[Red_Devil 232]

Weekly Gardening Thread

FREE SEED EXCHANGE

 

This EXCHANGE is brought to you by FReeper 

Mrs. Don-o

Thrifty? Gifty? Curious? Generous? Spare seeds? Rare seeds? For a tiny plot? Or a flower- pot? Send seeds? Befriend seeds? Just want 10 seeds?

 

If you have garden seeds you can offer other FReepers for free, for a SASE, and/or in exchange for other seeds, please send me your info. (Private Message Mrs. Don-o) and I will add you to this list, which I will post on the garden thread from time to time. Please also Private Message me to be removed when you no longer have the seeds to offer. FReepo-seedoholics can contact each other by Private Message to arrange any transactions.

Remember that old seeds may have reduced germination. (Although I’ve had great luck with them. And for free, you can’t lose...) If possible, list year and variety.

Mrs. Don-o

I CAN OFFER a few of these seeds (say, 10) for free to anybody who wants to send me a SASE:

Basil (“Genovese” 2010)

Beans (“Jackson Wonder Butterbean “2011)

Broccoli (“Bonanza” 2011) Chard (“Bright Lights” 2010)

Fennel (“Florence” 2011)

Kale (“Redbor Hybrid” 2010)

Squash (“Acorn 2009”… and I had really good germination with it, this year!)

Squash “(Georgia Candy Roaster” 2011.. a terrific winter squash!)

Tomato (“Brandy Boy” 2011)

INTERESTED IN

Seeds for Fall

Anything (surprise me!)

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I HAVE HEIRLOOM TOMATO SEEDS (FREEPER TDSCPA) from about 75 popular, open-pollinated heirloom varieties. Tell me via PM what varieties you’re interested in, and if I have them I could send you a few seeds (10?) if you will send me a SASE.

Don’t know what variety to grow? I can make suggestions, if you want to grow plants from seed. Contact Tdscpa

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If anyone needs or wants okra seeds (says JustaDumbBlonde)… please let me know. I saved a ridiculous amount in the fall of 2010. Two different varieties, Clemson and Jade, are both are heirloom variety so that you will be able to save seeds from your plants. Both are spineless and heavy producers. Jade is a bit darker green than Clemson and the pods are a bit shorter and fatter. Both are good for frying, soups, freezing, dehydrating or canning. Don’t be shy, l have more than plenty to share! Tip for planting okra: soak your seeds for 24 hours before planting. Okra seeds are hard like peppercorns and soaking will assist in quicker germination. Contact JustaDumbBlonde

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I have some black-seeded Simpson lettuce seeds and some Buttercrunch lettuce seeds if anyone’s interested. (says Oberon), And... anybody have any Gold Nugget yellow cherry tomato seeds? I’m interested. Contact Oberon

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I have about 100 Canna seeds that I would be glad to share (says Dacula), These plants are tropical and last up to the first frost. I live north of Atlanta and my cannas grow up to 6 feet and have beautiful flowers. I leave them in the ground over winter, but you can take the bulbs and over winter them. . In order to get the seeds to germinate, you have to lightly sand the outside of the seed and soak them overnight. Contact Dacula

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Free Winter Squash or Stevia seeds or Heirloom Tomato/Pepper Seeds (says Black Agnes) The ‘Patio Marconi’ seeds are container peppers that are sweet and good for salads, sandwiches or frying. Open pollinated if that interests you. Cilantro seeds too. It’s good used fresh to detox heavy metals. Contact Black Agnes

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Weekly Gardening Thread

[Red_Devil 232]

Ping to the Weekly Gardening Ping List.

I hope all of you will stop by.

This is typically a low volume ping list. Once a week for the thread and every once in a while for other FR threads posted that might be of interest.

If you would like to be added to or removed from the list please let me know by FreepMail or by posting to me.

[stefanbatory]

trying to get the garden wrapped up here. One of my customers has said she would take my beds and the soil I mixed up. She’s coming on Monday for that. Then my wife and I pack up the car wednesday morning, shaking off the dust from our shoes at the Georgia/Florida line, and heading up to WI...conveniently, just in time to start gardening...:D

One project i want to try is planting a potato in a tire and then adding tires on top of the original (with dirt) until the stack is 5 or six feet tall. Also will need to build my tomato watering devices that i want to try out. Will prolly need to get some seedlings from somewhere up there as there wont be time to start them from seed.

