Anyone interested in starting a garden forum for Elk Co.?
Yes, count me in! :D
That would be great!
ready
I would love to hear about gardens and what everybody is growing or trying to grow. At the moment, I have crocus and snowdrops in bloom. There are jonquils coming up and the surprise lilies are about 4 inches tall. I was hoping to get a few inches of snow, but looks as if that isn't going to happen this time.
May I join in?
I have to say something here. It may just be coincedence, but I made a post earlier today about "Economic Gardening" and how it fits into the realm of Economic Development. Within an hour, Growit1 had joined the forum and started this thread.
I am a member of many discussion groups on Indeed, and other professional networking social media sites. Everytime the term Economic Gardening is used in one of our conversations, within an hour or so there is someone posting about gardening, and they eventually begin trolling for information and spamming the thread with adverts for gardening products.
So, make of that what you will. I hope it's just paranoia seeping out of certain other threads on this Forum and into my brain.
Does Tylenol Cold and Flu help get rid of that?
Spammers do sneak in from time to time, but since gardeners are incurable optimists,I hope this will be real and fun. I've already been drooling over the new pile of catalogs.
Quote from: flintauqua on February 12, 2013, 10:12:31 PM
I have to say something here. It may just be coincedence, but I made a post earlier today about "Economic Gardening" and how it fits into the realm of Economic Development. Within an hour, Growit1 had joined the forum and started this thread.
I am a member of many discussion groups on Indeed, and other professional networking social media sites. Everytime the term Economic Gardening is used in one of our conversations, within an hour or so there is someone posting about gardening, and they eventually begin trolling for information and spamming the thread with adverts for gardening products.
So, make of that what you will. I hope it's just paranoia seeping out of certain other threads on this Forum and into my brain.
Does Tylenol Cold and Flu help get rid of that?
Yes you're definitely paranoic! I've lived in Elk Co. for many years and just thought a local garden forum would be fun.
Since i've finally got last years residue cleaned up and the memories of last years bugs and drought are fading in my mind,i'm ready.Elk county usually is a beautiful place to grow.I've been doing raised beds it helps alot with drainage.
I'm ready for a trip to Arnolds. Daffodils are up with buds on them. It would have been nice to have gotten more snow for sure , Wilma. I think I lost a Rhododendron this winter.
I am past ready. As hot as it was last year I didn't get my gardening fever out of my system. Never going to either.
If all I can do is container garden then that will be great.
I noticed this week, some of my tulips are coming up. (FYI-Joanna, this will be from the tulips you gifted me last spring.....they look healthy. Now, if they just don't get frozen off.
I need to work in the beds, but either too cold, too dry (can't dig) or too lazy....LOL......but, I am ready.
The robins are singing their heads off and flocks are starting to go through. Come on Spring.
Planting my tomato seeds today. Order 60 aspargus roots to plant in an old silo foundation. I have filled the foundation with black dirt and put aged manure in the area that the roots will be planted. Have a bunch of it already. Will have to fence it to keep out the cattle. Planted 6 blackberries last fall plus and a few short rows of garlic. Also planted two Stella sweet cherry trees, one plum and two grafted pecans. Not sure if my raspberries have survived. Need to prune fruit trees and spray on dormant spray.
I always enjoy hearing about gardening from anywhere, not just local. I find hearing about other peoples gardens inspiring, making want to 'do', rather than yawn and put down the magazine as undoable. I love the magazine English Gardening, but have never tried doing any of it. Most is undoable here in arid Kansas, but I still love seeing those lovely flowers.
Delbert, happy to hear about all your planting. I am looking foreward to fresh asparagus. How soon before harvest?
I planted quite a few azaleas and other shrubs I had not grown before late last summer when they were marked down. Most made it through the drought with lots of help from me, and most still look pretty good. I am looking forward to some pretty blossoms this spring.
Currently I am enjoying the scent of orange blossoms. I bought a little Mandarin Orange tree late last fall for five dollars and have kept it in the house all winter. It is rewarding me with many blossoms and a new spurt of growth right now. Ahhh spring! :D :D
I like those English gardens, too. I would love to turn my entire yard into a flower garden, but it is beyond my abilities. So, I am waiting for my first trip to Arnold's to add to my rose garden. Last spring I added a tea rose, Apricot Candy and six of those hardy roses that thrive without care. I can't think of what they are called now. One of them is named Red Ribbon and it was very pretty for it's first year. I hope they all live up to the hype about them. Roses all the time without care sounds good to me.
Thought maybe we could ask Teresa for a new category so we don't have to sift through everything at the coffee shop.
My tulips and daffs are up too. Started onion seeds a few weeks ago. Tomatoes and peppers will be next - maybe this weekend. Anybody else growing OP or heirloom toms? What's your favorite?
Quote from: Wilma on February 13, 2013, 11:18:13 AM
I like those English gardens, too. I would love to turn my entire yard into a flower garden, but it is beyond my abilities. So, I am waiting for my first trip to Arnold's to add to my rose garden. Last spring I added a tea rose, Apricot Candy and six of those hardy roses that thrive without care. I can't think of what they are called now. One of them is named Red Ribbon and it was very pretty for it's first year. I hope they all live up to the hype about them. Roses all the time without care sounds good to me.
Wilma, I think the low maintainence Roses you are talking about are "Knockout" Roses. I have 12 of them in mixed colors. They are really Hardy and only take trimming annually.
Quote from: Growit1 on February 13, 2013, 11:28:59 AM
Thought maybe we could ask Teresa for a new category so we don't have to sift through everything at the coffee shop.
My tulips and daffs are up too. Started onion seeds a few weeks ago. Tomatoes and peppers will be next - maybe this weekend. Anybody else growing OP or heirloom toms? What's your favorite?
I use all raised beds and have very good luck with the system. I generally plant my Early Girl tomatoes April 1st, last year I planted them March 15. I put metal cages around them and I wrap the cages in plastic, gives them a Hothouse effect. I plant my better Boy and a couple of others April 15. I plant my Green Pepppers and Sweet Banana Peppers April 1st. I feed my Tomatoes every 2 weeks with a liquid Feed.
An hour after I posted, I remembered what they were called. That is about par for my thought processes. How big are your Knockouts? I am wanting to fill up some space with them.
Quote from: Wilma on February 13, 2013, 12:51:14 PM
An hour after I posted, I remembered what they were called. That is about par for my thought processes. How big are your Knockouts? I am wanting to fill up some space with them.
Wilma, my knockouts are about 3 feet tall and 2 1/2 feet wide. I will trim the back to about 12 inches tall probably in March. I will trim them back some in the Summer. I like the color on Roses but Crepe Myrtles are my favorites. I have several varieties and colors.
Frank
I love Crepe Myrtles. I digging up some bushes that have been in the same area for 10 years because I am tired of them. Going to put a container on top if them and fill them with different kinds of flowers. Hope it works.
Jane, I have some really pretty Crepe Myrtle, they are called Razzle Dazzle. They are short, Compact and bloom really beautiful. I have some of the bigger Crepe Myrtles but I like the Razzle Dazzle the best.
Frank
For the longest time, I have wanted to grow grapes. (Concord) Apparently this area used to be prime for that back in the early 1900's. Has anyone ever tried to satrt from seed, or would a graft be best?
ready for spring, too!
Quote from: readyaimduck on February 13, 2013, 05:16:55 PM
For the longest time, I have wanted to grow grapes. (Concord) Apparently this area used to be prime for that back in the early 1900's. Has anyone ever tried to satrt from seed, or would a graft be best?
ready for spring, too!
