Posted on 05/11/2018 7:13:11 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 wont be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isnt asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table(recipes)preserving, good living - 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 any time-and don't have to be gardening.
Those are good looking strawberries !
Our asparagus is roaring...seems like we've had asparagus with burgers, steak, fish, and everything but morning Chereeos...
I thought it would never happen...but it is finally Spring in New England...and for some reason, the flowering trees are especially gorgeous this year.
Greetings from southern New Hampshire, where garden prep is in full swing. I opened up our RV for the summer, last week, and Barb is up there while I am busting hump here, getting the raised bed gardens ready for her to plant.
I used the small tiller on the raised beds, yesterday, and today, I will be cutting the furrows for the watering lines as well as tilling the walkways before I install pipes, electrical lines and then level and put down landscape fabric. Coarse bark mulch on top of that. I am also bringing up her plants from the basement to start the hardening off process. Of course it is cool and going to rain, today.
My hibiscus are starting to sprout and my lilacs are blooming. Always a favorite for my wonderful Wisconsin childhood memories!
We got a large, rattan/wicker couch at the local consignment gallery. I spray painted it, yesterday, and I will take it to the trailer for our screen room, tomorrow, our 7th Wedding Anniversary. Home in the evening. Too much to do, here.
Have robber bees at our hives. Our new packages will be coming in a week. Ducks and chickens starting to lay.
I am really sorry to hear about your queens failure to get out of her cage. Was there a cork plug in the end of the cage where the candy is located?
I always check to make sure that cork is out. Then, the bees can start working on the candy plug from the outside.
I have to be much more attentive this year to treat for mites. We lost both colonies the past two winters. This past winter, they were still alive at the February thaw, but were too weakened to last the last two months.
Our two replacement packages should be coming next week. Good luck!
By the way, have you all heard about the blight in Carpinteria, CA? My brother-in-law and best friend have lived there for years in a beautiful house overlooking Highway 101 and the Pacific Ocean. It used to be a thriving cut-flower producer, shipping all over the world. I read on line and he confirmed it that since pot was legalized there in California, many of the cut-flower greenhouses have been bought up by pot farmers and the stench is terrible. My buddy says it smells like skunk, particularly in the evening!
More unintended consequences of liberalism.
Greenhouse is making things much easier this year! We’ve had several cold, rainy days, and I can sit in there and plant trays even when it’s pouring out. I have one shelf there so far, but I’ve ordered more. They should be here soon. I’ve also run out of seed starting trays. Planning a trip to the big Jungs headquarters today, so I’ll pick more up while I’m there. Along with some berry bushes.
Thanks; and sorry for your losses, too.
The cork was removed, but the candy was barely touched, from outside or inside.
I am sorry that you are having such difficulties. In sq. ft. gardening, the plants are squeezed so close together the weeds rarely get a chance to get a foot hold.
Then in the winter, they have cover crops grown so close together that the weed don’t grow. The mel’s mix is easy to pull out whatever needs to be done-much easier than regular soil.
I am sometimes tempted though to simply grow stuff in containers. All the planting done on a patio table saving the back. Hope you get better soon.
Our dogwoods and fruit trees are blooming here too. It’s a really pretty sight.
So how far away is the RV from your home? Sounds very busy and seems you got a lot done. Happy Anniversary.
YUCK.
Glad to hear that the green house is helping out. We also enjoy our greenhouse during the rain. Sometimes we even go out there and drink a coffee when we are just taking a break.
I have an Ice Cream Parlor type patio furniture stored in Springfield, so next time I go up there, I’m going to bring it back to put in the green house.
Just under two hours. I will leave early and come back before dark.
Sure sounds like for whatever reason, the colony rejected the queen. I have never heard of that.
Yes, I love it when my plants are close together and nothing grows. That seems to be happening where I planted the arugula and lettuces. I went out and watered this morning and took a look at them in the raised beds.
There is beds arent an issue, the soil there is so loose I can pull out weeds easily. And I only have five of them, doesnt take too long.
Now its the 40 x 100 garden! Hubby does rototill between the rows, but still, the garden is just too big for me and my weak arms. We really need to plant less.
Speaking of winter and cover crops, this last winter I threw a bunch of leaves and mulch and stuff on top of the raised beds, mainly because I wanted to see if the biennial plants would come back and give me some seeds. Only the onions are coming back. But I had hardly any weeds when I took the mulch off. So that worked out pretty good :-)
Thank you for the well wishes green eyes. My arms are doing a little better. So silly me when I watered, using my zero how was that I absolutely love because it is so light, I also pulled up a few weeds. I shouldnt have done that! But the garden calls you know?
Very sad. Yes, people of reap what they sow. Sometimes literally
FINALLY, the garden is started. Planted Summer Squash, Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash on Friday. Monday is Lettuce and Tomatoes. Broccoli, Carrots, Leeks, Green Beans to follow.
My beautiful garden has been destroyed. I live in Hawaii and was located in the Leilani Estates area that has been in the news. A volcanic eruption has forced my wife and I to leave the area. Please pray for us.
I am so sorry to hear that. Prayer’s up!
Pinging the List - making an exception to my once a week only ping. Please pray for our fellow freeper Justice whose garden has been destroyed by the volcanic eruption and had to leave the area.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3654614/posts?page=38#38
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.