Posted on 03/01/2013 12:32:22 PM PST by greeneyes
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!
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So we brought it down to Texas after we got settled in... At the first meet and greet, I proved that yes, I could barely saddle a horse correctly and do basic grooming chores. She told me to ride him around the pasture. So I did.
Once, twice, around the perimeter (I was actually checking fence, it's a habit) and we stumbled on a cluster of yearling calves that were just brought into the pasture.
Katy bar the door. I felt like a 2 year old on the old mechanical horse in front of the 5 and dime store. Head going one way, arse going another, it was a miracle I stayed on the horse.
When things settled down, there was one single calf in the corner of the pasture.
We went back to the barn and I asked what the [redacted] just happened?
She said "Forgot to tell you, I trained him as a cutting horse when we were young".
Thanks, lady. ;). It was an interesting ride, and the horse did every bit of the work, even with me flailing around on top.
/johnny
Our daughter loved to go to grampa’s farm and see all the cows, sheep and other animals. She caught a big catfish in one of the stock tanks and we HAD to have that for dinner that night. She knows that food does not come from the supermarkets, but from farms and ranches.
It was funny when she took a peanut plant to school with the peanuts still attached to the root area. The other kids had no idea peanuts actually grew underground. I’m surprised she didn’t get in school suspension for taking peanuts into a classroom. She got a lot of food education on the farm.
Most probably think it's crazy, but I console myself with the fact that so many plants reseed themselves in cold winter areas. Regardless, the proof will be in the seedlings. If I have growth by mid-late April, we will know it works.
Imagine how much that could save us in lights, electricity, table space, jiffy pots, etc?
I'm happy to be the FR Guinea pig.
A couple summers ago a gentleman came into the county extension office- asking about his trees that were dying. He explained how he fertilized and composted the holes, adding a few other things. He had loosened the soil in the actual holes, and a variety of things- we explained killing with kindness was what he had done. The roots liked the environment he had created and declined to move out into the real world, girdling the tree etc. The best of intentions-——
Thanks. I’ll stop attempting to dig them up. They are in a bed in front of a hedge of roses that I planted two years ago. They don’t look bad when they grow which is why I haven’t obsessed (plus they are in the back yard where no one else can see).
One thing I’ve been thinking if is to intermingle edible plants along with my normal decorative ones. This would fit in with that.
IE not a traditional garden but a garden that is visually appealing in my neighborhood where the HOA is pretty strict.
Maybe that can be a topic for another day.
Our Extension Service quit doing soil tests a couple of years ago for non-commercial growers. Now, they just give a hand-out with contact info for a bare handful of commercial labs, which start their charges at $50 plus shipping, and go up rapidly from there.
Cat Grass! Germinates in 3-4 days, and is ready for them in a week or so. Small containers or flats of it keeps the kitties happy.
It is a specific (if you can believe the descriptions) variety of oats. Ours go nuts for it, and leave the rest of the plants alone; same with two of our friends.
Some times it is in the pet section of stores; others have it on the seed racks; or order it online..
Some comes with its own container & potting mix; or you can buy regular or jumbo sized packets of just the seed.
You are going to have to help a city boy out here who loves to get in the dirt, but doesn’t know what he is doing.
What is an ‘extension service’? I did Google it and we have a “Texas Agrilife Extension Services” a few blocks away. Is that the same thing you are talking about?
LOL. That’s a funny story. I have some good ones from when I was a kid - including the one where the saddle rolled under the horse while galloping up a hill.
Me and my friend were ok, but the hooves landed a little too close to the head for comfort - know what I mean?LOL.
Then the small number of plants I have should do great as I don't know jack about growing. I admitted yesterday to JRandomFreeper how dumb I really was.
In our exchange, he said something about “tomatoes”. TOMATOES! After we talked, I rushed outside to get my 8 little tomato plants in the plastic thingys they came in and brought them inside. It's going to be in the low 30s tonight and 28 tomorrow night and I'm 60 miles north of Houston. THEY WOULD HAVE FROZEN HAD NOT JOHNNY MENTIONED TOMATOES. You see, I forgot they were out there.
