Posted on 05/29/2009 5:08:50 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning Freeper gardeners. This weekend marks the end of May and I hope everyones gardens are doing well. I know some have had to delay planting due to weather and we all hope conditions have improved for you.
So far this weekend is looking like a good one, weather wise, all across the Nation except for some lingering rain in the extreme NE. Lets get gardening!
Isn’t that just amazing? I hope I have that same production, but on a smaller scale.
Does anyone in central Texas know if it’s too late to plant russet potatoes? I just found out I can just buy potatoes with “eyes and growth, slice off the eyes & growth then plant them. I’m not a gardener, but I try.
Check HiramQuick’s post # 143 on this thread - he knows about potato growing and there is some very good info in that post.
Well, they predicted 41F last night for my zip code in the Colorado mountains and we got 36F and rain/snow mix. I did not trust the forcast so covered the new tomatoes and peppers that I already put in the ground with a clear plastic draped over some horizontal poles to form a tent. I also brought inside the plants still in containers that I was hardening on the deck, but did not plant yet as insurance against a late freeze. It has now turned to rain only and 37F but, I think i will leave the clear plastic tent over the rows to collect some warmth on this overcast and rainy day. Tonight’s forecast is 36F and I don’t trust it either. Any warmth I can get into the ground should help tonight if it freezes.
Well I wish you luck and success in fighting off the cold weather. If I could I would send you some warmth from over this way. At 10 this morning it was 80 F and now it is 87. It will be a hot day into the 90’s here.
The anti-deer and rabbit pixies came last night and put fencing all the way around my garden!
At almost 11:00 am here it is a balmy 39F! I had considered pulling the plastic off to let plants get some rain, but decided I would let the plastic be like a greenhouse. I wish this global warming would work better! It seems it is not working at all here in Colorado!
Sorry so long in replying. A Japanese is a way of super feeding tomatoes, when your soil isn’t the greatest. The lady who introduces this method to me had 8 foot high plants that with huges yields last year. What you do is you make a 5 foot or so ring of chicken wire. You put 6 inches of compost in the ring, then 40 lbs of top soil, then 2.5 lbs of fertalizer, then another layer of compost, another layer of soil and another 2 lbs of fertilizer. You plant four tomatoes around the ring and use the ring as your steak. The roots will grow up and into the pile of nutrients and the nutrients will seep down around the plants. By the way, this is not a Japanese growing method. The way the rings came to be called “Japanes” was through an interesting accident. Have fun!
Thank you, I’ll keep this and try it next season. Appreciate it.
My plan is to let the seeds grow to a point big enough where I can place the Jiffy7/plant into a pot, surround with soil and set outside. Is this ok?
Thanks again, Diana.
P.S. I planted several Artemesia two years ago. Late last Fall I cut them all back. This summer only two or three are coming back. If I took a picture and posted it could you tell me what I did wrong?
Well, it seems everything survived the cold spell. Light frost and low of 35F last night, but warmer today. I pulled the plastic off and tomatoes and peppers looked good. I did not cover the newly emerging turnips, rutabegas or carrots and they seem fine. Leaving the frame in place because it will be cold again this weekend.
Our problem is the coons. I lost 10 birds in the last two months to the raccoons.
In the spring I am getting some ducks, they do great in the garden eating bugs, the chickens do a good job but need to be watched more, they tend to eat the veggies too.
Get chickens they are so much fun, we spend about $30-$40 a month on feed and in the summer time we can get close to a dozen eggs a day.
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.