Posted on 03/31/2012 4:00:04 PM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde
Good evening, FRiends and gardeners! I deeply apologize for the delay in posting this week's thread ... this is an extremely busy time here on our farm, and when you've got just a handful of folks farming 3,000 acres, there are times when it is all hands on deck all night long. The rain has been spaced exactly right to be wrong, and we were down to the wire getting our corn crop planted.
With that out of the way, how in the world is everybody doing with their gardens and plans for gardens? We have so many members with interesting projects underway that I'm looking forward to details.
For the most part, I'm going to direct sow my garden because it is certainly warm enough to do so. I have a few tomatoes that I seeded in newspaper pots, but mostly flowers. This week I will plant about an 1/2 acre of sweet corn and a 1/4 acre each of various cow peas and butterbeans. It is my intention to have several plantings of each, about 10-14 days apart, so that all of my harvest doesn't come at once. It is already too warm for the sweet peas to make, so those will be a fall crop.
Now that I am spending so much time in the beeyard, I've decided to plant a full compliment of veggies for our personal use and canning, but only sell 5 or 6 different things. Those will be sweet corn, a few varieties of peas, speckled and green butterbeans and okra. Those are the least work with the greatest reward. I will also be selling honey.
So far this spring, I have planted 2 pear trees, 13 red raspberries, 10 gold raspberries, 5 blackberries, and 5 blueberries. My last order of fruit trees came in yesterday and includes 3 additional mayhaw trees (we currently have 5), an italian white fig (I already have 2 brown turkey figs), an elberta peach to compliment my other 2 peach trees, a bing cherry, and a montmorency cherry to go with my stella sweet cherry that I planted last year. I ordered these from Ty Ty Nursery in Ty Ty, Georgia, and they are about the best looking stock of trees that I've ever received! We are very excited.
The most fun I had this week was a trip to a local nursery where I found ... get this ... a dwarf redwood tree!!! It was amazing to me that there was a redwood tree that would grow in Louisiana! It is about 8 ft. tall now that I have it in the ground and is supposed to be very fast growing. Final height will be somewhere around 70 ft. Label reads that it will grow in zones 6 through 10, and we are in zone 8, so I have high hopes.
Have a great week, and I hope to see y'all all on time next week.
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.
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As a Vet, what ID are you showing?
My wife and I where at a nursery yesterday and one of their experts was talking about the weather we have been having. After talking to the national weather service they told him the last time we had a spring like this was in 1947.(Central Missouri) The farmers are planting field corn now which is way early here.
I asked about planting beans and corn? He said you can plant just about everything except cucumbers and watermelons. He said 50 degree nights with moisture is too hard on them.
Thanks. I remember my dad drying and saving seeds from year to year. We seldom bought seeds for the garden.
He used old baby food jars or washed medicine bottles, since ziplocs were not available back then. I wonder if keeping somewhat moist seeds is good for them in plastic.
I’ll bet that is the weed she is looking for.
DEER CAMP?...OMG. I'll bet you have flush toilets too!!!
LOL! I would!
Either your DD Form 250 or a military ID card. My Retired ID card is what I use.
That manager was wrong, unless he/she has the option to deny that benefit.
Yes sir. And 2 flat screens, 1 in the kitchen/bunk room, and 1 in the dining/TV room and you can also watch it from the deck. We take deer camp very seriously in these parts ... no skimping!
I’m still smiling at the duck video! I am going to have to do that with some babies.
Thanks; have a new bunch of celery in the fridge to try it with.
I posted one of the commute home last night.
Sounds like you have been busier than we have but in the last few days we have added another apple tree, three more blueberries, five raspberry canes, two seedless grapes (red and green)...and we expect the delivery ANY time now of another Chinese chestnut and three filberts (hazelnuts). Cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, Swiss shard, spinach, asparagus and kale are producing yummy stuff for our meals. Ohhh...and the red onions in my raised beds are popping up like crazy.
I have planted three hills of cucumber and my hubby is making me a good A-frame so they can climb this year. I have tomatoes started. This week will be adding compost and mulch and getting ready for a big family Easter celebration.
I also found this article on soil amendments this morning:
Amendments that Can Give Your Soil a Boost
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/soil-amendments.aspx?utm_source=email&utm_medium=eletter&utm_content=20120402-sunny&utm_campaign=fine-gardening-eletter
Thanks for this thread that gives me so many good ideas. ;-)
Retirement ID. But if you have a copy of your DD-214, have it photo shrunk and laminated. I think that would be proof.
Yes. It is everywhere, even in my mini garden around the flag pole. grr.
That’s what I believe. I go to this Lowes several times per week, and this guy was not one of the usual managers that I see in the store. I am going to ask the manager that I know the best when I go in there again.
I have that weed by the acre, and I’m not fond of it either.
You’re most welcome and thank you for the link!
Our Lowes has a military discount...active/retired....all year long!
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