WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD VOLUME 20 MAY 16, 2014

Free Republic | may 16, 2014 | 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.

[rightly_dividing]

Back when I was young, way, way, back when, my friend’s dad raised Atkins and they were the most prolific producers I have ever seen in my life. The were about 8ft up the stakes and absolutely covered with large, juicy fruit. Every day he was giving away paper grocery bags full of tomatos and his wife was canning to capacity. Something I have never forgotten.

I tried to grow them 2 years ago, but lack sufficient sun for good tomato growing. They did almost nothing for me.

Good luck with yours.

[OneVike]

Hey thanks Apple.

You more than answered my question.

I am currently working on my summer garden, since everything from my Spring Garden has been harvested, and so this will help me in my Fall planting.

Living in the foothills of Northern Ca I get four seasons, and just this year expanded from just growing Summer veggies and fruit to trying my thumb with a four season crop.

[TEXOKIE]

:-D

It’s really just a few little plants here and there, but they do add up! If we were trying to survive on the output it would not be near enough, but these will suffice to help me gain skills, with a few good meals along the way!

[trisham]

Take some pics if you can! I think that we all love seeing what our fellow gardeners are doing. :)

[TEXOKIE]

OH WOW!! EIGHT FEET????!!!! YIKES!!

I have no idea if they will reach that kind of health and height, but if they do, we will definitely have to think about how to increase the height of our cage!

The ones I tried last year did not grow past seedling-hood. These seem to be doing much better.

[rightly_dividing]

WE use 8ft stakes every year and always need more height. We just dont get the crops that we would like due to our shortage of sun hours per day. Four years ago we had 8ft plants covered with large tomatos of various kinds. Each year since we have not been as fortunate. Our friends in the neighborhood and 2 friends in Conroe have baseball size and larger, just waiting on ripening. WE have a few golf ball size, numerous quarter size and some more blooms coming, and nothing at all from a couple of varieties.

The window opening in the tree canopy is shrinking each year, so we may have to throw in the towel on gardening there.

The cost of removing 3 large oaks, plus 1 large pines and 5 medium scrub oaks is several thousands of dollars. so I dont see clearing the back yard out happening and tine soon.

[TEXOKIE]

Oh I see. I imagine we can add a large stake if need be. We already are thinking we might have to do that with the T Squash.

We didn’t chop down our large tree. Darlin had a large problematic branch trimmed back. The price of that was reasonable, and while it was not our initial purpose, it turns out that more of the yard is full sun now.

[rightly_dividing]

I make 8ft stakes from 2x4x10ft lumber from the big box places, into 3/4” x 1 1/2” x 10ft stakes and put about 2ft under the dirt beside our plants after planting before it could impail any root system. We use a cheap garden auger, 3” diameter, in my 1/2” drill to make the holes.

Trust me on this, we both have Arthritis, so we seek out the easy way for all garden operations.

I still have pictures on my FR homepage of getting the garden up and going the first year.

[Silentgypsy]

Full scholarships! Yayyyy!!!!!!

[Silentgypsy]

Thank you!

[rightly_dividing]

4 Magnolia blossoms, fresh from the tree.

The wall on the back side of the house. There was only boxwoods here at one time. These plant survived inside and need to re-grow to their prior beauty. I am going to build a wooden cover for the electric service.

This is the patio garden fence we put up 2 years ago. The wheelbarrow was quite a site last year, but just getting going this year. The Meyers lemon on the right has lemons.

This is the results from the ice storm recently. The plants in the containers are all showing re-growth. We Moved the fountain from the front yard due to problems out there. This is where I wanted it to begin with. Our dining room double windows looks out at this patio garden.

This is my wife's zinnia bed in the lower 40. There is a row of sunflower on the extreme right side. All the rest is various kinds of zinnias.

One of two new hibiscus this year. Final location yet TBA.

4 Lantanas in 3ft x 12ft bed. Multi-colored and smelling great. LOts of bees around it.

A humming bird attractant, Just one branch in the picture.

[Silentgypsy]

Always happy to read your contributions! Thank you!

[TEXOKIE]

:-D

Thanks! I like hearing from you too!

[TEXOKIE]

Oh thanks for the instructions! I will be sure to look at your page!

[TEXOKIE]

Now that graphic is pretty enlightening! Thanks!

[Ellendra]

I just got back from an afternoon on my land. My folks and I spent a day out there last weekend, too, right before heading out for a few days. I had help planting my first round of corn, but I have to admit, I like the solitude better.

I had to stop and get more landscape fabric, and of course that meant seeing Diana again! Jungs was a zoo, everybody was so busy that the store manager started giving me orders before realizing I don't work there. (I get that a lot, I swear there's a “helpful person” vibe that people are picking up on. Wish I could make it stop.)

I found Ghost Peppers! Someone was saying they were hard to come by, so I grabbed a pack and will be growing them out for seed this year. I'm hoping they'll also help with pest control. At the very least, I'm sure they're good against fingerblight.

Somebody at Jungs messed up, though! When I went to check out, the 3x100 rolls of landscape fabric rang up as 3x24. It seems somebody stuck the wrong tags on them! Poor Diana looked at the line behind me and said I should come back another day to straighten it out. Every register had a line 10 people deep. It was like Black Friday, only more polite. (She then had to explain to the person behind me that we were friends outside of work, she wasn't just letting some stranger get away with that.)

I really need to get my hunting license renewed this year. The deer tracks in my garden are HUGE!!!!! Any bigger and I'd have sworn they were cows. Last weekend we passed a herd of them, and dad commented that he'd never seen deer that big. If I get one we might need a bigger freezer. Back on the home front, I think 2 of my tomatoes finally sprouted. Still waiting on the others. This cold weather has slowed things down some, one of my aunts in the next town over had frost this morning! Made me glad I still have my wall-o-waters up. I should check on the chickpea, though. One of them had sprouted, and I don't think they're frost-hardy.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“It was like Black Friday, only more polite.”

LOL! I loved that! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“The deer tracks in my garden are HUGE! Any bigger and I’d have sworn they were cows.”

I actually HAD ‘cow tracks’ through my garden last week, and a cow pie, too! The cows across the road escaped in the wee small hours and at least one of them wandered over. She walked across three (empty) beds, then left a flop at the north end of the garden.

Tonight I’m dealing with two cats that were ‘dropped off’ sometime this week. They’re scared and hungry. I put out food, but they don’t want anything to do with me. Yet. ;)

[Sarajevo]

You have okra?
Darned armadillo dug through the entire row where I had my okra....3 times.

[TEXOKIE]

OH NO!!

Yes.... so far so good!