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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 16 APRIL 18, 2014
Free Republic | 4/18/2014 | greeneyes

Posted on 04/18/2014 12:29:02 PM 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!

NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.


TOPICS: Gardening
KEYWORDS: agricultue; food; gardening; hobby
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To: JRandomFreeper; rightly_dividing; sockmonkey; All
The ragged leaf on the larger tobacco plant next to the tall T squash is the leaf Prissy bit off. The others that look a bit ragged happened immediately after I transplanted them, like the next day some of those leaves just started melting away. They actually look good compared to the way they did look. I think there are six of them now that will be okay.

On the top of the Walking Onions, you will see a bit of white stuff, that is the onion beginning to make and you can see the bit in front of that hanging down that will go to the soil to make another onion plant.

The tops of the onions in the net room became bent when I covered them with row cover due to those two cold nights. There are lots of onions there. Can't see the carrots in the bags behind the onions as those carrots are truly babies right now. That was my fault for thinking I could grow them from seed in the house and transplant. They don't transplant worth diddly so I started over in those grow bags with seeds.

161 posted on 04/21/2014 1:51:09 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella
those carrots are truly babies right now. That was my fault for thinking I could grow them from seed in the house and transplant. They don't transplant worth diddly so I started over in those grow bags with seeds.

I've been saving cardboard toilet paper tubes to try with carrots. My seed tape carrots aren't getting any bigger. The tops are still dinky..

I was hauling brush today, and forgot to open the greenhouse door when the sun broke out through the clouds. Oops, it was about 104 in there. The impatiens didn't look happy at all.

I have oneof those dual fans with a thermostat I need to stick in front of the end where the vent window opens out, so that it starts blowing air around in there when I forget.

I bought some of those yellow sticky tape traps. I sure catch a lot of gnats, flies, and moths on them. I saw the first two shield bugs yesterday..so now I've seen snails, sow bugs, flea beetles, ants, thrips, leaf hoppers, and two shield bugs. Go away bugs.

162 posted on 04/21/2014 2:06:00 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: sockmonkey

They may be smart pots, I don’t remember the name of them - think I got two brands and got them all at Amazon - that was before I knew about Mega Gardening place.


163 posted on 04/21/2014 2:08:01 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: sockmonkey

“I’ve been saving cardboard toilet paper tubes to try with carrots. My seed tape carrots aren’t getting any bigger. The tops are still dinky..”

I’ve been saving those tubes, too. How would you use those for carrot seed exactly? That sounds interesting. I’m very disappointed in my carrot growing.

I didn’t know carrots came on a tape (or did you do that yourself?). Since I got no lettuce from the tape I have, I wouldn’t try it for carrots if you buy it that way.

Every one of the smallest pots you see in those photos has a plant or plants that must go in larger pots soon.


164 posted on 04/21/2014 2:21:26 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

I think the carrot seed tape is about $2.87. It has three 9 foot rows of Scarlet Nantes carrots. Mine are Burpee Brand.

The toilet paper tube thing is to fill the tubes with soil, tie them together so they stand up, plant one carrot in each tube, and then when it’s transplant time,just put the whole tube in the ground with the green top exposed.

I think some people just use half a tube. I really wanted to try it with Daikon Radishes as I have no luck with those.


165 posted on 04/21/2014 3:35:14 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: Marcella
Every one of the smallest pots you see in those photos has a plant or plants that must go in larger pots soon.

In your pics, I saw a plant with serrated leaves which looked to be a member of the mint family. Is that your lemon balm or something else?

166 posted on 04/21/2014 3:37:18 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: Marcella

Great pics, Marcella. Your plants look very vigorous.


167 posted on 04/21/2014 3:39:11 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: sockmonkey

“In your pics, I saw a plant with serrated leaves which looked to be a member of the mint family.”

Those would be cucumbers. No mint.

I have the tiny, tiny, tiny, lemon balm in a green pot slightly larger than the smallest pot out there, think there may be three trying to grow in that pot. I kept them under the grow lamp forever and finally got this bit of them to try to grow.


168 posted on 04/21/2014 4:09:21 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: sockmonkey

“The toilet paper tube thing is to fill the tubes with soil, tie them together so they stand up, plant one carrot in each tube, and then when it’s transplant time,just put the whole tube in the ground with the green top exposed.”

