2012 Gardening Thread (Read 1516 times)

    So, I'm guessing that "65 days" thing is just a load of crap.

     

    I can wait....

     

    I bought "4th of July tomatoes" for the first time this year. Still waiting. 

     

    On another note, we adopted a beagle in November. Her mere presence (scent) has eliminated my rabbit problem. Garden's in good shape. now, if only I could keep the Japanese beetles from destroying my basil plants. 

     


    tomatolover

      so the dog's deterring the rabbits?  hmmm...Anyone have any luck with dog pee to deter deer as well?  If so, I gotta school garden that needs to be majorly "watered"


      Feeling the growl again

        so the dog's deterring the rabbits?  hmmm...Anyone have any luck with dog pee to deter deer as well?  If so, I gotta school garden that needs to be majorly "watered"

         

        Short of a 10ft fence, deer are a tough one.  With my dog's scent everywhere we don't seem to have an issue here.  However small pieces of metal traveling at high rates of speed seem to be the only really effective deer deterrent.

        "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

         

          Saw some "pellets" on my lawn the other day.  I think it was rabbit, but whatever it was, nothing hit my garden.

           

          We only have a 4 ft fence, but my philosophy is, if that's there, they'll go to the next door neighbors that don't have any fence at all.

           

          Before we had the fence, our neighbors would always say to us "when we come home after midnight, the deer are ALWAYS on your lawn".

          Jeff


          Prince of Fatness

            Just nabbed another groundhog this morning.  This time it was a nectarine splashed with vanilla extract that got him.

             

            Many of my potatoes can be dug up, just haven't had the time.  I need to dig some up soon because next weekend I brew a batch of potato beer.

             

            I planted some summer squash and green beans which are coming along nicely.  There is fruit on the tomato plants but nothing is ready yet.

             

            It's been hot and dry here the last couple of weeks and I have had to water more than I have been used to.  At least I don't have to cut the grass.

            Not at it at all. 

              Just nabbed another groundhog this morning.  This time it was a nectarine splashed with vanilla extract that got him.

               

              Many of my potatoes can be dug up, just haven't had the time.  I need to dig some up soon because next weekend I brew a batch of potato beer.

               

              I planted some summer squash and green beans which are coming along nicely.  There is fruit on the tomato plants but nothing is ready yet.

               

              It's been hot and dry here the last couple of weeks and I have had to water more than I have been used to.  At least I don't have to cut the grass.

               

              Same here with the tomatoes.  Lots of green fruit that is not ready.  The only thing that I have that I have harvested (except for those mini potatoes) is cucumbers.  I was surprised by how early they came in this year.

               

              Some of the leaves are turning yellow.  Is that too much water, or not enough?

               

              Also, some of the leaves on my tomato plants, at the bottom, are yellow.  Same question.  Too much water, or not enough?

              Jeff


              Best Present Ever

                I harvested our first big tomato today -- a brandywine I think.  The kids pulled up the labels playing some game.  We've had scarlet runner beans for the last 10 days, okra are coming in, peppers too.  The eggplant are just sitting there, not growing.  Weird.  We finished the last of the kale.  Our collards didn't grow for some reason - I'd hoped to have them through the summer.  Cukes are babies, and I'm sure we'll have some soon.  Winter squash are flowering and making cute little baby squash. Oh, and the tomatillos are flowering and making little fruit.  I've never grown those before. 


                Prince of Fatness

                  Too much water, or not enough?

                   

                  It's been hot and dry and not knowing your watering habits I will guess under watering.

                   

                  A few yellow leaves are not a problem especially with viney stuff.  They will continue to root off of the new vines.  I find that the plants tend to die off around near the original planting spot.  Even tomatoes will root from the stems when they are touching the ground.

                   

                  A simple way to check to see if you need to water is to stick your finger down in the soil near the plant.  If it is dry, water.

                  Not at it at all. 

                  ryanj5


                    Short of a 10ft fence, deer are a tough one.  With my dog's scent everywhere we don't seem to have an issue here.  However small pieces of metal traveling at high rates of speed seem to be the only really effective deer deterrent.

                     

                    A dog's scent can be a deterrent however the scent of a true predator will have a much more significant effect. We use Shake-Away Coyote Granules for Deer, Rabbits and other small animal intruders. It is an All-Natural repellent and is very easy to use by just shaking it on the ground around the areas you wan to protect. You can check it out the Deer Repellent here: http://www.critter-repellent.com/deer/deer-repellent.php


                    Prince of Fatness

                      Got yet another groundhog today.  That's three this year to go with the five squirrels.  Not sure if it was him but something got into my garden and ate my green bean plants.  It doesn't appear like anything else was touched.  Could have been a rabbit I suppose.

                       

                      This weekend I need to dig up some potatoes.  Many of them have died off.

                      Not at it at all. 

