Week 1 April 2022

2 years ago

I've lost this post 3 times. I'm getting cranky. Okay. Better now. Happy Sunday, everybody.

I need to run into town and get strawberries, then back out to do a little yard work and plant the strawberries and beets.

Look what Garry found today--8 feet from the front door--so then I had to go look in the back where all the trees are, but didn't see any more.

What do you all have going on?

Featured Answer

AmyinOwasso/zone 6b

2 years ago

I buy the pine shavings or cedar shavings (since they aren't going in with chickens. I plant my tomato bed with lettuce for a living mulch, so I only put the shavings right around the tomatoes. By the time the lettuce bolts the tomatoes are shading the soil.

My only problem with your method, Kim, is the fencing. You can't get your hands through. I look at welded wire and start to bleed somewhere. That stuff is vicious.

Jennifer, I always thought of "Karens" as snobby, entitled, rude and pushy. They deserve to be called out. But my definition is apparently not everyone's. (I don't think I'm any of those things.) In fact I kind of think the person who used the term was being Kareny. (I feel sorry for anyone named Karen!)

Ron planted the kale yesterday. Someone gave him bird netting which he put over the kaleto keep the white butterflies out. Later I looked out and there was a white butterfly trapped UNDER the netting. THAT was not the answer.

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Comments (75)

hazelinok
2 years ago
Larry, your garden looks good. The henbit will die when it warms up a bit more.

Amy, your Karen comment made me laugh. (although something about the "karen" thing bothers me. I can't quite figure it out. It's something about how when a woman speaks up and speaks her thoughts/mind, she's a "karen". It's almost like there's a witch-hunt to find the karens. Of course they're women, because, men, when they speak up, aren't considered such. And...women are mostly the "karen hunters" which is sad. Anyway...)

I ate some club crackers while ago. Eating junk to prepare for the apocalypse.

Dawn was fortunate to be able to be home most of the time and could cover and uncover things as needed. She was always prepared too. Last year, I lost the SuperBowl Sunday tomatoes even though they were covered. They needed a second layer.

Even being away from the house with a hoop house can be difficult. Is it really going to be cloudy and 40 today? Or will the sun come out and heat it up? And as sure as I don't vent it, the sun will come out and cook the plants/seedlings. And, I'm stuck at work and unable to deal with it.

Lynn, was it April 21 that was the last frost? I just remember our zoo trip was on an extremely cold day. We only stayed 2 or 3 hours. The kids had to wear coats, gloves, scarves. It was insane. And quite miserable because it was windy as well as cold.

Kim, the little fig tree is still doing so well! I'm so happy I didn't kill it. It will stay in the large pot until I know a little more about the turnpike situation. I think it's likely we won't be forced to move. Probably.

If so, I will request eminent domain to pay for the digging up and moving of my bushes and trees. lol

Nancy, a couple of questions for you.

1. What sort of pen do you use on your plant tags? They are all perfectly legible from last year. I've forgotten what things are in the herb/pollinator bed, but your tags are still marked--so I know those.

2. We both picked up a coral honeysuckle from Dawn a few years ago. Has yours ever bloomed? Do you have a picture of it? I'm beginning to doubt mine actually is a honeysuckle. It's doing what I need it to do---shade the west side of the chicken pen, but flowers would be pretty. I need to trim whatever it is up a bit.

I'm at work and will be here until 9 or so. Long day. I wish I could be outside. It's pretty out there.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Jennifer, if I have my way about it, that henbit will die long before it get warm, I hate the stuff, I do leave some for the bugs and bees. The henbit stinks, and makes me itch.

I have been trying to order some Persian cucumber seed. I am not smart enough to order online, and when I call I sit and listen to painful music till I am numb, and still no seed.
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hazelinok
2 years ago
Larry, can you call one of your girls and ask them to order for you? Ask them to go to Renee's Garden on line and search for Green Fingers Persian cucumbers. These are the ones I ordered. persian cukes
Lynn Dollar
2 years ago
The wind just picked up here, in a major way. Its making the house creak. Suppose to be bad for the next two days. I've got the bottom of my tomato cages wrapped with plastic wrap and that helps from these spring winds.

