Posted on 04/13/2012 8:19:42 AM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde
Happy Friday the 13th, and good morning fellow gardeners and FRiends! I hope that you are enjoying weather as beautiful as what we are experiencing here in NE Louisiana. Nights and mornings are cool and breezy, and the days very warm.
I've planted 1.6 acres of bi-color sweet corn. We checked the seed the next day and it had already sprouted, and was pegged the following day. Perfect conditions!
Looking forward to hearing what's going on in your neck o' the woods.
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!
I've also been harvesting mulberry's. We got 3 quarts so far, about a pint a day for one tree. The Japanese Loquat will be ready to harvest in a couple days. I'm thinking....jelly!
I look at your mini-truck, and the only thing I can think is that it has the same camo scheme as my M1A. The gas mileage will be a great thing.
I’m catching up reading the entire thread but saw your comment about probably having extra cucumbers. A really neat trick for “homemade” pickles is to use your store bought pickle juice - when you have finished your store bought pickles, just cut up your cucumbers and drop into the juice - put back in the fridge for a day or two and you have incredible fresh tasting “pickles”. That might be an easy project for neighbors who might otherwise waste the cucumbers you donate to them.
I am officially gardening this year - last year was container gardening, this year my husband dug out a small plot of st. augustine in the yard and filled with good soil - I’ve got tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapenos, a variety of bell peppers and pablano peppers, eggplant and leaf lettuce - other than the peppers, which I started from seeds, the other plants are growing like crazy. I am stunned by the growth in less than a month of being in the ground. I’m already wanting a bigger plot next year!
I started most of my plants from seed in January. I've saved 4” containers from years past and use them to start my seedlings in a mixture of potting soil and compost. My neighbor gave me about 75 onion plants of various varieties that he had left. That just about filled up my small garden spaces.
I ordered seed catalogs from Diana's site about two years ago. I still have a few seeds I got from that site.
smaller acres = smaller areas
Since I have such a small area, I bought plants that were about 4 inches high each - except for the peppers - those I started from seed in February - I will know next year to start even earlier though.
I have two 8 X 20 areas that produce all the veggies we can eat. I give away tomatoes and other veggies. My Simpson's' black seed leaf lettuce got pulled up today and some plants were almost 4' tall. Everyone in our neighborhood had that for salads more than once.
How is your rain situation this year? I know last year you guys got burned up. I’m getting swamped up here in Central Missouri.
We have a surplus for 2012, but are still behind for the past two years. We had less than 1/4 our annual average in 2010 and 2011. Our lakes are really down and are less than 40% of full capacity.
We had frost this week. Hubby covered the grapes and other perennials with large sheets of plastic. The grapes and kiwi's got zapped anyway.
The plants lower to the ground did ok. My potted plants sitting on the patio were fine with no cover at all. My lemon tree is flowering again and adding more fruits. I'll have to thin them out, because there is no way that straggly plant can support so many, or they may drop off on their own.
I have some tomatoes, and Goji berries to plant, but have been holding off for fear of a killing frost. I don't usually start planting my main crops until at least the last week in May.
Work continues inside. Hubby just finished building some storage shelves in the basement which gives me over 5000 sq feet sized to accommodate banker's boxes. So the purging and organizing keeps me from being too distraught over not planting stuff in the garden when the weather feels like early summer LOL.
Have a great week everyone. God Bless.
I grind my own wheat and flax seeds using a coffee grinder. Just throw in a couple of handfuls of seeds and grind till fine.
How do you do the corn?
/johnny
I had ordered some Arkansas Traveler plants on sale last year at about mid summer, intending to grow them indoors, but they sent me a card that they were back ordered till spring. They just came in last week. I only paid half price, so that was a relief to get some plants.
I haven't heard of homestead. I just received 10 varieties of tomato seeds from winter sown,($5 donation) which I'll try to start indoors. Then I'll save the seeds from the varieties I like best.
Hubby likes the mortgage lifters the best out of what we have grown the last 3 years.
I’m already wanting a bigger plot next year!
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LOL. It’s so contagious. I started with one raised bed 3 x 8 feet. We are now completing my 7th raised bed of equal sq footage. LOL. The first year I canned 52 pints of pickles including dill, bread and butter, and relish. Good luck to you on another great gardening year.
Where did you get your mill? It sounds great.
Just search for Corona mill, and you'll see many of them.
/johnny
Ok. Thanks. Is it hand crank or electric?
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