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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 17 APRIL 26, 2013
Free Republic | April 26, 2013 | greeneyes

Posted on 04/26/2013 12:37:55 PM PDT by greeneyes

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To: Nita Nupress

Did you put any mulch or cover on the buckets? Like you could take shredded newspaper to cover the soil in the bucket, or some other type of biodegradable mulch.

The other thing I have heard about is to just take a garbage bag and secure it over the top and down the sides a few inches - maybe duct tape???

Any way punch a hole in the center of the plastic and put your plant in it. This helps slow the evaporation process, if there is some sort of covering around the soil.

Just remember though that roots need oxygen too, so make sure you have some breathing holes or porous pots.


181 posted on 04/28/2013 9:56:47 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

Thanks! Kudos!

FWIW,you do know that the Hen Bit is edible?

http://extension.usu.edu/weedguides/files/uploads/Lamiaceae.pdf

http://healthiveg.com/2011/04/12/henbit-high-five-another-weed-eating-episode/

http://www.eattheweeds.com/henbit-top-of-the-pecking-order/

Sorry to hear about your goji bush. That’s a real disappointment. Hope it survives.


182 posted on 04/28/2013 10:07:43 PM PDT by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
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To: TEXOKIE

Yes, but I don’t want it in my cultivated beds, and I don’t like the way it looks in the yard. Plus it is invasive.

I am not sure exactly where it came from, but all of a sudden it’s all over the place. ARRRGH. Now dandelions I don’t mind. Love the little flowers and yellow is my favorite color.

Did I mention that I really don’t like greens? It has taken me years to be able to eat lettuce, spinach, and romaine. I think I am doing pretty good to be adding Amaranth as the next leaves to try.LOL


183 posted on 04/28/2013 10:47:57 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

It’s still quite soggy here in Central Missouri. Far too wet to work the soil in the garden. I set out some hazelnut and persimmon tree saplings that Dad got from the state nursery, and replaced the sweet cherry that croaked during last summer’s inferno. Potatoes are starting to come up. Beets are up. Garlic is rocking. Think I’ll hit the nursery on my way home this afternoon and pick up my tomato and pepper plants. The stevia and English tyme is ready to set out but it’s supposed to get cold again later in the week so I’m going to wait on that. Picked the first mess of asparagus yesterday.


184 posted on 04/29/2013 6:24:37 AM PDT by Augie
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To: greeneyes

ROFL! Understood about it being in planned beds...and your valiant battle to cultivate a taste for greens! You ARE doing pretty good to put amaranth on your list of greens. And now it is on mine too, because I wasn’t thinking to try for the greens, just the seeds!

Just wanted to see if you knew about henbit’s edible status. I had not known it until fairly recently. Actually I knew that “henbit” was edible, but did not know which plant it was. When I finally found out a few weeks ago, I was really excited, because it’s all over the place here! It can also be gathered and used dry, I think.

Just a little piece of info to tuck away for another thread and another day!


185 posted on 04/29/2013 8:32:47 AM PDT by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
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To: greeneyes
I can't garden much at all any more, think I overdid the digging thing. Anyway I can still enjoy what comes back from prior years. The tulips in front are exquisite this year.

I wanted to make this so you could use it for a postcard but with flickr and measuring, too complicated.

Tulip Large 042913

186 posted on 04/29/2013 5:09:24 PM PDT by Aliska
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To: Augie

You are way ahead of me. Course, we are in the Ozark Plateau area that means our climate is more like Northern Missouri rather than central.

We’ve had so much rain, Hubby hasn’t been able to set up the swimming pool we bought for storage of water. We need it to be dry enough to deliver some dirt to help level out the area where it will be located.


187 posted on 04/29/2013 7:15:48 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Aliska

Thats really a pretty picture. I like those colors along with a splash of color. I have a mix of those 3 colors in my front flower bed. Tulips are almost finished, and hyacinths are no longer blooming.

Roses will be taking over when warmer weather arrives.


188 posted on 04/29/2013 7:18:37 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

Clear but a cold north wind for 3 weeks now and that’s no fun at my age.


189 posted on 04/29/2013 7:55:00 PM PDT by tubebender (Evening news is where they begin with "Good Evening," and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.)
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To: tubebender

Oh Man! Don’t I know it, and I’m not as old as you.LOL

My Dad used to tell my Mom that Arthur was the worst one of those Ritus boys. Boy howdy he was right. Plus the broken wrist and elbow, even though healed long ago, don’t care for temp changes either.


190 posted on 04/29/2013 10:30:34 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Nita Nupress
1) Can’t i just go rent one of the big machines at first to loosen up the dirt instead of buying something bigger than what I’ll need in the future?

You can rent tillers at Home Depot .
They have 4 different sizes from a little one that is good for tilling between rows to a really big one that tills around 18-20 inches at a time.

I don't till much as I mostly do raised beds or containers . A couple of years ago my father in law decided he wanted a garden too and he borrowed my truck to rent the tiller . In typical man fashion he rented the biggest one he could get *giggles*
It was so darn heavy we had trouble getting it out of the bed of the truck . Seriously I had to back my truck up onto a little hill to roll the tiller out and had to push the tiller back up the hill to get it loaded back into the truck.
Would not recommend renting the really big one unless you have a couple of guys around with good strong backs .


It did till the plot in just a few minutes though but I would have rather spent a little more time tilling and not to have had to deal with such a heavy piece of equipment .

To me personally I prefer to start stacking stuff to compost in an area and turn my chickens loose in it . Come back later and wet it down and toss a tarp over it for a couple of months to let it break down :)

191 posted on 04/30/2013 8:19:52 PM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Califreak

Ok, update wrt the asparagus seeds.

I got ‘Purple Passion’ from here:

http://kitchengardenseeds.com/cgi-bin/catview.cgi?_fn=Product&_category=113

I soaked the seeds in warm (95ish) water overnight in a small cup. The water cooled to room temp by morning. I had it over my dishwasher that runs after dinner each night and in a corner out of the breeze/draft. So it stayed warmish all night. Next afternoon I drained it and then spread it out on a wet paper towel. Put that in a plastic ziploc sandwich bag and carefully laid it in the same out of the way spot.

Left it there for 5 days. Opened it up this morning and all of them (ok 4 were non starters) had little roots anywhere from just a nib to 1”. If I’d known they’d start sprouting so quickly I’d have checked on them earlier. Spent the better part of the afternoon transplanting them into their own 12oz drink cups.

Did the same with these:

http://parkseed.com/asparagus-jersey-knight-hybrid/p/05005-PK-P1/

Had approximately 90% germination with these too. Not as rapidly though. They might be more slow starting from seed.

I’ll let you know how they progress going forward. It did NOT take ten weeks for germination. Maybe that was for a cold environment or something?


192 posted on 05/04/2013 6:53:43 PM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: Black Agnes

Thanks! I’ll try that. Been hot here with cool nights. Starting to cool back down now. Am using Martha Washington from Victory Seeds.


193 posted on 05/05/2013 3:16:54 AM PDT by Califreak (11/6/12 The Day America Divided By Zero)
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To: Black Agnes

No dishwasher, but I can use the top of the fridge.


194 posted on 05/05/2013 3:21:53 AM PDT by Califreak (11/6/12 The Day America Divided By Zero)
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