What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[Andre]

Ahahaha, the Alpaca's are so cute! I used to have an Alpaca sweater.

Here are one of my squirrels and a dove. They remind me of Kurdt's puppy standing at attention. Definitely show material.

One of my eggplants was broken over with just a tiny shred on one side keeping it from being two pieces. I stood it up, shoved a pile of dirt around it and watered it and it looks just as fresh and healthy as if nothing happened. It can't be possible that it's going to live, but...

That's an nice couple indeed. Now should you ever get the idea to want to take pictures with those critters much bigger in the shot like Larkspur and Turbo, but don't want to bother about dragging along a lot of expensive equipment, it may be known that there are http://wwwnew.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonictz5 .

 

[rewebster]

I've seen squirrels attack birds before--in fact, I saw a squirrel kill a bird before-----it was a baby (blue jay); but it was something I've never seen, or have never heard of before.

 

[baywax]

Ahahaha, the Alpaca's are so cute! I used to have an Alpaca sweater.

These people also have 2 llamas to protect their alpacas. They only have 5 acres or so but its enough to raise the number of alpacas you need to make money off of their "wool". They got a beautiful farm for their endeavor and there is an alpaca wool/hair processing and manufacturing facility in the valley. About 2-3 miles away there is a box canyon full of cougars so the llamas come in handy!

Nice photo of the squirrel and the dove!

 

[baywax]

We have wild blackberries (brambles) at the back of our property, but I grow cultivated blackberries in a small plot. The wild blackberries grow close to the ground and have sharp thorns on the stems. The berries have large seeds, and are rather tart in taste. The cultivated blackberries grow long canes and have no thorns, and the berries are larger, juicier and sweeter than the wild ones.

The Willamette Valley, OR, is perhaps the biggest producer of berries in the country.


Oregon's Raspberries and Blackberries - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1.htm
Some Berry History - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1a.htm

Red raspberries are grown over a wider area from the northern Willamett Valley throught Washington and up into the Fraser Valley of BC, Canada.
http://www.red-raspberry.org/raspberry/rasp.html

I can't believe the fertility of Willamette Valley! It takes about 2 hours just to drive the width of it. In fact, the picture that comes to mind when people mention it are the humungous, juicy blackberries coming out of that place! And everything else of course.

Himalayan and evergreen blackberry species are introduced from Eurasia (~1885) and currently dominate many regions of the Pacific Northwest. Both tend to form impenetrable thickets due to spreading vines with very prickly stems. Himalayan blackberry is generally more widespread than its evergreen cousin. However, both species are a cause for concern as they are extremely competitive on disturbed sites, degrading the quality of riparian habitats along with fence lines, roadsides, and forest edges. In the Lower Mainland, blackberries deteriorate valuable stream habitat by preventing the establishment of deep-rooted native shrubs, which are a critical for healthy streams, providing food, shade, and bank stability. However, blackberry shrubs do offer limited food, nesting sites, and wildlife cover (and make great blackberry pies!). Evergreen and Himalayan blackberry are extremely difficult to remove as they grow very fast and have efficient reproductive success. Nevertheless, stands can be controlled through vigorous cutting, planting, and monitoring efforts as outlined in the sections below.

http://www.shim.bc.ca/invasivespecies/_private/blackberry.htm

Now... about the goats...

Goat Grazing: Goats have a long history of use for blackberry control, particularly in Australia and New Zealand where they have been used since the 1920s. Goats eat blackberries readily, and seem to prefer them over other plants.10 An economic analysis in Australia showed that running goats on a blackberry-infested pasture was cheaper than using herbicides to manage the berries.11 Clearly goats are not suitable in all locations, but in pastures they may be an excellent option. Use of goats could also be considered in firebreaks,12 utility rights of way, and other similar sites.

http://www.pesticide.org/pubs/alts/blackberry/blackberries.html

I think goats are great... this sounds like a win - win solution.

 

[rewebster]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

 

[Astronuc]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

I had something similar happen with our lawn mover. I had to remove the reservoir under the carburetor and clean out a microbial deposit that had grown in the water that had collected with the gasoline. Also, I found a float inside the reservoir which adjusts the flow of gasoline into the reservoir. The float had a leak which I fixed with some solder, as soon as I got all the gasoline out of the float.

