The Gardening 2014 Thread - I just spent 2 hours in a garden center.

Winchester

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 I don't like bats. Oh, I know they're great for the environment and that bats do wonderful things. We have a couple bat houses on our property. But I don't like them. I don't know what to tell you about the missing flowers; probably bunnies, I would think. Rick has some stuff that he sprinkled on our green beans last year; that took care of the bunny problem....I'll look tonight to see what it was. 

I lost my cucumbers plants. Every single one. They're just....gone. 
 No sign that they were ever there. Gone.

We've got some tomatoes now. And some small peppers. 

Tammat, I googled your David Austin Winchester Cathedral rose....such a pretty flower! We planted some roses next to the water fountain by the pool two years ago; this year is the first that they really bloomed. They're so pretty. I like roses, but I don't like caring for them. Flowering plums are pretty trees. Around here a lot of people tend to plant flowering pear trees; they're pretty, too, but everybody has them. I hope your root operation will stunt their growth for a while. Good luck!
 
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MoochNNoodles

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@Tammat; those roses are gorgeous!  Such elegant blooms!!  I like flowering plums too.  My Grandfather has one that was full of tiny plums when we were there. I told the kids they were for the birds to eat. They looked like large olives. lol  

I cut DH's hair last night so I saved all of it to sprinkle in the garden.  I noticed some spotting on leaves too.  All over the leaf.  We've had some crazy weather and I'm thinking that's part of it.  I have never focused on using plant food before; but I'm trying it this year.  I tried that a week ago for the first time and it did seem like some things perked up.  I might just have too much in the beds.  
 

tammat

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@Tammat
; those roses are gorgeous!  Such elegant blooms!!  I like flowering plums too.  My Grandfather has one that was full of tiny plums when we were there. I told the kids they were for the birds to eat. They looked like large olives. lol  

I cut DH's hair last night so I saved all of it to sprinkle in the garden.  I noticed some spotting on leaves too.  All over the leaf.  We've had some crazy weather and I'm thinking that's part of it.  I have never focused on using plant food before; but I'm trying it this year.  I tried that a week ago for the first time and it did seem like some things perked up.  I might just have too much in the beds.  
I use seasol fertiliser. I think it's Australian though. It's a seaweed mixture and it works a real treat for plants that are a bit poorly. Your beans will be conditioning your soil for you. All legumes do I think. My beans are not doing great but I think it's too late/ early for them. What time of the year did you plant yours? Spring? I put my seedlings in at the start of winter.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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I planted in the beginning of May.  It was too cool to plant earlier.  But too late to do peas.

If I remember right; too much nitrogen will get you all leaves but no flowers.  Right now I have few to no flowers after picking like crazy for 2 weeks.  I'm not sure if the plant is done or if the heat has affected the flowering. 

I'm using Miracle Grow tomato plant food.  It was listed as good for just about everything I'm planting except the beans. 
 
 

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I had a bat buzz by me last night so close I heard the wings flapping in my left ear.  I thought it was a bird but my step-dad said bat!!  


@Winchester; thanks that sounds really easy!  I noticed tonight there really aren't many flowers left on the beans.  I've picked a ton for the last 2 weeks.  The plants have looked healthier too.  I noticed quite a few of those shield shaped bugs (like the stink bugs I think) when i was picking 2 days ago.  Could the rain have paused the flowering?  I'm not sure what to do for them.  They were also on the summer squash and zucchini (same 4x8 bed).  Something is taking the flowers off those as well.  I was assuming bunnies?  The stems for the flowers are there; but the flowers are gone.  The tall stems.  Something has really done a number (not to mention the wind has tangled them up!  Any ideas what to do for that?  I use liquid fence a few times a week.  And once a month I add DH's hair clippings after giving him a trim.  (He needs one tomorrow. 
)  

I've picked a few more banana peppers and a few cukes now too.  Man; that first cuke was so sweet it was amazing!!  It went from the garden to the table in less than an hour.  


I'm waiting on tomatoes to ripen!  I've got a good number of green ones out there!  

