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WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 14 APRIL 4, 2014
Free Republic | April 4, 2014 | greeneyes

Posted on 04/04/2014 12:54:31 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: rightly_dividing

I understand the sentiment. Me too, I’m keeping all my parts as long as possible.


281 posted on 04/09/2014 9:22:28 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella
Though I kill everything I attempt to grow I still appreciate those who have found a green thumb. Thought this might be interesting to you folks here on the Garden Thread

Aerial view of acres of flowers


282 posted on 04/09/2014 9:27:44 PM PDT by caww
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To: caww

That is a swell aerial view of flowers. When in the countryside outside Munich, Germany, I saw field after field of yellow flowers, as far as one could see there were yellow flowers. I asked what they were and was told, “Those are hops for beer.” That was a cash crop of hops flowers.


283 posted on 04/10/2014 7:46:22 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: caww
“Though I kill everything I attempt to grow I still appreciate those who have found a green thumb.”

I couldn't keep a flower plant alive, I could kill any plant so I stayed away from them. It was Johnny that brought me to this gardening thread last year and I found out all I had to do was study how plants grow, research it on my own, plus read everything the gardeners on here wrote.

It's not magic to grow food plants. Then I went to container growing and learned how that works. It's the best option for me since I have the space for many containers, but not much real dirt and I hate dirt and the killer insects in it anyway. I actually think I'll get some food plus strawberries and blackberries this year.

284 posted on 04/10/2014 7:58:21 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: greeneyes

“What does the good Doctor say are the best spices for reducing High blood pressure and LDL, raising HDL and lowering Triglycerides?”

I’ll look that up today.

About peas: I started all peas inside and they didn’t suffer from transplanting them. The Snowbird peas, and Peas In a Pot, are blooming just now. The other one I have is Masterpiece Pea. Whichever one actually produces pods will be the one I plant next year.


285 posted on 04/10/2014 8:07:54 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: JRandomFreeper
Now that looks like fun!!!
286 posted on 04/10/2014 8:14:09 AM PDT by Ellendra ("Laws were most numerous when the Commonwealth was most corrupt." -Tacitus)
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To: greeneyes

You asked about “reducing High blood pressure and LDL, raising HDL and lowering Triglycerides?”

The setup for the Healing Spices book is each spice is listed in the first part and what health benefits it has, and the second part are health concerns/diseases listed and the spices that affect each one.

Spices controlling high blood pressure:

I’m only listing three since those have the amounts to take every day:
Garlic:
Lower blood pressure: In a recent “meta-analysis” of 11 studies on garlic supplements and high blood pressure, garlic lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 8.4 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 7.3 mm Hg - very significant decreases. Garlic preparations are superior to placebo in reducing blood pressure in individuals with hypertension, the researches concluded in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders. In a study from Poland, researchers found that garlic supplements not only lowered blood pressure, but also prevent DNA damage from oxidation. These findings point out the beneficial effects of garlic supplementation in reducing blood pressure and counteracting oxidative stress, and thereby offering cardio protection in hypertensives, concluded the researchers in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry.

There are too many studies to copy but here is another result of taking garlic: “Aged garlic extract may be beneficial in protecting against cardiovascular disease as a result of inhibiting platelet aggregation, the researchers concluded in the Journal of Nutrition.”

Lowers total cholesterol: Researchers at the University of Connecticut analyzed 29 studies on garlic and cholesterol in a meta-analysis and found garlic significantly reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides even though it had no effect of “bad” LDL or “good” HDL.

Less artery-clogging plaque. Research in the Division of Cardiology at UCLA determined in study, people taking a placebo had triple the rate of plaque progression as those taking garlic. In another year long study by the same researches, involving a supplement containing aged garlic extract, B-vitamins and an artery-nourishing amino acid, the progression of plaque was significantly lower in those taking garlic. In a German study, 142 people took garlic powder tablets daily. After four years, they had 5 to 18% less plaque in their arteries. “Not only a preventive but possibly also a curative role in atherosclerosis therapy may be ascribed to garlic”, wrote the researchers in the medical journal Atherosclerosis.

Two other studies show garlic causes more flexible arteries and a lower risk of heart attack.

There is also a section on garlic preventing and stopping the advance of cancer in the colon and stomach and other cancers. Another section on garlic fighting infection. Another in preventing colds. Another about type 2 diabetes. Others are prostate problems, aging skin, oral candidiasis, sickle cell anemia.

The amount of garlic to take for high blood pressure is 1 gram garlic extract daily.

Also, 1 cup cocoa, with 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder in water, daily. Numerous studies.
Also, 200 mg black cumin seed extract, daily. Many studies.

I think you have to bite the bullet and get this book in order to read all these studies and come up with your plan to use these spices.


287 posted on 04/10/2014 9:02:25 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: Ellendra
I think my grand-daughter will like it.

/johnny

288 posted on 04/10/2014 9:06:10 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: JRandomFreeper

No chevrons on the doll?

Or is that an end-user option?


289 posted on 04/10/2014 10:29:12 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: DuncanWaring
If grand-daughter wants more clothing for the doll, she can make said clothing. I will provide material including chevrons, but that is the last doll dress I will ever sew. Ever. (famous last words)

/johnny

290 posted on 04/10/2014 11:04:30 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella

Thanks for the info. It’s already on my wish list. Eventually I will have it. Resources are aomewhat limited, but I’ll get there sooner or later.


