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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 13 MARCH 28,2014
Free Republic | March 28, 2014 | greeneyes

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.


TOPICS: Gardening
KEYWORDS: agriculture; food; gardening; hobby
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To: HopeandGlory

“Lowe’s carries a granular citrus fertilizer made by Miracle Grow. It comes in a green plastic jug with an orange lid”

I saw that and it was for trees in the ground and don’t put it closer than two feet from the tree or drip line and don’t get it on the trunk. So, how much are you using for how big a pot and how close to the trunk are you putting it? If you are using it then it’s not bad for a potted one.


301 posted on 04/02/2014 1:26:42 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

I never knew not to, so I use the same MG on my meyers as I do everything else.

Both my meyers are full of blooms today. Maybe this will be their year for a bountiful harvest.


302 posted on 04/02/2014 1:32:58 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (Hate is what people that hate the truth call the truth.)
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To: Marcella

I’ve been using it for about 5-6 years with no ill effect to my potted citrus trees . . . they thrive and produce, yummy, smile!

I use citrus spikes for my in-ground citrus trees. I got over 125 grapefruits from my “volunteer” grapefruit tree this year.


303 posted on 04/02/2014 1:36:29 PM PDT by HopeandGlory (Hey, Liberals . . . PC died on 9/11 . . . GET USED TO IT!!!)
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To: Marcella
I planted my potatoes in the potato pot from Walmart. I have not found anywhere in town so far to get mushroom compost, so I may have to just use it as a topper this year, about 1 or 2 inches on top of the spot where I plant the lettuce and spinach.

For my lemon tree, I just use slow release granules from Walmart Miracle Gro or plant spikes - Miracle gro or jobe.
Occasionally, I mix up a gallon of water soluble Dyna Gro 7-9-5 and water it with that. It's worked ok so far.

It was supposed to be 70 today but it never hit 60. I was going to plant another bed of potatoes today, but energy level is kinda low, and I need to get some dishes done first anyway, so the potato bed can wait.

I am going to have Hubby check for some soybean meal at the local feed store. Just finished reading an article in Mother Earth Organic Gardening magazine comparing organic fertilizers. It seems to be the cheapest and seems to have the most nitrogen of the other low-cost organic fertilizers.

304 posted on 04/02/2014 3:05:44 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: HopeandGlory

Wow! I would like to get 125 of anything in the garden.


305 posted on 04/02/2014 3:16:27 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: greeneyes; rightly_dividing; JRandomFreeper
"For my lemon tree, I just use slow release granules from Walmart Miracle Gro or plant spikes - Miracle gro or jobe."

Do you mean “regular” Jobe veggie spikes? I have many packages of those due to having as many containers as I have. I thought I had to get special “citrus” fertilizer for citrus trees.

I think I (and probably rightly needs one, too) need a “keeper” (you know 24 hr. nurse or whatever). Went to car to go get Prissy at groomer, put my left hand under door handle to open it, and searing pain hit my little finger. In my state of major pain, saw a wasp fly off. Went fast back into house, car is only about five steps from my door, and grabbed ice and slapped it on little finger. That pain was so intense, I felt like throwing up. I'm having trouble now with keys on keyboard that little finger hits.

I managed to call groomer using only right hand and keeping the ice on finger, and told them I couldn't get there right now due to wasp bite on finger. Took a hydrocodone pain pill. Waited a bit for the searing pain to lessen a bit and got Prissy using only right hand driving and dealing with her. That was about an hour ago.

I think it was so bad because that finger must have been right on that wasp's body and he totally nailed it - all his poison in a small finger. The sting hole on finger is very evident.

Yep, I need a keeper (or a husband to keep me out of trouble). I won't put my fingers under that door handle again without looking behind it first. There are wasps and bees on those Azalea bushes on both sides of my front door, but behind the car door handle?

I did get the hummingbird feeder up before I went to the car and got stung, so it's up.

I won't be doing anything with this finger until it's not killing me the way it is right now. I think this calls for some Amaretto on top of that pain pill.

I hope it's okay by tomorrow because I was going to do some transplanting and I can't put any pressure on it right now.

The only other sting I've ever had was a bee sting years ago that went away quickly and the pain was nothing like this one immediately when it was stung.

Johnny, thinking about this, what is it in that poison that instantly causes a very high pain level that sears your brain with pain? I could likely find that on the web. Inject that into your enemy and he isn't going to function for a while.

306 posted on 04/02/2014 3:57:43 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: bgill; JRandomFreeper

Thanks. We’re missing her. Before she lost her hearing, she had this “farm dog bark” that sometimes drove me nuts. I’d pay money to hear it now. She was so sweet & never met a stranger.
I guess the fur’s going to be flying here, too (blowing their coats).

Summer’s here! I’ve still got everything on the patio (so I can bring the tomatoes & the baby plants in if it gets too cool), but I’m going to get out & clean up the garden this week- salt the railroad vine & trim the grass around it. I’m getting excited.Everything (but the stuff I killed) is looking GREAT.

To Johnny- that was a hard lesson that literally only took a couple of hours.


307 posted on 04/02/2014 4:09:29 PM PDT by KGeorge (Till we're together again, Gypsy girl. May 28, 1998- June 3, 2013)
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To: sockmonkey; greeneyes

(Sorry for the double post) Thanks. She was a fool over my husband. She was extremely thunder phobic when we got her & came so far in such a short time.
They truly do leave footprints on your heart.


308 posted on 04/02/2014 4:14:40 PM PDT by KGeorge (Till we're together again, Gypsy girl. May 28, 1998- June 3, 2013)
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To: Marcella

Put tobacco or meat tenderizer on wasp stings.

