# Garden Status 2014



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Let's start a new year......:thumb:

It's a little early for us up here in northern states but not too early to start planning. This year I'll try to get a jump on things and order my seeds online.....I can't find any bulk sales on seeds around here like in the past. Just about any hardware store had bins of seeds and small brown sacks to put the seeds in after weighing. That was long ago and far away.......now you have to buy small prepackaged envelopes of seeds that cost you dearly. Depending on selection and price, I'll buy the 'maters and other seeds in the packages........it's the corn and beans that I need to buy in bulk. I have the pumpkins seeds saved from last season......got enough to start a pumpkin farm.....:rofl:

I *will not* make the mistake I made last year!! I put the varmint fence right up to the garden........didn't have enough room to maneuver the tiller. To get into the next row I had to lift the tiller over the plants or plow through them......I think I used the tiller twice, and lost the battle against the weeds.

I'll start the 'maters and peppers ~mid March and try to get them out early....I can always create another beer case graveyard in case of frost.....:grin:. The pepper seeds Old-Rich sent up produced some outstanding results.......:thumb:. I only planted 2 of each last season and plan on doubling that this year.

Time to take a look at what I can find in the way of corn/beans......after I calculate how much I need. Don't want to get locked out so I'll order early.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I'll be ordering seeds this afternoon so don't get the jalapenos or Habs . . I only need about a half package of each.

The herbs I moved into the garage are now back in the garden . .all look to have survived. some of the flowers went to heaven . . o well!

I miss the bulk seed sales too . . we have one place about 50 miles from here that still sell that way, but no more than I need, I just order from Burpees


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

This place does bulk sales Bulk Wholesale Heirloom Seed Sales - Sustainable Seed Co.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I could probably find bulk if I make a trip to a location more rural than what I'm in. Not worth the time and gas.......and would cost me more than the small packets would. There was a feed mill in New Albany that now sells designer bedroom furniture....or something like that. The mill bit the dust years ago......as did the Farmers Exchange in Westerville many years before that. Don't know if the mill in Grove City is still there.......but I'm not driving 40 miles.

I'll hold off on the peppers.......:thumb:. It'll be at least 8 weeks before I start any seeds......and that's still kinda early. 

Might go with 'Tenderette' for green beans this year......still doing more research. I think it was 'Contender' that turned out to be too stringy last year......talk about roughage!!

Thanks, Joe....I think I have that one bookmarked on the other computer. I'll take a look.......after I do dishes.....:frown:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

A quick search brought it up I'm sure you could find more


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Here is idea for you folks with a garden :

Your Pee Could Be Fertilizer of the Future - Team collects 3K gallons of nutrient-rich stuff

I looked at a lawn care service statement and they used uria from cattle. No idea how they collected it :>)

BG


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Most of the seeds are peaking thru. . Looks like I'll have pretty good success rate


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My garden is rather secluded.......no problem with urea.....:grin:. Not enough to fertilize but I'm hoping it deters the wildlife.....fence works better, though.

Rich's seedlings are showing.....:thumb:. I have about 8 weeks before starting anything.....kinda chilly @ 22F right now and a low of 1F Tuesday night.

I better get serious about ordering seeds before I get locked out by those who can plant earlier than us up here in the colder zones. After last night's dinner I may rethink crop planning. The kid fixed some of the frozen corn (on the cob) and it was great......just put the ears in boiling water. May cut back on the bush beans and plant more corn with pole beans.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I wish I had room for corn . . You Jal and Hab seeds should be on the way this week!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, Rich......:thumb:

I plan on a huge increase with the pepper crop......but will keep them segregated from each other. The hab sauce was killer and the kid's fire station had ample supply of jalapenos for poppers. Gonna suggest the kid ramp up the poppers by adding a little hab sauce to the cream cheese......need to see if we are dealing with _real_ firemen.....:rofl:

Never made it to the other kid's station.....kinda too far away for me. The one son lives with me and he just takes the peppers when he goes to work.....too easy to share that way.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Some chance of a frost in the morning . . Will be moving the pots back to the garage


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Supposed to hit -1F tonight......-3F Thursday night. I better check the herbs.....:angel:. Didn't bother trying to save the rosemary, either. 

What's it gonna do Thursday night down there?? Maybe have to bring the herbs in again??


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Warmer Thursday morning . . 45 Degrees


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

I'm putting a new Polygal roof on our greenhouse this weekend. This will be our first season trying to grow anything at the new house. I'm pretty excited to give it a shot.

BTW, the sprouts inside the tomato freaked me out. That just doesn't seem right. LOL


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Welcome Sparky!! Nice to have another gardener on board......:thumb: Wish I had a greenhouse.......even a cold frame....:laugh:

None of the 'mater sprouts survived from the freak 'mater......perhaps just as well. Don't know if it was genetics or treatment (I think they still radiate) after harvest that caused the 'mater to last long enough for the seeds to sprout. The thing looked perfectly fine and was still firm!! I had my eye on it and knew I was pushing my luck....it was at least 10 days old. 

-2F right now.......schools are on 2hr delay. I better get serious about ordering seed or resign myself to the fact of having to buy small packets again....:frown:

Let us know how the greenhouse is coming along and what you're growing, Sparky. I sure would have like to known how Gads did last year with the 10 zucchini plants.....:SHOCKED:


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

Thanks for the welcome, SABL. I'm not much of a gardener. We've grown veggies in Vegas, but its difficult as it'll get so hot, so quick. The UT climate is much more mild, and the locals up there can really grow. 

The greenhouse needs some work, but the structure is good. What's left of the existing roof is all but gone. It was those clear, corrugated FG panels. I found a deal on 4mm Polygal for $10/ sheet, and couldn't pass it up. 




Once the roof is on I'll throw another WiFi stat out there, and hook it up to some actuators to open/close the tilt out windows. Hopefully that will reduce some of the babysitting time, and I'll be able to see interior temps remotely. Should be a fun project.

Can't wait to start growing!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

*Slow Bolting Cilantro*

I was nosing around the seed section of the local hardware store and saw "Slow Bolting Cilantro" . . bought a couple of packages to see how different it really is.

I usually don't have to buy Cilantro seeds . . just let the last couple of plants of the summer go to seed and harvest those, but the hospital and recovery kept me from doing that this year


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Unusual name, non bolting would be better lol


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Probably a hybrid....might as well buy the store bought stuff?? Had 1 plant bolt and topped it out.....it didn't do a thing after that. It quit growing all together!!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

joeten said:


> Unusual name, non bolting would be better lol


Cilantro is a plant that has two culinary uses . . the leaves are used for flavoring many Asian and Mexican foods . . the seeds ( Coriander ) are used in similar foods, but with a completely different flavor.

In order to produce seeds it needs to bolt


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Rich I know the uses but not the growing method thanks


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I bribed a cook in Indonesia a few years back to teach me Chinese cooking . . we kept stumbling over the words "Cilantro" and "Coriander" which he used to describe both . . very confusing!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Here we just call it coriander/leaf


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

I think the leaves can be called Chinese parsley also. Surprised he didn't call it that.

Here the leaves are Cilantro, and the seeds Coriander. Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

The first time I worked with it I found it overpowering that said we were making a carrot & coriander soup


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm pretty sure the birds took care of any seeds on my cilantro plants......still have some left from last year, though.

Got to checking seeds this morning and I am already locked out on some stuff.....:sigh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

There is surely somewhere on line you can find what you need


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

joeten said:


> Here we just call it coriander/leaf


That is likely what he was using as well . . there was a significant language barrier . . my Bahasa is really weak!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

There is a name here I did not know Kamala's Corner – Kothumalli (Coriander Leaves) Recipes


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Herb, Cilantro Organic | Seed Savers Exchange


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

The small pack would be plenty for most folks lol


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I wish I had the room to need bulk packages . . sadly, it's a really small area and it's being overtaken by tree roots


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Are the stumps still there ? if safe to do so you could set a bonfire over them could a some time to do ie more than 1 go or use something like Round up


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The trees are live . . in my neighbors yard. The last few yearsthey have grown so large that the roots have taken over my small garden space . . I have been digging them out each spring and tilling . . but they are now growing faster than I can dig. Particularly with one foot. I hired a few illegals last year and may do that this year . . I am not sure I will be up to gardening this year . . may have to skip


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's the problem.......you're supposed to use a shovel......NOT your feet!!

Placed my order......$42 and change. Had to add a few items to get the free shipping.....:grin:. Mostly corn and beans.......all I gotta do is get past the cool weather. -11F for next Monday......brrrrrrrr.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Use Round up just don't let the neighbour know


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

joeten said:


> Use Round up just don't let the neighbour know


Hee . . hee . . I did that many years ago when the neighbors vine was climbing over the fence and into my garden . . Later while discussing the death of the vine with him, I suggested that perhaps the water from both our sprinkler systems had drowned the roots . . He bought it!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

How about bacterial infection this time Tree diseases | RFS


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Or hammer some copper nails into the roots on your side of the fence :wink:


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

While demoing the roof on this thing("greenhouse"), its really about one notch above the world famous Shed of Doom.

Build to Fail, Fail to Build. What is this I don't even.....

I'm staying positive because I don't feel like cleaning up the mess after just lighting it on fire. You'd love this one SABL.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Only up to page 5.......don't know if I want to see any more.....:nonono:

Kinda like the barn a guy built down the road.....lasted maybe 2 years. Ridge was swaybacked as it went up. Don't know if the walls were spreading or if he custom cut each rafter......:rofl:. I never got close enough to see what was going wrong......all I know is it looked pretty bad from the road.

A shed is something I hope to do this year.......code allows 100 sq ft without pulling a permit. I want to get the mower out of the garage and the tiller/garden tools closer to the garden. When I put the fence up (20 years ago) I left a 10' opening for a shed. I wired on a temp top rail and fabric that can be easily removed.....so far it's been pretty much permanent.....:laugh:

WOW!!....the white stuff is really coming down. Almost a white-out with the wind blowing.......getting plenty of drifts. Gonna get colder next week.....NWS shows -9F Monday night but the kid saw -17F somewhere. My oldest son will be on duty lucked out with a 'Kelly Day' on Tuesday.....gonna be waterflow alarms galore!! Should also see a few water main breaks......not fun.

*On page 10......and it's getting worse.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

May not need a permit unless it is anchored to the ground. Never got permit for my 
10x14 ft shed. There is enough crap in it to keep it from blowing away

BG


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

Had a decent weekend to work on the roof of the "greenhouse". Highs were in the 50's, and no wind. I bought the house I'm working on a little over a year ago, and have spent all my time working on the interior. Winds last year ripped apart the clear panels on the roof of this outbuilding. Leaving it open to the elements would surely accelerate it's demise. 

Decent sized structure, and definitely rustic. :whistling: Looks great from a distance, especially with the mountains in the background. 










Got the old panels and fasteners cleaned off. Had to replace a couple of rows of asphalt shingles up top. Framing looks adequate for an outbuilding. Nothing felt soft while climbing around. Nothing I'd want to stay in overnight, but might be able to get something to grow inside.










Had some 6061 AL flat stock, and translucent Polygal to cover the hole. I'm not as concerned about the amount of light entering, as keeping the weather out for now(damage control). They had the roof framing at 24" OC +/- an inch or two. :facepalm: Really creative use of various joist hangers, also. Regardless, I was able to start getting the hole covered. The wood could still hold a screw, so that was encouraging. 










Now, when you go inside, it's pretty much as bad as the SOD. The ridge beam is pieced together with 2x6 and OSB. The corners are plumb, but the studs in between are pointed in all different directions. There's windows everywhere, and must've been added later on, or something. :facepalm:

Yikes.....










Ummm, yeah. This will take some fixing up. :rofl:


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

> Highs were in the 50's, and no wind.


 My high for tomorrow is -6F without the wind-chill! Brr!

Very nice property you bought to fix it. I would love to see pictures as you progress.


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

I feel for the guys having to work outside in those Midwest winter temps. That's got to be rotten.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nice!! That _is_ rather rustic.....:laugh:. 

Not a very big greenhouse.......how you gonna get enough light with only a crescent cut in the door??.....:whistling:

What's wrong with a few gaps in the framing??....:nonono:

Is that snow I see?? 

I'll get back to this later......and get this thread in the proper location. We do stray on occasion but we're getting too far away from gardening.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nah.....Sparky is working on his greenhouse. That's pretty close to gardening......we'll leave things as they are.

Went with Park Seeds for the order.......email says it's been shipped.....:thumb:

1/2lb sweet corn
2lbs green beans
Packet of hybrid cherry 'maters
Snow peas
Brussel Sprouts

I'll fill the garden in with local seeds.......I just wanted to get the bulk corn and bean seeds.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

To get in the ground here now, you need explosives

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> To get in the ground here now, you need explosives
> 
> BG


I'll see if my neighbor has any to spare.....some of the explosions are pretty loud for being ~1/4mile away. I look for black smoke to see if he blew his house/garage up. When I was in Grove City, every work day @ 1:30PM I could feel the house shake from the blasting at a nearby quarry.

Well.....that didn't take long at all!! Seeds arrived a few minutes ago.....:dance:. A tad bit early for planting but I got my bulk seeds....:thumb:

I did splurge.......$5 for 15 seeds. Tomato Nugget Hybrid.










Even gonna try brussel sprouts....they'll take 125 days so I'll start them indoors. Shootin' for mid/late March on getting seeds started.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Nice when chopped and fried with bacon


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No problem with veggies in this household.....the g-kids love 'em. My youngest son won't touch the things if they are green......corn and potatoes only for him. No 'maters either.....but he eats salsa......go figure.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Those look interesting . . small?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Mini-plum....never tried 'em. They just looked good....:laugh:

Nugget Hybrid Tomato Seeds


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

For that price they should be plants. On the other hand, if all goes(grows) well, I'm sure you'll be sending us all some of your famous salsa made from the "Nuggets".


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Rich is the salsa master.......:thumb:

I can send some salsa to everyone.......soon as it's done and my camera battery is charged......:rofl:

The brussel sprouts are "Diablo Hybrid"......wonder if they're anything like diablo sauce??


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

55 here right now . .forecast 77 tomorrow . . I just put the "Babies" out for some sun and air!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

They're probably enjoying the weather.

25F right now and maybe 42F on Saturday.....then it starts dropping again.

I might have to start the peppers early March.....says 10 weeks before setting out. I better round up the pots and some soil. Pots are still in my van.....where I left them last May....:laugh:


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## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm getting ready to start something new to me. I'm going to build a simple cold frame and see if I can get things going year round. As soon as the replacement comes, I'll have a 100" x 40" arched, double-paned skylight. Planning on using 2x12's for the sides. Just bought a book "Four-Season harvest" by Eliot Coleman. Some fresh stuff would be nice this time of year.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi Gadsden.....welcome to GS 2014.

Sounds like you'll have a clear 3' X 8' growing area......:thumb:. I've only done minor research on those things......you need a good layer of manure under the soil??


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

What kind of wood will you use? . . I need to build some raised beds and am thinking of using the deck rosin/wood planks


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I don't think treated lumber will leech enough chemicals into the soil to harm the plants. Most often they use SYP (Southern Yellow Pine) and that stuff has a mind of its own....you just have to make sure it's fastened real good.


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## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

Yup, the manure will be the first thing going in. I want to see if I can get a source for a large load for the 30 x 70 garden also.

I'm not real concerned about the PT lumber. I was going to paint the inside with black oil-based paint and planned on digging this structure into the ground 2" or so for added stability. The corner joints will be rabbeted, glued and screwed, so it's not going anywhere and shouldn't rack.

The composite type decking is a good choice. Keep in mind though it's only 5.5" wide (if you get it at a big box store...other widths available depending on style chosen). It's also bends very easily. I would plan on putting some outside stakes every 4' or so as the box may want to splay after filling it with dirt....(much like you would a form for concrete).

So...maybe a few roots crops over the winter...some fresh herbs and a head-start for the spring crops.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds like a plan, Gads.......:thumb:

I've got a source for the manure.......maybe. I just haven't been able to contact the people that own the manure piles.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Had to switch computers to get the pics....:grin:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, Rich......they arrived today.....:thumb: Should make for a wunnerful pepper crop!! I'll get 'em started early next month.....chart says 10wks but 12 shouldn't hurt 'em.

Also makes for a nice BD present.....


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Wow . . that was fast . . I thought the weather would slow delivery!

enjoy!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

66 degrees today . . forecast is for 78 tomorrow . . 

I transplanted the peppers into individual pots and planted another flat of Cilantro. Planted Thyme for the first time . . I've always bought the pots before. I think next week I'll hire some illegals to dig up the tree roots so that I can plant.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds good, Rich......:thumb:

We may get up to 50 by Friday.......54 Saturday. Not holding my breath and waiting.....things change rapidly up here. 

It might give me a chance to gather up the potting supplies......no hurry, I've got 4 weeks left to think about it. OOPS.......make that 2 weeks on the peppers. I'll give 'em a 2 week headstart.....


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Jals and Habs are about three inches high . . lots of sun today and should be the same tomorrow. Little rascals are likely to keep me up all night exploding ! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Strange plants they be.......really slow leaving the gate. Jals were twice as big as the habs but at the end of the season it was the other way 'round. They were all started on the same day and had the same conditions to grow in. I'm going to set the plants on opposite sides of the garden this year......I think the habs perked up the jals and the jals diluted the habs by cross pollinating. The sweet peppers nearby were too hot for the kids. Thinking about making a whole new area for the sweet peppers......got my eye on the area where a field tile runs through. The neighbor's pine tree seems to have choked it off and one strip of grass is always green no matter how dry it gets.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Just lovely around here.......heavy rain with thunder/lightning......:sigh: Got 2 weeks to get the peppers started......'maters will be 2 weeks later. Might install a shelf above my desk for the plants......or I can do like last year and tie up 2 kitchen chairs at the back porch slider. Thinkin' real hard about the shelf.....decent sun but I don't like the thought of water above my computers. 

How's the garden, Rich?? You'll probably see pepper blossoms about the time I get mine started.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

It's 70 now and should be near 80 by this afternoon. The Thyme I planted is already showing little green bits . . that was fast! Peppers are almost ready to go into the ground ( or pots ) maybe another week!

I need to get the crew of illegals on theroots first


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Gotta watch what/how many plants I start......still have 1 g-monster that will be selling plants this year. Other 1 is home schooled to allow for gymnastics training. 

Radar shows the heaviest rain is over........high of 57F today. Snow should melt off real quick......and turn my driveway to slop......:nonono:. I'll be ordering a few truckloads of gravel when the weather is better (now is not the time due to gravel piles being frozen).......can't put it off another year.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Last day above freezing for a week.....37F right now. Next decent spell I'll go out and remove the netting from the raspberries and clear out dead canes. The new canes grew through the netting and I wasn't able to remove the stuff without stripping leaves......leaves are gone so I can now remove the net. I'll replace it once fruit starts to set......damn birds.....:sigh:. They strip the berries as soon as they start to ripen.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Didn't wait for the next decent spell.....I just went ahead and done it. Wanted to get the net off the canes before they started budding. 

I knew we had some wind a few days ago.....and a tornado on the other side of the county. Must have been more wind than I thought. Found a plastic grocery bag in the raspberries....so I picked it up to throw away. But....I had to look at it first. San Eli Supermarket??.......San Elizario, Texas....:huh: Could have been Fabens, Texas.......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Rich sent you it


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's what I'm thinking......least he could have done is sent some beer with it......:rofl:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Would have got shaken a bit in a tornado


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Air mail special delivery!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> Air mail special delivery!


Use a better bag next time!! There is a hole in it and the beer must have fallen out......:frown:

Gonna get too cold to be really serious....but I _do_ have to get the pots/trays out of my van. Got some errands to run in a few days and I'll pick up some starter mix to get the peppers going. 'Maters will be a few weeks later. If I'm lucky I may see blossoms 'bout the time you are picking...and enjoying fresh 'maters.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

May it go from your lips to Gods' ears! !


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## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

Onions...let's talk onions.

I planted a 75' row of them last year. I've never planted them before.
I followed all directions and put them in at the right time of year, etc.
We had some funky weather, turning cold to hot, back to cold for a month or so. About 98% of them bolted. Very disappointing. I bought the sets from ACE Hardware by the pound.
I know the weather had a lot to do with it but also read that if the seeds came from bolted onions, chances were good the next generation would also bolt.
Anyone an expert on onions? I'm wondering if I should buy them from a company that specializes in onions.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Onions like a lot of nitrogen . . if starved, they can bolt early. I plant mine in the late summer so that they have the fall/winter ( such as it is here ) to grow. Our soil is pretty heavy so I don't do the big bulbs . . mostly Bunching and Tokyo


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Haven't grown onions for ~25yrs....can't remember if I had any luck with 'em. Those are something I buy at the store and still have to throw away ~20% unless I store them in the fridge. We just don't use enough onions unless I make chili or some type of roast. I probably should try to grow and freeze some sweet onions......amazingly, the 3 g-kids like onions......:thumb:

I'll be out and about today....time to get some potting soil and get the peppers started.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Holy climate change Batman . . . 78 degrees yesterday afternoon and 29 this morning! Say a prayer for my little babies in pots


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Crazy weather.....they should look into 'Global Freezing'. NE got hammered this winter. We may be in the 40's by the end of the week.......currently 8F.

Didn't have time to make the extra stop for potting soil so I postponed the peppers til end of the week. I just checked last year's garden thread and it seems I right on cue for getting my seedlings started......:thumb:.. I just don't recall still having snow on the ground when I started the seeds last year.....:laugh:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I probably lost ev erything I sat out last week . . Rats . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I hope not.....that's a pretty big setback....:sigh:

In this area we still run a risk up til Memorial Day.....or later. I've lost plants in early June.....:frown:

I'm seeing a storm moving out of your area, Rich.......must have been _some_ cold front!!

I'll see what I wanna do today.....maybe offer to drop the 8yr old off at gymnastics and head over to Home Depot for the potting soil. Both places are within 2 blocks of each other......:thumb:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

It's raining cats and dogs right now . . should let up in a bit so I can go look at the lil' babies!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I see that.....I was thinking you were further south and should have said look out!! Maybe the rain will thaw the little critters out.....

I may look at some of them 'grow cubes' (or whatever they're called) and transplant when they get bigger.....I've always started my plants in 4" pots but that calls for extra watering. OK....just looked online and those starter kits are kinda cheap. That'll give me time to get the 4" pots rounded up....:thumb:

Time to start collecting water from the downspout.....should be thawing out in a few days. In the meantime I'll draw a bucket of tapwater and let it sit to dissipate the chlorine.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Nasty! ! These Pine trees are not built for ice . . fallen limbs are everywhere


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Well . . Temp has soared up to 32 . . I can kiss the plumeria goodbye. I did bring the flats into the garage before the temps dropped so I have some of the nursery . . but lost everything in the ground but the onions.

Forcast is 70's Thursday!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Ack.....that's a decent coating of freezing rain....:nonono:. Normal for these parts but a real shock for your area. They take precautions up here and butcher any trees near power lines where ice can form and bring down the lines when branches break and fall. 

Hope you have enough nursery stock to replant.....starting from seed will set you back quite a ways. 

The kid went to Home Depot yesterday and didn't tell me......:frown:. I would have had him pick up the seed starter kits and save me the trip to town. I might go Friday when the temps get in the upper 40's......22F right now with a high of 29F expected.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Very unusual for Houston . . and for some reason, our area got the worst of it!

Just by dumb luck, the plants I started were no quite ready to set in the ground so they rode out the freeze in the garage. The other stuff that I picked up at the local garden center is history! ! 

O well! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'd probably gamble if I were in your area.....putting anything out before Memorial Day is a gamble up here. How'd the rosemary do.....wish I could grow some up here. I've killed 2 of 'em so far.....they don't like being indoors so I left last year's on the deck bench.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

March 1 is the generally accepted gamble date here . . failed me this year!

Should be good for the nurseries . . double their sales !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The kid surprised me yesterday......he went to pick up some more goods for the bathroom remodel and brought a 72 plant starter kit home. I was going to remind him when he left to take the 8yr old to gymnastices but didn't catch him in time. I would have been out of luck if I tried to get the kit a few days ago......they just came in and weren't on display yet. The guy had to go to the store room and look......nice guy!!

The kit should give me a few weeks to get the bigger pots ready.....:thumb:

You better hurry to the nursery, Rich......I doubt you'll be the only person looking for replacement plants. The nurseries up here are probably just now getting seeds planted.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

My daughter said the nursery was swamped yesterday . . everybody is replaceing plants!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I may not have been hurt as much as originally feared . . looked around at the things I could get my hands on and the Plumeria do not appear to be stung! . . still green on the tips with some signs of leafing!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Finally did it......planted the pepper seeds this morning!! No sprouts yet......might be a little impatient....:rofl:. I'll give it a week and plant the 'maters.....last year they came up in 5 days. 

Right now it boils down to timing.....we don't get that long of a season up here.....:sigh:. Direct sow works fine for some plants.....peppers and 'maters don't do so well. I did plant 'mater seeds one year and they did OK but I was in the city and could protect them.....and I only had 3 plants. 

Habs are showing 95 days.....need to get them started now. That puts them at September for me and don't have much after that point in time. Jals at 72 days are very do-able.....nice crop on 2 plants last year!! Got at least 6 planned for this year and may go 9.....I'll have to see what 'takes'. 

Corn and beans are primary......freezer crop that is used all winter. 'Maters if I want to get into canning again.....made lotsa pasta sauce when I was young.


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## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

> 'Maters if I want to get into canning again.....made lotsa pasta sauce when I was young.


I got into making homemade pasta last year. Bought the molds for ravioli, used the sauce I made from the garden and froze a bunch of them. 

Good eats cheap.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll have to do better this year if I want to do any canning......frittered my time away and the weeds got the better of me last year. It didn't help when I crowded the fence right up to the crops.....no entrance or exit lanes for the tiller....:facepalm:. It was so dry the previous year I could do the weeding with a hoe and never used the tiller.

It's just wonderfull here today......66F yesterday and snow blowing today with a low of 7F tonight.

Lilac bush is trying to bud......didn't look at the Maple trees out front. Raspberries should start showing signs of life later this month.....maybe strawberries, too. Chives may come back after being outdoors all winter.....rosemary is history.

Got my eye on the 'mater seeds......thinkin' about starting them but 11 weeks could be a tad early.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I did not have as much damage as I thought . . planted some onion seeds and some sets today . . still waiting for the illegals to dig up the garden . . too wet now. I should be putting peppers and 'maters out now . . will be a little late, but they don't grow a lot until the ground temps are in high 60's


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Glad to hear you didn't have much damage.....:thumb:

After yesterday I may rethink the seed starting thing. One of the little angels knocked the flat off the counter......:angry:. All by itself in a secluded corner in the kitchen.....:banghead:. The only saving grace was the pellets.....if it had been soil I would have had a lovely mess and would need to start all over. I had the flat organized and recorded the locations of the plants on an index card......moot now. Only had the habs and jals planted but I wanted to keep them apart in the garden.....good thing the plants look different and I should be able to sort them once they get their true leaves....:thumb:

I may give it a week before starting the 'maters.....maybe a month on the brussels sprouts. They say the sprouts are much better after a light frost.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

81 here today . . the A/C just came on! Things are exploding out of the ground . . probably keep me awake tonite!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Might get to 34F today......won't see 50F til the end of the week.

Half the peppers are up but it could be another week for the others......10-21 days the package says. It's been 15 days so far. Sure wish the tray hadn't taken a tumble.....don't know what is where any more. I think what's up are the jals.....habs are kinda slow getting started. I may replant a few habs to make sure. I've got a small area (2' X 8') between the walk and the porch and may plant some habs there......kinda pretty with the orange peppers and could be an ornamental. I have never planted anything there in the 25yrs I've been here but keep it mulched. 

Debating on today or tomorrow on starting the maters......want to get a few beefsteak started this year but don't have the seeds yet. While I'm out I'll get the rest of the seeds like cukes, melons and whatnot. 

Trying a different strategy this year and going to plant the corn to get it established before planting the pole beans. After the corn comes up I'll drill the beans between the stalks. The beans outgrow the corn with a 60 day maturity.....I'll plant the bush beans for the early bean crop and pole beans for later in the season. Makes for too much work trying to process everything at once....gonna fight the urge to get everything planted all at once and stagger the crops.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

*Thyme from seeds*

Has anyone ever grown Thyme from seed? There were about a thousand teeny tiny seeds and looks like every one came up. Do I thin to just a few? Leave the mall growing and plant the lot in the pots? They are in two 4" plastic pots now


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Some info here Rich Growing Thyme


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Good stuff . . thanks


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Your welcome


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Got some lemon thyme in a planter....don't know if it survived the winter. Chives may have made it......see a few green shoots popping up.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Chives are pretty tough . .


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

First lawn mow of the year today. Everyone around here grows southern grass (Bermuda, Saint Augustine and mostly Centipede). They don't have to mow yet. I like tall fescue because it's "real" grass. It grows up, not sideways. Mine is the only green lawn right now.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll see just how tough those chives are......:laugh:

I don't expect to be cutting any grass for another month......maybe longer if we don't get some decent temps. High of 35F tomorrow with maybe an inch of snow in the morning. So much for 'in like a lion, out like a lamb'......the lion is sticking around.....:sigh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

We reverse that saying to suit


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

As I started to thin the Thyme, the roots came out whole so instead of throwing them away, I planted them in smaller six-pack containers and will see how they do. This means I now have 72 Thyme plants . . but maybe I can give some to neighbors.

It was not nearly as difficult as I thought it might be. now to do the same with the Basil!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You could get a seedling pricker or a small thin piece of wood with a small v notch in it


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Actually, fingers worked perfectly!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

They can do, other times the top leaves and stem don't survive the stress, I suppose it depends on the plant.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pinched the peppers to thin them out......maybe shoulda tried to transplant. I be 3 weeks behind on some peppers but don't know what to plant for replacements after 8 didn't sprout. I had the layout marked on a chart but when the seed flat took a spill and all the 'pellets' fell out it was impossible to tell what fell from where. All I know is I have at least 1 of each.......9 jals and 9 habs and 10 plants total out of 18. The habs are nice for making sauce but it has to be used sparingly......got some kick.....:laugh:. Would like to have a bumper crop of jals this year......they were a hit at the kid's station for making poppers. I plan on sending jals to 2 stations this year......and maybe enough for all 3 units.

Oh well....once the plants get a little bigger I'll be able to tell the jals from the habs. Only problem is it will be kinda late for a replant of what didn't sprout. Right now I'm guessing 6 jals and 4 habs......just a guess, though. I may try another 6 jals just to make sure.

Got the 'maters started a few days ago and they should be peeking through any day now.......I think they were up in 5 days last year. Still researching the Brussel sprouts......they take 120 days but need a light frost to sweeten 'em up. I'll start some early (next month) and do another planting in June as an experiment to determine what works best for my area. The ones I bought are 'determinate'......they whole crop is ready all at once. When they're ready they're ready.....frost or not. 

Might get into the 60's tomorrow......woohoo!! But.....I'm looking out the window at a snow covered lawn right now......:rofl:. Sure is gonna be sloppy muddy around here, though.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I can usually tell the Habs from the Jals when the first of the secondary leaves show . . Mine took forever to sprout, but are up and almost ready to go into the ground.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm beginning to wonder if it's my method of using the seed flat. Dismal performance so far.....I expected the maters to be peeking out of the growing medium by now. Could be that once the peppers sprouted I removed the cover.....I bagged the one end of the tray where the maters are.

Supposed to get to 68F today.....:thumb:. Might get something done outside.....


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Might be facing a replant......8 days and 1 mater out of 24 has come up. 7-10 days to sprout but last year they were up in 5. Not too impressed with the little peat pellets and will revert back to using pots and garden soil.

Looks like the rain has stopped......:thumb:. Better get my errands done and pick up some garden supplies while I'm out.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Bummer . . we started getting JuneBugs last nite . . that is an indicator of soil temps being warm enough to plant . . set out some -peppers and maters . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Yours are out and I'm still trying to get some seedlings......:sigh: Good for you, Rich......:thumb:

I'm thinking the peat is keeping the seeds too wet.....still only one mater. At least it's one of the $5 for 15 seeds variety. 3 came up in the same pellet and I'm going for broke and will let the plants get bigger and split the pellet to transplant all 3. The empty pellets that were planted with peppers will be replanted with jals......looks like I have 5 habs that came up. No problem donating the jals.....everyone is scared of the habs.....buncha wimps!!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Habanero peppers can make a wimp out of anyone! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Made some pretty good sauce with 'em last year......tasty!! The kid had to open all the windows when I was cooking the stuff up. 2nd batch I picked up a paper towel that had some of the hab oils on it and wiped my nose......bigger mistake was to splash water on my mouth/nose without washing my hands real good. Thought I killed myself when I couldn't catch my breath.....:laugh:. Washing hands helps but doesn't eliminate the burn from the oils when touching certain areas of one's body. I know a few medics and will get some exam gloves this year to wash and seed the critters......:thumb:. 