Ready, you don't have do any grafting, every spring, Lowes and Home Depot have Concord grape vines. Grapes should do well in your area. When I was a young boy growing up in Howard several people had Concord Grapes.
Frank Winn
frawin:
Thank you!.. The gentlemen that had some here, went 'away' so I never got any. I will check out Lowe's. We have Sandy soil and a fence line for the support that runs East and West. In a few years...grape wine! All are invited!
ready
I planted a grape vine two years ago and have not gotten fruit. It may be too shady. Do they need full sun?
Bullwinkle I have never seen a Grape Vinyard that was in the shade. Driving across Missouri there are lots of them and all are in the sun.
Thanks, I guess I'll have to relocate it or cut down a tree. :)
My Naked Ladies are about 6 inches tall today. Plus right next to it I see Holly Hock that is volunteer.........been here since I moved in 92 and transplanted them. All that is left is really sad. But, after 21 years I am pleased.
Mom always said people thought holly hocks were weeds. I love them. Patsy Lanning always has some.
Hollyhocks are not weeds although they survive like weeds. Mine are only a couple of years old and not established really well yet, but I used to have some old ones that stood six feet tall and several feet in diameter. The fact that the chickens scratched around the bottom of them all summer only helped. The blossoms and buds could be used to make flower dolls, but I didn't like destroying the flowers.
as a kid my grandma ruth (not blood) had a huge hollyhock bush in her back yard. I enjoyed sucking the honey (I thought) out of the flower........PS. I couldn't let mom know I did that..........she always thought of the things that crawled on it. LOL still did it!
Quote from Wilma:
stood six feet tall and several feet in diameter
Dang Wilma---what you using for fertilizer ? You ever need any removed I know a logger that might do it just for the lumber. ;D :angel:
Well, Jar, in my prime, I stood five feet, four incihes and these hollyhocks were well over my head. They might even had been seven feet tall. You know how much things grow after they are caught, er, after the fact.
Wilma, I wasn't doubting the height but I was impressed by the diameter of the plants. Several feet makes them pretty big. :)
They grow in clusters of stems, not one large single trunk. An established plant is spread out from years of sending up new stems each year. Wish I had taken a picture of these way back then, but my only camera was a box Kodak, used 8 exposure size 620 film and it never occurred to me that I might have a chance to brag about the hollyhocks.
Wilma they sound like they were beautiful. My mother had some years ago that did the same thing and I still love hollyhocks and wish that I had some. I know that Trigg's Greenhouse is going to be open again this year and he has several different colors of moonflowers this year.
Moon flowers are beautiful.
i've been moving a bunch of iris,it may not be the right time but they are choking to death where their at.
Janet they are. I can't wait till I can get some of those.
Started 200+ toms on Sunday and on Wednesday some of them were up! Also have 72 hot and sweet peppers started along with some eggplant. Makes the weather a little easier to take when you can see things growing. However am really thankful for the moisture.
This probably isn't considered gardening, but.........it thundered in February. According to old time farmer's tradition, thunder in February means that it will be a good year for corn. My problem is that by the time the corn crop becomes good or fails, I have forgotten if it thundered in February. Maybe someone can remind me in June and again in July and August to check the corn fields.
The ole gal down the road told me a couple years ago if it thunders in feb. it will frost in may. I was out may 3 that year putting buckets over my tomatoes and peppers ,the racoons always eat my corn so i can't say about the other.
Wow, Growit1,
You have been busy. I hope you have a garden plot big enough for all those tomatoes.
Aren't these pretty?
What kind of tomato seeds did you plant? I had ordered pepper seeds but had a back order I guess.
They're all OP/Heirloom toms.
Cuostralee
Sioux
Cherokee Chocolate
Fireworks
Omar's Lebanese
Ozark Pink
Cherokee Purple
Amish Paste
Delicious
Illinois Beauty
Dixie Golden Giant
Aussie
Mexico
German Giant
Red Brandywine
Great White
Principe Borghese
Mule Team
Tommy Toe
Riesentraube
Along with those I started these peppers
Scotch Bonnet
Thai
Jalapeno M
Emerald green giant
Poblano L
Numex Big Jim
Red Marconi
Ancho 101
California Wonder
Had it a little too warm where I started the toms and they got leggy within a day. Have moved them and hope to keep them going until they have true leaves and I can transplant them into larger containers. Delbert - I have some extra pepper seeds if what I have interest you I'd be glad to share.
Quote from: Wilma on February 21, 2013, 08:41:28 PM
Aren't these pretty?
Mother, where did you see these tulips? Did you go somewhere this week because I know those aren't in your yard.
Gotcha. That is an old photo of the tulips that we had in the back yard in Sedgwick County. The ones that your sister rescued and we planted. I wonder if they are still there.
I just don't know. Probably never will. ;D
Got my pepper seeds in the mail but had substitued for another pepper. I planted them.
Took a risky step today. Removed the heater from the bird bath and put the rain gauge out.
Wilma, the rain guage is probably a good idea. The heater I think you will do fine. Although I took a picture of snow on the pear blossoms in April!
Calling Lowe's to see if they have grape starters in!
Don't forget to plant potatoes this weekend!!!!
ready
I got my bird bath and water dish for the pets unplugged.
I planted potatoes, Kohlrabi, lettuce, carrots and radishes today. The tomatoes and peppers are growing in the greenhouse.
I just started some peppers and tomato's. Will see if I can get them up in the apartment and maybe this year they will transplant better. My green thumbs are itching and yesterday I started working in the yard and cleaning up my patch of it. Found out I am not as young as I thought I was. Slept well last night and today, Praise the Lord it is cool enough I do not care to work out......LOL.......maybe Monday I can get back there or one day next week. Oh, I am using a pot as a rain guage for now. I am ready for spring!
Judy, I found out that I am not as young as I used to be, too, and the leaves are still in the yard to prove it. Have to leave something to go back to, you know. I looked out a bit ago and my windsock is standing straight out. Too windy for me.
Where do most of you get your starts,seeds, sprouts or whatever.
I like to go to Arnold's up by Leroy. It is a long drive up there, but the country is so pretty that it is worth it. Otherwise, Lowe's in Wichita is the easiest for me.
For me, I shop Independence.........any garden shop. Add my own green thumb......yes sometimes it is all for naught......LOL, but, I enjoy all of it and guess in a previous life I was a farmer/gardener. Or, my grandpa gave me his talent. I like it.
I got a little more done in the front till the chill put me back in. Need to start prunning at the church. Depends on the weather. And my stamina.
Judy, do you help at the town garden in Longton? I know Steve Fielder starts alot of those plants in his greenhouse. I love to read about it in the Longton News.
You all do know we are about to get sleet/snow/cold this weekend in SE Kansas?
Watch your 'little bloomers' ;D
ready
We buy all of our plants right here in Elk County at Trigg's Greenhouse in Elk Falls. We've had excellent results with anything we've ever bought from Sam! :)
When ever I need anything I always go to Joanna Designs in Howard. She has what I need or can order it. ;D
I need to say I too shop here in Elk County...........I like Joanna and her flowers, plus shop Triggs and then go to Indy. It depends on what I want. And who has what I need when I want it.........LOL. Then after I get started, all it takes is something blooming as I walk by and lo and behold it comes home with me...........spend a lot of time remembering how much I love to garden and then remember I only have a very small spot for growing. I do borrow the neighbors sunshine since he doesn't work in his yard and is on the south side of our apartments. that is why I grow in pots a lot. Well, glad I did start some seeds in the apartment....with winter coming back in.
