What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[Moonbear]

Thanks, Ouabache!

OMG, you guys - I know why I am fascinated with turbo's photo now. It reminds me of the most powerful object of desire that I have ever known in my life. I first laid eyes on this at the age of three when it came on a television commercial, and I knew that some day, some how, it would be mine:
http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/gift_guide/galleries/kids/photo01.jpg

Maybe some of you know what I am talking about.

:!) It's Inchworm, It's Inchworm! Yeah, my parents had about the same reaction as Turbo when I'd want to play with the inchworms and insist they were cute too.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I was too big to have one. But you can never be too big for Teddy Ruxpin!

We should make kids toys for adults.

I totally agree. And it could be a very practical idea. I have this vision of the future where gas prices are so high that people give up cars and ride hippity-hops to work.

 

[Moonbear]

We should make kids toys for adults.

That would be a great theme for a gym! I'd LOVE to go work out if I got to ride around on an inchworm or hop along on a hippity hopper (is that what they were called? The big rubber balls with handles to bounce on?), or bounce around on a pogo stick, or race people on bigwheels!

 

[Math Is Hard]

:!) It's Inchworm, It's Inchworm!

Yes! Those were happy days.

edit: oh, cool! Did we both think of hippity hops at the same time?

 

[turbo]

That would be a great theme for a gym! I'd LOVE to go work out if I got to ride around on an inchworm or hop along on a hippity hopper (is that what they were called? The big rubber balls with handles to bounce on?), or bounce around on a pogo stick, or race people on bigwheels!

Could we go outdoors and play pickup baseball or softball? I used to love sprinting from base to base, running hard to make a clean catch, etc. I don't see a lot of that kind of play off-season, here. Kids are not getting the exercise that they require, anymore.

 

[Math Is Hard]

Could we go outdoors and play pickup baseball or softball? I used to love sprinting from base to base, running hard to make a clean catch, etc. I don't see a lot of that kind of play off-season, here. Kids are not getting the exercise that they require, anymore.

I remember that not too long ago, someone started an exercise program for adults called "Recess". It was just playing on the jungle gym and monkey bars, and games like dodgeball and hopscotch. Clever idea.

 

[Moonbear]

edit: oh, cool! Did we both think of hippity hops at the same time?

Yep!

I remember that not too long ago, someone started an exercise program for adults called "Recess". It was just playing on the jungle gym and monkey bars, and games like dodgeball and hopscotch. Clever idea.

I wish they'd do something like that here! There's this little fitness area along one of the walking trails in a park here that has monkey bars, but they're still just a little short for adults. If my feet still can touch the ground, there's no way they'll work for anyone else. I can't do monkey bars with my legs bent, because I need to use my legs to get a good swing going. They are a bit taller than ones for kids, just not enough (they probably had to keep them low enough that if a kid tried using them, they wouldn't get hurt if they fell).

 

[Ms Music]

We should make kids toys for adults.

You mean boats, sea doos, ATVs, sports cars, motorcycles... those aren't enough? But I WOULD get a hippity hop...



Hey, if that worm was as big as your middle finger, how big would the moth be? I have never seen one of them (knock on wood) in my garden (or anywhere), but one time I did find a moth that was 3 or 4 inches across sitting on my door knob. I let my daughter put it in a jar and take it to preschool. I have never seen another moth like that before, or since. Except DEAD at the science exhibits.

(ps, I thought he was cute too...)

 

[turbo]

(ps, I thought he was cute too...)

If you could see what that fatso did to my jalapeno chilies, you wouldn't think he was so cute. I NEED my chilies to make hot stuff with. Man, hornworms are destructive!

 

[Evo]

If you could see what that fatso did to my jalapeno chilies, you wouldn't think he was so cute. I NEED my chilies to make hot stuff with. Man, hornworms are destructive!

I swear those hornworms can go from zero to 2" in a few hours.