Last years crop may have crossed with the other peppers. Sweet peppers were hot, jals were kinda hotter with a few of 'em, habs may have been diluted. Gonna keep the whole lot separated from each other this year and may change my tune about the habs and who is a wimp......:rofl:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

A few years ago, I was slicing Jals to pickle and the next day I had a blister on two finger! . . wore gloves after that!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I remember eating hot pickled cauliflower when I was ~11 and getting blisters under each nostril.....ouch!! Learned to not breath through the nose when eating spicy foods. Last time I ground horseradish I had chapped knuckles from doing drywall work (dries the hands out) and they turned beet red from the chemical burns. I planted horseradish when I moved in ('89) but have never done anything with it......might dig it up this year and divide the roots.

Darned deer got my blueberry bushes.......don't know if they left enough to bud. PITA to have to protect everything from wildlife. I need to check into some 'chicken wire' (stucco lath) and build some enclosures......the netting works but the plants grow through the stuff and it's a chore to remove when winter comes. Can't wear anything with buttons when working with the netting......I spent lots of time picking up my hat and untangling my shirt buttons. (I don't wear T-shirts at all). 

Waiting for it to warm up a little more before taking another look at the garden/plants.....high of 59F today. Supposed to get up to 68F Thursday......I'll believe when I see it. Weatherman claims a 16F jump in temps from Wednesday. After that, a few days in the low 60's......I hope.

Waitin on the call to go pick up my resoled boots so I can get a few things for my mower........I plan my trips when running errands and NAPA is in the same area as Redwing. Spark plugs are the originals and 10yrs old......didn't want to fire up as quick last year. One of the 'leetle angels' turned the key on and drained the battery.....I'll try recharging it but don't hold out much hope with the battery being 5yrs old. When the original battery went I could start the thing by jumping but as soon as the electric PTO was engaged it would die. The original lasted 5yrs so I'm about due for a new one.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Pick up some nitrile gloves, better than many exam gloves. I got some from Harbor Freight. Stronger than many exam gloves:

Search results for: 'Nitrile gloves'

I use them for things that bother my hands, Can be washed off and reused many times. When I reuse them a little bit of powder, like baby/body powder, helps. 

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, BG....I'll check into them. Or have the kid check for me he's a frequent flyer at Harbor Freight......:laugh:

I don't get into chemicals like I once did.....solvents, oils, automotive fluids. Seems to have a 'transderm' effect and I feel ill for days after working with some stuff......shoulda been wearing gloves long ago. 

**I just checked the link and think those are what most medics use.

***Called the kid and asked......that's what medics use. He said the same thing....Harbor Freight......:laugh:. 

I'll check into one source or another......my SiL owns a med transport company and might see if he has any to spare. I don't need a large quantity and it's going to be ~5 months before I need 'em for peppers. I _do_ have some rear axles to pull out of a Cherokee when warmer weather gets here, though.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I probably have 300 pairs of nitrile gloves and they are better than the old gloves they used to use. I am sure Harbor Freight gloves are fine exam gloves, they don't have to be sterile.

I used some a couple of months ago when I did some drywall work. Great when hand sanding.

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've never used gloves for DW but you've made a good point, BG. That stuff will dry your hands out.....I've used many band-aids to cover severely cracked fingers in the winter.

Up until last year I only worked with jalapenos when making chili. Now that I am growing them and finding more uses it's time to wear gloves. The hab oils are worse and stay with you for most of the day even after washing your hands multiple times.....I touch a finger on my tongue and can still detect the 'heat' many hours later.

I'll be replanting today after a dismal showing on the maters......1 out of 24 came up. Peppers were 10 out of 18 with 6 being habs.....I'll try again with the jals. The kid told me he had the same luck with the peat pellets when they were fresh.......tried them again the next year, after they had been stored in the basement for a year, and had no trouble starting seeds. I used the leftovers that were years old for some plants last year and had great success with cilantro and dill.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Have you tried '*Udderly Smooth*' for dry skin? Mrs WereBo was introduced to it by her American textile-crafting chums, during one of her tours over there. The crafters love it because they can handle the threads immediately after, without getting any oils/greases on the cottons.

I use it occasionally when I've been working on my car, doing oily/greasy jobs. 'Fairy Liquid' gets rid of the gunge, but leaves hands very dry. A small dollop of udder cream gives immediate relief, without any smell - A small dollop before starting any mucky work also acts as a rather good barrier-cream too :thumb:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Bag Balm

I rarely use anything on my hands....other than soap and water. By the time I get around to using any cream the damage has already been done....but lotion does help the healing. I've worked with DW most of my life and it is hard on the hands when it comes to causing dry skin......sawdust doesn't help either.

I'm going to get a stock of gloves for this year's pepper crop......if I can get anything to grow......:banghead:


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

I've mentioned to Mrs WereBo she'd better get a stock-up of that 'Bag Balm' :grin:



> Its uses are many, for example "squeaky bed springs, psoriasis, dry facial skin, cracked fingers, burns, zits, diaper rash, saddle sores, sunburn, pruned trees, rifles, shell casings, bed sores and radiation burns."


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

As I said the gloves on they can be left on and washed, just like your hands.

For dry skin I washed and rinsed my hands, while still wet coat good with good old fashion Vaseline and put the gloves back on. Got just your thumb hurting? Cut of a finger of the glove.

I also always a had a bottle of new skin for bad splits on the job.

BG


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Magic stuff that 'New Skin', especially if applying it to someone else (the howls can be heard several blocks away)..... :grin:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've only replanted the jals and will give the maters a few more days.....a few more maters popped up and it could be due to temps in the kitchen. Last year I laid a black trash bag over the pots and it could have kept the temps a little higher with the sunlight on the black plastic.

Guess I should have called for HazMat when making the hab sauce last year....Habanero Peppers Blamed for School Evacuation - NBC News .


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The damn Cilantro has bolted already! . . temps have not been that high, but they have done it! The slow bolting ones are just about ready to set in pots . . I believe every seed I planted sprouted! ! Unusual for Cilantro. Not I have more than I have room for.

Peppers are starting to set on . . won't be very hot this time of the year, but at least will ad flavor.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Only just got the grass out back cut today my ground is like a bog, and does not drain well add to that all the rain we have had and it really puts you back.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

That's the advantage of having a balcony for a garden, no mowing and it only takes 3 watering-cans to water everything :lol:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Going to try to get the front done today though I will need a trip to the range to get a new strimmer line (weed wacker)I think that is the other name.To do the edges and fence line.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Rich's cilantro is bolting and peppers have set.......joeten is trying to mow the lawn......Bo is sittin' on the balcony.......I wake up to a light dusting of snow and freezing temps.....:sigh:

So much for getting the mower ready.......I'll wait til it warms up again. I thought it would be next week for the first cutting but it may be two weeks.

More of the maters are popping up......must've been too cool in the kitchen for them. Was going to transplant but the potting soil is in the van.....I'll have to bring it inside and get it up to temp. Might fill the pots and bring them indoors to warm up.....forego the peat pellets and replant the roma maters directly in the pots. Roma's are the only ones that didn't sprout......and I tried a different variety after last year's had green shoulders.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Cool here this morning! ! actually warmer in Wilmington DE than here today! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's what happened last time I went to northern Wisconsin......was warmer up there than in Ohio. 

Just rechecked and 1 roma is peeking out of the pellet.....was planted March 26th. Got a pepper sprout from the replant but it's only been a week.....could be the original seed decided to make it's appearance. I can tell the habs from the jals easily......got 5 hals and that should be enough. From what I read, for my area Feb isn't too soon to get peppers started.....I'll remember that.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

New batch of peppers came right up in no time.......kitchen must have been a little too cool. 'Maters doing much better and most have sprouted......:thumb:. Weatherman says a high of 75F for today.....think I'll take the 'kids' outside for some sunshine and transplant 'em in 4" pots. 

Pulled full maintenance on the mower yesterday.......should be good for the whole season. Blades were OK but may need sharpened later. Thought I was going to have to replace the battery after one of the little angels turned the key on and left it that way.......:angry:. Battery is 5yrs old and should be due but it held a charge and starts the engine just fine and can handle the electric PTO.....:thumb:. I'll know tomorrow when I cut the grass.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Mower is fine...so far. Pulled the last of the garden fence and chopped down the rest of last year's weeds after seeing the neighbor tilling his garden. I want to be ready when he is able to come over and till mine....still 5 weeks out but I want to be ready. If I can get some peas in the ground I'll do it......they like cool weather. Peppers and maters I will take a chance on when I can.....got a system where I can protect them if needed. Still too cool for the tender plants but mid May might work......looking at 12 jalapeno plants so far and will get them out when the soil warms up. Had a decent crop on 2 plants last year.....12 plants and I can corner the market??

Maters are at 24 so far....may have to expand the garden or cut back on the vining plants. Melons were a wash and I'm rethinking my plan....punkins were OK but I wasted quite a few. Cukes I have to think about unless I want to do some serious pickle making......plowed many of those under last year.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I pulled the first Jalapeno today . . not very hot


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

At least you picked one.......my plants are ~4". Potted a few earlier in the week and will do more today if the temps get warm enough and it's not windy. I'm beginning to wonder if the peat pellets are worth it......I should have just planted in the pots and been done. Now I have to handle the plants twice.....:banghead:

Don't think anything will happen in the garden this week.......looks like rain will put a hold on everything. Last year I wasn't ready when the neighbor had his tractor set up for tilling......I'm good to go this year and opted to work in the garden instead of going to town on a nice day. I can always run errands in the rain.....working in the garden in rain is not an option.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Won't be doing much outside the house for a few days. Got lotsa rain but no severe weather....TG!! I'll walk out and see how wet the ground is......would be nice to get in a cutting on the lawn before it gets too tall. 

Plants are looking pretty good so far.....my kid found some old Brandywine seeds and they did sprout.....:thumb:. Bought some plant food and will see what happens....all I've ever done is water the little critters. Might pot a few plants if the wind isn't bad. I opted for some 'Solo' cups instead of actual pots....I'll make drain holes in the bottoms. All I need to do is make some dividers for the 'plant trays'....old cabinet drawers will work fine for the trays after I remove the guides and fronts.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

We missed our chance for rain . . running sprinklers twice a week. Picked three Jals this morning.

I have had good luck hanging out at the nursery and bumming the plastic pots and trays they use . . I have a pretty good collection now


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I save all of my pots from plant purchases......may try to bum a few after this season's sales. By the time I buy pots I may as well buy the plants!!


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The chain store ones will probably not give you the time of the day, but the mom-n-pop one nearby are open to giving the used ones away . . they don't want to risk cross contamination


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Been busy all day cutting grass and edging,filling in the holes the dog made won't be doing much of anything tonight.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm going to walk the yard and see if I can cut the grass......if it's dry enough. I've been hearing lawn mowers for the past few days but it's just a little too wet in most areas of my lawn......may hit the higher elevations in an attempt to keep up. I do have field tile running across my property but I'm sure every service line that was installed has rendered the runs useless......including my own water and electric lines....:sigh:. 

How's the pepper plants looking , Rich?? Got any pics?? Mine are getting there and it's only a matter of weeks for setting them out.......:thumb:.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I picked three Jals this morning . . the Cayenne's have lots of blooms, but so far no peppers

it is cool here . . 58 this morning . . that will stunt the growth for a while, but the forecast is back to the 80's by end of the week . . 

Looks like most of the good stuff will come in while I am in Delaware . . neighbors have picking rights

I started some of the Fall seeds yesterday . . a tad early, but I won't be here when time is right so hoping a little early will be ok


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The neighbors must love you.......:laugh:. 

Getting the Fall crop started?? I don't plan on starting the Brussel sprouts til the end of this month. Must be nice to have 2 growing seasons......up here we only get one shot. Our high will be 58F.....send us some warm weather (but not too much).

I better get outdoors and do something.....sky is clear (according to radar) but something is coming in from the NorthWest. Just now getting to western Wisconsin.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

It is nice . . our Fall garden season is better and longer than the Spring . . it gets hot like Hell quickly and everything goes into decline. Also fewer bugs in the Fall. 

My Fall garden will usually produce from August thru November . . sometimes into December


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Your picking, I just finished running the rototiller garden prepped and awaiting the boss planter....................


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Your picking, I just finished running the rototiller garden prepped and awaiting the boss planter....................


Rear tine?? No way I'd use my front tine tiller to do 2500 sq ft......I had to use a garden fork to bust sod for the strawberries last year. 180 sq ft was no fun.

No grass cutting today....still too squishy in the yard. Need some sun on the lawn but it only peeks out once in a while.....last I looked it was 48F and that doesn't help either....:sigh:


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Well I guess you would call it a rear tine, it mounts on the back of my 1968 14 HP Economy tractor, but with a very small garden(12' x 12') it's over kill, but more power never hurt 

As a kid we worked 650+ acres with 2 Massey Fergusons, a JD 430, a Ford Golden Jubilee and a 9N and a strange Minneapolis Moline ZB modified by my Grandpop into a sprayer


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Wrench: What, no Cessna Ag-wagon?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Well I guess you would call it a rear tine, it mounts on the back of my 1968 14 HP Economy tractor, but with a very small garden(12' x 12') it's over kill, but more power never hurt
> 
> As a kid we worked 650+ acres with 2 Massey Fergusons, a JD 430, a Ford Golden Jubilee and a 9N and a strange Minneapolis Moline ZB modified by my Grandpop into a sprayer


I used my dad's 9N when I had a 100X100 garden. It pulled a 2 bottom plow pretty easy. 6' disc with a railroad tie chained on top for extra weight......kick the tie off with the chains attached to drag it smooth. My grampa was a truck farmer and had a few FarmAlls. I rely on my neighbor to till my garden with a rear mounted 5' tiller......does a great job in very little time.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Corday said:


> Wrench: What, no Cessna Ag-wagon?


No that's too up scale for us


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

SABL said:


> I used my dad's 9N when I had a 100X100 garden. It pulled a 2 bottom plow pretty easy. 6' disc with a railroad tie chained on top for extra weight......kick the tie off with the chains attached to drag it smooth. My grampa was a truck farmer and had a few FarmAlls. I rely on my neighbor to till my garden with a rear mounted 5' tiller......does a great job in very little time.


The Jublee had a PTO and was used as the lawn tractor, the 9n was a work horse it had a front and rear blade and did every thing when we plowed it was with both Masseys and the 9n following up behind with me on the 9n since I could reach the pedals on it and not the Masseys...............


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Is this a coincidence or what?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

:laugh:

Don't think that would work in my garden. But, I could lift it over the rows when chopping weeds. I forgot to allow for row access last year.....:sigh:

The 9N worked pretty good for being old and worn out. Sure wish I had it now!! I need to order gravel for my driveway.....maybe 30+ tons. If the driver can't tailgate I've got plenty of work to do....:frown:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Didn't get as warm as predicted....61F is the highest I noticed on the thermometer but the weather records indicated 64 did happen. Still too cold and wet for tilling the garden......sun only comes out briefly so the ground isn't drying very well. 

Couldn't wait any longer to cut the grass and just did it........ugly. Raised the deck an extra 1/2" due to the height of the grass......went through marshy areas even though I don't like to. Had to change the stripe pattern to avoid making turns in the 'swamp' areas......shorter runs and more turns......takes longer to get the mess cut.......:sigh:. I'll see what next week brings and drop the blade back to 3 1/4" if it dries up around here. Thursday is showing a high of 83F......I'll believe it when I see it.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Mine has been cut three times already.

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Same here.....except for the back yard. While waiting for the front area to dry out a little I cut the fenced area in back......back has been cut 4 times. That area gets a little fertilizer from 4 dogs. I would hate to think what it'd be like if I treated the front yard with anything........does pretty good on it's own. I'll drop the deck and cut again in a few days....Wed or Thur looks good with temps in, or above, mid 70's. Might even take the 'little ones' out for some sun.....


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Well..........we made it into the 80's. 82F yesterday and calling for 83F today. Took the 'kids' out for some sun.....and left 'em outside all night. Still transplanting the last of the seedlings and should have all of 'em done today. Neighbor seems kinda antsy about getting his garden in......I expect him to stop by any day now with his tiller. This year I'm ready!!

Lost most of the strawbabies to the cold temps last winter.....:frown:. Guess I didn't bed them down good enough and lost all (24) plants I bought from the school. The ones I bought at the nursery are doing fine but that's only 6 plants.

Looks like a good day to knock the grass down again. Swamp has drained and I'll set the blade back down to where I like it and cut one of my usual patterns. Last pattern I cut is not visible from where I sit.....can't see any stripes.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Can't do anything we have rain with more to come.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

joeten said:


> Can't do anything we have rain with more to come.


Should I send a raft?? Perhaps not......I may need it myself....it's raining again (thunderstorm). Probably won't get much rain once the garden is planted......or we may get too much. Either one is bad.......:frown:

I'll have to replace one of the blueberry bushes after it finally died. The kid just stuck it in the ground and left it.....was in pretty bad shape when I transplanted it last year. Moved it to an area where I can go around it with the mower......son had it too close to the fence. The other bush was eaten by deer but survived......I'll put a cage around it this year for protection. 

No more peat pellets for starting seeds......repotting is a pita. Must've snapped one of the beefsteak 'maters and it looks bad.....it may reroot. Still have 8 peppers to repot and that will be it til I set them out in the garden. Next time I'll just get it over with and plant in pots......or what I'm using on some of the plants this year. I used the cheap SOLO cups and used a pencil solderer to make drainage holes.......:thumb:.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Spent some time in the swamp and cut the grass yesterday.......still ugly. Set the deck at max height.....5". Good thing I did......it rained again last night. I'll gradually get the deck back down to 3 1/4" if it ever dries out around here.

Didn't get 7 of the more recent plants repotted.....only a few weeks now and probably won't bother. Well.....only a matter of weeks if it gets dry enough to till the garden. Some stuff should be in the ground by now......peas and other cool weather crops. Farmers are planting.....at least I see the grain trucks on the roads that are bringing seed in. The field behind me has been prepped but not planted yet......too wet.....:sigh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Got the grass at the rear cut and pressured washed the Paving still have the front to do will get to it if the weather holds this week.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Desparation set in......the grass had already gone to seed.....that's bad. I just wanted to get the stuff cut and didn't bother with maintaining a 'stripe'....I'll correct that later.

It rained again....after my earlier post. Once the garden goes in I'm sure it will stop.....


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I need to syphon old fuel from my mower and strimmer and get fresh so for now stripes can wait I just hit with the Flymo it gets it cut.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I haven't fired up anything else other than the mower......the engine did a good job of syphoning last year's gas out of the tank....:laugh:. Push mower hasn't been started....but I did think about it the other day. Trimmer needs to be run but I'm not looking forward that......:sigh:. As soon as I get the fenceline trimmed I'll spray some Round-up......600' of trimming around chain link is not fun. I only expect to do it once this year......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I don't have anywhere near that to do


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I only bought 1lb of string this year......:laugh: 

I may need more.......the 600' only covers the fence (300' X both sides). 300' of ditch out front......~20 trees.....around the house. I may buy more Round-Up......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I think I would buy the powder and mix then use a sprayer in the hope it works out cheaper.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've got liquid concentrate......it kills everything for 3 months. Don't even want to get it near the garden......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I don't need that much myself but have some for the path and patio area and some you can use for the weeds in the grass, and some other stuff that is weed and feed and kills moss but I can't use that for 3 to 4 days after a cut.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

What I've got is pretty hard-core......can't get it near anything you want to keep.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Hmm sounds like the old Zep weed eradicator...................


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Hmm sounds like the old Zep weed eradicator...................


I'll have to look......still lounging around in my pj's....:grin:. OK, took a look in my slippers....Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus

Took the 'children' out for some sun yesterday.....sure is nice to have my kitchen table back...:thumb:. It'll take a frost/freeze to get 'em back in the house again....heavy storm gets 'em a spot on the porch.

Neighbor was tilling his garden yesterday.....I expect to see him soon. Hope I can get the scrub bush removed first. Darn thing has grown too close to the garden......:frown:......or the garden has gradually expanded.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Ready to go......neighbor stopped by this afternoon and tilled my little plot. I hope to get 3 rows of corn and 3 rows of beans planted tomorrow......just working on the layout in order to rotate crops. The 'children' wiil remain on the deck or porch for a few more days.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The interweb tells me I got 5 inches of rain today. . And maybe one tornado


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The storm rousted a drilling camp in ND with a tornado......I've been near a tornado twice but only saw the aftermath. One went through my dad's backyard the day Xenia was destroyed in '74. I heard it but the rain was coming down too hard to see anything......it may have been treetop level and I was too close to see anything. One went through about 1 mile south of me and took out 3 electric towers.......they must have rerouted the grid and I was only in the dark for ~6 hours. When Ike went through I was without power for 4 days.....:sigh:

We're supposed to get rain for a few days so I better get some seed planted this morning. Gonna try a different method this year and get the corn established and drill the pole beans between the stalks once they come up. Also gonna plant north/south after the wind blew last year's corn over.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Soggy mess in the garden when I got back . . we had almost 10 inches of rain while I was gone! . . Unusual for this time of the year . . that usually happens in the late summer when the Hurricanes come in.

So much for the "Slow Bolting" Cilantro . . did not bolt, but went straight to seed! ! Last time I'll try that!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I think the Cilantro has it in for you the seeds must be talking lol


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Could be . . I'll start another flat once the rain subsides . . probably the last batch until the Fall


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I won't try any cilantro til the 'maters are almost ready......according to the chart I can start the stuff up til the end of June. Don't know about planting dill.....or even cukes. I chopped up a bunch of cukes up when mowing the garden down at the end of the season......:sigh:.

Got my goal yesterday and planted 6 rows of crops.....after buying seed in bulk I was a little more generous on seed spacing and can thin the plants as needed. Not bad timing......got some sprinkles ~ an hour after getting done.....and it rained overnight!! Next time I can get into the garden I'll put the 'children' out.....giving them a few more days in their pots. 

Complete layout change this year......peppers will not be allowed to co-mingle and will be on opposite ends of the garden.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I can set the 'children' out tomorrow.....I hope. Been outside all day getting ready. Set ~200' of fence around the garden......got a little warm so I took a break and went for a ride.....on the mower. Nice breeze on that thing.....and my beard blows in the wind....:rofl:. Started out just wanting to cut the fenced area but kept going til the whole yard was done.....if we don't get too much rain I can get the deck back down to 3.5" next time. 

I hope to see some sprouts by mid week and do another planting in 10 days......maybe plant some punkin' seeds in a day or two.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Cut down 2 Fir trees today been in around 14 years, but the boss said they have to go so she had her way.They are horrible to work with feel like I have been stuck by 100's of needles.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My neighbors planted fir trees right on the lot line......wish I had questioned them at the time. The branches hang 10'+ onto my property and I have one helluva time cutting my lawn around them.......getting to the point where I have to really duck or get my head knocked off.......:angry:. Blue Spruce are the worst......very sharp needles. I took a tree saw to some branches a few years ago.....looks like I'll have to do it again......:frown:. These trees have been in since '88 and are a major PITA. 

Getting ready to set the 'children' out......after I stake the bottom of the fence to try and keep the wabbits out. I'll wait til early evening and make sure not to get the leaves wet.......night time temps are still in the 50's. Day temps are OK with a high of 81F for today.

Looks like I have 4 habs from what I can tell.....only had 2 last year and the crop was great. Jals are ~10......that'll make for a bumper crop....:thumb:. Some of the 'maters are pathetic....don't know what happened. They were all planted at the same time and watered equally......could be due to transplanting at different times. Too late to transplant the last of 'em......they get set out as they are (still in the peat pellets).


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

They might pick up as the weather warms up.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Luckily, I got no trees to lop or lawn to mow, but after last year's pathetic display on my balcony, it's made up for it this year - About 2 months ago, Mrs WereBo scattered several packs of 'wild meadow flowers' seeds in the various pots, then 4-5 weeks ago the pots just had the first traces of green appearing through the soil, now I have to be careful when putting the laundry out to dry... :grin:






































At least the onions are doing well, Mrs WereBo went to cook 'em a few weeks ago, but they'd started sprouting soooo :lol:











Too many cold evenings/nights didn't make the Clematis very happy.... :sigh:











Neither of us know what this is, apart from 'a wild-meadow flower', but it takes a lovely photo :grin:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

OK.....they're worse than pathetic. Good thing I just checked em......kinda wilted....:nonono:.

Looks pretty good, Bo, for such limited space.......:thumb:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Start over with pot type's 
@ Bo nice pics my misses is not a flower person she hates bee's etc


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Any smokers that might have handled them?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> Any smokers that might have handled them?


Just me......I'm familiar with TMV. I've handled all the plants and most look great....the ones in the peat pellets look bad. I'm carefull with butts in the garden......they get tossed far away from the maters/peppers.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I had some turn puny one year and found out LB ( who smokes ) had handled them


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

How puny?? I'm talking planted months ago and only 3" tall. My son also smokes and his plants (month old) have surpassed the runts. 

The runts I'm thinking about.......don't want to pass anything on to the healthy plants. Very well could be TMV (Tobacco Mosaic Virus).


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Looked like their roots had been cut off . . Very wilted


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

TMV affects the leaves....not sure about the roots. One runt only has 1 leaf.....I could probably do better with direct seeding at this point in time. When I was in the city I planted some maters on an Easter Sunday......direct sow outdoors. They did fine except the rabbits like em.....had to replant a few and put cages around em.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The roots actually looked fine . . but the top looked wilted like it had no leaves


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm looking at too much fertilization.....maybe. I gave the plants a shot of plant food even though the potting mix had nutrients.....could be nitrogen burn. Best thing to do now is get em in the garden and see what happens.

Last year's plants looked pretty good and smoking is not a new habit.....I handled the plants the same as last year. The only exception is using the peat pellets.....last year I planted directly in the pots. 

I still have some peat pellets and will use them to get the Brussel's Sprouts and cilantro started....the big trick is to get them transplanted ASAP. The longer the seedlings rely on the pellets the worse they get.

Looks like rain tomorrow night.....I'll wait one more day to set the plants out. They live or they die......it won't be the first storms they have been through. If I set them today they will face the same perils......tomorrow means they won't need watered.....I hope. Hose is 'at the ready' and I don't need to stretch 250' of line.....I just drain it and leave it stretched out. Used it twice so far this year to wash the mower deck. 

Re-thinking the peat pellets.....if I set the 'children' out tomorrow I will have pots to use. Nah.....use the peat and get 'em out in the garden when they are big enough to see. 120 days for Brussel's Sprouts seems long but they need a frost......might be a little tricky on the timing but won't be the first crop I've plowed under.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Enjoyed a lazy Sunday and planned on setting out the 'little ones' this morning.......bad move. Had a slight chance of showers and I lost the gamble......too wet to do anything. Things don't look any better for the rest of the week, either. I'll check later this evening to see if there's any chance of putting out a few of the bigger plants.

Some of the corn and beans are peeking through......should really be showing in a day or two.....:thumb:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Corn and beans are showing good today......:thumb:

I took a few steps in the garden and decided to give it another hour or two.....gonna go out and drive tomato stakes to see how muddy my boots get.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I planted Okra this morning . . might be as little too shady but I thought I'd give it a try


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I just changed the whole damned forecast by putting the 'kids' out. I planted everything!! Lost track of the 'maters but put 4 habs and 12 jals out.....soil was still damp so I didn't water. Wind picked up and sky clouded over and I thought I was done....not a drop. Best way to prevent rain is to plant something....maybe I can reverse the trend and wash my car??

Corn and beans look nice.....I'll give it a week and sow another crop. Brussel's Sprouts will be started next week. Punkins I'm still thinking about....if it don't rain tonight I'll plant tomorrow.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

3 hills of punkins planted today......just as expected, no rain last night and I could get into the garden. The 'little ones' did just fine without being watered. Forgot to mention that 2 of the Jals are setting buds.....:thumb:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sounds good hope it keeps up for you,no chance of doing much here place is wet,wet,wet.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Sounds like you are having fun! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Does it even get warm enough in Scotland to grow peppers?? Does it ever get dry enough to grow anything??

Rain has made it here.......nothing serious showing on radar but a few claps of thunder shook the house.....:hide:. OK...I take that back.....got a few red spots headed my way but nothing like what hit the Midwest last night. From what I see, the farmers are getting a late start due to rain....I don't think the field behind me has been planted yet. 

I'll have to run into town tomorrow and get some "Preen"......weeding, hoeing, tilling isn't much fun. May pick up some watermelon seeds even though I haven't had much luck the past few years.....may plant a hill or two of cukes. I forgot about the peas and need to plant them as soon as I can get back into the garden......they don't like warm weather.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You would be surprised what can be grown here but just for fun here are places across Scotland with some real nice gardens Gardens in Scotland


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Also, Scotland's unique weather makes it the only place on Earth that can grow Haggis....


:grin:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I used to visit the gardens around Aberdeen . . 

Glenkinchie
Glenfiddich
The Glenlivet
Glenmorangie

Lovely plces . .


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

WereBo said:


> Also, Scotland's unique weather makes it the only place on Earth that can grow Haggis....
> 
> 
> :grin:


I tried to find the seeds for that and never did! !


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Aw, come on Rich those gardens have unique flowers and the distilled flowers can leave you with the heady aroma still haunting you in the morning.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Man . . can they! !


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Best Haggis use, Mackie's chips.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

:ermm:....Flowers are kinda nice.....but I want something to put on the table. I am aware of edible flowers but that's not something I can put away for later use. At one time I had dozens of rose bushes....a whole lot of maintenance for something I couldn't eat.

I could probably do pretty good with peas in Scotland.....and other cool weather crops. My mainstay is corn and beans.....I enjoy them fresh and process what is over-abundant for winter use. It's the closest thing you can get to fresh and is much better than canned stuff. The one thing I do admit is that it's not cheaper than 'store bought'......it just tastes better.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Do you want to join the hunt Haggis Hunt 2013/14 - The Great Scottish Haggis Hunt
One of the ready made and fairly popular Macsween - Macsween haggis | what is haggis
Another place here Scottish Haggis | McLays | Buy Tradtional Scottish Food Online
This place has definitely exported Export | Grant's Foods
Recipe Macsween - Macsween haggis | Haggis recipes and videos 
Personally, I hate the smell of fresh Haggis cooking.
I prefer this stuff Charles MacLeod - Makers of Stornoway Black Pudding


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

There are lots of flowers you can use, including some considered weeds and believe it or not, in certain parts of Scotland there are palm trees growing. Also corn, peppers and chilies,granted some things need help with poly tunnels. They're even places in the UK where they grow grapes for wine.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Daylilies are considered weeds around here......I heard the the long buds are good tasting if boiled/steamed but never tried any.

I spent most of yesterday doing yard work.......700'+ of trimming and may do some more today. First order of business will be spraying Roundup on the fenceline.......don't want to have to trim that area again. I'll mix 2 gallons and spray the perimeter of the garden where the 'wabbit' fence has been installed. I've kept the crops away from the fence so I can get the tiller in and out......if I even need it. I bought the weed preventer and will be applying it as soon as the plants are big enough.....need to be 2" before applying the stuff. Some areas I can't do yet......corn will have to wait til the pole beans have been established.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pretty much gave up on direct sow with the melons and cukes.....too wet!! Need to get the weed control applied asap and can't wait til the plants are 2"......planted the seeds today and will transplant when they are big enough. I hope to do another tilling tomorrow and apply the "Preen" before rain hits. Forecast says I'm looking at 3 days of rain....could be another week before I can do anything in the garden.

Brussels sprouts were planted yesterday.....melons and cukes today. Gotta go with a change of plans and start the plants while applying weed control in the actual garden.....direct sow puts me 2 weeks behind the weeds if not more. I can control the weeds while growing the starts in pots. Not so lucky on corn and beans.....those have to be direct sow. 

Letting the corn get started before planting pole beans is not such a great idea.....too much like work!! Might be a different story if my soil was good but I think I should take up pottery with the amount of clay around here. 3 more rows of corn to go......the beans get planted at the same time.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Sounds like a lot of work! 

I picked a half-dozen jalapenos for the grill and they are hot! ! 
Seem hotter in the pots than they did in the ground . . not sure that makes sense . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Way too much work......had no problem when I was a youngster. My garden was 4X bigger and I worked full time. Retire and I can't do crap with a small plot.....:laugh:. 

You telling me I should pot the habs?? Almost had the arson squad on my tail last year with the heat....some of the Jals were off the scale and the Habs got some attention at the kid's station. Got 4 nice habs coming along.....a dozen Jals should do the trick and they look nice. The Habs look nice and compact.....late in the season they will kick some buns and take over. 2 of each did pretty well last year but habs are dbl and the jals are 6x.....could be a good year if I can control the weeds.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Sounds like someone is going to spend the summer in jail on assault charges! !


