Posted on 12/16/2016 7:55:14 PM PST 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. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - 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.
Will be scanning the ads for specials and canning meats sometime this weekend, after I get the refrigerator cleaned out.
Hope all is well with you and yours. Prayers up for everyone. God Bless.
Pinging the List.
I have seen some really nice miniature roses available this Christmas season. Bought two for myself -— one with red and white flowers, and a bright yellow. I will plant them outside next spring.
Sounds nice. I really like the miniatures.
Put me on your ping list, please.
Like you, I am spending time canning meat. Turkeys were pretty cheap this year, and I bought 3. There is only the two of us, so I have canned the leftovers. Still have one left in the freezer.
Gathered up all the green tomatoes (small) from what I had and the neighbor and made a batch of green salsa.
The soil where I am is really poor and rocky (in the mountains) and I will be planning on how to improve the situation.
Thanks.
We are actually eating the last of the grape tomatoes picked green more than a month ago. We’ve kept these in paper bags stored in our garage. Tomatoes will turn red stored in bags.
The Baker Seed catalog sure has some good stuff. We’ll make out an order by Jan 1.
I would suggest your first step is to have a soil test done, either at home , or by cooperative extension office, for little or no expense.
The soil test will tell you what minerals you have, and what micro-nutirents which might be missing.
Next, I would increase organic matter and fiber in the soil, either by leaves collection, or by homemade compost.
Most towns which pick up leaves in the fall have a compost heap for residents that you can have for free; the contact person is generally the town or county road supervisor.
Incorporate as much mulch as you can into the garden to retard weed growth and weed seeds,
Don't forget to ordr your seed catalogues early for best selection for your area.
In Western NY, we have 5 1/2 inches of frozen, white pollution on the ground right now.
Boy, how I miss the taste of a fresh home grown tomato right now; this years drought really did us in in the NorthEast.
Have you ever tried to carry over a couple of tomato plants from the previous year by bringing them indoors, for over wintering ?
Howdy folks. Hope you are all doing well now that winter seems to have set in everywhere. We got our first deep freeze just over a week ago so I was very busy getting prepared for that. I’d already brought everything in once for a false alarm but still had 2 big tomato plants out and had taken my lemon, a bougainvillea and one pepper out to get more sun and rain.
As I was gathering up hoses and putting cleaned pots up in my shed I fell over a bale of hay and knocked my head on the shed door, went backward over the hay, down the steps up into the shed and unconscious on the ground. Nice concussion out of that :(
My husband is not the gardener in the family but he ended up having to pick the last of those maters and bring the other things back in the house. I’ve been laid up now for 12 days :( Waiting to get MRIs and see a back surgeon over this. Not a happy ending to my best gardening year in ages. But, I’ve still got lots of tomatoes and peppers going in the sunroom and on the balcony. I can care for the sunroom plants using my walker but hubby’s been having to keep a check on the balcony plants as I can’t make the stairs yet.
Did get my outside areas all mulched. Got a good bit of compost that still needs to be spread but it will have to wait. Either the concussion or a neck injury left me having trouble using my right hand for about a week but been crocheting this week getting the hand working again. Doc says thats good. Looking forward to being back up and going again so planning out my spring planting while I do the rest thing.
Merry Christmas all!
I overwinter tomatoes in pots inside the house. They don't do quite as well as peppers for me but usually half to 2/3 rebound very well once spring arrives. I feed them well when I first bring them in from the cold and then don't feed again till late winter when they begin to show more growth. I water normally until all tomatoes have been harvested then cut back on watering. In spring I plant them out or repot in fresh soil, feed well and very quickly those tomatoes begin producing.
Usually a tomato given such care produces better the second year than the first but, for me, I've found that the tomatoes are pretty much "used up" then. I keep peppers in the same manner but they last longer, at least 3 years and I have 2 in my sunroom with me now on their 5th winter. (I know you asked about maters, but these 2 nightshades have so much in common.)
True about both tomatoes and peppers being in the same solanacious family, and many new gardeners don't know enough to rotate the nightshade crops.
Glad to hear about your long-term success with peppers.
Question: do you keep just the mother plant, or do you make cuttings/rootings from side shoots ?
Yes, I agree that peppers may be somewhat more tolerant to decreased light and/or temperature conditions
Are you selectively breeding for over-wintering conditions ?
The other part of that last question was supposed to be " or is it just happenstance ?"
Will add you to my list. My soil was pretty poor too. I went with raised beds. I add compost every year and rotate my crops, and used cover crops in the winter to turn under the next spring. Soil is better in these beds as time goes on.
Oh no - sorry for your accident. Will be praying for your 100% recovery.
I have brought in Tomato plants from outdoors several times as well as bell peppers. The indeterminate tomatoes all continued to form flowers and fruit. Didn’t even need hand pollination. Peppers did well, they just weren’t a big as usual.
>>”I have brought in Tomato plants from outdoors”<<
Started to grow tomatoes (first time for me to grow any veggies), in a large pot on the balcony here, they grew so fast! Though, it’s summer in this part of the world, 33 degrees celsius today. They taste different and much better than the ones bought at the supermarket. Got a surplus, my next door neighbour was willing to pay, gave her a few for free :)
Light snow, here in southern NH. I wrapped our hives last Tuesday. Hope they winter over.
Snow thrower on garden tractor is operational. Used once last already.
We will be doing serious work on our soil next spring, as well.
Thanks for the advice! Will do!
They do taste better. Extras can be frozen, dehydrated, or canned to use in chili or soups. I like to have a few indoors in the winter to have the great taste with my salad.
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.