Posted on 07/08/2016 1:32:57 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. 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.
We had rain this morning, but the clouds are gone, and the sun is out. When the patio dries off, I plan to get some much needed sweeping done, and may dig some potatoes, if the ground is dry enough.
I finally have some tomatoes with flowers on them. I have some old deck corn seeds that got overlooked, so I stuck them in a flat made out of a milk carton to see if anything sprouts. I also found some peanuts, that will just barely have time to mature, so will plant a few mainly to have some to plant next year.
With all the rain, I turned from working in the garden to working in the house - fantastic bargains on meat and chicken for the holiday, so I bought a bunch and pressure canned it. I also reorganized the pantry a bit, shifted the older stock out to the area for easier access.
Cleaned out the utility storage area where the hot water heater is. Rotated the emergency water where it is easier to get to - a bit past time for it's use. Packed some liter soda bottles and lids away in cardboard box for more compressed storage - they make good plant pots as well as other uses.
Reading material this month is Slug Bread and Beheaded Thistles. So far, I've read that Buffalo grass doesn't need mowing, 7-8 gallons of compost is needed for 100 sq. ft. of garden space, and Japanese Beetles have a fatal attraction to Geranium Maculation(wild geranium with pink flowers).
Hope you are all doing well. Prayers up for all, and especially those whose loved ones work in harm's way, as well as those who have suffered losses this week.
Have a great weekend. God Bless.
Pinging the List.
We doin ok up here in Foley. It is the triple H here [hazy,hot & humid] my pond has been over flowing this week & I’m gonna have to rebuild it this fall [if & when I have the money] I am also gonna have to brush hog the property just get the grass under control. The garden is being over run by the weeds & I’m gonna have to go out and do battle with them, if I want to harvest anything this fall.
Hi greeneyes and everyone!
It rained again, and the grass is insanely growing! If I had a garden this year, it probably would be too!
The perennials are doing well. The black berries are ripe and Darlin has been harvesting a few beauties here and there and bringing them to me for a special treat.... LOL! unfortunately they have an astounding pucker factor! Sour???? You bet!
I ran across this survival hack for using a plastic water bottle in creative ways. At about 8:15, there is a demonstration of to use one for a seed or seedling planter. Very clever!
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Blessings
texokie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jUchqJ4lIA
Glad to see that you have had rain.
We, in Western NY, are currently in the 5th most drought spring/summer condition of recorded history.
Just got a 'spritz' yesterday that evaporated while it fell.
We are measuring rainfall in hundredths and thousands of an inch here as the lawns are bare and brown.
Send some our way !
The weeds are doing outstanding here as well! We don’t have a pond, since our property is only half an acre, but we do have swimming pool that we catch rain water in for the garden, instead of using the well.
Thanks for the link. I ran across a recipe for enhancing tomatoes that included sugar - maybe it would work on berries too:
1/2 C sugar
1 C Epsom Salts
1/2 C Bone Meal
Mulch
Mix all together, toss some in the planting hole, and put some on top to water in after plant begins to flower.
The Chef’s Garden - says that it will make the tomatoes taste sweeter.
I am wishing it your way! I just did some research on Mo. Water. We are long overdue for an extended drought. I do thank the Lord for his generosity in giving us such a bountiful crop of rain!
Thanks for the Picture - that’s a very nice looking Tomato.
Used coffee grounds dumped in the soil around berries makes ‘em sweet.
I dump coffee grounds around peach and persimmon trees, too.
To supercharge any type of produce that acts like it doesn’t want to bear, put 1tblsp. Epsom salt per 2 gal water. Sprinkle just an ounce or so of this Epsom water verrrry lightly, a few inches away from the plant, then water in thoroughly. A tiny amount causes miraculous results.
Do this only once. Better to under-do than overdo. Too much can burn the roots.
Or, if you use commercial fertilizers, look at the 3 numbers. N-P-K stands for nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium. Get a fertilizer with the biggest number in the middle, IOW with a higher ratio of phosphorous. This will give you LOTS more flowers, and a bumper crop of produce.
I’ve mostly stopped buying commercial fertilizers. Composting religiously, mulching with grass clippings, and using the Epsom salts trick gives us more than we can eat.
We take garbage bags when we go to the beach, in order to collect the dried seaweed that is everywhere. This goes in our compost pile.
Oh my! I was joking with Darlin that I needed to put some sugar on them, and now you are telling me I was right! (we think!) LOL!
Thanks!
Simply beautiful, nice job!
I’m jealous, I can’t have a garden this year as I’ll be moving soon, but still enjoy checking in on what others have going and always enjoy the helpful tips n tricks everyone has to offer.
Joining you in your prayer for those in harm’s way and their families.
Had a bad windstorm a few nights ago that laid down our five acres or so of sweet corn. But it’s almost all stood back up now. It’ll be fine. Should have our first ears within a couple of days now.
Eating new potatoes, and fresh tomatoes and peppers, and onions, and broccoli, and this and that.
Can’t beat it!
All good reminders of everyday products that can be useful in gardens. I compost every thing I can. I have one of those tall garbage can looking composters.
It has a door that slides up to let a person get the compost from the bottom. I also have an experimental compost using a drain tile (similar to clay pots. I threw some sticks in the bottom, put a bunch of bones in it. covered with some leaves, and a shovel of dirt. stacked some bricks on top.
So far the dogs and critters haven’t been able to get into it, and don’t even seem inclined to try. So I might have something when finished which could be used instead of bone meal? Just seems a shame to waste the bones, so I thought I’d try it.
I usually give the plants a handful of slow release with the large middle value (Phosphorus)for blooms and fruit/veggies, but prefer to just use my compost.
We have several mulch piles made up of leaves, chipped wood, and grass clippings - these are circular piles encircled by chicken wire. Whenever Hubby mows, I rake the grass next to my raised beds and throw the cut grass on the beds between the plants.
I’m hoping to plant some winter rye, and use that as mulch in one of the wire circles next year. I have grown winter wheat, with success. I keep experimenting so I know what will work and can eat healthier and cheaper.
Well that’s what the Chef’s garden said. Also got one of those advertisements in the mail, and it had a similar recipe in it.
Thanks. Mega Prayers are needed for our times and especially for these families.
Well, good news that the corn is back up. We are eating endive and potatoes, and onions. Have had a few Green beans, and canned some dilly green beans.
No tomatoes yet waiting impatiently for those. Corn is doing pretty well - still have quite a bit in freezer from last year, so that’s fine.
I truly love eating what we have grown, and it’s so neat to just run out and harvest something fresh for a quick lunch salad or whatever.
Tubebender, I'm looking forward to your garlic harvest photos.
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