 

[baywax]

Thanks! That was with my Canon 30D and 28-135mm at 135mm and about at the closest macro distance. He's one real ugly fellow - well, he was anyway. He is an ex-horn worm since shortly after I took his obituary photo.

We sometimes get frosts before summer is officially over - a northerly prevailing wind bringing down Canadian air is part of it, and very clear nights for maximum radiative cooling "seal the deal" as it were.

That's ok, blame Canada man! Its about the only press we get up here!

 

[baywax]

Now that we mention it, we're seeing snow in the interior. Shocking! Mainly because summer isn't over for another 11 hours.

Any pumpkins growing out there?

 

[turbo]

Now that we mention it, we're seeing snow in the interior. Shocking! Mainly because summer isn't over for another 11 hours.

Any pumpkins growing out there?

My neighbors' pumpkins and squash are all picked and in storage. My squash died in the torrential rains, clouds, etc, as did my cucumbers.

 

[turbo]

I just got back in from spreading milky spore on my lawns. It's not a foolproof control for Japanese beetles, but I figured it was worth a shot, especially since my organic-farmer neighbor with all the fruit trees is treating his entire property. We still will have neighbors with untreated lawns that will host the larvae, but hopefully, we will get some relief from the pests.

 

[hypatia]

I won't be able to make it back to my northern garden, so friends up there will gather what they can use.
My downstate garden is still giving me herbs and tomatoes. And yes, my water peppers{heheh my new species} are still amazing me with their productivenesses. They taste just fine, and each holds ruffly 1/4 cup of water.

 

[Evo]

The overpriced grocery store has the widest variety of weird gourds and pumpkins I've seen in one place.

Here are the warty pumkins, pretty ugly up close. Sorry it's not a better picture, but my grocery cart was hurtling toward a display of chrisanthemums so I had to be quick with my shot.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7082/pumpkinwartsov1.jpg

 

[turbo]

One of my neighbors grew warty/colorful turban squash this year and he gave me an armload of them to take home. We'll eat them, but won't bother planting them in our garden. They are hard as a rock when raw, so cutting them up is a pain - worse than well-cured Hubbards, even. I wouldn't mind that so much, but the squash has very little flavor - certainly not the rich nutty taste of a nice buttercup. Still, food is food (as long as it's not disgusting).

 

[hypatia]

Oh Evo, please never go that close to those squash again. Thats scary!

 

[turbo]

Oh Evo, please never go that close to those squash again. Thats scary!

Can squash have STD's?

 

[baywax]

The next few weeks are going to be interesting when it comes to pumpkin contests.

Here's the WORLD record holder from September 29, 2007... a 1689 pound pumpkin from Rhode Island!

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/giantpumpkins.htm

Like I keep polishing my fingernails about, the one time I've entered this kind of contest I had my own 200 lb pumpkin that got blown away by the 729 lb at the local fair.

But, it was big enough for my then 3 year old to fit in and secure the 5 candles it took to light the jack'o'lantern! Its really quite fun!

Turbo... er, pumpkin protection?

 

[Astronuc]

Worm Composting How-to
http://www.gardeners.com/-/5714,default,pg.html?SC=LNA7040B

Worm Bin. There are two basic options. The first is to have a series of shallow, stacked bins with screening on the bottom of each bin. When the worms have finished digesting the food scraps in the first bin, they will move into the bin below, in search of fresh, undigested food. Once the worms have moved out, the finished compost can be removed. Move the empty bin down and refill it with bedding material and kitchen scraps. A commercial version of this design is the Worm Chalet.

I don't recommend putting one of these in the basement.

We have a compost pile in back, and I've found some huge worms in there.

 

[baywax]

Worm Composting How-to
http://www.gardeners.com/-/5714,default,pg.html?SC=LNA7040B



I don't recommend putting one of these in the basement.

We have a compost pile in back, and I've found some huge worms in there.

The same kid that fit in the pumpkin used to build worm hospitals for the worms that got cut in half by my shovel. The hospitals were like catacombs in the dirt and they all got better x 2.