It was April 21 last year. I lost all my plants and I've got that date implanted ( no pun intended ) in my brain. Though, that was all my fault for covering them too early in the day and they cooked.

Its not scientific, but my impressions over years of growing tomatoes, is that the weather in May will determine the first ripe tomato. The plants will set fruit late April but if its colder than normal in May, they just don't make any progress toward ripening. I think they like a little heat to ripen.

The way my lawn is coming on, I may be able to mulch with grass clippings :) . I checked prices on cottonseed hulls, I found two places, $15 and $17 for a 40# bag. A 40 pound bag won't mulch very many plants and I have 25 this year, which is a huge number for me.

I've got a find some seed for " slicing " cucumbers ? Is there a diff between slicers and normal cucumbers ?
Nancy RW (zone 7)
Original Author
2 years ago
I'm in a rush--I'm doing yard clean-up and there are a billion obnoxious little saplings in the center bed, including 3-4 privets. The rest seem to be elms or white ash--but I don't know how I'll ever get them out. Also, it looks like it will be another bad grasshopper year. Couldn't get Nolo Bait and I'm seeing small grasshoppers--SO bummed. Have any of you ever used Ecobran?

Jennifer, I think I was just using a Sharpie fine point. And you must have gotten lucky--it wore off many of mine. This year I have a Staedtler "permanent garden" Lumocolor pen!

Regarding the honeysuckle. Nope, I got mine from Almost Eden in 2019. I figured it wouldn't bloom until its 3rd year, because where I planted it, it couldn't reach the sun until it got as bit as you see that it is this year. But by gosh, it better bloom this year! :)

This is messy, but I'm just now beginning bed clean-ups. I'm so tickled we put strawberries in one of the raised beds! Really, only about half of one--4x12 feet or so.

Very excited that my New Jersey tea shrubs got here--and the goldenrod, rudbeckia laciniata, and smooth asters. The flowers will go in the raised flower bed--the only place I have for sun-lovers. Not sure where the various shrubs will go yet, but I best be figuring it out!

Happy gardening, everyone.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Jennifer, thanks, I hate to keep bothering the girls, I am still waiting on two books that I have ask them two times to order. I know that they are busy. I got an email from True Leaf, Brenda said she would help me, now, I need to figure out what to do on my end.

I got a place ready to plant green beans in the south garden. It did not rain last night and the soil looks really good, but, because of my micro-climate I thought maybe I should wait a while.
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
This is how I learned to plant tomatoes very early. This particular year 150 plants went in about 6 weeks before the last frost. We had frost, freeze, snow, wind and hail. I lost one plant. The cages are built using concrete wire. We covered and stapled with plastic from Lowe’s. Nothing fancy. Leave the extra plastic at the bottom. Plant, place cage over, run wire through top of cage, attach to t posts every 15’ , mound up the soil around the base and water it in to make a solid little berm so the wind can not get through. Water if needed. We had ours on drip. Leave it alone until you see a red tomato and it’s well past the last frost date. Lots of work doing 150 plants but wow the early harvest was huge
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
Yes and plastic landscape cover
Lynn Dollar
2 years ago
Kim, i wrap the bottom of my cages with plastic wrap, just to provide wind protection. What you're doing there is far far more elaborate. I don't get how it offers freeze protection if the top is open ?
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
I don’t either. I just did it on that scale one year. It was amazing to me.
HU-422368488
2 years ago
Lynn , the slicing cukes are the long slender ones just right for slicing. You can slice them longways for spears too if you want. I just got some slicing cuke transplants at Atwoods today, so the plants are starting to come out in the stores Those are usually the Burpless variety :

https://www.gurneys.com/product/early_spring_burpless_hybrid_slicing_cucumber?p=0515548&gclid=CjwKCAjw9LSSBhBsEiwAKtf0nx1PFXwKrAFYE6SKOxrIbjPeux1SBw2amB1174nJDHVushwnXlEMkxoCgowQAvD_BwE

The pickling cukes are shorter fatter that you usually pickle whole (but nothing says you can't slice them if you want too):

https://www.gurneys.com/category/Pickling_Cucumbers

If you want to start from seed , you can get seed for either one at places like Walmart garden section , a feed store.... or order online , just shop around

Rick
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
Rick I prefer the pickling for fresh eating. And they seem more pest resistant than the smooth skin slicers.
HU-422368488
2 years ago
Kim , I'm impressed.