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Finally got the overhanging branches from my neighbour's trees cut down, got to keep them until Monday when the collection of garden waste comes. Got the mower and trimmer back up and working and just got started when the skies opened, decided enough was enough and will wait until tomorrow to do the grass and edges if it's reasonably dry.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Ditto yesterday for me. Trimmed trees up to 20', mowed etc. Not pleasant in blazing sun and 95F. Had to get it out of the way. Today was voting and 7 hours on the court.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Yesterday not so great for me......whatever the DiL brought home has hit the whole family. I spent all day in bed....almost. Too early in the season to let the weeds take over and I forced myself out of bed just before it got dark to get some Preen on the veggies. The stuff needs to be 'watered in' and I made it just in time.....it rained shortly after I got done. Garden was still damp so I had to wait til the last possible moment to allow it to dry out a little.....still got some dirt clinging to the soles of my boots, though. I have to get a different type of Preen for the corn.......can't use what I have on corn.....:sigh:

Something got one of the Habs.......leaves are missing but I think it will be OK. Jals have some blossoms.......:thumb:. Punkins are up already.......cukes, cantaloupes, and watermelons were planted in pots a few days ago.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Weather held today so got the back and front cut and trimmed, then got the front edged and went around the back fence, and cleaned it ready for new paint so tomorrow could be another long day painting fence.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

How'd the painting go?? I've got some of that to do, myself......:sigh:

Might get a few days of sunshine........:thumb:. But, only up to 73F today. Brussels sprouts have sprouted and are really liking the temps.....melons may not be so happy and if not sprouted by today will be brought indoors due to the chilly temps at night.

No luck on the 'Preen'....might have to order the stuff or hoe the corn by hand. What I have can't be used with corn......everything else is OK with it. I bought Preen garden weed preventer.......what I need is Preen *vegetable* garden weed preventer.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Picked a few of these bad boys this morning . . bigger than last year.









Can I get an Amen ? ! ? !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Those do look fantastic......:thumb:

I've got a few blossoms.....last time I looked.

I'll be outside most of the day.....waiting for it to get up to 60F, right now it's 59F. First order of business will be sharpening the mower blades......oh joy....:sigh:. After cutting the lawn I'll drag out the tiller and get the garden ready for another round of corn and beans......that's not fun, either. After running the tiller I have to rake the soil smooth....:frown:. Sure wish I had a rear-tine machine.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

That is a lot of work! . . Did you get the load of HS for the garden this year?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Never could track the guy down........:sigh:. Still has a good supply last time I looked. I get enough HS around the house......:nonono:. Just not the type to put in the garden......

I threw the soccer goal over the fence and got it in an area where I don't have to move it for mowing......so I thought. Had to move it to get into the backyard to cut a day ago....... The 9yr old was using it as a parallel bar........I need to build something for her that's a little more stable. Yesterday I stood on one end of it so she could test her new palm grips......gymnastics are tough on the hands and she finally got her first grips.

Time to locate the belt-sander and impact wrench......sharp blades help keep the deck clear. Better to cut the grass than to smash it.......getting tired of cleaning the deck after each use. The blades prolly have 80hrs since the last sharpening......


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Belt sander? does that work better then a bench grinder?


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Painting going slow rain on and off so it makes progress a bit of a fits and starts situation but it will get done. Just ordered a new pressure washer comes with all the tools, so cleaning the front path and drive should be a breeze, they even threw in the detergents for car and patio. Karcher make and half price so pretty pleased.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Hope it is not a vertical mounted pump.

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Belt sander? does that work better then a bench grinder?


I've used belt sanders for many years on all types of metal (except aluminium....non ferrous). Need a 36 or 40 grit belt, though. Just make sure the collector bag is removed.....:uhoh:. With a 3" surface I can remove a decent amount of metal in short order and not throw sparks everywhere. Belt doesn't retain heat and runs cooler. Back in the 70's an old carpenter showed me how to hollow grind my wood chisels with a belt sander and 80 grit belt....the trick is to use a wheel and not the platen. I have been using belt sanders on metal since then. I do have and angle grinder and bench grinder but prefer a belt sander in some cases.

~1 hour to R&R 3 blades (1/4" thick X 20 1/2"):
30mins cussing while looking for my impact sockets....probably in my son's car and never did find them. Alternate set (Husky) also not found....:banghead:
5 mins per blade to sharpen....and they really needed it.
Remainder of the time was to jack up the mower (easy with the OEM mounted stand) and hooking up the compressor......putting stuff back when done.

Only 3 minor incidences.......2 burns and 1 laceration. Grabbed wrong end of freshly 'ground' blade (I need to wear gloves some day). Touched back of hand on a blade when installing last blade. Reached for a tree leaf near the exhaust after mowing for an hour.....

Made a pit stop half way through the lawn.....and another one at the 3/4 mark. Restocked the wine cellar when done......and stayed there.....:rofl: Looks like today will be the day to work in the garden......need to get the final tilling done and put down the Preen before tomorrow's rain.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

I'll have to give it a try, I've used belt sander tables to resurface cylinder heads in the past, it's a really quick and efficient way to true a set of heads.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I put a foot on the blade and let one end hang over the edge of my porch.....line the angle of the sander with the 'upturn' on the back of the blade to get a decent angle. The flat top on the sander allows me turn it upside down for many uses.....including a quick flat sand of the bottom of the mower blade. No cheating.....bottom of blade must be flat....if not, you have to do more grinding on the top.

If that belt sticks out above the body of the machine it will work great on your mower blades. Nice flat surface to keep the blade straight......:thumb:. Most people that 'free hand' with a bench grinder end up with some really crooked cutting surfaces....:nonono: 

My son has the same type of sander and took his to the station to refurbish their kitchen knives......use a fine grit belt and turn the sander on it's top. Put 'em to a whet stone for the final edge......sharp.

One pot of cantaloupes is up ~1".....I hope to see the cukes and watermelons peeking through the soil by tonight. It's been getting in the 40's at night so I bring them indoors. Too late to start them by direct sow if I want to control the weeds.....I'll put the weed control on now and transplant later.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I see a belt sander putting a nice edge on a blade. Not sure about hollow ground wood
chisels as to why.

Don't forget to check the balance on the blades

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The wheel puts a slight cup between the cutting edge and the heel of the chisel. Makes it far easier to get an edge without having to hone the entire surface. Most times a person has the 'bevel' so rounded that the chisel is useless. All in all, you'll be removing a certain amount of material to keep a chisel sharp.....I remove some of it a little early.

Had fun in the garden.....I guess....:laugh:. Tilled the whole thing with exception of the 'maters/peppers.....I'll do some shallow hoeing to keep from disturbing the weed treatment (they say not to disturb the soil after applying the Preen). Raked out the area for the corn and got 3 more rows planted along with pole beans. I may rethink the pole beans in with the corn......not sure if the beans will interfere with pollination. Had some nice ears last year despite the weeds....I'll try to do a better job on the weeds this year. We ate the last of the corn a few days ago.

Don't know what got into the garden......2 'mater plants got 'topped'. 'Bout the only critter that would do that is a deer.....but I haven't seen any tracks. The fence is low enough that a deer can jump it easily......:frown:. I checked on plastic construction barrier but that stuff is $$$.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I 'm just about done with the back fence should finish it tomorrow if the weather holds it's been no fun playing dodge the rain. Will get to the front maybe next week and get the path and drive cleaned, I may end up doing my sons bike shed but will need to get my own shed rubbed down and painted so I hope to do that during this week.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hot diggity......the Preen got watered in tonight!! Finally got some rain. I enjoyed the light show from the thunderstorm.

Watermelons were kinda shy but are peeking out of the soil......cukes are being stubborn. "Sprouts" are looking good and I may tranplant into the garden next week. I'll plant another round of green beans when I figure out what space I have left......I still have plenty of seeds. Peas are 'no go'......way too late for them because they don't like hot weather.

How'd the fence go, Joe?? Does it ever stop raining in Scotland??


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I ran out of paint on the last small piece, Got new supplies yesterday, so will finish the rear tomorrow. The new pressure washer came yesterday too had a little play with it and did the path and drive today also works great on weeds.
We have had 3 days of sunshine, though yesterday I could have done with it being cooler, Had an interview so had to go suited and booted in the car, not pleasant thankfully the place I went to was running air con so cooled off quickly.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Drat......how hot did it get?? It'll be a little cooler today with a high of 81F around here.

Got a little more rain than needed......and more rain tomorrow according to the weatherman. Overcast day.......kinda dreary and may not get up to the forcast high. Temps have dropped from 75 to 73 in the past hour.

Cukes are peeking out.....2 out of 3 so far and is the same as the watermelons. G-kid planted a cherry mater before school let out and brought it home on the last day. I should be able to spade up where a small blueberry bush died and plant it later today......then it's all hers.....:laugh:.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

We had a couple of days at around 78-79 F which is pretty warm for here, in fact it was hotter here than in Spain. Got the fence done out back and did the gate back and front,next should be the tin shed got to brush off some rust, then give it a good clean before painting after which I will start out front and paint the fencing and railings and drive gate.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Nice pleasant day in the low 80s with a calm breeze here, I'll take that over the 90+ high humidity days the week started out with..............


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

It hit low 20's(C) today, it took me at least 5 minutes to carry 3 watering-cans out to water everything..... :lol:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

WereBo said:


> It hit low 20's(C) today, it took me at least 5 minutes to carry 3 watering-cans out to water everything..... :lol:


Is that warm or chilly for you?? It's currently 25C (77F) here. 

Guess I can go look at the garden now......it quit raining finally. Had to put the 'sprouts' under cover.....the container the peat pellets are in doesn't drain. Poor things were treading water....until I drained the container. Still waiting for the last watermelon to make it's appearance.....2 have sprouted so far.

The cherry 'mater my g-daughter brought home has blossoms already......only 6" tall and 3-4 buds. I'll see how wet the ground is and maybe get it planted.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Personally, it's a comfy temperature, though a few degrees warmer wouldn't go amiss. I suppose it's average nationally, some years are warmer some are colder, the most amazing thing is that it will likely be dry and sunny for Midsummer Solstice tomorrow :lol:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

88F today from what I heard.....didn't verify the fact. It did get rather warm and I worked on my 'tan' while cutting the lawn.....wanted to make it to the garden but didn't get that far....:sigh:

Saw deer tracks in the garden.....probably looking for bean sprouts. The last planting of corn and beans are up and looking good so far. Plenty of blossoms on the 'maters and peppers....I can't wait.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Picked this bad boy this morning . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Poor little Brussels sprouts took a beating last night.......whatever rolled through was pretty powerfull. I need to remember to put them on the covered porch at night......they go in the garden next chance I get, though. 

Time to look at my seed collection and get the cilantro and dill planted. No peat pellets this time......I have some smaller seed trays I can use. Not really liking the peat pellets......if the plants need to be repotted why bother??


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You made me look at the weather, thunder storms predicted for tomorrow afternoon through overnight Wednesday..............


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Been raining here so everything is on hold, if it picks up as predicted will get my railings painted already cleaned and wire brushed, just need the Boss to give me the go ahead for the metal paint I want to use since it is a little pricey, but then you have 8 years or so with no more work.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Had more than rain last night....local news had a report of some wind damage not too far from me. Looked like some big trees came down on cars/houses.

I hear some thunder right now.....sky is getting dark to the west. I better run to the garden and take a look at what plants I have......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Rescue mission might be on the cards with the wind.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

light rain here . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I stepped away from the garden for a moment to look at the weather radar.....it sprinkled a little. Still a little damp and got some soil sticking to my boots.....but it's not too bad. 

Worse than I thought after pulling a few straggler weeds in the bean rows......damned deer has topped all my beans....:angry:. Looks like I may make my first scarecrow and hang some old wind chimes in the tree nearby. Got another row to weed......then I'll drill more beans between the plants. They didn't come up as thick as I would like.......could be the deer got 'em.

Side dressed some fertilizer on the peppers and 'maters......and a row of beans. Preen seems to be working pretty good and I only have to pull weeds that were established before I applied it. 

****Scratch the weeding for now......it be raining. Sounds like a good excuse to drink a beer.....:beerchug:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You need an excuse!!!!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Raining pretty good right now.....no more garden today. I'll see what plant trays I can find and get the cilantro and dill going.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sounds similar to here on the rain front on and off all day, wish it would stop, but it is too late now to matter as it's getting near to dusk. Tomorrow might bring something better.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

70% heavy rain tonight....50% thunderstorms tomorrow. Maybe it'll let up after then.....til Saturday. Only 30% chance of thunderstorms then. 

The garden doesn't drain off too bad.....we had quite a downpour ~10:30 last night and I was able to get in to do some weeding this afternoon. 

I found a 12 plant tray and loaded it with potting mix......got it 'soaking' right now. I like to water the stuff to see how it will settle out before adding seeds.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

And........it continued to rain all night long....:sigh: For once I decided to watch TV......Star Trek "Insurrection" sounded good and I never caught the whole movie from the beginning. It remains the same and I still haven't seen the whole movie.......it rained so hard I lost the satellite signal more than once. A few seconds of loss wouldn't be that bad but it kept going out for 5-10 minutes at a time.....:frown:

Nice swamp in the front yard.....my son and his 10yr old daughter went out and picked nightcrawlers between rains. They'll be well stocked for their next fishing trip......:thumb:. There's plenty of places to fish within a few miles......if it keeps raining they can just walk out the front door....:rofl:

Not seeing any standing water in the garden......it's on higher ground. I shot grade before I built and my house is on one of the higher spots of land.......~3' above the lowest point. The garden is on pretty much the same elevation. 

Forgot about the dill and cilantro......I'll plant them today now the the potting mix is good and damp. Looks like 1 pot of watermelons is not going to do anything but 2 pots are looking good. I may direct sow as soon as I can get back in the garden.....they have a chance to make it with an 80 day maturity. 

Found a nice surprise when cutting the grass last time. I'd seen the wild canes before but never paid much attention to them.....there's plenty of blackberry canes all over the place but they never do much. They look nice at first but lack of rain takes a toll when it's time for the berries to form and ripen. Over near the neighbor's pines, where the field tile has been obstructed by tree roots, I took a better look at the berry canes when I saw some nice red berries. Much to my surprise they weren't blackberries.....they are black raspberries!! I'll give 'em a wide berth when running the mower and see if they spread......might even try to transplant some right over the blocked field tile. No matter how dry it gets I always have a green stripe of grass running across my property due to that blocked tile. 

Sun's peeking out and the radar looks pretty good.....I may be able to get in the garden by tomorrow afternoon....I hope. Not much of a window with more rain due Saturday. I still want to drill more green beans in sparse areas and plant a few more rows......they can be planted clear through July due to 55 day maturity.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Those berries could be pretty good I found a couple of links about them 
Blackberry vs Black Raspberry: What's The Difference?
Black raspberry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rubus occidentalis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Might make some nice preserve.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'm well aware of the difference (appearance wise).....but for jams I prefer the tart blackberries. For putting on cereal I like the raspberries.......if the kids (and birds) don't eat them all......:sigh:

It's a rare sight to see wild raspberries.......a few years ago I saw some yellow ones. The ones my son planted are red......and I need to get the netting over them before they start to ripen. My dad never liked the red ones as being medicine tasting.....I agree but they are still tasty.....and the g-kids eat them as fast as they ripen.

I see Ohio is listed as an area where black raspberries are propagated......guess I won't be the first......:laugh:. Now that I read the Wiki I can see why they are visible from 200' away.......the light colored underside of the leaves really stand out in a breeze.

Guess I'll get dressed and walk out to see what the garden looks like after the rains.....and check for deer tracks. The thing spent considerable time in my beans.....the tracks go up and down each row....:angry:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You could use other fruit alongside to make a tasty mixed preserve, apple works well with them and icing sugar can help take some tartness out when eating as is.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Neighbor gave us blackberry jam she made with excess berries yesterday. Today she's picking stringbeans and canning some. We'll get both versions.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I used to make blackberry jam when I could find enough of 'em. After cooking I run 'em through a food mill to get rid of the seeds. Never made jelly......I prefer the jam. If I want jelly I'll buy Jello.....:laugh:

While I'm out I'll check the blackberries....I can still hope. During the drought a few years ago I found a bumper crop of blackberries near a marshy area next to my g-daughter's gym.....sadly, they're gone to make way for a clothing store.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

What about cuttings Raspberry Plant Propagation – Learn How To Propagate Raspberries
Might be worth a shot.


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## bry623 (Apr 8, 2002)

SABL- Channel 4 says you guys got 10" of rain this week up that way.

We picked our first cucumbers last night!!!!

I don't have a deer problem but I do have a groundhog problem....... his problem is the 12 year olds with a bb gun.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I was thinking about digging up some of the new canes as they come up. Only drawback is the patch of poison ivy they are growing in. Didn't take a real good look the other day but from my porch it looks like a ~20' run of canes.....the leaves really stand out when there's a wind blowing. Thinking about getting my gloves on and pulling the undergrowth around them....but that may call my neighbor's attention to the berries. 

Not much chance of getting in the garden today......even though it looked like a go yesterday. I could see by the color of the soil that it was drying up nicely.......then it rained at 4:45PM.....and again at 7PM......and again in the middle of the night.....:sigh:

Dill and cilantro are planted......6 of each. Still plenty of seed left and may plant some more.

Swamp is draining off and not doing bad considering the rain. If the rain keeps up I may put in a flagpole and hoist St Andrew's Cross.....:rofl:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

bry623 said:


> SABL- Channel 4 says you guys got 10" of rain this week up that way.
> 
> We picked our first cucumbers last night!!!!
> 
> I don't have a deer problem but I do have a groundhog problem....... his problem is the 12 year olds with a bb gun.


I can believe the 10".....it got wet around here!!

Great!! My cukes are still in the starter pots.....it'll be some time before I pick any. 

Maybe teach the kids how to handle a 22cal?? I used to have groundhogs in the fence line but haven't seen any for ages.....my kids also had bb guns and could be why the groundhogs moved on....:whistling:

I see very few groundhogs......racoons are even kinda rare. Squirells nil and I haven't seen skunks for 6-7 years on my property. All I see are deer and wabbits......both are very destructive.....:nonono:. 

Didn't see any fresh deer tracks yesterday but I better look again today. Had a nice buck munching on what was left of the garden last Fall and he may think that's his own private feed lot.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Maybe some of this stuff could help with the deer and rabbit Predator Urine- Original PredatorPee- Free Shipping- coyote, wolf, bobcat, mt. Lion, fox urine for deer,coyote, rat, mice problems and more


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Too expensive.......and wouldn't last long with the rain. I 'water' the perimeter of the garden when I'm out there. Don't know how urine would work......I have 4 dogs and the rabbits still enter my yard. If the trouble continues I'll put up a taller barricade......the fencing is only 30" but seems to be working for the rabbits. The deer can just step over it......

Raspberries look nice and had a decent crop.....some still coming on but the birds got most of 'em. The cultivated raspberries are just starting to get ripe and I'll drape the net over them this afternoon.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Maybe the home made stuff will work Cheap homemade deer repellent..actually works! - Plants for Difficult Places Forum - GardenWeb got to be cheaper.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Some of those recipes should work......:thumb:. One thing I noticed is people trying red pepper flakes......guess they never heard of cayenne pepper.

I was thinking about mixing some stuff up.....or getting a taller fence.

Found the 20+ year old horseradish yesterday......it was kinda grown in by weeds and a mulberry tree. One plant is 4' tall and reaches the top rail of my fence. I finally got off my buns and cut the damned mulberry trees out of the fence. The kid let 'em take over the fence line while he was in charge for 3 years. Amazing how they can weave their way into a chain link fence......:frown: I've been cutting them down for 3 seasons but they are just as bad as weeds and keep growing back. Looks like I'll have to order a Pulaski axe.....or try to find one locally. I have a Honeysuckle bush that I can use it on, too. The thing is invading my garden......and I have many more in my wildlife area that I would like to get rid of.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Found a few places with them Pulaski Axe with Fiberglass Handle
Council Tool, American Manufacturer of High Quality Hand Tools - Product Categories
Pulaski Axe - Lee Valley Tools


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pricey little critters. I think I'll stay away from Harbor Freight even though the price is right. My son bought a similar tool (axe mattock) last year from Home Depot.....I took it straight back for a refund. Someone had returned it after trying it out and my son didn't notice it had dirt on it and the grubbing hoe was bent. The steel was too soft IMO.....:sigh:

I'll see if one of my sons can find a local supplier......this item is considered as a firefighting tool. Speak of the devil......just got text from son.....:laugh:. He will be working 'The Bottoms' tonight.....sta 10. I texted back and asked if he could see where CFD gets their tools.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Worth a shot, but may not be any better priced.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

He said Ace Hardware.......I need to talk to him about that. No better than any other cheap supplier.......made in Mexico. Oh well......they're close enough to me so I may take a look at them. I may check with the landscaper down the road and see if they have a local supplier for quality tools.

Gotta run outside and do some yard work......oh joy!!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

This the company Ace Hardware


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Every Tues. night I play tennis with the local Ace Hardware Manager. He knows where every nut and bolt in the store is located. Unfortunately his employees couldn't find their --- if they were looking over than shoulder into a mirror. I make sure he's there when I need something.
Been losing the internet every afternoon as thunderstorms pass through. A real PIA.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Is your connection run above ground, no fun if it is.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Underground. I think they're getting "tapped" at the central office. Some TV channels down also.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Does not sound like they have invested in shielding


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I'd buy the Harbor Freight one, often have 20% off coupon in like the newspaper. Not to mention you seem to have people borrow tools and don't return them

BG


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sorry mate, but where did that come from I'am confused.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

I guess from Post #287.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> I'd buy the Harbor Freight one, often have 20% off coupon in like the newspaper. Not to mention you seem to have people borrow tools and don't return them
> 
> BG


:rofl:.....you got that right!!

I may reconsider.....top quality tool would be nice but actual usage may not warrant the cost. That's something I don't want to be using very often. 

Drilled some beans to cover the sparse spots......I'll see if it was worth the effort. Looks like I can run the tiller tomorrow and prep for more beans and get the rest of the vining crops set out. Punkins look very nice so far.....:thumb:. Wanted to get the Brussle sprouts in but need to get the weeds knocked down.....more work for the tiller.

Surprise....surprise....surprise!! Was checking the blossoms on the jals and was very surprised......got peppers!! I didn't get too nosy but one is over 2"....still needs to fill out but it looks nice. Many are in the 1 1/2" range.....I may have some peppers by mid July.

Almost forgot......yep, that's the store, Joe. 'Bout as close as anything around here.....nothing's close.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I did not see your tool on their site, perhaps they have some different stock in stores, we have sites here that tell you that. To be honest, I don't get that why have a site and not carry the stock.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

They had it in stock at the Sunbury store. 

I've checked Preen for veggie gardens but they don't stock it at Home Depot......I can order it, though. Can't use what I have on corn and have to get the veggie one.....or do lotsa weeding. 

Time to head outside......it's already 81F (28C). Need to get the last of the plants set out in the garden. The g-daughter's 'mater goes in the side yard where the blueberry bush kicked the bucket. Tiny little plant but it has a small pea sized mater already. I haven't check my 'mater plants.....should have some fruit set.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The wife has Jalapenos and Chili peppers already, she made chili yesterday and reported the Jalapeno was too hot.............she must have left it out of the chili as it was mild.

The maters are on track I should be able to pick on next week while she's at the shore.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Used some of the Jals in Quesadillas for lunch . . mild to very hot!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> The wife has Jalapenos and Chili peppers already, she made chili yesterday and reported the Jalapeno was too hot.............she must have left it out of the chili as it was mild.
> 
> The maters are on track I should be able to pick on next week while she's at the shore.


You must've gotten a big jump on the season......Memorial Day is the norm in this area for planting....even then it's iffy. 

Worse than I thought.......something else is liking my green beans. Pulled some weeds in the corn/pole bean rows and quite a few leaves gone on the beans. Also found a nest of red ants.......:banghead:. I've got some stuff in the garage that will take care of 'em.....

Shoulda started sooner today. Had to cut the grass in the fenced yard.....move the tree trimmings to the burn pit while I had the mower out. Fired up the tiller and tilled the area for the sprouts along with the entire melon area. Got the sprout area raked out......pulled some weeds.

*Then it poured rain* and I had to run for cover......:sad:


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

She planted early this year, usually it's mother's day, this year the week before.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That'll work.....I'm a few weeks behind that.

Gonna be a bad year for mosquitoes......they were all over me as I walked out to look at the garden. Too wet to do anything......I was hoping to get the sprouts in the ground. Blackberries still look bad this year....even with all the rain.


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

Wife alerted the county with her screaming that this little guy was in the yard. I put him in the pasture to do snake stuff.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Never really see snakes here but we do have them https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=b...h_news%2Fnewsid_9405000%2F9405801.stm;466;260 Correction one species/type


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

If my wife saw that in the garden she would have to have a armed escort every time she went outside.....................................


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> If my wife saw that in the garden she would have to have a armed escort every time she went outside.....................................


:rofl:

Got the sprouts set out last Sunday.....:thumb:. Tilled the whole garden again and was wanting to set the last of the plants but it poured rain once more. Had to run for cover as I watched the rain come in......just got the garage door closed when it hit. Yesterday would have worked but I had too many other things to do.....might be able to get in the garden late this afternoon after last night's rain.

Still have to tie some 'maters and desucker 'em. Sparky may appreciate this one.......this is what I use for stringing the rows and tying 'maters. The bucket has lasted me for more than 30yrs......:grin:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Vegassparky said:


> Wife alerted the county with her screaming that this little guy was in the yard. I put him in the pasture to do snake stuff.


That looks like it might be a night snake. They are actually mildly poisonous but you would have to sick your finger down one's throat to get fanged and even then it wouldn't do you much harm unless you were a lizard.

Where the garden is now I used to hunt pheasants and quail and see a rattlesnake about once a month in the summer. However, now the only snakes are garter and bull snakes. I did see a western diamondback a couple of years ago but I think it came in on a load of hay the rancher next door bought in New Mexico as the only native rattlesnakes are prairie rattlers.

We just got 0.75" of rain last night, which is more rain that we've had in the past three months. Here's a picture of this year's garden. Thus far the harvest has been limited to volunteer squash but the peppers and some of the tomatoes are close.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No 'pizen' snakes around here.....according to ODNR. 3 types of poisonous snakes in Ohio but most are in the southern counties......the 2 types of rattlers are classified as 'Endangered'. The Copperheads are alive and well......

Nice looking garden MPR.....I see you don't need a fence. I never used to have a fence but not many people hunt any more.......wildlife has taken over. Had a nice big doe in the side yard this morning......she was watching the minature schnauzer and decided to head back where she came from.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> I see you don't need a fence.


Here in the middle of the prairie (literally; this county has 108,175 acres of shortgrass and sandsage prairie in the National Grassland) the whitetails stay mostly a few miles north up on the "river" where there are cottonwoods (well, it's a real river but it's underground here and only runs aboveground once every ten years or so when it floods). There are quite a few mule deer and the occasional antelope and elk but they usually stay away from of any "town" area.

There are not many rabbits either. Several years ago we had a large population of rabbits (both cottontails and jackrabbits). However, for the last four or five years we have been a drought. A couple years ago was the most severe summer on record, even surpassing the worst one of the 30s. We got only ten inches of rain that year (the average is 17). Even the fireweed and tumbleweeds didn't grow then so the rabbit population plummeted (not to mention the game birds; I have only seen two pheasants and one covey of blue quail in three years and I've spent quite a few days looking for them).

I do still trap a few gophers out of the north lot each winter and several people have caught raccoons around here but I've yet to see one do any damage in the garden. Even the grasshoppers are rare due to the drought.

About the only mammalian wildlife I've seen near the garden lately, except for the ground squirrels that you can always see in any empty lot around here, is a baby skunk that's been digging around lately eating grubs. It's got to be one of the cutest little skunks I've ever seen.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Got a little more work done in the garden........after the power went out. Nice partly cloudy sky with little wind.......no electricity for 3 hours.

Had a litter of 5 skunk kits about 6 years ago out in the wildlife area......cute as could be. The first one I spotted was 'smoke' color and I thought it was a stray plastic grocery bag........until I got closer. I never got too close to any of 'em.....:rofl:









My daughter thought she was going to make pets out of 2 of 'em.......that lasted about 10 miles down the road. She came back with her Explorer reeking after her son bailed out at G-gpa's house. I took the pet carrier out in the field and let them go......they were out of 'spray' by that time.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

That skunk sure has a lot of white on it!

When I was a kid, a farmer Dad worked for in the summer brought us a litter of baby skunks to raise. Unfortunately, they were tiny and we knew nothing about skunk formula so they eventually died as all we had was cow's milk to feed them. 

One of my fellow grad students is now an expert on skunks. He usually had some rescue kits in his house or truck. They would spray him all the time but he had diabetes and a deadened his sense of smell so he never knew until we told him.

If you are interested in skunks:

Skunk Man - Steve Kemper
Wild Skunk Information


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Caught them in the Adirondacks as a two man team. One guy with a BB gun would freeze the skunk by hitting his tail. I would be able to sneak up, grab the tail and start shaking to prevent rear legs and tail from spraying. Caught many. Our surgical skills were not as efficient. Sack removal resulted in too many deaths from infection.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The one in the pic is the 'smoke' colored skunk......the first one I spotted. Cute critters and never tore anything up so I didn't mind them being around.

Got the rest of the stuff set out in the garden......until the cilantro and dill are ready to go. Had to quit weeding and go into the house when the 'skeeters' started singing in my ears. Shoulda checked the weather radar as soon as I came in......could have put the weed preventer on the garden. It's raining............again.

Still have enough room for more green beans.......and plenty of seed. Looking pretty good later in the week with dry weather and cooler temps.....I'll make one last planting.


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

We have a skunk that comes around every once in a while to munch on cat food. Usually its the cats inside that let us know he's outside. We think the skunks are kind of cool.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

We live in the city, but we do see Foxes,Squirrels and Rabbits as we live close to a reasonable sized park. Which also has LLama's, Cattle and sheep and a couple of camels.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

joeten said:


> We live in the city, but we do see Foxes,Squirrels and Rabbits...


I used to live in the Portland, Oregon metro area, which is known for its green spaces. Although I was "in the middle of town" there routinely were deer, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, beavers, nutria and even the occasional bear or cougar walking along the trail right outside my apartment complex.

Once we even had an alligator in the creek. Don't ask me what an alligator was doing in Oregon but I do know from finding them during my fisheries work that there were snapping turtles in the creek too and they shouldn't have been there either. The nutria are from South America but it's documented how they were introduced -- escapees from a fur farm. I'd seen them in Louisiana when I was stationed there in the service but it was a surprise to see them in Oregon.

Ate a second meal of summer squash and onions for lunch today. The squash have been volunteer so long that I can't even recall when they were originally planted. I just mow and till up the vines each fall and the next spring a couple dozen plants will pop up, becoming the next year's squash patch. This year there are two patches, so I've got more squash than I know what to do with -- we are already trying to give it away.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Roast use some other veg and make soups https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...hannel=sb&gfe_rd=cr&ei=n6W0U7yHK6zR8gewioDwBA
you can freeze quite a bit that way.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Cilantro and dill have sprouted.....that does it for potted plants. Once they get big enough to fend for themselves they will be set out in the garden.

G-daughter picked raspberries yesterday......just enough to share with her sister. Not seeing many jaybirds this year and netting is not needed to protect the berries.......so far.

Green beans starting to blossom.....what's left of 'em. Couldn't get in the garden yesterday and was hoping for today.....then it rained again. Pretty cloudy right now and may get more rain......a few days of sun would be nice. I'll have to walk the yard to see where I can cut.....'Columbia Swamp' is out of the question.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Finally got round to finishing the railings and Shed and redid the paving slabs, now all I have is some fascia boards and onto the hole filling and seeding.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Picked a couple dozen big jucey Jalapenos this morning to put on the grill with the hot dogs


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Could be extra hot lol


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Bummer......just now got my connection back. Gave me some time to get out to the garden, though.

So far 6 of the sprouts may survive......haven't checked them yet today. Found out what's been eating the bean sprouts......and the Brussel sprouts. Chipmunk tunnel right next to the Brussel sprouts.......:banghead:. One sprout was gone so I 'watered' the opening to the tunnel......they don't like that. The critter came back with a vengance and ate 5 more sprouts.....I 're-watered' and tamped the opening with dirt. Still making up my mind on which way I'll attempt to control the vermin. I wish the folks around here would leave the coyotes alone......they're great at controlling vermin.

Green beans have been pretty much decimated this year.......but I'll plant more today. Peppers doing fine so far......corn is ~waist high. Lost a few 'maters due to the soil turning 'sour' from too much rain.....weeds are pretty much under control with the Preen. Kids have been taking turns at picking raspberries.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

How do the Chipmunks do with Chilli or Cayenne pepper.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

@ SABL - I don't know if it will work with chipmunks, but garlic is great for keeping squirrels away - I tried some 'Squirrel-repellent' for my balcony and it's just 100% garlic-powder and talc. I haven't had a single tree-rat all year :wink:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

WereBo said:


> garlic is great for keeping squirrels away


You must have vampire squirrels! We have thirteen-lined and spotted ground squirrels here but, living up to their scientific name _Spermophilus_ (seed-lover), they leave the garden alone.

I have a tomato on the counter awaiting lunchtime -- first one of the season. Unfortunately, I have no bacon to make a BLT and the grocery store is a 40-mile round trip.

101 F is forecast for today so I went out and tilled at 6 AM. The first corn planting is much taller than "knee high by the forth of July" -- some of it is taller than me. This year I've planted five blocks of corn about a week and a half apart in hopes of having fresh corn clear up to Fall. I have one leftover ear of white corn seed and am thinking about planting a last batch in the garden space I have left. If the first frost holds off until mid October I just might get a harvest from it.