 

[Evo]

Well, the weather is holding out and my bell peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos are all still setting fruit. I pulled up the squash and cucumbers, they were a major dissapointment. First time I've even tried growing the container variety in containers. Not enough sun, I guess.

I guess I should try planting radishes and see if I have better luck now.

 

[hypatia]

Under threat of frost, I've been gathering and hanging my herbs. It smells so good in my drying room.

 

[turbo]

Here is the fruit of hardest work in the garden. Digging up and washing the root-balls of the giant sunflowers (to save the good soil for the garden), hauling the stems out to the boonies to rot, etc. I broke the fiberglass handle of my spading fork while trying to dig up those sunflowers, and before the washing, some of the root-balls were well over 100#. Anyway, my father dropped off some squash and apples for us this afternoon, so we sent him home with some fresh-baked zucchini/pineapple muffins and apple muffins, and I gave him an armload of sunflower heads to hang out with his bird feeders. The biggest one in this picture is over 18" across.

 

[turbo]

Under threat of frost, I've been gathering and hanging my herbs. It smells so good in my drying room.

My Russian and German garlic have cured well, and my detached garage no longer has that wonderful smell. Darn!

 

[Moonbear]

Can squash have STD's?

They looked moldy in the picture to me. I can't imagine them being very popular, even as a decorative squash. Well, maybe they're good for Halloween scary food.

 

[hypatia]

Wow turbo, some giant sunflowers! Did you expose them to gamma rays?

 

[turbo]

Wow turbo, some giant sunflowers! Did you expose them to gamma rays?

Something even more powerful - BS.

 

[turbo]

I hereby announce the first annual PF carrot day. Every PF member who shows up at my house before noon on October 7th gets a free carrot. Hurry! Supplies are limited.

P.S. the carrots have been washed and are currently drying on newspapers, so you won't have to clean off the mud.

 

[baywax]

I hereby announce the first annual PF carrot day. Every PF member who shows up at my house before noon on October 7th gets a free carrot. Hurry! Supplies are limited.

Hey, Turbo, where are you man? I'm out at the farm and no sign of anyone, let alone carrots!

What's with America? Don't you guys celebrate Halloween or something like it there? I can see that there are plenty of pumpkin growers in the States... but no jack'o'lanterns. Is trick or treat not as big as it is in Canada? I guess a good part of your country is pretty warm all year round, with little notice to the turning of the leaves.

We never stop celebrating this equinox, at any age. Our Thanksgiving is on Oct. 13th. From there on in the retail stores are packed with Vampire teeth and Lucifer's tridents... to name a few items, like the animated ghost that goes "whoooooooooo" when you walk up the stairs. Actually, you can get all your costume and paraphernalia now. Certainly keeps the economy rolling through a dull spot, before Chris Cringle day.

 

[turbo]

I'm in Central Maine, and the leaves are maybe just a bit shy of peak, but still pretty none the less. This picture is a bit on the wide side, so I didn't embed it. I'm sorry that PF carrot day is not convenient for members in SW Canada - what can I do?

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x318/turbo-1/lookout.jpg

 

[baywax]

I'm in Central Maine, and the leaves are maybe just a bit shy of peak, but still pretty none the less. This picture is a bit on the wide side, so I didn't embed it. I'm sorry that PF carrot day is not convenient for members in SW Canada - what can I do?

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x318/turbo-1/lookout.jpg

Wow, that is pretty out there Turbo!

The landscape is reminiscent of South Eastern BC where the Columbia River has carved out some of the widest and prettiest valleys, just above the boarder with Montana. I don't think our trees have turned as much as yours... but we are in a milder and more temperate zone.
Thanks for the peek at the fiery leaves of Maine!

 

[turbo]

Thanks, baywax. If I get a clearer day near peak color, I'll try to get another shot or two.

 

[Borek]

Not exactly my garden, more like my fence, but that's what I see now through my window.

It would perfectly fit Seeing Red contest, unfortunately there were no sun last week so I couldn't take the picture.

