Weekly Gardening Thread Vol. 29, July 20, 2012

July 20, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

[JustaDumbBlonde]

"I thought ashes were supposed to be a good additive for your soil. I always turn some into my beds in the spring. Am I doing the wrong thing?"

No, you are not doing anything wrong. Wood ash increases soil pH, so you should be sure that your soil is unsuitably acidic before adding.

I regularly add wood ash from the fireplace to my compost heap. I don't like anything to go to waste.

Here is the info from an entry in my garden/composting notebook:

Wood ash contains potassium as well as phosphate in small amounts, as well as trace amounts of micronutrients like iron, boron, manganese and zinc. The primary component of wood ash is calcium carbonate. This acts to make the soil more alkali, much as adding lime would do. Have your garden soil tested at your local cooperative extension office to determine its pH level, then add wood ash to garden soil that is acidic or neutral to adjust the pH and enhance the soil's nutritive content.

My notes also indicate that asparagus benefits from alkaline soil and so do junipers.

[ApplegateRanch]

Thanks!

Two heavy thunderstorms really helped lay it down last night & night before, without setting any major new fires, though it did start two small ones on our our neighbors’ properties...among the 15+ small fires from strikes.

Electric co-op told us that our power is now restored, so I can water the garden (ON TOPIC!) this evening.

We’ve been staying with friends in town, and going out daily to feed & water the chickens & rabbits; and to run the generator for the fridge & freezers.

Ironically, just after our friends got home with a load of our our stuff to store at their house, a strike set a clump of yuccas on fire in the vacant lot next door to them.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

The health and well-being of every member of our group here is on-topic, as far as I'm concerned. Glad to know that everything is better and that your beautiful farm and it's critters didn't suffer harm.

Now ... get that garden watered! :)

[Ellendra]

Not sure, it seems to be kind of spotty. A gentle 10-min shower here is a gully-washer a few miles away, and a few miles past that there might be no rain at all. So, I’m not sure, but I have been thanking God every morning that I hear that “dink-dink” of raindrops on the drainpipe outside my window.

[Black Agnes]

This is a question mainly for those in the SE. Have any of you ever planted fall potatoes? When did you plant them? What kind?

Anyone ever planted fall corn? Looking to plant some late dent corn to supplement chicken feed this winter. I’ve got ‘Truckers Favorite White’ in a 1/2lb bag right now.

Any ideas? I realize there will be excessive pest problems but will use this as a learning experience.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

You can make your own rocket stove outa stuff you ususally throw in the trash. Do a search for “everything nice stove”.

Rocket Stove plans right here on FR

[wastoute]

That really isn’t what I would call a “rocket stove”. It is a pretty efficient stove but it isn’t burning pure syngas. “Everything Nice Stove” burns pure syngas. When the “rocket” dies if you cap it and shut off the O2 what you have left is pure charcoal.

[AbolishCSEU]

Fingerlakes area of NY here! Getting zukes like crazy; my cucumbers and pumpkins went in late. I”m trying ARTICHOKES for the first time (imperial star) and have gotten some buds. Planted asparagus crowns in LATE fall last year. Letting it grow into feathery ferns this year.

Cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen; it’s been pretty dry here; got 1/2 inch rain last night from tstorms. Pruned my raspberries back for a 2nd crop. Blackberries are ripening. I have two cold frames for lettuce/parsnips/radishes and hopefully leeks. I dried some chives on my dashboard of the car using a foil lined metal pan. I also have a euro type stove with convection and a dehydration setting (Bosch) Ancho peppers are doing well. I’m trying thai peppers for the first time this year. Early corn went in late and it’s knee high. Green beans are in.

Purchased a new canning pot this year for tomatoes, apples, etc.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

You already realize that you will have a bug problem, that's drawback #1, but you can spray for that. The uncontrollable problem is the weather during corn pollination. Different varieties will tolerate a range of temps, and I am not familiar with the seed that you mentioned. If it is too hot or too humid, both a problem in our part of the country, the corn won't pollinate at all or will do it very poorly.

You will need to plant it in a location that you can water if needed. Corn is a very thirsty crop, especially in the heat of late summer, early fall.

I am probably going to gamble and try some fall sweet corn. Not expecting it to do well, so maybe I'll be surprised.

I would not recommend potatoes at all as a fall crop.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

[Black Agnes]

Thanks for the reply! Truckers Favorite is an OP corn that i’ve seen under ‘sweet’ and ‘dent’ in various catalogs. It was cheap by the 1/2lb bag at the co-op. I’m thinking of 2-3 50ft rows, max. Mulching them and watering with soaker if necessary. As soon as they silk spraying with mineral oil or sevin or something.

The potatoes were some i’ve got that are sprouting. Bag I forgot, naturally! Was thinking that if I planted them I’d at least get *something* maybe. I might still do that. The alternative is just tossing them in the trash.

Now I just need to fix a rabbit problem. Ate ALL my sweet peppers. Next year we’re planting them near the dog or inside the fence altogether. We await Hassenpfeffer season with great relish now! (i WILL get the peppers back in trade mr. rabbit!)

[JustaDumbBlonde]

I would not spray any kind of oil until pollination is complete. The silks do not need a barrier between them and the pollen that falls from the tassel. JMHO

[Black Agnes]

Thanks for that.

My grandmother used to grow a crop of fall corn and I knew she sprayed mineral oil (it was cheap) or vegetable oil (whichever she had) to prevent as much ear worm damage. They were poor and other control methods were pricey. She died before I got all the particulars of every garden thing I remember her doing.

She also used to sucker her tomato plants around the 4th of July, put rootone on them and set them out end of July for fall tomatoes. For free!

[steerpike100]

I have rooted several Pink Brandywine and Park’s Whopper in a couple of large pots using Rootone. I was going to transplant them yesterday but ran out of time. These are from suckers like you said.

You mentioned that you are going to plant 2 or 3 50’ rows of corn. I think you might be happier with 4 or 5 shorter rows so that the plot is blockier. This helps with the pollination.

[Black Agnes]

http://www.farmersalmanac.com/calendar/gardening/

I try to plant by this when I can. Might be hokey might work.

thanks for the corn advice. i’ve got the space i might just do it that way (blockier).

[tubebender]

Is there any way you can plant your corn in a more compact block rather than two 50 foot rows as You will get better pollination in a block. I have seven 12 foot rows of sweet corn this year...