                        I think a rabbit hit my lettuce.  Or, it might be bugs, but I really haven't seen any of them.

                         

                        I saw some poop on my lawn the other day.  Looked like deer, but I have a fenced in yard.  Certainly they could jump the fence with no problem at all, but they usually don't.  It's easier to move on to the next house.  So, I'm guessing rabbit.

                         

                        The 'maters (all 2 of them) are *just* starting to turn red.  I'm assuming I'll get plenty in the next few weeks, all the way to October, but this year isn't shaping up good for anything.

                         

                        The peppers (5 plants) are yielding almost nothing.  I'm very disappointed, because I like peppers. Hot, sweet, whatever.

                         

                        Broccoli was a bust.  3rd time I've tried it.  Never again.  The basil went to seed.  I ended up getting another plant.  I guess you have to keep picking it.

                         

                        The spinach never happened.  Didn't come up.  I think the soil was too warm.

                         

                        Potatoes, well, we'll see.  The plants look fantastic.  But  you never know until you dig them up.  I'm waiting until September.   They can stay in the ground all season, right?

                         

                        The tomatoes, I have 12 plants, and there's not much activity.  I may have spaced them too close.  Also, I tried all sorts of wacky heirloom varieties.  The only ones that look like anything is coming in is the Brandywine hybrid, which is, of course, not an heirloom.  And even they aren't producing.  The Rutgers, which I had hopes for, 3 plants, aren't even 2 feet tall.  And there's nothing on them.

                         

                        Oh, I have plenty of big, huge (some almost 6 feet tall) bushy tomato plants, but no tomatoes on them.

                         

                        The cucumbers are doing "ok", but not what I would call good.

                         

                        I'm pretty sure it's just me too, because the guy up the street's garden is doing well, and while kayaking on the lake the other day, I ran into (OK, figuratively) a friend who has a plot at our township garden, and she says her stuff is doing really well.

                         

                        Grrrrr.

                        Jeff


                        Best Present Ever

                          We had broccoli, but its time is long over for us (I'm in virginia).  It's definitely a cool weather plant.  Our kale (red russian) wont' stop. I  keep thinking I should pull up the plants, but the keep putting out new leaves.  Same with the chard.  I have some tuscan kale, but haven't liked it.  No matter when I pick it, it's tough and not that good.  I need to just give up and pull those plants us.  I planted collards, but they didn't come up.  Well, I have three teeny seedlings. We'll see if they do anything.  Our tomatoes are going crazy, and we're starting to get a lot of fruit.  Cherokee Purples have been the first, followed by green zebras.  Beans -- I have scarlet runner beans, Kentucky wonder and some regular Blue Lake bush beans -- are going crazy.  Cucumbers just starting. Probably have one big enough to pick today or tomorrow, with a million babies coming.  Zucchini are not doing as well, and i'm not sure why.  Butternut squash seems fine so far.  Let's see, I have some peppers -- they never do well.  I have flowers and babies so I'm waiting to see if this is the year they are great.  Two eggplants are just sitting there.  Not bigger, not smaller.  Why?  My tomatillos should have fruit soon.  Okra is steady.  Brussell sprouts look ok.  Last year, they looked great until just before time to harvest.  Not sure what happened.  I'm hoping to keep a closer eye on them this year.  Oh, and I planted beets.  They came up and have not grown since.  Not sure what is going on -- just a bit bigger than seedlings,  just hanging out. Maybe it got too hot too fast?  My salad greens aren't doing anything good, even under shade cloth.  Some arent' growing, others are way to bitter, even for me, and I'm a fan of bitter salad greens.  

                          stadjak


                          Interval Junkie --Nobby

                            My BigBoy tomatoes are just ripening -- not a lot of fruit, but some.  Grape tomatoes have been steady for the last month.  The two heirlooms aren't doing jack.  I'm at the point where I'm hoping for 1 tomato just to taste the variety.

                             

                            Cucumbers are going bananas again.  Last year I had 3 plants and about 80 total fruit.  This year one plant and already 12 fruit.

                             

                            String beans were tasty.  Came up well, but I missed picking some in the heat and they withered.

                            Peas did "meh".  I think I got a quart of peas out of 7 plants.

                             

                            Watermelon looks . . . interesting so far.

                             

                            Basil is strong.

                             

                            Rosemary is strong.

                             

                            Carrots? Who knows. 

                            2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do


                            Best Present Ever

                              isn't it a bit late, or early,  for carrots? I didn't plant any in the spring, and won't even try until we get closer to fall.  I plant mostly runner beans, and they keep bearing all season.  

                              stadjak


                              Interval Junkie --Nobby

                                I planted them in the spring.  They have stalks.  But you never know how big until you pull them up.  I haven't seen them crown yet, so in the dirt they stay for now.  Besides, my wife is never very impressed by carrots.

                                2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do