gal bucket. I may have to hold off the watering though if the grey skies here in DFW produce some hydration unlike the dry teaser storm greeneyes recently had.
Oh yeh Marcella thats a required green herb in Tx. They grow fairly easy from seed and now is the time to plant it. When they get a little mature try to shade them partially or away from the hot afternoon sun later on since cilantro tends to bolt real quick in heat. I'm on a fish taco kick lately so fresh picked cilantro is a key 'fixin' to add. Go get you some.
I’m not sure either. It kinda depends on when Hubby plants his corn. I will succession plant about 3 weeks from that date.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.