I let way too many volunteer squash grow this year. When they are little things peeking out through the last snowfall you feel sorry for them. Now they are literally threatening to take over the garden.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

The squirrels I have chew their way into the trash cans to get to the garlic but don't seem to mess with the garden........................................yet.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Ours are the common 'Grey squirrel' here, very cute looking but waaaay to many makes 'em vermin. I never saw them at all until my local council ran a load of cables up the wall, next to the balconies, from ground to roof. They climb up the cables and dig my plants up to bury whatever food they've scrounged.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Not going to use the garlic on the chipmunks.....that's for me....:laugh:. No tree squirrells around but they are down the road....just not on my property. I checked the 'menu' that the critters like and fresh young sprouts are a favorite. With luck I may get 50% of the Brussel sprouts to survive....got my eye on a small stash of 'diamond lath' in the garage. Not much will make it through the small openings of that stuff. Nurtured the plants to decent size and the chipmunks made a meal out of 'em.....:sigh:

Ran the tiller for 3 passes and raked the soil smooth......that is not a fun task. Got 1 row of green beans planted.....and it rained. I'm ready to get the 4th rain of the day....nothing serious but enough to keep me on the porch sipping a beer. No longer waiting......the rain is here. Last chance on planting.....the beans are 55 days and I have plenty of time. 

Nice blossoms on the beans.....early August should be the first picking and I can't wait. Peppers are doing fine and I may pick the first jals before the beans.....habs are catching up but nothing has been set. Slow out of the gate but they finish strong!!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

According to this cayenne and black pepper are useful How to Get Rid of Squirrels: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Same advice here The RSPB: Advice: Grey squirrel deterrents
so could be worth a shot.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Just might not be my year for gardening.......

I may have convinced the chipmunk to go elsewhere....after it ate 2/3rds of the sprouts. I may get 4 out of 12 plants if I'm lucky. I have a cannister of cayenne if needed......I use it sparingly with kids in the house. Might mix up a spray bottle and use it just as a precaution.

Deer got many tops out of the green beans on the south side of the garden. The chipmunk got quite a few of the pole beans mixed with the corn. I spot planted the bush beans to fill in the rows a little better. 

Rain has taken a toll on a few 'mater plants and some have 'drowned'......at least I plant way more than I need.

Today's chores will include planting a few more rows of bush beans and hand picking weeds in 3 rows of corn/beans. *AND*.......standing the other 3 rows of corn back up after Monday night's (and Tuesday's) winds blew it down. It needs to stand upright to pollinate and fill the ears. Some of it was waist high and looking good.......until the winds. I even changed the row orientation this year to help with 'blowdown' after the same thing happened last year......didn't do much good. Never know, it could have been worse if I hadn't have changed row direction........worth a try.

May have a few jals ready soon.......:thumb:. Habs are making their move and are as tall as their milder cousins.......just now getting blossoms. What bush beans were not eaten are full of blossoms and I should see some young pods real soon.

This year has been a fight.......got too much time/effort/$$$ invested to surrender. After last year's weed problem I decided to fight a little harder and have used the tiller more this year than in the last 20. Of course, I only started gardening again 3yrs ago.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Ain't a garden a nice way to relax? ?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> Ain't a garden a nice way to relax? ?


:rofl:

Gettin' ready to 'relax' shortly......as soon as the dew burns off.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I 'relaxed' a few Jals into pinto beans yesterday and they were mue calente!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I could probably pick a few jals but they may not have much heat.......waiting for them to get a little more plump. I haven't taken a good look at them for a few days.

According to maturity date I may be picking beans in a few weeks......generally it's early August but I was a week early on planting. 

Preen is working pretty good but I'll have to control the weeds manually in the corn......unless I order the stuff for veggies. What I have is safe for everything *but* corn.......:sigh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

So more ideas for the deer Deer Repellent Recipes For Homemade Deer Repellent


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Might need the deer repellant.....more damage since the last time I looked. Chipmunk may have moved the tunnel entrance.....not seeing it so far.

Columbia Swamp......has gotten worse this year. If you look at the background you can see it in the neighbor's yard, too.

Deer track......almost stepped on my best Brussel sprout. Pathetic looking but I hope it survives.

Some wind damage to the corn......notice the 'mater plant 'topped out' and deer tracks.....:banghead:

Almost forgot a pic of the jals........tiny plant but loaded.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

They look not a bad size


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll give 'em a little more time......poor little plant is loaded. 

Don't know if the jal seeds got mixed a little......some peppers look like serrano and the plants are taller. Habs are looking like habs......


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Get a Curry recipe from the page I posted for pakora


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll have to try the curry.....sounds good.

Long walk to the urinal......~300' round trip. I can see where the deer enters and exits......those bases are covered. I'd scoop up some dog feces and put out there but I'd probably step in it at some point in time......last resort.

Planted 2 more short rows of bush beans.....may try for 2 more later today and call it quits for the season. The rows are only ~15' and total 75' all said and done. First planting was 75' total.......pole beans make it an additional 150'. I freeze lots of green beans......and give away a bunch, too.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Recipes Ashoka Recipes - page 1 - BIR Main Dishes Chat - Curry Recipes Online


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

joeten said:


> Get a Curry recipe from the page I posted for pakora


My wife can't eat tomatoes so at the Indian Restaurant she asks for tamarind sauce with her pakora.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

There is always an alternative, you can make a yoghurt with mint and spices that works also.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll wait til tomorrow to plant the last of the bush beans....I want to loosen up the soil a bit. This heavy clay soil sets up like concrete after it's been wet.

The dill looks like dill and the cilantro looks as it should be......gonna let the roots develop a little more before setting them out. Not even gonna thin them out and will plant as is. Cilantro is ~8 to a cluster...gonna see if stunting will delay bolting. Dill is not as thick but it's a weed....should be just fine.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Looks like the 'Polar Vortex' will affect my area......I think it has been with temps in the 50's at night. 57F this morning.....

They sprayed the crops nearby.........by airplane. Fields are still too wet to get into. I watched the guy fly under the high tension lines behind my house.....that takes some cajones!!

Haven't been out back to check deer tracks today......need to see if the 'irrigation' is working. Never had this trouble 30yrs ago.....didn't need a fence back then. Now it's a fight to keep the wildlife from eating everything. Was thinking about chopping down my 'wild' area but even gardens out in the open are fenced. My neighbor gave up years ago......the guy down the road may have, too. Not seeing a garden for him this year.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Been out front, spraying weed killer will do the rear another day, I like the motion sensor spraying water idea, but then I would have it for the idiot who climbs the fence for a short cut. He would be lovely and wet by the time he crossed over lol.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

If we had had a motion sensor watering system growing up our yard would have been constantly full of kids and hound dogs.

Well, it's 90 F but I really need to go spend an hour tilling before it gets any hotter (would much rather spend the rest of the day inside with the AC on but the pigweed grow about a half a foot a day of not knocked down).

Starting to get a few tomatoes and peppers but not a big crop yet. First planting of corn has lots of good ears developing and the second planting is nicely tasseled out.

As expected, the squash are producing about a bushel a week. I don't mind them (my favorite recipe entails frying them with onions, butter and few peppers then tossing on some cheese to melt before serving) but I sort of get tired of eating them every day. Next year I'm going to limit the squash patch to four or five plants max.

Only have five bean plants. I planted row beans three times but either the seed was bad or the birds ate them. I'm thinking the seed I got from the garden center in the next town was left out in a hot truck too long (it was dated for this year so it was not "old," unless the seed company repackaged some). I'm thinking dead seed due to heat as I planted sweet corn three times from packages I bought there at the same time too and it never came up either. Luckily I kept a few "backup" seed ears from last year. There isn't any dent corn within a mile or so, so they should still produce sweet corn.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Got a bag of green beans from the next door garden yesterday. They are on stove cooking now.

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nothing better than fresh green beans.......:thumb:. I'm late as always.....not used to planting anything before the end of May. 

Something nibbled one of the sprouts again......I'll have diamond lath cages around them by nightfall. 

I have field corn right behind me.......200' from the garden. At least the prominent wind blows anything in the opposite direction of it. 

Back to the grass......it needs cut and I'm taking a break. More important things to do for the rest of the family.......they went fishing this morning and just left to go swimming.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Going to sit and have a few shortly so the garden and everyone else can do whatever.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's what I did yesterday........paying for it today when I didn't get much done......:laugh:

Enjoy!!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

No early rise tomorrow and nothing big in the works, so I will celebrate My birthday a few days late Got a liter of Bacardi Oakheart with my name on it (35.195uk fl oz) 
33.814us fl oz won't do all that in one go lol, got beer to chase it.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Wouldn't waste the Bacardi Oakheart but a cheap Rum makes a more tasty Bloody Mary than Vodka. Use the beer for a Michelada.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Got slightly warm yesterday......82F by noon. Had much to do and a few beers afterwards......:grin:

The lath cages are in place.....only had enough material for 5. That's about how many sprouts are left.......:sigh:. Fastened a stake to each cage to hold it in place so the deer couldn't nudge it over. Don't know if the chipmunk moved to the raspberries....saw one when pulling a few weeds. Found a pie pan in the trash......it's now swinging around above the berries.....:grin: Might swing a few more pie pans for better effect. The netting is a big pita and needs to be removed and replaced every year. I'd like to build panels covered with 'chicken wire' but would have to store them each fall after the berries are done for.

Supposed to rain today......I better get back outside.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

We have some nice sunshine today, though it is a little windy but still pleasant, went out the other evening and sprinkled on a moss killer and weed n feed, since rain was forecast the next day now I need to wait and see what effect it has.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Didn't get out in the garden a moment too soon........just tying the last of the 'maters when the rain hit. Made the 100yd end around dash with the tiller (to get back to the garage) and only had a few drops of rain get me. 

Chipmunk did not move out........tunnel is next to a 'mater stake. I irrigated it....

Beans are on and should fill out soon. Next to last planting of beans are coming up nicely so far. Very last planting was yesterday......2 short rows. Only thing to set out is the cilantro and dill......next time I can get in the garden.

Didn't see any activity when I drove past the 'manure pile' the other day.......did see some round bales of hay, though. There's a good pile of manure way in the back but what was out front is gone. Even if I could catch a vehicle on the site I would leave a note asking what is being done with the stuff.....if they need a place to get rid of some I can provide it. Sure could use some......my soil is like concrete after a rain. Once it dries out the tiller has a hard time breaking it up......no way can you use a hoe.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Your other option for clay is raised beds or digging in sand or grit which could be more costly.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Living here in the sandsage prairie it's strange to hear of people _wanting_ to add sand to their soil as sand is about all we have.

The rancher who has a barn next door to me runs about 500 head in a feedlot up the road a couple of miles. He mentioned to me the other day that I could have all the manure I want, he'd loan me his tractor and trailer to go get it or have one of his hands bring it in (I think he _really_ wants to get rid of it).

Ate a mess of squash for lunch (cornbread fried this time) and gave another mess away. Had some grilled a couple days ago. Next time I think perhaps baked might be a good way to cook it. Waiting for the corn to get ripe. I like the tomatoes and sort of feel obligated to eat the squash but the corn is my favorite.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No squash......closest is punkins and I can freeze the puree for pies. Some day I may try 1 zucchini. Surprisingly, the kids like veggies.....the 10yr old wants her spaghetti without meat but plenty of veggies. 

If I added sand I'd have some really solid soil........the dirt slices instead of crumbles. It'll get there but once it gets wet you can't touch it with a hoe when it dries. If you catch it just right you have a chance at hand cultivating. The best soil I ever had was in "The Bottoms"......aptly named because it was low lying area just west of where 2 rivers converge. The lot was only 32' X 150' and not much area for a garden. 

Corn is a favorite in my house........no complaints when I fix green beans, either. The youngest loves 'maters and eats 'em like an apple......I slice 'em for sandwiches or salads. Haven't had enough great quality ones to warrant getting out the canning jars. When I was much younger I'd be up half the night canning a single day's picking. Right now I'm fighting black spot due to the rains. Went for a drive yesterday and noticed the field corn not doing the greatest.....some stuff is 1' high and ranges up to 5' or better. Same field and same planting but the water has taken a toll. Some fields haven't even been planted.

My corn's almost shoulder high.....not too bad. Decided to try "Bodacious Hybrid" and see how it is.......75 days on that one. Got about 150' planted in 2 crops 14 days apart.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Nice neighbor brought us corn, cukes and maters today.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's what I normally do.......give plenty away. Not so much with the corn......beans and 'maters I give to relatives. One family is on 'assistance' and can use the extra food......as if Uncle Sam isn't already generous enough. Pretty much typical feast or famine.......too much expensive junk food being bought around the first of the month. Later in the month their cupboard is empty.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I don't see too many gardens around town because of the drought so people always like fresh veggies. It's acting like it might want to rain this evening but I never get my hopes up. We are at the peak of a drought cycle and only get about 12 inches of rain a year (average is 17). For the next couple of decades the aquifer (which is "fossil" water) will still be around but 25 years from now I think this area will be devoid of anything but shortgrass and a few ranches.

It's sort of stupidly ironic that farmers are sucking the aquifer dry as fast as they can so as to take advantage of the high corn prices precipitated by the national "green" ethanol policy. To make matters worse they just build an ethanol plant, which uses more water than any ten large farms combined. Not to mention that Seaboard has put dozens of large pig farms in the county that take even more water. Like those on assistance who just buy junk at the start of the month there seems to be no planning. Everyone is trying to make as much money as they can before the aquifer runs out and everything collapses.

The large farmers can see what is coming though. I worked on farms for several years growing up and in college. Of the large farmers I once worked for (here "large" means at least 10 sections under cultivation), only one has had a kid come back to farm.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Weather patterns are getting stranger every year. We had drought conditions in 2012 (my first garden after a 25yr hiatus) that scorched every lawn in the area. Some lawns were resodded but not watered......:nonono:. My 'lawn' is old cropland and was never really seeded......what I cut is pretty much clover and timothy......hay. Occasionally I allow what grass is present to go to seed and the clover cover is not a great as it once was. 

Last year was kinda wet......this year is even wetter. Had another storm blow in last night that poured enough rain to block the satellite signal for the TV. Looked out the back door this morning and thought the corn had taken another beating but a walk to the garden confirmed all is well.....:thumb:

Bean pods are ~2" as of yesterday........corn is tasseling. Punkins going crazy and the melons are vining......so far so good. Caught the soil moisture just right and was able to use a hoe yesterday......need to find my small hand cultivator so I get up close and personal with the 'maters and peppers. Peppers are doing great......but I started them in early March. 

Might be able to work in the garden today if the soil dries a tad bit. Going to get plenty of sun but the temps will only be in the lower 70's.......night time temps will be in the 50's. Brussel sprouts will be very happy.....what's left of 'em. Diamond lath cages are working well......unless the chipmunk decides to burrow under them. Got an old rat trap in the garage but don't know how effective it will be.....too many other things to eat and may not take any bait. So far, 'irrigating' the tunnels seems to be working......cheapest method I know of.....:rofl:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

You are correct about weather patterns getting more variable. I used to teach an environmental science course and one thing I had my students do was to crunch weather station data in order to detect climate trends. Temperature and rainfall variability was shown to increase significantly over the past 50 years for most of the stations we examined.

Since I retired from teaching I no longer have my data available but the graph below will show you what I'm talking about. Note that overall summer rainfall is actually increasing in northeast Illinois but the amount that it rains in a given summer is starting to jump all over the place.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pretty erratic rainfall from year to year.....huge swings. Right after harvest in 2012 (drought) one farmer was installing field tile......he must've known something. I'll check his fields and see how they are doing......the guy behind me not doing so good.

I'll have to get more aggressive with deer control......:frown:. The kid has a qt of "Liquid Fence" and I'll be mixing up a batch tonight. I need to close down the buffet line.....the chipmunk hole gets an extra helping.....:thumb:



Pics:

Field behind me
Deer damage....cantaloupe
'Maters and sprout cages
Green beans


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Looks pretty good for such rotten dirt


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

:laugh:....it takes a little extra work with this dirt. I'm trying a little harder this year and side dressing the rows with fertilizer......chasing after the weeds more often. When the vines start spreading I'll apply the weed treatment......I may watch the forecast and put it down right before the next rain. I've ran the tiller 3 times so far between the vining plants so it's not so bad with weeds. Last year the weeds choked out the melons and I got pretty much zip on harvest. 

This area was a major brick supplier for almost 100 years......clay was easy to get. The dirt is hard to work unless you have decent equipment (small farm tractor with a PTO operated tiller) or catch the moisture just right. The soil in the pic with the lath cages (pic #3) was completely tilled up ~10 days earlier......hard as concrete now. The section to the right of the 'mater plants was tilled the day before the pic was taken. One row of beans was having trouble breaking through the soil and I had to lightly hoe on each side of the row......they were trying to push up slabs of hardened dirt. Got lucky and it rained just as two rows were coming up the other day.....it softened the soil. 

Mixed up the 'Liquid Fence' and sprayed the 'maters, tender shoots of the vining plants, and the entire perimeter of the garden. The chipmunk tunnel got a few good squirts with the sprayer......I'll have to see where it pops up next.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Luckily we don't get chipmunks over here, but we do get moles that can be a nuisance, as this guy found out......

Jasper Carrott - The Mole - Animated - YouTube

:grin:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

:laugh:

Got moles, too.......they don't eat tender young veggies. Had groundhogs years ago but I haven't seen any evidence for ages. There used to be lotsa holes along the fenceline.

The problem with vermin control is people shooting every coyote or killing any snake they see. It's a trade off with the coyotes, though. I haven't seen/heard any game birds for many years. I used to watch pheasants run in and out of the fenceline a long time ago......as many as 15 at once. The oft heard crowing of the males is no longer heard. The coyotes have taken a toll on the birds.

Owls I used to see at night are no more.....Cooper hawks are a rare sight. Not many people hunt nowadays. The vermin have few predators. I would apply for a nuisance permit to cull the deer eating my garden but killing an animal because it is looking for a meal is not justifiable to me. I _am_ in a nuisance area and 7 deer are allowed to be taken each hunting season. I may have to sight in the 50cal this year and cull what I can on my property. No license or permits needed because I have just enough land to meet the requirement for no permits. 'Checking' the animal can be done online and the carcass doesn't need to be transported to a 'checking station'.

I'll try to keep the deer out by other means......I hope the 'Liquiid Fence' does it's job. I'm only seeing tracks from a single deer so I'm thinking it's a buck that's doing all the damage.

Punkin vines are making a run for the fence.......they should escape soon. I may redirect them......once they get in the grassy area I can't mow and they get buried. The grass grows fast and tall......the punkin leaves have a hard time getting sun. Watermelon leaves get no sun once the vines hit the grass.

Time to wander out back and see how the garden's doing.......and look for fresh deer tracks. The chipmunk may have lost interest in the Brussel sprouts......I hope. I have 1 that's not caged but it's still there last time I looked. I did give it a spray of 'Liquid Fence'......:grin:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

A big ol' truck load of Horse Manure would help a lot!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My dad and I did that back in the 70's at his place......I shoveled a whole bunch of that stuff. The soil worked up nice!! Didn't need any fencing back then, either.

I need to take a drive more often and see if I can catch the guy down the road.....the piles in the back of the field have been there for years and should be well rotted. 4-6 inches on top of my garden should do wonders. Got a stable ~1 mile away but I haven't checked there.....the stuff would have to be stockpiled and allowed to rot.

My grampa had a small dairy farm.......and a manure spreader......:laugh:. He had no problem getting rid of manure. That's another thing I haven't seen for ages.......manure spreader. Gotta stay well away with those things.......the only thing that throws manure farther is a politician.......:rofl:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

> The problem with vermin control is people shooting every coyote or killing any snake they see.


My sister lives in SW New Mexico and she and her husband are dead set on killing every rattlesnake on the property. I keep telling them that the hantavirus that may be carried by mice there is much more deadly than a rattlesnake but to no avail.

A girl whose sister was in my class lost her husband and nearly died herself when they started cleaning out her grandma's old house on their farm. The mouse droppings contained hantavirus -- he was perfectly healthy that morning and dead by evening and it took her weeks to recover. The old house hasn't been touched since.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No experience with rattlers.......none in my area. Those would be a wee bit scary but I doubt I would kill one. Was almost broken hearted when I ran over a ratsnake with the mower last year........she was carrying eggs. If I see snakes I avoid them......mice I speed up and aim for. Not seeing many snakes here lately......but I'm not looking for 'em......:laugh:

Put a little more time on the tiller and went around the vining plants. I'll set the cilantro and dill out sometime today and that will be it for the season......done planting. Picking will be next.....beans are only days away, week at the most.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

We've just had weather-warnings issued for tomorrow, temps up to 32C (89.6F) are expected







.... I'm wondering whether to spray the plants with sun-cream or not :grin:

Things are getting rather rampant now.... :lol:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

The only thing rampant here is grass and weeds, Missus is not a flower person in fact she would slab everything.


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

I've got a Musk Thistle explosion out in the pasture. I remember only a handful last season. There are 3 horses out there, so poison is out of the question. I may burn and doze this fall.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nice looking balcony garden, Bo.......:thumb:

Started off Friday morning working in the garden and getting the grass cut in the backyard. Fell ill and spent 2 days in bed......:sigh:. No clue what happened and the only chemicals/spray I worked with was the deer repellant........it's working great so far. 

I'm hoping the garden dries enough to get into......got beans to pick and side dress the corn/beans. I already did that with the first three rows and things are looking good.....ears are forming and it's tasseled. Jals doing nicely and the melons are spreading out......punkins are set.

No sign of life around the chipmunk hole......must not like the liquid fence. If I don't see new tunnel openings I can remove the cages from the sprouts. Only have half of the original 12 plants and they could look better......:frown:

Doing much better on weeds this year......the Preen is working good so far and I'm controlling the weeds 'by hand' in the corn. I've got Musk Thistle in the yard......the kids know to look out for it when they run around without shoes. That is some nasty stuff....:nonono: I'll take care of it when I mix up some 'Round-Up'. Palmer Amaranth is making it's way to my area.....regular Pigweed is bad enough but this one is particularly bad for crops, and the farmers have been warned to be on the look-out.


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## Vegassparky (Nov 24, 2013)

Looking at all the success you guys have sure makes me anxious to get our garden going, next season. Too many other things are taking priority right now. Have another bathroom I'm about to start on.

The locals say the thistle seed comes in with the irrigation water. I believe them. Its in nice little rows, right down the furrows. 

The dandelions have been all but eradicated from the front lawn. I did my best this weekend to make it look good, but its hard with the bumps from the earthworms, and I suck at mowing. I'm just happy its green. LOL


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll try this again......had a post ready this morning but had a power outage that wiped it out. Seems to be a weekly occurance in my area.....clear blue skies and the power drops for no reason. 

Bumps?? You don't know what bumps are until you take a lap on my yard......bronco busting would be far easier. I keep minimum air in the tires and still get the crap beat out of me if I don't slow down to a crawl in some areas. Pretty bad when the seat switch tries to kill the engine on the rough areas.....

Picked a small mess of green beans yesterday......not bad. 10yr old ate almost all of them and wants me to pick more......:laugh:. I told her to wait a few more days.....they are just coming in. Loads of blossoms and the plants should do just fine.

Chipmunk is back.......found another tunnel opening.....and sprayed more liquid fence. I have one uncaged sprout that has been sprayed and the chipmunk seems to be staying away......so far so good. I would like to remove the cages so they can get proper sun. 

Corn has nice ears and is well tasseled.......coming right along. 'Maters are struggling but show promise......been way too wet this year. Peppers are doing fine for my climate and I may get a batch in a few weeks. Not much of a window up here.....you hit it or you don't.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Stopped in the wine cellar after mowing the grass yesterday........and stayed there......:rofl:. Didn't get much done after that........and it was kinda warm outside (88F). Paid for it this morning by having to disrupt my coffee time and make a run to the garden at 7:30AM to beat the rain. Thought I had til 11AM but a recheck of the forecast showed I only had til 8AM. Didn't want to side-dress the corn/beans until just before a rain........same thing for setting out the cilantro and dill. Done........only thing to do now is hoeing and harvesting (and keeping the vermin at bay).

I'll wait til the rain stops and I can get back in the garden to spray the Liquid Fence and remove the cages from the sprouts. The unprotected sprout is doing fine......I only had enough lath for 5 cages.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Not as much rain as expected......:smile: I can get in the garden with no trouble.

Nice day and showing 70F.......good time to do some work. 

Will be picking beans again in a day or two......only picked a small mess earlier. 10yr old ate most of them.....:rofl:. She loves green beans......now if I can only get her away from ice-cream and sweets in general.

The deer got the cukes and not the cantaloupe.....:dance:. 3 hills of cukes will be more than enough even if the vines have been stunted by deer. Lots of blossoms and small cukes forming right now.

Cilantro and dill are on their own.....you can tell by the pic that I'm not in the best of shape when it comes to soil quality.....:nonono:. Punkins have a few yellow leaves and soil could be the problem......I'll work on getting more fertilizer to them. 

You can almost see the ears growing on the corn.......doing pretty good so far. Tasseled out ~6' and nice silk showing.....looks like a better harvest than last year. Keeping the weeds down should help. Pole beans are just starting to blossom.

Peppers should not be liking the night temps......53F when I got up this morning. Not sure if seeds got mixed but I have a few pwppers that have turned red already.....and they don't look like jals. I'll have to pick one and try it out but I never expected peppers this soon. I don't expect a decent crop of jals for ~month........habs in mid Sept. 

'Maters are in sad shape......the rain took it's toll early on. All I can do is hope for enough to eat.....and maybe share. I don't foresee getting any canning equipment out.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I just like seeing that you have something growing, Temps here are in the 80's right now 79F so cooling a little.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Nice-looking beans. My pitiful 5 plants (from two successive plantings) are just now starting to get flowers on them.

Picked the first mess of okra, which will be fried up this evening. Ate the first mess of corn yesterday and there should be a few more ears I can pick for supper. Tomatoes are setting on pretty well but ripening slowly. I've been getting a handful of cherry tomatoes and a couple of ripe Patio and Jetstars every couple of days but it will be a week or so before the production is constant.

Found a surprise growing in the squash -- a type I don't recognize. I think that they may be squash x cucumber hybrids as they taste sort of like cucumbers but are shaped more like squash. Squash, cucumbers, zucchini, ornamental gourds and pumpkins are all the same species and can readily hybridize. As my squash patch just comes up from what I've tilled under over the years I never know what I'll find. Two years ago I harvested a hundred pumpkins! I never planted pumpkins so I guess a neighborhood kid must have tossed a one in the weeds there over Halloween.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Getting into the dog days of summer here . . temps in high 90's with "Feel Like" of 106 and above.

Peppers are loving it . . gave a mess to neighbor yesterday and still have more than I can use. 

I started the Basil and Thyme yesterday for the Fall garden. . Fall Jals are about 3 inches high . . The peppers are growing in containers this year and seem ot handle the heat better than when in the ground . . normally, I'm pulling the spring pepper plants up around the first of August, but they are still looking healthy and putting on like crazy.

Herbs are starting to hurt from the heat . . they may not last long


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Gettin' kinda warm up here but not too bad. The peppers should be very unhappy with temps dipping into the low 50's at night.

Things didn't go as planned yesterday and the beans didn't get picked.....:sigh:. Forgot to make ice in advance and I realized all the gallon freezer bags had been used in the off season. While I was out getting the needed goods the family decided to do a thorough kitchen cleaning and had things under way by the time I got back. I let them have their way......:laugh:......I was only going to clean what I needed to and leave the rest for the ones who made the mess. 

I decided to cut the back yard instead.......and remove the dead foliage from the 'mater plants as well as tie them up. They were due for some more 'twine'. Not the best looking plants this year and I hope to get _something_ off of them. Hardly any leaves on the bottom of the plants and they look kinda spindly......:frown:. The cherry 'maters are almost as tall as I am......:huh:

Shortly after I got the 'maters tidied up the thunderstorm rolled in. That's one reason I wasn't too concerned about picking beans......I knew I was short on time. They should be good for another day or two......anything longer than that on getting into the garden will give me cause to to get the bunker boots and pick in the mud. The soil's bad enough and getting in while the ground is soaked won't help it any at all....:nonono:

Didn't check the beans out too well before buying them. I just read that the crop comes in all at once (Blue Lake 274).......:SHOCKED:. That's not what I'm seeing.....if you click the pic for the beans you can see quite a few small ones and I'm still getting a few blossoms. Maybe one major crop and successive smaller pickings......I can deal with that. 

After the storm.
Beans I need to pick.
Sad 'maters.
Corn and beans......before cooking.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

You sure have a nice-looking back yard. My place is on a whole half block but it's not nearly as pretty, mostly just brown buffalo grass.

Out of a couple dozen fruit trees I have exactly one peach -- we got a freeze in the middle of May (pretty unusual for here). The pear tree, however, is loaded and the apple has a few fruits on it too.

Your bean plants would call my plants "noobs," my poor plants are still about 8 inches tall. I'm getting some really nice corn though, ate four ears for lunch. I planted corn in 4-row blocks two weeks apart so hopefully I'll have fresh ears until Fall. The first block is producing, the second is just now silked-out, the third starting to tassel and the fourth is about a foot high.

Mowed the east lot this morning. It rained .75 inch a few days ago, just enough to get the clover and bunch grass growing. That lot is an entire city block owned by Dad and the guy he used to build houses with. There are acres of empty lots here as there are no new people coming in so no reason now to build new houses. I mow that lot every few weeks during the summer. It's full of ground squirrel dens and I get a kick out of watching the varmints running around. I farmed for five or six years when I was younger but that's about all the tractor driving I do anymore.

Speaking of tractors. I noticed yesterday that the neighbor had brought in a new John Deere frontloader for his feedlot. That single tractor is probably worth more than everything I own combined.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Wonder if the maters need calcium?? I sprinkle crushed eggshells around mine and they green up nicely


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

This lawn is a pita to tend......:rofl:. It's a city block.....300' X 753' (5 acres). I only cut 3 acres and let the rest kinda 'get outa hand'. Right behind the farthest tree you can see is cropland....this year it's corn. The little 'alcove' where the hose is hanging (center of pic) is the mower washout area......that's why I leave the hose draped over the fence. And.....the kid and his daughter were nice enough to move the trampoline so I could knock down the weeds under it (quarter circle lower right).

I tried fruit trees 25yrs ago and they didn't amount to anything and got choked out in the 'wild area'......haven't tried since. I sure would love to have a few, though. Been looking at some the past few years but never bought any. My daughter has fruit trees and does nothing with them other than feed the fruit to her animals......the fruit is mostly blemished from lack of care. I lost track of how many donkeys, cows, etc. she has.....they're all pets. 

Got some beetle damage on the beans but not enough to warrant pesticides....the second crop will probably need some. Wouldn't hurt to spray the vine crops.......I saw a cucumber beetle this morning so I better get ready. It'll be the first time for pesticides since I started the garden 3yrs ago. 

Another one will be fungicide which I'll buy tomorrow......need to get some on the 'maters as soon as it stops raining. 2nd thunderstorm coming in for the day and may see more tomorrow......:sigh:. Hope it isn't too late to salvage some of the 'maters......they look pathetic this year. It was my fault last year due to not pulling suckers and late tying to the stakes.......and the weeds. Not enough air circulation and too much fruit on the plants took a toll....the Rutgers 'maters weren't much bigger than cherry 'maters. The Roma 'maters had green shoulders and never fully ripened. I was determined to do better this year but still fell short. Must be old age......I never had to fight a garden when I was younger....:rofl:.

I see Rich has posted while I piddle with this post.....g-kids keep pestering me. I need to make a list of stuff to get and might include calcium......still have plenty of 10-10-10 and may do the 'maters again. It sure did the corn some good and this year's crop looks much nicer......but, last years was full of weeds. I side dressed the first batch early and it greened right up and took off.......second batch not so early but it looks to be coming along. Not going to push my luck with a third batch even though the corn I bought is 75 days and could make before the end of the season. 

Haven't been on a tractor for 20yrs even though I have a TO20......it needs restored. The price of tires (maybe rims, too) keeps it way down on the list of priorities. I lost the availability of implements when my dad sold all his stuff 15yrs ago. If I could afford a 5' tiller I might change my mind about getting the Ferguson running......then I'd till and grade my yard.......and have a bigger garden......:grin:


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Oh a Ferguson TO-20 Z- series Continental engine is it still the Ferguson gray color?


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

My experience with fruit trees is they're really appreciated by the birds and squirrels. Nice in the fall if you like the smell of applesauce.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I hear Pear does ok in clay soil.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wrench97 said:


> Oh a Ferguson TO-20 Z- series Continental engine is it still the Ferguson gray color?


That's it......Continental Z (120 I think). More of a rusty color now......:rofl:

Have a TO30 but the block is cracked......:nonono:. I bought it 'not running' in the early 90's and found out how bad it was 'not running'......$1,000 down the drain.

Lawn is worse looking in person......I have a crappy camera.

Another line of storms coming in.....I may have to borrow a kayak to pick beans. Michigan is getting hit harder than we got or will have......Wrench needs to run for cover. Rich and MPR seem to be doing fine and should be sipping a cold one on the porch. 

