Weekly Garden Thread Volume 22 May 30, 2014

Free Republic | May 30, 2014 | greeneyes

[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.

[Ellendra]

If you let the radishes bolt, you can pick the young seedpods and use them like radishes.

I had some purple radishes that were free with my order one time. When they bolted, they just kept pumping out those little radish pods, the thing looked like a porcupine!

(Too bad I don’t like radishes. I only planted them for my dad, and he didn’t like the look of the seedpods.)

[Ellendra]

Lemon Balm was new to me when I saw it at the garden center. Plant it around seating areas in the yard and it will discourage mosquitoes. As a tea it has a lemon flavor and is good for stomach problems.

Best of all, once it is established it is almost indestructible, it comes back evey year.

Beware: it will take over your yard! Which may or may not be a bad thing.

[MomwithHope]

Hmmm. I don’t like the look of them either and would not think of eating them. I’ll have to check them out this season. Thanks for the tip.

[sockmonkey]

I was looking at the fall garden calendar for our area.

http://fanicknursery.com/Downloads/2014/Calendar_2014.pdf

It’s time to start the indoor seedlings of some things just about now..Oh, noes....I’ve picked probably six tomatoes, my lettuce is bitter, still waiting on those cuxcuzza seeds to germinate, and it’s time to start seedlings for fall?

[tubebender]

Lady Bender and I picked the first 2 gallon bucket of Strawberries yesterday. The variety is Seascape and does well in the PMW coastal areas...

Yukon God potatoes after the second hilling…

[Sarajevo]

Your strawberries and potato's look fantastic.

I have trouble growing strawberries on my place. I tried the Sequoia, which were supposed to be a heat tolerant type, but they weren't. I'm now experimenting with Ozark. We had a few berries in the early spring, then the plants started to die back. With the rains and cooler temps last week, they've perked up and have blooms again.

[sockmonkey]

Just absolutely gorgeous garden. I would think I was the world’s greatest gardener if my stuff looked one fourth as good as yours. Your stuff is gardening catalog grade.

[Ellendra]

Strawberries, yum! Mine are just starting to form little green berries.

[Qiviut]

You know it's "bad" when you're building houses for your plants. :-) That's the cucuzza under there, lounging in the shade during the heat of the day. The water jug was already too small. It's rough & it's not pretty, but I used what I could scrounge. The nice thing is I can take the top off the stakes, fold it up & clip it to the cattle panel during the morning so it will get sun, then shade it during the afternoon heat until it gets acclimated to being outdoors.

[KGeorge]

Oh gosh. I still haven’t got my squash, corn, & melons started yet.
But yeah, I’d sure like to have some pumpkins, butternuts & acorn squash.

Looking at everyone’s gardens (GREAT pictures, Y’All! They look delicious.) made me depressed. We have such a small yard. Wonder if I could plant a garden on the flat part of the roof. (That oughta start some stuff)

Have a great Sunday, sm (& everyone). I have to go help remove shower doors & a commode. (the other reason my garden sucks)

[sockmonkey]

You know it's "bad" when you're building houses for your plants. :-) That's the cucuzza under there, lounging in the shade during the heat of the day.

I love it! Introducing the Cucuzza Cabana. Just the thing for a beachy summer day. The zip ties are a nice touch. I have no idea how I survived before I discovered all the things bungees and zipties can be used for..clothespins are also a biggie in my outdoor solutions bag of tricks.

[sockmonkey]

I have to go help remove shower doors & a commode

Well, save that commode..My crazy (RIP) Aunt Ethel had one in the front yard full of flowers, and the toilet seat was hanging by the front door, with plastic flowers glued on it, and the words "Welcome" on the lid...Thank Goodness she lived 1500 miles away (not that some might have appreciated her creativity).

[Qiviut]

.... the Cucuzza Cabana ....

**************

LOL!

[KGeorge]

LOL DH asked me, day before yesterday, what we were going to do with it. I’d assumed we’d take it to Habitat or something, but caught myself & said ‘Well, we could make a redneck planter out of it”. He just walked off.

The “wreath” idea is pretty funny, too. It’s going to recycle somewhere. Or the dump. ;-) But the pink flamingoes are stayin’!

[Sarajevo]

Here is something interesting for those of us with limited space:

How to Make a Simple 5 Gallon Bucket Aeroponics System

The 5 gallon bucket aeroponic system is very simple to make and operate. It was designed to provide a compact and inexpensive way to grow food using 5 gallon food-grade buckets. The unit is only filled with less than 2 gallons of water, so it is much easier to transport than the popular 30 gallon tote aeroponics model.

Aeroponics is a really simple and worry-free way to grow and clone veggies and herbs. Aeroponics is growing vegetation without soil, but the roots are suspended and sprayed with water and/or nutrient solution. It is a worry-free way to clone most non-woody stemmed plants from cuttings. You can also grow plants to harvest in the system as well.

*************** This is an excerpt.More good info is at the source.

[sockmonkey]

But the pink flamingoes are stayin’!

When I was little, and my Dad was stationed in Jacksonville, FL. Aunt Ethel and her husband came to visit us. When they left, their car was so loaded down with cement flamingos, deer, and other wildlife, the back end of their car was literally three inches from the ground.

Uncle Carl was convinced he could drive all the way to MN without hitting any bumps, and scraping the bottom of the car. His optimism was fueled no doubt, by the fact my Dad had convinced him to shed the longjohns, which he had worn his entire life for Boxer Shorts..

As they drove off, giddily waving and smiling, loaded down with their treasured concrete menagerie- they didn't even make it around the corner from our house before we heard scraping sounds, and saw sparks flying out from under the rear bumper. I think they drove fifteen miles an hour all the way to MN to avoid another occurence of scraping, .

She used to bring the menagerie indoors in the cold snowy MN winters, fearing the harsh weather would crack her prized flamingos, and other critters. BTW, since old toilets were easier to come by, she left that out on the lawn all winter.

[ConorMacNessa]

Rosa "Glamis Castle" & Creeping Phlox
My Front Garden - 1 June 2014



"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[mom3boys]

Been AWOL from this thread for a while, but popped in to show off my Black Krim tomatoes!

The HOT summer is in full swing here in Phoenix so the only gardening I'm doing is trying to keep some of my veggies alive until the monsoon weather gets here. Then they get much needed rain (even though I have an automatic drip system) and moist air. They perk back up around end of July and then August and Sept. I get my bumper crop of eggplants, cucumbers and peppers.

The Black Krim tomatoes are beefsteak type - most of the ones I've harvested fill my hand when I hold them in my palm. Delicious flavor and supposed to have lots of anti-oxidants. I'm pleased how they turned out this year.

[KGeorge]

LOL Great story. And familiar, but my situation was reversed (my Uncle was military & they lived in New Mexico). I would trade now for those times in a New York minute. Such sweet memories.

[Ladysforest]

“I have no idea how I survived before I discovered all the things bungees and zipties can be used for..clothespins are also a biggie in my outdoor solutions bag of tricks. “

AMEN! If it weren’t for those things - I don’t know what I’d do.

I even have these teeny clothes pins from the craft store that are great, and can be used places where the normal sized ones won’t work. I go round with my pockets stuffed with a variety of sizes of zip ties, clothespins, and bungies. You can do/fix anything in the world with them!