Anybody else having problems with tomatoes getting leggy even if they are in a greenhouse? Have already transplanted over half of them into bigger containers. Figure all these gray days with no sunshine aren't helping any. Of course all the daffs and jonquils are blooming and it's supposed to get down to 23 Sunday night. Not sure I have that many buckets to save all of them. Might just be lucky I didn't get to plant in the garden like I wanted to last weekend. Welcome to Kansas where in a weeks time it can go from 83 down to 23!
we may have frost in may,since we had thunder in feb.
Just noticed in my journal that last year I mowed the grass on March 30. ???
I have never had luck growing tomatoes from seed...they also get too leggy. (or the cats dig them up! :o)
I did them in card board egg cartons, then transferred to a small flower pot. Perhaps that's when things went awry?
Can I trim back my roses now? or is it too late.
ready
Now is a very good time to prune the woody plants........and to feed, and all those pre-spring chores. At least take off the spend blooms if you haven't. I noticed that needs to be done at my church......and I will do that when it warms up....or at least isn't as raw.
I trimmed all of my Knockout roses last week, also the Crepe Myrtles. Have my tomatoe beds ready to plant and have my tomatoes in the Sunroom ready. I am ready for spring weather.
My clump of pretty yellow jonquils is drooping as it emerges from the snow. Maybe the sunshine will lift their spirits.
Wilma it is helping mine. Not walking outside today.......house work instead........LOL moved an item and found out I needed to dust, badly. LOL........so that created a hazard in my apartment....just now ran out of gas and am eating lunch. Just left over cabbage, etc. I love cooked cabbage.......just have to watch how often I eat it. LOL I will go up and exercise with my group at school today, hope I can get a couple miles in before the fibro/arthritis hits me ......it helps to walk with them.....enjoy the fellowship more. Stay warm.
Oh, I am being entertained by a squirrel today. He keeps coming around my soot feeder and yes I am throwing him left over bread and things .......like veggies and nuts, etc. He is even looking in my window telling me when he is here. LOL
Finally got some garden planted, onion bulbs, beets, and radishes. Also got my 60 asparagus roots planted in my old silo foundation. Will wait until later to plant more things. Glad for the rain.
Anybody else have their fruit trees in bloom? The 34 predicted for the low tonight isn't a problem but the 27-29 for tomorrow sure could be. Kinda glad I haven't got much planted in the garden yet. At the rate were going it will be may before the tomatoes go in.
Growit1.
Both my bigger two peach trees are in full bloom but if I remember right they got their butts froze last year after they were in bloom and still had peaches. All the fruit trees I planted last year are just now starting to show green.
All 96 of my Pink Girl tomato plants can't wait until May to plant !! Got fans bowing on them like a helicopter flying in my shop, trying to keep them strengthened now.
Sat., I hauled 5 dump truck loads of horse poo compost and spread on two of my gardens. I will be the envy of ol Jack and the Bean Stalk, this year---if it ever warms up enough to sprout a bean seed . I plan on having beets as big around as a peck basket.
jarhead
Are you planting anything BUT tomatoes? Even with doubling the size of my garden I still won't be planting much more than 50. Guess I should ask just how close together you plant them or just how big your garden has grown. I've never grown Pink Girl. How are they in the size and taste department? I'm not growing anything but OP tomatoes this year. Want to try my hand at saving my own seed. Of course that means I'm taking chances with diseases etc. Our 'new" garden is where we fed hay to the cattle last year so no hauling manure - it's already in place. A lot less work!
Growit1,
I have 3 gardens here in Longton plus I'm a share cropper with my middle daughters garden at Flint Oak. I plant 70- 75 tomato plants here and she will plant another 20-25. I probably plant a little closer than most do but I like mine growing into a jungle for the shade factor they do for each other. Yes I plant lots of other things beside tomatoes.
I love the Pink Girl maters. They are about the same size of Better Boys but I think are meatier plus I make oodles of salsa and they make more juice to can .IMO
My apricot is blooming plus plums and peaches have just started. May have lost a couple trees. I think most of my raspberries and blackberries have died. Planted some new blackberries in the fall. Beets and radishes are up that I planted earlier. A couple weeks before most of everything else should be planted. Watermelons at times are hard to get to come up. Last year I had field mouse problems with them digging down and eating the seeds. I finally planted the seeds and put plastic containers around them plus setting mouse traps. They like to eat corn seed as well.
I planted a start of crape myrtle and 10 strawberry plants this week. The crape myrtle is currently under a bucket for protection, and the strawberries are in pots covered by a wheelbarrow. I've got fingers crossed they survive the freeze. I also have some mixed iris bulbs I need to get in the dirt. I'm holding off on planting any veg, but when I do, there will be red peppers, cukes, and tomatoes.
I'm sorry about your fruit trees and berry bushes, Delbert. I hope you can save some and still get some fruit this year.
Jarhead, now I am not the good sister, but since you are such a good gardener!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :angel: :angel: Plant some extra beets and I will sell some of my chrome diopside and buy some from you.
Guns,
I knew it---I just knew it !! You didn't stop last Sunday to check on my welfare---you were spying on me. That's why I kept my behunkes parked on the tailgate of the truck, instead of planting. Bet you saw where I had already planted 5 rows of beets. Might of wasted the seeds though if it doesn't warm up. Oh well, most of them came out of the freezer left over from last year
I really did just stop to visit. And I will plant my own beets. If they don't do any good, I will find somewhere to buy a bushel. I was spying on you the Sunday before that when I had your Aunt with mel :police: I also enjoyed visiting with you, scary isn't it?
Is anyone doing any gardening?
does pulling weeds count?
It does in my garden. I think I've gotten everything I need finally. It's all tucked on my front porch for now. Cold tomorrow night again. The local flowering trees are at their peak right now but we have a nasty line of storms coming through in a couple of hours...may have pink and white petal snow everywhere. Good gardens everyone.
Of course pulling weeds counts. I wish I could get to mine, but it is still too wet. The last time I wheeled into that area, I got stuck. I did rope off the area where the weeds are hiding the roses that I planted last year. I knew the lawn mower would soon be coming and I didn't want my roses mowed off. Also, the tulips that I planted last fall are blooming.
Just tilled my spot. Going to use a raised bed as well. Cut asparagus for first time.
Gee whiz, I was going to brag about the lilac blossom I found today, but Bull's asparagus tops that all to pieces. Wish I had some of it.
Not enough to share yet, maybe later. ;)
The best one is always the first one cut in the spring. Hope you enjoyed it.
How long have you had the asparagus and how do you keep it from getting cut down.
One bed was planted about 25 years ago, the other about 30 yrs. It's in the garden space so no danger of getting mowed off, just have to keep weeds pulled and not till it. Also have some growing wild in a fence line, not so prolific, but good.
Yes, Wilma. The first one was eaten on the spot raw.
I have been tempted to do that, but then there is the thought that my husband liked it, too, and if I took it in, we could share.
I miss eating my way through the garden.
I will have blackberries in about two weeks.
Change that to raspberries and I just might be down. Are the blackberries the thornless kind?
Planted 50 tomatoes yesterday and have plastic 5 gallon buckets over them so they won't self destruct tonight. Probably should have waited but I think they will be ok with the buckets on them. Has been a different spring. I must have had a 100 martins last year. I have 8 houses. I have at the most 10 this year. Last summer I found several young ones on the ground dead due to the extreme heat. I talked to a guy in Grenola and the same story at his place. He thought all young ones died also.
So, no regular wallerina Impatiens plants this year. They have failed due to disease and will not be raised or sold to try to stop the spores. I might pick up a few New Guinea type, but they don't have the same masses of flowers.