Pears are out of the question......I've seen BG's crop. DiL claims she loves pears but buys 2 and throws 1 away after it sits in the fridge for a month.....or 3. What I need to plant is a beer tree......maybe more than one.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

When you get one of those send me the address of the company.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll keep you posted, Joe........closest thing I've found so far is hops vines.....:sigh:

Been looking at my Audubon field guide on wildflowers and can't find the flowers that grow near my garden......internet not showing an exact specimen either. Maybe I should be checking weeds?? Pretty flower but I rarely let them grow too much.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I see 3 varieties of Tomatoes recommended for your state, Pilgrim, Ramapo, Jubilee. 
and apparently Apple and Plums do well in clay soil if you give them a good start with organic matter.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Got a few commercial apple orchards in the area.....one is 500 acres. Lost my favorite one back in the 70's when they put a dam on Alum Creek and flooded the area. I used to buy untreated cider there. 

I may try to get some fruit trees in the budget for next spring. I always check my daughter's plum tree if I visit at the right time....I think I'm the only one who eats the things. I've got a slight rise in the yard that would be a good spot for some fruit trees.

Another favorite is Black Walnuts......not planting any of those, though. Pine cones are bad enough to hit with the mower and walnuts even worse.....:nonono:. I just go for a drive and ask home owners if they'd like to have some of the walnuts removed from their yard. There used to be a church campground that was more than happy to have me stop by and remove walnuts that had dropped from the tree. Lotsa work but the efforts are very tasty.....:thumb:

Peppers should be very unhappy.......64F right now and a high of 71 for the day. Tonight's low calls for 50F. Been keeping an eye on the garden to see if I can sneak in and pick beans. I like to let the pods mature but last year was a disaster and the beans were real stringy......even if picked young. 

Guess I better wander into town and look at fungicide and pest control......and a new sprayer for RoundUp. Don't want to make any mistakes with cleaning the one sprayer I have and will mark one for herbicide only.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

71F here today also with rain coming and for most of the week


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

81 here but humid, I must be just a tad southeast of the rain/storm.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL, that's a Venus mallow _Hibiscus trionum._

Venice mallow - Hibiscus trionum — Agronomic Crops Network
Hibiscus trionum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Edit, I see I should have said "_Venice_ mallow" I guess my botany professor was pronouncing it wrong -- I'd always thought it was "Venus."


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, MPR........now I need to grab my field guide and see how I missed the thing......or see if it's listed.

OK.....listed but no picture. I want my money back......:laugh: "Flower of the hour" is pretty close....I kept thinking 'I'll grab the camera next trip to the house' and take another look to see the blossom almost gone.

Sun's peeking out and I should be able to get in the garden after finishing my coffee. Didn't quite make it into town yesterday and only got as far as the carry-out.....:rofl: I wouldn't have been able to get in the garden to spray so I delayed the trip to get the goods.

Only got down to 52F last night......currently 55F and a high of 73F predicted. It'll be comfortable working outside today......but the peppers won't like it. I'll pick the red ones and see what I've got in regard to 'heat'.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Rain has pretty much stymied most of my efforts lately. Only got two rows of beans picked the other day when rain forced me out of the garden. Cooked one batch, froze three batches, and gave one batch away......a batch is ~1 gallon of beans or better. I fill up an eight quart dutch oven for one batch.....enough water to keep from going dry, one tsp salt, one quarter tsp pepper, coarse chopped onion, and a single layer of bacon on top. Cover with a tight lid and simmer for a few hours.

Got up early the next day and picked more beans......took a double batch to the kid's station. He had asked about the jalapenos but I didn't have enough ready.......still want to give them a little more time before picking any. What look like serranos have turned red already......I'll pick a few and see what I can do with 'em. Might try to make some pico de gallo.

Wasn't a bad looking day to start off with yesterday......had to run some errands and figured on cutting the lawn as soon as I got back. A fast developing storm changed my plans......got drenched going into the grocery store and even more drenched when loading the goods into my van.....:sigh:. Decided on starting dinner instead and seared some beef for pot roast when I got home. The kid already had the meat thawed out so I went ahead and did something with it......:laugh:. 

Barely dry enough today but I decided to cut some grass......the fenced area for the dogs needs to be mowed often to control fleas. I got that done in less than 10 minutes and decided to see how far I could get before it rained. Got the perimeter cut on a section of the front yard when lightning hit a few miles away.......I kept going hoping I wouldn't get a 'Darwin Award' for my efforts. I stopped often to watch the approaching storm and had to give up when a few raindrops hit me......needed time to get the mower in the garage and a few items that sit in front of it. 

Picked three cucumbers yesterday and two cherry 'maters......the 9yr old ate the 'maters straight away. The cucumbers were gone before bedtime and the girls just sliced 'em and ate 'em as is. 

Uncaged the sprouts and one didn't last long before the chipmunk got it.....half the cilantro and one dill plant also vanished. I wanted to check for damage but there's a cat that's been staring at that section of garden for over an hour....I'll leave the cat alone and check once it leaves.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Rain here too not much getting considered let alone done.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

But...but.....I thought it _always_ rained in Scotland!!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Only when there is a A,E,I,O,U in the month


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

High was 79 here today . . must be an all time low for the first day of August!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

That's pretty much overshadowing anything here BBC Weather - Glasgow Rain cloud and rain again the ducks will be fine though.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

There was a nice cool front come through last week and we got about an inch of ran all together, which adds up to about three inches total for the year. According to the research center in Garden City this has been the driest year on record.



> At Garden City’s K-State Agricultural Research Center, it was the driest January through May on record, with just 2.07 inches measured, according to research farm manager Jeff Elliott -- The Hutchinson News


It was interesting reading that article -- I went to grad school with Jeff.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Cool tell him not to quit the day job as predicting weather is an art still not a science lol.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

33% of the cilantro is all I have left......two clumps out of six. Looks like I'll be buying what I need at the grocery store. What is growing is pathetic and not very big. No more sprouts vanished since I last checked......but, that can change overnight. 

Rutger's are finally showing some color change......it's about time!! Corn should be ready soon.....I'll be pretty busy blanching and freezing the stuff. Ears are silked out nice and the rain should help fill the kernels. Got punkins galore and may have to prune the vines that are headed towards other crops. 

79F must've felt pretty good this time of year, Rich. We didn't get up to 70F til about 3 this afhernoon......currently 72F. The lows will be lower 60's the next few days and maybe upper 50's......peppers not happy.

Nice forecast, Joe.......sounds like around here with rain every other day. Sunny Intervals??......:rofl:. Could be worse, though. My first year of getting back into gardening we had a drought and I spent many evenings watering everything.

Wow, MPR........only 3" of rain??


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Wow, MPR........only 3" of rain??


Drought is almost continuous now for this area and most of the West. In 2011 it was even worse -- three inches in 10 months. 



> Since last September — 10 months ago — Morton County near Elkhart has received 2.99 inches of moisture.


Read more here: In drought-hit Kansas, desperation is the only thing growing | Wichita Eagle​


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I would suggest growing the maters in pots, and digging a good patch with plenty of organic matter ,for the rest, add a little sharp sand for drainage.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

MPR can we give you a swap for a little bit.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

This is my home town in the 1930s. 

The building to the lower right is still standing, though it's been expanded considerably -- that's my old high school.










This was taken close by in the 2000s


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Basically the dust bowl, I did offer a swap for a little bit.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Not just basically the Dust Bowl, actually. The county I grew up in was the hardest hit of all US counties during the Dust Bowl. In 1937 the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to purchase and retire sub-marginal farmland cultivation. In 1938 the Morton County Land Utilization and Land Conservation Project was formed under the Farm Security Administration (later handed over to the newly minted Soil Conservation Service, which is now Natural Resources Conservation Service). The FSA purchased abandoned farms and returned them to grassland as best they could. The result is the 108,176 acres (43,777 ha) Cimarron National Grassland, the largest single area of public land in Kansas.

2012 was the hottest and driest summer on record, surpassing the former record set in 1934. The average temperature _for the entire year_ was 58 degrees. That sounds pretty cool but it factors in those 20 below zero days in the middle of winter too. Gotta love that continental climate. The coldest recorded in KS was 40 degrees below zero and the hottest 121 degrees.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

That smacks of poor planning, but what do I know, it seems like there has been some type of mismanagement.Going on for a on period.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I spent five years one spring in Ponca City OK . . ( we called it "damn near Kansas) on a training assignment . . you have my sympathies!

Libya was a refreshing change after that ! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

joeten said:


> I would suggest growing the maters in pots, and digging a good patch with plenty of organic matter ,for the rest, add a little sharp sand for drainage.


Me??

Got a problem with pots......need a place to put all of 'em.....:grin:. I was considering a raised bed but 2,000 sq ft is a decent area. Having topsoil hauled in would not yield a decent return on expenses.....I could buy the produce for cheaper and save myself the trouble of cultivating and harvesting. I got what I got and.......gotta put up with it....:rofl:. It'll take years to get the soil in good condition.....even with a good helping of horse manure. It took at least 5 years to get the garden at my dad's place in good shape......his soil was much better than mine. 

My soil isn't that great but the results aren't that bad as long as I make adjustments and stay on top of everything. The Preen worked good on the weeds but the soil still needs shallow cultivation for aeration. 

Drainage is not too bad considering the high clay content. Drainage tile was installed long before I bought this property and the garden is behind the 'building line' and still intact. Anything in front of my house has been severed by utilities.....the drainage lines were cut and never put back together. 

My big fight right now is getting rid of a <TWIBAT> chipmunk family......insert any expletive you desire. In all my years I have never had this much damage from animals. Never have I had to use fencing to protect my crops before now. I don't know if it's weather or animals, but, many gardens weren't planted this year.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

joeten said:


> That smacks of poor planning


It was but the Midwestern US was wide-open territory. Even in the colonial days it was "fly over" territory. Pre-Columbian Indians found it too harsh here until Coronado came through with his expedition and let a few horses stray. And when the US government wanted someplace that nobody else wanted to relocate the Indians, they did so in what is now Oklahoma. However, the strip that is now the panhandle of Oklahoma remained unorganized after the Republic of Texas was annexed and Texas lost it.

When people started settling here along the railroads in the late 1800s the area was in the middle of a wet cycle. Nobody considered that as they turned the sod into wheat fields that thirty years later there would be a drought so bad that there were areas where literally nothing grew for miles. All that nicely harrowed farmland just blew away.

The area just south of where I live, which is now part of Oklahoma, was once considered so much "no man's land" that for a few decades after settlement there was literally no law. Southwest Kansas got into a war with itself in the late 1800s over who was going run the county here. 



> the country was in a state of war... Entrenchments were thrown up, rifle pits were dug, and stands established for sharp-shooters. Guards were thrown out all around the town, and mounted scouts continued to scour the country. Hugoton, expecting that Woodsdale would make an organized attack in retaliation, was quite as fully fortified in every way. Had there been a determined leader, the bloodshed would have been much greater. Of course, the result of this state of hostilities was that the governor sent out the militia


A massacre occurred and eventually the culprits were sentenced to hang but since the killings took place in "no man's land" a few miles south of here they were released when the US Supreme Court ruled that nobody had any jurisdiction in the area.

Stevens County War - The Bloodiest County Seat War of the West


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Spent three hours working on the "Estate" this afternoon. I'm in the running for the gold medal for growing kudzu and raising Gypsy Moths.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Corday said:


> Spent three hours working on the "Estate" this afternoon. I'm in the running for the gold medal for growing kudzu and raising Gypsy Moths.


Getting ready to spend a few hours outside, myself. Still have to finish cutting the 'lawn'.....mostly clover and coarse grasses. The rain stopped me half way through on Saturday.

Haven't checked to see what's left of the sprouts and cilantro today....wasn't looking too promising yesterday.....:frown:. 

Probably pick more beans today.....and palp the ears on the corn. Corn should be real soon.....beans are ready for 2nd picking even though they claim one big crop that you harvest all at once. If that was the case I wouldn't be picking much after the first harvest.....2nd picking looks to be pretty decent. Pole beans are blossoming....what the chipmunk didn't eat.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Looks like your corn is almost ready. I didn't get a lot from my first planting, only a couple dozen ears. Too many beetles got into the silks. The second planting is producing well though. So far it looks like the bugs are staying on the old corn and leaving the new alone.

About the only tomatoes that are producing really well are the cherry tomatoes. I wish the larger varieties were as tasty as them.

Darn squash has taken over the garden; that's what I get for letting so many volunteers grow. Fortunately, a lot of people around here like fresh squash so I can usually give the excess away.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Good luck on the 2nd batch of corn, MPR. I'm not seeing much in the way of insect damage.....last winter was kinda harsh and took care of many bugs. The vermin are extra hungry, though. 

Squash??.....Pic #3 is punkins making a run for who knows where. Only 3 hills this year but they are moving fast to overtake other crops. 

Same here on the 'maters....only cherries so far. May get a Rutgers in a few days......basic canning 'mater but can be sliced. The 9yr old will eat like an apple......:laugh:. She got the first of the cherry 'maters.....I try to keep her well stocked and she gets first pick. Roma's are there but not making any sudden moves on color change......:sigh:. Beefsteaks were planted 'just because' and could be doing better.

Time to take care of the aftermath from mowing.....was getting 'deck clog' at higher speeds and need to wash the deck. Not my favorite job but beats scraping while laying on my back.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

You been peeing in the water reservoirs up there???

Water scare affects 400,000-plus in Toledo, Ohio - CNN.com


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I make no effort to head for the house when nature calls.....:uhoh:. I don't think I've affected Hoover Reservior......:huh:

Algae bloom in Lake Erie must've been pretty bad this year. I remember late 60's when the lake was so polluted they didn't recommend swimming or eating the fish. 

Gotta pick and process the beans today. First I have to get the kitchen back in order.....as usual.....:banghead:. I'm very picky when it comes to cooking or processing foods......must be absolutely clean!!

Wanted to drop off some beans at the other son's station but that isn't gonna happen......not enough time.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Have him swing by and get them at some point.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

joeten said:


> Have him swing by and get them at some point.


I may suggest that.......but, I want them fresh picked. Also.......gives me a chance to have a little fun. My hair and beard is pretty close to matching Gandalf's.......:laugh:. I get many strange looks when I walk into a fire station. 

Only picked 1 row of beans yesterday which came out to 6 good sized 'messes'........enough to fill an 8qt dutch oven 6 times. Gave away 4 of 'em and froze 2. The oldest g-daughter swore we would be eating green beans the rest of our lives when she saw the pail of beans......I use an 11 pound dog biscuit bucket for picking and it was brimming with beans. Her eyes got really big when I said I had 2 more rows to pick and 8 rows not ready yet......my son thinks I kinda overdid it (so do I). Looks like I'll be firing up the 26 cu ft freezer this year. 

After picking the beans and contemplating the task ahead of me having to snap, wash, and blanch the whole lot I decided to give a few away. I didn't have the heart to check the corn......that'll be something to do today. Only one of me and I'm easily outnumbered by the crops which have been the best in 3 years.

August is going to be a very busy month for me.......as well as September.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Well, no famine or feast at least.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> The oldest g-daughter swore we would be eating green beans the rest of our lives when she saw the pail of beans......


When she was a baby, my oldest niece used to love green beans. She wasn't old enough to master a fork yet though and any bowl just ended up on the floor, so my brother would just dump a pile of beans on the table and let her go after them. One day I was teasing her by making a spider hand and walking it over to steal her beans. She sat there looking at it for a bit and then yelled "Get out of here spider!" My brother had a funny look on his face so I asked him what was up. He said, "I didn't know she could talk."


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

MPR said:


> My brother had a funny look on his face so I asked him what was up. He said, "I didn't know she could talk."


:rofl:

The 10yr old finished off the last batch of beans I cooked......even took a tip from grumpa and poured the broth in a cup and drank it. I use bare minimum water and it leaves a nice 'green tea' with bean/bacon flavor......and plenty of vitamins.

Corn not quite ready yet.......TG!! 3 rows @ 25' should keep me busy once it's ready. The other 3 rows are catching up fast.......total of 150' of corn. Mature date is 75 days and I'm getting pretty close.....the seed supplier claims the corn can hold for 10 days so I may have some leeway on harvest.

Jals are kicking in and I should have a good picking for the kid's next duty day....I'll warn him. He's wanting ~50 peppers......I think I can do that easy. Might be able to send in some corn, too......beans might be sparse. Pole beans are blossoming.......:thumb:

A few more cherry 'maters are ready.......I'll pick 'em when the 'mater fan gets home after gymnastics. Gonna give the 2 Rutgers another day.....I'm in no hurry. More are taking a little bit of color......including the Beefsteaks. Cukes are ready again......maybe half dozen.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pretty much frittered the day away yesterday. Tried to find the release tool for fuel lines in my garage and had a few beers in the process. Picked a whole 6 'maters and 6 cukes.......4 of the 'maters were cherries which the 9yr old made short work of. She also devoured one of the Rutgers......:laugh:

Dropping some beans off at the kid's station isn't gonna happen.......I'm baby-sitting atm. Looks like I'll be staying home and picking more.......what else......beans!!

Cantaloupes are taking their good old time......watermelons not moving along much faster. Got 1 watermelon ~4" diameter.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I'm having no luck getting Cilantro to sprout . . damn seeds just sit there and rot before sprouting . . musta got a bad batch?? It is hot like hell and that may be part of the problem, but I don't recall any difficulty last few years.

On the other hand, the peppers I started last month are growing great guns! ! Should be ready to put in the pots in another week or so!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Good luck on the cilantro......is it being steamed by the weather?? I need to go out and protect my cilantro and dill from encroaching weeds......if my pet chipmunk hasn't finished 'em off.

Still frittering the day away......been baby-sitting longer than I wanted. The little angels like to get into things when unsupervised.....and they have extra help. Their 11yr old cousin is helping......went into the kitchen a while ago and they were making mac and cheese. I can go outside now......been relieved of duty and the kids are out of the house. I can lock the door and head to the garden. Didn't get beans picked like I had planned and not enough time to process 'em......that gets thrown on tomorrow's list of things to do.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Tonights to do list for me is beer and chasers. Oh, and some online viewing none of which will be about gardening unless the script has it written in.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I replant every August 1 and this year has been significantly cooler than prior years . . so far, not a single day over 100, and typically, by now we would have 10 - 12!

I've taken a different approach . . soaked the seeds three days in a seaweed solution before planting . . see if that helps


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

A common trick here is to put the seeds in the freezer for a day or two, before planting - It tricks 'em into thinking Winter's finished and it's time to grow ;-)


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I keep the seeds in the fridge . . Never considered the freezer


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

The technical term for that is vernalization. Most plants in seasonal environments have evolved dormancy patterns. Without a cold cycle many seeds will not germinate as to them winter has not yet come and gone. The number of chilling days needed varies by species and the location that it has adapted to. For a home gardener it probably doesn't matter all that much to get, say, 10% better germination but this amount could make or break a commercial operation. Papers like the one linked below are what agricultural analysts read in order to give advice to clients. 

http://www.field-crops.org/assets/pdf/product5131ebe949f46.pdf


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Odd.......my punkin seeds went from drying tray to my dresser drawer. Same thing for any seeds that I've saved.......with one exception. I found some ground cherry fruits while out hunting years ago and decided to see if I could propagate them in my field. I gathered up what fruits I could find and put them on a paper plate in my garage where winter temps get close to freezing......garage is attached and well insulated. I put the fruits on a high shelf on the outside wall farthest from the living space........they made a tasty snack for a field mouse.

Today's the day for more beans and I'll be very busy......that'll teach me for slacking off a few days. Night temps have given me a small reprieve with lows in the 50's.......the crops should hold longer with lower temps (I hope). Might have a few more 'maters ready but not enough to do anythng with......other than eat fresh......:thumb:.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Mature seeds won't germinate in the living fruit because it produces hormones that inhibit germination. Once the fruit flesh is destroyed by drying, being eaten and digested, or if the seeds are scattered from it mechanically they can then germinate. Not all plants require vernalization but some do. For instance, biennials grown in a hothouse without a cooling period may not produce as many flowers. The basic reason for this is energy management -- there is less need for a plant to produce energy-expensive reproductive parts if conditions are good year round.

Many perennial plants produce compounds that prevent their seeds from germinating too close to the parent plant. This is why fruits evolved in the first place. Animals will eat a fruit but most of the seeds will pass through undigested. By the time they are deposited in feces the fleshy part has been digested, the seed has probably been moved away from the parent plant, and it's also coated in a nice mound of fertilizer. 

I went to pick up the folk's mail today and noticed a package from my sister. She spent $40 to overnight mail Dad a dozen peaches off her tree as his trees didn't produce this year. Down in NM her trees are packed with peaches.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Well paint my toenails and call me Mabel . . looked at the North 40 and the Cilantro has finally popped up . . about half so far.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Time for carrot and coriander soup.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

My strategy of letting the first corn planting stand so that the bugs will eat on it seems to be working. I just picked a couple dozen clean ears from the second planting. I'd purchased a bottle of "insecticidal soap" that can be used up to the day of harvest but I don't think I'm going to need it.

Was out mowing and ran across several squash. I was wondering how they got out in the yard until the neighbor came over and said. "Have you seen my lab? He's gotten out and must have been in your garden because I've got squash in my yard."


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Second planting of corn??......Getting ready to pick some of my first planting. That'll happen after I do more beans today. Still have 3/4 row to pick after yesterday......froze 8 good sized messes, gave 1 away, and will cook 1 this afternoon. I think I'll be giving away most of today's pickings......I'm rather tired after picking, snapping, and blanching single handedly.

Can't put it off any longer on firing up the big freezer......need the space and need to make some ice for the blanching process.

Sprouts are vanishing again......what was left of 'em. I'll spray the liquid fence on 'em if any survived the night. Too late to build a chipmunk trap.....damage has been done already.



> Mature seeds won't germinate in the living fruit because it produces hormones that inhibit germination.


Gotta love today's produce.......probably GMO stuff. I found a store bought 'mater that's ~2 months old and is showing no signs of spoilage after sitting on the counter all that time. Wonder if it'll have sprouts like the last one I forgot about?? That's right.......the seeds had sprouted inside the uncut 'mater that showed no sign of deteriation.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Second planting of corn


This year I tried something new with the sweet corn. I broke out more garden area and planted four-row blocks two weeks apart. The first block was planted before the last freeze and didn't come up well so I replanted it. The bugs really got into that planting and ate a lot of silks so the pollination was haphazard. The second planting, however, is really putting out some good ears; the bugs seem to be content with the first. I've got two more plantings after this so with any luck I'll have fresh corn until Fall.

I really need to burn the garden to get rid of the insects but there always seems to be a county burn ban in effect due to the drought. I suppose that I could use pesticide but I'm thinking about nematodes. I tried them this year on an area of lawn that had a bad grub infestation and they worked well.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

You must've planted your second batch before I planted anything......:laugh:. I didn't get planted until late May and I don't think corn was first in. I have 2 plantings with 3 rows each.....2 weeks apart. 150 lineal feet......6" spacing.....300 plants.......2 ears per plant......600 ears......uh-oh. 

Finally have enough cherry 'maters where the 9yr old won't/shouldn't be able to eat all of 'em in a single sitting......I think. 

Picked the last of the beans for a few days......there will still be enough for a third picking. Pole beans (planted in the corn) should be ready in a few weeks......I think I overdid the beans......:rofl:. After last year's miserable crop I planted a wee bit of insurance and have plenty to donate. If there was a food pantry nearby I'd make a trip. I've got an 11lb dog biscuit bucket that's overflowing.......not even going to process any of them. Getting ready to get tonight's beverages and I'll be stopping by some friend's places with my trusty bucket of green beans.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

She tried to eat all the cherry 'maters in one sitting.....after she spotted 'em this morning. I hid 2 in her lunch tote and she left 3 in the collander.......they're slightly smaller than a golf ball and she ate ~10 before heading out for gymnastics with a handfull. I ate the one that had a small blemish and she got the last 2 when she got home......:laugh:. They grow kinda neat.....single bract with 10-12 fruits in pairs opposite of each other. 

No work in the garden today.....I woke up to rain. The weather kept changing from sun to rain and I saw quite a few rainbows. It wasn't like one of them cloudy days with rain...there was plenty of sun between the showers. 

Everything's going to hit at once. I need to do a final picking on the first planting of beans in a few days and the corn should be ready.....I'll be very busy. On top of that, a brake line broke on my van....if it quits raining I can see exactly where it broke.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

When it rains, it pours


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

As soon as the kids are out of the house I'll crawl under the old beastie and see what went wrong.......the break is near the ABS control box. Extra pain is the running boards and I'll have to get the floor jack out to raise the van. 

I may take a look at the garden but I doubt I can do anything after the rain. Peppers should be in fine shape by now.....punkins have taken over a good portion of one corner and are taking on some color. I'll have to look real close to find the dill and cilantro......haven't had much time for weed control.....:sigh:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> When it rains, it pours


Van is on hold.....traced the line to the front right wheel and it will be a pita with the line running on top of the frame. Of course, it had to be one of the longest lines....:sigh:. 

I took a quick walk to the garden after spending time under the van trying to trace the brake line through areas not designed for human hands. No need to palp the corn.....it's ready!! We'll be eating fresh corn for dinner tomorrow.....and I'll be busy getting the rest ready for freezing. Made my way to the freezer in the basement and fired it up......will check the thermometer I set inside in a few hours. Sure beats a chest freezer with all the shelves.....:thumb:. Easier to organize with vertical storage....chest freezer you just pile stuff on top of other stuff.

Pole beans are looking nice with 2" pods......of course, that's exactly what I need....more beans. 'Maters are kinda OK but most folks I've talked to say they're not doing the best this year after the wet season we had. If I can get some slicers for my sandwiches I'll be happy.

Looks like a few jals are turning red.....from what I can tell from a distance. I guess I better be doing some picking real soon. Hals are doing fine and I expect to see lotsa orange in a week or two.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Tired...very tired. Pretty good crop of corn and spent the day picking and processing.....with all the steps in between. Big freezer is holding -1F and I'll be moving all processed crops to that unit tomorrow....much easier to keep track of goods with the shelves.

Used up quite a few freezer bags by freezing the corn 'on the cob'......next batch will be 'cut' after I get some 1 qt freezer bags.

Work-load will decrease for a week......the family will be in Fla. I will have the house to myself.....:thumb:.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Show the Scots Side and Cry Freedom. lol


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Aye.....a whole week to myself. 

Corn looked nice.......not one blemish from bugs. They'll probably get me on the 2nd batch. I had a little help.......very little. My son husked one whole ear of corn......ther rest was all mine. I didn't bother keeping count but I have a 40gal trashcan brimming with husks/silk......even after packing down. Next chore is getting the goods transfered to the big freezer......it's in the basement.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You need to build a chute and get a cooking area set up down there, Down the chute straight to the pot.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

It was better in my first house. I borrowed a little space from a large back room and built an alcove that accommodated the fridge and freezer. There was a chute right next to that.......for clothes. That's the bad part......washer/dryer in the basement.

I'm gonna build a chipmunk trap......they're eating the ripe 'maters. Had 3 Rutgers that were nibbled on......:sigh:

Kids are getting ready to go.......I think they have to board their flight at 4PM. I never knew they had passenger flights out of Rickenbacker......they'll be flying on a 747. 

Gotta catch up on the lawn hay field......I only cut the fenced area yesterday. That was a _must_ before picking corn......helps keep the fleas down. I felt I could spare 20mins of my day to do that.

Peppers are not liking the cool night temps.......down to 46F tonight.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Fast and effective


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Not a good line of sight for spotting the vermin.....and I'm not going to wait all day......:laugh:. I'll make one of those 5gal bucket traps and set it out....got plenty of stuff to use just laying around. 

14 bags of corn to the basement.......minimum of 8 ears per bag. Fixed 10 ears last night for the kids to munch on.....much better yield this year.....:thumb:.

Had to look hard to find the cilantro....dill was easy to spot. Cukes are doing OK and I may make dill pickles next week.....the only kind of pickles the g-monsters like.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Been sidetracked my son was heading out when he found a flat tyre so that was fun getting the nuts loose. Two nails in it, so he has the spare on and a visit to get the other fixed tomorrow.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Sweet corn pretty much done in this area. Deer corn ready soon.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

joeten said:


> Been sidetracked my son was heading out when he found a flat tyre so that was fun getting the nuts loose. Two nails in it, so he has the spare on and a visit to get the other fixed tomorrow.


Not fun.....:frown:. I cheat and use an impact wrench.....on most everything. Makes it easy to get mower blades off, too.



Corday said:


> Sweet corn pretty much done in this area. Deer corn ready soon.


2nd crop (and last) should be in by the end of August. There's a whole field of dent corn right behind me......looks like it recovered from all the rain we had earlier.

Almost pandemonium around here.......10mins for the kids to get out the door. They still be packing suitcases.....:nonono:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Yeah, well we don't have one so that is not an option.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Kids are out of the house......:thumb:. Got a reprieve on the brakes for a few days and I've hijacked my son's PU for errands. I'll fix the brakes on my old beastie next week when I get time. Headed outside to burn some gas in the mower right now.

Haven't looked at the garden yet today......I imagine it will still be there tomorrow. Corn was great......I reheated a few ears last night. I didn't eat any the first night when it was fresh......I had seen enough corn for the day. 

Need to check the condensate drain for the AC......I put a ton of humidity in the house when blanching corn and the basement floor is wet around the furnace.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Time's going by way too fast......kids will be back Thursday. Been nice and quiet around here......:laugh:

Powdery mildew taking a toll on the punkins.....:sigh:. I'll get some fungicide and see what can be salvaged.......won't hurt to spray the 'maters while I'm at it. Picked a few more 'maters today but the only ones producing are Rutgers and the cherries. Nothing on the Beefsteak, brandywine, or Romas......got the fruits but nothing ripe. 

Looks like I'll have to do another round of corn before week's end.....along with pole beans. I cooked a batch of green beans yesterday and may glean a few ears of corn from the first planting and add to 'em.......so far it's beans, bacon, onion, and 'taters. A little corn won't hurt.....corn and beans are good for ya. Next batch of corn will be cut from the cob.....I'll have my work cut out for me but blanching time is much quicker. 

Peppers are holding their own even though night temps are not to their liking. The 3 remaining sprouts are OK but have a long way to go.....if the chipmunks leave 'em alone.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That was too much like work........sprayed the punkins with fungicide. I'll be taking the cheapo sprayer back and get a better one after having to constantly pump the darned thing. Spray for ~5 seconds and run out of pressure......plastic pump shaft is not going to work and bends long before getting much pressure in the tank. I set the thing on the ground and pumped as I sprayed.....wore me out. I do have an older sprayer that does much better but I use it for weed control (RoundUp).....that one's 40yrs old. 

Mildew's got the punkins and is working it's way to the melons.....I sprayed everything. Decent fruit set and I need to keep the vines alive.....quite a few punkins so far. 

'maters still not producing enough to do much with.....I could probably make a small batch of salsa, though. I was actually waiting for the Roma's but may try to scald a few Rutgers and seed 'em......add some onion, cilantro, and 1 jalapeno. Might go fancy and add some black beans and corn.....never know.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Damn . . I just ruined a good keyboard slobbering on it!


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Check the Independence thread you might ruin another.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

:rofl:.....did I mention a little lime juice??

Still working on a decent salsa. It'll turn out like my chili that I never keep track of....I wing it every time but hit a good one years ago and can't quite get it again. I don't write stuff down.....but i wish I did on that batch. 

Gettin' a little warmer around here with mid 80's but chili season will soon be here. I'll have the jalapenos but don't hold out much hope for home grown 'maters.....sweet peppers I'll have to buy because I didn't plant any. 

Not seeing any color on the habs.....a few jals are turning red. I really didn't take a good look at much of the garden.....I was busy spraying the vines. Saw a little mildew on the cukes but not as bad as the punkins......cants and watermelons are OK for now but they got sprayed, too. 2 years ago I had some nice watermelons that didn't 'make' when the vines died off....last year's cants were pathetic due to dead vines.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Heres one that might be worth a whirl The Best Homemade Mexican Salsa Recipe


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll have to try that......I've never cooked my salsa. I was going to try something different this year and at least scald the 'maters to remove the skin. A quick saute' on the onion and garlic makes sense.....I'll do that. I'll also save some time by using the food processor to do a coarse chop on everything.....I normally chop all of it by hand.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Should help keep it a little longer, I usually make it all fresh and raw.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I like the fresh stuff.....:laugh:

Postman delivered a package in my box that should have gone across the road. Being a nice neighbor, I promptly took the package to the intended person. While waiting for the person to answer the door I took a peek at their garden. His corn makes mine look pathetic.....when it comes to area. Rough guess puts it at 10X what I planted.....pretty nice. What I saw was worth plowing under.....3' tall and not doing well. I doubt he'll get much for his efforts. He planted before I did and has not harvested anything other than a single cherry 'mater. He's the one who tills my garden and has all the equipment. Maybe he thinks a garden is like the 'Showtime Oven'....set it and forget it.

I slacked off today and didn't even take a walk to the garden.....too hot and I stayed inside. I'm gonna get hit with a double whammy with corn and pole beans ready at the same time....the bush beans are on their own and I may harvest dry beans. 

