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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 3, JANUARY 17, 2014
Free Republic | Jan 17, 2014 | greeneyes

Posted on 01/17/2014 5:49:09 AM 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!

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: greeneyes

It feels like spring here in the Phoenix area. Low to mid 70s during the day. Just beautiful!

I did something new this weekend - got some seeds from a seed bank! I “checked out” some seeds from the seed bank, then will grow them and if I’m successful, I’ll harvest the seeds and bring some back to the seed bank.

I got some Hopi Pale Grey squash seeds from someone who grew them here in AZ, some other winter squash the grown by the native tribes here, tobacco seed pods and cotton.

I’m growing tobacco because I found out they have sticky leaves that supposedly attract aphids, gnats and other nasties, and the flowers supposedly attract hummingbirds. The guy there showed me how to get the seeds out of the dried pods and they are TINY.

The prepper in me wanted to grow the cotton. After all, it isn’t just food we’ll need when it all breaks loose. I’m planning on growing two plants and just harvesting the seeds to save them.


121 posted on 01/20/2014 7:30:27 AM PST by mom3boys
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To: bgill

I’m planning on buying a Meyer lemon too. I want to grow it in a pot. At Lowe’s I saw a Lisbon lemon in a 5 gallon pot that already had 20 half-way mature lemons on it. I wonder if Meyer can be like that too?

This time of year all the citrus trees in town have ripening fruit. In another couple of weeks, everyone will be giving them away. I get at least two grocery bags full of lemons every year from friends and one bag’s worth always goes bad because I can never use them all!


122 posted on 01/20/2014 7:37:31 AM PST by mom3boys
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To: tubebender

Great idea, I’ve never thought to freeze garlic. After reading an article about most “store” garlic coming from China, I’ve decided...no more garlic until mine is ready. I love garlic. I’ve ordered some seed garlic and will put them in the ground as soon as they get here.


123 posted on 01/20/2014 7:48:25 AM PST by tillacum
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To: rightly_dividing

I liked the greenhouse.

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-ft-x-12-ft-greenhouse-with-4-vents-93358.html

I will have to stick with my homemade cattle panel one for now, though.


124 posted on 01/20/2014 7:53:39 AM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: sockmonkey

Next time we go to Fredericksburg, we’ll have to stop by their store.


125 posted on 01/20/2014 7:58:32 AM PST by tillacum
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To: sockmonkey

This is how we get our containers moved inside of the back porch and back out after winter. My wife has lots of containers, all are large, and some quite large.

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_20494.jpg

We have 2 8ft pencil cactus(cacti?)in 26in containers. That is a problem to move. We currently have them in the garage/workshop. We had to cut 2ft off the tops to get them inside.


126 posted on 01/20/2014 8:00:10 AM PST by rightly_dividing (1st Cor. 15: 1-4)
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To: rightly_dividing
This is how we get our containers moved inside of the back porch and back out after winter.

Can I borrow that to move the Christmas Tree out of my Dining Room? A string of lights went out on it, and I never pack it away unless it's in working order. I have been trying for what seems like weeks, but has certainly been at least days to isolate the problem. Finally got the voltage meter out, and found one loose bulb..

Yay! Finally, I can get that sucker out of there, and get my grow light in that corner, and plant some seeds. I have been dying to get started on grow light stuff.

127 posted on 01/20/2014 8:19:51 AM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: sockmonkey

I suspect your Txprepper greenhouse will hold up better to wind and last longer.

I have another small sunny area where I had thought about putting to use somehow, thinking a Txprepper greenhouse, then I saw this and the little light went on in my head, finally. I had joked about raised beds 2ft high to reach easily, but then I found this on my favorite woodworking site. I would just use as raised tables rather than what he did, but both ways are good ideas.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/82147


128 posted on 01/20/2014 8:21:57 AM PST by rightly_dividing (1st Cor. 15: 1-4)
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To: sockmonkey; rightly_dividing

I’ll look at Harbor Freight on line. A flat moving dolly for $12.99 should work.


129 posted on 01/20/2014 8:24:44 AM PST by Marcella ((Prepping can save your life today. I am a Christian, not a Muslim.))
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To: sockmonkey

I should have started seeds last week or this past weekend, but I got busy trying to move a 550lb saw onto a mobile platform. I had to dis-assemble about 200lbs off of it to handle it. I managed to get it done without dropping it or breaking any more digits. I broke a finger last Tuesday, did not need any squashed toes.


