WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 38 SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

Free Republic | September 13, 2013 | greeneyes

[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.

[greeneyes]

Rainy day greetings from Missouri. Moderate temps and the third day of rain here. We were very dry and the rain barrels were empty.

Have some squash to do something with, so am thinking about putting up a batch of pickled zucchini spears and some summer squash.

Had planned on doing some patio cleaning and garden prep for winter this weekend, but the rain has rescued me from that for another day.LOL

Sockmonkey-you caught me right in the middle of posting.LOL

[greeneyes]

Pinging the list. Have a great weekend everyone. God Bless.

[Augie]

We got an inch of rain last night and another half inch a couple nights ago. Was badly needed. I need to get out to the garden and see if the fall greens I planted have sprouted. Mrs. Augie made a couple gallons of salsa earlier in the week and I’m still not tired of BLT’s for supper. LOL

[JRandomFreeper]

We've been dry here, too, and it started raining last night. My rainbarrel overflows.

I harvested the peanuts, and the yield was lower than I wanted because of the lack of rain over the last month, but I have peanuts to make peanut butter with.

Next year, as with my tobacco, I'll be planting more.

I opened up some land that is mostly/partial shade to grow my tobacco in next year. The plants that were at the shady end of the garden produced more, and better quality tobacco.

Tomatoes in the small garden are blooming, and pretty happy with the rain last night and today. I should have fall tomatoes before too long.

Equinox is Sunday, and I'll be starting my fall garden stuff inside.

/johnny

[bgill]

Woohoo! We’ve had light rain off and on today but there’s a flood warning for later with road closures already in Austin. The creek is still bone dry since it’s soaking in immediately. The temps have been in the 90s this week and dropping into the 80s next week so that’s a big plus. I haven’t seen the cooler weather helping the garden any but maybe eventually.

[greeneyes]

Yes we were getting awfully dry here too. The rain has been a blessing-no doubt about it.

[sockmonkey]

Rainy greetings to you. I ran outto the garden just now to see if I have anything exciting to report.

Sugar Pod Peas I planted the 8th are about four inches high. One Black Beauty Eggplant should be ready in about 2 days. I have lots of green tomatoes.

My okra, yard long beans, and peppers are just sitting there, except for the hungarian wax, and jalapenos. My toy choi, and wa wa tsai, I planted the 8th of September are about an inch tall, and just sitting there. Oh, and my swiss chard is just sitting there at about two inches tall.

Sarajevo, please stay where you are, so it will keep raining here.

[greeneyes]

I’ll be thinking about starting some seeds for the winter/fall planting season. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

My to do list is so long-I hesitate to get started. Then the hesitation turns to procrastination, then I get over the urge to get started.LOL

[greeneyes]

Glad you all are getting some rain. Hope you have some rain barrels to catch the runoff from the roof.

[Marcella]

Starting Wednesday, I have a neck problem and that pretty much shuts me down for moving my neck. The C5 and 6 vertebrae have little to no cartilage left. A orthopedic doctor did an x-ray years ago and said sitting at a desk for so many years with my neck at that angle looking down to do work on the desk, caused that and that he had it, too, from looking down in the operating room for so many years. My neck occasionally gets disturbed, meaning I kept it at the wrong angle and I don’t know that I do that, until the pain starts. I have a neck cushion and a neck brace (if it gets worse) to use when this happens. I’m at the cushion stage, just use the cushion around the neck to help it not move. This problem is causing me not to be able to move my neck outside. I didn’t go outside at all on Wednesday as this problem gives me a headache and tends to screw up my balance. The row covers didn’t get taken off the plants Wednesday.

The new hose and nozzles have come but I can’t go out there under the roofed part and bend my neck to get it attached to the water spigot and toss out the old one. I don’t have to water as it has rained some the last several days and all day today and the humidity must be 100% out there when it isn’t raining because my glass doors are fogged up and that seldom happens.

