Weekly Gardening Thread – 2011 (Vol. 13) April 15

Free Republic | 4-15-2011 | Red_Devil 232

[Red_Devil 232]

Good morning gardeners. Today is NOT tax day! Y’all who file last minute can put it off until Monday the 18th. Why? In 2011, Washington, D.C., will celebrate Emancipation Day on April 15, a day earlier than normal, since April 16 falls on a Saturday. Emancipation Day marks the anniversary of the day that President Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act. The Act, which was "for the release of certain persons held to service or labor in the District of Columbia," freed 3,100 slaves in the District, making DC residents the "first freed" by the federal government.

Ok back to gardening. Looks like I will be getting rain today. There is a line of strong thunderstorms to the northwest and west of me. I had planed to rent a tiller today and till the garden plot. I will have to wait until the soil dries out now. Drats, another delay in planting! Some of my tomato and squash plants are begging me to get them in the soil. Received some nice seeds in the mail yesterday from Freeper Black Agnes. Thanks again. I should have the opportunity to get them into some soil and flats today!

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.

[Racehorse]

Good morning all!

How are you dealing with pests and diseases in a preventive sort of way? I have two products I’m thinking about using.

Green Light Neem Concentrate: an organic insecticide, fungicide, and miticide.

Burpee SeaCide: an organic insecticide and fungicide. 3% cottonseed oil, 3% lecithin, 94% edible fish oil.

If you’ve used these products, did they eliminate or control pests and disease? If you’ve had good results with another product, what was it and what was your frequency of application?

Tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe leaves are showing signs of wilt, mostly at the bottom of the plants. I’ve pruned the affected leaves with the idea of improving circulation and reducing the chance of spreading fungus and disease. I’m leery of further pruning.

My H.E.B Big Red Bell Pepper project is proceeding nicely. Two months ago I bought a huge red bell pepper from our H.E.B. grocery and planted the seeds. The plants are now almost two feet tall with what looks like the beginnings of peppers. Eager to see what the plants produce.

[Clint N. Suhks]

You have to dig out the bulbs to get rid of wild onions.

That's the only way I know. Seems like in this day and age there should be a "Round-Up" like herbicide that can do the job.

[Redleg Duke]

Greetings from southern New England! The ducklings are growing out of control! They doubled in weight in the first two days and now they are rapidly approaching outgrowing their brooder!

Tomorrow, hopefully, my son and his friends are going to excavate for our duck pond and associated waterfall and garden. We have a 14' by 21' pond liner and garden cloth for underneath it ready to be placed and rain coming on Sunday. I am finally getting a return on the investment of all of that food for the past 18 years!

The seedlings are growing and we need to get the raised beds put together soon.

Spring has sprung and the lilacs will be leafing out soon.

[Redleg Duke]

When I lived in Virginia, we had wild chives all over the yard. By the time I was finished mowing the lawn, I was ravenously hungry! lol

[Redleg Duke]

"I have a problem with feral cats pooping in my garden. :(."

Have you tried a .22?

[DollyCali]

the daffs in my yard are about 4” high. No blossoms yet. a few spring flowers (the small bulb variety) and forsythia let me know it is spring... the weather doesn’t really but the pollen/allergies do.

Have a great weekend FR horticulturists!

[Just mythoughts]

Just checked the rain gauge and found 1 1/2” of rain dumped overnight. Other than covering up the now blooming strawberries no work can be done in the garden. Weather guy warned of a possible frost ‘in some areas’. Of course he was not more specific as to which areas, so I am taking no chances. It was just getting dried out enough to walk in the garden proper.

But I do have more seedlings that can be put into larger pots/planters, so it is not like I am going to have a day off. Today starts off with wet nasty winds at 48 degrees. And given what OK an AR went through last evening I really cannot complain.

[LearsFool]

Still no rain here in north central Texas. Yet the bluebonnets came in pretty...and smell wonderful! I’m amazed at what will grow in such arid conditions. I can’t find a hint of moisture in the soil here, but the native plants come to life just the same. Even the mesquite looks beautiful this time of year.

I’ve transplanted most of the tomatoes and peppers (jalapeno and ancho) from seedling trays into their permament homes, and they’re doing well in the warm/hot days we’ve had lately.

The compost heap is still behaving strangely - from hot to cold and back again. But I’ll continue experimenting with it and hope to use it on a late-Summer/Fall garden.

[painter]

I live in Central Mo.too. Planted corn in the garden yesterday. Wanted to get it in before last nights rain.