Freezer is filling up fast.....one more round of corn and beans may do it. If I can salvage some 'punkins and freeze a few peppers I'll call the season 'over'. Pepper harvest hasn't started yet but the crop looks good so far. Some of the jals turned red but size is still small......the habs are getting there and I expect to see some bright orange color in a week or two.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

This one seems pretty easy 

Ingredients

2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes (from 1 lb to 1 1/2 lb), stems removed, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced
1 serano chili pepper (stems, ribs, seeds removed), finely diced
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: oregano and or cumin to taste

Method

1 Start with chopping up 2 medium sized fresh tomatoes. Prepare the chilies. Be very careful while handling these hot peppers. If you can, avoid touching them with your hands. Use a fork to cut up the chilies over a small plate, or use a paper towel to protect your hands. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after handling and avoid touching your eyes for several hours. Set aside some of the seeds from the peppers. If the salsa isn't hot enough, you can add a few for heat.

2 Combine all of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Taste. If the chilies make the salsa too hot, add some more chopped tomato. If not hot enough, carefully add a few of the seeds from the chilies, or add some ground cumin.

Let sit for an hour for the flavors to combine.

Makes approximately 3-4 cups.

Serve with chips, tortillas, tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, pinto or black beans.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nice recipe, Joe......I'll try it if I can get enough 'maters. I'll make a tiny adjustment, though. 1 jalapeno *and* 1 serrano?? That won't be very friendly for those who prefer something mild/medium....:laugh:. 1 jalapeno should do the trick. Seems I have a mix on the jal seeds and I'm seeing what looks like serranos......habs are easy to tell, even just the plants.

Rechecked the hals and I don't think I'll see any color for another month.....they like to take their time. Finally have some beefsteak and romas changing color.....:thumb:. I want the romas for salsa......but the Rutgers will do. The Rutgers were primary canning 'maters back when I was canning.

Still trying to salvage some punkins and should have started the fungicide much earlier. The other vines may still have a good chance.

Peace and tranquility will be gone soon......the kids come back tonight. I guess it's been a little *too* quiet around here......I've always had a kid or grandkid living with me since 1973.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Enjoy it while you can, who knows when it will happen again.
Not sure if I gave you this link before Ashoka Recipes - page 1 - BIR Main Dishes Chat - Curry Recipes Online
Or this one Mexico in my Kitchen: RECIPES|Authentic Mexican Recipes Traditional Food Blog
Should give you some options to test on your son's crew.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, Joe.....:thumb:

I think you listed the curry recipes at one time but I don't recall the Mexican recipes. I've bookmarked both in my recipe file.

I've got 2 electric grills similar to the George Foreman type.....one is a GF. The little ones like quesadillas and the grills are perfect for that.....we also grill our burritos. Makes great bean burritos and the beans don't need to be warmed up first. In the winter season the grills are used for steak/hamburgers and the like. 

Nothing going on in the garden today.....been raining and I had to dodge rain showers to get the trashcans to the road. Looks like another break from the rain and I'll have a peek to see how things are going.....I could have picked a few 'maters yesterday but another day won't hurt them.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Only time it has not rained today was lunchtime when I took the dog to the park for nearly an hour.She had a great time me not so much as the trees were dripping all over.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

But....you live in Scotland. It's supposed to rain.....:laugh:

Didn't think we had any real storms but one 'mater stake broke and a few plants got beat up. If we don't get more rain I may be able to get in the garden and straighten up the damage.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Roll on tomorrow beer o'clock


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Still working on the beer....almost bedtime.

Go..went...gone. Peace has left the house and I'm happy the wee ones are home. Hugs were first in order....surprising that they missed grumpa. They are planning the next vacation and want grumpa to go with them......:laugh:

Garden is on autopilot....not much can be done unless I tromp out there in bunker boots. The corn should fill out nice with the recent rains.....but I need to get in there and do some picking. Pole beans look like they're holding and can wait a day or two. Next dry spell I'll be rather busy....


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Been on a job application blitz must have sent 40 since yesterday, I don't mind the ones where I can just click and apply the ones you have to go to websites and fill in 7 or 8 pages.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Joe: Good forum to Post #484 to. The more seeds your throw, the more plants you grow (cleaned up from an old sales adage). Hope you land something even if it means less time for gardening. Sabl will send over some veggies.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I have not had the best of luck with interviews so my strategy such as it is, has been to increase the amount of applications and widen my field.
My 1 exception is direct sales been there, done that and I am to old to play silly beggars with folks on targets since the more you do the higher it goes, which becomes to pressurized.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Good luck on the applications, Joe. I have 1 application that needs to be made.....Social Security. I can send veggies if the garden is dry enough to get into......:laugh:

The kids say they will be going back to Florida in 3-4 months.......they (even the wee ones) are trying to talk me into going. I would love to but not seeing it with 4 dogs to take care of.

Had to vent the kitchen yesterday.......when I sear meat for a pot roast I put the heat to it......:rofl:. Nothing unusual....it happens every time. May have to vent again today if I process veggies. Time for beans will remain the same but the corn will be much shorter with cutting it from the cob. I'll have to count my stock in the freezer and may not do much more processing after the next round. My dad used to put so much stuff away that he had quite a few veggies left over when the next crop was ready......I want my stock depleted by the time it's ready to harvest again. I keep tabs and plan menus by what is in the freezer. 

Haven't been to the garden yet......I'll take a peek later this morning. Will have to pick jals for the kid to take to work Monday......I think I have enough to make a decent batch of poppers.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Due to the drought, there are not any more bees in the area so my tomatoes are not getting pollenated much at all. I get a few every day but not near as many as there should be. I suppose I should go out an "whip" them some to get a few set on.

The squash are gone. I got tired of eating them and picking them to give away and just let the bugs have them. The current garden plot is five-years old and getting pretty buggy so I'll either have to break out a new plot and let it go fallow or spray pesticide this fall. I'll probably go the pesticide route as I've spent considerable time and effort tilling in compost and peat moss to improve the soil in the plot.

Ate the last of the second planting of corn yesterday. The last ears set in the fridge too long and were mostly gone to starch -- still better than store-bought corn but not near as good as fresh off the stalk. Picked two dozen ears off the third planting yesterday evening; these are two-color corn that I thought looked interesting so I bought a seed pack. I'll have to see how they eat today.

Just spent several hours mowing the block that Dad bought a few years ago but never got around to building houses on (when he retired from teaching he and two other "retirees" bought a couple of newly-annexed blocks and built nine houses before they quit. Even into their late 70s they probably would have continued building but the housing market (as it was) busted here.

It's a small town with no businesses at all. In the 60s and 70s there were two-dozen businesses here, now there is only a drive-through bank annex and a convenience store run by the wife of a farmer so that people don't have to drive thirty miles to get a quart of milk. Seaboard Farms put in an office and maintenance shop here but the expected influx of people needing housing never happened. A half-dozen managers bought houses in town but the farm workers are mostly illegal aliens who live in old trailers or boarded-up former businesses that were bought up for a few thousand dollars.

Illegal aliens here have nothing to fear immigration-wise from the state as the official state policy is "immigration is a federal problem, not ours." Of course, looking at it another way -- if Seaboard Farms. etc. were unionized with US-citizen workers a package of bacon would cost $30. Also, about 3/4ths of the school children are kids of illegal aliens, many of them US citizens as they were born here. Without these kids there would be no school, and twenty teacher families would also move out, leaving the town a ghost town.

There are probably several hundred thousand pigs raised in this county but you never actually see one anymore as the commercial farms are all enclosed. When I was growing up most every farmer raised a few pigs, chickens and had a milk cow or two. Even we town kids raised chickens in the back yard and we'd also raise the occasional pig that we caught at the greased-pig chase at the fair. Now the farmers just raise corn to feed pigs and produce ethanol. It's ironic that about half of the extra garden produce I grow gets given away to my farmer neighbors -- when you are running a big farming operation nobody has time to put out a garden.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You can pollinate by hand Hand Pollinate Tomatoes: How To Pollinate Tomato Plants By Hand


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Though we do have a bit of wind here, the bush tomatoes are probably to dense internally for good wind pollination. There are very few pollenating insects here because of the drought. There is a patch of catnip in one of my Mom's flower gardens that is usually covered with bees. This summer I've not seen a single bee on it. If the drought keeps up I'll probably have to start hand pollenating, like you suggested.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Many years back, I grew them indoors and using a a real hair artists brush worked well, so much so I gave away a heck of a lot of tom's.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Garden plot 5yrs old?? You're just getting started....:laugh: The one I had at my father's place was ~15yrs old and just getting nice to work......but, it takes a while to get heavy clay soil in shape. Once I moved into my place I started a garden on my own land......closer to home (even though my dad was only 4 miles away). Once I vacated my garden spot my dad took that plot over.

Didn't do much in the garden other that a bit of weeding and picking what few 'maters were ready. Had some clay sticking to the soles of my boots so I opted to cut the lawn and put the garden off til today. Keeping an eye on the corn and I've got pole beans to pick......I'll see how they compare to the bush beans when I cook a batch this afternoon. 

Brussel sprout score......chipmunk 12....me 0. Guess I should have kept up with the Liquid Fence applications. I've still got one tiny plant with a few leaves and will spray it today.....I can still hope. Came around the corner of the yard and scared off a Coopers Hawk that was sitting on my fence and looking at the garden......:sigh:. I'd like to see more of 'em around here....anything that includes chipmunk/rabbit in their diet. I'd settle for a few coyotes. 

I see quite a few bumble bees around here......and honey bees. I think the guy up the road has an apiary....I haven't looked lately to see if the boxes are still there. I may look into it as another hobby.

Today's farmers are a different breed. They have bigger and better equipment (AC in the cabs and GPS).......RoundUp resistant crops. My grampa was a farmer when it was real work.....even more work because he was a truck farmer and grew fresh vegetables for the local market. His herd of dairy cattle kept him busy year round with twice daily milkings. Grew his own hay, and wheat for straw.......corn to feed to the cows. Corn was harvested in whole ears for storage in the corn cribs......the stalks were chopped for ensilage and stored in a silo. I remember playing with a hand cranked corn sheller as a child......the more corn I shelled, the less my grampa had to do......:laugh: 50yrs ago farming was hard work.....throughout the whole season. Most farmers around here rarely turn the soil......they use a no-till system. They plant in the spring and return later with a herbicide......I don't see them again until harvest time.

My son's Lt is a farmer.......but doesn't grow any veggies. That's too much like work.......:rofl:. Gotta admit, though, they put in long hours when it comes to planting and harvesting.....:frown:

Everyone needs a pig farm next door.......quite an aroma and never a quiet moment. I worked on a house next to a pig farm.....I'll never forget. The stench was overwhelming and the squealing and fighting was nonstop.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Speaking of GPS, I was talking to a local farmer the other day who just got back into farming full time after spending twenty years as a state senator. He said that if the GPS satellites ever went down he doesn't know if they would remember how to actually drive the tractors and combines anymore. With GPS all you mainly do is monitor the system -- the tractor or combine drives itself. Of course, this isn't all that new, just relatively new to farming. It's been decades since commercial pilots actually "flew" planes other than at takeoff and landing, the same goes for commercial shipping.

My Grandpa still farmed with mules until WWII came along and he heard that better jobs were to be had working in Wichita. He never got on at Boeing but Grandma did, and built bombers. I asked her once if she worked in an office or some such and she said "Heck no, I was a riveter." Dad has a lot of funny stories to tell about those two mules. It seems that Grandpa spent more time fighting them than actually farming with them.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

A few of the farms around here are big enough for GPS.....not sure about the field behind me......I guess it may be 30a+. If the guy down the road was using GPS it kinda failed......I've never seen a field with a diagonal strip of crop. Maybe he forgot to shut the planter off when heading for the exit......:laugh:

I can imagine the mules......:rofl:. The only thing I remember my grampa using was Farmall tractors.....nothing big by today's standards. I think the largest he had was the "M" series. He had 4 sons but not one followed the farming tradition.......3 were tradesmen and the other was a factory worker in NZ where he was discharged after WWII. 

When I bought my land I had wanted the northern fence line but the farmer kept 60' for access that was already there. It was nice at first and made my lot look bigger than it was.....~10yrs ago they made other provisions and no longer use the access next to me. They don't even mow it.

Beans are on hold til I find out if the kid's station is having family night tonight. Usually on weekends the families are invited for dinner and the kids get to climb all over the equipment......maybe play with a small diameter hose. The oldest g-daughter will do what she does best.....play with her iPod. 

We're up to 70F......I better take a look at the garden and do some spraying. Don't know about the punkins but the other vines are OK so far and may yield something.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Picked a double handful of Jals and cayenne's this morning . . the Cayenne's are hotter than the jals for some reason . . 

Cayenne Peppers are alleged to have more medicinal properties than Jals so I guess I'll be healthy after this evenings salsa! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've got plenty of jals to pick.....many have turned red. Got 1 hab that has turned orange so far. I was going to pick a mess of jals this morning for the kid to take to work.....changed my mind. If he wants to take some to work he can pick the things......:thumb:

I thought the cayennes were hotter than jals.......I know I use cayenne pepper sparingly.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

How was the salsa?? 

Might have a bummer situation......:sigh:. I picked a small mess of pole beans yesterday and not happy with them so far. 



> Blue Lake FM-1 sets pods that remain stringless and fiberless at all stages of growth!


That's not what I'm finding. Even the young smaller pods have strings.....bunches of 'em.....:nonono:. I had to snap 'em one at a time and double snap to get the strings out. This is not looking good at all.....I'll know tonight when I eat some. If they turn out to be stringy I won't even bother freezing them (150' of rows)......I still have 75' of bush beans starting to come on and will concentrate my efforts on them.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Quote:
Blue Lake FM-1 sets pods that remain stringless and fiberless at all stages of growth! Quote:

Seeds must have come from a different lake.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I planted a couple of patio tomatoes to set out on the deck. They are doing well. In fact, most of the ripe tomatoes are coming off them. I was in the hardware store last winter and picked up a couple packs of "heirloom" tomatoes. One pack grew pretty well on a shelf in the "sun room" but the other pack hardly came up at all. Some of the best growers I set out in the garden and they grew well. However, I potted some more but they didn't like the pots at all -- all the potted ones (and they are in half-bushel pots) are not even setting on fruit. The tomatoes I'm getting off of the garden plants are sort of funny-looking but they sure are tasty. They are a mess to peel though.

This is what they look like:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Must've been a polluted lake......

I checked the package and it's marked as what I ordered......I don't know if they pulled the seed from the correct bin. Some look like Italian flat beans. I did notice different colored blossoms on some of the bush beans......not sure if quality control is the same as it used to be. 

The characteristic of the Blue Lake is the reason for selecting them......last years beans were not so great and had plenty of fiber. I tried to avoid that problem this year but looks like I didn't do so well. I'll know at dinner time.....

Those are nice looking 'maters, MPR.......:thumb:. I didn't try any heirlooms this year. OOPS......I forgot I planted a few brandywines that seem to be doing ok. I haven't been to the garden today to see how they are doing. Getting ready to crawl under my van and cut the brake line so I can get a 6pt socket on the fitting.......:frown:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Those Toms are as they are supposed to be they are just older types, which I suppose doesn't fit the modern way.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Those are nice looking 'maters


Those aren't mine, just a picture I got of the Internet but they are the same variety. I don't have quite that many -- just three or four a day. I'd take a picture but the old digital camera that my brother left here (Cannon A75) finally quit. I gave away all my 35mm equipment when it got to be more of a hassle trying to find film and develop pictures than it was worth. I need to get a digital camera one of these days.

Fellow from the town over brought by a sack of pears. They are twice the size of the ones on the pear tree out back. Of course, he actually grows his pears, versus just letting them grow. The orioles and hornets pretty much get to eat the pears off our tree.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Most phones take better pics than my camera......:sigh:. Top of the line when I bought it but it didn't stay there for long at 5MP.

Beans were kinda as suspected......stringy. Not as bad as last year's crop but anything other than very small pods will be left on the vines for dry beans......I have a good supply of those on my first planting of bush beans. After taking a closer look at the first planting I found what would have been a sizeable 4th picking.......not bad for what was advertised as "Blue Lake 274 matures its big crop all at once". 

2nd planting of bush beans need weeding but I'm hesitant on going too far at this point. The plants are rather spindly after trying to keep up with the weeds.....I'm sure they'll fall over without weeds for support. I'm pretty much set with beans for the year......

Speaking of beans.......I may not plant pole beans in the corn next year. I'll determine that once I start picking the 2nd batch of corn. First batch turned out nice but I didn't plant the beans until the corn was up......2nd batch I planted both at the same time. The beans did so well that I think they may have blocked the pollen from reaching the ears. 

Still waiting for some color on the cantaloupes......seems to be plenty on the vines. Watermelons have very short vines with plenty of leaves......not many melons but they are getting close to maturity. They're the bush type and vines only get 3'-4' long.....I like those.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

With one day remaining in August, we have had zero days above 100 degrees for the first time ever!

Last year, we had over 20 days in August with temps of 100 or higher! ! 

We have a little storm in the Gulf which is holding temps in the low 90's for the next few days. 

Sure makes for pleasant messing in the garden! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Kinda nice yesterday.....not sure if it made it to 80F or not. OK....I just checked. The high was supposed to be 80......we got up to 75. No wonder it was pleasant!!

Didn't even make it to the garden yesterday....I'll be out there this evening picking jals for the kid to take to work. If anything else needs picked it can wait til the next morning. Right now I'm headed for the van with tools in hand after getting all the parts rounded up to fix the brake line.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Old Rich said:


> With one day remaining in August


I guess Texas is different, up here in Ohio we have two days left in August,
the 30th and 31st.

BG


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The Fall garden is coming along nicely . . Cilantro and Jals almost ready to set out. Just started some Thyme, Oregano and Sage seeds . . should be up in a few days. We just had a good rain so I don't have to water today


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Basementgeek said:


> I guess Texas is different, up here in Ohio we have two days left in August,
> the 30th and 31st.
> 
> BG


Well . . Texas likes to think it is a little ahead of the rest of the country! !


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> Well . . Texas likes to think it is a little ahead of the rest of the country! !


Your ahead of me.....:rofl:. There will bo no fall crop up here. Could squeeze in some radishes or lettuce......but we don't use enough of those things to warrant planting them.

Spent too much time on the van......mostly laying under it in the shade. Still looking for one elusive flare nut wrench so I can complete the job.

Took a 1 gallon bucket to go pick jals.......I think it was that size. Took it back to the house to empty it and filled it up again......I think I'm set for jals for the season. May not have gotten enough rain when I needed it and many peppers were small and still turning red. The habs are getting more color and I could pick a few if I wanted to.....but I'll be busy doing something with the jals and picking corn and beans. 

The 9yr old went to the garden with me and helped herself to some cherry 'maters.....:laugh:. The 10yr old wanted me to pick corn and beans.....I think it's time to teach her how to pick them. 

Also need to check the pumpkins......many dark orange ones out there and will need picked and cured. I'll take 'em to the basement and see how they do.....garage didn't work so great last year. I thought it was too early but calcs have them ~120 days since planting and 90 days since setting out in the garden.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nothing doing in the garden today......been raining steady all morning. 

The kid counted out 90 jals to take to work.....said they were good and no surprises like last year with a few being too hot. I haven't tried any yet but plan on making something in a few hours. I'll be processing most of the afternoon to get the crop preserved......the kid estimates there's still 200 jals in the bucket. I told him he didn't take many, but he said 90. The plants are pretty much bare but there's a few more to pick. 

Habs are another week out......and that's only the beginning. Might get 2 dozen on the first picking....got 4 plants total. I'll make more hab sauce.....the same stuff I made last year. I put a little dab in a bowl of chili to add a little something extra. It's really good when mixed with sour cream and mellows it out for a great chip dip. 

Never made it to the garden yesterday......had too many chores inside. Was going to take the 9yr old out so she could pick her favorite veggies.......'maters.....:laugh:. She's keeping up with what the 6 plants produce. Might have 'suckered' the plants a wee bit too much this year......had no choice with fungus disease and pinching off bad leaves. I'll start with fungicide a little earlier next year.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Went out yesterday morning and tilled up about a third of the garden where the early corn was planted.

Later, I took down two wasp nests, one on each side of the house. I still saw quite a few wasps around the back yard pear tree mowing today so tracked them back to a third nest located at the center of the house. It's interesting how territorial paper wasps are. Just for fun I measured the distance between the three nests -- they were all within a few inches of 40 ft. apart. 

The two lower nests were no problem -- I got them down from the ground with a shovel after a spritz of Raid. The last one was about 16 ft. up though. Went outside just now and climbed a ladder to get it... success and nary a sting.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Tryin' for another crop before winter?? You must have a good tiller or good soil.......I had a rough time tilling up 8' X 30' for a strawberry patch last year. That's *after* I used a turning fork to break the sod. Even without sod I would be tilling for days to prep my garden. My neighbor brings his tractor over and has the whole garden tilled and smooth in an hour. I have a front tine tiller and it would take hours just to rake everything smooth.

I knocked down a bald faced hornet nest earlier this summer.....they gave up after a few days of trying to rebuild. Haven't seen anything of the ground hornets I found last summer......after getting stung a few times. Never knew they were there until I was cutting a section of weeds. They may have been froze out by last winter's temps......I don't miss 'em at all.

The kid's gonna see if the station wants another round of jalapeno poppers tomorrow. He's not on duty but will take some over if they want 'em.....I have plenty to spare.....:laugh:. I'll freeze a bunch for chili....make salsa and freeze it.....anything I can freeze. I haven't used a canner for 20yrs....and am trying to avoid it. Last time I canned I was washing the 'maters in the bathtub.....that's when I was bringin' 'em home in 5gal buckets. If I could even fill one 5gal bucket I would can some for chili.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I've got a pretty nice Troy Bilt tiller, which is good for the final seed bed and cultivating but the front-tine tiller digs deeper so I use both. I like to get a till in before it freezes so that the microbes have a chance to start composting the plant material. Back in the "old days" I'd have just borrowed a row-crop tractor for a bit of chiseling and disking. However, now I hardly know anyone who has a small tractor. The next-door neighbor's John Deere is bigger than my entire garden!

The days when a kid could take a week's-long tractor-driving school and then go out and farm are about over. Modern tractors' cabs look like they belong in a fighter-bomber aircraft.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I have one of these little monsters:










Works well in my tiny little garden


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That Mantis probably works good down your way.......unless the soil is fairly damp, a front tine isn't much good in my area. The neighbor has a 5' PTO driven tiller for his Kubota (don't know what model) that makes short work of my heavy clay even if it's dry. 

I see some decent size tractors in my area but probably nothing like what MPR sees. In the northern section of my county they have larger fields and larger tractors......most guys in my area are part-time farmers. I'll have to see what my son's Lt uses.....he's a part-time farmer. 

Not many lessons needed for using a 9N.......:laugh:. 2 bottom plow and a 6' disc was all that was needed to do my garden. Wish I would have bought the equipment when my dad got rid of it.......:sigh:.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Took the day off and only did a few kitchen chores......I'll pay for it later. Looked at the garden and I think I have enough 'maters to do something with. Salsa will be on the menu soon.....

Finally tried the jals........child friendly. My son made some poppers with hot sausage and you had to really concentrate to detect the heat. I found a few that were perfect.....those were not child friendly.....:laugh:

15 jals......split and seeded.
1/3lb hot sauseage.....browned and drained.
1/3lb cream cheese.
1/4lb mozarella...shredded.

Add the cheeses to the sausage in a small pan and heat til combined....kinda like play-do. Fill the pepper halves and bake on foil lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 15mins....might cut back to 12mins. Texture was good but a little more crispness would be nice.

Nice crop of jals but will be hard to judge for chili......I'll freeze plenty just in case. Last year's had some real hot ones that would get your attention.....not finding anything like that this year but the weather was not the same. Even the 'corked' ones are not as hot.......but, overall, I'm very pleased. The red ones are real keepers and are sweeter with the same heat.

Wonder what the habs will turn out like?? The summer was rather cool and they may be on the mild side like the jals. Got a few I could pick but will wait a little longer.....they slowed down with with the recent temps being in the low 70's. Night lows were in the 50's......I don't think they like that.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

2nd round of poppers not so child friendly......I liked.....:thumb:. G-daughter not so happy....:sigh:. Found out my son got side-tracked and left the peppers soaking in the sink after seeding 'em.......45min soak really tames the critters.

2 grave mistakes with the corn....the 2nd planting. Pole beans did much better this year and choked off much of the pollination. I delayed the pole beans on the first planting by 2 weeks to give the corn a head start......2nd planting had the beans planted at the same time. I did not keep up with the Liquid Fence and critters pretty much destroyed the 2nd planting. I don't know if the beans pulled the corn down or if the ***** did. First planting is still standing tall......the entire 2nd planting is completely laid over. Most every decent ear has been eaten......either deer or ***** but I didn't see any deer tracks. I may get 60 ears out of 150 plants......if I'm lucky.

No more pole beans......as mentioned earlier, I chose the type for being stringless in all stages but they have a bunch of 'roughage' even when picked young. The beans did so well they blocked the pollination of the corn......nice tall stalks but nothing in the way of a decent crop. Don't want to risk losing a crop of corn again for lack of pollination......:sigh:. I'll stick to bush beans next year......:thumb:. The first planting of bush beans is blossoming again......the plants are still nice and healthy. 

Might not bother with cukes next year......I threw away more than I used and the vines are way out of control. They could almost compete with the punkins in vine length. Not much 'set' and the cukes were few and far between.

'maters are hanging in there......barely. Just too much rain at the wrong time.....and not much when I need it. 

Chipmunk should be big and fat by now......it sure does like green beans. Made the first picking on the last batch a few days ago and many pods were eaten. I think it invited some friends and relatives over for dinner.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Been about a week since I last checked the garden......too much to do elsewhere. Had 25 tons of gravel delivered a few days ago.....25 more wouldn't hurt. Grass is still growing and needed to be cut......tree branches needed trimming......it was getting 'interesting' ducking branches while mowing. 

Fixed the brake line on the van......now I have one to fix for a 'relative' (DiL's sister). At least I have all the parts on hand.......:thumb:. Increased the mileage on my beastie by replacing a leaking fuel filter that had rusted....all metal casing.

Temps not very warm right now and may get back in the low 70's by early next week.......currently 55F with a high of 64F today. Peppers won't like that......but I've picked plenty so far and still have plenty I could pick. First planting of beans thinks it's spring and have blossomed again......I should have plenty more to freeze. Got lazy on the second planting and weeds got 'em........didn't use the Preen on 'em. Preen worked great on areas where it was used......well worth the $26 and I still have plenty left.

Corn is completely destroyed........:sigh:. Checking with extension agencies I was pretty much correct on the raccoon theory. Three rows wide and everything knocked down with the cobs stripped of kernels.....in some cases the cobs were eaten, too. Deer only eat the tips of the plants and ears......like they do with the 'maters.

Not much in the way of 'maters......should have applied the fungicide much earlier. Removing the affected leaves by hand wasn't enough and the blight kept spreading. Even the fruits are getting black spots......:frown:.

Vines have died off......same problem with black spot. Again, I applied fungicide too late. I'll be testing a few punkins next week to see if any are worth using/saving.......I'll bake a few and see how they taste for pies. Gave up on the cukes......the kids sorta come and go on eating 'em.......cuke salad wasn't completely eaten and only one batch was made. May get 1 or 2 watermelons and I doubt there will be any more than that. Picked 3 cantaloupes yesterday but they don't look promising. Gotta have some leaves on the vines to get ripe fruits......:banghead:

The neighbor has been lucky......the raccoons haven't found his corn yet. I think they got fat enough on mine......:nonono:. Cipmunk was the victor on the Brussel sprouts.......I get none. Planted in June and the survivor is only ~6" tall with few leaves.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

My last planting of corn came out really good -- not a single blemish or worm. The corn's ears got cleaner with each new planting as most of the pests remained in the old stuff. Next year I think I'm going to plant some "sacrificial" corn in a corner and just leave it for the bugs.

We got the usual mid-Sept cold snap here and just north of us it almost froze (33 F) but we stayed in the high 30s. Looks like it should be reasonably warm for the next week or two though. I now wish I'd planted a final batch of corn but I had too much going on mid-summer and never got around to it.

My beans never did anything so I just tilled them under. Okra is still doing OK and there are more tomatoes than I can eat or give away. The peppers are doing pretty good too, except for the two that were planted in an old strawberry patch under a tree. Peppers definitely don't like shade -- those are only now starting to flower. I think I mentioned that I had too many heirlooms and just potted the rest. That was a waste of time as only one has just set on fruit and has tomatoes about the size of marbles. I think that the reason they never pollenated was do to a lack of bugs and wind. If I ever grow any on the deck again I'll have to take the advice about hand pollenating them.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You could collect and dry out tomato seeds, for the new season.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Glad your corn came out good, MPR. I'm fighting wildlife on all fronts......weeds don't help either. Took a better look at the 'maters and can see that deer have eaten most of the tender shoots. Years ago I would be looking for horn worms but there are no 'droppings' with what I see......the plants are pretty much stripped. 

Pole beans will be cut down....not even gonna bother with 'em. I don't think I got what I ordered and they look like Italian flat beans that are very stringy regardless of when they are picked.

Gonna take a chance and save a few seeds. Big gamble because they are hybrids. The cherry 'maters are very tasty but they were planted with other types......cross polination will show on the next planting. I'll see what I get next year. Gonna keep it to 2 types next year.....Rutgers and the cherries. Well.....maybe a few Romas. Corn was hybrid but nothing else was planted nearby......I've got a few ears left out to dry and will save the seeds. 

May not put the fence up next year......rabbits seem to be the least of my worries. Deer and raccoons get in.....chipmunks do what they want. I never had this kind of trouble 30yrs ago.....

Looks like the end of the season.....no heroic efforts to protect the 'maters from frost like I did years ago. Nothing worth protecting.....:nonono:. I'll pull the fence and mow everything under.....such is life with a 4 month season. Wait all winter for the next season and try not to make too many mistakes.

I'll be picking habs next week......soon as I get the courage.....:rofl:. Jals turned out nice (thanks, Rich). Didn't check the jals too closely but I think I have a decent batch ready to pick......already picked close to 300 so far.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

You need one of these killer animals . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Nice looking specimen....:thumb:

I have a Giant Schnauzzer.....(however it's spelled)....dumber than a box of rocks. One of those deals where my daughter asked if I would keep him for a few days.....that was 11yrs ago. High maintenance IMO and the breed needs to end.

Kids are chowing down on green beans, onions, potatoes, and bacon....good combo.....:thumb:. I'm waiting on the pizza guy......:rofl:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

This guy is a real character . . lives up to all the traits the breed has . .smart, comedian and still a puppy at 2.5 years old.

We don't have him trimmed as much as the show dogs would be and he usually looks like a doodledog


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The 'dumb one' is constantly in and out......I try to make it more on the out side of the deal. 2 minutes outside and he's yapping his head off, wanting back in. He's always in the way and blocks my bedroom door and hallway......:sigh:. 

Picked some of the pole beans for last night's batch.......stringiest beans I've ever had.....:nonono:. Good thing it was only a handfull. I double snapped......tripple snapped, to no avail. I only picked the smaller younger beans and stayed away from anything over 4" long........still stringy. Might as well have thrown in a handfull of straw.....:frown:. 

Cilantro is doing nice......as well as the dill. But......I have more of those than cukes and 'maters. Didn't get a good 'set' on the cukes considering the amount of blossoms........wonder if chipmunks like small cukes?? They like everything else.....:angry:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Not going to risk wasting time on saving any corn seed.......there's a field of dent corn ~200' away. I'll take a chance on the cherry 'maters even though they were an expensive hybrid......$5 for 15 seeds. I'm curious as to what they will turn out to be.......if they even germinate. The corn I don't need and should have enough left over to cover another 2 plantings......they should hold for another season......I've planted seeds well over 5yrs old before. The pole beans get tossed in the trash.......don't ever want to see those things again.

Not going to try saving any jal seeds.......they were planted next to the habs. 

Just sent a review to the seed supplier on the pole beans........now to see if they publish it. I read an online report that the same beans are getting a bad review from many people. Guess I had to find out for myself......:sigh:

Blue Lake Pole Bean Problems


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Not going to risk wasting time on saving any corn seed...


Probably a good idea. The seed ears I saved from last year grew OK but were not as sweet as the store-bought seed I planted. There is a _lot_ of field corn grown around here and I have the allergies to attest to the fact that the pollen doesn't stay near the fields.

Not that field corn is all that bad, we used to eat it all the time when I was a kid, but the window of sweetness is much more narrow than with a good garden hybrid.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Blue Lake Pole Bean Problems





> Our concern is that the variety may be reverting. This happened to our favorite “Oregon Giant” beans just a few years ago...


We humans artificially select for traits that are desirable to us but sometimes forget that our domestic plants and animals came from species that are the end result of hundreds of thousands of years of natural selection. Nature produced a survivor and equipped it to stay a survivor despite the fact that we want to change it so to better grow and eat it.

Reversion involves more than simple genetic expression. Epigenetics can cause a trait to be expressed despite an organism having a gene that, via a simple Mendelian understanding of inheritance, should lead to another trait. For instance, in some types of diabetes a parent can transmit the disease to their offspring via RNA present in the gametes, even though a genetic screening shows the baby to not have the defective gene per se.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No more pole beans.....what seed I have left over are going in the trash. 

