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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2016 19:30:34 GMT -5
Planted tomatoes & jalapenos and Thai basil about 2 weeks ago and so far, so good. Had a bit of frost earlier this week but not at ground level, just on the roofs. The Satsuma orange is in full bloom, the Mexican plum has finished blooming and is leafed out. The possums and raccoons and squirrels are just a fact of life around here. Some neighbors shoot any and all of the above but that's not cool. Due to urban gang activity we wake up at least 2-3 times a week b/c of gunfire between the gangbangers-don't need neighbors taking out possums.
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Mar 24, 2016 6:05:00 GMT -5
I have a question. I have a shed I need /want moved because the peabrains who put it up slapped it right in the middle of a prime piece of sun where I could get an awesome veggie garden in. Anyhoo, I have no idea how I would go about finding someone to move said shed. It's a 20'x15' or so vinyl shed on a base with a plywood floor that will be getting replaced when moved. I have the plywood in the shed ready and waiting. I'd do it myself but it's a tads bit bulky. My BILs were going to do it but the one who was taking charge of it said he needed to look at it again before they moved it and then went home to watch football (last October). Would craigslist be a place to look for able bodies or would a landscaper or perhaps a shed company? I just don't know but I want it moved and soon so I can start prepping the land. And get the rabbit and skunk a new home before it's too late in the season. I'm not on Facebook so that's out. Anybody in Mass. want to make a few bucks and I'll feed and hydrate you as well? Landscaping companies will often "prepare" an area for a shed, like if you need a retaining wall or land leveled off. I'm not sure if they would physically move it to another spot. At the same time, I'm not sure a shed company would want to do it if you aren't buying a shed. Of course you could call and ask both places but I'd guess you might have the most luck with a general handyman type of place/people.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 24, 2016 7:11:50 GMT -5
We haven't had a problem with cukes, but we get these weird green worms on our tomato plants some years. They attach themselves to the stalk and it's very hard to see them. They start out eating all the leaves and buds, that is how they slowly kill the plant. If you find them right away you can get rid of them but they are hard to find. You have to look for a spot where a few leaves are missing and you'll see them hiding there. DH calls them hornworms. They're supposed to turn into moths or butterflies. He loathes them. I find the big ones just creepy due to size. I wonder if those are luna month caterpillars? Kind of a bright green and about four inches long, very fat? We had a couple on our little ash saplings, eating up the leaves, and I got DH to knock them off and move them into the scrub trees behind our house. I love luna months but their caterpillars are so freakishly large they give me the willies.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 24, 2016 9:29:32 GMT -5
This is the big green caterpillar you see on tomato plants.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 24, 2016 9:33:25 GMT -5
This is the big green caterpillar you see on tomato plants. OK not the luna moth caterpillar.
Those things are like the size of hotdogs, but I've only seen them on trees, eating tree leaves. Probably a good thing, because I couldn't stand to squash one, they're so huge.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 24, 2016 9:56:57 GMT -5
See if this pic shows up or at least the link. linkETA It does redirect you to the University of Minnesota web page. It's safe.
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Mar 24, 2016 10:03:11 GMT -5
Yes that's them, particularly gross with the eggs on their backs . DH usually takes a rock in each hand and tries to pry them off. They really hang onto the plant for dear life. Naturally, I won't go near them!
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 24, 2016 10:10:01 GMT -5
The white eggs on their back are actually wasp eggs that eventually kill the caterpillar.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 24, 2016 13:27:37 GMT -5
The white eggs on their back are actually wasp eggs that eventually kill the caterpillar. Yikes.
Nature certainly is creatively horrifying.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 24, 2016 15:14:29 GMT -5
i planted some herb seeds in some pots last weekend. Does that count as gardening I will likely plant a tomato plant and maybe jalapeno plant on our balcony once may rolls around.
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Mar 25, 2016 10:52:04 GMT -5
i planted some herb seeds in some pots last weekend. Does that count as gardening I will likely plant a tomato plant and maybe jalapeno plant on our balcony once may rolls around. It counts! We used to have pots on our deck when we were living in a city apartment. I found cherry tomatoes did better in the pots than other varieties but maybe that was just coincidence.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 25, 2016 14:28:18 GMT -5
i planted some herb seeds in some pots last weekend. Does that count as gardening I will likely plant a tomato plant and maybe jalapeno plant on our balcony once may rolls around. It counts! We used to have pots on our deck when we were living in a city apartment. I found cherry tomatoes did better in the pots than other varieties but maybe that was just coincidence. that's what i'll be growing I usually can't get a ton... but enough to throw in a salad every few days or DH just picks them off the plant and puts them in his mouth as a snack!
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 25, 2016 16:12:22 GMT -5
I'm always buying little boxes of cherry tomatoes for my gs. I find it easy to grow 1 or 2 plants in the garden. All the bugs and animals leave them alone. It is nice to pick and pop one in my mouth during the day.
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Mar 25, 2016 16:42:30 GMT -5
Across the street neighbor removed all of his trees. No idea why and we don't chat often.
My garden thing now is fairy garden. I ordered a complete one. The garden will have to be kept in the house because of a neighbor's child who doesn't know boundaries.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Mar 25, 2016 18:09:46 GMT -5
Here's my PSA: Costco has a bunch of plants in: rose bushes, shade plants, clematis, lilies, you name it, they have it for cheap.
My poor DD1 was so bored while I decided what to get...