My Aunt and Uncle came to visit this weekend.  Uncle was saying I should try some squashes and plant them between my raised beds and the fence.  It's tempting!  My husband would love it if we could do something so he doesn't have to mow around the garden.  I'd like to bunny proof it with fencing.  We have a friend who covered the whole garden in weed block and then cuts holes for each plant.  And he surrounds it with the rabbit fence.  We have such terrible crab grass I'm not sure if that would work for us.  That stuff is crazy how well it grows!

@Mani; I've seen those before. I'm not sure I've ever eaten one though.  My Dad loves hot peppers and as I get older I'm enjoying that sort of thing more.  I'm sure stuffed with cream cheese I'd love them!!
i've had good results with planting marigolds near veggie plants to deter rabbits and deer. also, tomato plants tend to deter rabbits and deer -- it's the smell from the leaves/plants themselves that deters them. i've read about companion planting and natural deterrents online some.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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i've had good results with planting marigolds near veggie plants to deter rabbits and deer. also, tomato plants tend to deter rabbits and deer -- it's the smell from the leaves/plants themselves that deters them. i've read about companion planting and natural deterrents online some.
Do you know if it has to be a boarder of marigolds?  I usually plant them at even intervals at the edge of the boxes. I  use 2 4'x8' raised beds.  With the Summer Squash and Zucchini plants; they always obliterate anything growing in the bed with them because they get so large.  I also put the tomatoes in pots since I had blight in both the garden beds last year.  I do have one marigold plant that self-seeded from last years.  It's in front of the peppers.  I have some others in pots I can probably put on the ground and just move when we go to mow around the beds.  It's worth a shot right?  I did scatter hair clippings last night too.  

At least deer haven't been a problem here.  My backyard is fenced and we've got 2 "barkers" next door again.  
  I know they can jump a fence if they want to; but so far we haven't had any anyway!  
 

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Do you know if it has to be a boarder of marigolds?  I usually plant them at even intervals at the edge of the boxes. I  use 2 4'x8' raised beds.  With the Summer Squash and Zucchini plants; they always obliterate anything growing in the bed with them because they get so large.  I also put the tomatoes in pots since I had blight in both the garden beds last year.  I do have one marigold plant that self-seeded from last years.  It's in front of the peppers.  I have some others in pots I can probably put on the ground and just move when we go to mow around the beds.  It's worth a shot right?  I did scatter hair clippings last night too.  

At least deer haven't been a problem here.  My backyard is fenced and we've got 2 "barkers" next door again.  
  I know they can jump a fence if they want to; but so far we haven't had any anyway!  
i think that's a great idea, to place the potted marigolds and even the potted tomato plants (if you want to) around the edges of the raised beds! not sure if you'll need to make a border of the marigolds. you might need to see how it goes, how far the rabbits will go to get at your veggies.

last year i planted carrots around my tomato plants and had absolutely no nibbling from any rabbits -- and i live in a rural area and we have lots of rabbits. the greens on the carrots were very tall and lovely.
 
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MoochNNoodles

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Hm that would be something to try too with the carrots!  Last year I had the beans and carrots in the same bed and one day I went out and a bunny darted out from under all the foliage.  They seem to go for my beans and the summer squashes!!  Maybe for next  year I should save the clippings from DH's hair cuts all year long! 
  We seem to get a lot of bunnies too.  I had a barn cat from across the street that loved my backyard a few years ago.  I had no problems that year.  I actually found fur all over the yard once...  I didn't appreciate seeing that...  But still...no bunny problems! 
 

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I'm looking for suggestions.

I'm doing a memorial garden for a friend.. it's just a patch of my old 'border' garden along the fence line that I am extending into the lawn.  I've dug up the grass but I'm wondering about edging.. something special rather than the old concrete edging that was there before.  It needs to stop the grass, obviously, but I also want it to look really nice.  Money is a bit tight, so I'd like to improvise but I don't mind spending a bit.  I have a pretty rambling 'natural' garden.. it's not your white picket fence variety.  Anyone have any ideas?
 