There's a field of corn 200' behind my garden. It's scary enough to try saving seeds from hybrids without the possibility of crossing with field corn......I thought corn was direct pollination but it's not. For current crops 150' of buffer should be observed......for saving seed I read it's 1 mile. 

I'll chance it with the 'maters and save a few seeds.....only talking about a few plants and not a whole stand of corn. The punkins I planted were from last year's crop and seemed to do OK until powdery mildew took its toll.

In pic #1 in my earlier post, the green is not weeds......those are the pole beans. In the upper right section of the pic is weeds in the rear of the garden......they got the last planting of bush beans. 

Now....some pics of a hybrid....or what I think is a GMO. This 'mater has sat in a bag in a small corner of my countertop.......for at least 3 months.....:laugh:. After sitting for a few weeks I wasn't going to eat it.....but I decided to see how long it would last without refrigeration. I had one sprout without cutting it open or drying the seeds first......when I did cut it open it was full of sprouted seeds. This one didn't sprout......but it lasted 3 months. Talk about raising veggies with a shelf life......but they have 0 taste. I only buy store bought 'maters when I'm desperate.

*Flash would have helped the pics......oh well, too late and I'm not digging the thing out of the trash.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Speaking of sprouting, the section of garden where I mowed down and tilled under the dry corn has sprouted and looks like I planted a lawn with corn seed. I worked for a farmer who was growing contract seed corn the summer I got out of the Army. He got a lot more for it than for feed corn but it's a lot of extra work. Well, I should say that it was a lot of extra work for me, at $2 an hour. I had to go around and cut volunteer out of ditches and weed rows every day. Then the combine, grain trucks and silos had to be vacuumed and inspected for old seed. The company even sent an inspector out to make sure all this was being done.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I didn't get any volunteer plants this year......wildlife takes care of any seeds/fruits not harvested. Had a nice looking whitetail munching in my garden at the end of the season last year. Chipmunks and mice take care of any punkin seeds.....birds get the rest. 

I can imagine the trouble of growing crops for seed......we have quite a few farms around here that grow seed. South of Columbus there were many large farms with popcorn......not good for a small nearby garden if you wanted good sweetcorn. My dad planted popcorn one year......got lousy sweetcorn and popcorn that wouldn't pop.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

No whitetails here in town but we do have muleys that come to about a half mile from here, and the occasional pronghorn. The only wildlife I've seen near the garden lately is a single desert cottontail and a nighthawk that was roosting in the corn.

When I was in high school a farmer that Dad knew pretty well always planted about 20 acres of sweet corn for anyone who wanted to come pick it. One year he mentioned that he'd also planted some popcorn. We went out and picked a half bushel or so of good-looking ears and brought them back. At dinner, when I bit into my ear it chewed like bubble gum... sure enough, we'd got into the wrong field and picked popcorn.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My dad planted the popcorn right next to the sweet corn.....sweet corn was chewy and the popcorn wouldn't pop. He never did that again......:laugh:

Poor pic of the whitetail......I was 50yds away 4X zoom 5MP camera. He left just before deer season came in......my son was going to set up a blind if he was still hanging around. I don't need a blind now that the top fencing has been removed.......quietly ease out the back door with a 50cal. Perfect broadside in that pic.....I'm sure I could clear the fence rail.....:thumb:. Actually, I stepped out on the porch to take those pics.......no problem being quiet. He came back quite a few times......until deer season approached.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

39F this morning......almost time to pull the fence and mow everything down. I plan on mowing the back yard today and it'll be a good time to cut the punkins from the vines and bring them up to the house to cure.....if they haven't done so already. I'll just put the punkins where my feet go and drive 'em to the house......I do the same thing for tree branches. Small wagon would be better but I gave it away long ago without thinking. I could have easily mounted a ball on the engine guard of the mower.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I've got a decent trailer but it's not small enough to pull behind the lawn tractor so I spend more time than I should moving logs and rocks, etc. with a wheelbarrow. I think that a garden cart or small trailer would come in pretty handy. I've thought about getting one but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I once had a had a smaller 4x8 trailer but it was still too big to easily pull around the property and get into the smaller gates. I don't have that one anymore anyway. I loaned it to my brother in law and it apparently got sold with his motorcycle (I hope he got a good deal as it was an $800 trailer).


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've got a 6'X10' that hasn't been tagged for years. I didn't fill gas cans for the mower......I took the mower to the gas station......:thumb:. Last time it was used was when my son had a 4 wheeler he used for deer hunting. I could hook the thing up to my van and pull it around the property but the van is tough on the ground at ~3 1/2 tons as it's loaded.......my lot is rough enough as it is. I used to drive the van to the garden with all my supplies but it left deep ruts even in very dry conditions......I quit doing that. 

I brought up 9 punkins and left the rest on what vines I have.....the ones with green stems bled pretty good when they were cut. 

I paid $500 for my trailer......it was used but in very nice shape. It's a tilt-back and no ramps needed for the mower......back it on and the bed comes down once you pass the center point. May have been kinda expensive for a used trailer but I got a vintage Craftsman cabinet saw and vintage 6" jointer with it.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Sheesh . . this is our third day of rain . . rain gauge filled up at 8 inches a day ago. . The house is pretty high and it's a good thing . . water is running down the street like a river.

I was planning on setting out some of the Cilantro and fall pepper plants, but not for a while!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Just don't plant the stuff in the street.......:grin:. Looks like you have more headed your way. We haven't had much rain lately.......good thing. Temps are getting down in the lower 40's at night and what little I have left in the garden don't need any more fungus problems. Maple tree 8' from the garden has a bad case of "Tar Spot"........really does look like the leaves have been splattered with tar. Of course, that's the side of the garden where the 'maters were planted......:sigh:. 

Didn't cut any cilantro yesterday.......didn't have any limes in the house.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Went out yesterday and tilled up about half of the garden where the corn was. It was overcast when I started so I assumed, wrongly, that it was going to stay cool. After an hour of wrestling the tiller around to grub out corn roots I was pretty darn hot. I'll probably go out in a bit and till around the tomatoes and maybe break out some more new ground. I'm trying to move the garden away from the alley a bit as when my farmer neighbor washes out his herbicide spray tanks it has a tendency to run down the alley. I lost a corner of the garden a couple years ago to herbicide runoff during a heavy rain.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Choice today between trimming the bushes and sealing the deck. Chose to seal.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

We did get up to 72F yesterday....seemed a little warm when out in the sun but nice and cool sitting on the porch with a Yuengling......:grin:

I opted to do nothing other than pick up a few things at the store. While I was there I had to look at the peppers......their jals were monsters!! About 4X bigger than mine......but, Rich sent me heirloom seeds and theirs (I would guess) are hybrids. Habs looked the same, though. My pepper plants are not as tall this year........they are not competing with weeds like last year. The Preen is doing a great job and the areas where it was applied are still virtually weed free......:thumb:

I'll try to bake a few punkins today......didn't get around to it yesterday. The store has them 2 for $3......I'm wondering if growing them is worth the effort. At least the g-kids will have plenty to choose from for carving.......I have more than enough for any baking. I may try to serve some as a squash dish but I doubt it will be a family favorite.......never know til you try.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I've tried those huge jals and they are not very hot . . OK for grilled poppers, but not much good for seasoning.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's what I was thinking......nothing in the way of heat. They looked nice but that's what hybrids are for......to look nice and keep longer. I remember watching a TV show a few years ago where a man from one of the major seed companies was showing the difference between hybrid and heirloom. Using eggplants as an example he presented a perfect looking hybrid next to an heirloom. Almost 100% of people will choose the nice looking hybrid.....he said he'd choose the heirloom any day.

For next year I'll probably stick with Rutgers on the 'maters.......and a few of the cherries. Beefsteak and brandywines were pretty much nil......Romas were OK and may be considered.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

The North 40 is flooded . . rained most of the nite. I can't get out and about yet, but it will need some serious attention soon!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

No rain here for some time......and I sure don't mind. Garden no longer needs it and the lawn isn't growing very fast......:thumb:. We'll probably get plenty when it's time for the farmers to harvest their crops.....some fields stood all winter and weren't harvested til spring due to last year's rains.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I think I just saw Jona going down the street in his Ark . . .


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Did he trade in the whale.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

joeten said:


> Did he trade in the whale.


It's just down the street . . 12 inches of rain in the gauge in two days . .


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sound like our summers, this year being an exception.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I think Noah went by my house last spring.

I've heard solar power isn't much use in Scotland.......:laugh:. 

Don't know what's up around here. The kid just came back from fishing and said there's a barge at the boat dock. They have shut down the bridge that crosses the local reservior for 2 months to reinforce the causeway.......but the barge is way upstream of the bridge. I'll have to go see for myself and try to guess what they're up to.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sshh, don't tell my neighbour next door.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The leetle angels spotted the punkins.....so far they have painted 5 of 'em. Their dad had to hose the porch off when they were done......and the porch ceiling. How they can splatter a ceiling I have no clue. That was from this morning and only 2 punkins.....they painted 3 at the kitchen table yesterday. The 10yr old is smart......she grabbed one of the punkins I had scrubbed. I took that one back and told her if she wanted to paint a punkin she had to scrub her own.....what meanie I am....:rofl:

Getting ready to heat up the oven and drag out the food processor. I prefer to bake the punkins instead of boiling.....better to bake the flavor in than boil it out. Plus, it's much easier to peel 'em after they have been baked. 

While I have the processor out I'll make some salsa......:thumb:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Punkin pies are done......turned out nice. The g-kids almost have one gone after I told them they had to cool overnight.....they started on them as soon as they got up this morning. Didn't get around to any salsa....I'll try to do that today if I can find time. 

Neighbor came over with his box grader yesterday and smoothed out the 25 tons of gravel I had delivered last week......that's more than I care to do by hand. Even with a decent 4WD tractor it still took an hour to get the driveway leveled. His garden is doing OK but he has the same problem I have......deer eating the vines and 'maters. He said he'll put up an electric fence next year.....I'll pass on that idea. Might work on the deer but rabbits and chipmunks will still be a problem.....and the raccoons. I'll try the liquid fence again next year.....worked pretty good until I quit applying it later in the season.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Fertilizing and over-seeding done. Sprinklers work from well so no problem keeping everything moist.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'd hate to think about fertilizing 3 acres......I have to mow every week without it. Backyard does fine with the dog 'droppings' and needs mowed every 4-5 days.

Getting a wee bit breezy around here with gusts up to 26 MPH.....and the temps will drop tomorrow to a high of 62F. Roller coaster time with the temps......76F today 62F tomorrow and back to the upper 70's by the end of the week. Typical for these parts.

10yr old ate half a pie by herself and wanted more......:rofl:. Both pies will be gone by tonight or early morning......I'll give it awhile and make 2 more with the punkin I froze. 2 punkins fit nice on a cookie sheet and will make 4 pies.

Time to check what's left in the garden. Any punkins that are full size have a decent chance of ripening if I store 'em correctly. I'll bring 'em up to the house and find a nice spot where they'll get some warm afternoon sun. 

Might have a watermelon ready.....maybe.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Currently 54F with a high of 60F for today......if it were raining I'd think I was in Scotland. Probably warmer in Scotland......:laugh:. I just checked....it is (64F)....:rofl:. We should be back in the mid 70's by Wednesday.....:thumb:. 

I'll check the garden but doubt I'll do much......maybe if the sun comes out. Got plenty to do inside.

Forgot to mention the little mishap while baking pies. Never let anyone shake a 2gal bucket of paint in the house (kitchen). Plastic bucket slipped out of my son's hands.....he did catch it......by the lid. Sadly, he didn't catch the bucket.....:nonono:. At least the floor is ceramic and not carpet......I handed him a 5" broadknife and went back to my pies that had narrowly escaped the splatter.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

. . never a dull ,moment in the SABL family! !


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Mowed down the last of the corn and tilled about 2/3rd of the garden today. Might get another mess of okra before the freeze and some straggler tomatoes and peppers but most everything is past its prime now. Cherry tomatoes are really doing well though.

Not too long left for the garden. Last year we had a freeze in early October but one never knows year to year. A few years back it was 80 degrees about half the "winter."

Helped Dad pick pears off his tree today. He got about a bushel and wants to make some pear butter and jam so I'll be peeling pears tomorrow.

Can't really fault your kid too much for spilling paint; I've done it several times when I should have known better. Usually it was when working with someone who didn't put a lid back on right but I have to admit a couple of times it was entirely my own fault.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Didn't even bother looking at the garden today. I'll check tomorrow when the temps get a little warmer....:grin:. 

The spill was one of those "DOH!!" moments......he was on his own for the clean-up. Do have to give him credit for doing some painting. 

I've never tried growing okra.....I've used it in "deer poop soup". My own concoction that had to include ingredients in the title. Strange looking stuff that was pretty tasty....:laugh:. Of course, the deer was venison.....but I had to come up with the 'poop'. Pork, Onion, Okra, and Potatoes made the dish complete. Maybe I should be locked out of my own kitchen......:rofl:

Can't cut the corn down just yet......the kids want the stalks for Halloween decorations.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

37F this morning.....I think the end is near. But.....we may be near 80F by next week. Not seeing any rain in the forecast and nothing but sunny skies for the rest of the week.

Single season is plenty of work....depending on garden size and type of crops. Would have been more work if the 'maters amounted to anything....and I'm not the only one who had a bad year with 'maters. No cut corn this year thanks to raccoons......Brussel sprouts kept the chipmunks happy. 

Had plenty of beans even with the loss of all pole beans......even gave quite a few away. Had peppers galore and gave lots of 'em away.....getting ready to freeze some and check recipes for Jal sauce. The Hab sauce is great and adding some to sour cream makes for a tasty chip dip.....:thumb:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

First day of Fall and our temps are below 70 for the first time in a long time. We had rain again yesterday so the North 40 is pretty soggy . . I hope to get out in it and pick some peppers and plant the Cilantro.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I need to pick peppers, too.....just never made it out to the garden today. Didn't get too far today with anything......got the 9yr old ready for gymnastics and dropped her off at 9AM. Then I kicked back most of the day until I had to pick her up at 4:30PM. 

We made it all the way up to 70F......I pretty much stayed inside....:laugh:. Would have been a nice day for heavy labor but I declined. I'll bring the punkins up to the house next time the back yard needs cut.......I think it's safe to cut all of 'em off the vines. Haven't had green beans for a few days.....I'll see what I can glean from the plants and cook a batch. I need to get more pie crusts and bake a few more punkin pies......getting lazy and buying the crusts.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Picked a nice mess of cherry 'maters.....the 9yr old was grabbing with both hands. Got some nice punkins to bring in.....perfect for pies....:thumb:. The watermelon I am still watching...cantaloupe harvest is 0. 

First planting of bush beans decided to do an encore presentation......got some nice young beans coming on. I'll pick and cook.....no more blanching and freezing. I think I'm set til next year. Would have liked more corn but the raccoons quashed that notion. Pole beans won't be given any consideration.....they look nice but that's about it. 

Deer have pretty much stripped the 'mater plants....not much left of 'em. I'm taking a cold hard look at the 50cal and think it's time to get it sighted in. I can take seven in one season.....that's how bad the deer population is. When I was a youngster the limit was one. Actually, when I was young a deer was a rare sight.....even in rural areas. The past few years I've seen deer in urban settings. While living in Grove City I had deer in the front yard...and walking down the sidewalk.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

It sounds like you could do with a few wolves around, having just watched a TV documentary about them recolonising Washington State, from Canada down to N California. Wolves have done wonders for replenishing the wildlife in Yellowstone Park, by taking a few deer :wink:


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's the problem........we have few predators in my area. Not many people hunt any more.....I really don't. What people do hunt is coyotes.....which so far have not bothered me. I've seen a few and heard many......they like to 'sing' in the middle of the night.....:laugh:. The bad thing about coyotes is they are hard on the game bird population......I used to see (and hear) plenty of pheasants until the coyotes 'came to town'. Been ages since I've seen any quail.

Might get up to 78F today....we'll see. 75F yesterday but I didn't spend much time in the sun with a dark green shirt on.......dark shirts are for cool days when you appreciated the heat from the sun's rays.

The back yard didn't need mowed........so I didn't bring any punkins up to the house. Still have one that the kids didn't paint and I may grab another from the garden to make for an 'oven load'......I can bake two at a time. Two punkins can make 4 pies....I make two pies and freeze the rest of the punkin in premeasured amounts. Tear the freezer bag open when the punkin is still frozen and let it thaw in the mixing bowl......no loss of punkin that way.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I've got two "predators" here that protect the yard from birds and the occasional mouse. The brown one delivered a mouse to the doorstep at lunch today. I tried to get it away from her to identify it but she was having none of that and quickly gobbled it up. If my trying to ID a mouse sounds a bit weird, it's really not -- I actually have a degree in "mouse identification" (aka, mammalogy).

Made some pear butter in the crock pot overnight, just enough for a few jars. The next time I'll cut the sugar in half -- the recipe called for a cup of sugar per eight pounds of pears but I think that it makes the end result a bit sweet. It pretty much looks and tastes like store-bought apple butter though so I guess I got it more-or-less right.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds like a way to get the pear butter done......:thumb:. I haven't preserved anything (other than freezing) for almost 25yrs. I spent many a long night canning 'maters....bring them home by the bucketfull and wash them in the bathtub. Stay up til 1-2AM and be on the job by 7:30AM......not much sleep some nights. When I first moved into this place (1989) I would pick blackberries and make jam.......sadly, I haven't seen enough blackberries to do anything with for a long time. I did find the motherlode late in the season in 2012.....we had a drought that year but the berries were plentiful in one location. I tagged along with the family to watch my g-daughter's gymnastics class......disappionted that everything was in the back of the gym and I couldn't see what was going on (or even tell which kid was mine) I went outside for a stroll. Lo and behold......there was a marshy plot of ground on the edge of the property......surrounded by blackberry plants the likes I had never seen. Canes 8' and better that had been loaded with berries.......everything else in this area was dead.....including most lawns. I had visions of blackberry jam for the next year......:thumb:. 

The next spring they cleared the lot.......it's now a parking lot for a Goodwill store.......:sigh:.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

I lived out in Oregon for ten years. Portland is covered in Himalayan blackberries, which grow in every vacant corner of every lot like weeds. My place was a short stone's throw from an old railroad line along a creek that had been converted into a walking trail. The blackberries stretched along that trail for miles.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I'll have to look at the walking path up my way........could be something there. It's an old rail line that was active when I first moved to Westerville in '62......can't remember when it was abandoned. The father of a girl I went to school with worked for the RR.......he never had to drive to work. The train picked him up.....:laugh:. He'd just walk out his back door to the tracks. 

I remember putting coins on the tracks so the wheels would flatten them.....:thumb:. One day my friend and I found a piece of steel strap and laid that across the tracks. Oh good......there's a train coming, I can see the lights flashing at the crossing. We sure won't have to wait long to see the results. Well....we were wondering what was taking the train so long to get here. The lights were flashing and traffic was stopped. Finally, a patrol car shows up and the officer motioned for us to approach his cruiser.......we got a ride to the police station for a lecture and explanation of how crossing lights are activated. Good lesson for a pair of 11yr old boys......:rofl:.

I have plenty of blackberries on the back lot......they just don't do anything, Had some nice canes a few years ago that looked promising......8'-10' tall. They didn't do a thing the next year and I quit checking on them. The black raspberries along the lot line look very promising and look like they'll spread. There's plenty of new canes that'll bear fuit next year.....I just need to train them to stay in the treeline. Some canes look to be 14' and have drooped over to start new canes where they touch the ground.

Picked 1 punkin yesterday and grabbed the one that the girls hadn't painted. Baked 2 more pies and froze enough puree for another 2 pies. Might try punkin cookies again this year......maybe some punkin bread, cake, etc..

Need to gather up my cajones and get to work on the hab sauce......after cleaning up yesterday's mess in the kitchen. Hab plants are covered with orange peppers.....they look better than the ones at the store.....:thumb:. Jals are still doing good and the cooler temps at night have tricked them into blooming again.....I'll see what they do. No hurry in mowing everything down right now.....I can wait.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Speaking of trains, I read a news article the other day that said the average railroad worker's salary was over $100,000. It's funny but I have never known a single person who has ever worked for a railroad. I wonder where they all come from?

I did meet an old fellow walking along that trail I mentioned earlier who said that when he was little they used to take pitchforks and spear salmon below the railroad trestle at the park. Today the area is too silted, shallow and hot for salmon -- I know, I spent a year doing a survey of the reach.

We used to flatten coins on the railroad tracks a lot when we were kids too. We also used to collect date nails from the old ties when they replaced them and stacked them along the tracks. I used to have quite the date nail collection until I made the mistake of loaning it to my cousin, who then just used the nails to build a treehouse. I've found that you have to watch collections and relatives. I came back from the Army to find that my brother and his friend had shot up most of my antique cartridge collection.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Don't know how many RR workers there are now......many tracks have been abandoned. The last passenger train left Columbus, Ohio in 1977. The last freight to go through Westerville was around 1981. I played in the coal yard on Walnut St as a youngster in 1962......my friends and I would pick out the dime sized foil markers that identified the coal supplier. Wish I would have saved some of them.

Yesterday was lawn and garden day........that didn't happen. Early morning rain killed that idea......and a cold drizzly afternoon. Not looking too great today with a high of 70F and cloudy skies. Currently 54F and the revised forecast calls for 66F.....might as well get used to it because warm days will soon be behind us in this area. 

Picked a batch of green beans Sunday......may get one more before the season is over. Found a bunch of 'rattlers' and may do something with 'em......no, not the venemous kind. Quite a few bean pods have dried out to the point that they rattle when shaken. If I don't pick the beans in time I leave the ones that are more than likely stringy......if I get real energetic I'll shell 'em for dry beans if the weather's right. 

Maters about done for after a poor showing. I haven't seen a decent 'mater plant in this area all year......people I've talked to had no luck this year and many abandoned their gardens early on. I've got a few 'mater seeds fermenting for next year to see how they do.....I'll ferment 1 more batch in a few days just to make sure. 

My son made some corn salsa on Sunday......like the Chipotle stuff. Not too bad but my cilantro bolted and all he had was dried cilantro. 2 jalapeno peppers didn't give it much kick for only a single can of corn. He's gonna try another batch after buying fresh cilantro......maybe use 3 jals to see if that will give it some zing. Could always toss in a hab.......:rofl:. I may thaw out some of the corn I froze on the cob and try that.....had some real nice tender sweet kernels on most of it. I can always be selective by looking through the bags to find the smaller kernels. I'll just thaw it out and cut the corn off the cob for the salsa......the girls like the corn salsa. 

Time to get dressed and see if I can get in the garden.....punkins need to be brought up to the house.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Punkins will be today if I decide to mow the backyard......TG the grass is slowing down. 

My son made some more corn salsa yesterday......the fresh cilantro sure helps. Had a slight problem with the jals, though. He taste tested about 2 dozen to find enough peppers with some heat. I even trudged out to the garden to get another dozen before he found enough to make a 2 can batch (2 cans of corn). Must be the summer we had......not very hot this year. 

I still have some of the seeds Rich sent me for my 2013 pepper crop.....those critters were hot. I may try those next year in a separate plot to see how they do.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

For garlic next summer, get it in now.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I tried garlic a few years ago. Nothing serious.....just planted some cloves that had sprouted. Tiny heads and cloves but very tasty.....I put them between the onions my son tried to grow. Can't remember how the onions did.......I was living in Grove City at the time.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sunday morning may be the end of the garden for the year.......low of 36F and patchy frost. We've had a perfectly Scottish day with wet, cool, cloudy weather......if I had a flagpole I'd buy a saltire and fly it......:laugh:

Not feeling too bad about my punkin crop after seeing an article in the local newspaper. They're harvesting punkins now so I guess mine weren't that early. The ones I brought in 2 weeks ago are looking good so far and are nice and solid.....they may hold til Thanksgiving or later.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

> The Punkin Chunkin event has been canceled for this year.
> 
> Organizers announced Friday they'll instead start the event in its new Dover location in 2015.
> 
> ...


Punkin Chunkin canceled for this year


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Imagine that......I'm chunkin a punkin as we speak.....:rofl:.Serious.....got one in hand and getting ready to reach for #2.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

You likethat? . . I have not tried one yet


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The jury's still out.....just opened the 2nd bottle.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I've seen it in stores but have not tried it yet . . Let me know if I should


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

First one wasn't too bad....still sippin' the 2nd one. It is ale, though......5.7% ABV. First choice is still the Boston Lager......2nd choice is the Rebel IPA. That one's 6.5%.....:whistling:. The Punkin Ale is drinkable and worth sampling.....let me know if you try it.

Got lazy and didn't cut the lawn yesterday.....it's not all that tall. That _did_ mean I didn't bring the punkins in......I just don't like firing the mower up for a few minutes of running time. And.......I'm not carrying 20 punkins up to the house.....:laugh:. No more driving the van back to the garden......even in dry weather it leaves small ruts. Ruts I don't need.....they just get bigger when the mower bounces over them. 

I'll see how bad the frost is on Sunday. The average is Oct 6 for my area and I expect the forecast to be correct. Low of 40F tonight and a high of 52F for tomorrow.....we won't be seeing anything above 65F til next Wednesday.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

The "city" (that's in quotes because I'm not sure you can call a town of 400 a city) had a crew come in and blow out the sewer lines a couple of weeks ago. Their trucks must have been pretty heavy because they left 6" deep ruts wherever they backed in, and we hadn't had a rain for some weeks. Now. I'm going to have to go haul a load of dirt to fill all of them in.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's a village......:laugh:. Got one of those down the road with maybe a population of 100. The whole township is roughly 4,000 people.

The village owes you some yard repair....or the contractor does. I plan on contacting the gas company about the 'swamp' in my yard from the dirt settling where the 24" gas line was installed. Runs all the way across my yard and has sunk at least 2"......some places even more. It doesn't sound like much but the area is 5-6 feet wide and well defined. Quite a jolt when mowing the lawn.....:sigh:. I've watched the crews install taps for customers.......a few 1" pipes for a riser right above the gas main. When they get done they haul a ton of dirt away.....at least a cu yd. The amount of pipe installed is very little....they should be hauling almost nothing away. Look at the site the next year and see a big depression in the ground. Good thing they aren't grave diggers.

Doesn't look like we'll be hitting 50F today. I'm staying inside.....:rofl:.....even turned the heat on for the first time. Currently 45F outside......kinda chilly.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You need to stop comparing weather and spend some time here, but bring your wellies. lol


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I think I'm covered......do I need more than 16" (40.6 CM)?? The ones I have are pretty well beat up and kinda scorched......but they're still watertight.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

You maybe a little short Ultra Nylon/PVC Wader - The Sports HQ


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> The village owes you some yard repair....or the contractor does.


Things operate pretty slowly around here. At the corner of one of our lots the "city" came in and tore up the asphalt for a culvert (yes, we finally have paved roads!), leaving a large pile that I had to mow around. After a year or so I found use for it -- filling in at the end of my alley so my farmer neighbor's tractors wouldn't make foot-deep ruts there anymore.

Speaking of that farmer, when we were kids his step-dad had a grain augur located near where my garden is now. Being the ornery rats that we were, one Halloween we decided to pull it out into the road to cause a major disruption of traffic. There it sat until the next summer, when the farmer hitched it up for wheat harvest -- people just drove around it.


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

SABL said:


> I think I'm covered......do I need more than 16" (40.6 CM)?? The ones I have are pretty well beat up and kinda scorched......but they're still watertight.


Do they double-up as carrier-bags, with those handles on top? :grin:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

This story would make me think twice about growing a garden in some states.



> A Georgia man was awoken Wednesday morning to find a police helicopter hovering overhead and heavily armed officers and sheriff’s deputies at his door.


What was happening? Was this a wanted fugitive, a hostage situation, a meth lab?

How about a retired gentleman with a few okra plants growing in his garden.




> “We’ve not been able to identify it as of yet, but it did have quite a number of characteristics that were similar to a cannabis plant,” said the police.


What? It's green and grows out of the ground? OK, I have to admit that both have palmate leaves but so do hundreds of other plants. This shows how asinine it is to send out a paramilitary police response to every instance of something strange-looking growing in a back yard.

OMG! Mary Jane!!











Nope? Sweetgum you say.

OK! Mary Jane!!










Nope, maple you say?

OK, final test -- tasty garden vegetable, or evil devil weed?










Cops raid retiree's home after they mistake veggies for marijuana - WPEC-TV CBS12 News :: News - Top Stories


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Planted the last of the Calintro today along with jalapeños. Should have 80 - 95 days left in the season.

Picked a colander of jals . . Gave about half away and froze the rest


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

Autumn's hit with a vengeance today, down to 12C (from 20C average for the last month) - Rain and winds have made a mess of my balcony, I just spent 30ish minutes picking *@%!ed Sycamore seeds out of all the pots and containers... 

A thousand curses on the local council for planting one right outside my balcony! Any other tree would be fine, but Sycamore are 'floral-vermin' :angry:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Yup, back to normal service.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

We're headed towards the end of the season.......9C right now (48F). Been raining for 2 days.....on and off. Just enough to keep me out of the garden. Just not as dedicated as when I was a youngster and never minded muddy boots......just did what I had to do when it was needed. Picked many crops on a muddy day/evening.

The boots could make for a tote with the handles......they won't hold much and are kinda heavy, though. They come in handy when using the 'string trimmer' to keep the clippings off your pants legs.....:thumb:

Got my boots on just in time for yesterday's rain......never made it to the garden. I wanted to get the punkins out of the mud and onto a grassy area to keep them from rotting where they contact the ground. There should be another decent batch of peppers that need picked.....maybe the last of the cherry 'maters, too. The cherry 'mater plant my g-kid brought home from school (late May) has produced nothing last I checked. I planted it in the side yard and the deer keep it pruned back. Too late to worry about spraying with Liquid Fence.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

A little damp in the garden but I cut the punkins off the vines (what're left of em) and set them in a grassy spot.....I'll retrieve them later. I left one still on the vine.....It's still greenish and the vine's viable. When I tried to position it get the lopping shears in for cutting I found the vine was still firmly rooted.....so I left it alone. Three hills have produced ~30 punkins......:thumb:. I may plant more hills next year and donate some to the church across the road for the kids to paint for Halloween......or the parents can prep em for pies/whatnot. 

Getting ready to rain again.......:sigh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Or you could ask the chipmunks if they like them lol.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

They're too fat from eating everything else.....:nonono:

Yep......raining again. I swear I'm gonna fly a saltire some day.

"Home of the dirty weather, swarming midges, chipmunks gather. Liquid Fence, it does not matter.......Gardners are brave."

(I think you know the tune......:rofl


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Donald where's your trousers. ???


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Seriously though, we have been getting some rain, but not as bad as we could expect, we are awaiting 60mph winds, but that is nothing compared to the tornados that have been hitting areas of the USA. We at least seldom see those types of issue,it getting a lot cooler with mist in the morning and temps at 56F dropping to 38F by the evening and only a degree or 2 either side expected. Glasgow, Scotland - MSN Weather


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Looks like we're not too far apart on weather for this time of year......but ours will get much colder. National Weather Service

Getting ready to declare 'Abandon Ship' on the garden......after I pick the habs and the rest of the jals. Got a nice crop of habaneros.....and 3lbs of carrots (purchased at the store) to make some hab sauce. Found a real good use for the sauce.....add it to sour cream for chip (crisps) dip. I haven't tested the habs yet but the jals were rather mild.....maybe the habs won't be as fiery this year. 

Gonna trudge to the garden and retrieve 2 punkins for makin' pies today. I'll just keep an eye on the others and let the rains rinse 'em off till I need 'em or when freezing weather is expected.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Let the brown cat out this morning and it immediately ran across the road to a tree row and then ran back with a live mouse, which it let loose in the garage. I need to talk to that cat about its job description.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Well I found this on todays MSN which just proves never say something without checking Tornado Filmed On UK Motorway


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

MPR said:


> Let the brown cat out this morning and it immediately ran across the road to a tree row and then ran back with a live mouse, which it let loose in the garage. I need to talk to that cat about its job description.


:rofl:

You don't need any help from the cat......they'll be finding ways in when bad weather hits. Long time ago I put my boots on one morning and discovered somethng in the toe.....took the boot off and tipped it upside down. Mouse scampered out of it and ran across the floor. I see evidence on the back porch where mice have been eating some of the corn I'd left out for drying.

Which now reminds me.....I forgot about the garter snake in my window well. I better go rescue the thing and release it near the garden.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

joeten said:


> Well I found this on todays MSN which just proves never say something without checking Tornado Filmed On UK Motorway


I saw that....:laugh:. When you least expect it......it happens. (whatever 'it' is).

Edit: MPR will tell you that that was a dust devil.....I get them sometimes.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Brought two of the punkins up to the house.....will start baking them shortly. Too easy to peel 'em after baking......:thumb:.