Another Hints from r_d


309 posted on 04/02/2014 4:57:42 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: rightly_dividing

Wasp venom is produced inside a venom gland, then stored in a venom sack. From here, it seeps out through valves to coat a smooth, barbless stinger. The wasp keeps this wicked little weapon stored inside a sheath, ready to plunge it into prey or aggressors at a moment’s notice. The males don’t have stingers, but this doesn’t stop them from bluffing. When cornered, male wasps have been known to brandish their harmless behinds in an empty threat.

After all, why does a wasp sting hurt so much?
Wasp venom is far more than just stuff that hurts; it’s a multi-step micro-assault with a twofold aim:
• As an offensive weapon, the goal is to paralyze insects for easier transport back to the nest.
• As a defensive weapon, the venom delivers enough pain to convince larger animals to leave well enough alone.
To get to the bottom of wasp venom, it’s important to understand exactly what pain is: localized physical suffering associated with physical injury or disease. Basically, it’s the nerves telling the brain, “Hey, your arm is damaged,” or “Move, your leg is on fire.”

The intended result is that the creature experiencing the pain will fight or flee, whichever best removes the threat of more physical damage.

With wasp venom, the pain, which can be very intense, is an exaggeration of the actual physical damage, which is minimal. The sting enables the wasp to convince larger threats that it’s capable of dishing out far more physical damage than one would expect from a creature so small. The message, often driven home with bright body coloration, is “leave us alone.”

Wasp venom achieves this effect by waging a staged attack against the nervous system on a cellular level.

1. The stinger delivers the venom to the victim’s blood stream.

2. Peptides and enzymes in the venom break down cell membranes, spilling cellular contents into the blood stream. When the cells in question are neurons, which serve the central nervous system, this breach causes the injured cell to send signals back to the brain. We experience these signals in the form of pain.

3. To make sure the pain keeps coming, other substances in the venom, such as norepinephrine, stop the flow of blood. This is why the pain of a wasp sting can last for several minutes, until the blood stream can carry the diluted venom away.

4. Finally, hyaluronidase and MCDP (mast cell degranulating peptide) pave the way for the membrane-destroying elements in the venom to move onto other cells by melting through the connective tissue between them. This spreading factor leads to the swelling and redness associated with most insect stings.

This sting accomplishes the goal of persuading most large animals not to try to kill or eat the wasp. Think of pain as a security system, only for your body. A wasp sting might not actually burn the house down, but it sure can set off all the alarms and sprinkler systems.


310 posted on 04/02/2014 4:58:08 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

Give the hummers time to find it,it may take them a while being a new feeder and in a walled garden, plus its just the start of hummingbird season. We are only seeing two. The nectar will sour in a day or two, so don’t put too much in there till you are getting lots of activity at it. I’m sure you already know that you can make nectar yourself by boiling water and dissolving surgar in it.


311 posted on 04/02/2014 5:09:00 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: Marcella

That’s more than I care to know about wasps. I was stung by about a dozen when I was in high school, and a few times since. I despise them so bad I will attack their nests if I find one. Wd-40 will drop them, but you have to sneak up on them and be ready to run from any you missed. Hornet and wasp killer works good, if you want to keep some around. It sprays farther than WD.


312 posted on 04/02/2014 5:19:35 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: Marcella

—This sting accomplishes the goal of persuading most large animals not to try to kill or eat the wasp.—

My wife’s 14yo poodle catches wasp mid air and bites them, them throws them on the ground to scratch into pieces with his paw. He has killed many of them. His summertime nickname is Waspslayer.


313 posted on 04/02/2014 5:23:24 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: rightly_dividing

I have the long shot wasp killer. I only use that if there is a nest close to back or front door. I think it was last year there was one right over the front door so that one had to be zapped.

I got a concentrate powder for the hummingbird nectar since you don’t have to boil the water with this. When I run out of this, I’ll probably do the boiling water and sugar thing, I do have the recipe for that. This is the best hummingbird feeder I have had. There have been hummingbirds in prior years when a feeder was up but no feeder up since probably 2010.

Don’t know if you are reading FR news about a shooting at Fort Hood. Happened around 4:30 pm. Four are dead, one being the shooter. Fourteen have been wounded and in hospital, some in grave condition.


314 posted on 04/02/2014 5:33:58 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

Not been reading FR, but wife told me about it. Sad.


315 posted on 04/02/2014 5:52:03 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: Marcella

I need a small job done in photoshop or something. Do you use photoshop? All I need is to add a caption across the lower part of 2 photos. I had some software in times past, but no longer. I have tried for two days working with updated software of what I used before, but no go.


316 posted on 04/02/2014 5:59:23 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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To: rightly_dividing; greeneyes; JRandomFreeper; sockmonkey; Nepeta; Silentgypsy; ApplegateRanch; ...

Rightly needs something done on “photoshop or something”. Please read his post 316 and help if you can. I don’t know anything about using these photo sites.

I managed to get some photos on Photobucket I think is the name but I’m not at all good with photos. Thanks if you can help him.


317 posted on 04/02/2014 6:09:21 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: rightly_dividing

I alerted the long list on here so maybe one of them can help you. I just don’t do photos.


318 posted on 04/02/2014 6:11:01 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

I don’t know how to use photoshop. Sorry!


319 posted on 04/02/2014 6:11:10 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Marcella

I just can’t say enough about what has happened to our great military services. PC run amuck is about all I can say in just a few words about what has happened. Federal judges interfering in military issues, plus allowing the very people that want to destroy us to join with welcome arms, there are just too many ways our military has been gutted. In a few more years, our military machine will be the laughing stock of the world. /rant


320 posted on 04/02/2014 6:20:36 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.)
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