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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD
Free Republic | 8/16/2013 | greeneyes

Posted on 08/16/2013 12:42:15 PM PDT 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!

NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.


TOPICS: Gardening
KEYWORDS: agriculture; food; gardening; hobby
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To: Marcella

Don’t include me in that. I am sure you’ll be better than me before you know it. Johnny and Applegate have a very powerful head start. I don’t expect to ever pass them up.LOL


181 posted on 08/22/2013 8:28:16 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella

Well, we all have to live within our climate. Trial and error kinda helps you know what your environment will support. Que Sera Sera.

If you plant out side next spring, you can cover the area with floating row covers. This will help protect the seeds from insects, squirrels, and birds.

They let in sunlight and rain, and add about 4 degrees to the cooler spring temps so you can start sooner, and your plants can mature before the high heat.

I have no great expectations for my gardens. I always suprised when I get any produce at all. For years I tried to grow house plants and killed them one and all.

Then I read about sq. foot gardening. Tried it and got pretty good crop. I still can’t believe it. It’s just God’s blessing, cause I do so little.


182 posted on 08/22/2013 8:36:17 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella

Perrenials will usually show you what zones they are suited for on the package.


183 posted on 08/22/2013 8:37:37 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella

Cosmos are supposed to attract beneficial insects, but I don’t remember if they are perennial or not. I think they are annuals, but wouldn’t swear to it.

Marigolds are good to plant with Tomatoes.


184 posted on 08/22/2013 8:40:36 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella

I don’t know about fruit trees, but I do know that sometimes places with warmer climates where almost anything can grow have restrictions on out of state shipments.

It is sometimes due to certain pests that could gain a foothold, and reporduce to epedimic proportions because of climate or no natural predators.

Sometimes they are trying to prevent diseases that have developed elsewhere from getting a start.

Sometimes plants are so invasive that they kill off the native plants.

I have no clue specifically why, though, why don’t you email him and ask?


185 posted on 08/22/2013 8:49:48 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

I commiserate about the peaches; we love them too, and also can’t get them to grow.

We’ve lost all three peach trees we’ve planted: one, then its replacement, then yet another replacement. Three different varieties; three different spots. None of them survived their first winter, despite mulching and protection.

The last one at least came back from the rootstock: peach #4; it seemed to die, also, then came back AGAIN. This year, it leafed out, and it grew a bit, and may actually survive, whatever variety/species it is. Couldn’t find out what rootstock was used, so it’s a total mystery, as it could be a peach, a flowering peach, or even a Russian Almond...or any other compatible Prunus species.


186 posted on 08/22/2013 8:56:59 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: ApplegateRanch

And to add insult to energy, Daughters peach trees planted about 2 years before us about a mile away, produce fruit like there is no tomorrow, and she won’t touch them because the cocoons weren’t burned, and the bagworms hatched.

All she would have to do is cut off the bad spot where the worm is, and make some preserves or something. She didn’t even tell me they were ready. I could have rescued some.


187 posted on 08/22/2013 9:02:56 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes
Specking of peeches...

No idea when or where this was taken.

188 posted on 08/22/2013 9:14:59 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: greeneyes

Your daughter is cruel! lol


189 posted on 08/22/2013 9:31:24 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: ApplegateRanch

I wonder what “PURPuL HURL PEAS” are. I can figure out the other things.


190 posted on 08/22/2013 9:31:53 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: greeneyes
“Did you check the package to see how many days to germination? Also, if the weather is really hot it will interfere with germination.”

The Hummingbird & Butterfly Mix says plant in fall or early spring. With those seeds, I'm just going to spread part of the seed on the ground, cover lightly with potting soil and put a row cover over it to keep them from being eaten.

The Giant Zinnia Mix just says plant when warm. Well, it's warm. However, I can start the seed under the grow lamp for these. I have plenty of fall seeds to start under that lamp, too.