130 posted on 01/20/2014 8:31:34 AM PST by rightly_dividing (1st Cor. 15: 1-4)
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To: Marcella

You can’t beat that deal.


131 posted on 01/20/2014 8:34:29 AM PST by rightly_dividing (1st Cor. 15: 1-4)
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To: tillacum
Next time we go to Fredericksburg, we’ll have to stop by their store.

Their products are at Itz Market at 235 1/2 E. Main St. in Fredericksburg, but there are other places around the state (and out of state) that carry them, too.

Itz market also has funny signs. I have one of those "Is there Life after Death? Trespass Here and Find Out" ones with the skull on it.

Sadly, possums and raccoons either can't read, or just ignore it.

132 posted on 01/20/2014 8:36:33 AM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: rightly_dividing

Rightly,
I like thos raised tables at the Lumberjocks link. Every once in a while I get pallets for projects. I knew someone who built their house out of pallets.

If anyone wants a Vogelzang Woodburning Stove, I see Harbor Freight has them for $169.00. I wonder if Vogelzang is still made in Germany.

Dang, now I want to go to Harbor Freight, but property taxes are due next week, so guess I better not... I was cursed with the no willpower gene. Keep me away from stores that sell tools, plants, and firearms.


133 posted on 01/20/2014 8:44:16 AM PST by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: sockmonkey

My lovely and wonderful wife is a plant-a-holic, and correctly says I am a tool junky.

We too have the no willpower gene.


134 posted on 01/20/2014 8:59:14 AM PST by rightly_dividing (1st Cor. 15: 1-4)
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To: sockmonkey
My yard is a trash magnet. We're not crammed in tiny lots, and I've got a church to the north and good neighbors around the other directions.

So this morning, I picked up 2 trash bags of windblown trash. Whataburger cups and bags (I never eat there), Bud Lite cans (I drink beer, not Bud Lite), and just trash.

I sure would like to know where it all comes from, and why it gravitates to my yard.

/johnny

135 posted on 01/20/2014 9:13:40 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: mom3boys
Tobacco seeds are tiny. I have about a million of them I harvested last year from a couple of tobacco plants that I didn't top.

/johnny

136 posted on 01/20/2014 9:18:55 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella
I am ripping carpet out of the house and going back to the existing tile floor underneath (for Her). What a mess.

On the positive side, I do have the old carpet that I'll be using out in the garden/yard to kill off areas prior to opening up for gardening. I'll also be cutting it into one foot wide strips to use for walkways in my garden.

/johnny

137 posted on 01/20/2014 9:21:56 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: SisterK; Marcella

The rebel tobacco plant today. Ammo can shown for scale.

/johnny

138 posted on 01/20/2014 9:30:05 AM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: mom3boys

Lisbons have thorns whereas Meyers don’t - http://www.citrustreesonline.com/seedless-lisbon-lemons.asp

I’ve also been looking at the Satsuma mandarines but really have no place for them. Maybe gift one to a neighbor! ;)

Juice the extra lemons and freeze it for lemon aide, ice cream, cookies, cakes, lemon curd or pies. Maybe freeze some juice in ice trays and then bag the cubes so you’d have portion control for when a dish needs only a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice in a dish. Cook the leftover rind for candied rinds.

This Texas Master Gardener/ex-restaurant owner has all kinds recipes for her Meyer Lemon at http://dianestexasgarden.blogspot.com/search/label/Lemons#uds-search-results . Marmalade and ice cream recipes on page 2. Salt preserved lemons for Middle Eastern dishes on page 3.


139 posted on 01/20/2014 9:30:45 AM PST by bgill
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To: sockmonkey

The kids went through a green olive and pickled okra stage. One kid could go through a pint or more of my homecanned pickled okra at one sitting. That was the year Santa brought each 4 cases of qt jar sized olives (fantastic sale at Walmart).

My grandmother used to pickle green tomatoes. The day of the first freeze, all the tomatoes get picked and laid out to ripen. Whatever green ones that don’t want to ripen get baked into pies or cookies or frozen. I think I put green tomato baked goods recipes on the December 2012 freeper thread. Sorry, can’t think who runs that thread... name starts with an L, Libertarian-something?


140 posted on 01/20/2014 9:57:45 AM PST by bgill
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