Rick
Rebecca (7a)
2 years ago
I have 5 tomates in the ground right now that look just like Kim’s. The procedure works great.
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
Thanks Rick. Working an organic farm on 5 acres was such a learning experience. I wouldn’t want to do that much again but I think an acre would be perfect for me as I get older.
HU-422368488
2 years ago
Yeah big gardens are a lot of work. I do the weekend warrior thing on about 1/4 acre thereabouts. It's a long days haul with all the stuff I try to put in it and keeping it weeded out too. If it weren't for the tillers I couldn't do it.

Rick
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hey Nancy, look around your may apple patch for more morels.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
Original Author
2 years ago
Amy--both of us focused on the area around the may apples specifically, since a runoff stream is nearby. Nope, neither of us could see any. (Doesn't mean there weren't any, of course!)

I ordered a keyboard clamp-on platform for the table in my everything room. We saw a magnificent desk two days ago, on sale for a magnificent price. . . we thought about getting it, but only place to put it would be in here--we'd have to take the table out. We're still waffling. Maybe we should get it. If I knew I was never going to do any more quilting, we'd get the desk. Maybe we could get it, take the table leaves out of the table so it's real little, and then I could use it in here, too. Sigh. Decisions, decisions. I digress. So the clamp-on platform came yesterday and it was rocket science. There were only five parts and 8 screws, but took us forever to figure out how it went together. So funny. We definitely know now not to get any other stuff that has to be assembled. Remember the IKEA days?

It's really too cool to be outside doing yard work. I did turn the water sprinkler on in the vegetable beds for a while for the newest planted carrots, beets, strawberries and blackberries. And that's as far as I got today.

Okay, you tubing--I finally found something I am having a lot of fun with on You Tube--that is, watching CS Lewis stuff. Just wonderful! What a great writer he was!

Got a good laugh out of your butterfly story, Amy. And then jumped up, ran out, and covered the broccoli raab.

We'll go in to Wagoner to get a truckload of pine needles we can store as a mulch source.

Rebecca--where did you get your cages?
hazelinok
2 years ago
The wire cages make me bleed to, Amy. I use them, but I'm always scratched up.

"Karen" is overused, I think. If you accuse someone of being one---you've won. And no one wants to be one.

Kim, great picture! Covering those tomatoes would be a full time job! So nice that they were all protected (except one).

Nancy, thanks for the picture. I'm not sure what I've got growing. Maybe it is coral honeysuckle? I picked up the plant from Dawn 5 years ago (I think).

I have a FB memory today of something that Dawn shared with me--a "chicken city".

<3
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Amy, thanks for "May Apple " I was trying to think of the name when the picture was posted of the mushrooms. I have heard that the mushrooms often grow around them. I have 3 places where may apples grow, but have not thought to check them this year, I don't know how to use them any way.

I have wanted to try a living mulch for a long time. Ladino clover is what I have wanted to experiment with, but its almost as bad as bermuda. The plant that I have had that produced the most nitrogen knots on the roots is Hairy Vetch, but they are very hard got me to pull out of my tight soil. Just cutting the hairy vetch off at the ground might be a better way to get rid of it.

I am really itching to plant something, Maybe I should just go pick more spinach, we finished off the last that I picked a few days ago. We have been eating spinach every day lately, when my eyes turn green it will be time to stop.
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
Amy the concrete wire is a6x6 opening. Makes for very easy picking.
hwy20gardener
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I found a supplier in Tulsa that had 6x6 remesh last year. They are 8 ft wide and 20 ft long. Threw them on a trailer to haul home and cut them to length with bolt cutters. They are really good for indeterminate toms, bending into V shapes or arches, etc. I lash them with cotton twine to 2x2 posts for the tomatoes.

