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

Skip to comments.

WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 9 FEBRUARY 28, 2014
Free Republic | Feb 28, 2014 | greeneyes

Posted on 02/28/2014 12:35:18 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. 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 ... 201-220221-240241-260 ... 321-339 next last
To: Marcella

I ordered some of the Sunchocola tomato seeds from Burpee. My oldest kid wanted some of the giant cantaloupe type melons she saw there and I added some of the sweet marigold seeds too.

Parks had 20 packets for $20 week before last and I loaded up on herb varieties then.

When your cilantro plants do bolt, be sure to save seeds from them. The flowers are loved by pollinators and the seeds, as I’m sure you know, are coriander. Once you have a supply of seeds you should be good to go with cilantro forever LOL. I have volunteers in my raised beds from cilantro I grew there 2 years ago. And cilantro is another plant that should be OK outdoors all winter in your courtyard outside of Houston. You should probably protect it some if the temps get under 20F though.


221 posted on 03/03/2014 12:28:17 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 214 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Oh, but if you’re ordering seeds someplace and see onion seeds you’d like go ahead and order them now. Save shipping, etc. Just remember that onion seeds are usually only good for one season. They don’t ‘last’ like tomato and pepper seeds do for several seasons. Might think about putting the packet in a ziploc freezer bag and freezing it until you’re ready to use them.

—BA the pedantic.


222 posted on 03/03/2014 12:30:39 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 221 | View Replies]

To: Black Agnes

http://www.rareseeds.com/culantro-or-vietnamese-coriander/

I’m going to try this this year. It’s supposedly happier in warmer temps than regular cilantro.

We’ll see.


223 posted on 03/03/2014 12:33:03 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 222 | View Replies]

To: Black Agnes; JRandomFreeper; rightly_dividing; sockmonkey

Well, crap - rightly and I are having a winter storm this evening. Rightly, maybe wife should stay home tomorrow, don’t let her go out on the roads - we could also lose power. I just got this from a Houston TV station (see ice storm warning at the end):

Monday Night Overcast in the evening, then mostly cloudy with ice pellets. Low of 28F. Winds from the North at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation 40% .

Tuesday Overcast with ice pellets and rain, then a chance of rain in the afternoon. High of 45F. Winds less than 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 70% .

Tuesday Night Overcast in the evening, then mostly cloudy. Low of 32F. Winds less than 5 mph.

Winter Storm Warning Statement as of 2:16 PM CST on March 3, 2014
... Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to 11 am CST Tuesday...

The National Weather Service in Houston/Galveston has issued a Winter Storm Warning for freezing rain... which is in effect from 11 PM this evening to 11 am CST Tuesday.

* Event... a cold airmass over the area and an approaching upper level system will set the stage for freezing rain to develop after 11 PM and intensify over the warning area between 2 am and 8 am.

Ice is expected to accumulate on bridges first but should
develop on surface streets as well before 6 am. Significant
accumulations of 0.10 to 0.20 inches of ice will be possible
over the warning area. As temperatures warm after 9 am the
freezing rain should gradually change back over to rain.
Temperatures should be in the mid to upper 30s by noon helping to quickly thaw roads and any ice accumulations.

* Timing... after 11 PM through 11 am

* main impact... treacherous driving conditions on many roads and especially on bridges and elevated roads.

Other impacts... possibly power outages.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

Roads... bridges... and overpasses in the warning area will become slick and hazardous. Accumulation of ice on surface roads may make travel treacherous. Sidewalks may receive a glaze of ice and become difficult for pedestrians.


224 posted on 03/03/2014 1:21:51 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 223 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Sounds like weather for little old ladies and their cute little dogs to stay inside where it’s warm and drink tea or hot cocoa.


225 posted on 03/03/2014 1:26:14 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: Black Agnes
“Sounds like weather for little old ladies and their cute little dogs to stay inside where it’s warm and drink tea or hot cocoa.”

Absolutely - I'm snug in this house at 72.5 degrees and have plenty of tea and hot chocolate and coffee ...and Amaretto. Little Prissy has been sleeping on my chair or sleeping in her second bed which is in front of my chair. Her main bed is in her bedroom, which is the downstairs bathroom. She isn't wanting out today - I have potty pads for her in the kitchen and she always goes there for her potty needs. She is so small there is never much on the pads. It's 40.2 outside right now.