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I'm looking for suggestions.
I'm doing a memorial garden for a friend.. it's just a patch of my old 'border' garden along the fence line that I am extending into the lawn.  I've dug up the grass but I'm wondering about edging.. something special rather than the old concrete edging that was there before.  It needs to stop the grass, obviously, but I also want it to look really nice.  Money is a bit tight, so I'd like to improvise but I don't mind spending a bit.  I have a pretty rambling 'natural' garden.. it's not your white picket fence variety.  Anyone have any ideas?
Could you use larger stones, something like this:

http://www.secretgardenlandscaping.com/asian.html

this:

http://www.decorating-design.com/garden-maintenance/low-maintenance-shrubs-for-backyard-191.html

or this:

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/db/b1/03/dbb10340679b4385b862cec5b6ed6980.jpg
 
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MoochNNoodles

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I love the idea of a stone boarder!  I'd do that if stones were easily accessible here.  I could almost do "beach-scaping."  


I just finished getting my beans in the freezer.  Now onto the peppers!  I really wish I knew how to can them.  Pickle then can!  Yummo!  I must have a dozen in the refigerator now and more to pick outside.  I am truly enjoying the "bounty!"
 

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Thank you @AbbysMom   They are actually terrific ideas..  I had thought of stones, but there are some unusual configurations there.  I will go to the landscape place and check it out.  This is exactly what I'm after.

What a wonderful resource TCS is! 
 

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I've thought about doing a few stone borders before, but haven't gotten around to it. :anon:

I'm so far behind in posting in this thread. I take a picture a while ago for you mani mani to show you my petunias. Some day I'll even post it. :anon:

We planted quite a few different lettuces this year and most of them are getting to be past peak now. We had quite a few salads with them though. My latest headache is the kale. I planted five different types and in the past few days the caterpillars have gotten to them. :hmm: I harvested, washed, tore and bagged 14 plants so far. Eight more to go tomorrow. :nod: There will be a soup-making marathon next week. :lol3:
 
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MoochNNoodles

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I picked up a canning guide today while at Walmart.  I noticed they seem to have everything you need in one section there.  I was looking for toaster tongs and I got distracted. 
  I've harvested more banana peppers and the bell ones are coming along nicely.

My cukes got away from me!  I kind of ignored the garden this week.  I've been running my daughter to Vacation Bible School each evening (well, to my Mother's house, who also brought her home) and that interrupted my normal gardening time.  I've watered but just quickly. Then it rained.  I picked 9 cukes tonight!  Some got BIG.  I'm guessing I'll be removing their seeds but I hope the rest hasn't gotten bitter.  I did pick a 10th one that was just huge; but it was spoiled so it's in  the brush pile out back.  It was laying in the dirt buried under carrot tops and the cuke plants.  A few of them are practically "C" shaped because they were hanging off the edge of the bed.  I've requested old stockings from my mother to help redirect one vine that is climbing up the trellis but not hanging on at the top yet.  The tendrils are looking but it's facing the wrong way.  

I have a self-seeded tomato plant growing with the cukes and carrots too.  I had blight in that garden last year so i didn't want to plant any there again.  But this is about 2' tall now and looking nice and healthy;.  It's right next to the edge of the trellis so I'm going to use the stockings to support it to that too.  I should take pictures of the overall garden.

The summer squash and zucchini are still showing signs of problems (brown spots all over the biggest leaves) but I'm seeing a lot of new leaf growth so I'm just hoping my season with them isn't "done."  I put 2 zucchini breads in my freezer and if I ever get up and finish I'll have 3 summer squash breads in there too.
  I need to wash the pans from the 2 I did last night out first.  My family pretty much devoured an entire summer squash bread tonight.  It was good!
 

mani

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Summer Squash Bread?  I think a recipe is in order @MoochNNoodles  


My canna lillies are full of caterpillars.. It just about broke my heart as they're gorgeous.  I've dug them all up and am soaking the bulbs in buckets of water.


