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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
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To: Marcella

I’m thinking the ‘peach’ part of that fruit is probably bitter and/or not palatable or sweet.

I could be wrong.

Maybe you could feed it to chickens or pigs?


41 posted on 08/30/2013 3:29:36 PM PDT by Black Agnes
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To: gorush

“My wife has three “Earth Boxes” on a cart.”

That’s a good idea. Another type container for my container deck farm.


42 posted on 08/30/2013 3:30:02 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.)
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To: SAJ

It’s a mystery. It could just be a little transplant shock being in a new environment. Don’t treat it too kind. I have killed more plant with over fertilization and over watering than through neglect.

Do keep an eye out for any bugs on the leaves etc maybe even use a magnifying glass. Sometimes when I transplant stuff, I deliberately take off some of the bottom leaves, because I figure that will help the remaining leaves to survive. I could be mistaken, but that is what I do.

I also don’t want to risk burning from fertilizer, so I usually use slow release osmote type pellets when I transplant.


43 posted on 08/30/2013 3:30:05 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella

IIRC, it is hall’s hardy almond tree. It may have been a dwarf tree. When given a choice, we get the dwarfs because we only have an acre and the house and play yard take up quite a bit of that space.


44 posted on 08/30/2013 3:34:01 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Black Agnes

I would do that if I were you. My daughter planted some almond trees that she got from the Aborative Society. She claimed they turned into peach trees. They were in her front yard, and she thought they cross pollinated with the peaches from the back yard.

Any way, we picked a bunch of them and took with us on vacation. They tasted great just like peaches. We didn’t even think to bust the pits and see what was inside.


45 posted on 08/30/2013 3:40:31 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: sockmonkey

I don’t care for arugula either, but my daughter loves the stuff.


46 posted on 08/30/2013 3:41:10 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Black Agnes; tflabo

Last year-hottest since 1956 here in Missouri. I got black seeded simpson to sprout and grow in the summer. Planted toward the end of June in a rectangular planter, so I could bring it in if I needed to.

It was in the shade of a tree during the hottest part of the day. I just watered it a little morning and night, and had lettuce all summer and fall till I pulled it out to dump in the compost heap and plant the fall/winter garden.


47 posted on 08/30/2013 3:46:29 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Black Agnes

OOOOHHHH. That sounds great. I may have to try one too, if our budget next year allows it.LOL


48 posted on 08/30/2013 3:50:25 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes
We are just a mile out side of town and close enough that we just don’t have problems with deer.

Here, in town, in Central TX, I've hit two deer, and they think my front flower beds are their salad bar.

They've even come onto the front porch to eat flowers in big pots.

49 posted on 08/30/2013 3:54:45 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: tflabo

Do you plant seedlings or transplants?

I remember several years ago reading (in Organic Gardening, or somewhere) about a person that sprinkled the lettuce seed on the snow, with the ground worked up under-in late winter when the weather had settled, going on early spring— When the snow melted, the seed rooted and took off. I have always wanted to try that but have never had snow at the right time. Obviously it would be late winter to do that.


50 posted on 08/30/2013 4:20:03 PM PDT by handmade
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To: greeneyes
Thx, greeneyes!

Only bugs I've seen (and I **LOOK**) have been a couple of wasps, on and off, just crawling around the leaves. Can't miss 'em really; they've bright orange legs and antennae. Don't eat anything, don't leave eggs/deposits anywhere that I can see. As you say, a mystery.

Transplant shock? Absolutely a possibility, which means I'm a fumble-fingered clown, because, of the 5 sage plants I've transplanted before, 4 are still quite well (I stepped on the fifth...idiot). Too leggy, and that's my fault, too -- I thought where I put them would provide more sun than it did (mutter, grumble).

\ I won't overkind the little bugger, per your advice, and many thanks. We shall see what we shall see.

And here's a tip for you, in part payment for your kindness. The most dangerous term in gardening, for 'transplanted' norteamericanos (I'm from St. Louis county, originally) is "full sun". Oh, I know what it means...in North America. In Panama, even up here in the hills, "full sun" is an absolute death sentence for any soft-stemmed herb (dill, parsley, cilantro, &c). The only herbs that seem to tolerate/thrive in "full sun" here are the hard dry herbs, oregano and rosemary in my case.

Oregano here (vulgare hirtum) might as well be a weed; that's how well it grows. I'll have a yard full (via cuttings, not seeding) in a year or so.