No Wilma, I think they have more thorns than berries. We started them on a fence several years ago and I still have the fence but most of bearing plants are coming up about 10 feet of the fence. I should have gotten out and pulled all the weeds and moved some of the newer plants back to the fence and just didn't do it.
I have a lot of wild berry plants too but they are usually pretty small and I leave them for the birds to eat. Have a plum tree that was loaded with blooms and probably needs to be sprayed, it did pretty good last year.
I love raspberries and don't know why we never planted any. Will be getting blueberries by Father's Day, didn't plant any but bought four plants and gave them to someone with a green thumb and will go pick when they are ready.
Ms Bear,
With all the good eating down your way I wouldn't waste my time picking berries. While at Kemah we drove on to San Leon and ate at Gilhooley's. Place wasn't much to look at but their gumbo was kick butt and the smoked oysters were even better---and the beer was ice cold.. Trip started out kinda bad. Spent Wed. night in Ennis, 55 miles from that explosion. Guess it rattled the motel but I slept thru it---I was dog tired !!!
Delbert - You're one brave soul putting your toms out. Of course I might too if I had 50 buckets! I just transplanted mine to bigger containers (again) today. Figured it will be at least a couple of weeks before the night time temp stays above 50 and they'll actually grow and not just sit there especially with the soil being so cold. Even with the plants being in the greenhouse they haven't been growing by leaps and bounds with all the cloudy weather we've had.
Jarhead, you didn't eat at Kemah while you were there. The food and service at Landry's was great. Last year we drove down to Port Lavaca and stopped to eat, want to go back again just for the food. Glad you didn't stop to eat in Cleveland, I usually go out of town to eat.
You were awfully close to the blast at West, glad you weren't there. There isn't much left there, not sure they will ever return to normal.
Is anyone there growing goose berries? My dad always had them in the flower bed in Oregon.
Brave might be a poor choice of words. May have 6 plants that look bad. Looks like warmer weather in a few days.
Delbert - Sorry to hear some of your toms aren't doing well. I was looking forward to the warmer weather too and actually getting things planted. Now there's ANOTHER cold front coming and the temps will be back down in the thirties by mid-week. My toms are going to be 2 foot tall by the time I get them in the ground!
I was at Lowes' in B'ville yesterday and was delighted to find they had a large number of flowers marked down 50%. I came home with a van full of stuff both annual and perinneals. They have a little frost damage and are not optimal but will do just fine when it warms up. If it ever warms up! :D :D
jarhead - What do you think about planting all those toms the weekend after this one? Looks like the weather just might cooperate. My new garden is tilled and waiting.
Just planted tomato and pepper plants yesterday. Wind has been tough. I'm not afraid of the ghost of winter. ;D ;D
it thundered in febuary the wives tales says frost in may
Growit1,
I no longer have tomato plants. I have gangly tomato trees. I have talked to two different green house people and they both said the plants will be OK as long as I transplanted them into bigger containers---which I had done. Most of my cuke, squash and melon plants have passed and went to the big garden in the sky. Be planting them by seeds in the garden. Got a good stand of beets and a couple rows of beans looking good but 3 rows of beans are iffy.Tators are looking good---so far.
Bullwinkle,
I have said in the past that I thought you were a wise ol bull but now I think you are as crazy as a pet coon, if you aint scared of the winter ghosts :D
My Tomatoes and Peppers have been Planted for a month. I have had to spend a lot of time covering and uncovering them and will have to again for a couple more nights. I put reinforcing wire around my tomatoes and wrap it with Plastic, to cover them I just drop an old towel of t-shirt down over the plants. My peppers I cover with insulated Faucet covers. All my plants are looking good, my tomatoes are blooming good. I cut all the lower limbs off of my tomatoes and plant them deep, they will have roots come out all the way to the surface.
Truth is Jarhead, I just got tired of waiting. Wanted to get more stuff in the ground, but it's too wet.
Well we dodged what I hope is the last of the freezing weather. If the garden dries out enough this next week I'll have all the toms and peppers in the ground by the weekend. Good thing too because I'm about out of potting soil. I've transplanted some of the toms three times into bigger pots. They should have a heck of a root system by now. Probably have to trench a few of them. Now just have to keep the bunnies from devouring everything.
Got about half the garden planted Tuesday afternoon. Just barely dry enough. Had one tomato plant curl a bit after the cold, but it's rebounding. A friend of mine though, asked if his potato plants will come back. Sounded like they wilted completely. Anyone know if they resprout? Or are they toast.
Potato plants should be okay I have had them frosted off and they regrew and made a nice crop of potatoes.
We have had them frozen and while they did come back, they didn't produce good. We'd had good crops in that spot previously.
Bull,
Got all three of my gardens planted and even got my daughters garden at Flint Oak planted----and did them all on Tuesday !! Now to rest the ol sore back by going fishing for the next month or two. Like Growit I had to dig a trench to get all the tomato roots in the ground. My spuds, onions or beets do not show any signs of illness due to being froze so many times. Have two young peach trees that were in full bloom and got hit by Jack Frost several times but I see Pee Wee marble sized peaches so guess they are A-OK. Thankfully I have friends like Damien M, from Moline, who has kept me supplied with morels from "natures garden". Must be nice to have eyeballs still good enough to find them tasty puppies---or maybe it's that I'm too lazy and clumsy to walk around the timber looking for them.
Thanks for the input on froze taters !
Jarhead, I can imagine how you felt after a day like that. My brother was helping me and didn't remember putting in the family garden being so much work. It doesn't help that he smokes like a chimney. He wanted to quit after planting the corn, but I made him gut it out. I guess I need to go mushroom hunting. Ed at Red-I was talking about someone bringing him a bunch. I have always been a little afraid of not picking the right ones. As for you, if you have someone supplying you, I guess that takes away the incentive to go looking. ;) :D
You can't go wrong with the morels, puffballs, shelf fungus and chicken of the woods.The others can be tricky.
I have morels in one of my flower beds, I am not saying which one. I think that I won't disturb that area in case they want to multiply.
I used to find morels under an old dog wood but they stopped for some reason. We only picked a few and left the rest to carry on.
At last the mystery plant in my flower garden has been solved. When it showed up this spring, it looked like a flower, but I couldn't remember having planted anything in that particular spot. So, I just let it grow and it grew and it grew and it was still a mystery. It resembled sour dock, but I was sure it wasn't that. I was just about ready to take a picture of it and ask for help when from somewhere within this vast knowledge that is stored in my brain, came the answer. It is, I think, a bienniel, a plant that comes up, dies down without blooming, then comes back up the next year and blooms. Each year it drops it's seeds to continue it's existence. After finally identifying it, I remembered that I had brought a start of it from my brother's farm where my mother had started it long ago from some starts that I had given her from my garden. It is still prevalent out there where it isn't disturbed. Hopefully, I can keep it growing here in my garden. Oh, yes, we call it Sweet Rock.
Wowwie Wilma !
Got most of garden planted, radishes, lettuce, onions, etc, coming up.
Wilma, did you ever get any asparagus yet?
No, Bull, I have had no asparagus. I look at it in the produce department, but it doesn't look very good there.
The last couple days I got all of my watermelons planted. Around 100 hills. I normally plant Crimson sweet. I also planted a few Moon and Stars. They have yellow spots on them. Also a few hills of rattlesnake. My peaches, plums and apricots made it through the cold weather and still have fruit. Asparagus is going full throttle.