In this area, things need to be built pretty sturdy with all the wind. Today is a great example of that. It's the covering that would give me fits. Don't think I have the time to go that far with it.
hazelinok
2 years ago
The tomatoes are back in the house. I'm not quite ready to risk it. They'll go back out on Saturday. That was a workout. Those trays are heavy after being watered. And the hoop house is at the back of the property, behind the shop.

Kim, the wire my cages are built from aren't as open as that. Rick brought over a couple that are better than the ones that I made. They have the larger openings like yours, and don't scratch me up.

Larry, did you get your cucumber order figured out? Would you like me to order them for you?

How do you eat your spinach, Larry?

I made a really wonderful soup tonight. It's another one that is good for garden food: onions, bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and kale. And other non-garden things. It was just delightful. A keeper.

Carrie Spoonmore messaged me last night. They want to do a garden tour over here. I asked if we could wait a month or so. Things should be a little further along by then.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
I have wind problems also, but I build my trellises with cattle panels, rebar, treated wood, conduit, or bamboo, what ever I can find. I leave my trellises up till I have to remove or rebuild them, Its not the best way, but I started this system years ago and I don't want to buy new material and start over. It I were younger, I think I would go with the "L" shaped panels because of ease of storage. In this area I almost have to have T post to anchor everything. T post are just one of the Items I have to keep on hand.

I need to rent some shelf space from one of you. I only have room for 8 flats. I try to start seeds late enough to keep from potting up and running out of room, but it has not worked so far. I am also not set-up for starting sweet potatoes either, a person really needs some kind of greenhouse so they can play with a lot of plants.
Rebecca (7a)
2 years ago
Nancy - This year Tractor Supply had square solid metal tomato cages for $5 each. I cleaned out the Sand Sorings location. If yours is out, theyre probably online.

I’ve got my sheets ready to throw over my wintersowing jugs tomorrow after work. I think the heat island effect will help a lot, but I’m not taking chances. I need these plants.

Martha Stewart was in town this week, and bought redbud trees at the same little family owned nursery that my mom and I have used for decades. So happy for them.
Kim Reiss
2 years ago
Storing the cages would be an issue for me. In west Texas where we had this setup they had cotton trailers to hold them. It amazes me that with all the weather and high winds I only had to repair a few of the plastic covering.
jlhart76
2 years ago
With the garage out of commission until we get everything fixed, I had to move the last seedlings over to the shed. I'm just going to hope for the best. I might move them into that grow box HJ gave me for a little extra protection. I'll throw a sheet over the containers outside, but that's about all I can do. The garden only has peas, lettuce & onion, so they should be ok. I guess it's good that i don't have more than I do; if it gets zapped I'm not out much.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Jen, your "Grow Box" triggered an idea. I have a 275 gallon tote that I have cut the top out of, to sorta use to make a "Bucket Truck" buy attaching it to the front end loader on the tractor to keep the trees pruned in the pasture. I maybe can use that tote for a grow box by turning it in its side, and just closing the side if the forecast does not look good. I may have to put a shelf or two in it to hold all my plants. Some of the smaller stuff can still be carried into the house. I need to get out today and do some measuring.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
2 years ago
I just bought a cook book with soup recipes for everything from blueberries to Brussels sprout. If you are looking for anything let me know.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Madge and I went to greenwood for lunch, and of course I had to go by the Farmers Co-op. I bought another once of cucumber seeds and 4.75 pound of Ladino clover seeds, I am going to go ahead mess up a row in my garden by planting a living mulch of clover. It my be a crazy, but it is something I have wanted to try for a few years. I have tried to keep clover out of my garden for 50 years, now I am planting it, but I have a tiller and glyphosate, I can kill plants quicker than I can get them to grow.

Amy, is blueberry soup as good as blueberry pie? I have tried eating pumpkin soup. I have a hard time with the pumpkin soup, I was no expecting it to be so sweet.

I also bought another bag of fertilizer, I want to rat hole a little fertilizer because the price is already going up. My neighbor called last light and wants to join me it doing a few wildlife projects. We will need a little fertilizer for the food we plan on growing for us and the wildlife.
Lynn Dollar
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Cleveland County not in the freeze warning, but I think I'll get the buckets out , anyway.

