Posted on 02/24/2012 7:48:38 AM PST by JustaDumbBlonde
.
Greetings from hot and sticky NE Louisiana! We set a record high yesterday at 89 degrees. I miss the mountains of Montana already. It averaged around 15 degrees while we were there and I was walking around in shirt sleeves. Without the extreme dampness, the cold is really comfortable.
I want to extend a big THANK YOU to Red Devil_232 and Ellendra for taking care of the thread in my absence. Y'all did wonderful work and I appreciate your efforts more than you will know. I had expected to be able to post the thread for the past 2 weeks, but things did not go as planned and the only internet access I had -- when I could get a signal -- was my smartphone. Trying to post a thread from that is just beyond my level of patience.
Most of you have healthy and happy plants started indoors by now. I am getting mine started this weekend, about 2 weeks later than I should have, and the anticipation is really exciting.
My short series on soil structure is coming along nicely, and I apologize that it is not ready to publish today. Structure is such an important part of growing a healthy plant. Now that vacation and some health issues are out of the way, I will be able to devote a bit more time to this endeavor that I love so much.
Let us know what you doing! I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you! Happy Gardening!
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
Did the maters make it through all that wind??? We had a cool front come through, and thankfully it was a dry line. Little bit of wind, but nothing close to what you had.
Thank you, Gabz, it is good to be back. I have to agree on the weather ... it is absolutely strange.
We’ll keep you in our prayers for additional rain. I can’t imagine seeing Lake Travis that low. I have an aunt that lives there and I never remember low water levels when we visited during the summers of my youth. Lots more people pulling water from it now.
How tall will your deer fence be? Around here they can clear 5-6’ without even thinking about it.
Lord Bender, I am so sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. I will pray for a quick recovery. Is the berry thief keeping you full of chicken soup?
Neither wife nor I detect any difference in flavor...it's more of a 'presentation' thing...people always ask if the 'sunset/cheddar' variety tastes like cheese...it would save a few steps when preparing it for dinner, but alas...it just tastes like good 'ol snowball cauliflower.
Too much of the purple can make you tipsy, though... :-)
If you have some experience in gardening and amending the soil to achieve a certain result, DIY is fine. For myself, I prefer a professional analysis like you would get from the county agent or similar lab. They not only analyze, but offer guidance on what and how much to add. I posted a link just above for some soil test strips that are available.
Sounds like you’ve been busy, as usual. You need to talk the husband into solar while the tax rebates are still available.
Central VA here - 3.5 inches of snow last Sunday, 80 degrees yesterday. Opened the windows & enjoyed until the ‘cold’ front blew through during the afternoon. No tornadoes here, just watches, heavy winds/rain, & hail (enough to make my aunt’s yard look white) across the river.
Funny story and great photo! Those green beans are beauties! Great looking good doggie too. I love bully breeds.
Thanks so much for checking-in! I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays. :)
Let us know when you get that garden started!
Looking forward to those photos!
Interesting ...because these are the exact hazelnuts that my sister just got. I think I’ll try them too. They are much less expensive for one thing. ;-)
Thanks for the link.
Nice job on the trailer! I hope the move goes smoothly. Honk at me on the way by :)
Yes, we did tear up the slopes. After I got my ski legs back for a couple of days, I took a full day advanced lesson and learned some really good stuff. Was enjoying black runs by the end of the lesson, which was okay, but I prefer to cruise a challenging blue. Not too many of my friends ski black at our age, so more company to hang with on the blues as well.
Sparky, I am a strong proponent of soil tests. They are inexpensive and give you much better odds of success. You can have all of the nutrients in the world, but if your pH is off, the plants will not be able to utilize the nutrients. A good year of gardening always starts with tests. Seeds and plants are too expensive to gamble.
Took all afternoon, but the fence is repaired.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.