2013 Gardening Thread (Read 239 times)

    The drought was pretty bad last year.  I temporarily forgot what color grass is supposed to be.

     

    The unexpected high of 83F today makes me less than optimistic about what this summer might hold, too.

     

     

    Pumpkins don't do drought well.  If you have the drought as bad as we did last year, there was nothing you could do.  Trust me, I've tried everything.

     

    I have had problems with all gourds and melons.  They get a certain size and then the vines die.  I think it is insect, I am going to try insecticide around the base of the vine this year.  My boss told me that in our area there is a worm that gets in there at the ground level and kills it.

    "When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." 
    Emil Zatopek


    Prince of Fatness

      We've had a few warm days here and things are really starting to green up.  The potatoes went in yesterday.  Some were from the local co-op and others I managed to save from last year.  I am guessing that in a couple I will have to start cutting the lawn.  Some neighbors have been but I do not think that lawns need it yet.

      Not at it at all. 

      patarch1


      New Haven 08

        6 sacrificial squash plants went in this morning. The seedlings took way faster than I expected and after re-potting them to a 4" diameter pot, the roots were going through the fiber and started drying.

        Hopefully the temperature under the hoops and tarp will keep them safe.

        early squash

        200 mile bike trip in three days with sleeping gear and change.

        Get the Saturday running club back up.

        Run below 8 minutes per mile for 6 miles.

         

          Folks!  We need to keep this thread alive!

           

          As for me, I haven't even thought about the garden this year.  I had plans of expanding...but it's not happening, and I don't have the time.  I can't do seeds because of the effing cat.  The existing garden is overgrown, I need to weed it.   too much going on.

           

          I hope I can get to it.  A little depressing.

          Jeff


          Feeling the growl again

            Folks!  We need to keep this thread alive!

             

             

            It has not been for a lack of interest.  We've been so wet here, we were rescuing goldfish from my pond in puddles 100 yards from the pond once the water receded.  I have some new raspberry plants to put in, I took them out of the box and threw some mud over the roots.  Just too wet to plant anything right now.  I got my new grape trellis up except for the runner posts, it's been too wet to set them.

            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

             

            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

             

               

              It has not been for a lack of interest.  We've been so wet here, we were rescuing goldfish from my pond in puddles 100 yards from the pond once the water receded.  I have some new raspberry plants to put in, I took them out of the box and threw some mud over the roots.  Just too wet to plant anything right now.  I got my new grape trellis up except for the runner posts, it's been too wet to set them.

               

              Wow.  Just wow.  Because of you complaining about the drought last year.

               

              Weather be effed up....

              Jeff


              Oh roo roooo!

                I have had problems with all gourds and melons.  They get a certain size and then the vines die.  I think it is insect, I am going to try insecticide around the base of the vine this year.  My boss told me that in our area there is a worm that gets in there at the ground level and kills it.

                Spaniel, the problem is a critter called a vine borer.  We have them here by the boatload.  A little white or gray moth lays eggs on the vine that turn into a tiny little caterpillar that bores into the vine (hence the catchy name) and works its way down the inside of the vine, eating the innards out and killing your vine.  If you're the curious type, you can slit open the vine and see the evil little *#%# in there.

                 

                Not sure if the insecticide at the base of the plant will help or not.  I have read that BT (Bacillus thuringensis) can be used on the vines, as can floating row cover.  I'm sure you can find more if you google it, mostly just wanted to give you a name for what causes the problem, hoping that will help you more easily find a solution you're happy with.


                Prince of Fatness

                  Yeah squash vine borers are tough.  I am almost certain to get them in any squash that I plant in May.  If you wait until early July on you can avoid them as they have gone through their life cycle.

                   

                  Still too early to do much for me.  No sign of potatoes coming up yet but it should be soon.  Mother's Day is the guideline here for frost sensitive plants, so a couple of weeks to wait.  Not sure what I am going to plant.  May not even bother with tomatoes this year as the deer ravaged them last year.  They are cheap enough so I may plant some but if the deer have at them I will rip them up.  Hardly got any tomatoes last year anyway.

                  Not at it at all. 


                  Trail Dog

                    I picked up the last two straw bales I could find at my garden center, and will "test" the concept with my squash and watermelon this year. If it works well, I will pick up extra bales for 2014 they are more widely available in late summer and fall.

