Posted on 07/02/2010 5:03:50 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning gardeners. I hope all FReepers have a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend!
If you are a gardener or you are just starting out and are in need of advice or just encouragement please feel free to join in and enjoy the friendly discussion. Our Freeper community is full of gardeners, each with varying interests and skill levels from Master Gardener to novice.
I’m in New England, but I start my guys early...GM is a 90-day tomato, though...I was surprised to see such a big one quite this fast...
I’ve spent the last 2 days haunting local garden centers looking for a zucchinin plant. None. So I bought 2 watermelon plants for 1/2 price. We’ll see.
I am the only gardener in the world who couldn’t grow zucchini. Planted those seeds 3 times, and nada. I did learn something at one of the garden centers I visited and that is how to read the seed package. Mrs. Frenz told me to check the back of the package, not only for the date, but for the quality rating of the seed. She showed be where they are rated A, B, C, or D. She said never to buy anything that isn’t an A or a B.
I didn’t know that before. Do you suppose that is true? I’m going out to plant my watermelon where the zucchini never sprouted. (I’ll fluff up the soil there and add some “stuff” to it for good measure.) Wish me luck.
Do all seed packs have that ABCD rating, or just that particular brand?
So sorry RD. For some reason I had it in my mind that you were from AR. You are a closer neighbor than I thought.
I will look up those varieties you mentioned. In our climate, with the exception of a couple of months and this past year’s frost and freezes from El Nina we can almost grow these guys 10 months out of the year.
Take care neighbor and good gardening! Love those pics of your dogs. Hope you are all well!
It was 65, 92% humidity with a stiff breeze and I had to put a sweat shirt on today...
I hate you... again, butt 3 of my 144 corn plants were Knee High by the 4th of July... so there!
LOL! You wuv me. Admit it. But good on you about the sweet corn!
I mowed over one of my new blueberry bushes the other day. It happened in slow-motion and there wasn’t a THING I could’ve done about it! It still has one branch on it, so it MIGHT survive but I thought of you right away when I did it, LOL!
They’re harvesting the peas around me tonight. What a racket! But they should be done by morning; they’re amazingly efficient and there are at least a dozen pea-pickers that have been going full-bore since 10am. So, 12 hours in, and probably another 8 or so to go.
They seem to work! I’ve had that one for years, LOL!
Bump for later. Gotta research that one a bit...
And *I* thought it was, “Slap my @ss and call me Sally!” That’s what the GUYS say to one another around here when they don’t believe one tall tale or another, LOL!
Are these green peas or dry peans they are harvesting Di and can you post a couple of photos of the fields. I planted my potatoes on 5/4/10 and I dug one hill of the Red Gold yesterday and there were about 18 spuds above the marble stage. The Yukon Gold aren’t that prolific but they do get large. I can’t believe how fast the B/Berries colored up and thanks to the Miracid they have never looked better...
Use this planting guide. People have been doing this for hundreds of years. You wouldn't believe how many barren days there are in a month. Maybe you just planted on the worst days. Sounds silly, but this works! Plant 4 zucchini seeds, all four will come up.
I couldn’t find that info on my seed packets, but Mrs. Frenz showed me on the the seed packets that she sells. I’ll have to check some of the stores around here — at least the ones that still have seeds.
Most of my seed packets had # of releases in addition to the year that it was packed.
Thank you. That is interesting, and I shall study it.
I yanked all my broccoli yesterday. I let it go too long, and the heads were opening. I just got rid of it. Most of the lettuce will go tomorrow. So, I have several open squares where broccoli, cauliflower, spinach & radishes used to be. Using the chart poobear provided, it is soon time to plant more letuutuce & spinach — end of the month.
Hmmmm — letuutuce. I wonder if that is the ruffled kind?
Throw in some quick bush beans (50 days or so). Plant the seeds about an inch deeper than you would earlier in the season to protect them from heat while they’re germinating, and it’s extra important to make sure they stay moist while germinating at this point, too.
Yellow or purple or something striped and FUN. After that, it’ll be time for all of the early spring/fall crops again; lettuce, spinach, radishes, etc. (That’s what I do.)
If you want broccoli for fall, start seed indoors right now.
Those are regular green peas for canning. I’ve been eating them all week. :)
The fields are just a muddy, barren mess right now...and the smell? Yee Gawds! Hot, humid and decaying plant matter is kinda gross...be glad you don’t have a scratch-n-sniff computer monitor, LOL!
...But that’s the smell of Money, Honey! :)
Thanks for the tips. I noticed yesterday that my Scarlet runner beans are taller than I am now — they were just to my shoulder the previous day — and they are covered with tiny red flowers. They are climbing my garden gate just beautifully.
I used to enjoy watching them harvest peas, corn, alfalfa, etc. next to me Now there are 15 McMansions there and a “commons”, instead.
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