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

Skip to comments.

Weekly Gardening Thread Vol. 26, June 29, 2012

Posted on 06/29/2012 10:18:09 AM PDT by Ellendra

Our regular gardening threadmasters seem to be busy, so I'm posting one to start us off with. If anybody has the ping list, please use it!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Outdoors
KEYWORDS: gardening
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 next last
To: Sarajevo

Are your plants in pots or in the ground?

I have a small raised garden. The plants are in the ground.
Our soil is so poor that I treat my garden like a compost pile. Everything goes into it...kitchen stuff, I brought grass clippings from our previous residence, a bail of alfalfa, ashes, sand, potting soil, manure, tomatoe fertilizer... The plants improved this spring...90+ degrees in March...when I mulched with straw.
Again, it’s shaded with camoflage netting.
When I pulled out my dead tomatoe the ground was moist.
I guess it’s just too blooming hot!
Hopefully, these two plants will survive until cooler weather, and get a late crop.
So much for living off the land...
I read that tumble weed is edible...
Frustrating to see everything get a good start and then just go into survival mode!


41 posted on 06/30/2012 11:07:50 AM PDT by WestwardHo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: All
I grow my tomatoes auqaponically. They are planted in aquatic pots in small rocks in my water garden filter. Since my filter is a homemade combination mechanical/veggie filter this works really well. As long as they are not in soil and the water is constantly moving they don't rot. I plant Rutgers this way since they don't get as heavy. That is important since there is no good way to stake them up. Mine are covered with beautiful tomatoes. The heat doesn't upset them since the flowing water keeps them cool and there is no weeding. :-) There is no better fertilizer than fish poop and the fish poop filled water flows around the roots 24/7.

Here is how they start out. Sorry about all the pictures but I explain the setup better that way.

Here is how they look with the lattice support.

They are sprawling all over the place now and are covered up with good tomatoes. Here they are today. My Jack Russell Terriers have been swimming in the pond so some of my rocks have been moved. Frogs under them don't you know? The pond normally looks much better than this but with 105 degree days I don't have the heart to keep the JRT's out. LOL


42 posted on 06/30/2012 11:21:38 AM PDT by Melinda in TN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: WestwardHo
Hmmm - I'm at a loss. I grow tomatoes in a raised bed also. 1 plant, a Black Krim, is over 6ft tall and full of fruit. Even my hydroponic tomatoes are producing, and they are in a greenhouse that regularly spikes to over 100F, but the roots are kept cool in the water flow.

I have several tomato plants in pots. I keep the pots shaded and the plants are well watered keep them from growing long and leggy.

43 posted on 06/30/2012 12:45:09 PM PDT by Sarajevo (Ever notice that when a beggar gets a donation, they immediately put their hand out for more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: Melinda in TN

That’s a neat setup you have there!


44 posted on 06/30/2012 12:47:08 PM PDT by Sarajevo (Ever notice that when a beggar gets a donation, they immediately put their hand out for more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Sarajevo

I mean, really, who can’t grow tomatoes?
We’ll just wait for cooler weather!
Sure enjoy these threads, don’t you!
I forget all about the “news” when I’m out pulling weeds!


45 posted on 06/30/2012 12:53:22 PM PDT by WestwardHo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Melinda in TN
Thats a really nice setup that you have.

Don't mind the pictures, this thread is usually a picture intensive thread most weeks.

46 posted on 06/30/2012 12:55:18 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (We are Scott Walker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Sarajevo

Thanks! I used to call mine hydroponics but I read that if it’s hydroponics the plants are usually hanging with water flowing over the roots. Aquaponics is when the plants are planted in pots in water, or bare root, and actually submerged with water flowing over them. Both work great with tomatoes since they naturally like water. I put the lattice over them to keep the plants out of the water as they grow. Both ways are same in principle.


47 posted on 06/30/2012 12:57:12 PM PDT by Melinda in TN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Melinda in TN

Aquaponics is on my list of things to experiment with after my house is built. I like your set-up, thanks for sharing it :)


48 posted on 06/30/2012 1:30:18 PM PDT by Ellendra ("It's astounding how often people mistake their own stupidity for a lack of fairness." --Thunt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic; Silentgypsy
Pinging all the names I could remember off of the top of my head. The list seems to be lost, so ping around.

Thanks for the ping AFTR.

49 posted on 06/30/2012 3:54:51 PM PDT by fanfan (.http://www.ontariolandowners.ca/index.php?p=1_50_Your-Rights)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: fanfan

Thanks, fanfan—what would I do without you?!?


50 posted on 06/30/2012 4:49:27 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (If you love your freedom, thank a vet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic; fanfan

Ay yi yi! I hope JADB is OK. Would you please let us know? (If you already have done so, please excuse. I just came back into the house and haven’t gone through the entire thread. :-}


51 posted on 06/30/2012 4:55:54 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (If you love your freedom, thank a vet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic

That was precious!


52 posted on 06/30/2012 4:57:12 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (If you love your freedom, thank a vet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic; fanfan

JADB hasn’t posted since 06/27. I hope she’s OK. Would you send up a flare to let the rest of us know if she and her significant others are OK? Thanks!


53 posted on 06/30/2012 6:33:57 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (If you love your freedom, thank a vet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Ellendra
I've finished harvesting potatoes. Started picking a few squash, green beans, and okra. Next will be purple hull peas and tomatoes.

Yes, it has been hot, and I've been watering almost every day. (My garden is very slightly elevated and drains quickly.) Thankfully I have a well.

It was 109 in Nashville yesterday. It was 107 in Chattanooga and 105 in Knoxville today. Even Mount LeConte set a new all-time record yesterday--81 degrees. (We hiked Mount LeConte and stayed at the lodge last week. The high that day was 65.)




54 posted on 06/30/2012 6:44:09 PM PDT by Engraved-on-His-hands (Mitt Romney is a handbasket driver. I refuse to ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: All

I’ve found something to be grateful for this drought for! It’s made it patently obvious where the hidden underground springs on my land are. I was pretty sure there were some there, I just didn’t know how to find them without lots of trial-and-error. Now, they are the green patches in a field of dead dry grass. God might as well have circled them with a highlighter! There’s one less than 10 feet from where I’m building the house.

(God, I am honestly and truly grateful to you for showing me where to put the well. Thank you for this drought, and I’ll be even more grateful when you end it. Amen.)


55 posted on 06/30/2012 7:33:39 PM PDT by Ellendra ("It's astounding how often people mistake their own stupidity for a lack of fairness." --Thunt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Silentgypsy

I second your wish, but I am also hoping that she’s busy with a harvest.


56 posted on 07/01/2012 5:40:54 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Silentgypsy

Yes. Don’t you just want to hug them and give them a chocolate chip cookie and a big glass of milk?


57 posted on 07/01/2012 5:43:58 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Engraved-on-His-hands

Many feel that East Tennessee will be the breadbasket of America after the fall of California...of course; the question is...will America last long enough for that to take place?


58 posted on 07/01/2012 5:56:24 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: afraidfortherepublic
I second your wish, but I am also hoping that she’s busy with a harvest.

I suspect she is just insanely busy...

59 posted on 07/01/2012 5:57:45 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Silentgypsy

BTW, they have other videos out, of the more serious variety. Often you can find them in the margins at you Tube. I learned a lot from watching them. The Peterson brothers seem like very nice young men, judging from the videos and from their appearance on Fox & Friends on Friday. They’d make any mother’s heart proud.


60 posted on 07/01/2012 6:00:43 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-78 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