But as long as the skies are clear, like they are right now, then they should be able to accurately predict night time temps. Its when the skies are over cast and they miss the skies clearing, that an unexpected low temps can happen.

But anyway, buckets out of the shed.

NWS freeze warning
hwy20gardener
2 years ago
Slow, looks like i'll be heading down your way after my sons game in Bixby tomorrow. My nephew is having a birthday get together. They're off of Tenn Ridge which is awful close to your area, I believe.

Winds should finally die down this weekend, thankfully. Last few days have been annoying. Freeze warning for a pretty large area overnight.

Y'all motivated me to pick up a few more remesh sheets to add to my existing tomato supports. Materials are getting expensive, but they just don't make cages for indeterminates. May even make a support for a clamatis, which i've always wanted to grow.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Hwy20, yes Tennessee Ridge Road is north of me about 15 miles, I live on down closer to Midland Arkansas. Tennessee Ridge is a nice area I have friends that live in the area, other that use to, but some passed, some in the nursing home, others hobbling around just like me. I have liven in this area since birth.

We use cattle panels for clematis support, but cattle panels are not getting any cheaper either.

Cattle panels are another item I try to keep on hand, I hope I have enough to last me, I think I have about 8 left, but it is hard to wear a cattle panel out.

I got my clover cover crop planted on both sides of one of my tomato rows. This may be a stupid move, but it is not the first stupid thing I have done.
hwy20gardener
2 years ago
I love cattle panels too. I got what they call a utility panel a couple of years back to make a cantaloupe arch. It was a fun time bending that thing around t-posts to tie down. That thing is like a spring. But being galvanized makes a world of difference vs these reinforcement mesh panels.

The pros of the 10 ga. remesh is that is fairly light weight and can be cut and bent really easily. I make hooks out of the cut end to fasten to the opposite end.
HU-422368488
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Hope everybody covers up tonight if you put out toms and such. Freeze warning tonight for up north and over east. hope it's the last one but you never know. Tomorrow I'm going to plant corn and put out tomato plants (and cover with a milk jug) along with summer squash and some cukes.

Rick
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Hwy20, I was lying in bed and happened to think. that you were the one that was asking about the purple sweet potatoes, if so you may want to come on over to my house, I have extra potatoes and slips, I can give you either if you want to grow your own sweet potatoes, if so you can call me at 479-629-6181, you will have to talk loud because my hearing is very bad. I am very easy to find.

Yes the cattle panels can be fun to work with. I don't know which one I use, they use to cost a little under 20 bucks, now I expect that they are closer to 30 bucks. I made an arch about 7 or 8 years ago for Seminole pumpkins to grow on in my lawn. I now grow them in the wildlife garden where I have a lot more room and I can let them more, or less, grow wild.
Lynn Dollar
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Its always best to err on the side of caution , it hit freezing at the two nearest mesonet stations last night. The predicted low was 36.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
My min/max shows a low of 27, I find that hard to believe, but, even though I am south of Ft. Smith I often drop around 5 degrees lower than their forecast, but I think their forecast was above freezing. I think I have all my plants inside anyway.
hazelinok
2 years ago
Pretty sure it did not frost here. I showed a low of 34. Tomatoes were all inside just in case.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
2 years ago
Larry, it's called blueberry stew.

1 c water

2 Tbsp lemon juice

12 Oz blueberries

3 Tbsp coconut sugar

Heated for 10 minutes.

I think I'd call it compote, but it became obvious English was not the writers first language. It's a Mediterranean diet cookbook and I think she's Greek.

I don't know how low it went here, but nothing was damaged.

I checked Atwoods cattle panels on line a week ago and they were $25 and change. I love cattle panels, we use a lot and lay them over the beds in winter to keep the dogs from digging.
Nancy Waggoner
2 years ago
It got down to 32.9 degrees where our min/max thermometer is. Everything is just fine. Supposed to get to 75 today, but it was too cool for me to sit at the deck table and read. It would be perfect for me to be out working, so I best head out there in a little while. Garry and I did a walk around the place this morning to check out all the trees/bushes. Pear trees are blossoming, but the apple trees are just barely beginning to get leaves--and the paw paw trees don't yet show signs of life. I recall they are very slow to leaf out. Any of the rest of you have paw paw experience? Flowering dogwood, oakleaf hydrangea looking greaat. And looks like everything else made it through the winter, too.

