Posted on 06/14/2013 12:44:34 PM PDT by greeneyes
I planted six heirloom Rutgers that I bought at Walmart. Five of the six were 'perfect' plants ... the 6th had curled-up leaves. I don't know why and I haven't done anything to it.
All six now have tomatoes, 'tho they're not ripe yet.
BTW, at the same time I planted one heirloom Beefsteak. I LOVE that plant! It's twice as big as the Rutgers and I've been picking large, tasty, juicy tomatoes for several weeks. Today, I took some cuttings as clones and I'm saving its seeds for next year.
This is war!
Wow—you say you don’t know what you’re doing but your learning curve sounds like a J to me! Did you learn about those lattice things by web search, reading gardening sites, someone’s suggestions? Thank you for all the useful information!
I found them on Amazon when I was looking for nets or something else related to planting.
I figure people new to gardening might as well follow me around on the gardening thread while I get my act together. The information might help them, too.
For instance, squash plants are either bush plants or vine plants. The ones I planted were called semi-bush and those two plants have died due to borers. Bush squash are huge taking vast amounts of a garden but vine ones can go up, saving ground space. I now know about borers and have a war going against them. I think I have figured out a way to grow squash without the borers getting them. I'll plant a vine squash in a separate Hydrofarm tomato barrel/trellis on the deck and net or double net it to see if that confuses the moths so it stops the moths from getting in.
If that doesn't work, I'm going to grow Butternut Squash only because they have hard solid branches, not hollow branches like the other squash have and the moths attack those. Here's a separate Hydrofarm tomato barrel:
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-GCTB-Tomato-Barrel-4-Foot/dp/B004NBZDN6/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371668102&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=hydrofarm+tomato+bucket
Check bountiful gardens, baker’s creek seeds(www.rareseeds.com), or Southern Exposure. I ordered an oilseed heirloom, but IIRC, they also had some for eating.
This is my first year for sunflowers, and I bought GSU-7453 OILSEED Sunflower from bountiful gardens to try it out.
Haven’t really researched the process yet, but I too was hoping toavoid purchasing an oil press.
Using the hose is nifty. We avoid using it unless we are out of rainwater, though, because we always try to conserve the use of our well.
I am so sorry to hear about the wind damage. Where I live, Tornado Alley, Missouri, High winds like this are no at all unusual, unfortunately.
LOL. Your are a dynamic person - that’s for sure. Procrastination tends to overun my best intentions at times.
I would think a squash would grow better in a container since it wouldn’t be on the ground where bugs could get to it. Would that be right or not?
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Theoretically, maybe, but think about it. That squash vine will grow so fast and so long that it will be on the ground in no time. It might work if you try a trellis and train it up that way.
Somehow or other, though I thing the little buggers will find it, no matter what.
You made a good choice on the black seeded sunflower. It's not easy to find whether the seeds are black or striped on seed company websites, and the black ones have the most oil.
I just found the ones I'll get. There is a picture here but it won't post I'm pretty sure. These flower heads are TEN INCHES WIDE with most of it being the huge eye with the seeds - but the plants are not tall. I had to look up the full scientific name to be sure the seeds were black and they are.
From Park Seed:
http://parkseed.com/sunflower-sunspot/p/00989-PK-P1/
Sunspot Sunflower Seeds
Blooms just 60 days after planting!
Plants reach just 2 1/2 feet tall!
Here is a classic Sunflower, with big 10-inch nodding heads stuffed with seeds. It is perched atop erect, child-size bushes only 2 1/2 feet tall. The vibrant, golden-yellow petals surround golden-brown centers filled with seeds.
Mature heads yield a bounty of delectable seeds for birds- and for people, also.
This sunflower is ideal for hedges, screens or as a background. It is also very easy to grow and it can be direct sown into your sunny garden. Pkt is 50 seeds
Genus Helianthus
Species annuus
Variety Sunspot
Item Form (P) Pkt of 50 seeds
Bloom Season Early Summer - Early Fall
Seeds Per Pack 50
Plant Height 2 ft 6 in
Bloom Size 10 in
Bloom Color Yellow
Light Requirements Full Sun
Moisture Requirements Dry
Soil Tolerance Normal, loamy
Could you please tell me what you do with the straw mulch at the end of growing season?
No idea why anyone would mulch a garden with straw, that’s not how gardens are done where I am. But, that said, I’d till it under when the garden’s done for the season. Organic matter. We spread yard waste, grass clippings, fall leaves and such over a garden plot and till it under every year. Helps amend the clay soil.
Thank you!
I finally got to read the entire thread today. If you’re interested or (more likely) feel compelled to learn about soil structure, some educational sites post their Envirothon soil science learning materials online. I recently read other material w/reference to tilling on one of the state wildlife and conservation sites.
I’m sorry to hear about your garden. When we get winds equal to or greater than 60 mph, I get scared.
“When we get winds equal to or greater than 60 mph, I get scared.”
Don’t move anywhere remotely close to a coast. I’m 100 miles north of Galveston and Ike’s wind’s ranged here between 140-170 mph. It was a very large storm so it took a number of hours for it to go through with those strong winds all the time. You can’t get away from the sound of the wind because it’s so loud even in your house. Plus, Ike came in after dark so you didn’t know what was happening outside.
My roof stayed on but two rooms upstairs facing west had water blown in under the roof so there was water damage there and the roof had to be fixed.
Water blew in at a kitchen window that was completely closed and locked but water still blew in. That window also faced west. No water damage was done there. I saw water on the stone floor under the window after the storm passed and sure enough the water did blow in where the window closed.
Never move within 200 miles of a coast so you won’t have winds like that and I hope you don’t live in tornado country.
Before I moved to Florida I lived in an oceanfront apartment in New York City. This was the view from my window:
And this is a view of the side of the building that faced the ocean:
When water from storms seeped thru the bricks, they painted that side with something silverly-white ... and when water seeped thru that, they slapped on black tar. Nothing stopped the water!
Brick looks strong, but it is still porous enough that high wind will blow water through the brick. If you live close to water, it will come where you are one way or another.
Never buy a house in a subdivision with a water name in it. There is one here called, “River Plantation” and every time there is a heavy rain, the subdivision floods because it is too close to a river.
We have to have water to live but it can also kill you. I have a healthy respect for water because it can be deadly.
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