 

[rewebster]

well--thanks---I hadn't thought of that (the float)--that may be it---I will check for those things--(funny that those things can grow there)

 

[baywax]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

For mowing the lawn I use the minimalist's method... don't do it.

When I am forced to "keep up with the jones" and to quell their fear of weeds seeding all over their manicured lawns... I use a push mower. Non polluting, leaves mulch for the remaining grass, great exercise. This one says its silent..

 

[Evo]

I love reel mowers. About 10 yearsago I tried to buy one, but the only ones I could find were shoddily made, nothing like the old ones I used to use. That one looks nice.

 

[baywax]

I love reel mowers. About 10 yearsago I tried to buy one, but the only ones I could find were shoddily made, nothing like the old ones I used to use. That one looks nice.

I know what you mean about the shoddily made ones. I had one that I broke the vertical bars on. It was brand new as compared to my old one which was like an antique. It worked fine but I wanted to keep it as an antique and bought a new one. When the new one broke I went back to the antique.

There are cordless electric mowers now. That's a plus if you tend to run over the cord ever! It would be cool to see that technology in cars. Just pull the battery cartridge out, charge it with solar, hydro or whatever, put it back in and go. I'm buying a Volt once their de-prohibited. For now, I'm driving my lawn mower.

 

[turbo]

I bought a Scott 20" reel mower from Amazon. $110 with free shipping, and it works great. The cutting height is adjustable from 1-3" and it pushes pretty easy.

 

[lisab]

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2215/mowerlj3.jpg

This is the 16" I got from Amazon. It was a bit tough to push at first, but it loosened up and now it's a breeze.

 

[Borek]

Iris time

 

[turbo]

Nice color and nice focus. I often get too shallow depth-of-field when I shoot flowers.

 

[rewebster]

yep

another purple variety

nice color

and peony time

the blooms on this one are about five inches

 

[Borek]

Irises in my experience grow like weed. Just drop the rhizome on the ground and wait

But it may depend on variety. Mine are growing like crazy, my father-in-law has yellow/orange ones and they are very capricious - they don't flower each year. We will move some of them to our garden this autumn to see what happens.

These below are not from my garden - these are from botanical garden in Piaseczno, close to Warsaw. Picture is far from being perfect, but it at least partially shows how variable iris is. Taken yesterday.

Peonias are in full flowers here too, but I don't have them. They require too much attention

 

[rewebster]

Some little worm gets into my irises, and in the summer kills quite a few. I've talked to the local extension office who told me about them and what to do, but I haven't been able to get rid of the little buggers.

I wouldn't mind getting some of those dark ones in your photo.

 

[rewebster]

Funny thing with the peach and nectarine this year (they do take some care)--both had an over abundance of fruit this year on the tree--It may be that we've have 7 inches of rain over our normal amount already. I went out today, and half the leaves on the nectarine had fallen off. I looked up to see how many fruits were there, and they were pulling too much of the nutrients away from the leaves--so I knocked off about 2/3 of the nectarines with an old golf club--and I may have to knock more off. The peaches are splitting (I think from the rain too, or the little extra fertilizer I put on this winter).

 

[baywax]

Nice color and nice focus. I often get too shallow depth-of-field when I shoot flowers.

Very nice photo and flowers. My irises still haven't bloomed. It may be that they need sun!


lisab, did you try oiling your lawn mower?

 

[lisab]

Very nice photo and flowers. My irises still haven't bloomed. It may be that they need sun!


lisab, did you try oiling your lawn mower?

No, I didn't use any oil. The blades cut like scissors, and they were juuuuust a bit too close. But after just one use, the cutting blades were in perfect alignment. And it's still new, so they're very sharp.

I like how the grass looks two or three days after being cut with this mower. The top of each blade of grass is still green. With my old mower (an electric one), the tops would turn brown. The old one tore the grass, I think, while this one trims it.

 

[~christina~]

nice color

:!) Wow I've never seen that color!

I have to get this.

