Posted on 05/15/2009 4:19:04 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Hello all!
Sorry I’ve been such a poor correspondent lately! We’ve had busy years, but I believe this one takes the cake! We’ve definitely had our share of newbies. I’ve still got people coming in complaining because we’re out of onions and potatoes and cabbage, never mind the fact that those things are ready to harvest here—or should be! I feel like telling them—the ac is on. That should be your first clue that it’s too late to plant cole crops! I’ve decided it’s because 1) They don’t have a clue, and 2)Every time they go to the store, everything is always there in the produce section. There’s no concept of the fact that different plants need different growing conditions.
We’ve sold more plants and seeds this year than any year I can recall. We ran out of what we grew, and when we ran out, we ordered from another nursery. When they ran out, we were just out. The fact that our plants are 4 packs for $1.25-$2.50, or medium sized maters/peppers in styrofoam cups for $1.99, gallon size are $3.99 while the box stores are charging $3. and up per plant didn’t hurt any. Same thing with seeds. We still have bulk that we weigh out.
We were so busy some days, wherever you landed was where you stayed planted! My boss stayed behind the seed counter, I ran the register, both girls stayed in the greenhouse, and both teenage boys stayed in the warehouse, loading fert/feed. It was CRAZY! :)
As for my own garden, the lettuce/bak choi/broccoli/cauliflower has gone to seed and to the chickens. The snow peas are hanging full, cabbage is ready, tomatoes have small maters on them, green beans are starting to run, the cukes and zukes and squash are getting there. FIL’s taters are about ready to grabble some. We’re just waiting for the May peas. :) The weather has been insane. High eighties last week and dry as a bone. It didn’t even get to 60 today, wind is out of the north, and it’s rained a flat flood. Mid 40’s last night. It’s no wonder the garden doesn’t know which way is up! Doesn’t seem to bother the weeds though. Anybody want some nut grass?! LOL
As if I didn’t have enough going on, I got 2 doz buff orpingtons, a dozen ducks, and 5 guineas. I have had the best time getting the gbaby to help take care of them. He’s 2, and can name everything in the garden, loves to help his Oma feed up. LOves broccoli, wouldn’t eat a snow pea if his life depended on it.
On top of all that—big LOL—oldest son just got married and we’re expecting gbaby #2 any day now. Never a dull moment!
Sounds like everybody’s gardens are doing as well as can be expected. :)
girlangler! How’s your mom doing? Sounds like the other lol’s are coming around nicely! I have to get my LIAM’s out. I’ll have to fit it in between hair and nail appts, I guess. I’ve had a lot of fun sharing them!
Red! Thank you so much! I’ll try to contribute more often. It’s slowing down now. Almost out of roses—had 230 this year—and the mums will be in in a week or two. It’s almost time to start the late crop of maters and the early crop of collards for fall.
HQ! Nice to have you on board! The master gardeners around here are much more help than the local ex. agent, unfortunately.
Y’all have fun and don’t stress too much about the deer. Shoot the damn things! Then put them in the freezer/crock pot/oven. :)
I’ll try to get back more often!
Oh, Girl. You know we’re in the same boat these days!
“I’ve decided it’s because:
1) They don’t have a clue, and
2)Every time they go to the store, everything is always there in the produce section. There’s no concept of the fact that different plants need different growing conditions.”
I can relate to THAT. People have also been calling (endlessly!) for the stupid plants in the ads they see in the back of Parade Magazine, or some other local rag.
No, there really ISN’T a lilac that blooms all summer. No, there really ISN’T a tomato plant that will grow 12 feet tall, from seed, in about 15 minutes, LOL!
No, do NOT plant a Persian Lilac. Do NOT plant Buckthorn. Do not plant mint in the ground! Aarrggghhh!
“It was CRAZY!”
Tonight I sold 20 Arbs to a couple. At the same time I cured someones weed problem in the lawn, answered ten phone calls, loaded enough cocoa bean mulch to float the Queen Mary...and did it dancing backwards in high heels, LOL!
I think I can take one more week of this...then sales will drop off and we’ll all be staring at one another, wondering what to do, LOL!
About a month ago I told you my figs had died. I was going to dig them up and if the roots looked ok I was going to replant higher up the slope and see what would happen. I got busy and forgot about them. About a week ago I was mowing the yard and notice new growth at the very base of each dead fig. I thought it was just a weed but turns out to be new growth coming up from below the soil line. Fingers crossed! LOL
Oh my gosh! I thought we had a monopoly on clueless people! LOL
Sounds like yours hear you about as well as ours. When you’ve told someone for the umpteenth time that NO, we don’t work on (pick any off brand mower or weedeater) because we don’t have any parts or books and no access to either and they just give you that dumb look and reply, Yeah, but can’t you just look at it? Rolling eyes here. :)
I think the big one for us this year has been—I see sweet peppers, but don’t you have any bells? I’ve answered that one at least a million times. LOL
We’d drive some one like wal mart crazy, because I have no clue how to do one thing at a time! Like you, I’m usually ringing someone up, answering the phone, running a credit card, answering several questions, and writing a charge ticket at the same time.
Oh, and for the truly clueless, if you don’t like privet—our version of your buckthorn—you’re going to hate that weed in the magazine that you’re complaining because we don’t have. LOLOLOL
Have a great day and don’t work too hard!
Great! I was hoping your figs would come back!
