Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 35 AUGUST 30, 2013
Free Republic | August 30, 2013 | greeneyes

Posted on 08/30/2013 1:16:25 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.

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!

NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.


TOPICS: Gardening
KEYWORDS: agriculture; food; gardening; hobby
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220221-240241-260261-277 next last
To: sockmonkey

Those a brazen deer. I haven’t seen but a couple in our little town. One young buck chased my puppy onto the patio, then stood near the table she ran under and just watched her.
One stood at our front door looking in. Haven seen any since, but our neighbors have seen some.


241 posted on 09/05/2013 6:46:06 AM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Marcella, I’m going to copy you and use Job’s stakes in my pots. Thanks.


242 posted on 09/05/2013 7:04:58 AM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: All
Our eggplant:

243 posted on 09/05/2013 7:31:05 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 242 | View Replies]

To: tillacum
“One young buck chased my puppy onto the patio, then stood near the table she ran under and just watched her.”

You said “puppy”. If the puppy is small, don't let it run after the deer.

When I lived at a lake, our community was mainly woods and full of deer and it was unlawful to hunt deer there. I had a Yorkie and the lady next door had a Yorkie. I did not let mine out to run around the woods. Yorkie’s are low to the ground and can get caught in vines, etc., in the woods.

Deer weren't afraid there and walked around our houses all the time. The lady neighbor let her male Yorkie out every day and he chased the deer, snapping at their ankles. Deer know that is their most vulnerable area and one day a deer stomped the Yorkie into bits.

Just be aware of that and protect your puppy, don't let the puppy stay around the deer.

244 posted on 09/05/2013 8:03:51 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 241 | View Replies]

To: tillacum

“I’m going to copy you and use Job’s stakes in my pots.”

Doesn’t matter where you buy them, but if you look on Amazon, you can see the many kinds they have. There is one you stick in tomatoes when they flower and those are intended to give the plant what it needs right then to make more and larger tomatoes. There is a stake for most everything and every reason to use that particular one.


245 posted on 09/05/2013 8:08:15 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 242 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

My mom used stakes, but I never have, just feed’em manually every two weeks. We have used the pellets that come in buckets that feed every time they get wet, but with as little rain that we get here, that doesn’t work out very good. Every year I say I’m gunna get an automatic food injector to use in our drip system, but that hasn’t come to be yet.


246 posted on 09/05/2013 8:46:00 AM PDT by rightly_dividing (Phil. 4:13)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 245 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Thank you, I’ll go there and get what I need.
My tomato plant is putting out a lot of flowers and tomatoes.
It has to be a bird, because lately, as the tomatoes have
begun to turn color, I’ve been finding part of the tomato
eaten, never all of it, just enough to ruin it.


247 posted on 09/05/2013 1:28:49 PM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 245 | View Replies]

To: greeneyes

That’s what I’m going to do with my potatoes, put some soil
in the bottom of the pot, then as the leaves come out and the stem grows a bit,I’ll add hay. What the hay, it might work.
I’ve planted some broccoli, and some flat head cabbage. I
water them twice a day, because the poor things wilt. I’m
also going to cover them with a white thingy I found in the
garage.


248 posted on 09/05/2013 1:33:04 PM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 213 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper

HUH? Do they attack plants?


249 posted on 09/05/2013 1:34:04 PM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 218 | View Replies]

To: Ellendra

Is it hot where you are? You have a lot of energy.


250 posted on 09/05/2013 1:36:00 PM PDT by tillacum
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 214 | View Replies]

To: tillacum
No, yesterday morning, I was getting ready to pot some more aloe vera babies, and in mashing up lumps of potting soil, found one lump that was rather unhappy with me. A toad had gotten in the bag and was sleeping in the potting soil.

/johnny

251 posted on 09/05/2013 1:42:51 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 249 | View Replies]

To: tillacum
“I’ve been finding part of the tomato eaten, never all of it, just enough to ruin it.”

It's a bird. Put netting over the tomatoes propped high enough over the tomatoes so bird can't reach in the get them, or put row cover over the tomatoes. I used row cover in earlier months when that bunch of tomatoes was ripening because the birds did do that. They only did it once, because I covered them after that.