Yes, another cattle panel fan here. But I don't have any here! Left them at the school.

We are going to have a lot of beets, I think. Carrots, not so many--but probably enough. I'm so anxious to try broccoli raab and collards.

I have sweet potato slips coming from George--I think I'll plant some in the big mineral tubs to serve as food AND decoration.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
I took out my plants for a little sun. When we had guest for 5 days was the first time I set them out to harden off, I forgot them and cooked them, some died, some look like they would rather be dead. It did not help that I spilled urea into the potting soil, but I think I have saved most of them. To make a long story short, this is the worst plant starting year I have ever had.

I got a spot of about 500 sq. ft. busted up in the wildlife garden. My neighbor had said that he wanted a small spot in that area so I fixed him one. I also busted up an area to plant flowers along the edge of the wildlife garden, next to the hwy. I also moved some old hay to an area at the creek bank that was washing sway. I plan on moving more hay and gravel to the area. It is a never ending battle to try to maintain a piece of property.

I have rested a while, I think it would be a good idea to check to see if I can harvest more sweet potato slips, maybe even work on cleaning some of the north garden.
hazelinok
2 years ago
Nancy, me too! I'm going to try sweet potatoes in mineral tubs this year. I didn't order any from George. Has he already sent yours? If not, I wonder if we could share shipping and I could pick mine up at the SF? That's if the timing works out. I know shipping has gone up a lot for him and I don't need to order more than a dozen. Anyway....let me know what you think. I should have made my own, but didn't.

Also, my oakleaf hydrangea is leafing out. It looks good so far. It struggled the last two year. Lori gave some advice to me. So, hopefully it will continue to look good this year.

Also a cattle panel fan. And a handy panel fan. Have many of those.

I'm gonna do it. I'm going to put in the first 6 tomatoes this afternoon. Two trays are in the ridiculously big state---and I didn't even start them early!

Oddly, the other trays aren't looking great and aren't so big. They don't look bad really, just a little something. I suspect they got wind burned. Maybe. It's the Jet Setters and Heidi. They all got a drink of fish emulsion this morning, so maybe they will perk up a bit. I would like them to get just a bit bigger before giving them out and before bringing them to the SF.

Other than that, I cleaned up the area around the chicken pen. Tore out the old morning glory vine. I hope morning glory seeds aren't poisonous to chickens because they gobbled them down. And, the scarlet salvia. And whatever else was there and dead. Also trimmed up the "coral honeysuckle" or whatever kind of plant it is. I believe Dawn said the name was/is Pink Lemonade. It would be my luck that she accidentally dug up something else. LOL And that is what I have.

Oh well, it is doing the job of shading the chicken pen, so that's good. And it's not ugly. I did quite a trim on it though. It just sat for a couple of years and really took off last year.

Then....I scattered some wildflower type of seed that I picked up from the Okies for Monarchs group....and some that Stella gave me. We'll see if anything comes up. I scattered and watered down a lot of seed.

Rest time is over. Time to deliver eggs and plant tomatoes. It's hard putting those first ones in.
Nancy RW (zone 7)
Original Author
2 years ago
Jennifer--I am starting my tomatoes with hardening off now, finally. They look pretty skinny and not especially healthy. I don't know what's going on. Perhaps I will give mine some fish emulsion, too. Thanks for mentioning it.

George has not sent them yet. Get ahold of him and see if he can send them before 4/17-18--if he can/will, I'd be happy to split shipping with you and bring them. This is my oakleaf hydrangea's 3rd year and it looks great! What advice did Lori give you?
jlhart76
2 years ago
I'm not sure how cold it got here, but I put everything in the shed & it all looked fine this morning. Moved it out & it's staying out for at least the next few days; forecasted low is 60 until Wed night.

