Posted on 02/07/2014 12:31:57 PM PST by greeneyes
Congratulations on you successful marriage. I love to hear success stories like that.
My folks made it 62 years and didn’t marry till they were about 25 yo.
Love Joe...he's NOT a GW acolyte by any stretch. Now the question...who on this thread remembers what the weather was like in the 50's?
After 5 months sealed in a Zip-Lock bag of potting soil in the fridge drawer with no action, checking them every weekend since Christmas,I decided Wednesday was time to get rid of my failed peach pits. BEHOLD! They sprouteth! I'll give them another week or so, then start potting them.
New batch of cat grass (oat Z& wheat mixed)is up & growing like weeds. Instead of using the shallow container that comes with the kits, I used seed starter mix to fill a 2 pound coffee can, and planted them in it. Grains generally have a deep root system, so I figured this will give them more room to grow, to see if it lasts longer before dying.
We still have frigid temps, only getting into single digits for highs & down tp as much as (near-record) -25 at night; and we still have December snow in the form of an inch or so of glare ice underneath the more recent snowfalls. Almost every morning there's a new 1/4-1/2" that needs to be swept off the walks & windshields. Going through wood like gangbusters; starting to have to split & use some of next winter's that we cut summer before last. Today is an exception: no new snow last night, and up to a high of 22! On the downside, it's clouding up to give us a couple of inches tonight & tomorrow, and maybe into Sunday. By Tuesday, we're supposed to be back to highs in the 30s: YAY!
There's around 8" or so on the garden; yet last week, we went to friends in town for dinner so I could help him trim their cherry & apple trees that were starting to bud! Glad our cherries, apricots, pears and apples have more sense!
Shopko (which we don't really like, but are stuck with) had plastic containers on sale this week: 2.5 quart for $.99, with lids; and 6+ quart shoebox size for #$1.99, also with lids. I bought 3 of each to sue for seed starting late next month. They are about as deep as a 4" peat pot, so I'll just put potting soil in them, and go from there.
I believe the bull part of it,, back home in La. ,son says we’ve broken an all time record of three snows(sticking to the ground) this year and another on the way .
I’m jealous just thinking about 70 degrees. We are in for another blast of cold unless the forcast for next week changes.
We are going to have to do some serious draft reduction around here. I have been discussing it with Hubby. See I have to discuss it for quite a while, and he’ll finally say ok I’ll do that when the weather gets better.
When the weather gets better, he always has other stuff that is an excuse. Finally I get to remind him that he said he would do that when the weather got better, better is here, and when does he think he could work it into his schedule, and do I need to get any materials to help him do it?
Then it usually gets done.LOL
Me,,,I’m that old fart you always hear about.
—I don’t seem to get any thinner no matter what I do—
One doctor has me dieting, another puts me on steroids!
I got up at 11:30 one night last week and made biscuits, eggs and link sausage. Wife got up and come in “I thought I was dreaming, smelling sausage cooking” At least I offset that to a small degree by not eating till supper the next day. Yea, right, keep telling myself that! LOL
Thank you all very much. Somebody has been lurking over at Word For The Day! ;^)
Happy Friday greeneyes. I have two gardening-related questions for you and/or any other FReeper that knows their stuff.
First, I planted some lettuce in 5 hydroponic pots and they’re starting to grow, but the new growth looks more like sprouts than lettuce. I was expecting a low ball of green instead of a tall thin stalk reaching toward the light. Is this normal for lettuce as it starts from seed? What’s it supposed to look like for the first few weeks after germination?
Second, I just bought a plum tree and still need to get some soil before I plant it. Any recommendations on which type of soil and what kind of drainage it’ll need? I’m thinking of potting it since it’s small, then transplanting it into the ground after it outgrows the pot. Bad idea? decent idea? I’m in Southern California so winter weather isn’t a huge deal, but my backyard soil kinda sucks.