 

[Evo]

Wow, Borek, you've taken some great pictures lately! Are those trees, bushes, vines?

The trees here are all still mostly green. The walnut trees behind my house have leaves that turn yellow and then fall off 60 seconds later, so the trees are green, they just continue to have fewer leaves.

GREG, STOP MOVING THE SMILIES! Every time I think I know where a smilie is, they move.

 

[turbo]

I am VERY sore and lame today and here is why. This is a shot of the north half of my garden, showing the dark well-rotted manure that my neighbor and I shoveled and spread yesterday. It's raining today, but when things dry up, I'll pick out any rocks, wood, etc (typical manure pile - it has a lot of stuff in it) and till it in. I had to pay the farmer $20/truck-load, which is actually a really good deal, considering the crappier bagged stuff at the landscaping place would have cost me hundreds of dollars a load. Plus, he loaded the truck with his tractor. Two loads top-dressed the whole garden pretty well.

 

[Borek]

Wow, Borek, you've taken some great pictures lately!

And I plan to post more of them

Are those trees, bushes, vines?

Virginia creeper, or something very similar.

 

[Borek]

This is a shot of the north half of my garden, showing the dark well-rotted manure that my neighbor and I shoveled and spread yesterday.

It looks... fertile?

 

[turbo]

It looks... fertile?

It's good stuff. If we get cooperative weather next season, the hard work should pay off with a good crops. It was a pain to shovel out of the truck and spread - very compacted, heavy, and stuck together. Apparently, the pile was built by someone who had no intention of running it through a manure spreader, because there are rocks and pieces of wood in there, and they are quite capable of killing or injuring the tractor operator if they got flung forward. I even found an old tire chain in there.

I'll probably get one wheelbarrow full of wood and rocks, etc. Not too bad for two large pickup-loads.

 

[baywax]

Its not my garden but its my fascination... the world's largest pumpkin...

By The Associated Press

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. - Thad Starr's giant pumpkin really began putting on weight in August - a lot of weight.

The pumpkin gained about 30 pounds a day on its way to victory Monday at the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off in Half Moon Bay.

Starr's pumpkin finished at a record 1,528 pounds (693 kg). Starr won last year with a pumpkin that that was four pounds lighter and also set a record.

Starr, of Pleasant Hill, Ore., bought a trailer to transport the pumpkin. It has a circumference of 15 feet.

He says his secret to growing big pumpkins is good soil: "We really pamper them."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081014/koddities/odd_giant_pumpkins

Trust that this one is from Oregon!

 

[turbo]

My organic-gardening neighbor grows pumpkins. Not the big giants, but ones suitable for jack-o-lanterns and for making pies. He doesn't bother tilling the ground. He dumps a truckload of that black rotted manure where he wants the patch and plants his seeds in that. He gets pretty darned good crops.

BTW, I did get a full wheelbarrow of rocks and wood out of the manure earlier today. After it dries a bit more, I'll rake it out better, and till it into the soil.

 

[tribdog]

considering the crappier bagged stuff at the landscaping place would have cost me hundreds of dollars a load.

When it comes to manure though isn't crappier better? You've got to pay if you want to get the crappiest manure they've got.

 

[baywax]

My organic-gardening neighbor grows pumpkins. Not the big giants, but ones suitable for jack-o-lanterns and for making pies. He doesn't bother tilling the ground. He dumps a truckload of that black rotted manure where he wants the patch and plants his seeds in that. He gets pretty darned good crops.

BTW, I did get a full wheelbarrow of rocks and wood out of the manure earlier today. After it dries a bit more, I'll rake it out better, and till it into the soil.

This is all just makes me want to do some gardening. Agh!

 

[turbo]

This is all just makes me want to do some gardening. Agh!

I still have quite a bit of gardening to do this year. After tilling, I'll hoe up wide beds for my garlic, and when it gets colder, I'll plant the cloves and mulch them. I waited a bit too long last year - the ground was frozen and I had to punch the holes with an iron digging bar. The crop came out perfectly, though.