Cut 21 off the vines yesterday.....count closely.....one is hiding.
Some of the habs....too wet to pick 'em today.
Lovely weather.....:frown:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Yup, we have the rain again now, seems to be mirroring here


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## WereBo (Apr 5, 2008)

joeten said:


> Seriously though, we have been getting some rain, but not as bad as we could expect, we are awaiting 60mph winds, but that is nothing compared to the tornadoes that have been hitting areas of the USA. We at least seldom see those types of issue,it getting a lot cooler with mist in the morning and temps at 56F dropping to 38F by the evening and only a degree or 2 either side expected. Glasgow, Scotland - MSN Weather


Derbyshire got hit by a tornado yesterday, it ripped a roof off a house and damaged several others....

*Link*


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Yup, I caught a video on MSN which I posted earlier showing it across the motorway.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I picked the two smallest critters and pressed my luck.....had just enough for two pies.

Pre-bake and sure won't use my best cookie sheets......foil is a must.

Catching on to the process and made sure to bake long enough to cook out the juices.....got some nice puree that was not too runny. Peeling is a snap....pull the rind off with a fork. 

Final product.....I used pre-made crust and can care less about the appearance. I don't do any trimming.....what I buy I use. I'm too lazy to make my own crust......sure don't want to add another hour to the process.

I'll taste later....when the pies are cool.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

You selected my favorite beer but I'm not sure about mixing it with pumpkin pie........


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Not a bad beer.....:thumb:

The beer stayed in me......but for only so long.....:rofl:. Punkin went into the pies.......


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Had a taste early this morning......not bad at all. Rethinking the glass pie plates, though. No baking sheet under the pies......only aluminum foil. Set on the lowest rack to keep the heat on the bottom of the pies. Crust was still not quite what I wanted.....I'll try metal pie tins next time and see how it turns out. 

Temps are up to 54F......time to see if it's dry enough to pick the peppers. Food processor is still on the counter and ready for making some hab sauce.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Have you tried blind baking the crust first How to Blind Bake: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I've blind baked crusts before.......long, long, long ago when making merangue pies. I'm going to try the metal pie plates and see if I get better results before resorting to pre-baking the crusts. The glass is just too slow in transfering the heat.

Missed two punkins......found em when I mowed around the garden. They're just hanging around on the outside of the fence......:laugh:. Wasn't a whole lot to mow.....TG!! Dropped the deck to 3 1/2" for the whole lot......might be the last time for the season with the front yard. Back yard is well fertilized and may need another cutting or two just to keep the fleas at bay.

Looks like we have some wonderful Scottish weather headed our way......rain all week. It's supposed to start this afternoon so I better get out to the garden and see what needs picked.....the habs have been patiently waiting for me to rescue them.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

According to the reports we could get a little warmer weather by the end of the week.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Temp-wise we won't be too bad.......rain will put a damper on things. National Weather Service

The 9yr old grabbed one of the punkins for decorating yesterday......no carving yet. That one's for her dad......he can supervise......:laugh:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I don't see us reaching that BBC Weather - Glasgow I think 60F is the best we expect.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

It did get warm....almost to the point of taking off my shirt. I don't prance around in public that way but at home you better get used to it.....:rofl:. 

9yr old grabbed another punkin.....up to no good as usual and will paint it. Some day I hope to teach her how to turn them into something edible. 

Picked the peppers and need to get em preserved for winter use......chili sounds good. Not much in the way of heat with the jals but I've heard that was common in my area. I'll check the habs tomorrow and see how I fare with heat.....diabolical plan is to save seed from the jals that were planted next to the habs. Might get a decent cross that can take cool weather and still kick ya.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Haven't been to the garden for a few days......not much to see this time of year. Only 5 months to go before starting seeds again. 

Peeked out the back door day ago and spotted something moving on the table.....big enough to get my attention. Strangest insect I've ever seen.....and nasty looking. At least an 1 1/2" long. Thought I found a really huge stink bug but it was worse than that......first time I've ever seen a Wheel bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Tried to take a few pics but my P&S is not much use with macro shots.....even though it has the setting for them. I was thinking about capturing it in a jar but decided not to. Good thing I let it go....it's a predator and beneficial to gardens. Just need to keep the kids away from them and give em a wide berth.......the 'bite' is more painful than any wasp or bee.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

We have a critter that is the same shape but bright yellow . . nickname is "Assassin bug" . . it too is a beneficial bug . . I found z whole bunch of the little rascas on the butterfly plant . . eating the butterfly worms!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

The one I found is the largest of the Assassin Bugs......not gonna touch one of those critters. Wish I could find one big enough to eat chipmunks......:laugh:


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Those darn assassin bugs are not adverse to seeing if you might be on the menu as well as their usual prey. The ones you have to watch out for though are their cousins, the water bugs, which can do considerable damage. Water bugs will land on cars parked under lights, I suppose because they mistake the paint's reflection for water.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

They do the same thing on our tennis courts when the lights are on in the evening. I call it committing suicide because we stomp them. No traces in the morning because the fire-ants clean up. Ain't nature wonderful?


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That must be one of the big ones......can get up to almost 5" long. I need something big enough to eat chipmunks......:laugh:. Two Brussel sprouts did survive......planted in early June and are 4" tall......:sigh:.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Must be a good crop of wheel bugs this year.......my son found one yesterday. Don't know if it was at work or home......he lives ~8 miles away from me. I might take a stroll and see if I can spot more out on the fence line.

Calling for frost tonight......I may cover the g-kid's mater plant. My garden is done and it's time to pull the fence and give the mower a workout.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Dodged a frost again last night....so far so good. I need to take a walk out to the garden to see what's left of the crops. There shouldn't be much to see but there may be a few things out there yet.

Yesterday was chili making day.......all five gallons. Had a hard time judging the jalapenos and ended up using about a dozen in the batch. I kept tasting small slivers as I seeded the critters and didn't get much heat at all......nothing worth writing home about. Was going to make a few adjustments but decided to let the flavors intermingle overnight in the fridge......much better today and no adjustments needed. 

Lawn is not doing much......I like it that way.....:laugh:. My maple trees are starting to change color......the tree line is still nice and green but will start changing soon. Winter will soon be upon us.......


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pretty much done for the season. Highs in the mid 70's tomorrow and will be a nice day......low of 27F in a few days and is much more than a simple frost. 

I'll glean what I can before the freeze hits.....peppers are still looking viable. Gonna be last call on the jals and habs. Maters were gone some time ago....blight and deer took a big toll. Brussel sprouts should have been on the menu but chipmunks got the better of me. 

My neighbor cut his garden down a few days ago......looks like it's time to follow suit.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Tomatoes have really slowed down in the cool weather but there are a few still coming on. The peppers are still doing well (green peppers) but that's about it, everything else has been tilled under. Nice to have a bit longer growing season this year, this time last year it had already snowed.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Haven't done a thing rain is just a pain and I hate cutting grass when wet.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I am looking forward to seeing how the North 40 is doing . . Sowed some chives and onions seeds before I left


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Got some bolt cutters lol, that usually happens when your eye is off things for a little bit.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I use lopping shears......bow saw for big stuff.

27F this morning......season is _really_ over. Went out and picked all peppers yesterday.......didn't look at anything else. Peppers must think it's springtime and are pretty well loaded with blossoms. 

Punkins have been moved to the garage.....hoses have been disconnected from the taps. The back yard might get cut one more time....when it warms up a little. Tomorrow looks pretty good with a high of 57F.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Low 60's here this morning . . I picked some peppers last week and had some over the weekend . . the Cayenne's are hot-like-Hell . . much hotter than the Jals. Whomped up a pot of Pinto Beans and added one Cayenne . . whooboy! 

I had sowed some onion and chive seeds before the roadtrip and those are up nicely. Most of the rest of the herbs are past prime so I'll have to replant those. The summer here is so hot that they grow fast and do not have as good a flavor as when they grow over the "winter" . . I plan to sow Thyme, Basil and Sage Monday . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Low was 28F this morning.....getting kinda chilly.

Herbs and such should do much better in cooler temps.......as long as you don't have a repeat of last year (or last spring) when you had freezing rain. At least you can plant just about any time you want and recover from losses. I get one shot that lasts til 'the fat lady sings'.......she's already taken her curtain call and the show's over. 

What do you plant in the way of onions?? You going for green onions or larger cooking ones?? I haven't planted onions since the 70's.....may try a few next year but haven't made up my mind. I don't plant much of anything that can't be stored for long periods......lettuce and such pretty much go to waste so I don't bother with stuff like that. I buy 'taters at the store and it's rare if we use all of 'em before they go bad. This family doesn't eat like my family did where most everything was 'fresh'. We had more time to devote towards preserving crops and cooking........no internet back then.....:laugh:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Green Onions . . I tried bulb onions, but the clay soil here did not let them grow . . just rotted in the ground. Green onions do well in the ground or in pots.

I missed the Fall garden completely last year . . I was in the Hospital or Recovery center all Fall . . plan to make up for it this year!


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Well, I took the garden down today. All that's growing now is one patio tomato that I moved into the garage. Got two buckets of peppers and mostly-ripe tomatoes that should at least be better than store-bought for the next two weeks. Lots of trees are still green and I'd have liked to have extended the growing season but a cold front is predicted for Monday night -- down to 15 F, so that's the end of the season for sure.

Though about putting a Fall till on the areas I've not yet tilled but I think I'll wait until it rains. It hasn't rained here for a month so I may be waiting a long time.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Is MPR tilling......or plowing snow??

Pic #1 was taken Monday morning.....I won't be doing any tilling in the near future.

Pic #2 was taken earlier....Oct 30th. I though I had a few clumps of leaves in the side yard until I looked closer. These mushrooms are called 'Corpse Finder' for good reason. The side yard is the burial ground for pets that have passed on.

Still working on the pumpkin pies and should do much better next time around. The puree is way too wet.....it's not the canned stuff. After baking the pumpkin it is real juicy and the liquid is quickly sucked back up while I let everything cool down a little. I'll get some cheese cloth and let the stuff drain overnight in a collander after I've run it through the food processor. I've still got plenty of punkins in the garage to play around with. The garage is insulated but not heated......I just checked a bottle of water out there and there's no ice crystals even though it's 25F outside. 

How's your garden doing, Rich?? The only thing that's growing up here is icicles.......:frown:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

So far so good here . . the predicted freeze Monday did not happen . . got down to 38. I had brought in the Plumerias because they are very sensitive to low temps, but left herbs and veggies out to fend for themselves . . no damage that I can see. Forecast is 70's by Friday so I should have a few more days left on the veggies.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Great.....good to hear......:thumb:

We're 'sposed to get some 50's next Monday......I'll believe that when I see it.

I'll be checking seeds soon......don't wanna wait too late. Brussel sprouts will be on the seed order so I can keep the chipmunks happy. Also need to plant more 'maters to make sure the deer don't feel left out. I read an article a few days ago calling for more deer culling. No wonder I never had problems back in the 70's with deer......the population was 17,000 in 1970. Today it's 700,000. I better get the muzzle loader sighted in.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Just got off the phone with the oldest son......he was tilling yesterday. He went to Station #2 for a day and was 'driving' the back of Ladder 2. No gas or brake....just hang on and steer. Pretty much what I do with my tiller......hang on and _try_ to steer.

I guess it's never too early to plan for next year's garden.....just too early to plant anything. Pole beans are out....period. May cut back to two hills of punkins.......or give more away. More corn and hope the '***** stay out of it.....only got one real picking last year but have some in the freezer. Last batch we cooked was well worth the effort when it comes to taste and tenderness. Cooked two batches of green beans last week and the 10yr old was happy.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Punkins are holding up good so far......still nice and firm. I'll bake a few more after I get some cheese-cloth to drain the puree. This year's batch must be a wee bit 'wetter' and will need drained or cooked down after baking. Most recipes I see call for putting water in the pan you cook the punkins in to keep them from drying out. I never use any water and still have plenty of juice in the pan.....but it sucks right back into the punkins. I may try removing the punkins from the pan before that happens. By the time I'm running the last of the batch the juice has sucked back up into the flesh. 

Thought there may have been a wreck the next road over on Friday night......plenty of flashing lights in that area. Sure looked like an engine or ladder with all the lights going. Kept an eye on the area and it turned out to be a combine just coming in to harvest corn in the field behind me......farmer must have gotten a new one and it sure is lit up with flashing highway lights......:laugh:. He may have forgot to turn them off once he got to the field. Soy beans have been harvested for a few weeks and this is the first I've seen with corn. No harvest yesterday due to freezing rain everywhere....it'll be a day or two before any more corn gets harvested. 

Any fresh herbs for the holidays, Rich?? Onions may be ready if they were planted before the road trip.....I may try a few green onions next year.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)




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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Onions look good . . some are mature and some are good for green onions . . almost like chives!

Both pots of Cilantro are doing great . . cut some yesterday for a pot of pinto beans. Sage and Thyme are doing great.

Temp is 77 headed for 80 this afternoon!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's some tiller, Rick. My neighbor has a 5' unit that doesn't have that many tines......sure wish I had one!!

Headed for 80F, Rich?? I may see that by next July......lookin' at 8 months away. First picking of green beans is due about that time....after a cold hard winter. My zone is do or die.....got one shot. All i can do is look to next year.....pretty bleak and winter's not here yet.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Only got to 78 . . maybe tomorrow


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Wow!! I could wear myself out with that weather....good thing I get a 6 month break.....:rofl:.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I would too if I had two good hindlegs . . still coping with just one . . I want to get out and dig up the damn roots in the north 40, but that won't happen this winter


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Is MPR tilling......or plowing snow?


Got out the snow blower last week for its first use of the season. I really wish we'd of had a "normal" progression into Fall. The cold snap left all the non-dormant trees with dead, dried but still green leaves on them. I doubt that the freeze was good for them and I'll probably see a lot of dead limbs come Spring.

Speaking of dead limbs, it finally warmed up today and the wind died down (was blowing like crazy yesterday) so I took a load of limbs to the dump. I thought about doing a bit more tilling when I got back but the four-inch snow we had didn't add enough moisture to do much softening of the ground.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Snow blower is pretty much out of the question for me.....snow plow would work fine but I don't have one. I do the same thing I've been doing for 25yrs and just pack the snow down as it comes in.......or don't go anywhere. 

We had enough moisture to keep the farmers out of the fields. The guy behind me just got started on the corn and only had one evening to do anything and hasn't been back. I may as well not sight my gun in if he doesn't get the corn harvested.....they'll stay in the corn as long as it's standing. It's not that I'm that big of a hunter and enjoy the sport, it's a matter of thinning the herd that keeps eating my plants. I can take seven deer if I'm lucky enough.....that's how many can be taken in my area.

Guess I better get the blueberry bush caged in. Pretty much started from scratch this year after the deer pruned it back to nothing more than a twig. It looked good last year (first year it was planted) but it must've looked tasty to the critters. I sure wish it was as hardy as the darned lilac bush that was cut to the ground years ago......it came back with a vengance.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pies were done @ 1:30PM today......I baked 2 more punkins yesterday and let the puree drain overnight. Made one huge difference......:thumb:. Now I need to figure out what to do with the punkin juice. Got almost a quart out of ~5 cups of puree. Pies look much better this time around.....I even went back to the glass pie pans and the crust looks great. All I need to do is make a taste test after dinner.

I've used fresh punkin before but don't recall draining the puree through cheesecloth......my old cookbook doesn't mention a thing about the juice needing drained.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Sabl I saw this and had to post it Butternut squash, pear and gorgonzola flatbread tart - Food & Drink - msn


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks, Joe. I need to Google a few of those ingredients.....:laugh:.....never heard of 'em. No butternut squash but plenty of punkins....

They're bringing the corn in.......seen plenty of grain trucks and combines lately. Been keeping an eye on the field out back as they harvest the corn......don't know if the farmer keeps forgetting to turn off his highway marker lights or wants to show off his new machine. Deer should start moving now that their cover has been cut down......all I've seen (but not really watching closely) has been two doe and a small buck the past few days.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Rocket = Arugula I am guessing that might be the one you're not sure of.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

"strong white flour"....."caster sugar".....I completely missed "rocket".....:rofl:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Bread flour 
Fine granulated but not super fine.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Put the final winter till on the garden, Got 9/10ths finished and the wheels on the Troy Bilt rear tine tiller stopped spinning. Fortunately, I have a backup front-tine tiller, with which I finished the job. It was 20 F when I was out there tilling, none too comfortable, especially with the wind. However, I wanted to get it done as there was rain forecast for today. In fact, it's raining as I write (very early in the AM).

I've been up so late wondering if I want to tackle rebuilding the tiller's transmission. I took the thing apart far enough to troubleshoot it and it appears that the brass gear has ground off its teeth. The gear is $90 and the oil seals $20 for the pair. If that's all that's wrong, throw in a new key, a gasket and some oil and I'd be looking at less than $150 total. However, I wonder if I really want to mess with it. Supposedly there is a limited lifetime warranty on the gears so maybe a shop repair would be about the same price. Of course, finding an official repair shop around here might be a challenge (there may be one about 45 miles away but I'll have to give them a call).


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Found a video series that made disassembly a breeze, other than the fact that the old parts didn't quite come undone as easily as he shows with his brand-new tiller. Got $230 worth of new parts ordered and I hope that's everything I need. Good thing I kept the front oil seal as these are unavailable at the moment.

When I first took the thing apart I wondered where they had found that pretty golden oil, until I realized that the color was from all the ground-up brass from the worm gears. Fortunately for my bank account balance, the driveshaft gears and all the bearings are hardened steel and all that brass did was give them a nice polish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWjp...feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_454745109


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

That's a lot cheaper than a new machine......wish I had a rear tine. My front tine is a killer.......:sigh:

Lotsa rain now.......getting very soggy outside. Corn has been harvested....finally. No sign af any deer......gun season ends Sunday. I haven't checked on the dates for muzzle loaders which should be later this month or early January. I'm covered for any type of gun season......muzzle loader can be used any time guns are permitted. But, I only get one shot......shotguns are allowed to have three.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Rear tine tillers are really nice for the final seedbed and for cultivating. However, I still use my front-tine a couple of times a year as it digs in deeper. In fact, we got a nice rain and it's pretty nice today. I think I'll go out and use up the gas in the front tine giving the garden a deep till. I find if I do this before Winter really sets in that the first Spring till is much easier.

Speaking of rear tine, I would really like one of the larger models as the garden seems to be getting bigger every year. However, I can't see spending $1700 on one right now and I can't say that the exercise I get tilling does me any harm either. :grin:

I haven't done any hunting since the drought hit hard here -- there just isn't much wildlife and what there is needs to be preserved as seed stock for when conditions get better. The half-inch rain we got recently is nice but other than a four inch snow earlier (equivalent to 40 hundredths of rain), we haven't had much precipitation in three or four months. The area is, and has been, below 15 inches a year for some years now.

It's interesting to wonder why people moved here in the first place, especially in the days before there were 300 ft. deep wells to tap. Looking at the historic climate data shows why. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the area was much wetter than normal. Drought goes in cycles and hopefully this one will end soon.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Well, I just got the final Fall till in so the "tatus of the 2014 garden is officially "waiting for next year." The peat moss I worked in last Spring is really doing its job well as the consistency is nice and spongy. I'll probably work in another truckload before the first planting and add some compost too. The next door farmer said he'd bring me in a truck load of manure but it's hay manure and full of seeds. I have a hard enough time with the grass as it is. I measured the garden plot today -- it's grown to ten by twenty yards, which is exactly the same size as the house (sun room addition not included).


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Speaking of rototilling and drinking beer . . I tried a Sam Adams Winter Lager . . pretty damn good . . the label says it is Wheat Bock ( which sounds like a oxymoron ) but I don't taste the wheat at all. Quickly becoming a favorite . .


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

You're doing much better than I am......no way I'm using a front tine to turn 2400 sq ft of garden. My garden _is_ bigger than my house.....by about 700 sq ft. If I had a tractor and plow I'd turn everything under......but I haven't had that type of equipment for 20yrs. I rely on my neighbor and his 5' tiller to get my garden ready.

They use hay for bedding out your way?? I'm surprised we have straw around here......not much wheat is grown but I've seen a few wheat fields. We're mostly corn and soy beans......had corn this year but don't know what rotation the farmer will use next season. I think it's 2yrs beans and 1yr corn to cut back on fertilizer....but the market can change that if corn is right.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> Speaking of rototilling and drinking beer . . I tried a Sam Adams Winter Lager . . pretty damn good . . the label says it is Wheat Bock ( which sounds like a oxymoron ) but I don't taste the wheat at all. Quickly becoming a favorite . .


I finished off a 12pack of that a few days ago......:grin:. I mostly stick with the Boston Lager but try a seasonal brew sometimes. You may want to try the winter sampler.....got many different tastes.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

. . twist my arm!


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Had the Fall Brew in Nov. They didn't have the Pumpkin Ale. Back to Yuengling Black & Tan this week.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

No punkin Ale here either . . Our local craft brewery, St Arnold's, has a holiday brew that I have not tried yet


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Out here they rarely rotate crops, just use fertilizer. Now, they hardly till either, only a combo till/planting. Of course the weeds and bugs are a mess but I guess it's less expensive to apply herbicides and pesticides than it is to water more.

Things have changes considerably since I farmed for four years in high school and for a couple after I got out of the Army. Back then most of the local kids drove tractors, combines and grain trucks. Now the tractors and combines are half-million-dollar techno rigs with integral computers and GPS and you have to have several months training just to operate one. Also, since you now have to have a CDL for a grain truck, all the farmers just went to semis, which is another thing a 14-year-old can't drive. It's a changed culture, Now there are mainly a few big farming operations and what used to be smaller farmers just rent out their land.

Livestock has gone the same way. When I was growing up every farmer kept a few milk cows, pigs and chickens. There are a lot of small ranchers, as it doesn't take much to let 30 head out on your quarter section. However, the small pig farms are extinct. Seaboard raises all the pigs. There are tens of thousands of pigs in the county but you never see one (smell is another thing) as they are raised in enclosed factory farms. The same thing goes for milk cows -- just a few really big dairy operations. Today's farmer usually grows less immediate produce for his own table than we "town" gardeners do. Much of the corn here goes to either pig feed or ethanol.

That's another thing, this area used to be mostly wheat and milo, now it's mostly irrigated corn. And I haven't seen anyone shocking feed for decades. Shocking feed was something any kid could do to make a few bucks on any weekend. My next-door-neighbor has hay trucked in from out of state for his cattle operation -- hundreds of big round bales.

And transport used to be all railroad. Now it's 90% semi. In fact, the largest grain storage operation in the area doesn't even have rail access. The local roads used to be pretty quiet. Now there is a semi every 100 yards.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Pumpkins go into pies, not beer. I hate pumpkin flavor, always have. Beer should be like coffee, plain.

BG


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I'm pretty much the same, but like to try things to see how they work for me.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Man . . the Cilantro is loving this weather here . . highs in lo 70's with lows in mid 50's . . I have two pots with about 20 individual plants and they are going great guns. Cut off some to add to the Beans n Ham we had for dinner!

Peppers are finally history . . more from lack of sun than temps. When the sun moves around south for the winter, the north 40 is shaded by the house. 

Onions and Garlic are doing good . . used some of each in the beans


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sounds like good temps for the cilantro and onions/garlic. Nothing growing up here except for an icicle or two......best we can do is 40's in the day. Currently 36 and a high of 35 tomorrow......back to the low 40's on Saturday. Next month the cold moves in.

I had some decent cilantro during the summer but no 'maters to make salsa with. Could have got store bought 'maters but I'd do just as well using cardboard and red food coloring. I didn't start using fungicide til way too late....I'll do better next season and start early even if it's not as wet as it was. 

Only 3 months til it's time to start seeds again.....I'll order them in a few weeks. The seed company sent me a nice big catalogue to browse.....:thumb:


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Roast them would be my thought.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Roast the store bought 'maters or the cardboard?? Wouldn't be much difference in taste.....:rofl:. My former FiL wouldn't even bother growing 'maters in Florida.....he sure stocked up on his way back home after visiting if we had any from our garden. 

Should've seen the look on the g-kid's faces when they asked what I was cooking for dinner last night.......slumgullion. I wouldn't tell 'em what was in it.....the oldest ate 2 heaping plates of it and the little ones cleared their plates. The 9yr old also talked me out of half the English muffins I fixed for myself. The oldest (14yrs) had another plate of slumgullion for breakfast.....cold. Strange child......she also likes cold mashed 'taters.

I remember slumgullion from my childhood......and a few other dishes I will introduce to the g-kids. I found a couple of 16oz boxes of macaroni and decided to use one. The DiL buys 'em but rarely uses 'em. 

At least I felt like eating last night......had a tooth flare up on Saturday and it affected my sinuses. Been in pain for two days but now that the dentists are open the pain is gone and the swelling has gone away.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I'd go anyway and get it over with as it's sure to come back and make life miserable (bit like my ex wife)
You could try this way Slow Roasted Tomato Recipe, How To Slow-Roast Tomatoes, Whats Cooking America
also using a little brown sugar helps as does pepper, herbs.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

If I had dental insurance I'd have no problem going.....in this country any type of health care is cost prohibitive without insurance. 

'Mater recipe looks pretty good......but I don't think I got enough 'maters last year. I had a real dismal crop with the wet weather.......what the weather didn't do in way of harm the wildlife took care of. Been rationing out the green beans and corn to make sure they last......:laugh:. I'll have everything used up when it comes time to harvest next season. My dad used to hoard the stuff til it was outdated......no sense in doing that.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Do it to the store bought and add a little taste to them.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

SABL: Doctor Corday has found that tooth problems accompanied by sinus problems that go away, are actually sinus problems. Teeth that need root canal work don't let go of the pain.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Corday said:


> SABL: Doctor Corday has found that tooth problems accompanied by sinus problems that go away, are actually sinus problems. Teeth that need root canal work don't let go of the pain.


Only one side was involved....I'm thinking the tooth affected the sinus. Or.....they went hand in hand. Last resort was plain aspirin and I'm surprised it gave me some relief......sure didn't get much sleep before the aspirin. This has happened twice in the last 10yrs......I pulled both teeth myself. I knew this tooth would flare up when it fractured 2 months ago.

I know about the root canals...I've had a few. One went way south and I had to be put on a controlled painkiller.......dentist made me come in for the prescription because it couldn't be called in. Tooth still hurt....but I didn't care.....:rofl:



joeten said:


> Do it to the store bought and add a little taste to them.


Should I add cardboard?? No helping store bought 'maters.....still bad but better than nothing. I might try roasting a few and add them to the slumgullion next time.....I only used tomato sauce but the roasted sound pretty good. The 9yr old is kinda strange......loves fresh 'maters but doesn't want them in pasta sauce......:huh:. 

Brought the seed catalogue back to my room to browse at my leisure......135 pages!! I'll make my selections after Christmas and place an order. I think I can get by with what seed is left over from last year on the beans and corn. Might try a different bush bean but pole beans are out......had a great crop but way too stringy. Double snap, triple snap......didn't do much good. Might as well been eating hay.....:nonono:.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

There will be some recipes here without tomato Pasta Recipes | Jamie Oliver Recipes
Italian~no Tomato Sauce Recipes Cookbook - Food.com - 225659


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

She likes the tomato sauce......just doesn't want the tomato chunks....:huh:

I was going to use petite diced tomatoes but opted for sauce instead in last night's dinner. The soon to be 11 just asked me what's for dinner......I said tonight is my night off.....:rofl:. I'll think of something tomorrow......I'm on my own with both parents working.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Well, you got some new stuff for them now lol.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Got two new patio tomatoes off the plant in the garage. If I'd known that I could grow them in the garage I'd have bought an extra plant or two for fresh winter produce.

Also, I got the parts in for the tiller transmission in today. I tell you what, I'm impressed by Parts Tree and e-Replacement parts, between the two they stock just about everything you need to fix your small implements and usually get your order to you in three days.

I've got the transmission mostly back together. It's reassembled, tested and spec'd (finally put my run-out gauge to good use again). All I have to do now is to tap the two side oil seals in and put the rear and top seals on (they have to be liquid sealed so I'm giving the thing a final check before I fill it with oil and do so).

But all that's for later -- I just spend a couple of hours making Christmas presents then another couple refinishing the front door plus the time on the transmission so I'm calling it a day.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Sounds like a full day!


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Full day indeed as I decided to go back tonight and finish the job (1:30 AM now). Everything seems to be working OK and no oil leaks (a small concern as one seal was not currently available, so I had to reuse the old one). Now I may have to run over to the garden center in the next town and see if they still have some compost or peat moss that I can till in.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Tomato plants in the garage?? Isn't it winter where you are?? I have enough trouble growing the things outdoors in summer....:frown: My garage stays just above freezing in the winter.....good place to store beverages. Last I checked, the punkins are still holding up out there. The garage is attached and insulated but no heat.

Sounds like you got lots done yesterday......:thumb:. Wish I had that kind of energy......:laugh:.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

The garage has a wall gas heater so it can be as warm as I want it. I usually don't crank it up too high though because it's not vented (not really much of a problem as there are plenty of places air can get in and out). We insulated pretty well and have insulated doors too plus a refrigerator out there that puts out some heat so a small flame keeps the garage in the 50s. All that CO2 from the burned gas is good for plants too. In fact, the CO2 generators that they use in greenhouses are essentially small gas heaters.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I use a kerosene 'salamander' to heat my garage........but only when I am working out there. It doesn't get used very often......:laugh:.

Now's the time of year to move my taters and onions to the garage.....longer storage life. I use ceiling wire (12ga) to make hooks and hang the bags from the overhead door tracks......keeps critters out of the goods. 

Spent the past 2 1/2 days in bed and didn't even look at my new seed catalogue. Flu season is here......:sigh:.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

I hear you on that been having fun with Flu for weeks.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Haven't even felt good enough to get "brown bottle flu"........picked up 12 beers and drank one yesterday. I stopped by the carry-out after dropping the 9yr old at gymnastics.....gives me a chance to romp about in my Santa hat.......:laugh:. I've had many compliments on the hat......and many looks at the stores. What started out as "Gandalf" has turned into Santa.......:rofl:

Not seeing some of the seeds I bought last year. The orange grape maters were great but they are not listed......I may try the red ones. I did save some of the seed from last year but the critters are hybrid......not sure what I'll get. Guess I was wrong......after looking at the catalogue again I found the same 'mater seeds. Only 40¢ per seed.....price went up this year. I'm thinking about getting them again.....got a few weeks to make up my mind as most people aren't seed shopping this time of year.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I finally got around to ordering seeds . . Burpees do not have the Habs this year . . must not have been enough demand. Not a big deal, I hardly used any last year.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

I still have some hab seed from last year......they'll do fine. If stored in the right conditions the seed will remain viable for years. You want some of the hab seeds back, Rich?? I can send the 2014 batch and keep the 2013 for myself. I just checked a grocery bag out in the garage that has ~quart of jals/habs in it.....a small amount of fermentation is taking place but the seeds should still be good. Worst case would be the habs crossing with the jals and milder habs and hotter jals. I think I'll go for it and save some of the seed from both varieties.

Park seed has some hals listed but didn't mention if they are heirloom......they also have some Maya peppers that are listed as habanero but are ~triple the size of the habs. Listed as just as hot and 90 day maturity......Burpee habs are listed at 95 days. 

I see the Blue Lake F-M 1 listed for the upcoming season......and still making the claim that they remain stringless *and* fiberless at all stages of development. Those have got to be the worst beans I have ever grown and were nothing but string/fiber no matter how immature the beans were picked. 

This report appears to be 3-4 years old and Park Seed (not the same company that made the report) doesn't seem to be doing any better in resolving the issue. I still have a few oz of the F-M 1 from last year and have no intention of planting any of 'em.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I used so little of the Habs last season that I am not going to grow them this season . . If I have to go with just growing in pots, don't have the room. I wish I had a larger garden space, but with the hind leg being what it has been for the last several years, I guess it's a good think I don't


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Larger garden means more weeds.....:laugh:

I might put in a separate plot next year.....maybe keep the maters in their own little place. Never know....I may go for twice as many mater plants. I have no trouble getting rid of extra produce......


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Just got through tilling in a truckload of compost. The repaired tiller seems to be working OK, no oil leaks or funny sounds. That's OFFICIALLY the last garden work of the year.

My garage tomato bit the bucket but I did get November and December tomatoes off it so I can't complain.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I have hired the kid down the block to dig up the roots in mine over the Holiday . . Woo Hoo . . I'll be able to have a real garden next year!


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

MPR said:


> Just got through tilling in a truckload of compost. The repaired tiller seems to be working OK, no oil leaks or funny sounds. That's OFFICIALLY the last garden work of the year.
> 
> My garage tomato bit the bucket but I did get November and December tomatoes off it so I can't complain.


Sounds like you're in business with the tilller.....:thumb:.

Last of my garden work was a few months ago.....:rofl:. 



Old Rich said:


> I have hired the kid down the block to dig up the roots in mine over the Holiday . . Woo Hoo . . I'll be able to have a real garden next year!


You gain a garden and your neighbor loses a tree......sounds like a fair deal. Especially if it involved you having to rake leaves from your yard.....:grin:.

I have a few trees in the fence line I'd like to lose. The neighbor planted a bunch of fir trees right on the property line......I keep lopping branches off when I need to. When it gets to the point that I can't duck low enough to cut the lawn I grab the tree saw (bow saw) and go to work.


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