WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 42, OCTOBER 18, 2013

Free Republic | October 18, 2013 | greeneyes

[greeneyes]

Thanks to you both for the pictures. It all looks great, and so neat too.

[greeneyes]

That’s a lovely dream. A full spectrum grow light is worth a try. I sometimes roll my cart outside when we have a nice sunny day that is warmer than usual during the winter.

I dreamed last night, but it wasn’t too pleasant. I dreamed a kid about 13 showed up with a shot the doctor ordered, and handed it to me.

He told me that I had to give it to myself, cause Obama Care couldn’t afford to pay any one to do it. I woke up before I had a chance to tell him what I thought about it.

The TV was on, and the news was on, so probablly something on tv caused it. Very strange dream.LOL

[rightly_dividing]

_I can’t remember it long enough to do it_

You should see my collection of sticky notes.

[rightly_dividing]

Good thing you didn’t give yourself that shot, it was probably cyanide.

[mlizzy]

I need more containers before spring.

*sighs* Me too. The big ones are costly, and we need to transplant our blueberry bushes if nothing else at all.

It isn't a museum, the museum is inside the house - I've often said my downstairs is a cultural museum. I've been to many countries and collected pieces and after a time, they got to be a lot.

Guess there's no plans in the making to ever move? -lol- I'd enjoy seeing your cultural museum; we've only been to the states, and not all that many at that. Where have you traveled?

[Marcella]

I started on learning how to grow last March, and this is the result so far. I'll choose the ones to grow more of next spring by how well these are growing.

There is a planter on the brick wall down at the end of the strawberries. It doesn't show in the picture of the strawberries. That planter doesn't get much sun, and I think I talked to you about that and you suggested growing herbs in there, which I will in the spring. I'll buy the herb plants as the plants are cheap at Lowes. I need to check again to see which ones are perennials. You could help me with that - which ones are perennial? The ones that need more sun will go in containers.

I need to use deck cleaner and clean the deck.

I'm going to buy a dwarf fruit tree of some kind at that place in south Texas. I'll also get deck corn seed when Burpee is ready to sell them. Will also buy blackberry plants that grow well in Texas - I researched that and have the website to order them from on my computer. I have seed for everything else, including several kinds of peppers, but will buy more envelopes of Black Seeded Simpson lettuce and Little Finger Carrots, and Tromboncino Squash for the future.

I've decided on finger potatoes and think I put the place to buy them on my computer. The finger ones would work better, I think, in containers than the large ones will. I don't know, however, if some of those could be stored to have slips from them the next spring.

At some point, before I started trying to grow plants, I bought a sealed package of various seeds for long term storage and it's in my freezer and I have no idea what seeds are in there. I think I got that from Amazon so need to look at the package to see what company that is, or go through my Amazon orders and find it and pull it up on Amazon to see what the hell I bought back then.

I've certainly learned having long term seeds means nothing if you don't know how to grow plants.

[miss marmelstein]

Thank you so much for the info! You guys are the best.

[Marcella]

“Me too. The big ones are costly, and we need to transplant our blueberry bushes if nothing else at all.”

Below is a post I made to one of the gardening threads about containers. This one is deep enough for plants that produce in the soil under the plant and for plants that produce on top of the soil. These are cheap and are the ones I will get for next spring. I will buy them the next time I am out shopping as I have found if you don’t get what you want now, they will likely be gone and never come back to that store again.

You will see two of these light green containers in one of the pictures of my plants on the deck that is posted on this thread. Here is the older post:

I have found a square, low cost container, that looks nice. Don’t pay attention to the “official” measurements as those include extra plastic trim, etc.. I measured the actual amount of growing space and it’s 13 inches across the top and bottom and 13 inches deep. They say it’s 15 inches, but the actual space is 13 inches. There is a plug in the hole in the bottom for drainage of excess water and there are short legs to keep it off the deck or ground. These cost $7.57 at Home Depot. You can’t buy them over the net, have to buy them at the store. I got the light green color as I have other containers of this brand that are light green. They are called deck containers. We transplanted baby carrots and turnips into these containers. You can look at them here:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Dynamic-Design-Medallion-14-88-in-x-14-88-in-Lotus-Green-Poly-Deck-Box-DP1510LO/203629145#.UlhSNowo5jo

[JRandomFreeper]

I've certainly learned having long term seeds means nothing if you don't know how to grow plants.

It's a way to starve in a hopeful manner. ;)

/johnny

[TEXOKIE]

LOL! Sitting here and actually laughing at my spoiled brat of a garden!

