The Thread About Gardening

[Conveyor Belt]

Since some of us were born and raised here, I figured some of us would be gardening this year, again.

This is the first year I've planted vegetables at my new home. I've got a unique setup that is part experiment, part garden.

My son's sandbox had become the neighborhood litter box, so I decided rather than try and find a place to use all that sand, I'd just convert it to a small garden. It's a square of 2X6's about 7' by 5', so plenty of space to get some plants going. I added 6 bags of topsoil to the sand and turned it over, so I've got a mixture that is about 3:1 sand to soil. I added osmocote slow release plant food to the mixture and then finished the top off with some flowering plant fertilizer.

Next, I setup a buried soaker hose in the bed (I'm really proud of this part) and attached it to an electronic automatic water system. It's very hands off.

I planted 6 better boy tomato plants, 1 cherry tomato plant, 1 bell pepper, 2 strawberry plants and 1 marigold to help with pest control.

At first, the plants started to yellow. I was watering daily, and the top of the sand was dry, so I added some fertilizer, figuring they weren't getting enough. I'd purchased a moisture meter to monitor the moisture, since they were planted in mostly sand. The moisture meter kept reading almost dry at 6", but would bottom out wet at 9". Remember my bed is 5" deep of sand, and the plants were new, so I didn't think the water was the issue. However, I stopped watering about 5 days ago and the tomato plants have greened up significantly. I think I'm going to wait another day and then hit them with about 15 minutes from the soaker hose and see what happens.

Also, I've got a cherry tomato growing in a crick of a popcorn tree... My intention is to run the vine up the lower branch, about 4' off the gound. The branch is exposed to sunlight, so the only issue I forsee is water getting to the plant.

I've got blooms on 3 of the tomatoes already, so we'll see what they'll do and if I can keep this thing going. My inspiration came from the setup at Disney World in 'The Land'.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Finally- a thread about gardening! I wanted to start one, but as a newbie to the forum, I didn't know if it was appropriate. I am an avid flower and vegetable gardener, a master gardener and landscape consultant, as well as volunteer coordinator at a local hospice.

CG- Yor bed might have to much ammmonia in the sand if it was the neighborhood litterbox. This may cause your plants to grow really green and really lush vegetation with very little fruiting( ammonia =nitrogen, nitrogen = green lush growth, not much fruit). If the ammonia is too strong- the plants could "burn up."

Watering- because of the high sand content, you are absolutely correct to add extra fertilizer. The soil will drain more quickly, losing nutrients as it drains. I would try a slow water every other day. you don't want a wilt, but you don't want the tomato plants to have wet feet either.

Good luck with the cherry tomato in the popcorn tree! I hope that works out for you. But... I would be remiss to not mention that the popcorn tree is on the state's list of most invasive plant list. It will spread like crazy and competes with our native plants.

Good luck with your gardening endeavor! I hope you have many fresh tomato sandwiches this summer!

[jmb]

CB, thanks for starting a gardening thread. Best of luck with yours! Due to circumstances beyond my control, I've been without a veggie garden for several years and have really missed it. Plan on getting a little something planted this year.

Has anyone here tried straw bale gardening (http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm)? I'm hoping to give it a try this season. Our back yard is covered in dense shade except at the edges. Plan on taking out some of the largest trees but most likely won't have it done in time for gardening so I thought I'd try some wheat straw bales at the side yard.

Flowergirl, you're a member...don't be hesitant to start threads. Could you recommend a crape myrtle for zone 6?

[Sister Golden Hair]

I like the variety Dynomite for zone 6- the color is a brilliant fushia red and it is one of the hardier varieties. I am told that most Crape's are hardy to zone 6, though they may only be root hardy, not stem hardy.

Another good choice would be the staple variety "Watermelon." It is tried and true- and when putting a plant in a tough environment, I would rather grow something that hasn't been tampered with much!

[jmb]

I like the variety Dynomite for zone 6- the color is a brilliant fushia red and it is one of the hardier varieties. I am told that most Crape's are hardy to zone 6, though they may only be root hardy, not stem hardy.

Another good choice would be the staple variety "Watermelon." It is tried and true- and when putting a plant in a tough environment, I would rather grow something that hasn't been tampered with much!

Wow...talk about fast! Thanks!

