WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 18 MAY 3, 2013

Free Republic | May 3, 2013 | greeneyes

[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!

[bgill]

Yeah, the wind was something. It knocked some size-y limbs in into the garden. The garage temp was 36 this morning so hoping everything is fine outside. Blah, I’m hiding inside from the loony neighbors and all their hoopla today. I want to get out the new tomatoes and peppers this weekend. They’re a little small since I had to restart them after the hail and flooding a few weeks ago but this is May for goodness sakes! There are several volunteer tomatoes here and there so if the weather doesn’t start cooperating, it may come down to them.

The old hanging baskets are falling apart so I broke down and bought two new ones. Yikes, prices have gone up. Will plant them with herbs. I’m still waiting on the herb garden to see what’s coming up so it can be filled in. There’s another big pot that is waiting for the corner of the porch to get cleaned off so it can have a new home and start some herbs.

I finally noticed, duh, the lettuce mixes have such an interesting variety that I’d like to somehow plant enough to really see what’s what, let it go to seed and then plant some varieties separately. Just a learning experiment.

I thought this year’s garden plan would be the best use of space but the other day re-mapped for next year with narrower paths and wider rows. There’s still one corner that is inaccessible but can’t stand that it’s vacant.

[fidelis]

Got pretty hot here this week-- it was actually 102 on Monday. It's gone down to the 90's and next week, they say, after a bit of rain we'll have some 80's again. We had a bit of wind this week too, which blew down one of our PVC sunshades and some plant blossoms. It's all good, though. Almost everything is growing right on track.

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Armenian cucumber

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Various squash and melons.

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Other side of the squash patch.

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First Snapdragon bloom.

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Tomatoes on the Topsy-Turvy.

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Banana pepper.

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Zucchini squash,

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Some kind of bug. Any ideas?

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Cherry tomatoes.

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First Sunflower bloom.

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I watched the darndest little drama unfold in my garden earlier this week. I watched a wasp land on one of my Zinnias and crawl under the flower petals. He must have done something under there, because in about 5 seconds this green caterpillar came rushing out of the middle of the flower. The wasp in turn rushed up to the top of the flower and ate that whole caterpillar right then and there! I found out later it was probably a Paper Wasp. Apparently, plants put out some kind of distress odor when they are being attacked by caterpillars. These wasps sniff around for the scent, and when they find it, know just what to do. Amazing.

[Texas Fossil]

It has been generally warm enough to plant for 3 weeks here, but we have had 2 late frosts in that time. One was a real hard freeze. Got all my pears, plums and apricots.

Blackberries are blooming, strawberries are just beginning to put on, early crop of figs looks good,

I just planted 2 cherry bushes today. Have no idea if they will produce here, but am hoping, My brother’s girl friend ordered them for me with some of her trees.

Wheat crop (seed wheat) is still very much in doubt. It will produce but extreme dry winter conditions will limit production and the late freeze might have damaged some of the heads. We had no carry-over last year so we really need the production to take care of our normal customers.

We had a cold front again yesterday and last night. It came close, but did not freeze last night. I do not remember ever having a frost in May.

Hope your weather begins to be cooperative soon.

Best regards my FRiend.

[JRandomFreeper]

There’s still one corner that is inaccessible but can’t stand that it’s vacant.

Spit watermelon seeds into that spot. ;)

/johnny

[ForMyChildren]