I have the weather channel on now and they say this evening and Tuesday, Conroe is “icy” so they are matching the Houston TV station for Conroe.

226 posted on 03/03/2014 1:36:45 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 225 | View Replies]

To: Marcella

Stay inside if it’s icy..no more ankle injuries, or head banging, please.

Since it got up to 42..oh, a regular heatwave, I got 3 of the mega bags of potting soil out of my car..They’d been there a few days..

I got out my smart pots, and opened one. It was immediately noticed, then occup0ied by a furry cat..Earlier, one of them was laying on top of a smart pot of potatoes that had a frost blanket over it..

It looks like after tonight, the temps will start rising, and there’s even a prediction for that still elusive thunderstorm.


227 posted on 03/03/2014 2:57:17 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 224 | View Replies]

To: All

I received another manilla mailing packet of seeds today. That brings me to four packets. I still have live plants to come. I have to begin seed-starting next week, and I just hope that our new puppy and his friend don’t knock over our “mobile growing cart” that is full of soil. It’s standing in the kitchen next to the table. That could be ugly.


228 posted on 03/03/2014 3:04:39 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 227 | View Replies]

To: sockmonkey

My temp is 38 on it’s way down. If we do get ice pellets or ice water from the sky, it’s going to freeze and they said from 11pm on we would accumulate ice.

Prissy is now on my chair snuggled up to my leg and I put a doggie blanket on top of her. It’s 72.5 in here and she is acting like it is freezing. I wonder if she can sense how cold it is outside and is staying glued to me due to that.


229 posted on 03/03/2014 3:07:38 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 227 | View Replies]

To: trisham

When my youngest was 18m she dumped over two whole trays (200+ divots per tray) that I’d planted with peppers/tomatoes/tomatillos/eggplants. I’d put them on the kitchen counter and forgotten to latch the baby gate when I took her out of her high chair back into the den.

*sigh*


230 posted on 03/03/2014 3:15:08 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 228 | View Replies]

To: Black Agnes

Oy! That must have been distressing.


231 posted on 03/03/2014 3:16:19 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 230 | View Replies]

To: trisham

I cried. Hubby made me a toddy.

I’ve been more careful since!


232 posted on 03/03/2014 3:17:40 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 231 | View Replies]

To: Black Agnes

Awww. You have a nice hubby.


233 posted on 03/03/2014 3:20:23 PM PST by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 232 | View Replies]

To: trisham

I do indeedy.

He tolerates my garden ‘hobby’.


234 posted on 03/03/2014 3:23:12 PM PST by Black Agnes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 233 | View Replies]

To: Marcella
My temp is 38 on it’s way down. If we do get ice pellets or ice water from the sky, it’s going to freeze and they said from 11pm on we would accumulate ice.

At 6:30 pm, thunder, and ice pellets, just shy of 41 degrees.. Unloading potting soil, and messing with smart pots, I forgot to bring my "portables" out of the greenhouse into the house..

Depending on how cold it gets tonight, they might be okay, but if the ice pellets stop, I will very carefully go and get them. My deck turns into s slip and slide when it gets ice on it..even with just rain, it gets pretty slippery.

235 posted on 03/03/2014 4:31:22 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 229 | View Replies]

To: sockmonkey

If you go out to get plants, spread some salt on the porch before you walk on it.

Temp here still going down, it’s 35 now. I’ll stay up past 11 pm to see if the ice pellets start as they said it would start by 11 pm.


236 posted on 03/03/2014 5:01:03 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 235 | View Replies]

To: Marcella
If you go out to get plants, spread some salt on the porch before you walk on it.

I went out with a corn straw broom with very stiff bristles sweeping ice, and water ahead of me... The lightning and thunder were intimidating. I am in for the night.

237 posted on 03/03/2014 5:14:56 PM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 236 | View Replies]

To: sockmonkey

Good, I was afraid you would fall.


238 posted on 03/03/2014 5:34:34 PM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 237 | View Replies]

To: greeneyes

Thanks for the estimated time, greeneyes!


239 posted on 03/03/2014 6:43:40 PM PST by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies]

To: SisterK

Thanks for the estimated times for seedlings, SisterK. I’m afraid I’m more late than I realized! Oh well.


240 posted on 03/03/2014 6:44:56 PM PST by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 176 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 201-220221-240241-260 ... 321-339 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