The four foot grow light with stand is at Walmart for me to pick up which I will do tomorrow.

191 posted on 08/22/2013 9:43:26 PM PDT by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: little jeremiah

Purple hull. Belgian monks have grown them for soup for centuries.


192 posted on 08/22/2013 9:43:42 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: little jeremiah

“I wonder what “PURPuL HURL PEAS” are”

Uhh, you must not be from the south. That is Purple Hull Peas and my parents planed them every year and I had to shell them.


193 posted on 08/22/2013 9:47:31 PM PDT by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: Marcella; ApplegateRanch

Aha! Thank you. If I had realized that “hurl” was “hull” I would have gotten it! (Dang too-literal mind sometimes).

Nah, I was born a yankee, got out as soon as I could though.


194 posted on 08/22/2013 10:00:48 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: tillacum
They will grow in a green plastic tub. I’m thinking of having hubby make me a potato tower. It’s just one square on top of the other, as soil needs to be added, I’ll just put another topless and bottomless wooden square on top to hold in the soil. I saw one in a seed catalog, I’m half Scot, I’ll not pay the price they’re asking.

No scots ancestry; I'm just plain, ordinary cheapskate: old, large (as in pickup) tires stacked on each other work great, too. Of course here, we have the room, so plant in the ground, but I used the tire method with good success back in 70s/80s, when we were living on a small lot in Southern California.

Worked fertilizer (rabbit manure compost) into the surface of the so called soil, put a seed piece down; put the a tire around it, added compost around the inside edge of the tire, and filled it with straw. Added tires and straw as needed. IIRC, I got it up to 4 tires high, and we got a goodly amount from each stack.

195 posted on 08/22/2013 10:29:11 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: ApplegateRanch

Via the comments, we learned where this picture was taken: on Hwy 69 South between Mineola & Lindale, TX.


196 posted on 08/22/2013 10:33:22 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: tubebender

Checked the corn when I watered today.

The Painted Hill has corn beyond all reason on its scrawny little stems. Some of it (I put seeds in about 3 weeks after initial seeding to fill in holes in the rows) is only 1’ tall, but has fat 6-8” ears that look like they are growing right out of the ground, holding an umbrella: the tiny stem with the tassel right above the top of the ear*. The tall (4’) specimens have several ears on multiple tillers; most in between those extremes. Those are maturing (though we ate some while still sweet) past eating, and will go to full maturity for seed, soup, grinding, and some feed.

The Golden Cross Bantam is pushing 6’ tall, thick, sturdy stems; and have as many a 4 good ears on the stalks, and some even have multiple tillers. It’s a little hard to tell just what is going on in there, as the pumpkins went wild, and are climbing all over that corn. The silks are still fresh on it, and they got a final pollen-shake (the ones I could reach) today. The best will go into the freezer, and the rest left to mature for chicken feed.

The Serendipity is around 4’, skinnier than a steel T-post, but most have 2 long, narrow ears, with the tips of the silks starting to turn purplish. Hopefully, we’ll be able to eat & freeze a bunch of this; otherwise, it’s chicken feed, too. It’s the one that didn’t pollinate last year due to extreme heat while silking.

* I may snap a picture and post it on the thread tomorrow, to give everyone a giggle.


197 posted on 08/22/2013 10:57:08 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: Marcella

“Terroir Seeds”

Had to look that up; added to my bookmarks. First time I read it, I just thought you had typoed Territorial’ than saw it the second time, and realized it was a company I hadn’t come across before.


198 posted on 08/22/2013 11:10:24 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: Marcella

Ok so it tells you the season to plant, but also in there somewhere it usually says the number of days to germination. If it’s not on the package you can just do an internet search on how many days to germination for whatever seed you are planting.

Some take longer than you would think.


199 posted on 08/23/2013 5:41:49 AM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: ApplegateRanch

LOL. Looks like something I could see around here.


200 posted on 08/23/2013 5:42:43 AM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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