I thought oh, no, I have killed those suckers due to forgetting they were out there.
See, I can’t seem to solve the world’s problems and grow plants at the same time. When I brought them in, one set of 4 looked great and 2 in the other set looked droopy. Talk about neglect, I did it. So, I put water on all of them, then Johnny said I should have watered them from the bottom, so I screwed that up. Today, they all look healthy.
\I also have a strip I got at Lowes that has lettuce seed in it and you prepare the ground (in my case a long planter on the ground that already has potting soil in it but could use some fresh in there), and place the strip in the planter and I don’t know what else I do because I haven’t read the directions. But, I was beating myself up because I hadn’t already put it out there and if I had, the strip of seeds would maybe freeze tonight and for sure would have frozen tomorrow night.
I have tiny little tobacco plants growing from seed Johnny sent me. That indoor seed sprouting thingy is on a couch in my living area but it’s out of the way and I forget they are there. After Johnny and I talked, I watered them.
See, I’m a fine gardener because I forget seeds/plants are growing. You won’t find me giving them too much care. I must remember to water them once they are all outside. I will need to get some new pots for the tomatoes as none I have are big enough. That’s another trip to Lowes.
That’s it from the extreme newbie reservation. Oh, yes, would someone come and get the bags of potting soil out of my car trunk. I got small bags so I can lift them but I don’t remember to get them out. I must remember I am a gardener, gardener, gardener, gardener and I have to get the soil bags out of the trunk.
LOL. Yep, sometimes peanuts are a deadly weapon, for those who are allergic(no laughing matter). If my grand daughter had done it I guarantee we’d be reporting to school.
She’s an independent gal, determined to get her way, thinks she’s as much a first class citizen as the teachers, and isn’t particularly motivated by their approval.
I have zero trouble with her. We have a few rules. She has work to do, and she gets a pay off when it’s done. She gets off the bus, tells me just once(tone must be without whining) how much she hates school, and sits down and gets the homework done without even being told.
Then she’s free to watch TV, eat supper, play, chat with me or use the computer.
Her aunt takes her for an outing once a week. She never has trouble either. When the other kids start acting up, she doesn’t join in, but if they pick on her, she stands up for herself in spades which is not a bad thing per se, but she probably needs to practice a covert response or learn to turn the other cheek. School was never this much trouble with my kids (sigh).
Well, we know it won’t work on everything, but it should work for a lot. It’s going to be interesting.
That sucks. You can get a soil kit and do your own. Also, I think Gardens Alive had some sort of testing available, but don’t recall the details.
Sounds like it. State Colleges and Universities have “extension services” located throughout the states in various county seats to help local people with gardening issues.
This includes growing for home use or commercial use. Also tips for canning, preserving, etc. I used to go in and browse the pamphlets, or call and ask the extension agent if he had any info on whatever the subject, and it was free or nominal charge.
That was before the internet. Now the pamphlets are online, but we still have an office in my county where you can call and talk to someone to see what kind of program or help is available.
I know that I found some fantastic info from a Texas Extension Website a few years back, but I don’t remember the name of the University.
LOL. Always a pleasure to read your posts Marcella. You could buy a row cover, and go ahead and plant the lettuce seeds. They are a cool weather crop. Some are more tolerant of cold than others.
This time of year and your location, you should be able to get lettuce going with out fear of frost, as long as you can remember to cover them up when the weather reaches a freezing temperature.
Even an old sheet or some plastic might work. Some time I even us and old blanket in the middle of winter.
Tomatoes - really have NO Tolerance for cold weather 40 degrees doesn’t kill them, but it really puts the kabash on their development. They are like me - like warm weather.LOL.
I did not know that rubbermaid made livestock tanks!
Some time I even us and = Sometimes I even use an
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