Weekly Gardening Thread -- Vol. 12, March 23, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012 | JustaDumbBlonde

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Good morning, FRiends and fellow gardeners! Hopefully everyone has received beneficial rain this past week. We've had an additional 2 inches, which was a blessing because just to the south and southwest of us as much as 10 inches fell. While the area needed the rain, it didn't need it all at one time.

Looking forward to reading what you're doing with your gardens and plans this week. Photos will earn you bonus points! :^)

It is too wet for me to do anything in the garden, but I do have lots of raspberry bushes to get planted. Then, the beeyard. They are already capping honey in the supers and I will have a bountiful late spring harvest. Mark and I have 2 cutouts of bees in buildings that are coming up this week, which will make a total of 7 hives in my beeyard. We did a huge cutout 2 weeks ago and Mark added those to his beeyard.

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!

[sneakers]

Thanks! I’ve never grown Collards before. In fact I never had them at all until a friend gave me a bunch from her garden. Didn’t know they grew in Pa. Mr S and I loved them!

[tob2]

Despite the crazy weather, lettuce doing very well. Parsley seeds have been sown and rosemary seedlings have sprouted and the second set of leaves starting to appear. In the house, basil seeds are sprouting. Looking forward to all he goodness of home grown veggies.

[KosmicKitty]

I’ve become a collards fan too.

I’m in Connecticut and I put in collards last year. I just kept picking the leaves and always left the small new ones on top. I left 4 plant in over the winter. Picked my last batch of leaves on new years day and took them to a pot luck dinner. Eating collards on new years day is suppose to be good luck

Now we had a really mild winter and 2 of the plants made it through and the leaves are taking off again. I’m just going let them keep going.

Has anyone had collard plants last for 2 years ?

[John 3_19-21]

There great! (no of fence Tony) Here is a quick recipe I use:

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion (minced fine) 3 cloves garlic (chopped) 1 slice bacon (turkey if you must)(minced) 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 cups water 1 mess of collard greens (2 gallons cleaned and chopped) 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 1 teaspoon vinegar


1. Place olive oil in a large pot on medium heat 2. Add onion, garlic, bacon and salt and pepper. Simmer 8-12 minutes until well browned and onions smell cooked. 3. Pour water into pot, add greens and cover. Simmer 3-4 minutes and then stir. Geens should be wilted and semi immersed in liquid. Cook 45 - 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add hot sauce and vinegar and enjoy.

[John 3_19-21]

Your on the right path.

Testing your soil will help. Most soils have a severe lack of organic matter(decomposed leaves, compost, etc.)

[txhurl]

I think collards are supergreens as are kale. I like to curry anything that will stand up to the stove :)

[Ellendra]

I decided to be brave and planted my warm-weather crops. We’ve had temps in the 80’s lately. I know it’s a risk, but I made sure I had enough seeds to take the chance. So my tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons are all planted now.

Haven’t had a chance to plant out at the land yet, but maybe next week.

[Petruchio]

That might be part of it. When I built the raised beds I ordered a truckload of topsoil. I was real disappointed with what was dumped. It was real heavy, lots of clay in it. So I filled the raised boxes with a mix of:

* 1 part Peat Moss
* 1 part sand
* 2 parts topsoil

The raised beds are 4' x 4' x 1' high. (16 cubic feet) I built them in 1997.

Last year's fiasco

Last year I added a coffee can of vegetable fertilizer in each box because I guessed that after 14 years the soil probably needed it.

Color me surprised. those 4x4 boxes can be seen from space. This google earth pic shows them behind the garage.

[tubebender]

The reward in gardening is not the harvest but the quest. I like your raised beds.

[sneakers]

Oh man that sounds good!

Copying and printing!

Thanks!

[ApplegateRanch]

Ridiculous temps here; it is a real battle to resist putting stuff out to freeze in a couple of weeks. Instead, we’re getting started on next winter’s firewood supply. Also, I made up 2 PVC paper-pot makers. Here’s hoping that is enough to get us through this false spring.

We have 8 healthy 3-1/2 week old bunnies are about ready to leave their nest box; the other doe is due in 7-10 days.

So far, no broodiness showing up in any of the hens, but we’re still getting 6-10 eggs/day.

I contacted a local beekeeper, who is supposed to get back to me next week, about placing a hive on our property.

[ApplegateRanch]

The reward in gardening is not the harvest but the quest.

Easy for YOU to say, considering YOUR harvests!

[ApplegateRanch]

I almost forgot.

I took the 4 X 8 trailer to the State Veterans Home today, and loaded it with grass clippings. I’ll probably get 1 or 2 more loads.

I’ll use them for the basis of a new compost pile: mix them with the coffee grounds I get from a local restaurant, and the spring cleaning of the chicken/rabbit house, and the left over ground pine cones & shredded paper.

For good measure, dump a bunch of now-thawed manure tea I set to brewing last Fall.

[tubebender]

BEWARE OF FALSE SPRINGs as told to me by our elderly neighbor lady over 50 years ago.

[ApplegateRanch]

Absolutely!!!

[ApplegateRanch]

Everyone, please garden responsibly.

NOBODY wants this to happen to them, or to their friends...

...spay and neuter your gnomes!

Your lawnmower will thank you.

[Petruchio]

ROTFLOL!!!

[MissMagnolia]

First smile of the day ..... thanks!! :-)

[John 3_19-21]

I would increase the ratio of peat moss to at least 50%. The less dense the soil the easier it is for roots to grow.
It might be a amount of sun issue as well.
From the two images in your post it looks as if the house and the large tree in the back are blocking the sun for part of the morning and or the afternoon.
How many hours of direct sun do your beds get?

[WorkingClassFilth]

This weekend (hopefully):

1. Seed vacant chicken runs with feed mix.
2. Chip pruned branches into mulch for the orchard.
3. Plant new trees.
4. Set posts for new chicken runs and grape trellis.
5. Start prepping for low hoop tunnel systems when it is dry enough to till. This is the system I am trying this year:

http://whizbangrowcover.blogspot.com/