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Mar 25, 2016 18:59:45 GMT -5
I'm always buying little boxes of cherry tomatoes for my gs. I find it easy to grow 1 or 2 plants in the garden. All the bugs and animals leave them alone. It is nice to pick and pop one in my mouth during the day. Have you grown the yellow sunburst tomatoes? My kids love those, they will eat them by the pint. Last year DH and I got stuck eating all the red cherry tomatoes so this year we're doing just yellow sunburst for the little tomatos.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Mar 25, 2016 19:32:40 GMT -5
yogiii - where do you buy your plants? Or do you do it from seeds? I got it from a local nursery for the past two years, but they didn't do right by me, so I am not going back
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yogiii
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Post by yogiii on Mar 26, 2016 7:26:14 GMT -5
We usually split up plants with my ILs so they are from a place "up north". The cukes, zucchini and basil we do from seed but peppers and tomatoes are small plants.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 26, 2016 8:00:23 GMT -5
I usually buy 10" tomato plants when it's warm enough to put them in the ground. Each one a different variety. Bury the first 4" or more above the root ball, even sideways. Makes a better root system. They will still grow vertically.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Mar 26, 2016 8:10:24 GMT -5
I usually buy 10" tomato plants when it's warm enough to put them in the ground. Each one a different variety. Bury the first 4" or more above the root ball, even sideways. Makes a better root system. They will still grow vertically. Supposedly, red plastic mulch/sheeting underneath the tomato plants will increase fruit production up to 20% over the growing season.
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Anne_in_VA
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Post by Anne_in_VA on Mar 26, 2016 21:12:54 GMT -5
I've tried the red sheeting and did not think it made any difference, but YMMV
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 28, 2016 11:59:40 GMT -5
I usually buy 10" tomato plants when it's warm enough to put them in the ground. Each one a different variety. Bury the first 4" or more above the root ball, even sideways. Makes a better root system. They will still grow vertically. Where do you cut the stems back so they don't get all leggy? My tomatoes get so out of control when they should be focusing on making tomatoes. I know I should be pruning but now sure where.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 28, 2016 12:04:16 GMT -5
Across the street neighbor removed all of his trees. No idea why and we don't chat often. My garden thing now is fairy garden. I ordered a complete one. The garden will have to be kept in the house because of a neighbor's child who doesn't know boundaries. I had a neighbor who moved into the house across from us. The previous owners had put in a very long row of day lilies that bloomed very nicely every summer.
New owner takes a weed wacker and cuts back the foliage to about 3 inches. Kept weed whacking it all summer - cut off all the flower buds stalks before they could bloom.
I wondered if I should go tell him to leave it alone so he would have a nice border with pretty orange and yellow flowers but I figured heck, maybe he likes a border that is three inches of crew cut leaves....
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2016 12:14:39 GMT -5
I usually buy 10" tomato plants when it's warm enough to put them in the ground. Each one a different variety. Bury the first 4" or more above the root ball, even sideways. Makes a better root system. They will still grow vertically. Where do you cut the stems back so they don't get all leggy? My tomatoes get so out of control when they should be focusing on making tomatoes. I know I should be pruning but now sure where. In between major stems when you see little shoots trying to grow you just pinch them off.
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ken a.k.a OMK
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Post by ken a.k.a OMK on Mar 28, 2016 12:17:26 GMT -5
happyhoixPinch off suckers that grow between the main stem where a branch comes off. Cut the lower branches below the first fruit branch. Cut off lower branches if they turn yellow.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Mar 28, 2016 12:27:57 GMT -5
happyhoix Pinch off suckers that grow between the main stem where a branch comes off. Cut the lower branches below the first fruit branch. Cut off lower branches if they turn yellow. OK - I think my problem is I wait to long to pinch off the suckers, and then they start looking like a new branch and I get confused about whether I should still pinch it off or not and the next thing I know, I have a big floppy bush.
I'll be more aggressive this year...
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Mar 28, 2016 13:15:00 GMT -5
Yesterday I harvested sugar snap peas, shelling peas, red cabbage, the last of the rutabagas, carrots, beets, spinach, celery, scallions, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce.
$0 this week on produce at the grocery/farmer's market: priceless.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 29, 2016 11:30:16 GMT -5
I want a little yard so bad just so I can have a proper garden. I am on waiting lists for community gardens for neighborhoods I no longer even live in. No one gives up their garden space.
Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Mar 29, 2016 11:33:22 GMT -5
I want a little yard so bad just so I can have a proper garden. I am on waiting lists for community gardens for neighborhoods I no longer even live in. No one gives up their garden space. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Container garden until then? Or no outside access at all.
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sarcasticgirl
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Post by sarcasticgirl on Mar 29, 2016 11:42:06 GMT -5
I want a little yard so bad just so I can have a proper garden. I am on waiting lists for community gardens for neighborhoods I no longer even live in. No one gives up their garden space. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards Container garden until then? Or no outside access at all. We have a tiny little balcony where I can probably fit 2-3 plants. We have a large shared patio with the other tenants. Last summer our neighbor had a couple of huge planters... one for peas and one for cherry tomatoes. Sadly, they left the city last month... so I might follow suit and do the same thing. We'll see. Most all of our neighbors are new... everyone has left chicago in the last year. I would like to think people won't steal my tomatoes, but you never know. Sent from my SM-G920T using proboards
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