Posted on 10/19/2012 10:42:12 AM 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 ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well I don’t have much space for my little raised beds. I keep them close to the house cause of that little lazy streak. LOL.
Now that means getting more than 1 crop out of each space. So I have been working on it and tweaking it a little each year as I learn more.
My goal is to learn enough to be able to grow enough food and learn various ways of preserving it so that we could be self sustaining if food gets too expensive for our budget.
So far, many of the things we purchase have increased by about 25% per year since 2008, but we have not had to increase our budget, partly because of our gardens, and finding bargains on cheaper cuts of meat etc.
Mine are Mexican limes and the tree is in a used cattle molasses tub. I’ve had it several years, but it’s never had this many limes before.
I’m new, but have had pretty good luck growing things in Tampa. FL is an interesting place to garden.
Our soil kind of sucks for most things. So far, I’ve found that peaches, bananas, oranges, lemons, figs, tomatoes, pole beans, eggplant, and cowpeas do well. I’ve also read that sweet potatoes do well. Other stuff does better in a raised bed with nice potting soil. Make sure to pick up one of those cheap soil test kits (NOT the electronic ones). Hydroponic is another option, which just totally kicks Biden.
Our growing season is different down here. These last couple of months are the best time of the year for planting, IMO, as we can grow lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and celery only during the winter. Your county extension should have a web page detailing what to plant and what to do by month.
We need to be careful about varieties. Some things either won’t grow/produce in FL, or you need to get special varieties bred for your area. I’ve been experimenting with varieties, but if you don’t want to put much effort into it, I’ve found that the Bonnie plants at HD/Lowes are almost always the right varieties and put out at pretty much the right time (but then left out too long in many cases, IMO).
Now, tell me how you grow lemons. I am in Texas, and my citrus trees have frozen back every year.
You didn’t get a rust by chance? Every year I forget to treat my fig in the spring, and every year around June/July the leaves rust up and fall off. I still get one crop around July 4, but the second one is pretty much useless. Maybe next year I’ll remember.
I just googled "rust on fig", and that strongly resembles what we have. Do you treat this with cuprous sulfate?
Try neem oil on your mildew. My zukes look like they die of blossom end rot, but it's actually that they didn't get pollinated. I've taken to going out in the am when the blossoms are open, picking male blossoms and shaking the pollen into the female blossoms.
This is a female that did not get pollinated. It is turning yellow and rotting. 
This one got pollinated. The icky looking remains of the blossom can be gently scraped off or simply ignored. The fruit is solid, growing, and green. 
I’m going to try to stick with the neem oil, assuming I can remember to apply it. Usually, by the time I notice it it is too late.
I had more blooms and fruit this year on my little tree too.
I have been thinking it should be re-potted this year, but it just hasn’t ever slowed down.
Even now, as the fruit is maturing, I am starting to get a bunch of flower buds.
But in Texas, I would think your temps are more moderate in the winter, so I might try a few other things. For example:
If you planted your tree outside, where it received a southern exposure and had a retaining wall on the north, east, and west, the sun would heat up the rocks or concrete and that heat would disapate during the night.
If your tree was a dwarf tree, you could do even more to protect it. I have read that some people put trees in a protected location and wrap the base during cold weather.
Then there's the old 100 watt bulb heatilator. My patio has outdoor electrical outlets. I have been thinking about rigging up some sort of box with a glass window to absorb sun and warmth during the day and using the light for heat at night.
Trouble is, plants need a certain amount of dark to grow, and I haven't brainstormed through that as yet.LOL
Yeh, we usually get our worst weather Jan Feb and some in March. However, we have had snow before Thanksgiving, and Snow in April.
That’s why I keep some things in pots to move indoors as neede.
Maybe you should talk to your neighbor about that tree.
The end of the salad cucumbers as a frost is expected tonight…
Covercrop mix of oats, bell beans, vetch and Crimson clover. New strawberry bed here next spring…
Great Pics. Those cuke vines look great. I have such a hard time getting cukes. The first year the produce like crazy.
Ever after no matter where I plant them, the vines go bad and start dying before the fruit is ready.
Some citrus trees do that. I have a few on my tree as well. I have an orange tree that has yet to bloom. There is one house that has an orange tree that is about 12 feet tall about three miles from us that is loaded with fruit.
Beautiful day today. Neatened the garden pots, planted pansies. I now a a nice bouquet of mums on the table. Cold weather veggies coming along nicely.
We had a beautiful day here too. I pulled up all the leftover corn stalks and cut them up for the compost.
Prepped 2 beds for planting and got the garlic planted and some of the winter lettuce planted. Took the plastic covers off the tomatoes and harvested all that had started to turn a little to wrap in paper.
Did some rotation planning for winter 2012, and spring and fall of 2013. It was a good day.
I’ve been thinking of trying fingerlings this fall/winter and the carrots too.
Is that sawdust under the white gauze? Will you be turning that under come spring?
I mulch the Garlic sets with Rice Hulls to control the winter weeds that love our amended clay soil and to protect the soil from the 6 months of rain the north coast receives. I will rake it off about a month before I start digging the Garlic and add it to the mulch on the Roses.
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.