291 posted on 04/10/2014 11:41:22 AM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella
I'm thinking that my poor showing with peas is actually related to the fusariam wilt - not the transplanting. I would think that all plants could be transplanted, as long as you just peep off the cup, the roots won't be disturbed.

So the whole issue of some seeds ok for starting indoors, and others should be planted outdoors never made sense to me. Johnny more or less confirms this as he told me he basically starts all his stuff indoors.

I think my problems with peas is the same as with melons, cukes, and cantaloupes. The first year I grew this group of veggies and fruits, they did great. Been pitiful since then.
The vines wilt in spite of careful attention to watering.

I can't be sure, because I am not an expert on plant diseases, but it looks exactly like fusarium wilt pictures I have seen. I just now finally ran across information that this wilt hits from 70 degrees and up.

This actually corresponds with when my vines start wilting and dying. I should be able to grow 60 DTM stuff if I start it early and get a crop in before the temps rise to above 70. That will for sure work for the peas, I think since they are cool weather crop. If that doesn't work on melons, I'll be trying the melons in pots on the concrete patio.

If that doesn't work, I'll have to give up on watermelon.

292 posted on 04/10/2014 12:10:46 PM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: Marcella; rightly_dividing; JRandomFreeper

Going to the next town over to see the Governor today, and will get some mushroom compost while there. I should be back around 2:30pn to start the thread. Give or take a few minutes.

If I haven’t posted by 3 pm, feel free to get the thread going. Thanks.


293 posted on 04/11/2014 5:18:23 AM PDT by greeneyes (Moderation in defense of your country is NO virtue. Let Freedom Ring.)
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To: greeneyes

The Governor is giving away mushroom compost? Wow! What a great place to live. ;)


294 posted on 04/11/2014 8:11:05 AM PDT by rightly_dividing (I measured twice and cut twice and it's still too short!)
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To: rightly_dividing; greeneyes; sockmonkey; JRandomFreeper; All

I filled six large containers with potting soil mix and planted six different tomatoes that were in small pots. I’ve said I’m not happy with the four already in large containers out there because they don’t look robust - I think the cold hurt those even though I covered them. I have them marked as to which ones they are, four different kinds, but since they don’t look great to me, I started those four kinds again, plus two more kinds and have another kind under the grow lamp to put in a larger container than the little cup.
So, the tomatoes started over or new ones are:
4th of July - planted 2, each in own pot
Better Boy
Cosmonaut Volkoy
Sweet Million
Mortgage Lifter
Cherry Punch (just taken out of paper cup and put in small containers) There are four of these, and will keep the four going, each in a smaller pot in case some die before going in large final pot.

I buried most of the tomato plant when I transplanted into the big pots.

One strawberry is turning red. Is one enough to make preserves? :o)


295 posted on 04/11/2014 8:41:27 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: rightly_dividing
All my politicians give is hot air and B.S. ;)

/johnny

296 posted on 04/11/2014 8:51:51 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella
I've had upper back problems for a couple of days, so I've been moving in slow motion. I've got tons of stuff to do in the garden, but it's happening slowly.

My tobacco plants are not growing quickly enough to suit me, but the newest batch is finally up.

/johnny

297 posted on 04/11/2014 8:53:17 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Marcella
I’ve said I’m not happy with the four already in large containers out there because they don’t look robust - I think the cold hurt those even though I covered them.

I've noticed on my Tycoon tomatoes that if they get too cold, they get purplish on the leaf bottoms. Haven't noticed that on my other tomatoes.

I am almost through planting stuff. I have a yellow pear tomato left to plant, and two mystery tomatoes..I found the seeds for those on the floor where they fell out of an envelope, so they're probably Romas, plus four tycoons..

Then I can sit back, and wait for drought, hail, blights, wilts, aphids, and other pests to attack everything.

Have you ever gone to your Montgomery County agrilife office for canning recipes or canning workshops?

298 posted on 04/11/2014 9:08:41 AM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: sockmonkey
OH, I left off your Tycoon tomato - it's also one I transplanted into big pot today. I hadn't put that one on my list of tomatoes since I got it after I made that list. I have more of all those tomatoes in little pots where I took the biggest one of each small pot. I hate to just dump plants, so left the extras in their small pots.

Right now, the Tycoon leaves are all a nice green.

No, I'm not going anywhere to a canning workshop. I learn fast when I research, do it on my own. I know enough now to teach the class. A class would just hold me back. I've got canning recipes I trust with the Ball book and two recipe books for water bath canning - one book is for fruits and the other is for pickling veggies. All those books are thorough as to canning rules and I'm not doing pressure cooker.

299 posted on 04/11/2014 9:31:41 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: sockmonkey

The Lemon Balm - it is one of two plants still under the grow lamp. It has been under the lamp forever, and there was just a green scum on top, now, finally, there are some tiny green plants, so tiny can’t be transplanted out of cup yet and there are not many of them.

I recently planned Sweet Pickle Pepper seeds in two cups and those aren’t up yet. That’s it, finally, for the grow lamp for a while.


300 posted on 04/11/2014 10:24:09 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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