Thanks in advance to any and all responses.
Variety is the spice of life they say. I always like to plant a few different things each year to see how they do.
Last year I did sunflower seeds, peanuts, and amaranth. The slugs loved them, but hit the sunflower seeds the hardest. I planted the sunflowers too early, and they didn’t do well, so I reseeded when the weather was warmer.
They did great till the slugs hit. They chewed them all down so quick, I just gave up. I put out beer in tuna cans, and the slugs left the peanuts and amaranth alone.
Hubby made a new bed for the amaranth. I am going to plant several beds of peanuts this year. I am going to have to find a better spot for the sunflowers, though.
My new thing this year is going to be deck corn, and the planting pots like Marcella got. Haven’t decided what will go in them yet.
I truly regret not sucking it up and throwing garlic int the ground. I’ll miss it this year, especially the scapes!
Nice to meet you...so, how was the weather in the 50’s? (I was here, just too young to take serious note of weather patterns back in the day.)
I’m not old, I’ve just been around a long time.
I just signed up on Southern Exposure’s website and requested a catalog. I think I’ll start with the easy stuff.
My Doc says the CPAP will help that. Most of his patients lose 25 lbs even with no changes to diet or excercise. As I do have a little more energy, I am beginning my excercise program, and continuing to tweak my diet so that it's healthy.
Now that breakfast you ate, I would have probably only had a half serving of the fatty foods and starches, and added a real lemonade and some citrus fruit. Plus some oolong tea.
The oolong tea supposedly helps block the fat from being stored. The citrus and lemon juice helps with digesting the starches.
I have broken my sugar addiction. The only time I have sugar now is when I get nausea, then I drink a little cola cut with no sodium seltzer water. I even love lemonade without added sugar.
My sweet treats are fresh apples, peaches etc. I do add a little maple syrup or honey to peanut butter for an extra special treat sometimes, but that's it. Reduction of white flour has been coming along too. Replacing it with oats, and brown rice or sweet potatoes. I figure if I can't lose, I'll at least eat healthy and get all the nutrients I can.
You are welcome. A little birdy tipped me off.
—Variety is the spice of life they say—
But I ain’t looking for spice, just tasty maters. LOL
I am thinking of a raised bed, square foot garden in a tiny sunny spot by the workshop out back. It’s almost in the way, but if I keep it small, I may get away with it. Need to see if I can get some compost by the yard from a soil and mulch place first.
They’ve got a lot of information on their site. One of the most useful for me (right now especially) has been this:
http://www.southernexposure.com/southern-exposures-fallwinter-gardening-guide-ezp-38.html
At the bottom they’ve got the rough temperature hardy/vegetable list. Things I didn’t know were hardy are. Like dill. My cilantro lasted till about 15F. We’ve had lows of 10F and 8F on separate occasions here this year. Even my garlic has little frost burned leaves. Never seen that before.
You've got several issues with the plum tree that I can think of. I am not certain of the exact PH etc for the soil, but you can easily find that information.
Hubby says that it is better to plant the trees while they are young, and that transplanting them is worse the older they are.
Your main problem is the bad soil. If you do what most do, and simply dig a hole slightly bigger than the root ball of improved soil, and transplant it, down the road the tree may have problems. Roots will be gathering nutrients further and further away from the tree as it grows.
You will need to have a sizable plot of improved soil in order for it to succeed long term. Maybe some of the others will have some additional hints. Hope this helps.
I think raised beds make a lot of sense for me as I get older.
Actually I am dreaming of a nice sunroom or enclosed back patio, with waist high counter top and open shelves underneath. That way I can set all kinds of pots along the twenty four foot length, and 8 foot sides.
Hang some stuff up from the ceiling, and anchor the corners with lemon trees in pots. Rocket stove heat or radiant heat maybe, and some comfy lawn furniture.LOL
Probably never be able to do it, but if I win the lottery, it’s a done deal.LOL
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