Fortunately, my parents have 15 acres and not all of it is in use for pasture and lawn and whatnot.

[jocon307]

Hi Gardening freepers, I definitely need some advice.

I planted perennials (day lillies, black eyed susans, button flowers), they are very small (I hope they grow!).

How much water do I give them at the start? Every day? Every other day?

Also, I should mulch them, yes?

Your guidence will be appreciated. I’m leaving for work now, but I’ll check back later.

Thanks all!

[Former MSM Viewer]

Hello all...great thread...

Im a long time wanna be gardener...got my 10X10 behind the garage back in action this year.

I live outside of Houston. I planted 11 tomato plants in early March this year and was picking tomatoes by the end of April...earliest ever for me.

The spinach I planted was delicious. My squash and zucchini have been poor.

We havent had 2 rains since I planted, but 10x10 is easy to water by hose.

Thanks for the thread. I will stop by again.

[Texas Fossil]

raided by a digging Cashmere (Irish Setter)

Had a similar problem with Molly (Australian Shepherd). She is my son's dog, but she is with my wife and I most of the time. When I put out my strawberry plants in our new strawberry bed she dug up two of them. No damage because now they are really spreading and doing well.

Dogs don't sweat to keep cool, that is why they pant. But cool damp earth is something they really like. Hence her attraction to my strawberry bed.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

When growing vegetable plants from seeds, how does one prevent them from becoming leggy (stringy)? My broccoly become very long and tall and sometimes fall over.

[Tatze]

We had a good rain here last night, and getting a bit more this morning too. Its a good thing. My rain barrels needed refilling.

STILL, hoping to get my hands on a 275 gallon water tote/tank this weekend. Then I can finally get the gravity fed drip irrigation system up and running.

Otherwise, with only one or two exceptions, all plants are looking great. 5 varieties of tomatoes, 3 varieties of hot peppers, 3 varieties of sweet peppers, 8 varieties of cucumbers, tomatilloes, watermelon, sweet potatoes and purple majesty potatoes.

[metmom]

We had one inch hail here yesterday and I had just planted most of my stuff the day before.

Fortunately, it only took out a couple pepper plants and a couple tomato plants.

We have more severe weather on tap for the rest of today but I have most of my stuff covered for now. The best thing I’ve found to use is old laundry baskets with the top where the broken handles are, cut off. I put them upside down over the plants and they keep off the hail and keep out the hungry critters, which are a problem in the spring when they’re looking for tender young plants to munch on.

[bgill]

Will be picking beans and peas today. Been eating squash, leavy greens, and tomatoes. Going to have to cut back on the tomato plants next year as they’re taking over and need to be more precise, like down to the inch, in their spacing in this small garden. Well, new garden plot so it’s a test year.

Some colorful creature is eating up the cabbage and broccoli so have been inspecting the leaves and squishing the little buggers.

[Racehorse]

Greetings from drought-stricken San Antonio!

We're on the verge of Stage 2 water rationing. Drip irrigation is still permitted but only in the early morning and mid evening. Hand watering is permitted anytime.

My supposedly disease resistant hybrid tomatoes (Celebrity, BHN-444, Tycoon) have caught something. Leaves turning brown and shriveling up. Since we're having 100 degree days, I'll doubt I'll get more fruit or see the plants revive. Once the fruit shows a blush, I'll pick them and pull up the plants. Steve Smith, one of our local television weather guys, showed off some of his Tycoons during a broadcast. He definitely needs to share some his gardening techniques! The tomatoes looked GOOD. My heirlooms are still thriving.

But, I'm already looking forward to the Fall. Next week I'll start my tomato seeds for transplanting in mid-July. Our average first day of frost hits around 15 November. I'm going to ignore the recommended hybrid varieties. Instead, I'll be planting 3 or 4 each: Virginia Sweets (80 days), Jetsetter VFFNTA Hybrid (64 days), First Prize VFFNT Hybrid (75 days), BHN 640 VFFF Hybrid (75 days), and Grandeur Hybrid (70 days).

The best performers in my little garden this Spring are the Baby Cucina cucumbers. Even at nearly six dollars for ten seeds, the plants have produced more slender 3-4 inch cukes than we can possibly eat. And, they're still producing! Though not anywhere near as productive as the Cucinas, I'm very impressed with the Suyo Long cucumbers. Last two I picked were 24 inches long and maybe two inches in diameter at their widest. Cooked up one in my fabulous sweet and sour pork!

