 sj |
||
|
||
BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere)
|
|
|
Subject: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Mar 04 - 01:32 AM Okay, Bobert, here's the new thread. And here's the last one. I planted my tomatoes this week. Haven't put in the eggplants, carrots, peppers, etc. But I wanted to get something going. I'll also plant more onions, we'll try corn this year, and then there are the ornamentals around the rest of the yard. Spring is here! Up to about 80 today. Marion is visiting, and she was interested when I told her about our tarantualas. This morning I mowed a section of the back where the spiders live to see if any of their holes are active yet. I found one, under some weeds over near the bird bath, and she poked a flag next to it for a night-time excursion to see if Grandmother Spider is up and around yet. We walked out with our flashlights this evening, found the stick, found the hole, nothing much going on. Then she used the stick to pull away a few leaves, and was startled to find a toad down the hole gazing out at her! Handsome fellow he was, kind of yellowish-greenish, and he stayed put. Don't know if there is a spider in there underneath him (or inside him!). SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 18 Mar 04 - 05:46 AM And here in the Northeast US we just got another 6 inches of snow!! Allison |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 18 Mar 04 - 08:31 AM My early tulips and mid-season daffodils are blooming. The Kale that I planted last fall has come out of dormancy and we had our first mess of them this week. Peas got planted last week and the mesclun mix is germinating. Onions are just coming up. The fall planted lettuce is just about finished. All but the latest emerging perennials are at least above ground and the phlox drummondii is starting to elongate. I was a little late fertilizing and pinching back the pansies and violas, but in another week they should look swell. The perennial beds have been lightly fertilized but the compost and mulch layers will have to wait until I get back from vacation the end of March. Inside the house, the tomatoes, peppers and several varieties of annual flowers are perking along under grow lights. We hope to get the arborist over this week to prune the crepe myrtles before it is too late (shoulda called him in January!). Oh these long, mild southern springs! Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 18 Mar 04 - 09:35 AM Well, SRS, not much happening here on the Blue Ridge Mountain in Wes Ginny. Snow drops up an' bloomin' and that's 'bout it. The dafodills are up but several warm days from opening. Problem is that we haven't had too many warm days. Going up to 'round 45 degrees today. Once it hits 60 degrees for three or four days then the spring wildflower show will begin. I've got a lot of clean up to do because of the unusally cold and snowy winter. I lost one 80 foot tall maple which is going to take several days to cut and split but it's gotta go. Fortunately it fell between beds. Haven't done much with the veggie garden and won't until is dries out enuff to til up. We don't plant corn because it takes up too much space to grow enuff fir it to pollinate itself. But we get a lot of food out of a 35 X 20 foot space. We buy out tomatoe plants as well our pepper plants. Everything else, 'cept onions, we grow from seed. I still have the protective covers over all the first year camillias that need to be slowly opened and then removed and reused for next years first year'ers... Along with at least 30 pots of stuff that are in the basement to get planted look like me and Mr. Shovel are going to get reaquainted... This year is really going to be an important one for us since the wife, the P-Vine, is going be working part time at her favorite nursery, Merrifield Gardens, and also be doing some landscape design consulting on the side... Lucky me, I get to help with the drawing and the composition issues... That's one thing about wildflowers that I appreciate. They do what they do and don't need much help from us. I'll report on the little guys as they actually stick their heads out... Come on, 60 degrees....... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: GUEST,MMario Date: 18 Mar 04 - 09:38 AM ONly 6" Animaterra? We got over a foot and more predicted for tonight. I did have a couple snowdrops bloom last weekend - but they are well buried now. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 18 Mar 04 - 10:04 AM Bobert, How are those hellebores doing? I love them, but don't have a good place for them--only have one and it is surviving but not thriving. All my diciduous shade has kids and dogs running through it, so mine is under the drip line of a very old, dense burford holly where it gets barely enough winter sun to bloom. Several friends have big, beautiful stands of them. The yards around are full of violets (I love the white ones and the little dogtooth violets), common speedwell, purple dead-nettle and henbit. The redbuds and dogwoods are ready to pop open. The light in the new green on misty, drizzly days is just incredible! The grass doesn't need mowed--but the chickweed and creasies sure do! Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 Mar 04 - 01:32 PM My redbud is getting ready to bloom. Something is eating the grape hyacinths--so my task over the weekend will be to sink a few old margarine tubs in the garden and put in a couple of inches of beer in each. We do this to clear out snails and slugs. Bobert, I lived for a while on 10 acres out at a lake in the countryside in Whatcom County, Washington. I went to school in Bellingham, and I think it was about 15 miles to get to school from the lake. One night we had a silver thaw (ice coating everything in sight, beautiful to behold, but tons of tree damage) that tore lots of branches out of the cottonwood at the mouth of the driveway. Before we could drive out that next day, we had to clear out a six-foot deep pile of branches. Had we realized the damage, we'd have gotten up several hours earlier. I don't think I made it to school that day--I spent the rest of the day with my camera taking the most amazing photos of the ice on everything. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 19 Mar 04 - 09:45 AM SRS, I'm gonna tell you something that maybe you know and maybe you don't about redbuds. I learnt it quite by circumstance and the hard way myself. I dug up and replanted a baby redbud 'bout 5 years ago our back in a bed outside the bedroom. Well it grew to about 7 feet but wouldn't bloom so I figgured it needed to go so I put a chain 'tound it's trunk which was no larger than an 2 inches and pulled it out. When I lloked back out the rear mirror I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It pulled half the danged bed with it. That root system was close to 20 feet across! I thought maples were bad! They ain't nuthin' compared to the redbud... No more of them greedy trees. I'll just enjoy others, thankee...... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 Mar 04 - 07:16 PM Big roots, eh? I planted this redbud in a spot between my driveway and the neighbor's house where I didn't want a big tree because he has a sewer line running along side his house. I sure hate to move the thing. Here's hoping his sewer line is in fine shape! I put out the beer tubs, and got a few critters, but not enough to quite answer the question of who is eating my tender flowers. I notice this week the aphids are here, but so are the ladybugs. Go, ladybugs! |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 20 Mar 04 - 02:04 AM Oh, it's so nice to have a garden again. It's been several years since I had one. I was out watering the newly planted containers this evening. It was such a great feeling... shorts, flip-flops, and a sweatshirt, warm daytime air mixing with the cooler evening air, the evening nature sounds, sound of water gently falling on good soil. It's a feeling I had forgotten. It's wonderful to be able to experience it again. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 28 Mar 04 - 08:13 PM okay, gang, other than speding a couple hours in urgent care today for accidently cutting off part of the tip of my left index finger while cutting back my lavendar, i have things to report. byw, the no ''caps'' is because of the injury... gonna make gitfiddle pickin' interestin... but here's what is up.... ...linten rose is in bloom---- soft pink flower ...toothwart is cming up but no blooms ...bloodroot is up and blooming----- white flower ...daffodils---- standar yellow and doubles with white throat ...pulmanaria leapoar---- small pink flowers ...hellaboa niger--- christmas rose---- soft pink flower ...hepatica up... no bloom ...bleeding hearts---- up but pinl blooms won't come fir weeks ...galax---- sweet wild flower with tiny white flowers ...blazing star, also called ferry wand--- blue flower, not bloomed ...larkspur---- up, blue flower, not bloomed yet ...shooting star---- cool wildflower, blue flower, will bloom in may ...canadian ginger---- doesn't bloom but nice ground cover ...marsh lilly---- yellow wildflower, just blooming a little ...stulonefera flox---- up, white flower, blooms in summer horray, spring wildflowers... makes one firget things like slicing and dicing fingers... bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 28 Mar 04 - 08:30 PM Ouch! Bobert, you're a real cut up! Having nicked myself a few times out in the garden, I know it can happen. Everything is bursting forward here, pity that most of it is weeds I'll have to pull or mow soon. But there is a lot going on in the "sanctioned" part of the yard as well. oh, yeah, SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 28 Mar 04 - 08:49 PM sounds like yer in zone 8, srs or 8b.... our iris's up up but won't bloom fir another 3 weeks. cannas still in plastic buckets packed in peat moss in the basement. they ain't allowed to winter outside. wysteria 'rond these parts is invasive so we ain't got it. i do have a stand of bamboo but the wes ginny slide rule has figgured that it won't be growin' up thry the bedroom floor until 2022 so i got time... we have spiderwort, too but not til mid may..... tomatoes...question mark.... we don't plant 'um 'till mid may and then they just sit there 'til mid june before gettin' going... bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 29 Mar 04 - 01:35 AM Pobrecito, Bobert. Most of our stuff is planted, and much of it is already up and looking good (so far). We got a little carried away and ended up planting quite a lot more kinds of veggies than we originally planned. I had my first "harvest" this evening. I picked a few sprigs of rosmary and thyme to put in some pasta with roasted bell peppers and portabella mushrooms. Mmmmmm.... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 29 Mar 04 - 01:26 PM carolc... we got ''spreading thyme'' that grows between the stones that i set as part of the entrance to the house. it suirvives the winter nicely... we also plant ajuga between the stones fir contrast and it does very well also... ain't tooo sure about the ''pobrecito''. that like greek fir ''clumsy gardener'' 'er is it some rare brazillian wildflower... guess i missed that day in school, also...... hey, iz gonna be down in yer neighborhood this weekend fir the savannaugh garden tour... really lookin' forward to it. bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 29 Mar 04 - 01:51 PM Pobrecito = poor (male gender) thing, in Spanish. Wow, Savannah? We keep talking about going there, but we haven't made the trip yet. How long are you going to be there? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 29 Mar 04 - 07:55 PM ahhhh, from friday to monday morning, carol... we're going to do the garden tour on saturday and savannah on sunday... i lookin' forward to it... the p-vine and i went to charleston, s.c. for out honeymoon and loved it so i'm sure we'll love savannah as well... ahhhh, as fir the spainish. i should have known that since i had a hispanic employee before i retired. he used to call me ''bohito'' which means ''old man''... see, i've never gotten no respect... bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 29 Mar 04 - 10:41 PM After much consideration, I visited the garden center of my local mega-hardware store and bought myself a trenching shovel. I have to do some trenching later this spring, but mostly I want something that I can use to dig out individual plants in the garden with out digging out the neighboring plants also. This is a long slim tool, not quite so long as a "drain shovel," which also looks pretty good, but not sturdy enough for future trenching. I have to work to resist bringing home a lot of the tools I see when I'm out shopping. There was a great looking small shovel, a miniature version of your standard curved with a pointed tip shovel, but about 1/3 of the size. I can see it as an easy one to use in the veggie garden, or to toss into the bucket when I go walking in the woods across the way looking for stuff to transplant back to the yard. But I don't need it. The big shovel works okay for that. What am I initially using the new trenching shovel for? I'm digging out the cannas that are just surfacing in a bed that is crammed full of other stuff also. I want to do a surgical removal of just the few plants, not mess it all up. I will probably lose a few cannas--I'm not exactly in love with them, they were here when I moved in, but I'll make an effort to transplant while they're small. I didn't want to dig out the entire bed so I waited until I could tell where the cannas were. My yellow iris will start opening overnight or tomorrow. There were some just on the verge of exploding tonight as the sun set. My salvia gregii are even more fabulous today than they were a couple of days ago. Those rich dark reds mixed in with yellow and blue iris make for a good-looking yard. The trees are all leafing out this week. Some of them are pretty small still, they were in 5-gallon pots that I planted two summers ago. This is the year they should begin to really branch out, now that they've had time to get the roots established. My yard is still a baby compared to those around me. But mine is bursting with color and looks much more dynamic. Nothing was done here for years because the house was rented. I'm making up for lost time, but my work has inspired the next-door neighbors--after years of talking about it, they went ahead and had a very nice local garden design company come in and do their yard. I'll make sure my ongoing design compliments what is on either side of me and doesn't encroach on them. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: GUEST,MMario Date: 30 Mar 04 - 07:50 AM we have a lot of mud - and then some more mud - and a muddy patch with a few snowdrops in it, and mud with a few daffodils poking up - and mud. there are a few crocus just beginning to bloom in the mud along the side yard - nuthin' much else. Did I mention mud? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Liz the Squeak Date: 30 Mar 04 - 08:20 AM I took some care when designing my garden 6 years ago, and with interlopers from over the fence, I never have a single month where there isn't a bloom or blossom in my garden. This month I have had crocus and miniature daffodils (tete a tete variety), white daffodils, two colours of rosemary (pink and blue), grape hyacinths, real hyacinths, forsythia, verbena, violets, blue and purple primroses and periwinkle. The Bay tree has just burst into yellow blossom and the pittisporum is showing its heavenly deep wine red colour on the buds. When these bloom, they look like little bells and have the most amazing evening perfume, out of all proportion to the size of the flower. The bluebells have buds appearing, the roses are beginning to stir, the hollies are looking brighter and the many ivy varieties are starting to climb towards the sun again. The two dogwoods (common green and 'midwinter fire') are bursting with leaves, the pussy willow has sprouted kittens and the water lilies are piercing the duckweed on their way to the sky. All it needs is a little tidying up and some damage control, and it will be fit for a party. As I type now, the sun is shining and it looks positively tropical. It's home to a blackbird family (they nested here last year too) and some newcomers, a colony of tits. Surprisingly enough, with the amount of cats in the area (at least 7, including my 3), they appear to be thriving. Even the sparrows have been making a comeback since my neighbour cut down their privet bush commune 3 years ago. Life in the pond is burgeoning, although I notice a decline in baby watersnails.... I suspect the flat worms and the leech have been getting hungry. I will have to thin out the weed this year, if only to find the candle holder that fell in 2 weeks ago when we had a gale. So what the heck am I doing here? I'm off to enjoy half an hour or so in the sun! LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 30 Mar 04 - 08:51 AM I was in Florida for a week and when I returned home Sunday it was like entering a fairyland. The garden is full of daffs, tulips and violas. The phlox drummundii will be blooming anytime, and I really gotta figure out where to put zinnias this year. Lost my snapdragon flats that I had nursed along so carefully. Hubby did the best he could to take care of stuff but I have too much and he lost track of them. Oh well--next year. Late last spring I tossed a bunch of different seeds out in one section of the garden. They were old and I didn't expect much. Now I have all kinds of strange plants coming up. I don't remember what seeds I tossed and so don't know if I have a bumper crop of weeds coming in (I don't recognize them, but odd things are always drifting in), or if they will be a profusion of different blooms. Aah--garden mysteries. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: GUEST,MMario Date: 30 Mar 04 - 08:58 AM the grounds around the building at work are doing better then home - (far less wet helps) alpine daisy blooming in the lawn, a clump of violets at the corner of the building (it has a southern exposure and gets more warmth and light then most of the grounds) and a single lone dandelion. one. How often do you see a SINGLE dandelion?!? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Liz the Squeak Date: 30 Mar 04 - 09:24 AM MMario - the answer is - not for long! However, I can send you a recipe for Dandelion wine if you like? LTS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Tinker Date: 30 Mar 04 - 09:50 AM Ahh Mario, you're ahead of me. The violets are still hibernating, the daffodils only half up, but budded. The rabbits (or other creatures) seem to be eating up the wood hyacynth as quickly as it sprouts. But I did find one lone blossom on the lung wart yesterday. Last year it was a bright blue, but it seems to be red violet now. A gentle dust of snow this morning,it looks like the temperatures will keep things here stalled for a while. All these wonderful reposrts give me hope. tinker |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 14 Apr 04 - 03:18 PM Gotta relate this unreal experience. I am home today not feeling well. As I walked past my living room window a little while ago, I looked out and saw a strange car parked on the street in front of the house, and a strange lady bent over in my garden. She was stealing plants! She had tried unsuccessfully to pull up some bleeding hearts, had dug one clump of violas, and was pulling out spent tulips when I saw her. Now, I have had two inexpensive buddhas, and a cast cement hen and chicks stolen out of the front yard. Disappointing, but not surprising. Never, however, have I had some one actually try to steal the plants out of the garden! Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Joybell Date: 14 Apr 04 - 06:41 PM I love these threads, Janie, thanks. Sad about your experience. No plant would be happy living with that horrible lady. That sort of thing happens here in the cities but we escaped from there and most gardeners are a bit afraid, or at least puzzled, by our wild "garden" anyway. Ours is a late Autumn garden and it's fun to compare it with yours. It's berry time here. In our indigenous (well mostly) garden the kangaroo apples are covered in bright orange fruit. We have saltbush berries the colour of port wine and big bright blue Dianella berries. Dianellas are clumping lillies named for the Godess. Little Silver eyes have arrived from Tasmania just in time to feast on the wild fruit. Skinks wait below the bushes for their share of fallen berries and ants carry away any seeds that are spilled. I can tell where the ants nests are by the little piles of grass-seed husks that they leave on their doorsteps. We wait for the rain that is long overdue. Dark thunderclouds are building up in the West so it won't be long away. "Mercy drops 'round us are falling, but for the showers we plead." Joy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: open mike Date: 14 Apr 04 - 07:22 PM bummer about your missing plants! do you have a shot gun?