The brilliant fucshia is the color I would love to have. Hopefully I can find them in this area. Thanks again. :)

[Maggie-Doodle]

My SIL has a nice crop of tomatoes each year using 5 gal pickle buckets with holes punched in the bottom sides and filled with that high dollar Mircle Grow soil (it is great stuff) but it takes more TLC re; watering.

.

I have also been growing tomatoes in pickle buckets as I am not able to get down on my knees and dig holes or to weed...I have had great success in doing so. The thing to remember is to plant most of the tomato stem (almost up to the first set of leaves) you will have a much stronger plant with high yields. My granny always dug a trench and layed her tomato plants on their sides up to the first set of leaves then filled in the trench. You should have tomatoes for all the neighbors.

[jmb]

Oh man, a fresh tomato sandwich would be so good right now. QM, love the pic! A warm tomato fresh out of the garden is better than an apple any day.

[amanda]

Hawkeye - I let my suckers grow on my plants. Especially the plants I plant later in the summer to protect the fruit from too much sun. Also, I pick off my first blooms because at that point they are too young to really produce good fruits and all the energy goes into the production of the fruit rather than growing. Of course, that's just me.

My mom and I do a "joint" garden since she has more room. We started our tomato plants a month ago from seed and will be planting this weekend.

CB - like everyone else has pointed out, it sounds like you have way too much sand in your bed. Add some top soil or planting mix.

I love gardening and many thanks CB for starting this thread!! :)

[amanda]

I read an article in a Farmer's Alamanc several years ago that stated that due to hotter summers to leave the suckers on as a "protection" for the fruit. I've done it ever since and have had much success with this process.

[amanda]

Also, as an "organic" pest deterent - plant Marigolds around your tomato beds. They help control tomato horn worms. I started doing this a couple of years ago and it really does work. I'm not sure where I read it - could have been on-line but I gave it a try and besides making my tomato garden attractive, I had a lot less problem with the worms. :)

[Southern_Belle]

so i have a question... i have a small flower bed outside and nothing is in it. except for weeds - which i tried to pull two weekends ago, but some were left behind.

what is a good flower(S) to plant there. i want something that is colorful, low maintenance, and wont grow tall and big. and i want flowers and not plants! so what do all you gardners recommend?

[amanda]

so i have a question... i have a small flower bed outside and nothing is in it. except for weeds - which i tried to pull two weekends ago, but some were left behind.

what is a good flower(S) to plant there. i want something that is colorful, low maintenance, and wont grow tall and big. and i want flowers and not plants! so what do all you gardners recommend?


Daylilies. :) I love daylilies because they are very forgiving of the gardener for not having time to mess with them. They come back year after year and are quite striking.

http://www.oakesdaylilies.com/supplier/home.php?id=s000

Here are a few to look at. I've ordered from Oakes in the past and their selections/plants are excellent. There is also a nursery between H'Burg and Columbia that has some wonderful selections too. :)

[Sister Golden Hair]

so i have a question... i have a small flower bed outside and nothing is in it. except for weeds - which i tried to pull two weekends ago, but some were left behind.

what is a good flower(S) to plant there. i want something that is colorful, low maintenance, and wont grow tall and big. and i want flowers and not plants! so what do all you gardners recommend?


Periwinkles, coleus and verbena are hard to beat for ease of growth and they can take the heat....hint: pick Sun Coleus for sunny spots.

I love Creeping Jenny in a mixed border for the limy green color- no flowers but the contrast really pops!

[Sister Golden Hair]

[quote=amandah;211046]Also, as an "organic" pest deterent - plant Marigolds around your tomato beds. They help control tomato horn worms. I started doing this a couple of years ago and it really does work. I'm not sure where I read it - could have been on-line but I gave it a try and besides making my tomato garden attractive, I had a lot less problem with the worms. :)[/quote

You are right Amanda- the marigolds work on stink bugs as well and nothing is much prettier to me than zinnia's and marigolds in a veggie garden.

Southern Belle- I should have included zinnia's in the easy to grow list.

[Sister Golden Hair]

hmmm- my quote didn't quite work out right!

[amanda]

[quote=amandah;211046]Also, as an "organic" pest deterent - plant Marigolds around your tomato beds. They help control tomato horn worms. I started doing this a couple of years ago and it really does work. I'm not sure where I read it - could have been on-line but I gave it a try and besides making my tomato garden attractive, I had a lot less problem with the worms. :)[/quote

You are right Amanda- the marigolds work on stink bugs as well and nothing is much prettier to me than zinnia's and marigolds in a veggie garden.

Southern Belle- I should have included zinnia's in the easy to grow list.

Thanks Flowergirl! I'll add the Zinnas this year to my beds. You have any tips for planting Dahlias? I've ordered a selection and have never grown these beauties before.

[Sister Golden Hair]

and...I used to pinch suckers, but found that my fruit was burning from the sun... so now I let em' grow! Never have a shortage of big ole' tomatoes.

[jmb]

We should have some kind of growing contest...biggest tomato or whatever.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Dahlia's are the EASIEST thing to grow- plant them with the tip of the bulb barely below soil level, water in and watch them grow. I don't dig mine in the fall- some people do, but it has never been cold enough to hurt mine!

[amanda]

and...I used to pinch suckers, but found that my fruit was burning from the sun... so now I let em' grow! Never have a shortage of big ole' tomatoes.


My mom and I noticed that the last bed of tomatoes we planted were getting shade in the afternoon from a pecan tree, those tomatoes were the best we ever grew. Just wanted to share.

[amanda]

Dahlia's are the EASIEST thing to grow- plant them with the tip of the bulb barely below soil level, water in and watch them grow. I don't dig mine in the fall- some people do, but it has never been cold enough to hurt mine!

Do they prefer a lot of sun or can they stand some shade?

[jmb]

All of this gardening talk makes me want to go stick my hands in some dirt.

[Sister Golden Hair]

They can take a tiny little bit of shade- they do best in the sun.

[amanda]

All of this gardening talk makes me want to go stick my hands in some dirt.


I was just sitting here with that exact thought!!! :clap: It's not motivating me for working in the office today. :smt118

[Sister Golden Hair]

ME either- I wish I could make a living gardening- we'd eat well- but the benefits are awful....I better get to work.

[jmb]

I was just sitting here with that exact thought!!! :clap: It's not motivating me for working in the office today. :smt118

I don't know what it is about it, but it's "cleansing" getting dirt jammed up under my fingernails. I've still got to wait a bit. Our daffodils just started blooming two or three weeks ago.

[carsalesguy]

what about grass?

i used some scott's weed and feed with ant killer last year, and it turned my yard nice and green, but i'm looking to get it thick, but without the weeds. i don't care if i have to mow it every weekend.....

i would use 13-13-13, but it makes the weeds grow.

[amanda]

what about grass?

i used some scott's weed and feed with ant killer last year, and it turned my yard nice and green, but i'm looking to get it thick, but without the weeds. i don't care if i have to mow it every weekend.....

i would use 13-13-13, but it makes the weeds grow.

Carsalesguy, Scott's makes a TURF builder that I understand is excellent. You may want to try that now.

[Conveyor Belt]

Has anyone been to the Living With The Land boat ride in EPCOT? I'm shooting for their technique of sand growing and feeding nutrients through the water as opposed to getting them from the ground. I don't have the time to devote to a full on sand bed like they have, but am instead giving myself a bit of leway in using a bit of organic material in the sand. I thought about hooking one of those miracle grow sprayers in the line of my soaker hose and that way when they were watered, they'd also be fed... I still may do it, but I've got a bit of fertilizer in there now, so I'm going to wait til next year to try that one out.

Anyhow, here's a picture of the cherry tomato tree in Disney's Living With the Land... that thing is AWESOME!!!
http://www.wdwnews.com/assets/images/ThumbL/0211AV_067KP_2913.jpg

http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/4222/tomatotree.jpg
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/07/250px-Tomatotree.JPG

[amanda]

CB I loved that exhibit at Epcot. Even my children enjoyed seeing all the different varieties that they grew. This would be so neat to try, good luck!

[Southern_Belle]

the sun coleus might be good b/c the flower bed has no shade whatsoever. i am also a HUGE fan of tulips. are those easy to care for?

[Sister Golden Hair]

Southern Belle- tulips are gorgeous and easy to grow, but unless you want to treat them like an annual and replant every year, you should dig the bulbs before cold weather.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I love zinnia's- Mother called them Old Maids! During my early attempts at growing flowers, I searched all over for Mother's "Old Maids." How silly I felt when I finally saw some and said "thats an old maid" and the garden center owner rolled his ees and informed me it was Zinnia's!

[Conveyor Belt]

How's everyone's garden's going? I've got a few little tomatoes growing out of the blooms... new strawberries growing... My tomato plants are about 1 1/2 ft tall and lots of blooms... I'm a very happy gardener right now...

[carsalesguy]

i spread some 13-13-13 on the grass yesterday while it was raining-

i may be in the hood but i'm gonna have a phat green lawn

[TerriL]

I have found that gerber daisies do great for me. They come back every year. Also, my roses are really blooming this year..BOY do they smell great!

[Fish-Bait]

Last year I guess a queen honeybee decided to take up residence on a small sawtooth oak in the backyard. I was over in North Carolina on a job and the wife called and said," We have a million bees in the backyard, what do I need to do?" So I told her to call my dad and tell him about it. Then my dad called me and said that he brought over a can of was spray but that wasnt going to work and then 'splained to me that it was really like about 4 or 5 thousand honeybees! Luckily my neighbor knew a beekeeper and he came and put down the box and sprayed somethin' in there and the next afternoon they were all in and he came and picked em' up that night. They took some pics for me, I thought that was pretty cool. We Saved the BEES!!!!!

[Sister Golden Hair]

Queen Mother,

I love my Lantana as well and recommend it often for groundcover. I think a lot of us tend to forget that groundcovers don't have to be just green and it doesn't have to grow low to the ground. Any plant can serve as a ground cover that has a dense enough canopy to keep weeds down andaccent an area.

I haven't been able to post in a while- work has been hectic and my garden is suffering as well. I might have to take a few days vacation to get caught up for a while.

Right now I have in my veggie garden the first yellow sqash of the year, turnips, mustard, collards and radishes. I am starting to get a few new potatoes and have string beans about an inch long.

My favorite meal form my garden is stewed squash, cabbage slaw with fresh snap beans and new potatoes....and of course cornbread.

And...another side note- My Knock Out Roses are GORGEOUS. If you haven't tried them, they are a must have!

Happy Gardening everyone!

[Sister Golden Hair]

I am glad you saved the bees, Fishbait- seems they are getting in short supply!

[bpitt]

We've recently (in the past month or so) planted potatoes, okra, beans, peas, tomatoes, watermelon, and cantaloupe, as well as pickle cucumbers, cucumbers, squash, corn, and zuchinni. Such the pleasures of life in the country, especially when one's inlaws have acreage.
Currently, the watermelons have been planted in rows, one for each grand child of aforementioned inlaws, my daughters being two of the grandchildren, they are growing them in competition to see who grows the biggest, the winner to get a savings bond. Truth be know, each will receive one, and I and my father-in-law are planting a row of the carolina cross (they can reach 200lbs.), when they get HUGE, we gonna sneak and put one in each of the childrens rows to give them a big suprise. Mind you, the kids don't know we have planted the gaint variety, it's a secret, so keep the lips tight.

[bpitt]

My friend, be assured you will receive a melon, or two. I'm closer a neighbor than you think.

[jmb]

I haven't been able to do any gardening yet this year. It's just now getting warm enough to plant anything here. Plus our back yard is covered in shade due to overgrown trees. We had three trees removed from the front yard and yesterday they ground the stumps out so I've been outside cleaning up that mess. I had no idea how much ground up stump would be left. Our old wheel barrow shot craps on us so one of the boys picked up a new one and is on his way with it as I type. Let me tell you...I'm feeling my age! lol My muscles are already so sore. It's going to be fun trying to get out of bed in the morning. Just as soon as the back yard dries up enough, the two largest trees are coming out and I will have a garden this year! I can't wait. Fresh veggies are so good.

[Maggie-Doodle]

Well, I started working in my yard a little this week. I went today and got several flats of impatients, a couple of mini roses for baskets, some chives and some maters....I am so old and decrepid I have to plant everything in pots these days, no more crawling around on my knees in the flower beds...JMB I will probably be sore tomorrow too..I pulled weeds today...ugh! :(

[jmb]

Well, I started working in my yard a little this week. I went today and got several flats of impatients, a couple of mini roses for baskets, some chives and some maters....I am so old and decrepid I have to plant everything in pots these days, no more crawling around on my knees in the flower beds...JMB I will probably be sore tomorrow too..I pulled weeds today...ugh! :(

Maggie, I hope you fared better today than I did. I pulled or strained something in my side and it especially hurts when I twist. My son came up with the perfect solution. He called some of his friends, invited them to a cookout and beer fest Saturday afternoon in exchange for a little grunt work. Sounds good to me! lol

[Elle May]

Maggie, I hope you fared better today than I did. I pulled or strained something in my side and it especially hurts when I twist. My son came up with the perfect solution. He called some of his friends, invited them to a cookout and beer fest Saturday afternoon in exchange for a little grunt work. Sounds good to me! lol
What a good son!:clap:

[Fish-Bait]

Allright people look what me and the 5 year old picked today!!!!
All I can say is Granny I need a Cobbler!!!!!!

[fuzzis]

Allright people look what me and the 5 year old picked today!!!!
All I can say is Granny I need a Cobbler!!!!!!

I got a Cobbler for you. :laugh: And some more blackberries, too. :smt118

On another note, there was an excellent gardening presentation at the Jaycee's this evening. :clap: Thanks flowergirl.

[Fish-Bait]

I got a Cobbler for you. :laugh: And some more blackberries, too. :smt118

On another note, there was an excellent gardening presentation at the Jaycee's this evening. :clap: Thanks flowergirl.
If you only knew how many folks have tried to get me over their it would be ridiculous. One of these days I WILL find the time to make it to the HUT.
FISH!!!!!:clap:

[Conveyor Belt]

It's about time for me to stake my tomatoes... my cherries have about 10 marble sized greenies on them each... I haven't looked at the sandwich ones for a few days, who knows... maybe those blooms have turned into little greenies, too. So far, I haven't had to utilize my water/feeder system, yet... I wonder if the roots got through the sand and into the soil beneath, or if I have enought matter and fertilizer in the sand to make it work...

[Baloo]

Can anyone out there give me any advice on my peach trees and apple trees... the poor little things are struggling and I need some good advice.... My peach trees always have hundreds of babies on them, but they all dry up and fall off... And my poor apple trees have all gotten a fungus growing on them... I feel really bad about them and really want to save them... What is the best fertilizer for them and when do they need it? I hope that I can save them... I am just gone too much to take care of them the way they need to be taken care of... Any advice is appreciated...

[Maggie-Doodle]

Maggie, I hope you fared better today than I did. I pulled or strained something in my side and it especially hurts when I twist. My son came up with the perfect solution. He called some of his friends, invited them to a cookout and beer fest Saturday afternoon in exchange for a little grunt work. Sounds good to me! lol

Thanks, no, I havn't done much better than you. I was pulling on some vines that were in a flowerbed a couple of weeks ago and messed up my l right shoulder and wrist...couldn't hardly hold anything in my hand or move the arm..it WAS getting a little better but this morning it is paining and is stiff again.

I suppose I shouldn't be using it but dang, I can't just sit down and do nothing...there is work that has to be done and there is no one else to do it. I reckon I will just have to suffer and take tylenol. Hope you feel better soon.

[Conveyor Belt]

So, how are everyone's gardens growing?

I've got greenies on my cherry, roma and betterboys... I've been picking strawberries every few days... marble sized figs on the fig trees...

I haven't added anything to my system yet, and the plants have thick stalks and are very firm. Fruiting is great and plenty more blooms on there to back them up.

I'm going to stake them tomorrow. I may cage the cherries and romas, as they're growing more in a bush form than a vine form.

Anyhow, hope everyone's going great!

BTW, I just had some of my strawberries, then some of the 'walmart' berries... I've got the walmart berries beat hands down...

[Hermione]

Hawk, you could use my Mom's method. She'll have ripe tomatoes next week. Some are already big enough to fry green. Her secret: buy two great big plants already in bloom, put 'em out on the deck, add manure. (I told her that was cheating.)

[amanda]

Here, hopefully, is a pic of my little organic garden after 6 weeks since planting;

http://www.myhattiesburg.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10741/thumb_IMG_1393a.jpg (http://www.myhattiesburg.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-797)

Well, now I need to figure out how to make the pics full page. Anyone
got the short answer?

Blooming Squash (http://www.myhattiesburg.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-798)
http://www.myhattiesburg.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10741/thumb_IMG_1395a.jpg (http://www.myhattiesburg.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-798)


Hawkeye - - that is one beautiful garden you have going there!! As to the pics. Let me pass on how I do it, but doesn't necessarily mean its the absolute way or the easiest: You need to enlarge the pics at the source through where you saved your pics. For example, if you use HP Image Zone, or Photoshop, or the cd that came with your digital camera, you can go in and edit for size. Ask Elle May - bet she knows. :)

[Conveyor Belt]

I just pulled the first 8 cherry tomatoes off my plants today... Sweet and juicy!!!

[Sir Mickey Mouse]

My garden is doing very well! This is my first shot at growing anything, and it was fun. I took a large rectangle in my backyard and worked the dirt. I planted some tomatoes, squash, zuccini, cucumbers, and eggplant. I also planted some watermelon seeds. Everything is up and growing. Lots of blooms on the squash and tomatoes growing. I can't wait!

[Sir Mickey Mouse]

Hawk?!?!

Are you serious? What do I need to do? They are pretty near... about 10 feet apart. Will they create some nasty something not fit to eat?

HAHA I have three hills of melons and just one plant of cucumbers. What should I do?

[daisy]

Put a rubber on the cucumbers. :)


And who said the humor is gone, Hawkeye?

:laugh::laugh:

[Guru]

what about grass?

i used some scott's weed and feed with ant killer last year, and it turned my yard nice and green, but i'm looking to get it thick, but without the weeds. i don't care if i have to mow it every weekend.....

i would use 13-13-13, but it makes the weeds grow.

* If it's a shady lawn you better go with the St. Augustine but if you get some sun I vote for Centipede. It weeds out anything else that tries to grow, such a thick cover.

[Guru]

Can anyone out there give me any advice on my peach trees and apple trees... the poor little things are struggling and I need some good advice.... My peach trees always have hundreds of babies on them, but they all dry up and fall off... And my poor apple trees have all gotten a fungus growing on them... I feel really bad about them and really want to save them... What is the best fertilizer for them and when do they need it? I hope that I can save them... I am just gone too much to take care of them the way they need to be taken care of... Any advice is appreciated...

* I would guess you need some lime but get a soil sample. As for the fungus, Fertilome makes a good product called "Fruit Tree Spray". I've used this for fungus and other lichens, etc. An old gardener told me one time of a slick approach and it does work, I've tried it. He told me to take a small box of Arm & Hammer baking soda and mix it up with water in my 3 gallon back pack sprayer and spray the trunk down. The Arm & Hammer dries out the flake, rust and fungus and you can go back later and just rub it off the trunk and limbs if you can reach them. Good luck, holler back and tell me how it worked for you.

[Guru]

Quick note: Not sure if all of you know it but it's Friday and Felder Rushing and Dr. Dirt are on Ms. Public Radio as we speak, it's a 9:00 am program, The Gestalt Gardener. I can pick it up on 88.1, 90.3 and 91.3 FM here in the Southern part of the state. If you go to www.pbs.org (http://www.pbs.org) you can drill down to Mississippi and find all the days they are on.

[CUPCAKE]

Hey, Hawkeye, add this to our "Myths and Legends". I heard the cell towers "messed up" the honey bees' radar ability and they can't find their way to the hives.:confused:

[wilebill]

I saw some honey bees when we went to Pelahatchie to visit relatives. My BIL has two rather large flowering trees in his yard, which was blooming at the time, and there were thousands of bees in them. If you got close enough you could hear the buzzing.

I haven't seen any around here, but I've not paid attention, either. We have some sort of landscape plant at the office that blooms year-round and it regularly attracts bees, but I haven't paid any attention yet. I'll check.

[Maggie-Doodle]

Hawk, I havn't had much luck with hummers this year either. We saw one or two come to the feeder next to our deck, just as the azaleas were blooming good...they drank and flew off. It went almost a week when we saw them again....then it went several weeks we didn't see hide nor feather!

Week before last one flew past us as we sat in the swing on the deck..he flew to the feeder, looked at it and flew off. A couple of days ago I saw three out the kitchen window drinking from some red alstomeria growing in the flower bed next to the front porch....they flew away and I havn't seen them anymore... This time last year they were drinking regularly...I can't fathom why they are not here this year. I have daylilies, roses, easterlilies, angel trumpets, impatients and assorted other stuff in bloom...
We sure miss them though!

[Hermione]

Speaking of blooming, I have an indoor plant, a "corn plant" which somebody sent me when I had surgery about 18 years ago. The thing BLOOMED this week -- has never done that before, and in fact I've never seen one in bloom before.

[wonhunglow]

Speaking of blooming, I have an indoor plant, a "corn plant" which somebody sent me when I had surgery about 18 years ago. The thing BLOOMED this week -- has never done that before, and in fact I've never seen one in bloom before.
mayb you git corn in 18 mo year if Sun no vapowise earth fusst. :-D

[Maggie-Doodle]

Speaking of blooming, I have an indoor plant, a "corn plant" which somebody sent me when I had surgery about 18 years ago. The thing BLOOMED this week -- has never done that before, and in fact I've never seen one in bloom before.

Yes, they do bloom...something else that blooms is what they call "mother-n-laws tongue". The blooms on both are very similar and smell kindda like hyacinths (sp). Both plants are usually old and pot bound when they bloom.

I had both plants in my breakfast room when I lived in Picayune...I got up one morning and went in the kitchen to start breakfast and smelled the sweetest scent...got to looking around because I did not realize I had anything that would bloom inside...come to discover it was the corn plant....about a month later the M-I-L's tongue did the same thing.

[amanda]

Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaa! good rain on de pea patch. much needed. :) Thank you, Lord.


:) Hawk, seen any honeybees yet? I understand that there has been a mass die-off that is unexplained by many experts. I've had a few Hummingbirds at my feeder over the past week. :clap:

[dollfus46]

Is it time to plant flowers in the yard? Azaleas, gardenias, etc?

[dollfus46]

Who has a great, I mean lucious, recipe for chicken salad to share with me?

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Is it time to plant flowers in the yard? Azaleas, gardenias, etc?

It's time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-D

[dollfus46]

It's time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:-D

Thank you my dear. I thought so.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

If you get your azaleas now, you can know for sure what the color will be and they'll get all that good spring time rain................Azaleas may start getting cheaper as summer draws near (sometimes 15 for ten dollars) but then you have to guess about what color they are and water them all throughout the summer like crazy.

[dollfus46]

If you get your azaleas now, you can know for sure what the color will be and they'll get all that good spring time rain................Azaleas may start getting cheaper as summer draws near (sometimes 15 for ten dollars) but then you have to guess about what color they are and water them all throughout the summer like crazy.
I wish I could get "Pride of Mobile" up here but these SC Yankees never heard of it. ;)

[kinger]

I planted some mums last fall and they have grown back three times the size as they were when I planted them. They were taking up too much room in the flowerbed so I decided to dig them up and move them to another flowerbed.

Well I checked on them yesterday morning and they looked great. I looked at them again at lunch and they were still looking good. I got home from work and they looked dead. They were very limp so I watered them really good and this morning they looked great again. But I just got home and they are droopy again. They are getting full sun all day and they were just getting full sun for just part of the day before.
I'm scared if I move them again, I will totally freak them out. But if I don't they may just die. They are supposed to be full sun so I don't know what the problem is.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I need to do?

[Scarlett O'Hara]

I'd go ahead and move them again to some part shade.................they're probably not gonna make it where they are as it keeps getting warmer..........

[58ford]

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w293/58ford/pepper.jpgFirst pepper & first 'mater
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w293/58ford/mater.jpg
I can almost taste that first burrito!

[luvnlife]

We have buds on our tomato plants...:clap:

Okra coming up too!!! woohoo!!!!

[58ford]

Help!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w293/58ford/zucchini.jpg
Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this zucchini plant???
The leaves have a strange mottled appearance & they are curling up around the edges, but it's only certain leaves the rest of the plant looks healthy otherwise, and it's only this one plant. Other plants don't seem to be affected.

[Fish-Bait]

I would cut them off.....

Maybe frost bite?

[countrygirl]

Too much fertilize????

[58ford]

Too much fertilize????
Plants on either side of this one seem perfectly normal though & receive the same water & fertilizer. Even leaves & flowers on the affected plant seem healthy.

[countrygirl]

It should be ok....at least you're not fighting rabbits like hubby...they're eating his green beens! Guess we'll have to buy some to put up this year..