Wilma, I think that your mystery flower may be Dames' Sweet Rocket. I have it growing all over the yard and love it. It is very scented. I got it started by taking a spent plant stalk from my mothers' yard, waiting until the stalk is brittle and kinda ugly. then i laid that stalk down where I wanted it to grow and stomped all over it, leaving it lay. In the fall the new seedlings had started and the next year I had Sweet Rocket. It is difficult to keep contained in one place. it likes to travel, but is so delightful, I let it bloom where it is planted. One of the very beautiful wild flowers from England I think. :)
I didn't know all that. I do know that it likes to travel. I don't know where I will have it next year. Just hope that I recognize it and don't hoe it out.
Delbert - that's a heck of a lot of watermelons. Not sure I'd want to try and keep that many watered when it gets hot. The one I'm growing this year is called Ancient. Mostly I just wanted one with a really thick rind so I can make watermelon pickles. Still have to get the pumpkins, squash and melons in and then I'll be done. Glad to here your fruit trees are going strong. My pear tree has very few on it but the apple trees are loaded. Going to be doing a lot of thinning.
Yesterday a very nice gentleman brought me a bag of fresh asparagus. We had it for lunch today, the asparagus, not the bag. It was delicious. I hadn't had anything close to it since the last time I cut some fresh and there were only a few stalks that time. Anyway, I thought that since there was so much of it, I would try a stalk raw. It tasted just like peas right out of the pod right off the vine. Now I have to tell you a story about me and peas.
When I was five or six, my folks were planting a garden and of course I was helping. Mother had planted the peas, Daddy had covered and tamped them and I decided they needed stomping. Mother asked me why I was stomping the peas. My reply was and I quote, "They taste like asparagus and I don't like asparagus."
I have since learned to like peas, asparagus and spinach.
I am very grateful to the gentleman for sharing wiith me. I guess it pays to be a nice old lady.
Wilma, I was driving down 160 today when the botanical name for Dames' Sweet Rocket came to me. It is Hesperis. Just an FYI you know. :D
Has anyone ever raised, or heard of, a watermelon that only gets the size of a cantaloupe ? My brother planted some. He didn't look at the package very close when he bought them. I forget what they were called. The seeds were quite small.
I've never grown it but there's a watermelon called Little Baby Flower that only weighs 2-4 lbs .
I found the package, it is called sugar baby. It says you can grow it on a trellis.
Thanks for the response.
Tomatoes finally growing. I don't like humid weather but the tomatoes do.
I think, for now, we have caught up with our moisture count. My how the green stuff is growing.
I can just stare at the grass and swear I see it growing. Love it. Oh, my produce is coming up well..............now for the sun
to increase the growth and show blooms and tomato's and squash and cukes and flowers I planted.
Sure love the blue sky today......enough gray for now.
i need to pull weeds! :P :P
Myrna has been working on her flowers for a month now and things are beginning to look good. My tomatoes are about 2+feet tall and covered in blossoms. They are going to be late this year. The plastic covering really helps them to grow, kind of a greenhouse effect.
Frank
About gave up on my watermelons and cantaloupe coming up but good news most are up. I like the cool weather but takes longer to get things to come up.
Did the wind get any gardens? Sure hope not. Finally have little green toms growing. Usually there'd be a few actually getting ripe by now. Going to get down into the low fifties this next week. Going to slow things down even more.
No real wind damage. Got blooms on tomatoes , jalepenos, and little bell peppers forming. Will have to thin radishes and carrots soon. Temps are obvious from day to day growth. Surprised the cukes , cantaloupes, sqaush and watermelons are doing great.
Janet took these about a week ago before the roses reached their peak. They don't look so good today after being rained on this morning. They and the other flowers have really outdone themselves this year.
More
More, more.
Beauties! I know what you mean about the rain stripping off petals. They all did seem to bloom much better than last year.
Got any zinnias to come? I always welcome them coming later to fill in what is gone.
This one is a stranger in my garden. I know not from whence it came. It is at the corner of the rose garden and I know that I did not plant it there.
Almost looks like a mum of sorts.
I have some zinnias coming up from seed dropped last year. Haven't checked on them lately, but hopefully they are still there. They need to be transplanted as they are right at the edge of where the mower cuts. One slip and they would be gone.
The leaves aren't right for a mum, but it does resemble one, doesn't it. A few more days should tell.
I know there are many kinds of mums, but like you say, the leaves are not the usual, kind of daisy-like as well. Are daisys and mums related?
A little early for the zinnias to show I think, especially as cool as it has been. I just know them as welcome blooms in summer.
Have you ever had penstemon or cardinal flower , Wilma? I plant them , but they don't come back. I think I have too much shade. They are both some of my favorites.
No, I haven't tried those. I am trying more perennials so I won't have to work planting them every year.
They are both perinnials. I just don't have a place they like I guess. My columbine does OK.
Wilma, your flower looks like some kind of daisy by the looks of the leaves. Birds sometimes 'plant' seed that comes from God only knows. But it looks like a very pretty flower. ;)
One more from Janet.
My tomatoes and Peppers continue to do fair but are sure running behind last year.
Very good, Frank, but you got a head start on us. They do look good though, especially the peppers.
Wilma, the big difference is the cages and plastic, the plastic acts like a hothouse, plus I use miracle grow tomato food regularly. Also, the raised beds with good soil mix helps, I never have a weed.
WiMA! last year at this time I was picking tomatoes, I planted my Early Girls last year on March 15. I try to plant normally on April 1st.
Update on the unidentified flower in my garden. I now think it is gaillardia. Here is a new picture of it. What do you think?
Hmmm----??? ???
It sure looks like one to me. Mine usually have more leaf indentations ( Indian blanket flower ) but it surely is a lovely flower. Butterfly caterpillars here love to eat them. Do yours get nibbled?
They don't look as if they have been yet.
Glad for the rain. Hate to say stop it for a while. But my opinion won't change things anyway. A good year for beets.
Delbert - I know you had your tomatoes in a lot earlier than most of us. Are you getting any ripe ones yet? I have one Cherokee Purple that was the first to set but it's only about tennis ball size and is a long way off from turning. All the low 50's at night probably aren't helping much.
Have some tomatoes on but small. Needs warmer weather. I don't need it but they do.
I noticed in the journal that I keep that we are sure behind last year. I had picked during the week of June 3rd to June 10th blackberries,white peaches, picked squash and green beans.
Wondering what the rest of you do as to feeding, and how often. I've been using Miraclegro and it says 7-10 days apart. some things are thriving, others not so much.
I've a lot of manure etc. worked into the soil so the only thing I've used this year is fish emulsion. I've used Miracle-Gro in the past and too many times I've found it's giving too much nitrogen for the plants. Lots of foliage and little or no fruit. In some of the reading I've done a lot of people suggest using the Miracle-Gro bloom booster for flowers on tomatoes instead of the others. Has less nitrogen in it and more phosphate.
Yesterday, on another thread, I said that I would post a picture of the Black Velvet petunia that I bought the other day. Here it is.
I put a tablespoon of miracle grow and that much epsom salt several inches below the roots when I plant the tomato and hardly every use any after that. They still get 5 or 6 feet tall. Just make sure you get the two things away from the roots when starting off or they might burn. I have some tomatoes called Fourth of July that normally turn before the 4th. Last year I had some by now but will be closer to the fourth this year. They are a smaller tomato. Finally got some sweet potato plants at Dillons in Winfield. Finally have my garden all planted. Getting my pond watering system ready to go. Have a pump that increases the water pressure that flows from the pond. I can run a sprinker with it. I don't use it on the tomatoes. I have them in containers that I have the bottom out , I have the container about half buried. When it gets dry I run the hose in the container.
Delbert, I like that idea of container tomatoes. I hadn't thought of cutting out the bottom of the containers and setting them in the ground.