/! some kind of compliment that she picked yours to nab?! I have my hands permanently stained brown and green from weeding and grubbing around in the garden. Had several meals from the asparagus patch this year...hooray for Hollandaise sauce! yum yum the daffodills and tulips are basically finished blooming as is the daphnia, quince, forsythia and star magnolia. The redbud and lilac are beginning to fade now. I wonder why my wisteria has never bloomed? perhaps too much pruning? Apples, nectarines, cherries and apricot trees are done blooming too. The roses are coming on and the clematis are too. Pansies are smiling away , and candy tuft, iris, calendula too. I wish whoever planted the vinca had never done it but the little blue flowers are nice for butterflies. Potatoes are up and peas too. and fava beans. oh yes and grape hyacinth. I also have some hanging baskets of Fuschia and Million Bells. Gotta fill the humming bird feeder soon. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 14 Apr 04 - 07:33 PM Well, Janie, come on. Don't keep us in suspense. Did ya' pull out yer Glock and put a cap in her _______? Jus funnin'. But really. I hope you confronted her, Hey, I've liberated many plants but never from anywhere but in the wild... That's tacky... A guy down the road from me had 5 hemlocks stolen that he had just planted... Burn me up...... Grrrrrrrrrrr... Bobert p.s. Oh, BTW, triliums are up. Ferns starting to unfold. Dogwood just starting to show some color. Plums in full bloom. some of the daffodils are in bloom but the doubles (white and yellow) still a few days away. Tooth wart blooming everywhere. but things still rather cold so til next week when it warms up I don't expect too much new... Oh, I did get th4e veggie garden tilled up and got some lettuce planted in the shadiest part... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 14 Apr 04 - 09:12 PM We had our first strawberry from our container gardens a couple of days ago. It was little, and JtS and I each had half, but it was delicious. We've been having some broccolli as well. The broccolli is behaving strangely. Some of the plants are putting up some pretty straggly little flower heads, even while the plants are pretty small, and we've been picking them just before the blossoms open. There isn't enough in them to cook and eat, so we've just been eating them raw right from the garden. I've never seen broccolli behave like this. They are very tasty though. I'm hoping some of the plants wait until they're more mature before sending up a flower head. It'd be nice to know how it tastes cooked ;-) We'll be having the first salad greens in a few days, I think. These will be the little spring greens that come from thinning out the rows. I'm looking forward to that. It's looking very beautiful and green here right now. And the weather has mostly been glorious. I'm enjoying it while I can, for summer is not too far away... |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 14 Apr 04 - 10:38 PM Heck, CarolC, sounds like to much phosphate to me. Ain't tot sure what yo gatta do but don't add no phosphate..... Potash and nitrogen, yeah, but no more phosphate.... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 14 Apr 04 - 10:54 PM Thanks Bobert. We didn't add any phosphate. We put in a mixture of organic manure and humus, clean potting soil, sphagnum moss, and some kind of humus mixture that was supposed to be good for mushrooms. The guy at the store said it was good for other things besides mushrooms as well. Do you think it could have been any of those things that had too much phosphate? Would the potash and nitrogen help to fix the problem of too much phosphate? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Apr 04 - 11:26 PM I had a huge head of broccoli that I harvested last month--it was the size of a basketball. Amazing! It took us so long to eat it that next time I went out to pick more the rest of the florets had flowered. It's all seeds out there now. The onions planted last fall have finally started making their bulbs, and they look good. Last fall's chard is tough, so I'm trimming it back and hoping to encourage new growth to eat this year. Tons of stuff blooming. Daffodils are mostly finished, just some of the little multi-head fragrant ones out still. Iris are queen of the yard for the last couple of weeks. Last year a late freeze zapped them, and this year they're making up for lost time. The salvia greggi are blooming as hard as they can. Other salvia (victoria) are fully leafed out and starting to send out little blue blooms. Grape hyacinth are mostly finished. Texas star hibiscus are knee-high now, or taller. Datura is coming up from seed. Cannas are knee-high, lantanas are just starting to send out little stalks of leaves, same with Mexican heather. I transplanted a large spiderwort last year from the woods across the road. It has bloomed and bloomed and bloomed this year--such a beautiful color of blue. I bring home wild things every so often--how horrible that someone admired your yard only as a place to steal stuff! My neighbors and I tend to share our extras of bedding plants