Posted on 06/07/2013 1:13:59 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.
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But everything, and I mean everything under the plastic is dead or dying. It gets above 140 on the ground temp under the plastic now. By August, I expect above 160.
Goodbye weed seeds, nematodes and bad microorganisms.
Down side is that it also nukes good microorganisms, but I can re-introduce those next year from healthy parts of the current garden.
Clear plastic and lawn staples are cheap at Lowes. And there is very little work to it. Mow, put down plastic, wait, take up the plastic at autumnal equinox, and prep the bed for planting.
I like easy. An the fact that all of the weed seeds will be killed.
/johnny
bflr
Of course all the people are retired people. I was not able to do the MG thing until I was no longer working, and I can name several people I know who would do so, if there was an evening option. These are people who could work in handling phone calls or yard visits if they had the training.
Yet right now the program in my county has faded because of lack of volunteers. I don’t want to snipe at my local extension people, but can you say “gubmint”?
Radish tops,especially when younger, work well in green salads. They give a bit of a peppery taste.
Carrot tops make a pretty garnish, same in appearance, a bit different of course in taste, as parsley. Fresh they are very green and pretty and make a good garnish on potatoes and salads etc. They can also go into the soup pot. Dried or fresh, depending on what you prefer.
I think that makes a lot of sense. It should theoretically kill all the bad stuff, and then recover by spring.
Regarding your question on blackberries, we purchased Navaho, Apache, Arapaho, and Ouachita this year. They are all thornless with varying maturity dates: Early to mid-June, Mid June to Late June, and beginning in Late June.
Blackberries will come back year to year, but it is important to trim them, since the fruit is produced on the new canes-not the old ones. Trim them back to around 2 foot tall, and remove the dead or diseased canes.
Trimming is in the Spring, and after production is finished. If you want to limit the height of the bush, trim the very tip off when it gets as tall as you want.
Do not plant raspberries close to the black berries-the raspberries will not do well.
Last year I dug up a pepper plant from the garden and put it in a pot. It produced all winter inside, and has continued so far this Spring. I am thinking of repotting it to just see how long I can keep it going.LOL
That is excellent information. I copied it so I would have it and will find those various blackberries. Thanks for looking that up. I know what to do now.
Carrot tops are edible and very pretty, but I have tasted several, and they were very bitter, so I abandoned efforts to eat them and just put them in the compost pile as “green” material.
You are welcome. Sorry I didn’t get it done sooner. We have a gorgeous day today, so I’m heading back out to the garden as soon as I get the dishes done.
I have always wanted to use grow bags, but we have so many pots of various sizes, that we never even use them all, so I just don’t see any practical need to do it.
Ah- my taste buds must not be very reliable. I wonder if the particular carrot would make a difference. I used to do that all the time.
“I have always wanted to use grow bags, but we have so many pots of various sizes,”
I don’t have any more pots. The bags are cheaper and lighter to carry empty and full, than pots.
You sound like hubby, I brought some peas home, and when he saw them...he looked and said “I thought you said we were having peas tonight...I did..they just weren’t black eyed ones.
We have zuccini squash in the Community Garden and they are huge, the ones I have here are home are nice and small. Our first ever Farmer’s Market will open June 15. It’s so funny, word got out and some farmers have been bringing in their produce and selling it before the Grand Opening. Our watermelons are coming along nicely, as are the green beans, tomatoes, jalapenos, cayene peppers, the Kandy Korn we planted have tasseled out and the cobs are beginning to fill out. The squash bugs....it they were bigger, I’d shoot them.
What are garlic scapes?
Thanks for the information!
We haven’t been that industrious. But I’ve had my eye on a couple of corners where they naturally gather and rot!
Ok. I’m going to have to try that.
I mulched 75X15 section of the garden today before it rained. Again.
It’s a good thing I’m growing rice.
I have green tomatoes on my Iditarod Red and Ludmilla's Pink Heart plants here in Red Hampshire...I won't be waiting until Labor Day for salsa THIS year.
How do you use the mushroom compost to grow spinach? Do you just plant it in the straight compost?
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