I don't plant tomatoes because I can't eat them and because my husband always went overboard when he bought plants. Every year I swore I wasn't going to do any canning, then every year we would overflow with toms and I couldn't just throw them away. I could have been happy with two plants. He wasn't happy without two dozen plants.
Delbert - Have you ever tried starting your own sweet potato slips? I did it this year mostly just to see if I could. Considering I don't have any sunny windowsills (actually no windowsills) it went fairly well. I only put seven slips out - space is limited and since I've never grown sweet potatoes before I thought I'd see how well they do for me before I go wild with them. STILL no tomatoes turning red but lots and lots of green ones. Have had a touch of early blight this year which I usually don't have. Rather surprised by it considering nothing has ever been grown in that spot before. Had to give up and spray the potatoes - little grasshoppers were eating them faster than they could grow.
Picking green beans. Not my favorite job but guess I could have skipped planting them. Some warm weather garden growing days. A guy gave me 6 climbing spinach seeds. About gave up on it. Finnally one has started climbing up the fence and the other is behind in growth. He said the more leaves you pick the more it grows. Fun to grow something new
Just picked my first tomato. A Cherokee Purple weighing in at 1 lb. The Principe Borghese tomatoes are just a couple of days away.
Is the tomato purple inside and out? I picked a couple today but not the best looking. Picked cucumbers today. Getting my electric fence ready for the coons as the corn is a few days from being ready. I've used solar powered before but doesn't seem to bother longer haired varmits. Getting swamped by squash.
It's a deep red color inside however the gel around the seeds tends more toward green rather than yellow. Taste is really, really good. So far this is the only purple/black tomato I've grown before. Also growing Cherokee Chocolate which is a sport of Cherokee Purple. Hoping that with the drop in the temperatures starting Sunday more tomatoes will set on. The other stuff in my garden is way behind yours. Probably pick the first beans this weekend and maybe cukes in about a week. Other than butternut I'm not growing squash in my garden this year. One of my boys is so will be getting them from him hopefully. I'm looking to saving seeds for next year and didn't want anything to cross. Lost all the sweet corn due to a cow jumping a fence. She left five stalks standing. The dogs have always taken care of the coon problem here.
YAHOO !!! Finally got done with my beets. Ended up with 41 quarts and 69 pints of pickled beets. My finger nails look like I washed them in ink. So far, have canned 27 quarts of green beans but it's just the beginning. Pulled my onions a week ago and they are the biggest & sweetest I've ever grown. Got a big kettle of them peeled, ready for the food processor and then into the pressure cookers. Have them ready to dump in when I make salsa. The rest of the onions will be put in panty hose and hung in the cellar in a couple weeks. Dug a few of my spuds. They did good too. Watermelons, cantaloupes and cukes---I don't want to talk about them. So much for planting them in the shade !!!
Jarhead, are you saying that you won't have me a watermelon?
Picked all of my apricots. I think eight but were really good. Hope to double the crop next year.
I got a late start getting things planted, so there aren't any ripe peppers or tomatoes yet. But lots of green ones, and lots of blooms. And the flowers are doing great!
If anyone has a surefire way to kill bindweed, I'd be very interested to know it.
Bindweed is a real pain isn't it? I've been at it for years and have finally gotten down to just a couple of plants each year. I dig up the roots as much as possible and bag them because every tiny rootlet will try to grow.For the ones I can't dig, I keep pulling off the new growth at the soil level and eventually it will weaken and die. I try not to use Round Up or one of those unless I'm really desperate. Others may have better ideas.
I noticed tomato worms doing their thing. I found almost a dozen and then I looked again in the evening and found 6 more. They had eaten all the leaves off of a couple pepper plant. They were pretty big but only a few plants had a lot of eating done on them. Haven't hardly seen any cucumber beetle. So far the electric fence is keeping out the coons but it could be a couple days before it is ready.
I read on the computer that using biodegradable detergent dish soap is effective against squash bugs. I was wondering if that information about being biodegradable is on the container. Any certain brand?
Jarhead - How are the Pink Girls doing? Been picking enough toms to have with supper every night. Figure it will be about a week until I'm inundated with enough tomatoes to start canning salsa etc. Cukes are going great and soon it will be pickle time!
What kind of bug is making small holes in tomatoes ? About pencil eraser size, not any deeper. Have sprayed with soap and canola oil while they've been growing and don't have any visible pests. Lots of wasps and mud daubers around this year though. Wondering if they are the culprits. Had some blossom rot until putting on calcium. Roma's, first to set on, still don't turn until picked and on widow sill for several days.
birds
passinger pigeons make those holes.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Anyone care to give any intelligent suggestions? Do wasps injure the fruit when going after the spiders ?
BTW, Diana, no bird could get to these maters. Go back to pestering Ross. This thread has been just fine without your antagonizing.
It might be a tomato fruitworm. I've found a few in the last few days. The hole doesn't always go all the way to the interior - like they started and quit and moved on to another.
Exactly. Hole only 1/4 inch deep at most. Only on a few.
Pink Girls really are pink! Never had them before. I really like the flavor from the Jetstars and Celebritys a bit better, as well as the texture, but I just like to slice'em and eat'em, not make salsa. Is that your reason for growing the Pinks , Jar?
Ouch! Nice folks ya got out there.That attitude should bring people to move there in droves. :P
Diane - I'd really like to know why you have such an all consuming need to involve yourself with absolutely everything in Elk County. By the way I like the people in Elk County - it's one of the reasons we moved here. I've found them to be friendly and more than willing to lend a helping hand if needed.
Growit - why do you feel the need to take a swat at Diane when all she did was offer a reasonable possible cause for the holes on Bullwinkles tomatoes, which Delbert then made humorous?
It was Bullwinkle that then decided to take the opportunity to strike at Diane, like he does every chance he gets, but you decide to chastise Diane for responding to him?
???
It was her remark " that should make people want to move there in droves". I explained we moved here because of the people including the ones she disagrees with so strongly.
Charles,
What's so wrong with growit taking a swipe at Diane, if that's what you want to call it, when you have done it to people numerous times in the past, but usually you do it under a different forum name? Guess you want to keep that ol flint squeaky clean, huh ?
Bull ,I like Pink Girls because I think they're sweet tasting, a small core and seem to make lots of juice.
Growit. Been getting tomatoes for at least a week now. Picked two, five gallon buckets rounded up this morning and probably could have picked another bucket full but one more day on the vine will be better.
Seems that the garden is getting full of weeds again. Some people just can't refrain from taking shots. Same people too. Once you get one weed then the others come in and things just get worse. I remember when we had a beautiful lawn. Maybe we just need to get rid of all the weeds and put in rocks.
K-State must teach a class "Speaking in Parables "
Please, let's keep this about actual gardening. If you feel you must get personal, get off.
You're right Miss Wilma. I apologize.
I guess to get good veggies one must put up with a lot of manure. :angel:
Just joking about the birds. Manure helps but not too thick.
Anyone likes a good joke, Delbert. I simply was looking for "good" information.
As in the barnyard, the manure is thicker in some places than others. Usually around the feed bunk or hog trough where some critters spend more time than others.
How did we get from the garden to the hog pen?
Wilma,
Ask Diane. She's the one that started with the manure business. I think she's trying to run more people off the ELK county forum.
Jar, speak for yourself. You apologize to Wilma and then can't let it go? There was no need to twist the subject when someone wanted to know why I was swatted again.
Sorry Wilma. I was serious abut my comment about the birds. We get lots of bird pecks on Toms especially from Cardinals ,Catbirds and Blue Jays. The rude come backs were entirely uncalled for.
