Weekly Gardening Thread – 2011 (Vol. 42) October 28

Free Republic | 10-28-2011 | Red_Devil 232

[Red_Devil 232]

Good morning gardeners. We had our first frost last Friday but the weather has been beautiful ever since. I have been gathering leaves and other yard waste to add to my compost pile, which has grown nicely over the last few weeks and it is heating up and cooking nicely.

I hope all your Fall gardens prosper.

If you are a gardener or you are just starting out and are in need of advice or just encouragement please feel free to join in and enjoy the friendly discussion. Our Freeper community is full of gardeners, each with varying interests and skill levels from Master Gardener to novice.

[who knows what evil?]

Light snow/frost actually improves the flavor of Brussels sprouts...I have picked them after snowfalls in the past, and they were delicious! A hard freeze would be a bigger threat. I am not sure about your other items...

[greeneyes]

Free educational site @ www.squarefootgardening.org for one type of gardening. I started with just one square foot bed next to my patio. It was so easy, I just had to do more. LOL.

[neefer]

Cute story. It's amazing some of the things people do with pet chickens. Some have diapers for them in the house. Others take them sledding in the winter.

[Red_Devil 232]

Both my dogs like the cool weather we have been having in the mornings. The female is the playful one she will get down on her front elbows(?) butt in the air, in the “I want to play pose”. Toss her a Milk Bone and she will take off running then circle around and around a couple of times, at full speed, and try to pick up the bone, running at full speed. She will repeat the maneuver until she gets the bone and then settle down and munch away. Then she is up again in the “I wanna play pose” waiting for another bone. Her brother the big lumbering “I will get there when I get there” dog. just wants me to give him the bone and another and another.

[Red_Devil 232]

Was wondering if you got snowed on. Saw the weather reports about the snow in Colorado and figured that you did.

[greeneyes]

I was watching Dr. Oz the other day, and he said eggs have been getting a bad rap. Also said an egg a day would not be a bad thing, and the yolk has the most benefits.

I can't remember what the benefits he mentioned are, but my book on boosting your immune system notes the following nutrients: Several vitamins-B12,B5,biotin,folic acid,D,Iron, manganese, selinium(powerful anticarcinogen),and Zinc.

Truly a powerhouse of nutrients in addition to protein in a small package of less than 100 calories. Enjoy those eggs!

[greeneyes]

No, not a cold frame but, I experimented last year. I put milk jugs of water (painted black) at the back of raised beds, styrofoam at the ends. Planted lettuce, carrots, onions and garlic, and covered with row covers. Added straw, and then styrofoam egg crate mattress and the weather got colder.

It worked out great. On days when the weather was mild I rolled the cover back, and harvested some lettuce and let the garden get sun. Then covered it back up. The row covers let in fresh air, and sunlight, so you don't have to monitor as much.

[hattend]

I just received a package from Full Circle Farms and in it was some Green Chard and baby Bok Choy.

What do I do with either? Are they soup ingredients only or can you eat them raw?

Anybody have a suggestion?

[left that other site]

Chard is great in soup, and Bok Choy is the main vegetable in Stir-Fry. Swiss Chard is mild enough for mixed salad, along with sweeter lettuce and the more bitter arugula.

Here is one of my own recipes:

Stir fry Bok Choy, green onion, and some celery in a little bit of oil. Add cooked chicken (or beef) mushrooms, and canned water chestnuts or bean sprouts, and moisten with soy sauce. Add garlic and curry powder if desired and serve over rice or noodles.

healthier than restaurant food and VERY authentic! :-)

[greeneyes]

I’ve read that bok choy is good in stir frys. Never had either one.

[sneakers]

Where do you get the row covers? What are they made of? I love the idea of gardening in the winter!

[trisham]

Very nice!

[greeneyes]

Most of the seed catalogs have a selection of rowcovers.

[hattend]

Thanks! Stir Fry it is!

I’ll have to get to the store and get some soup makin’s as well.

[Logic n' Reason]

Thank you so much for the tips!! Really!

As to a rain barrel....nope...not possible. I'll just keep using the tap water. How often to fertilize?? Cut back in the winter??

[Mrs. Don-o]

LOL! Here's 52,000 results on Google for (Click here) Beginner Vegetable Gardening!

My best short advice for right now:

• The time to start is always NOW.
• Cardinal rule of gardening: You are ALWAYS building soil. Start a compost pile. Beginner Compost (Link)!!
• Easy way to start: in a back, out-of-the-way corner, start collecting as huge a pile of dry leaves as you can get your hands on NOW. Rake and save all your leaves. Steal them from your neighbors.---:^O
• Mark with stakes the four corners of area where you want your garden.
• Start small. One 4'x8' bed is grand, especially if you're doing Square Foot Gardening (Google that),which I recommend. Put it in the sunniest spot you have---hopefully not shaded by house or trees, but close enough so you can water it easily.
• Cover the staked-out area with at least 6-ply layer of newspapers. That'll start the process of killing the grass or weeds. Then cover the newspaper layer with cardboard, to keep them from blowing away.
• Ask your neighbors who have vegetables, what varieties they grow. They will help you a lot. Gardeners are like that.
• Decide to grow things you actually eat: things you would actually choose at the salad bar.
• "It's all an experiment." Enjoy!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Off the top of my head:

• Reduce or cease fertilizer. Your rate of growth will naturally slow or stop, and fertilizer in a natural slow-growth period will rot your roots.
• If your apartment air is dry, you could try misting the leaves, but do not actually water until the soil feels dry to the touch. (At that point, soak from the bottom.) Over-frequent-watering (during dormant period) will encourage various molds, mosses, fungi. Not what you want.
• And ---get as much light as you can get. South exposure important. If you don't have a south-facing -window --- oh,dear--- East will do in a pinch. Grow lights if you think they're worth the expense.

Good luck!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Beautiful stuff. You’re my hero!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Oh, that winter garden with the water jugs sounds like a wonderful idea. I may try that!!

[Mrs. Don-o]

To the tune of the chorus from "I love to go a-wandering"

"Broc-co-LEE,

Broc-co-LAAA,

Broc-co-LEE,

Broc-co-LA-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha..."

:o)