And I just ate (in a salad) my first ever black capsicum!
 

Winchester

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Mooch, would you be interested in Sweet and Sour Pepper Relish? It's from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. I can post if you're interested. I think I've mentioned this before, but I highly recommend this book if you're interested in canning. It's a good guide. It has a small section on canning different pickles and relishes, info on canning main dish-type foods (sauces and soups), different salsas, fruit syrups and jams, all kinds of stuff. That's where I found my Red Onions with Honey recipe; this will be the third year that I make them. It has low-sugar and low-salt recipes. Some vinegar recipes. Roasted tomatoes for canning. It also talks about freezing some things, too. 

Is that the one that you just bought?

Amazon: 
I actually bought my first copy at Lowes at the beginning of spring a few years ago. Loaned it out to somebody and never got it back. Bought another copy the next year again at Lowes (and this one is chained to the hutch!!
). 
 
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MoochNNoodles

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And I just ate (in a salad) my first ever black capsicum!
Ok I had to look up what a black capsicum is...my first thought was some other kind of bug! 
 

 
Mooch, would you be interested in Sweet and Sour Pepper Relish? It's from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. I can post if you're interested. I think I've mentioned this before, but I highly recommend this book if you're interested in canning. It's a good guide. It has a small section on canning different pickles and relishes, info on canning main dish-type foods (sauces and soups), different salsas, fruit syrups and jams, all kinds of stuff. That's where I found my Red Onions with Honey recipe; this will be the third year that I make them. It has low-sugar and low-salt recipes. Some vinegar recipes. Roasted tomatoes for canning. It also talks about freezing some things, too. 

Is that the one that you just bought?

Amazon: 
I actually bought my first copy at Lowes at the beginning of spring a few years ago. Loaned it out to somebody and never got it back. Bought another copy the next year again at Lowes (and this one is chained to the hutch!!
). 
That is the one!  I'm glad to know I picked a good one!  
  I was looking at the recipe for Cucumber Sandwich Pickles.  Wow....there is a lot of work to making pickles!  If I get into this i'll try growing pickle size cukes next year.  I WANT to; but it seems like the kind of thing that once you start you have to stick with the job till it's done.  I might need to concentrate harder at first too.  I'm not seeing a Sweet and Sour Pepper relish?  Which page?  The pickled garlic looks good.  I planted that for the first time this year.  
  I'm going to have to spend my free time with this book!!   


Here is the Summer Squash Bread recipe I used: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Summer...h&event10=1&e7=Home Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1

It is a sweet bread; I cut back the sugar on my last batch.  I also only use half the nutmeg; half is plenty!  Oh and I split it into 2 pans instead of one large one.  It's very moist!  I've added grated lemon rind and fresh blueberries as well.  It's a nice touch; though I think a tarter fruit would be better in it.  Or maybe just as good.  Either way; yummy!
 

mani

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Whoops... in my desperation to find a black capsicum bug to photograph for you @MoochNNoodles I forgot to thank you for the recipe.   Love the blueberry idea.
 

Winchester

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Oh, that's just adorable! 


Mooch, I'm so glad you got that book! The recipe for Sweet and Sour Pepper Relish is on page 87. Do you like onions? I've been making Red Onions with Honey for about 3 years now, I think (page 68), but I use a pressure canner for them.  And then on page 69 is a recipe for Flank Steak with Honey Glazed Red Onions and that's really good.

I haven't tried any of the pickle recipes, largely because I've been using my mom's (and grandma's) pickle recipes. I use them for Bread and Butter Pickles and Lime Pickles. And my sister makes wonderful chili sauce. She also makes strawberry jam; in fact, I just got four pints of jam from her on Thursday night.

I also make Cinnamon Pickles.....OMgosh, but they are just wonderful! And they came from Lizzie, who's a poster here! She also gave me a great recipe for Zucchini Salsa. 

I really want to try ketchup this year; I tried it many, many years ago and everybody seemed to like it.

Thanks for the bread recipe....copied and pasted!
 
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