Don't you hate it when the tomato has been ruined like that? I didn't have an opinion about birds and squirrels and insects until I started this gardening stuff and now I have a hate list.

252 posted on 09/05/2013 3:05:00 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 247 | View Replies]

To: JRandomFreeper; greeneyes; All

“A toad had gotten in the bag and was sleeping in the potting soil.”

Haven’t found any toads but like I said, if there was one, he would have been skewered by a trowel since, unlike you, I don’t put my hands in dirt.

Went out to check soil in planters sitting on garden dirt for moisture where the covered walking onions are and they didn’t need watering. Naturally, the onions aren’t up and probably won’t be until next spring - not sure if this longer growing season here will make them do something.

Checked between the two rose bushes where I sprinkled the flower combination of seeds and some really, really, tiny green leaves are appearing and that ground was still moist. That small area is also covered with row cover. Managed to get too close to one of the rose bushes and two thorns stuck into the back of my hand - instant bleeding. Had to pull thorns out of hand. Those are David Austin roses and I think he tries to breed in the worst thorns possible. Got the bleeding stopped after going inside.

Have planted the six bush bean plants, 2 each in 5 gallon buckets and I did it in the cool house. That is something I don’t know - how many plants will a 5 gallon bucket support? Yes, I know it depends on the type plant but you see, I don’t have a clue what plant needs what space. Have to do it by trial and error if none of you know which plants would take the most space. But, you should know which ones planted in ground take the most space.

I have now talked to an official at Bimbo in New York City about their toast. I’ll report on that tomorrow as she is supposed to call me back with exact shelf life of that toast. I know now where it is sold all over the country.


253 posted on 09/05/2013 3:45:22 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 251 | View Replies]

To: trisham

That’s nice Trisham! Black Beauty or other variety?


254 posted on 09/05/2013 4:07:12 PM PDT by tubebender (Evening news is where they begin with "Good Evening," and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 243 | View Replies]

To: tubebender
Thank you, tubebender! I can't remember! :(

I love them as much for their ornamental qualities as for use in dishes.

This is the best gardening season we've had in years, but it was a nothing compared to our old gardens. I'm determined to keep going next spring, regardless. Our best endeavor has been our roses, which I ordered from QVC, of all places.

How is your garden?

255 posted on 09/05/2013 4:12:19 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 254 | View Replies]

To: trisham

Our garden is winding down too rapidly as it has been a awesome spring and summer here on the shores of Humboldt Bay. My green house tomatoes got hit with late blight literally overnight Tuesday. I’ll try to post some new photos over the weekend


256 posted on 09/05/2013 4:51:08 PM PDT by tubebender (Evening news is where they begin with "Good Evening," and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 255 | View Replies]

To: tubebender

We had some kind of weird thing that happened to our tomatoes. Some of them look contorted. I don’t think we’ve ever had that before.


257 posted on 09/05/2013 5:01:21 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 256 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Thanks for the Bimbo Report. LOL

If you google square foot gardening, it might help with your question regarding number of plants. IIRC Bush Beans are 9 per sq. foot. Regular Tomatoes 1 per sq. foot. Carrots are 16 per sq. foot. Melons are 1 per 2 sq. foot. Cukes are 2 per sq. foot. Spinach is 9 per sq. foot. Leaf lettuce is 4 per sq. foot.

I would think that plants with shallow roots, would not need a five gallon bucket’s depth, even though they might need the width/surface area. I easily grow spinach and lettuce for example in about 4 to 6 inches deep pots.


258 posted on 09/05/2013 5:54:27 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 253 | View Replies]

To: tillacum

One of these years, I am going to get enough old tires to grow them in a stack about 4 high. What kind of pot are you going to use?


259 posted on 09/05/2013 6:06:33 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 248 | View Replies]

To: Silentgypsy

I have good luck with the seeds from bakers creek and southern exposure seed exchange-for my heirlooms. At least they sprout.

I don’t always get a decent crop yield, but I think that is soil and environment, still fine tuning that.


260 posted on 09/05/2013 6:09:30 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 240 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220221-240241-260261-277 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson