Growing berries, vegetables and herbs organically at home

[Ouabache]

Jealous. It's very cold and dark here. We probably topped out at 20 deg.

Same conditions here, but guess what I found in the garden?
The kale still has harvestable leaves.. I picked a bunch today.
They must go into some kind of cryostasis as the temperature dips down.

 

[Astronuc]

Same conditions here, but guess what I found in the garden?
The kale still has harvestable leaves.. I picked a bunch today.
They must go into some kind of cryostasis as the temperature dips down.

My kale survived last winter - down to -20 F. It was harvestable and edible throughout the winter into spring. I think a kale plant is good for 2 years.

We make kale and potato soup - with fried onion and sausage.

 

[OmCheeto]

hmmm... Interesting. Of course, the technology is widely used now in the treatment of cancers.

But we're trying to get rid of aphids. How's about we merge the "keep the teenagers away with ultrasonics" and Rifes beam technologies?

Kids B Gone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXhRmv1mrs4

Does anyone know if aphids have ears?

google google google

hmm... Can't seem to find anything about their hearing.

But they don't like http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0809/Aphids-in-your-garden-Try-warm-goat-breath." . Get a goat. Or maybe an artificial goat.

Ah ha!
http://www.kaz.com/kaz/humidifiers/products/vicks-vaporizer-with-nightlight-v100/" , only $9.99!

Of course, now you have to get a de-humidifier.

hmmm...

Just went up to the Thai garden, just happened to have my glasses on, and what do I find?

Aphids. Trillions of them.

So of course, what do I do? Use the goat breath method.

What do they do?

Of course, they ignored me.

So I got out my hand held hair dryer and baked them all.

Do not buy a goat.

Nor invest in techno-surrogate-goats-breath devices.



Idiot...

 

[OmCheeto]

Idiot...

Argh!

Trust not in glasses. The trillions turned out to be aphid moulting casings.

The live ones did in fact jump ship and returned a few minutes later...

Buy a goat!

But wait. What is this?

e-gads...

This process iterates throughout the summer, producing multiple generations that typically live 20 to 40 days. Thus one female hatched in spring may produce many billions of descendants. For example, some species of cabbage aphids (like Brevicoryne brassicae) can produce up to 41 generations of females.

No wonder we haven't seen Moonbear for a bit. I heard she had a moth problem of similar biblical proportions.

 

[Borek]

Got Hot Peter pepper seeds

 

[Evo]

Got Hot Peter pepper seeds

ooooh! Are you going to plant them outside in the spring?

 

[rhody]

Got Hot Peter pepper seeds

OK, I will bite, what kind ? and from where ?

Rhody...

If they are ghost peppers, you are in for a long slow growing season, then moments of exhilaration, and possibly anguish when you begin nibbling on them.

 

[turbo]

If I had a heated greenhouse and a long summer season, I would give those rascals a shot. For now, I'm happy to get some ripe habaneros.

 

[Evo]

OK, I will bite, what kind ? and from where ?

Rhody...

If they are ghost peppers, you are in for a long slow growing season, then moments of exhilaration, and possibly anguish when you begin nibbling on them.

The <cough> peter peppers.

 

[dlgoff]

The <cough> peter peppers.

Knowing we're going to see some pictures.

 

[rhody]

The <cough> peter peppers.

Evo,

You are sooo... bad...

I am willing to bet Borek did NOT buy PP's. hehe.

Rhody...

Borek, ohhh Borek, where are you ?

 

[Borek]

I am willing to bet Borek did NOT buy PP's. hehe.

<cough>, you lost.

Evo had an inside information, we talk about seeds during chat.

Borek, ohhh Borek, where are you ?

At 3:37 a.m. my time? Up the stairs I posted in the photo contest.

 

[Borek]

ooooh! Are you going to plant them outside in the spring?

Most likely window sill first, pots later. Just like the last year.

 

[rhody]

Most likely window sill first, pots later. Just like the last year.

cough cough, I lost but not fairly , so your bought peter pepper seeds and not bhut jolokia (ghost pepper) seeds, right ?

Rhody...

 

[Borek]

Yep. I got some other free seeds as well, long red slim pepper and hot banana pepper.

 

[rhody]

Yep. I got some other free seeds as well, long red slim pepper and hot banana pepper.

Good luck man... I hope you have success with your "ghosties". A little trick that seems to work for me, get the ghost peppers to germinate, (about 10 days with 80% F heat mat) then get a decent grow light and when the seedlings are transplant able, move them to a pot about 2 to 3 inches tall. Use a grow light soil (it doesn't hurt to microwave the soil before transplanting) to be sure no bad things grow as well. Then, put the heat mat under the 2 to 3 inch pot. Use the grow light 10 - 12 hours a day, turn off at night, but leave the heat mat on, every two or three days add a small amount of water, top of soil should remain dry. My plants are doing 2X better than just being in cool temps with normal ambient light. This technique works. Good luck, the sooner you start the ghost peppers the better.

Rhody...

 

[lisab]

A sad garden disaster story...in progress:

I have a ficus benjamina that I love and I hate. Well OK, I basically hate it. It's never been happy the whole time I've had it, drops leaves at each season change or if I so much as touch it.

It was in dire need of a new pot. It also needed to be pruned a bit - it had lots of bare branches (all that leaf dropping, you know).

So I did both the pruning and the repotting today. Took it into the garage, cut off all bare branches. Re-potted it (oops, there was a bit of root rot that I had to remove, not too severe I hope). So it's back in its spot and I hope it's happy.

Then I discovered I have sap drops in my hair ! So I researched that quickly, found the recommendations for sap removal: peanut butter or olive oil. I chose olive oil.

It took a while but I did manage to comb all the sap out. My hair is not oily, it's fully *oiled*. Now I'm waiting for my scalp to stop hurting, so I can shampoo.

I look a mess!

And I bet the tree is going to die, after all that.

 

[NeoDevin]

And I bet the tree is going to die, after all that.

If I had a plant that caused that much trouble, it would be a safe bet that it would die very shortly after.

 

[Evo]

A sad garden disaster story...in progress:

I have a ficus benjamina that I love and I hate. Well OK, I basically hate it. It's never been happy the whole time I've had it, drops leaves at each season change or if I so much as touch it.

It was in dire need of a new pot. It also needed to be pruned a bit - it had lots of bare branches (all that leaf dropping, you know).

So I did both the pruning and the repotting today. Took it into the garage, cut off all bare branches. Re-potted it (oops, there was a bit of root rot that I had to remove, not too severe I hope). So it's back in its spot and I hope it's happy.

Then I discovered I have sap drops in my hair ! So I researched that quickly, found the recommendations for sap removal: peanut butter or olive oil. I chose olive oil.

It took a while but I did manage to comb all the sap out. My hair is not oily, it's fully *oiled*. Now I'm waiting for my scalp to stop hurting, so I can shampoo.

I look a mess!

And I bet the tree is going to die, after all that.

No, it loves you and will reward you by taking off this spring after it comes out of shock.

I've had simiar problems with them. They seem to be thriving one day and the next day you brush against it and every leaf falls to the floor.

 

[turbo]

I need to make my seed list and get an order into Johnny's Selected Seeds. They have seeds that are appropriate for my zone.

 

[Evo]

The jalapeno plants I brought inside are blooming.

 

[turbo]

The jalapeno plants I brought inside are blooming.

I'm going to have to cut some forsythia branches and put them in a vase. Winter is too long and bleak!

 

[rhody]

The jalapeno plants I brought inside are blooming.

Evo,

Did they bloom on their own, or did you, err... ahhh... help them along by being shaken ?

Rhody...

BTW, Borek... have you planted any of your Peter peppers yet ?

 

[dlgoff]

I'm going to have to cut some forsythia branches and put them in a vase. Winter is too long and bleak!

I wish I could have sent you the fifty foot row I removed last summer. They're gorgeous when blooming but here they'll take over your yard in a few years. I still have plenty I could thin out though. I left the original plants (they look like small trees).

 

[Astronuc]

Evo,

Did they bloom on their own, or did you, err... ahhh... help them along by being shaken ?

Rhody...

It's Evo's magnetic personality or aura.

Interestingly, I heard a blurb on the radio about winter gardening and winter farmers' markets in the Northeast. Apparently USDA has been encouraging hoop houses to extend the growing seasons, and it's working. Rather than lay off farm hands during the winter, more farmers are keeping staff year round.

http://www.hoophouse.com/why-hoop-house.html

http://westsidegardener.com/howto/hoophouse.html

http://www.harrisseeds.com/storefront/c-106-high-tunnels.aspx

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2003-02-01/Hoop-Houses.aspx

 

[turbo]

I wish I could have sent you the fifty foot row I removed last summer. They're gorgeous when blooming but here they'll take over your yard in a few years. I still have plenty I could thin out though. I left the original plants (they look like small trees).

I would gladly have taken them if they were a cold-hardy variety. Unfortunately, dishonest garden-shops will sell varieties that are more suited for Mass-Conn, and the only parts of them that bloom are the parts that were buried under snow all winter. You end up with a green, leafy bush (eventually) that only gets blossoms on the lower parts of the lowest branches.

 

[dlgoff]

Well it's not Maine's climate here, but I've seen them blooming in the snow.

 

[Evo]

Evo,

Did they bloom on their own, or did you, err... ahhh... help them along by being shaken ?

When I noticed the blooms were open I must admit that there was some shaking going on.

 

[rhody]

When I noticed the blooms were open I must admit that there was some shaking going on.

No comment...

Rhody...

 

[mugaliens]

As it's well before spring, I'd like to plant something which will florish over the summer, while surviving next winter when I port them back inside.

Any suggestions? The pots are about 3 liters in size.