Gotta go string up my two bean towers. The pole beans wanna climb!

Happy gardening!

[Augie]

It’s been a week of nasty weather here in Central Missouri, but nothing compared to what’s been going on all around us.

My tomato plants are really suffering from all of the water and cool temps. Some are dead and it’s starting to look like I may lose a good third of them.

On the bright side, my pingtung long eggplant seeds have started to germinate. I’d just about given up on those. Hot peppers are also starting to peek out of the soil.

At least that’s the way things looked on Tuesday. I’ve been in Kansas City on business since and there’s been a lot of wind and rain since. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit to find everything dead when I get home.

[afraidfortherepublic]

I’m heading outdoors to try to get my boxes prepared. We’ve had nothing but cold rain and storms, but today is pretty. My husband’s hospitalization and doctors’ visits (he’s doing great) used up all the time I would have spent starting seedlings indoors, so all my plants are purchased this year.

I have 16 various tomatoes (trying to make the harvest last as long as possible), 4 sweet basil, 2 parsley, 1 rosemary, and something else. In addition I have 2 zucchini, 2 acorn squash, 2 baby watermelon, and a couple of other veggies. I’ll start peas, lettuce, etc. by seed. Also, I have last year’s potatoes that have gone to seed that I’ll plant again.

[EnglishCon]

Greetings from the land of supposedly constant rain, where my garden is suffering from drought. Despite watering, we lost the pears and apples this year, and even the radishes are suffering.
One call for advice - we have a bed next to the fence, and on the other side is a massive cedar that seems to kill everything planted in there! Any ideas on barriers to slow down the acidification of the soil? I lime it regularly, but it is simply not enough to keep the soil viable - not even weeds grow there at the moment!
Getting a touch desperate, as this bed is about a quarter of our available planting area!

[tubebender]

Good morning Red. My wife’s sister in Golden Co has the week off and she just told me she almost stepped on a Rattlesnake yesterday! That would end my gardening days as my heart would fail...

[Free Vulcan]

Slammed in alot of stuff last weekend and hope to get more done this one if the rain holds off. We got 3 inches or so the last couple of days, it's pretty wet but not as bad as I thought.

Random pics for the week:

1. Pea vines all strung up.

2. Greens/roots patch and a nice stand of spinach.

3. Seed saving/herbs patch.

4. Gonna be a good crop of peaches this year, barring hail.

5.Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tomatillos ready to get in the ground.

6. The old dog Tank standing guard over the garden.

[daisy mae for the usa]

Good morning fellow gardeners! On the stroll around our raised beds this morning we enjoyed finding several baby squash peaking from below their protective leaves. Okra is 5” inches high. One green tomato and tons of growth. Beans are climbing. Lettuce is still producing. Watermelon and cantaloup are all about 3” high and looking strong, along with sunflowers.

Looking to start an herb garden, but not sure how to proceed. Would love advice. I will be in and out for the next few days, so please understand if I don’t respond to posts quickly.

I enjoy this thread very much! Thank you for providing it!

[orsonwb]

Found this humorous adaptation of the Kübler-Ross Model, commonly known as the The Five Stages Of Grief, applied to gardening. The Five Stages of Grief Gardening

[Ellendra]

Still building my raised beds, they’re taking longer due to some bad advice from my dad, but I think I’m making progress. My poor seedlings are looking sickly though :(

The big maple tree that was shading the back yard was removed last week, and this week my parents gave me permission to grow mushrooms on the stump, so I ordered some oyster mushroom plugs. I’m mildly allergic to mushrooms, but mom and dad love them, and they’re fun to grow.

Still looking for a plant that thrives in deep shade. Not just partial shade, but full-time deep shade. Preferrably something tasty or pretty. Any ideas?

[Racehorse]

5PM and 101 degrees in San Antonio. Forecast for tomorrow is a balmy 100.

Stepped outside and every plant had the droops. Just had to give em a drink.

You guys hogging all the rain, share a little, will ya? :-)

[djf]

So far, I’ve planted a whole bunch of stuff. But the weather has been cool and rainy, and they are only doing so-so.

Problem is I think the squash and cukes are starting to get downy mildew. Today I tried some neem oil so hopefully, they will be ok.

Anybody ever use neem oil as a fungicide?