WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 21 MAY 23, 2014

Free Republic | 5/23/2014 | greeneyes

[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.

[greeneyes]

Greetings from Missouri. Oh what a beautiful day here on the little one acre ranch! Sun is shining and the temperature is a balmy 75 degrees in doors and outside!

My idea of perfect gardening weather. I got several of the seedlings transplanted and mulched this past week. Next up is to transplant the peanuts, and then I'll be direct sowing other veggies to fill up any remaining spaces.

I have 4 more cherry tomatoes ripe and ready to eat from Mr. Indoor Tomato. Lemons are still maturing. We had our first 2 ripe strawberries yesterday. Hubby has covered the beds with netting.

I have been doing some nutrition research lately, and finding some interesting new data relating to Vitamin K2, which is not found in green leafy veggies - that's K1 and they have very different purposes.

If you are worried about fragile bones, heart disease,overweight, or cancer to name just a few, get some K2 supplements (check the label for MK7 source). Food sources are goose liver pate, eggs from pastured chickens, hard cheeses like dutch gouda, and butter from grass fed cows. Most of which has disappeared from our diets thanks to current mass production methods. Lots of new and astounding research has been completed recently. The heart healthy diet rules haven't been modified yet, but it appears that they should be.

Hope all your gardens are doing well. Have a great holiday weekend. Drive safely if you are traveling. God Bless.

[greeneyes]

Pinging the list.

[metmom]

I just finished getting all my veggies in. Usually we have to wait for Memorial Day but the long range forecast looked good and it worked out well.

Getting that extra two weeks in for the garden is a God send.

It does so much better.

[knarf]

I won’t even TRY to find my name on your ping list.

[JRandomFreeper]

This is the third load today. I'm done. Kaput. On strike. Wore out like a rented mule.

Everything is slowly coming along. Peppers are a little slow in developing, as is the tobacco.

/johnny

[Neoliberalnot]

Please add me to the list. I am a gardening fool from Missouri. I have a garden in central MO and one about 150 miles to the SW. Lettuce, radish, and onion crops have been perfect this year. The cold killed off the peach crop but the apples look great. Using different approach this year to keep the fungus from getting my tomatoes—newspaper, instead of forage mulch.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Neoliberalnot:" Using different approach this year to keep the fungus from getting my tomatoes—newspaper, instead of forage mulch."

Are you rotating your crops , or growing exactly where you were growing tomatoes where you weredoing so last year ?
Have you ever laid the ground fallow , or with a green manure crop ?
The reason why I ask is because fungus crops occur where they were planted last
Consider crop rotation .

[tflabo]

“Goose liver pate”....ehehheeheh. Sounds so fu-fu. My friend she raises free range chickens so I guess those eggs have K2. Well just finished planting replacement ‘maters round 2. If these get diseased too I’ll have to wait until the new seedlings of Juliette’s hybrids need to grow up some more and then transplant early Sept here in N. Tx.

[sockmonkey]

This is the third load today.

All the loads were that big? I think you can take the rest of the day off.

Hmm, Marecella is on a date that lasts for two days..Wonder where she met that guy..

[Black Agnes]

MK7 is good but look into thorne’s drops or some other source of MK4 as well.

We try to eat lots of k2 in our diet. Especially the kiddos as it looks like it’s important to brain development as well.

[Black Agnes]

Is that mulch or what? I can’t tell exactly.

Whatcha buildin’ with it?

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Does anyone grow "ramps" ( spring wild onions, generally found in the woods)?
or , know of a source ?

[tflabo]

Hey /johnny where do you get your mulch/compost from?

[4everontheRight]

Hi all from the Upstate of SC. Our crops (a few rows of corn, green beans, carrots, squash, etc.) in the raised garden bed are being dug around (some dug up!) by chipmunks....anyone have a good way to ward them off? I hate to set traps as have dogs and cats and sure don't want anything to happen to the beloveds!

Our pots which we are growing hot peppers and tomatoes are slow to get started and we can't seem to get the hot peppers going.Two of our plants have already kicked the salsa jar!

[Starstruck]

Here in Kansas all of my seed started heirloom tomatoes are about 30” tall and loaded with blooms. The ornamental corn is starting to tassel. We are already eating radishes. Love the green house that allowed for the early start on the corn and maters. It’s working on the flowers now.

[Red_Devil 232]

Hello gardeners. I have not posted on the gardening thread in quite awhile, but I have read every thread each week and keep up with all the news from the gardeners.

For the past two years or so I have not had a garden. I am now back at my home in Meridian, Ms and I planted my first garden in two years last week and I am very happy. It took lots of work to restart my garden plot. I Took soil samples and had them analyzed by the county agent and Ms State. I only needed to add a little nitrogen and potassium. I also removed my old PVC drip system and replaced it with a commercial system from https://www.dripworks.com and added an Ez Flo automatic fertilizing system to the set up. Nice system.

I am a homegrown tomato lover and have planted something like 32 + tomato plants along with a few pepper plants and zukes. I have only planted half the garden space I have had in the past. Just not as spry and energetic as I was just a few years ago. I may venture into the other half of the garden with some watermelon and acorn squash if I get a little more adventurous in the next week or so. All my tomato plants are heirloom and include Marion, San Marzano, Red Beefsteak, Black Prince and Arkansas Traveler. I also planted some Pimento Pepper and a few hot peppers.

Wishing y’all great gardening this year.

[Tennessee Nana]

I always have them all over my front lawn..

a few miles from me in the mountains every April they have a “Ramp Tramp”..

Music, clogging..ramp plants for sale, and they make an incredible dish of scrambled eggs with ramps for sale..

great fun..

[JRandomFreeper]

Wonder where she met that guy..

Axe murderer convention...

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

It is partially composted shredded tree mulch. My goal is 8" over the entire yard. For this year. It does break down and go into the soil. Keeps down weeds and reduces the need for watering.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

Under the bridge about 1/2 mile from the house. The city composts their tree trimmings etc... and puts it there on a first come, first serve basis. You get to load your own. It's a lot like work.

/johnny