 

[~christina~]

I have a problem with peonies EACH year. They always come down with a fuzzy leaf disease and then their leaves look gray. I just gave up trying to find out how to cure it because it seems every peony plant around here comes down with this illness. Does anyone else have this issue as well?

And something has eaten ALL of the buds off one of the rose plants in they garden and it is the first time it was planted as well...
other then that all the other roses are blooming and I may just post something.

 

[turbo]

I have a problem with peonies EACH year. They always come down with a fuzzy leaf disease and then their leaves look gray. I just gave up trying to find out how to cure it because it seems every peony plant around here comes down with this illness. Does anyone else have this issue as well?

You may be having problems with dusty mildew. Dust your plants with powdered elemental sulfur and see if that resolves the problem. If your soil is a bit on the basic side, sulfur treatment is a boost, and that may help you, too.

If your soil pH is OK, you might want to consider making a spray of water and sodium bicarbonate to modify/stabilize the pH level of the surfaces of the leaves and stems and deny the fungii a foothold.

 

[rewebster]

:!) Wow I've never seen that color!

I have to get this.

send me a pm---I may send you a tuber

 

[~christina~]

You may be having problems with dusty mildew. Dust your plants with powdered elemental sulfur and see if that resolves the problem. If your soil is a bit on the basic side, sulfur treatment is a boost, and that may help you, too.

If your soil pH is OK, you might want to consider making a spray of water and sodium bicarbonate to modify/stabilize the pH level of the surfaces of the leaves and stems and deny the fungii a foothold.

That just may work. I didn't know what that dusty coating was and I wasn't about to touch it with bare hands either. I'll go and see if I can get my hands on some sulfur.
I've never really tested the soil for the pH either. The thing is I thought that it was a virus of some sort because it afflicted the other gardens in the area as well, but it may just be the pH of the soil in the area as well.

send me a pm---I may send you a tuber

aww, it's alright I'll find it, Thanks though.

 

[Evo]

My bell pepper.

 

[turbo]

My bell pepper.

Lovely!
I hope you aren't thinking that you can reduce your grocery bill with that plant (or even a few more of them) though. Seed prices are up about 30% around here because people who want to try home gardening are driving demand. Unfortunately, many will fail, and will have driven prices for those of us that know what we are doing. Luckily, seed prices are something that we can roll with, as long as we have the costs of compost, and commercially-available amendments figured in. My wife and I will get do fine, as long as the weather cooperates, and we will fill our freezers with food for next year. It's tempting to grow "comfort foods" like sweet peas and sweet corn, but both of those require large investments in land vs. return, and corn especially can lay us open to pests (like corn borer) that are resistant to almost every deterrent (Thanks, local commercial pesticide-using corn growers!) and that also attack peppers, and other crops that we need.

 

[Evo]

Lovely!
I hope you aren't thinking that you can reduce your grocery bill with that plant (or even a few more of them) though.

I have 4 plants and if it's like usual, I will have plenty left over to give away. Seriously, how many bell peppers do you think I can eat? I've also got tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and spring onions. I wish I had room for more, but I have limited space. Still, I will have more than enough.

And I know what I'm doing, I've had very large gardens all of my life and my dad's family are commercial farmers.

My challenge this year is patio gardening.

 

[turbo]

I have 4 plants and if it's like usual, I will have plenty left over to give away. Seriously, how many bell peppers do you think I can eat? I've also got tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and spring onions. I wish I had room for more, but I have limited space. Still, I will have more than enough.

My wife and I have a 35 foot row devoted to bell peppers this year (much less than we have devoted to jalapeno or habanero chilies) and we still won't have all we want. We chop and freeze bell peppers, but we still run out in the summer as we make spaghetti sauce, Spanish rice, and other pepper-heavy dishes.

 

[Evo]

My wife and I have a 35 foot row devoted to bell peppers this year (much less than we have devoted to jalapeno or habanero chilies) and we still won't have all we want. We chop and freeze bell peppers, but we still run out in the summer as we make spaghetti sauce, Spanish rice, and other pepper-heavy dishes.

I live in an apartment now with the only freezer space I have is the left half of the refrigerator. Either I eat it, give it away or throw it away.