[SZonian]

Thanks for the ping, I do have a couple of questions though and would appreciate any constructive input.

I have virtually NO experience with gardening.

We live in the high desert of SoCal. The “earth” is a caliche type of clay [so I’ll be building a planter box] but the heat can be something else during the summer.

Composting naturally is pretty much out of the question as the extremely dry atmosphere basically sucks the moisture out of anything.

1) Are there any alternative ways to compost in the desert?

2) Are there certain types of veg’s and herbs that will do okay in a hot and sunny environment?

Thanks in advance,
SZ

[nina0113]

"I have a problem with feral cats pooping in my garden. :(."

Have you tried a .22?

You know you can't compost meat. Use a BB pistol with plastic pellets. That should run them off without harming them.

[dila813]

What is the easiest food to grow that doesn’t require fertilizer or pesticides or extensive watering normally for the North West on the Western Side of the Mountains?

Onions?

[hoosiermama]

AM planning on trimming mine soon, either this afternoon or weekend.

[hoosiermama]

A dog will keep the cats away also.

[waterhill]

“you know you can’t compost meat”....

Well, ok, just don’t tell the various relics lying around in my garden...

[tubebender]

I read that there is highly acidic vinegar that will knock them down but I could only find it on the net in 55 gallon barrels. This vinegar is about 10 times more acidic then the stuff in your pantry and it would probably destroy the soil PH.

[Mrs. Don-o]

FREE SEED EXCHANGE

Thrifty? Gifty? Curious? Generous? Spare seeds? Rare seeds? For a tiny plot? Or a flower- pot?

Send seeds? Befriend seeds? Just want 10 seeds?

If you have garden seeds you can offer other FReepers for free, for a SASE, and/or in exchange for other seeds, please send me your info. (Private Message Mrs. Don-o) and I will add you to this list, which I will post on the garden thread from time to time. Please also Private Message me to be removed when you no longer have the seeds to offer. FReepo-seedoholics can contact each other by Private Message to arrange any transactions.

Remember that old seeds may have reduced germination. (Although I’ve had great luck with them. And for free, you can't lose...) If possible, list year and variety.

Mrs. Don-o

I CAN OFFER
Acorn Squash (2009)
Basil (“Genovese” 2010)
Rainbow Chard (“Bright Lights” 2010)
Kale (’10)
Cucumber (“White Wonder” 2011)
Marigold Mix (2011)

INTERESTED IN
Kefir grain (live culture)

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I HAVE HEIRLOOM TOMATO SEEDS (FREEPER TDSCPA) from about 75 popular, open-pollinated heirloom varieties. Tell me via PM what varieties you’re interested in, and if I have them I could send you a few seeds (10?) if you will send me a SASE.

Don’t know what variety to grow? I can make suggestions, if you want to grow plants from seed. Contact Tdscpa

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If anyone needs or wants okra seeds (says JustaDumbBlonde)… please let me know. I saved a ridiculous amount in the fall of 2010. Two different varieties, Clemson and Jade, are both are heirloom variety so that you will be able to save seeds from your plants. Both are spineless and heavy producers. Jade is a bit darker green than Clemson and the pods are a bit shorter and fatter. Both are good for frying, soups, freezing, dehydrating or canning. Don’t be shy, l have more than plenty to share! Tip for planting okra: soak your seeds for 24 hours before planting. Okra seeds are hard like peppercorns and soaking will assist in quicker germination. Contact JustaDumbBlonde

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I have some black-seeded Simpson lettuce seeds and some Buttercrunch lettuce seeds if anyone’s interested. (says Oberon), And... anybody have any Gold Nugget yellow cherry tomato seeds? I’m interested. Contact Oberon

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I have about 100 Canna seeds that I would be glad to share (says Dacula), These plants are tropical and last up to the first frost. I live north of Atlanta and my cannas grow up to 6 feet and have beautiful flowers. I leave them in the ground over winter, but you can take the bulbs and over winter them. . In order to get the seeds to germinate, you have to lightly sand the outside of the seed and soak them overnight. Contact Dacula

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[waterhill]

Most feed stores carry 20% vinegar in the gallon size...

Be very careful, it can hurt you, even kill you...

[east1234]

Right now would be a good time to plant rice in the mid-atlantic, or at least in my backyard.

[Red_Devil 232]

Must be the stuff Tabasco uses.LOL

They bring the vinegar in by the tanker truck load.