[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?

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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swheats Has the following packets of seeds to share. They were a gift and never used contact swheats if you would like any of these packets.

Ferry Morse seeds Dated 2010

Arugula
Organic Watermelon(Moon&Stars,100%certified organic seed)
Swiss Chard (rainbow of colors)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Turnip
Tomato (brandywine heirloom variety)
Gourd (swan)
Carrot (nutri-red)
Carrot (Big Ideas Veggie Tales)

Burpee Seeds Dated 2009

Coriander
Cilantro (Chinese parsley)
Tomato (Delicious)
Organic Cucumber Sumter (100% certified Organic Seed)
Parsley (single Italian Plain Leafed
Spearmint
Basil (Summer Long)
Sweet Corn (Jubilee Hybrid)
Green Bean (gourmet mix)
Cucumber (bush Champion)
Lettuce (Loose leaf mixture)
Squash (Fordhook Zuchini)
Pea (Sugar Daddy)

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

[sneakers]

ping!

[bgill]

A few notes on the good vs. bad. The Kentucky Wonder beans are doing well but are lacking in flavor. The Oregon Sugar peas were a waste of time. Didn’t want them but they were the only peas I could find at the time. So long, Oregon, you won’t be in the garden next year. Also not in the garden will be the plum tomato. It just doesn’t have any taste and is mealy so it’s straight to the freezer for soups next winter. The husky cherry tomatoes disappear before getting to the table - yum. I lost the planting plan in a computer crash so don’t know which yellow squash is which but one of them simply isn’t edible so may have to plant both seed varieties and see again next year. Hopefully, I can save the good one’s seeds and see if they’ll make transplants.

It’s already getting too hot for the spinach and lettuce but they were good while they lasted so will get planted again for the fall. Oh my goodness, why didn’t anyone ever tell me how great a salad spinner is? All these many mumble mumble years and I thought it was silly, ha.

Both rounds of transplants and various varieties of berries died immediately in the “other” bed. Don’t know what’s going on there. Roses grew there fine previously and the one rose I saved from hubby’s tiller (don’t ask) is starting to take hold again. He sowed verbena seed there and they never came up either. I don’t know if it’s the soil (same soil as in the veg garden just 20 feet away but the verbena didn’t work in another little spot either.

Well, the sun is up and the bus is gone so I’m out to the garden.

[Hoodat]

Tomato Inquiry: Last year, I had a huge problem with blossom end rot. This year, I put out some gypsum before planting, and I got some calcium chloride spray. How often should I spray, and should I keep adding gypsum throughout the summer? Also, does stress from not enough water play any role, and if so, how often should I water? I've got a soaker hose and have been using it every four days or so, but I keep it in the same place, so I didn't know if that caused a problem with some roots being fed while others not.

Here in Atlanta, we went 24 days between the last two rains, and it is now been 12 days since the last one.

For the rest, my squash is doing fantastic, but my peppers don't look so good.

[Free Vulcan]

Whew, we’ve gotten the rain they’ve had to the south of is this last week. 9 or so inches since last Wednesday. Fortunately it’s been hot and we had a fairly dry spell before that, so the garden is stable and holding up well. It needs to stop though.

[Augie]

It’s shaping up to be a beautiful day here in Central Missouri. Sunny and headed for the low to mid 90°s.

We have a major cicada emergence going on at the moment, much to the delight of my ducks and chickens. I’m taking the meat chickens to the butcher shop later this morning. Will be very nice to have those nasty stinking things out of the brooder house.

The garden is starting to look a little better. I’ve replaced 8 tomato plants so far and will be replacing another 8 today. I’ll remind myself again next year why it’s not worth trying to get them out early. The snap peas are doing very well, potato plants are starting to bloom, garlic is getting close to harvest, strawberries are going nuts, blackberries are in full bloom, cucumbers and summer squash are up about 6”, and the weeds look real nice too.

[goodwithagun]

I have problems with my tomatoes every year, and this year I’m determined to succede. Has anybody tried neem oil? It’s supposed to combat early blight, which they already have, and prevent late blight, which I battle every year. I have several heirlooms and I want to make this work.

[bgill]

What’s everyone’s take on the e-coli outbreak in Europe? It’s pushing 2000 cases.

[tubebender]

I always look forward to the new Friday threads... until I read about the bountiful harvests taking place elsewhere and then I go into a funk. Our temps are running a few degrees below our normal cool weather and we rarely see the sun. We have adapted to it but still would like it 10 degrees warmer...

[OB1kNOb]

We’ve gone from a cooler and wetter than normal May straight to mid to upper 90’s. The garden grew alot the first few days of sun after all the rains, but the scorching temps will start taking a toll soon if we don’t get a break from these high temps. I can water some but likely not enough to overcome what the sun and wind takes out of the ground each day.

[B4Ranch]

This is being posted to raise the awareness of all you farmers and city gardeners of the latest reports concerning plants and their ability to feel pain. That's right, plants can feel pain!

A Vegetarian's Nightmare or A Dissertation on Plants Rights

Lyrics to "A Dissertation on Plants Rights" (pdf. file)

Eat Beef for breakfast lunch and dinner.

[Darth Reardon]

I’ve been working on that yogurt recipe from awhile back. I was thinking that, since crock pots probably vary a lot in temperature, it might make sense to use a thermometer, a notebook, and a bit of science. Also, maybe bring the yogurt up to temp so that when you mix the yogurt and milk they are both right at the optimum temperature. While looking to find that temp, I found that someone has already done all the work for me:

http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=525

I really liked the idea of using my oven with the light on to keep the mix around 110, at least until I found out that the lights in my oven are good for closer to 140, which doesn’t work so well.

I’m still tuning the process, but so far it comes out a good bit thicker than the crock pot.

[quintr]

I have a question about moles. At least, I suspect moles. The ground is mushy underfoot. However, I’ve never actually seen the little critters that are making the ground mushy. I do remember what moles look like from when I was a little girl growing up in Arkansas.

Anybody have any suggestions as to how to rid myself of these little critters? I did find a hole when I mowed at the back of the property this afternoon and put a mothball inside what I think might be a mole hole.

(It worked for the hole the garter snake went into at the front of the house a couple of weeks ago. Haven’t seen that little critter anymore.)

And the raccoons don’t like the mothballs I put in the garbage cans either.

— Jane Reinheimer

[DollyCali]

Getting here Very late & what a great thread full of info (new one out tomorrow I believe?)

Bookmarking this for all your good information everyone.

We had a major storm come thru Tuesday. I had 5 HUGE trees come down in yard. diversions are not always fun

HOT here also after seemingly weeks of non stop rain & cool

thanks everyone for the contributions you share