Posted on 06/04/2010 5:00:06 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning gardeners! Wow June is here already. I hope all of your gardens are flourishing. Can you believe that last year at this time there were freeze and frost warnings for the North, Northeast and some of the higher elevations? This year the freeze warnings seem to be contained within a certain household in Tennessee. I just had to say that, couldn’t help myself!
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You’ll be happy to know I *think* I’ve found a use for fire ants! (no, not as a WMD. Unless you’re a SVB!). I’ve noticed that my zucchinis that have fire ant beds near/under are *not* affected by SVB’s so far. I suspect the ants are eating the larvae. Or mom SVB doesn’t lay her eggs on them. Either/or/both.
I will keep an eye on this.
I sent for the ring last Wed. and it was in my company mail when I returned from our trip and picked up the mail earlier this week. Actually, it’s 2 rings for $5.95 and they look like a neat deal. So, unless they overcharged my credit card, it was an OK experience. Of course, a bean ring is not like a live plant, or a packet of seeds!
My son received a shipment of blueberry bushes from them earlier this spring (he’s in SC) and was pleased with the plants which arrived potted — not bare root.
I’m north of you in Wash state, not too far from Tacoma, and I know what you mean. Driving me crazy that I can’t get out and plant! We did get a bit of a sunny day yesterday, so I got to do a little weeding. Couldn’t stand it earlier this week so went out and started potatoes in garbage bags in the rain! Got good and wet, but had to do something! Freakin weather!
California weather just blows that global warming theory right out of the sky, don’t it?
The actual blossoms do look the same - it’s the flower stems that look different. The female stems have itty-bitty pumpkins already.I noticed those itty bitty ones, and was excited, but nothing ever came from them; no "real" fruit ever developed. The manner in which the flowers are produced, in a bi-linear fashion, led me to think they alternate m/f, m/f, etc, but I dunno. I DO notice that there are not a lot of bees this year.
It was at a restaurant called Tomato Head in Market square.
They make their own pesto and serve it with bread. You must try it!
Website is here:
The temps the past few days have been crazy. 61 by day and 59 nights. This morning it was 61 at 4AM and no, I wasn’t up until 6:30 but my perennial house guest gets up that early so she and her dog and our daughter can walk 3 miles between 5 and 6, rain, snow, sleet, hail, wind and earthquakes be damned!
Is this the Atlantic Giant pumpkin you are growing? If so they don’t set a lot of fruit and it’s just as well if you are growing them for show. The largest one that ever grew for me was about 120#. It’s just not warm enough and too many overcast days for them here...
As an aside: Is there a dynamic wherein a pumpkin or other gourd plant produces solely M or F flowers? I am thinking of extremes in heat or rain. I am in Houston, and it is hotter than Satan's butt crack here. It's not exactly the pumpkin-perfect Half Moon (or Humboldt) Bay climate. Sans rain, I have to water the plant every single day or it wilts, but maybe that is a product of it's explosive growth: it at one time grew almost a foot in 48 hours.
Oh, my goodness ...
Plant pornography!
Does that photo count as plant porn? Either way, thank you for the assistance; I will attempt that method.
Our neighbors have a greenhouse. Their tomatoes are taller than me.
But our stuff, planted in the ground, is itty bitty and has been that way for months. There just hasn’t been enough warm, sunny weather to push things along here.
I’m about 30 miles north of SF.
Hi P8riot,
Am interested in your sweet “taters”. Am growing some this year also. So if I understand-you grow them “in” tires? And then stack them as they vine out? Is that correct? This is my second try and growing sw taters-have had problems and am open to any ideas. Your tire idea sounds interesting. Thanks! BTW, am in the Nashville, TN area.
Sonoma County?
Thought it might be them... I like good food, but I’m crazy about patronizing lib establishments...appreciate the link! :-)
Solano.
Miller (spit!) Country.
Okaaaaay “and it is hotter than Satan’s butt crack here” my goodness too funny.... thats a new one on me. Gotta remember that!!!!!!
I have grown in containers for a number of years...I do not put ANYTHING in the ground...just some raised beds. I am in New England, and my plants have tomatoes on them. No one else in this area has plants with tomatoes on them...most have just put their plants in the ground. Even local produce stands grow their tomatoes in containers. Try a ‘Smart Pot’ or an ‘Earth Box’ if you ever get the chance. They are awesome. (I have noted on many garden forums that a number of gardeners have quit growing in the ground...)
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