I think my calling in life is to grow Tromboncino Squash. That plant grows inches at night and it is definitely over 5 feet tall and is at the end of the support built into that barrel. How do the tendrils on that plant find those plastic rods on the support and latch on to them? That is some kind of intelligence to find those rods and wrap around them. The other baby one I transplanted from under the grow lamp is over 6 inches now with more leaves, growing very fast. All the plants look great and growing, but no blooms on anything. I need stakes for the tomatoes that are falling over but I’m not driving the car to get them due to my neck – I can’t turn my neck to see what other cars are doing. And, if I had the stakes, I can’t move my neck to get the states in and the tomatoes attached. Maybe by Sunday the neck will be okay and I can get those stakes.

The dog has alerted me twice to a squirrel walking on top of the back wall, but he/she hasn’t come in that we know of, so the trap is still out there and set. There are six walking onions up. The sesame plant has more of the very small white bell flowers.

If I can actually get some food produced on these plants, I would know I can grow food – right now all I know is, I can sprout seed and plant plants and keep them alive.

Johnny, you said you have blooms on your Roma tomatoes, and I have no blooms on these eight Mortgage Lifter tomatoes. That is depressing – I need blooms.

[sockmonkey]

I envision you being enwrapped in a giant trombonciono squash vine, being taunted by a pesky squirrel..

Are you getting any rain?

[JRandomFreeper]

you said you have blooms on your Roma tomatoes

It's because my heart is pure. ;)

/johnny

[greeneyes]

Take it easy, and let your neck get better. Those plants don’t need daily attention. In fact, a little neglect sometimes helps.LOL

[greeneyes]

LOL. I wondered where you went. Thought you would be the first one posting.LOL

[sockmonkey]

Well, never mind my post..You were “reporting in” while I was typing my post to you.

[sockmonkey]

LOL. I wondered where you went. Thought you would be the first one posting.LOL

Since rain is a bit of a novelty around these parts the last several years, I had to go play in it..I'm sure all the Texas Gardeners are as happy as I am over the wet stuff gracing us right now.

[sockmonkey]

BTW, the old saying, “a watched pot never boils”..well, checking my rain gauge every five minutes is kinda the same thing..

[greeneyes]

No doubt you are correct. Break out Gene Kelly’s rendition of singing in the rain.LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

While not directly related to gardening, it does relate to gardening supplies availability (fuel/fetilizer/seeds/postal/etc.)

Source : << http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/09/1-million-truckers-protest-barack-obama-shutting-america-3-days-october/ >>

"Truckers to Shutdown America." a 3 day strike October 11th thru 13th
As someone whose family operates a trucking company, there was no surprise when the announcement to organize a one million trucker march
in October appeared online at reagancoalition.com and on a Facebook page.
According to reagancoalition.com:
There is a Facebook page called "Truckers to Shutdown America." This is one of the messages they posted:

"My fellow patriot this effort is to support the truckers in a major shut down of America ion [sic] a 3 day strike October 11th thru 13th.
Obamacare will be in effect and most people will be ready to take action.
No commerce on those days stock up on items that you will need.
No banking no shopping no money transactions. It does not matter if a million or 50 roll through DC in this effort.
Congress will listen to We the People...(continues )..
Last but not least is Fuel prices.

I don't know if this issue will come to pass , however , it is best to be prepared in view of this publicised event.
(Anyway , Marcella , I hope you already have your new solid water hose and connections .. )

[mlizzy]

We were dry as a bone in the Chicago area, up until the last couple of days. Plentiful rainfall. Yeaaaa! We worked on our fall garden this past week (beets, lettuce, walking onions, radishes, swiss chard), and continue to be thrilled that the Brandywine tomato we dug from the ground (at our old place) on Sept. 2 and planted at our new place, is now thriving. Lots of new leaves and plenty of new blossoms. The other two mater plants on the left were in pots, and since they've been planted, they, too, have lots of new growth.

Yesterday, three new "blueberry children" arrived, "Liberty" on the left, and two "Bluecrops" in the white bucket. Time to grab a few more pots and get busy. ♥ blueberry bushes (and their fruit too)...