[58ford]

My first squash!!!!!
The assistant picked this out of the garden behind work just now!

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w293/58ford/squash.jpg
This one looks pretty normal except for being king of lumpy. Most of the others look oddly shaped. It's crookneck squash, but some of them are straight or wavy or sort of cucumber shaped. I have zucchini growing near by & I suspect some cross pollination may be going on.
But who cares, I got SQUASH!!!!!

[Hermione]

That is one heck of a good-looking squash. Wish I'd planted some!

[proud MS-ian]

slice that baby up....sprinkle a little salt, pepper, butter and zap it in the micro....OR...add a little sliced onion and some bacan grease and stew that baby and I'll be right over!!!!!

[58ford]

slice that baby up....sprinkle a little salt, pepper, butter and zap it in the micro....OR...add a little sliced onion and some bacan grease and stew that baby and I'll be right over!!!!!
I need at lease 2 more for an iron skillet batch with a vidalia onion.

[countrygirl]

We've already had a couple of messes of squash...gave both of them away believe it or not! I really don't cook that much since there's only two of us, but hubby does enjoy his gardening!

[countrygirl]

Oh, by the way, we have had a good mess of new potatoes...just wish we had the green beans to go along with them. Green beans may be doubtful at our house since the rabbits seem to really like them.

[58ford]

Oh, by the way, we have had a good mess of new potatoes...just wish we had the green beans to go along with them. Green beans may be doubtful at our house since the rabbits seem to really like them.
We had rabbit problems when I lived in Gautier. My aunt grew pole beans to keep them up where the rabbits couldn't get them, and I slaughtered rabbits mercilessly all summer. This may sound gross but I found leaving a couple of dead rabbits around the garden helped discourage them. I'd shovel them into the swamp for the gators when they started to go maggoty.

[countrygirl]

These are pole beans...Hubby has replanted yet again and protected them with wire this time. The heat may get them before they make though.

[58ford]

My mother just installed a fountain in her yard & I'm thinking about growing some water cress in it. Does anyone know where I can find seeds locally or am I gonna have to order them?

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Oh, by the way, we have had a good mess of new potatoes...just wish we had the green beans to go along with them. Green beans may be doubtful at our house since the rabbits seem to really like them.

The rabbits in my backyard kept eating the blooms off my impatients..........I found something called Deer Off or something like that at Lowe's and sprayed them and had no more problems.

[58ford]

Mmmm...Mmmm. I got a half dozen squash off my plants today so I'm cookin' up a batch for my birthday.
Anybody know how big zucchini are supposed to get before you pick 'em? I've never grown them before and I don't eat them so I 'm not sure. I've got several that are about a foot long, is that too small?

[countrygirl]

I like the baby zuchinni for pasta and stir fry. Most folks around here let the get big. You can find all kinds of recipes online for them. I even found one for the zuchinni flowers!

[58ford]

I like the baby zuchinni for pasta and stir fry. Most folks around here let the get big. You can find all kinds of recipes online for them. I even found one for the zuchinni flowers!
I batter & fry the flowers or use them in a salad. Squash & zucchini flowers taste about the same. Be careful though & only eat the male flowers you don't want to eat the female flowers cause then you miss out on the fruit.

[Hermione]

Baby zucchini are better. Ford, slice up some zucchini, some yellow squash, some bell pepper, onion and tomato (canned tomato if you don't have fresh) Saute in olive oil and Italian seasoning, serve over some of that Parmesan noodle mix. Outstanding.

Do you ever slice your yellow squash long-wise and roll it in cornmeal and fry? Omygosh. Omygoodnessgosh. 'Scuse me, heading to raid ur garden . . .

[58ford]

Here's the first zucchini:
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w293/58ford/zuccinni.jpg

[damnyank]

This is my first visit to this thread and I had to check to make sure I was not in the "After Hours" section with the photo showing the ruler! :ohnoes::ohnoes:

[countrygirl]

Just a thought on bell peppers...We tried and tried plants for red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, but they never did do much. Last year I saved the seeds from a yellow, orange, and red pepper that I bought at the grocery store and started my own plants. We had some great looking peppers. I'm trying to eat up the ones that are in my freezer hoping that we have another bumper crop this year. I love the "riper" peppers and those things are really expensive at the store.