 

[turbo]

When it comes to manure though isn't crappier better? You've got to pay if you want to get the crappiest manure they've got.

I wish it were that simple...

 

[turbo]

Well, the truckloads of manure are now raked out, and tilled into the garden, and I'm beat.

The old (at least 30 years, I estimate) Troy-Bilt Horse is mostly cast-iron, so with the weight of the machine, it doesn't beat you up like lesser tillers, BUT you've got to manhandle it at the end of each pass to get turned around for the next pass, and the old beast weighs a ton! The frame, engine, transmission, etc are all heavy cast iron, with steel tines, handles and controls, and a modest amount of sheet metal. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Troy-Bilt's most recent Horse incarnation looks flimsy in comparison. For any US gardener who wants a tiller for a medium to large garden, this is the machine to buy. If the transmission engages crisply, etc (even if the motor needs to be rebuilt) buy it. Just make sure you've got one of the older cast-iron engines, grit your teeth when you pay for the rebuild, and run your tiller for the next 30 years.

 

[turbo]

Garlic! The gift that keeps giving.

I have hoed up a couple of rows for my squash and cucumber (just so I'd have the spacing correct), and then hoed up three wide raised bed for garlic. Last year, the single bed was wide enough to plant double rows. This year, there are three beds wide enough to plant triple rows of cloves. This is probably about the limit for my garden, since I still need space to plant tomatoes, chilies, sweet peppers, carrots, beans, and leaf crops, as well as herbs. Last year, I got a bit busy, and the ground was frozen hard by the time I planted garlic, so I had to punch the holes with a heavy iron bar. I'll probably plant later this month, put newspapers between the rows, and mulch heavily with oat straw. Before I started planting garlic, I was generally done with gardening by the first killing frosts - now, I get to play in the dirt right up until November or later.

 

[turbo]

For anybody who has not tried growing garlic, it's easy, and a fun crop to deal with. Get some bulbs of garlic and separate them into individual cloves. Each clove will sprout and develop a whole bulb of garlic next year, so you can get quite a lot of garlic from a small investment. Hoe up a nice, rich area of your garden that you can leave undisturbed next spring and plant your garlic cloves. It's good to wait until the soil is cool and you're getting regular frosts, then plant the garlic cloves about 4-5" apart, with the pointed ends up (root end down), about 2-3" deep. Mulch with clean oat straw to help keep the bed temperatures relatively stable and suppress weeds. In the spring, check the beds, and gently clear away some of the mulch to let the shoots emerge. When the shoots emerge through the mulch, you can re-adjust the mulch so that it is up against the shoots, and prevents weeds from growing. Keep your garlic well-weeded. In early-to-mid-summer a central stalk will emerge from each cluster of leaves. This is called a scape. When the scapes have emerged so that a swelling in the scape is visible (usually as the scape begins to curl), it's time to start snapping them off, so that all the nutrients in the bub go toward further development of the bulb and not to the development of a flowering head. Search "scape" in this thread or the food thread for suggestions on how to use these tasty shoots. Eventually, the leaves emerging from the garlic will start to dry and turn brown. When they are about 50% died back, that's when I pull my garlic. Clean the roots as thoroughly as possible, though gently, and tie the tops together to form bunches of garlic to be hung in a shaded airy place to dry. I hang garlic bunches from nails in the studs of my detached garage, and leave the overhead door and windows open to dry and cure the garlic. For the first week or so, I ran an oscillating floor-mounted fan to keep the air moving and dry the dirt left on the bulbs. None of my garlic developed any mold or mildew this way, though a few of my neighbors' did - they left their garlic drying on racks and probably did not move them enough to promote drying. Anyway, that's the whole garlic cycle. You get to do some planting in late fall, get a harvest of scapes in summer, then get a harvest of bulbs later in the summer.

http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm

 

[hypatia]

Can you use garlic that you buy at the grocery store, or do you need special garlic?