Posted on 03/23/2018 6:28:33 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.
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I learned about apple tree pollination when we planted a wee orchard. LOTS of reading and thinking went into picking those trees! I also wanted baking apples and apples that would store well. So I got 3 different varieties. And a self-pollinating almond and 2 hazelnut trees. I can’t remember now, but the pear, peach, and apricot must be self-pollinating...I only got one each of those.
If they all produce, I will be overwhelmed, LOL!
We had lemon, orange, and avocado trees in CA - and just got lucky because they were all highly productive. But we only had one of each, so a neighbor must’ve had some. Lucky you - it is SO nice to have fresh lemons! Our lasted throughout the winter - I would just go pick one when I wanted it. And avocados are so expensive! Funny thing about those - we had a possum living with us for a while, and get got fat on avocados until we found out he was living in the shed!
Good idea to wait a bit then. I know there is always instructions in our shipments as to how to do that.
That sounds like a really good plan. I don’t have any drip irrigation. I just use the hose that is hooked up to the swimming pool, or a watering can to dip water out of the water barrels.
I hate snow this time of year. I want some sunshine. We have had a week of almost total cloudy weather. Have another week of clouds and rain coming up.
On the bright side, though no freezing temps.
I was surprised at how slow our build went with the greenhouse we ordered. Since we already had a concrete pad.
However, that pad was not level, in order to drain away from the house. So hubby had to bust out the concrete where the greenhouse would sit, in order to pour level footing.
We are still getting some leakage around the door when it rains, but the floor itself slopes toward a drain. Hubby has managed to find and fix other areas of leakage.
I ordered a few herb plants - stevia, rosemary, and tarragon.
Yes, I do think they will sprout, when the weather is right.
Once they sprout, you might have to cover them, if frost is coming. The best temp for sprouting most seeds is around 80 degrees give or take.
Anyone with funds and space sure could. Unfortunately that is not what we are faced with.
We have some books with those subterrainean methods. Unfortunately, we also have a house with concrete patios across the entire front and back of the house. The back is southerly west orientation.
There is no way to turn the greenhouse we have into such a type like that either. At this time, we do not have funds to build that type, though we do begin to plan and save.
Till then we are stuck with what we have and whatever modifications that can practically and economically be made.
We have a sun room attached to the house with a concrete floor and no method to heat, except running an electric heater, which would be cost prohibitive-the green house is not insulated.
Thanks for the advice. Forgot I needed supports. Spent today digging holes. Tomorrow I’ll shop for amendments. Orchard will be on a gradual hill so I’m thinking a rock embankment on at least one side of the holes I’ve dug. I have two cherries and read they especially don’t like to have damp feet. Planning on planting them in raised beds with rock borders.
Trees are great for sure.
They produce year after year and each year I tend to focus on a theme for the garden. One year it was Corn, then it was various types of squash. Because they’re expensive in the store and they also will last in a dark place for many months so it doesn’t go to waste if you get too much.
This year I’m thinking Fruit Trees and shrubs like blue-berries, raspberries. Apples and other local fruit trees too.
Have a nice week ahead gang!
CD
Hate it when that happens! Any more, I only buy a bit of potting soil, or an occasional trailer load of "compost", that is in a big pile I can examine before loading any.
I MIGHT make a trip to local feed lot this year, to supplement the chicken/rabbit house cleanout & local restaurant coffee grounds. After about 10 years, the dirt is finally becoming decent soil. Leaves & leaf mold are very difficult to come by; this is pine country.
Still have some leaves to fight through. Is there a good way for me to be using them?
(still kinda new to some of this)
Yeah, I think Jim Crockett got a bunch of us neophytes turned on the them in the 70s! LOL
Yes, I am blessed with all my grandbabies but as of this weekend I have none in Texas with me. My little gardener and her 3 siblings were the only ones here in Texas and they are moving this weekend into a wonderful new home on 53 acres in Oklahoma. The rest of my babies are scattered in Alabama, Oregon, Maine, New York and Arkansas. Good news is I’ve already got some seedlings up to carry up to Oklahoma and help get their vegetables and herbs started at that new house. Even raised up 7 peach trees for them to put out for their new home. It’ll be a 3 hour drive but I expect my little car will learn to auto-pilot up there pretty quick :)
Yeah ! Run over them several times with a lawnmower.
Make them finer and they will leech their nutrients back into the soil, as well as adding fiber (friable)to any soil (even clay).
Chopped small(fine)can be added directly into the garden soil,
the medium added to compost pile for enrichment,
and larger leaves, dusted with topsoil for weight, used as a surface mulch for moisture retention.
James Underwood Crockett ?
or as I refer to him as :" Saint Crockett "
He had an easy-going manner, and was eager to educate and facilitate gardeners.
I still use his 1977 book for scheduling, transplanting, and monthly gardening chores : "Crockett's Victory Garden", formerly a PBS regularly scheduled weekly program.
Yeah, I was thinking moisture-retention too (didn’t have the term!).
Not as much left but I think enough I can make use of. Thanks.
Thanks for the info. Maybe I can find some you tubes of some of those programs.
I made a vertical pallet planter for my nascent strawberries this weekend. 31 sawn-off soda bottles with drainage holes added, nailed to a pallet. Berries are transplanted and NOW I CAN’T PUT THEM THE (*&%$) OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT’S TOO COLD. Waiting for Mother Nature to get in a better mood...
On the plus side, my baby moringa tree is 10 days above ground and about 5 inches tall with wee tiny leaves. When it gets big enough, I’ll see if I like the leaves, because I would love to have another source of dried greens for winter soups and casseroles.
That vertical planter sounds really great. I used to have a lot of those plastic soda bottles too. However, I gave up soda in 2008, so I don’t have that problem any more. Still, I love to see ways that people can repurpose stuff.
I still have a couple of Victory Garden books somewhere and some of the old Old Organic Gardening books...
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