I could do that, have plenty of the tubes, prepare them and put under grow lamp, then when they are ready, plant the whole thing. That should work. A half tube would work. I have read how to secure the end of a tube so can do that.


169 posted on 04/21/2014 4:12:15 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: trisham

Since I’m new with this, I worry every day some critter or flying insect is going to invade my plants. Since they aren’t on or in dirt, the killers in the ground won’t get them.

If that corn produces, I’ll grow more of it next year.


170 posted on 04/21/2014 4:16:13 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

There is nothing like fresh corn. My husband usually boils it for a minute or less, and then slathers it with butter. Some don’t cook it at all, but eat it right from the stalk.

Are you keeping notes, or a journal? This is a wonderful learning experience not only for you, but for all of us, I hope.


171 posted on 04/21/2014 4:58:04 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Marcella; sockmonkey

—Since they aren’t on or in dirt, the killers in the ground won’t get them.—

I wouldn’t bet the family jewels on that. My containers are 30” from the ground and I picked a nasty 3” cattypillar from a pepper yesterday that had decided to munch on banana pepper leaves.

I picked suckers from my two maters and a few peppers in my Raised Container Garden. My wife’s Ground Level Garden has maters about 30” with multiple blooms. She did get the stakes up. Oh how nice an 18V cordless drill with a 24” long, 3”dia garden auger does for installing 8’ mater stakes.


172 posted on 04/21/2014 5:27:22 PM PDT by rightly_dividing ( A clear conscience is the sure sign of a bad memory. --Mark Twain)
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To: rightly_dividing

“My containers are 30” from the ground and I picked a nasty 3” cattypillar from a pepper yesterday that had decided to munch on banana pepper leaves.”

The difference in our situation may be your containers even though up from the ground, are on open land where caterpillars would be and could crawl up there. Remember, I am in town and there are high brick walls around my garden so no open ground for critters to crawl inside. I have never seen a caterpillar here. If that changes, you can be sure I’ll tell you. :o)


173 posted on 04/21/2014 6:19:22 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

Holycow! Gorgeous! Thank you for posting! I’m still taking care of the orphan puppy!


174 posted on 04/21/2014 6:24:52 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (Mind your atomic bonds.)
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To: trisham
“Are you keeping notes, or a journal? This is a wonderful learning experience not only for you, but for all of us, I hope.”

I have a list of everything out there and when I planted it and remember what happened to each category of seed and plants. I started the middle of January with some seed and will start the last of January next year due to the extended cold we had this year. I got the strawberries earlier than that as I ordered the plants and the same with the blackberry plants. So, the answer is yes, I can document what happened.

I've said before if I get no food after going through all this, I'm joining a convent.

175 posted on 04/21/2014 6:28:57 PM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Marcella

LOL! I’ve often thought about joining a convent.


176 posted on 04/21/2014 6:30:11 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Marcella

Nice. Thanks for sharing the pics. Looks like wall to wall food.LOL


177 posted on 04/21/2014 7:14:22 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Ellendra

My mulberry was “planted” in a pot by birds at my last home. When we picked up and moved, we brought it along. We couldn’t positively identify it until around 2008, when it produced it’s first crop of berry’s.
We even took a small branch and leaves to a nursery, and the “experts” told us that it was a Chinquapin Oak. Big difference between the two.
I put mine in the ground in 2006 when it was 3ft tall. It now stands 12ft tall with a crown to match. I wish you luck! I love my mulberrys!


178 posted on 04/21/2014 8:13:24 PM PDT by Sarajevo (Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?")
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To: Marcella

Awesome progress!
Almost a jungle and this is still April.


179 posted on 04/21/2014 8:16:13 PM PDT by SisterK (behold a pale horse)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_shade_cloth_material-ft_sunblocker_bulk_shade_cloth;pg103761.html

IMO- this is a great deal compared to what you find at Home Depot/Lowes. Mine has been on the hoophouse for 3 years of Texas heat, wind, and chills. I had to tighten it up this year, but I don't see any holes, tears, or signs or deterioration in the fabric.

180 posted on 04/21/2014 8:19:23 PM PDT by Sarajevo (Two cannibals are eating a clown. One says to the other: "Does this taste funny to you?")
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