Well, here in Alpharetta, Ga. it has been unseasonably cool and plenty wet, especially just when time’s available to get outside.
After a late start planting last Spring, I swore to be more timely this go round. So here I am overflowing with seedlings started weeks ago. Many of the beer cups I used are starting to become root bound, so come whatever the weather short of monsoon, stuff’s going in this weekend. The potatoes and tomatoes already in the ground have looked so lonely. Plus I can tell my wife’s tolerance in my turning her sunroom into a potting shed is getting old.
As an amusing aside, yesterday she likened summer gardening to childbirth. She’s qualified to say anything she likes after 4 boys and a girl. Anyway, some time after giving birth, the pain and discomfort of all those months seem to vanish, so much so that after a sufficient time has passed, one might even consider doing it all over again. She says that’s why we don’t do a fall garden. We first need to forget all the summer’s prolonged hard work that seems to hit us around September each year.
Lastly, I ran upon a new term the other day, which was used in one of those trendy backpacking/outdoor catalogs that portrays the models pictured in some adventurous, planet saving, activity we mere journeymen can only dream about. So I’m wondering if we have any “EXTREME GARDENERS” here. Quite a fetching title. And I do wonder if this is something a conservative can possibly even hope to aspire to someday?

[greeneyes]

Indeed it has been a record breaking week for many locations throughout the USA. If any of them were warming trends, I missed the reports.

The USDA just reclassed our region from 5 to 6, but I am wondering if maybe they got the direction backwards. Maybe they should have classified it as a 4? LOL

[Arrowhead1952]

Garden is looking good. I have a couple of almost tennis ball size tomatoes on two plants. My lettuce and turnips are growing OK. Strawberry plants were a bust. Just a few berries this year. Still very dry here.

My sister in the San Antonio area lost her entire garden to a hail storm this past Monday. No big hail, but it tore the entire area up and the trees have no leaves. They did get 5” of rain before the hail broke the gage.

[greeneyes]

Me too. I have lived in interesting, challenging, and unusual at times situations. A good life - but definitely not monotonous.LOL

[bgill]

I’m just afraid the weather pattern will dry out like it did in ‘11 and we won’t have rain again till September. And daily temps will be triple digit.

Our lawn never did recover from '11. Then we had construction last summer tearing it up and meaning we couldn't water and left hills and valleys. Recently, we've had a couple rains that have caused flooding and the water washed gullies through the yard. Now it's nothing but holes, bare spots and weeds so it's going to need a lot of pampering this summer. The weed and feed we put out a while back didn't seem to do anything so it's hand pulling. It's going to need some major pampering this year and a few more.

[left that other site]

Indeed! i could write a book!

[greeneyes]

I have not heard of this issue before. I’ll be interested to hear if anyone else has too.

[greeneyes]

Yaaaaahoooo. Thanks for the pictures. I have been starved by the weather so far from seeing such wonderful sights. Thanks for sharing these.

[greeneyes]

Right back at you. Hope your weather gives you a break this year, and straightens out enough to get out a good crop.

[greeneyes]

LOL. I could be an EXTREME GARDENER if I wasn’t soooo lazy.LOL.

[greeneyes]

That’s too bad. Rotten Rotten weather. Does she have some back up plants for the garden, or will she have to start over from scratch?

[greeneyes]

I could too, if only my memory wasn’t so bad.LOL

[Texas Fossil]

We are trying. Have 2 dryland plots, one looks good but could sure use a drink, the other looks like it will make about 1/2 the normal crop. A third field is under a pivot sprinkler and looks better, hoping no frost damage.

Local crop insurance agent told me he expects 10% of the planted crop to be harvested. The rest will be disastered.

Last year we made 1/2 normal crop and had some carryover in bins. Barely had enough to cover our old customers.

I do spend time in my orchard and garden. That produce is not for sale, but for consumption by family and friends.

[Black Agnes]

Forget grassy lawn. Plant edibles.

If you’re going to pamper, pamper something you get something out of.

[Black Agnes]

Google a pic of ‘Squash Vine Borer’ and compare to the bug on your zucchini plant. Either that or some sort of stink/squash bug.

[cherry]

since we had temps 3 nights ago well below 30degrees, my gardening is very slow....did transfer some maters into larger containers, later to go in the garden, did plant leaf lettuce, did plant some onions, and put some seeds in to get started....bought some anaheim and bell pepper plants today plus some flowers....busy time of the year...

my dear husband it busy building a walk in cooler and meat shop...for our use, and family/friends....he'll build a smoker later...