We have been so busy! I’m finally starting to feel human again as things are slowing down. After the cold spell and wind, we may be cranking up again. At least until I run out of plants and seeds!
Oh .. by the way .. take a moment and smell the roses. Most gardeners forget to take time to reflect and admire the work they have done. It does a body good to step back and just enjoy. I'd say enjoy a good cigar while your are at it ... but I would probably get in trouble with a few .. so .. I won't say it.
See .. ya getz an armchair philosopher as well as a crazy, addicted, and some times frustrated gardener as well. Kinda like a “twofer” .... So enjoy, Specialization is for insects (Lazarus Long)
What part of Ohio are you in? Or did I read that about someone else?
Lived about 2 hours south of Dayton until I was 11 or so. Big farm.
I’m glad Red_Devil revived the thread. Gabz and I dropped the ball big time. I know better than to attempt anything during my busy season! LOL
I enjoy the thread, even when I don’t have time to participate. It’s so interesting to talk to other gardeners in other parts of the country/world and hear about their triumphs and ideas, and sometimes to commiserate with their problems.
Know anyone who wants any fireants/nutgrass? LOL I’ll pay the postage!!!
No cigar for me, thanks, but if you have any spare chocolate....
I got 14 sandwich size ziplocks of snow peas put in the freezer tonight. Hubby picked them for me. As soon as it turns hot, prob next week, they’ll fizzle. :(
That is an understatement!!! I'm so thankful he and I had a chance to have a bit of a chat before my latest round of 'puter problems that kept me offline since last Thursday.
Gabz and I dropped the ball big time.
And that is the understatement of the year!!!!!!!!
You have a legit excuse, I don't :)
BTW, my chocolate mint is THRIVING! It's about to outgrow the huge pot I've got it in already. However, I will be solving that problem this weekend, I'm exchanging some choco mint for some lemon mint.
Hey! So glad your mint is doing good! How’s the rest of the garden doing? Ours is going full blast. The weeds are beginning their inevitable takeover. Sigh. In my perfect world, there would be no biting insects and no weeds in my veggies. LOL
I know better than to attempt anything during my busy season! LOL
You guys started it and got me hooked. There was so much good advice and being a novice I needed every bit of help I could - get each week.
SunkenCiv prodded me into reviving the thread.
There is a lot of interest not in just the basics but reading about and seeing what all the FReeper gardeners are doing.
Thanks to both of you for letting this thread happen.
More thanks to you for reviving it! LOL
Thanks to you, too, Sunken Civ! I really enjoy your posts/threads on history and such!
My pleasure. :’) I should hang my head in, well, not shame, but whatever, my black pansies (or are they violas... hmm...) wilted a bit today. I moved them by the other plants awaiting transplanting, watered ‘em, and by the time I returned from the store they’d revived nicely. :’)
Here, we plant pansies in Oct and they go all winter, until about June, when the heat gets them. :) Glad yours recovered.
Lived in DFW area for 14 years. Yeah I know fire ants and nutgrass well. Used to use a fine, almost talcum powder product by ortho, I think it was orthene ... the stench of the product was almost as bad as the fire ants. The extension service down there offered Amdro (sp?) but it didn't kill the fireants, just made them move to a new location. Our first house in TX had an above ground pool ... nutgrass would actually sprout and push up through the vynl liner when the pool was fool of water. Determined little plant .. if you pull it, you end up with three more.
2 hours from Dayton would put your childhood home just North of Louisville or Lexington. Carollton area is a beautiful area of rolling hills and horse farms.
Yeah a good cigar is a beautiful thing. However there only three things that are the LOVE of my life. My wife of 32 years, my Harley ....AND ..... oh gawd ... CHOCOLATE in any form. And ... Please don't ask me to pick between the three .....
I had to learn how to garden all over again when we left texas .. I put out tomatoes and peppers this monday and sure enough we had a late frost early tues morn. Crippled them but they should pull through.
Our Intro to DFW heat was summer of 80. 67 consecutive days of 100 degree temps. Thought I was going to melt.
It is a good thread. Hope it stays active. Lots of talented gardeners out there. Many of them will share invaluable knowledge and experience ..oft times better than knowledge.
happy gardening
Acephate. Smells like rotten cabbage, but it works. I should buy stock in the comapny. LOL
We lived close to Seaman and Peebles. Still got a lot of relatives in Jamestown, Zenia, Fairborn, Dayton, Kettering.
Your house sounds wonderful. There are some great old places all through there.
The only things that will kill nutgrass are—fence your garden in and put hogs or turkeys on it. Or shade. Heavy shade, like heavy vine cover from sweet potatoes. On the other hand, LOL, we don’t have any joe pye weed in our end of the field. The other end is eaten up with that, but no nut grass. Given the snakes and fireants, I’d rather have the nutgrass. At least it doesn’t get 6 feet tall.
You love your wife, your Harley, old houses, gardening and chocolate? Woohoo! Sounds like my kind of friend!
Hubby and I have been together 28 years and he’s just taken an interest in gardening in the last few years. He’s learning. :)
Sorry about your maters and peppers. That gale we had out of the north fried some of our stuff. I’ll give it a week or so, if it doesn’t look any better, I’ll yank it up and plant more.
We have cut way back on veggies as our appetites wane and some things are too difficult to grow here on in the fog belt around Humboldt Bay as highlighted by this Article
I'm sure this must sound weird to you in areas with normal sunshine but the trade off is we rarely get snow or freezing temps...
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