Rosemary grows much more slowly (dammit) but still loves Panama's sun.

Sweet basil (and Panama basil, which has a more licorice-y flavour) -- plant the seeds and stand back. It just GROWS. Cuttings? Hah! Just cut about 3 inches down from the top of a NON-flowering stem, strip off the bottom inch, dip into root hormone, and -- again -- stand back. Out of 1, count 'em one, cutting and half a pack of Burpee seeds, I had about 80 plants make it to maturity. Been giving plants and seeds (roughly 200 per stalk, when brown and 'mature') away to literally everyone I know who wants 'em. No skill required, which is fortunate, because I haven't much!

Contrarily, lavender does NOT grow. Too humid here, I think (but that's a guess).

Best regards, and thanks again!

51 posted on 08/30/2013 4:25:40 PM PDT by SAJ
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To: greeneyes

Cyanide smells like almonds for a reason.

“Real” almonds have a tough, thick-skinned, very thin-meated fruit surrounding the nut. Not sure what you have.

Any stone fruit pit can be cracked, and the seed used as an “almond”...
_______________________________________________________
http://bravetart.com/blog/ThePits
The knee-jerk omg cyanide reaction seemingly everyone responds with isn’t entirely unfounded. Noyaux contain a substance called amygdalin, which breaks down during digestion to become sinister hydro-cyanic acid. Given the chance, a hundred grams of raw stone fruit kernels would produce about 160 milligrams of cyanide. Probably the most over-hyped, shrug-worthy food risk on the planet when you consider a hundred grams of black beans would produce 400 milligrams of cyanide (thanks, dusty copy of Food and Nutritional Toxicology). As with those deadly black beans, cooking the pits causes a breakdown of the harmful substances and renders them safe for consumption, ...
_____________________________________________________

PEACH PIT JELLY recipes & discussion. http://mrssurvival.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28879


52 posted on 08/30/2013 4:41:36 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: greeneyes
Here in Connecticut everything is doing great. Picking so many tomatoes, beans, and eggplants we took a walk over to a few of the neighbors this afternoon to share. Put in lettuce, bok choy, kale, and chinese cabbage for the Fall. My first attempt at a Fall garden. Will put in some turnips and some radishes tomorrow

Has anyone ever grown quinoa? I put some in on a lark and its doing quite well. Looks like I'll have to figure out how to harvest it.

Yesterday's tomato & green been harvest. Picked about the same one Monday.


53 posted on 08/30/2013 4:43:24 PM PDT by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: greeneyes

Caterpillars are munching their way through my planters. Butterflies will be here soon.


54 posted on 08/30/2013 5:21:30 PM PDT by tob2
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To: tob2

At least the butterflies are pretty I hope?


55 posted on 08/30/2013 5:31:54 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: KosmicKitty

Thanks for the pictures. Keep me posted on the quinoa. I have never tasted it or tried growing it, but it is supposed to be a very nutritionous grain.


56 posted on 08/30/2013 5:33:26 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: ApplegateRanch

Thanks for the links.


57 posted on 08/30/2013 5:34:50 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: SAJ

Very interesting. I grow a little lavendar, but even here I think it’s a bit too humid to do well. Basil is just a growth opportunity barely waiting to happen.LOL


58 posted on 08/30/2013 5:38:20 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

After making a trial quart the night before and tasting them the next day, we made & processed 4 more quarts of sweet-hot dill pickles last night.

Dill (DUH!) brown mustard seed, celery seed, fennel seed, coriander seed, alum, some whole dried Serrano peppers, Egyptian top-onions, and garlic in each jar. Pickle is 6 cups sugar, 4 cups white vinegar, and 4 cups water. We used spears cut from our 5 “Muncher” slicing cuke plants that are producing beyond all reason. The seeds were a ‘free bonus’ included in our jung’s order.

Amazingly,our “Green Arrow” peas are still limping along, and I’m babying them, and keeping them picked, hoping to get a second crop when cool (hit 98 today! been ~15 or so above average for over a week) Fall weather returns.Speaking of weather, yet another tornado reported ‘on the ground’ today, in Custer County; not even remotely near us.

So far, about a half dozen black oilseed sunflowers have been harvested. That alone has returned several times more seed than I planted.


59 posted on 08/30/2013 5:39:15 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: sockmonkey

When deer season comes......

Could you maybe get some venison?


60 posted on 08/30/2013 5:39:55 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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