                     

                     

                    This year, I'm going to try gardening in straw bales for one test area....I read an article in the NYtimes last week and it's got me all intrigued and feel i have to give it a shot....Here's the article.

                    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/garden/grasping-at-straw-a-foolproof-vegetable-plot.html?pagewanted=all


                    Trail Dog

                      I moved to Chicago from Atlanta last fall, and for the first time in my adult life I have a backyard with full sun. I am starting my first vegetable garden this year, mostly in pots mostly for the ease of being able to move them around once the trees leaf out and I know where the true 'full sun' spots will be; and also to keep my dog out of the vegetables.

                       

                      In April I started tomatoes and peppers indoors in small seed starting pellets/pots. Yesterday I potted them up to 12 ounce 'red solo cups' with holes cut in the bottom. Eventually they will go into big containers for the patio. I also seeded some carrots and peas into pots outdoors.

                       

                      One big question for those of you with more experience -- I am brand new to vegetable gardening and used potting soil with Miracle Grow. Now that I already planted some things yesterday, I am wondering if that was a bad idea? I know flowers and vegetables like different fertilizer compositions. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this yesterday....

                       

                      I still need to plant lettuce and spinach today, and wondering if I need to buy regular potting soil.

                      TheHurricaneMom


                        I planted asparagus on Earth day and I just put in a bunch of onions.  We have to replace our cedar fence that surrounds the yard so I am holding off as I am sure the fence guys will trample my garden area if I plant anything more just yet. Plus I need to reinforce the perimeter against the varmints that look at my yard as their "Old Country Buffet"!


                        Feeling the growl again

                          I moved to Chicago from Atlanta last fall,

                           

                          One big question for those of you with more experience -- I am brand new to vegetable gardening and used potting soil with Miracle Grow. Now that I already planted some things yesterday, I am wondering if that was a bad idea? I know flowers and vegetables like different fertilizer compositions. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this yesterday....

                           

                          I still need to plant lettuce and spinach today, and wondering if I need to buy regular potting soil.

                           

                          #1, depending on what you are planting you may be taking a big risk this early in Chicago.  I am well south of you in Indy and I gave up planting anything but peas before May 15th.  I tried it 3 years and had to replant each time.  Potatoes could go in early too I guess.

                           

                          I've never used potting soil.  Plain old dirt usually does pretty well.  I rarely fertilize.  If you have a small space and need maximum yield it may be a bigger deal.  Lettuce and spinach should do fine without going to extra lengths.

                          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                           

                          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                           


                          Feeling the growl again

                            Spaniel, the problem is a critter called a vine borer.  We have them here by the boatload.  A little white or gray moth lays eggs on the vine that turn into a tiny little caterpillar that bores into the vine (hence the catchy name) and works its way down the inside of the vine, eating the innards out and killing your vine.  If you're the curious type, you can slit open the vine and see the evil little *#%# in there.

                             

                            Not sure if the insecticide at the base of the plant will help or not.  I have read that BT (Bacillus thuringensis) can be used on the vines, as can floating row cover.  I'm sure you can find more if you google it, mostly just wanted to give you a name for what causes the problem, hoping that will help you more easily find a solution you're happy with.

                             

                            Thanks.  My BIL is a bona fide entomologist (my sister has a mayfly species named after her) so I planned on asking him what I should do.  So much to do, so little time.

                            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                             

                            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                             


                            Prince of Fatness

                              More info on the squash vine borer ..... http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS229

                              Not at it at all. 


                              Trail Dog

                                Thanks! All the websites and calendars I checked said carrots would be okay before the last frost (May 15). I can always cover them with sheeting if temps drop below freezing, and they are in pots next to the sunny side of the house (which retains heat). I am only a mile or so from Lake Michigan, so my temps are generally warmer than what you see in the Chicago burbs. I started my tomatoes and peppers inside (they go outside during the warm days, and back inside at night); based on your experience in Indy I may consider starting my squash and cukes inside vs. direct seeding later in May.

                                 

                                 

                                #1, depending on what you are planting you may be taking a big risk this early in Chicago.  I am well south of you in Indy and I gave up planting anything but peas before May 15th.  I tried it 3 years and had to replant each time.  Potatoes could go in early too I guess.

                                 

                                I've never used potting soil.  Plain old dirt usually does pretty well.  I rarely fertilize.  If you have a small space and need maximum yield it may be a bigger deal.  Lettuce and spinach should do fine without going to extra lengths.