All my tomatoes are tiny, but they look healthy. Same with peppers, only a couple inches tall but they look good. I gave everything some fish emulsion, then dumped some into the garden bed. I have a lot popping up but I don't know if they're weeds or what I planted. So until I can ID them, they get to grow.
hazelinok
2 years ago
Nancy, I messaged George. Will let you know what he says.

Lori's advice might be something that people snicker at, so keep that in mind before you read it. I'm doing everything she says, though. I've seen her plants (in pics) and they look good!

1. thin if crowded 2. dissolve two aspirins in 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of water (I haven't done that) and spray until plant is dripping, getting underside of leaves where spores are. 3. Soak with dormant oil at bud break (did that) and then 4. later a treatment of Neem.

My Oakleaf hydrangea was so bad that I might as well pull it if I don't plan on treating it. It was covered with rust. It was absolutely pitiful.

I gave my first 3 tomatoes to a new home. A SunGold, Abe Lincoln, and German Johnson. They were in the "ridiculously big" trays.

I planted one of each of those in MY garden as well as a Snow White cherry, a black cherry, and a Dr. Wyche.

I just had a thought--I might try a couple of tomatoes in the hoop house. See how they do. Maybe the dwarf cherry that I'll get from Jen.

One bed of broccoli in the hoop house looks really good. The other bed not so much. Those were the plants that were most damaged by the very cold night we had a month or so ago.

I'm pooped. I didn't get my work out done today, but dragged the hose around and shoveled and pulled a heavy cart around AND took Josi for a walk....so I'm going to count that as exercise.
Rebecca (7a)
2 years ago
I spent the afternoon outside. Went out this morning to get a few more bags of mulch and compost...and i don’t really need to eat this week, do I? Ace Hardware had some beautiful new plants out. Hollyhock starts, which I had never seen before. Black and orange petunias. Foxglove. Canna roots on sale. So...I was busy when I got home.

Anyway, I did get the mulch and finished the majority of the front flower beds. Just have to finish the corner where the lilies are coming up. The first wintersown plants are getting kicked out into the world tomorrow, a few tomatoes and some flowers.

We did not hit freezing last night. I think the heat island effect helped. All my stuff looked great. Dawn always told me to watch my pecan trees. They wouldnt leaf out until the weather was safe, and mine are starting to leaf.

As much as I love working in the garden, I could really use a rainy weekend to catch up inside the house.
hwy20gardener
2 years ago
Well, Slow...we ended up getting run ragged from the time we got to my Sister's house. We didn't get a chance to stop by as we left early today to beat the storms.

We got absolutely nothing done garden-wise, and now need to pay the price this week and get things back on track. Lots of work ahead and the warm weather stuff is a couple of weeks from finding their new home. Gonna be a lot of post driving and securing, weather checking and making sure seedlings are taken care of.

The re-plant of the peas last week are already 60% germinated. I think i'm going to adjust my schedule for those until a 3-day average soil temp is above 50F. Ironically, we we're later planting than the last several years for peas. Just goes to show how behind mother nature was this spring. But the train is definitely rolling now.
slowpoke_gardener
2 years ago
Hwy20, I am sorry we did not get a chance to meet. I hope you had a great visit at your sister's.

I had a good visit with my daughter, grand daughter, her boyfriend, and my puppy grand son. We went out to look for mushrooms, found none. I tilled some in the north and south garden. The north garden is a major mess I have taken the tractor and bucket and pushed the sides toward the center to make the soil a little deeper, mainly for drainage, the north garden stays wet too long. I have some berry vines I need to pull out of the north garden. I planted some thorny blackberries, hoping they would taste better than the thorn-less I tried about 15 years ago, they didn't. The vines are budding out now, so I may wait and see what they do this year, although I expect that will be a mistake, they will only get larger, and I expect the same sour taste.

I have plants that really need to go in the ground, I may just plant them in an empty row and then build trellises around them later, if they are in an empty row, at least I can cover them with mineral tubs it the weather looks bad. I have 6 empty tubs, so I may risk 6 plants, also I have a couple of mineral tubs I can plant in on the deck.

Week 1 April 2022

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