Weekly Gardening Thread – 2010 (Vol. 46) December 17

Free Republic | 12-17-2010 | Red_Devil 232

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“It was 71 here in Meridian, Ms yesterday. Only going to be 50 today.”

Oh, you Poor Baby! Nevermind if I don’t shed a tear for you, LOL!

It’s 13 degrees right now...we’ve got another 6 inches of snow on the way (on top of the 15 we already have!)...and amazingly, my Swiss Chard is FINALLY dead, LOL! :)

[who knows what evil?]

Skunks are still out and about...good sign, as there is still no sign of snow around New England. (Please, Father...just one more mild winter...I hate snow. Thank you.)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You’ll get yours...*SMIRK* :)

I had a dream the other night that my Lab mixed it up with a skunk in the dead of winter. I’m like, “Where the Fritz am I supposed to BATHE her this time of year? She’s NOT coming in the house smelling like THAT!” Even in my DREAMS I try to problem solve; now THAT is scary, LOL!

(Solution? Machine Shed. Start a fire, thaw her out, then grab a big washtub and the tomato juice, LOL!)

[who knows what evil?]

You’ll get yours...*SMIRK* :)

Everyone said we were going to 'get it' this weekend, but it is heading out to sea. No sign of snow in the 15-day forecast...rather smell a skunk now and then all winter than look at snow...

[Red_Devil 232]

I hate snow also! Snow, if we get more than an inch in one snow fall it is a big event and a big deal around here. If our streets get any accumulation we are basicly shut down, no plows or salt around here. But heck this is Mississippi every redneck one of us has a four wheel drive pickem up truck or a mule:) LOL

[who knows what evil?]

There has been some strange weather recently...tornadoes in Oregon, bitter cold in the mid-south, lack of snow in the northeast. If a damn near snow-free winter constitutes ‘strange weather’ in New England, bring it on! No annoying snowmobiles, skiers stay home in Boston and NYC...sweet!

[Red_Devil 232]

I guess the tomato juice works? I have heard a lot of people say a tomato juice bath or soak will work. I wonder why?

[cherry]

I love snow....on the lawn and in the forests and in the mountains...not so much on the roads.....

there is a quiet peace about snow....with your blinds open, the snow casts a beautiful light into your house....

[greeneyes]

Yippee. Great to have a little good news!

[tubebender]

What is snow Aunt Diana? Did I tell you we have some Heather blooming now and the rest are in there glorious foliage splendor. How else may I help you?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Something about the acid in tomato juice is able to break down the odor molecules in the skunk spray. We've always used lemon juice and it works well. I had a mastiff that HATED skunks ... I mean kill every one he could ever find HATE. He would bite them in half, severing the backbone. Getting sprayed only served to aggravate him all the more. We bought lemon juice in the largest quantities we could find at Sam's. Kept at least a gallon in the garage at all times. With all of the culverts and farm implements sitting around on our property, there was never a shortage of skunks for ol' Junior a/k/a June Bug, may he RIP.

[Ellendra]

Even in my DREAMS I try to problem solve; now THAT is scary, LOL!

You too?

I've found that my nightmares will return again and again until I find a viable solution, and then they stop (or at least change to a different situation). It may be scary, but I much prefer the "problem-to-solve" nightmares over the "helplessness" nightmares!

[greeneyes]

Good afternoon Red. Thanks for the links. We are having a “warm” day today. It is 36 degrees on the way to a high of 38 and low tonight of 29.

It has been unusually cold and schools have been closed due to ice on the roads and we have had single digit nights. The sun is shining today, and the winter wheat is still green, so the garden looks almost like spring.

The tomato limbs that I cut off and stuck in a pot indoors had tomatoes that all ripened well. There is only 2 left, one is almost ripe, another is green and growing. The tomato plant that I dug up and put in a pot is still growing well. It has 5 3”tomatoes that are still green. I am thinking about repotting it to a larger container.

I peeked under the row cover, and straw at the lettuce and onions in raised bed #1 today, and they are doing well, so I should have a little homegrown for the salad on Xmas. Hubby did not get his carrots harvested or covered, so I don’t know how they are doing, but the ground is too frozen to try to pull them up I think.

Have a good week, and Merry Christmas to all.

(sorry Red, I posted this on the wrong thread).LOL

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Amen to THAT!

Our brains are REMARKABLE instruments if we keep them clean and clear and ready to receive. I love my dreams.

‘Much will be revealed...’ :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The acidity of tomato juice neutralizes the skunk stink. Why not just use lemon juice? Too expensive up here, LOL!

[greeneyes]

I just planted some lettuce and spinach in a 4 gallon pot indoors today. My citrus tree just flowered, and it looks like I might actually get some fruit this winter.

I need to re-pot my tomato plant it has 3” green tomatoes, but has outgrown the 5” pot.

Weather today is warmer we are at 43 degrees going to a high of 45 and low tonight of 37.

[tubebender]

I would gladly trade our incessant rain for three feet of snow at this moment but please don’t quote me on that...

[greeneyes]

Ok. I won't, but be careful what you wish for!LOL. When we lived in South Dakota, we got 21 inches of snow in October, and it stayed till June along with additional doses.

The snow piled up as high as the windows. One day I went to the mailbox, and just as I opened it, I sunk into the snow up to my shoulders. I just don't like really cold weather, even though it does make you really appreciate a fireplace!

[tubebender]

Fireplaces and wood stoves are a blessing but the heat output is directly proportional to the heat input during the summer and fall in the woodlot. Firewood here is selling for $250 to $300 a cord and many people are switching to pellet stoves. We went for a natural gas insert but we still have a wood burner fireplace in the master bedroom that we haven’t used in years.

[greeneyes]

We have lots of unburned firewood stacked outside. We also have built-in fans on both our fireplaces. When we build a fire, the whole upstairs is heated, and can in fact, be too warm for comfort in the kitchen, family room, living and dining room.

We used them a lot, but now that the kids are gone, we just turn down the furnace and put on sweaters. So they are mostly for special occasions, and emergencies-we are all electric.

We haven't had to buy any firewood in years. Hubby has been cutting trees to make room for gardens. LOL. We also have 20 acres north of town that we can use when our yard runs out.