Last night we had a freeze, and prior to that the garden had decided to become prolific!

* I discovered 4 baby proto ACORN SQUASHES...but yesterday before last night’s freeze, something had gotten to them. Oh well.

* The OKRA and LEGUMES became productive in blooms and actual pods, despite mite handicaps on the snow peas

* The TOMATOES have gone crazy in their growth and production. Last night before the freeze I harvested about 24 lovely green tomatoes. *sigh* We were all set up to have a wonderful harvest FINALLY...but the weather did not cooperate, and we just did not have the time and inclination this time to try to fight it. Next year. At least I know that tomatoes will, in fact grow in my pots, and I can see what I can do better next time. About 5 of the greenies are starting to blush, so I’m setting them aside to see if they will ripen some more.

GREEN TOMATO recipe alert:
I was talking with a friend yesterday and she told me what she does with her green tomatoes, because I did not have a clue, is she will cut them in half, remove the seeds and dividing fibrous tissues, and freeze them.

Her favorite way of using them is when she makes chili, she’ll dump some in with her regular recipe. She doesn’t worry about peeling them, nor cutting them up. The peels will detach and she can skim them off easily. The tomato itself will cook down and fragments.

I haven’t tried it yet, but sounds good!

[Marcella]

I looked up the seed package I have in the freezer. Here is what is in it (they are all heirloom):

Your order will include 2,500 Total Non-Hybrid seeds of the follow varieties:
1.MANALUCIE TOMATO (150 SEEDS) great hot weather variety very tasty
2. Blue Lake Snap Bean great flavor (50 seeds)
3. Dark Red Kidney Bean great in chili (50 seeds)
4. Butter Crunch Lettuce (450 seeds)
5. GREEN Broccoli (200 seeds)
6. CABBAGE ALL SEASON (100 seeds)
7. LITTLE FINGERS CARROT very tasty (300 seeds)
8. Golden Bantam Sweet Corn (50 seeds)
9. Cantaloupe Planter’s JUMBO (50 seeds)
10. Marketmore Cucumber (50 seeds) all time favorite
11. Ashley Cucumber (50 seeds)
12. Eggplant black beauty (50 seeds)
13. Cherry Belle Radish (50 seeds) salad favorite
14. Spinach (50 seeds)
15. California Wonder Bell Pepper (50 seeds)
16. Jalapeno Pepper (50 seeds) A favorite
17. Florida Giant Watermelon (50 huge seeds) 50 lb watermelons super tasty too
18. Yellow Crookneck Squash (50 seeds)
19. Zucchini Black Beauty (50 seeds) Great In Italian Recipes
20. Long Red Cayenne Pepper (50 seeds)
21. ONION (100 seeds) Fast Grower Tastes Great
22. Dark Red Beet (50 seeds) Great Taste
23. Fordhook Lima Beans 50 seeds
24. Sunflower Seeds 50 seeds
25. BEEFSTEAK TOMATO (120 seeds) Plus Bonus seeds total 34 Varieties Including high Protein beans

[JRandomFreeper]

Put green tomatoes in a paper bag with an apple to ripen them. Ethylene gas produced by the apple hastens ripening of the tomatoes.

The apple should NOT be a waxed apple.

/johnny

[JDoutrider]

Finished harvesting the remaining garden goodies mid week pumpkins, squash, peppers, and a lug of green tomatoes.

There was a rumor of snow showing up this weekend, and indeed we recieved about an inch last night! Goodnight garden!

Just about finished with the winterizing every thing else, now it looks like it's time for hot cider and ordering up the seed catalogues for next years plantings!

Going to have to figure out some new ideas on what to do with all these green maters now...

[JRandomFreeper]

That's almost enough to produce enough seed for a serious garden the following year.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

See my #152. ;)

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

The other funny thing about the list is all the "Very Tasty". I don't see a single description that says "Tastes like crap". ;)

/johnny

[Marcella]

Could be they want to sell them, not turn you off them. :o)

[JRandomFreeper]

It's a bit chilly outside, so I'm staying inside. These guys should be ready in about 12 minutes. ;)

/johnny

[Marcella]

“It’s a bit chilly outside, so I’m staying inside. These guys should be ready in about 12 minutes. ;)”

Wish I was at your place. We could eat your cinnamon rolls, drink coffee, and smoke cigarettes.

[greeneyes]

HaHa. Sticky notes just don’t cut it any more. I have stacks of steno pads and legal pads.LOL