Posted on 07/27/2012 6:36:15 PM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde
Apologies for the late posting of the thread ... I have been on the go since I woke up this morning, and didn't even think about it being Friday until we were 20 miles from the house.
I harvested another 15 gallons of honey last Sunday ... boy am I rethinking how many bees I really want to have. Honey robbing in 105 degree heat is no fun, even with a camelback of cold drink under my suit. Got 3 new queens in the mail and installed one in a hive that I had split into 2 hives, and the other two are in nucs (nuclear hives - half the size of a typical 10-frame brood box.
My cowpeas are beautiful and have started vining. Blooms won't be far behind.
Muscadines are getting ripe, both the wild ones in the woods and the cultivated vines in the yard. It is a great year for them ... the taste is exceptional and the fruit are huge.
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!
If you have a small place to garden you might try planting tomatoes in double 5 gallon buckets to save space for your other plants.
If you have a small place to garden you might try planting tomatoes in double 5 gallon buckets to save space for your other plants.Thanks, painter. I think I might do that next year. I noticed our neighbor has tomatoes (one per each) in standard outdoor garbage cans, and the plants are huge with so many tomatoes on them I couldn't begin to count.
For everything else I would just crush some eggshells to put near the bottom of the paper pots, or just wait and throw them in the hole when transplanting the seedlings.
We actually bought one of those wooden pot makers on sale at the end of last year. We used them this spring they were great.
Still no significant rainfall. Trees are getting yellow leaves and dying. Still hauling water for fruit trees and other perennial fruits and veggies.
Hauling in about 45 gallons every two or three days for some of my heirlooms and perennial herbs. Especially concerned to get at least one good ear of corn for seeds next year,since corn seed doesn't remain viable for long, plus it should have some tolerance for drought maybe LOL.
Have a great weekend. God Bless.
bmfl
That sounds like you have got it figured out! How big are your containers?
A little of everything...Earth Boxes, 10 gallon ‘Smart Pots’, 5-gallon pastry buckets, and so forth. Water from below is the key, IMHO.
I am big on drip irrigation. We use it on containers, flower beds and veggie garden, all controlled by two timers. Is that water from below that you spoke of?
No. You are still watering on top of the soil, although drip is probably the best system available for keeping the growing medium evenly moist...I water ‘from below’ so the root system has to draw water UP (along with nutrients in soil) into the plant. Result? Bushels of veggies...
Thank you for the information. I might try some cabbage or collards in hay for fall. I might even try some carrots, potatoes?
How does that work when you’re top dressing with fertilizer throughout the growing season?
It may not be the best arraignment for gardening, but low maintenance is a requirement for us.
If that was ginseng you’d get major bucks for it in Asia for the treatment of male, uh ... issues, no kidding.
Did I say Carrot??? I ment ginseng... Really
They have all sorts of attributes for different appearance, different color, different continent of origin. If that was wild native Appalachian ginseng, looking like a substantial male, errr, “part” as it does, several hundred dollars a pound is not out of the question. It does have to grow that way naturally, though, no cute tricks to induce a certain growth pattern. They can tell.
The Potato Blight continues to spread…
Mama Bear left me 2 edibule Beauty Plumbs…
No drought here, NC is on track for a record corn crop, and a lot of tobacco farmers planted corn this year. Tomatoes are still acting sort of strange, but not as bad as last year with the legginess.
Every time I see those grapes in your hand I am reminded of Captain Queeg...
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