Hog pens? Ask Bull..... had to jump in. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I thought that nonsense was over. I didn't think they would attack me again..I won't put up with it. These are open threads. Nobody is restricted and nobody is expected to go away, just because of a few bullies. Wilma, I won't post again on here, but I'm not happy about it, believe me. Nobody is safe.
It seems that the obit thread is the only thread that is safe.
Been picking lot's of good stuff.
Thank the Lord for this wonderful rain. Seems like the first July rain in at least two years.
this rain has sure helped the wild black berries,went from 1 here and there to clumps.
Are the blackberries big this year? We used to have some thornless blackberries and they got pretty big and were good, easy to pick. I saw my sister drive in one day, but she didn't come to the door, so I went out. She was picking and eating my blackberries. They were good right off the vine.
the ones by the pond are as big as your thumb,they are the wild thorned kind,but are sweet and juicy.but my fingers are sore. gonna make jelly with tomarrows bounty.
Lots up in the pasture, but I haven't been looking for them. Will have to see about them tomorrow. Been busy with hay and calves.
Usually bunches to be had, though trying to kill them back out of the open grass.
Has anyone had in cantaloupe yet? I have a lot but not ready yet. Not sure why I haven't had any peppers yet. Some haven't grown very much. Thought I had them watered enough but the moisture may not have gotten far enough down. The rains have sure helped. I planted more corn yesterday and will plant beans , radishes and turnips.
Got several cantaloupe almost ready, they have been growing steady. Probably try one this weekend. Sugar Baby melons got about five inches and just quit . have gotten a handful of bell peppers and Jalapeño's. The Poblano's quit growing also. Black Diamonds are coming along nicely. Beets and turnips haven't done too hot. Cucumbers have gone crazy.
Since the rain, the grasshoppers have moved in en force. Already decimated the iris leaves and hibiscus.
Jar - Had the Pink Girl for supper last evening. Good tasting and meaty to top it off. Can see why you like them so much.
Growit1,
Glad you liked the Pink Girl tomatoes. They have slowed down on production since all the rain and cooler weather. Got lots of green ones but only getting 10-12 ripe ones a day now---unless there are hidden in the dense foliage and I'm not finding them. I hacked my way into the patch with a machete a few days ago and was lost for a day and night---I aint lying !!! Finally made my way to the okra plants and climbed to the top of one of them to get my bearings and find my way out of the garden. Got to the edge of the garden and found it had rained so much that water was 6 feet deep between the garden and the house so I took that ol machete and split a zucchini in half and hollowed it out like a dugout canoe, then split a cucumber to use as a makeshift paddle and made it to the house.
Oh yea, ol Bullwinkle said he liked his George Jetson maters better .Think the ol bull has been eating too much water cress but let him eat all them genetically altered tomatoes . When his horns start looking like an Elks instead of a moose don't feel sorry for him. We will be healthy as a horse because we eat Heirloom tomatoes.
I gotta go---got a bunch more sand plums to juice out---did I tell you I been picking sand plums as big as bowling balls ?
Honest Ron
Went to pick some sand plums the other day, but they were all gone. Tracked the little bandit to a tree over in the woods. Enough seeds on the ground to start a sand plum forest. He and his band of coon thieves made a clean getaway as I wasn't prepared for varmint war.
BTW Jar, I managed to ferret away another pink girl from my brother. Got to it a day before he did. Guess I better start eating them to preserve my magnificent coat rack.
Bull,
Magnificent coat rack ? Heck, I've seen better racks than you got, on a doe----now before you say something about a "rack" on the female species, let me change that to "horns".
That sand plum thicket I hit several days ago was loaded with plums but almost all green. Maybe they are ripe now. Did find another patch and the red ones were few and far between but they were as big around as a quarter. Wish there was more like them.
Are you having the same problem with tomatoes as I am ? The vines got almost head high then broke over and are an absolute jungle-----and just keep growing !! I can hardly lift all the plant to look for the tomatoes, buried deep. Production is down and maters are not as big and now almost every one of them have a split in the skin. I suppose too much rain is making them grow too fast.
My "experimental garden" , planted in shade, for melons and squash is almost a bust. Got vines out the ying yang but what few cantaloupes I can see , although big, will not ripen. Cukes just keep blooming but very few cukes-------spaghetti squash have climbed up the dog pen fence and now taking over Maggie Two Shoes's pen but only two hills that get morning sunshine have squash on them, the rest are just plants.
I was picking okra when the plants were back breaking knee high---then the rain hit and they quit blooming but the plants are now 4-5 ft high, but looks like they are starting to bloom again. Due to squash bugs I have never had zucchini this late in the year but found a new secret spray that kicked their arse and still getting lots of zucchini.
Finally picked 4 large cantaloupe this morning. The rain has caused plants to really grow. Tomato plants hanging out of their cages. Try to keep them tied up but hard to do. Still having trouble with the green beans setting on beans. Have wonderful plants but not good to eat I don't think. The squash has really continued the best that I have seen. Using biodegradable soap I guess helps. Very few cucumber beetles and last year they were thick. Picking some early blaze apples. The tomatoes aren't ripeing as fast. Sure unusall about the rain.
Got the same problem with melons not seeming to ripen. Was told the circular splits on maters were sunburn, only see it on the ones up top. Cukes have been really putting out, if they're just getting to blooming I'd say you'll have plenty. Been using a spray called " Worry Free", works on most bugs.
Can you believe all of this rain? I about fell twice trying to pick corn. While the power was off a coon found his way in the corn patch. My electric fence seems to click off when it rains I have the controls covered up. Having many, many cantaloupe. Some are getting cracks in them and even though most of them are ok people don't like to buy them. I may try cutting up some and freezing them. Maybe freezing them first on a cookie sheet or pan and they putting them in freezer bags. Anyway will try as I know you can buy frozen cantaloupe. My tomatoes have about stopping getting ripe. Have many green ones. Last year they stopped setting on due to the hot weather.
Due to the amount of moisture several of my tomato plants are wilting. Hopefully it will stop if the rain holds off some. Hard to believe that I'm complaining about the amount of rain in August. Waded through the mud to pick a dozen very large rattlesnake watermelons this morning. My cantaloupe are splitting and have to throw away a bunch of them. I've tried cutting up cantaloupe in chunks and freezing it on a cookie sheet and will later put them in bag for the freezer. Not sure if it will work but hate to throw so many away.
I was crowing about my tomato's turning red, (On the vine; most of time I have to pick early due to problems) what do I find when I pick? Split 'maters and yes, I had to throw them out. Think next year I will just buy my produce at the Farmers market.........I say this each year, then come spring, can't wait to get my hands in the dirt. I am finally getting cukes about 2 or 3 a day.. smallish. ey are suffering. My morning glory vines are so full and that crop will surely flower nicely.
We put our tomatoes in late this year, simply because the frost fairy just wouldn't go away. But now we have TONS of tomatoes. Big beautiful perfect red and yellow tomatoes. We probably just got lucky that they are turning now after the huge amount of rain that we got here in Butler County earlier in the season. But I've never raised prettier ones. I've canned over 100 pints of salsa and am going to start canning the stewed ones today. It almost hurts to blanche and stew perfect tomatoes, but the only ones with blemishes are the ones near the bottom of the cages where the chickens have done their pecking. Feeling Blessed for sure!