and cuttings. I gave away a lot of iris last year, and I see them popping up around the neighborhood now. The quince planted out back a few weeks ago finished its short bloom, and the redbud finished a couple of weeks ago. The coreopsis are showing but not going full-tilt yet, and the gaura are just barely getting started (they put out slender stalks with butterfly-shaped flowers for many months). Spirea that I just planted hasn't started budding yet. The rock rose is just showing buds (it's in the evening primrose family). Tomatoes are growing, and I just put in some peppers and squash. A few weeks ago I put out some cards with trichograma wasps to hopefully keep the caterpillers down. I need to put out some more this summer. Each card covers about 500 square feet with these microscopic wasps that attack moth eggs. Keeps them from becoming the critters that devour the garden. I'm planning to put some veggies out in my front yard for entertainment value. It's also much easier soil to work! I saw my first tarantula of the season last weekend--we bumped into each other, literally, when I was clearing out some trash beside the garage. I'll build a brick thing over there for shelter for various critters. Okay. I'll stop now. I keep a log for the yard, and I need to go enter some of this stuff there. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 15 Apr 04 - 08:49 AM SRS you cause me to feel guilty. Every year I start a garden journal, and every year I fizzle on it. And I KNOW what a valuable tool it is. Joybell--I love hearing about your garden. The flora and fauna all sound so exotic to me. Would love to see not only the garden, but some of the critters also. You don't by any chance have any pics on the web do you? Bobert--I did confront the lady but was so flabbergasted I was probably way too polite. Carol--any chance you planted broccoli raab (spelling) instead of regular ol' broccoli? It is great to hear about the differences in our gardens from zone to zone. Lots of overlap on daffs and tulips, but everything else is at very different stages in their growing cycles. If I grew broccoli, it would still be 3 weeks away from harvest size. My garden is entering the "tween" time now. The daffs and tulips are just about all spent. I have a few bleeding hearts and pulmonaria at their peak, but mostly there are just buds on the mid-spring bloomers like hersperis, lily-of-the-valley and columbine. The ever familiar and faithful pansies and violas have to carry the show for now. The lettuce that I planted last fall is starting to bolt and this year's crop is just reaching harvestable size. I pinched out the flower buds on the kale and can probably get another month out of it before I need to pull it up. Tops of the green onions are still small. The peas are only 6 inches tall. Tomatoes and peppers are ready to go in the ground, but we are having an unusually cool and dry spring. I will probably wait to plant the warm season veggies until very late April or early May. We finally got a good rain this week. Don't you love the way a spring rain sets everything to growin'? Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: GUEST,MMario Date: 15 Apr 04 - 09:04 AM Carol - it may just be the heat - has it been warm? Broccolli really prefers cooler weather - and will "bolt" (send up flower shoots) if it is too warm. frost this am. |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 15 Apr 04 - 09:25 AM CarolC: Yup, if you do have too mush posphate, adding nitrogen and potash will bring yer soil back in balance. The organic matter that you added probably was higher in nitrogen, however. so I don't think you need anymore of that. Have you put any jypsom (sp) in yer veggie bed? If not, you should. The bag will tell you how much you need per square feet. Also, it yer plantin' in a lot of clay their is a product namned Permitill which is a crushed looking gray stone and it is a great ammendment to till into gardens with clay soils and will make that soil look and work great. Plus moles hate it and won't go near nuthin' planted in the stuff... 40's yesterday, 50's today and 70's by Saturday. This coming weekend is the Leesburg (Va) Garden Show and it is a good one. Better that the one in D.C. by far because of the varieties of plants. One vender comes up from Southwest Virginia with nuthin' but woodsy wildflowers. Another vender, Suzanna Farms, come from Maryland woith his latest evergreen finds. He buys his stuff in Oregon and always has stuff that no one else has. Last year we bought a columnal ivy plant. Hun? Yup. To look at it from a distance you'f think it was a sky-pencil but you get up close and it has branches that grow very much like sky-pencil but the leaves are all small ivy leaves... Also got a columnal bayberry from him which should make fir an onteresting specimen plant, not to mention it's vertical qualities which are very important in the overall compostion of the gardens. Glory be...... Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 15 Apr 04 - 01:08 PM Thanks Janie and Bobert. It is indeed broccolli, and I think MMario probably has the answer. We were having a lot of days in the 80s shortly after I put the broccolli plants into the container gardens. Now I'll know to plant them in February next time (or maybe in November). |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Apr 04 - 01:24 PM Got my first poison ivy of the season. I just figured out what that growing itchy spot was on my wrist. Now for the Benedryl cream and "IvyDry." SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 15 Apr 04 - 02:31 PM SRS--if wild jewelweed grows down your way, harvest it and make a STRONG decoction. Put it in a spray bottle and refrigerate. Spray on skin and let dry within a few hours after exposure and it will prevent the poison ivy. You can also use it before exposure, but you will probably just sweat it off. No kidding, it works. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Apr 04 - 02:48 PM Looks like an interesting plant. I seem to remember seeing it when I lived in the east. I don't believe we have any of it here in north Texas. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Joybell Date: 15 Apr 04 - 06:57 PM Janie, Yes we exotic quite well here. I am about to try to learn about putting up a web site - as a memorial to my strange and colourful grandmother - but I could include some critters. That would be fun. In the meantime I could send some pictures of our baby possum, our Magpies and our poor old Cockatoo that we've just aquired and are hoping to rehabilitate - to you and anyone who wants to email me. I also have a friend with a wildlife shelter who has some great critter pictures. (My True-love, being American, calls them that too.) There is a picture of me among the member photos with a magpie on my head - but she's not the strangest of our critters. It's the ones like the Echidnas that wander in sometimes that are really strange - and there are Platypuses (I can't relate to Platypii) in the creeks nearby - they are pretty weird. Wallabies and Kangaroos are fun. Mind you we visited there once and I fell in love with so many of your wonderful critters - Humming birds, singing Coyotes, Roadrunners, Skunks, Racoons, Lightning bugs and a Marmot. I truely liked the Marmot! Cheers Joy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 15 Apr 04 - 07:20 PM Yeah, the jewel weed works but it ain't up. We won't thave it fir a nother two months... Ahhhh, I only use extract from the root. Does the rest of the plant work as well, Janie? Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 16 Apr 04 - 08:17 AM Joybell that would be great! I'll pm to you my e-mail address. Bobert--the stems and leaves work great, and when you use them you still have the plant left so you can make some more when the plant grows back. We make several gallons at a time and freeze them so we have it year round. (My spouse is an herbalist and sells it at local stores and the farmers market.) Cram a big pot full of the leaves and stems and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and let it cool. You can keep it in the refrigerator pretty much indefinitely--it works even if it ferments. We freeze it in gallon jugs and keep a sprayer bottle of it on hand at all times. On another gardening topic, have any of you tried your hand at vermiculture? I'm wondering how big a worm bed you need to feed a large home garden, and how much time and effort it takes to keep one going. I have been buying worm compost for my seedlings and potted plants and am really impressed with the results. Pulled the mulch off the few dahlias I left in the ground last night. Hope they survived the winter. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Apr 04 - 10:59 AM I haven't done anything in particular, but I've noticed this week that they have the distinctive "collar" that tells me it's breeding season for the earthworms. I also buy worm castings, and need to put some out in the garden. I'm afraid worms in one of those long low bins would accidentally bake down here in the hot weather. I've heard about people keeping under-sink bins with worms and dropping peelings into it. Not sure how that works either. SRS |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: CarolC Date: 16 Apr 04 - 01:07 PM Where do people get their worms when they do vermiculture? Janie, do you use the jewelweed for anything besides the poison ivy? |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 16 Apr 04 - 01:24 PM From the little bit of research I've done, it looks like the worms can be ordered on-line, as well as information on how to go about it. Before I do it, however, I want to talk to someone who has or is doing it themselves. If they were, but aren't now--I wanna know why! Jewelweed (impatiens capensis), also called "touch-me-not" is a nice edible plant when young. The new shoots (up to 6 or 8 inches) can be cut and steamed like green beans. I put a little water (about 1/2 inch)in a skillet, add some minced onion, and when the water boils add the shoots and cook on medium heat until the water is evaporated. Then I toss them with herbed butter (I like garlic, taragon, basil and a touch of marjoram.) You can also toss in croutons or toasted sesame seeds. This is also my family's favorite recipe for fresh green beans. Right now I'm having a senior moment and can't remember if jewelweed becomes toxic if used internally after the stems begin to leaf out. I think so, but am not sure. It has also been used as a fungicide for athletes foot, but I don't think it is nearly as effective for that as it is for poison ivy. I have always wondered if the related impatiens that so many grow as annual flowers will also prevent poison ivy. So far, haven't found a guinea pig to check it out. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: GUEST,MMario Date: 16 Apr 04 - 01:36 PM I don't know if the cultivated imp[atiens will PREVENT poison ivy - I do know thier juice relieves the itch and helps the rash heal. From experience. (we always used to just use the juice of the jewelweed - basically crush it and apply to the rash. (we had TONS of jewelweed growing in and near our yard) |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 16 Apr 04 - 01:48 PM Janie, Ahhh, we have worms going to bed (pun inteneded). We do a lot of composting because with 5 acres of mostly wood and about 3/4 acre open, we have plenty of material. Plus, all the kitchen scaps, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. get used. Janie and others: Blue bells in bloom, pulmonaria, twin leaf, blood root, marsh lilly, in bloom. Hostas, ferns, Solomons seal poking their heads up outtta the ground. Lylac swollen, Some azaleas showing a little color as are camillias... Temps in the 60's... Beautiful day... Going back out and finish cleaning up the "Ginyard Bed". Actually it is more of a hydranga bed with Ginyard Ive as the border... Daned voles ate a real nice hosta over the winter. I hate those little buggers and one day I'll kill off the last of the grubs so they will leave. Bobert |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Janie Date: 16 Apr 04 - 03:10 PM So Bobert, how much tending do your worms take and how much worm poop do they produce per square foot of bed? If I go away for a week or two will they starve or dry-up if I don't hire the neighbor teen to tend them? Do you keep a bed going inside in the winter? If so, how does that work out for you. Most importantly, should I be asking you all this detail in this thread, or should I PM you? Sounds like you have a lovely shade garden Bobert, with lots of those beautiful ephemerals. We have one little patch on the north side of the house where we coax a little goldenseal and bloodroot to grow, but they don't thrive. Tried ginseng in that bed to no avail. Leo, thanks for the feedback on the cultivated impatiens. That makes me think it is also likely to work as a preventative. My husband and son are both very sensitive to poison ivy, and spend a huge amount of time in the woods and fields, wildcrafting. The jewelweed works wonderfully as a preventative if it is applied within a few hours after exposure. Some years they immunize themselves by starting to eat poison ivy leaves just as soon as they begin to emerge in spring. They continue to eat a leaf a day until the leaves begin to lose their waxy shine and are almost full-size. This imparts immunity to the rash for the entire season. During the time they are doing this they watch for small outbreaks in their mouths or around their rectums, and stop eating it for a day or so until the rash clears. I was ready to divorce my husband when he proposed doing this with our son when only a year old, but By George, it worked! It is the same principle as allergy injections. If the leaves are more than an 1/2 to 3/4 inches long before they have started, however, they skip that year and rely on the jewelweed. True confession. I am allergic to everything under the sun, except poison ivy. Janie |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Joybell Date: 16 Apr 04 - 07:25 PM I've got worms here too. Of course it doesn't get so cold in the winter so that they don't need too much care. I made off with an old bathtub I found in a city dumpster and they live in there. It's raised up enough for the worm and compost juice to run out of the plug hole into a bucket and I use that on the vegies. I covered the bath with a wooden lift-up top that's hinged in the middle so that I can fill each end in turn with stuff for compost. Very proud of myself I was too, even though I know other gardeners have come up with the idea by now. We have a friend in town who is passionate about worms and she likes to give them away to good homes so that gave me a good start. Joy |
|
Subject: RE: BS: The Spring Garden (N. Hemisphere) From: Bobert Date: 16 Apr 04 - 08:59 PM Janie, I don't mess with them worms none. I have these composting bins up in the woods where I throw chopped up leaves and grass clippings and stuff from the kitchen and, even in the coldest of winter, you dig don in there 4 'er 5 inches and its warm from composting and the worms live in there year round and multiply like crazy. There's hundreds and hundreads of 'em in there. In the spring, I'll just turn it over with a pitchfork and get me a couple 2 or 3 hundred of 'um and put 'um in the veggie garden right after its been tilled. We use straw as mulch in the veggie garden and its keeps everything all moist and them worms jus love it in there. I can go out with a shovel in the middle of August when it ain't rained for a week and in a shovel full of dirt there like 10 worms.. And they is all smilin', too... Happiest worms in Wes Ginny... Almost heaven... Nevermind.... Bobert |