Not sure what happened to the message I did a couple days ago. Hadn't been able to get into the forum for over a month. Put my electric fence back up yesterday as the coons found my late corn. They didn't do too much damage but would have done more. My dog can testify that the electric fence works. Some animals are eating my apples that have fallen from the tree. Have made a couple gall on of cider and have more to make if I can find room to put it in the freezer. Trying to finish up selling watermelons. After the long rainy time the melons really set on but were smaller than some have been. My turnips are getting about ready to eat.
About time to rest the garden. Hope I can remember what I did wrong. Still have winter radishes, turnips and parsnips. Also have pears. Have the electric fence up to keep the pears from being chewed on. Had to lower it really low as something was getting under it. I guess they could have jumped over. Made several gallon of cider and have it frozen in the freezer. My pecan tree had one pecan on it and when I went to get it, it had gone. Found two honey dew melons along side of a cattle panel that cucumbers climbed. Not sure how that happened but the first one I cut was the best I have ever raised.
my surprise lillys are coming up should I put some hay on 'em?
They should be okay. I have some spring bulbs coming up too. Nice! :laugh:
The snow finally melted enough for me to see that the Snow Drop is up, altho not blooming. I am pretty sure that some crocus is up, too.
That's wondeful. Aren't those little hints of what is to come reassuring?
I just made a quick trip to the mail box to mail some letters and lo and behold, there on one side of the walk was a lonely little crocus in bloom and on the other side of the walk is a lonely little snow drop in bloom. They are much braver than I, as I came back inside out of the cold.
The crocus has been joined by about twenty others, but the snow drop is still lonely.
How much rain did we get last night? I heard that water was over the road somewhere south of Howard.
Did anyone plant potatoes yesterday?
I missed the 17 but got them in yesterday the 18 the almanac said both days are good.
I hope they do good. I remember one year we planted early, then had a late snow storm. The potatoes were up good and they froze off, but came back up. Didn't have a very good crop.
No potatoes or peas. My garden still had 4 inches of snow on it. :P
Mary, Mary, how doth your garden grow? Or is it growing?
Planted beets, radishes, onion bulbs and plants and a few potatoes. I noticed the beets are coming up and of course radishes.
A nice rain. .75
Three inches her! Hurrah! :D :D
we got 1" over here in upola.The garden is looking good ,but the weeds are going to win if I don't get out there!
Deb, I should have some water lettuce to share again in about a month. I bought another start several weeks ago, and it is really going to town! ;D
That will be great,it doesn't look like any of my water plants made it thru the winter,but the goldfish are doing great.
Finally got everything planted except pumpkins. Sure nice to get the rain. I use pond water to irrigate but natures way is better. Had to replant several tomatoes as I had frost May 16th morning plus some ice in the garden hose.
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Love it!!!!! You always find the most interesting stuff!!! :D
ATTN!!! You flower and plant experts. I need help.
I am attaching two photos of a flower that just bloomed on my patio. When we bought the plant, it was labeled as some kind of sage. I have lost the label. The leaves do have a slight sage fragrance when crushed but what surprised me were the red flowers that showed up last week. I know they resemble the cardinal flower, but I don't think that is what it is.
If two photos don't accompany this, the second photo will be in the next post.
Here is the other one.
There are a gazillion different kinds of sage Wilma. I bought a book awhile back that is nothing but sages. pretty interesting book. BTW, your sage is very pretty! I have a large red sage that si in bloom right now. Love it! :D :D
Have been enjoying the rain, of course that means dealing with the mud as well. I for one am not going to complain. The hay fields and pastures are doing great, as are the weeds, though they are called forbes by the environmental biologists and serve their purpose. One brome field is almost tall enough to cut.
It has been a bit difficult working in the garden and the cool temperatures have been a bit hard on things like eggplant, but we have harvested radishes, asparagus and lettuce. A couple of the cabbages are already ready to harvest. Have gotten some strawberries from new starts ! Had to replant some corn and beans. Even with the cool weather, the bugs have also been at work. Potato bugs, aphids, fruit worms eating on the green tomatoes, oh well.
Hope all of your gardens are doing well.
Not sure if any of my tomatoes will make it. All have some yellow leaves. Should have planted them on a hill. My garden is too flat. Grass and weeds have taken over my watermelon patch.
Have been getting many tomatoes of course it has been a month late or so. Had one of my better cantaloupe and watermelon crops. Still getting several watermelons. I had a moon and stars melon that weighed 42 pounds. They have little yellow specks on them like stars and some have a larger yellow spot like the moon. My favorite is crimson sweet. Have a bunch of pop corn. Have an electric fence up but thought the coons wouldn't eat the hard kernels and had the power off for a few days but they still liked it. Now I have the fence expanded to cover all of the garden as I have sweet corn and more popcorn coming on. Have three kind of radishes and turnips up and going.
It sounds like you have had a very good garden after all.
I can't grow corn here because of the 'coons and I'm too cheap to install an electric fence. HA! Mine has been good and is coming to it's natural end. I should chop and freeze some more sweet peppers and jalapenos and can up some more toms. Good gardening to you.
Is it all right to clean the flower beds yet? I am sure the tulips are coming up as most of the rest of the spring bulbs are. I have had crocus blooming for about two weeks now. Is the really freezing weather over or am I just getting anxious?
That's up to you. I'm going to wait awhile yet. I'm sure it won't hurt anything if you do, unless you have very tender plants buried under the leaves.
I spent a little time with a rake, investigating the possibility of removing last fall's leaves. I think that the first day that I can be out very long, I will start the job of cleaning the flower beds. Right now it is so dusty and dirty and dry, that it isn't very tempting. I do have jonquils with fat buds and the tulips are looking good, but everything needs rain. I don't think that we have had more than a very light shower in February. We did have thunder right at the first of the month so this year's corn crop should be good.
Thunder and the corn crop?
Don't you know? If it thunders in February, the farmer's will have a good corn crop. Take it from an old farm gal. I think it might be mentioned in the Farmer's Almanac, but since I don't ever see one anymore, I can't say for sure.
I'm not sure I knew that, but if that's the case, our farmers will have good crops too, as we just did have thunder last week and thunder snow the week before. :laugh:
How are everyone's gardens looking so far---besides wet ? If you are already picking tomatoes or have cantaloupes as big as softballs, I don't even want to hear about it. ;D
Strawberries so far. Nothing else. Jim's been working with Billy Harrison - and said her garden is doing great. Wet, but with decent drainage, so not much flooding.
Lot's of asparagus. Then strawberries, radishes and snow peas. A few tomatoes about golf ball size. Everything else slow to start but taking off with more warmth. Cabbage getting big. Corn finally growing. Squash and melons just getting going. Picked some beets today. Carrots haven't done squat. Lettuce and Spinach pickable. Jalepeno's liking more heat.
Bull I love Asparagus the way my wife fixes. She cooks it in a Cheese Sauce mixed with think Cream/Milk and adds cut up onions and Cut Up small pieces of Celery and Jalapenos cut in little Pieces. UMUM GOOD.
She is a GREAT COUNTRY GIRL COOK.
That sounds delicious. I usually just lightly grill it and put butter on it. Will have to try your wife's way.
Strawberries are done, picked a 8 pound cabbage last evening, canning pickled beets today. The wet weather kept me out of the garden so the weeds took over, trying to catch up now.
We have been canning apples over here in Upola thanks to the neighbors who had a over abundance.The black bugs ate my tomatoes so next year i'm moving the garden.Thats the nice thing about gardening theres always next year!Hows your garden folks?
We had a really good potato crop.Also big onions but not much else.
Black bugs maybe blister bugs. They are black, grey, and brown striped. I you catch them before much damage spraying will kill them or cause them to move on.
Pretty much done for the season except for tomatos and lots of peppers.