tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70429931368985172392024-03-13T14:06:15.799-05:00Dianne's Gardening in Wells BranchAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-23140451742865353332016-06-10T08:52:00.000-05:002016-06-10T08:52:06.015-05:00Its a jungle in my garden<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am way too busy in the garden with all the rain we have had this year and neglect writing about what is going on. We are blessed daily with enough food for the day and some to put by. This is good and bad as it give us green beans in January but the shelves and freezer are so full of the bounty it is hard to eat it down. Also the beauty of having so many perennial flowers in the garden makes it hard to come in the house. </span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CEqY9sqO_vM/V1rD44MHpRI/AAAAAAAAPV0/B7z9i2WVehQ91A9wVAZ-acuo5V2tVFkDgCLcB/s1600/160610_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CEqY9sqO_vM/V1rD44MHpRI/AAAAAAAAPV0/B7z9i2WVehQ91A9wVAZ-acuo5V2tVFkDgCLcB/s200/160610_001.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UAVlLMAsWL8/V1rD5AxB5lI/AAAAAAAAPV4/lTCDXjENMoIMyXpx1pwfdukk5Q0ozSPIACLcB/s1600/160610_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UAVlLMAsWL8/V1rD5AxB5lI/AAAAAAAAPV4/lTCDXjENMoIMyXpx1pwfdukk5Q0ozSPIACLcB/s200/160610_002.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mild-warm spring has had the tomatoes on hyperdrive! Just as the ones out back are taking a breather, getting pruned of all their suckers and putting on new blooms the plants out front are into full production. Good idea to plant them a month later. The Queens and Juliets take the heat pretty well and I have a couple of green strip there too. Our favorite so far is the black krim. I will plant several of those next year--large and sweet. Cucumbers are being weird--lots of growth and blooms but slow on the fruit. The lemon cukes are nice for slice and eat though and doing better than the straight 8s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am having great results from my eggplants in pots. The ones I did in the soil last year were barely productive. the oriental one I over-wintered in the greenhouse is full of eggplant and we are having a meal weekly, the black beauty has provided a couple of meal already and some for the freezer with the plant full of blooms. The Rosa is slow but keeps putting on one at a time. All the peppers but one are in pots and have peppers on them so good there too, including the jalepeno I thought I killed due to drowning not only came back but has peppers on it. I just harvested a few more late beets to roast 3 1/2" in diameter with lots of greens. Have even managed to get a few decent zucchini from the plants and keep them going.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SiPC2c1DcsQ/V1rD4qfZ3xI/AAAAAAAAPVs/USZOcr3WI4sOZ8jInUV5vG-v0F-pHh05QCLcB/s1600/160604_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SiPC2c1DcsQ/V1rD4qfZ3xI/AAAAAAAAPVs/USZOcr3WI4sOZ8jInUV5vG-v0F-pHh05QCLcB/s200/160604_002.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVvnGYBkh5A/V1rD4zc3HII/AAAAAAAAPVw/imdDLiWf2AMmGHFjHWnths-u57swYmrIACLcB/s1600/160602_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVvnGYBkh5A/V1rD4zc3HII/AAAAAAAAPVw/imdDLiWf2AMmGHFjHWnths-u57swYmrIACLcB/s200/160602_001.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only planted 1 seed potato and have had about 5# from it so good on that. I'll put more in about August. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Onion storage is full--all 4 shelves and a quart to the freezer plus a pint to ferment. There are a few stragglers and we have used plenty already to cook with. Not as big as the ones my friend Yvette grows but good.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carrots didn't want to come up well but have gotten about 8# from what has and a few still in the ground, nice 4-5" long 1" diameter ones and a fair smatter of purple. I think the soil is not sandy enough. </span><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85NMNg-2wuI/V1rD5F47VdI/AAAAAAAAPV8/mZDO32yVAlkigfO4WUuF9of8LpRkJCdOACLcB/s1600/160610_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85NMNg-2wuI/V1rD5F47VdI/AAAAAAAAPV8/mZDO32yVAlkigfO4WUuF9of8LpRkJCdOACLcB/s200/160610_003.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sugar baby watermelons are really doing well. I have 2 huge ones ripening and several more thumb size ones setting. Happy happy face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Herbs too are really showing their stuff. I planted large leaf basil and it is!!! Great pesto and lots put by already. Made mozzarella bites with it too. Purple basil is pumping it out too and I have shared so much lemon thyme I thought I wouldn't have any--wrong!! It just pops right back! The dill planted itself and I have cut and cut, given a lot away and still there are many heads to harvest. If only I had planted garlic last fall...sigh...but this fall for sure.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-26176829959792232202015-05-25T13:37:00.001-05:002015-05-25T13:37:56.174-05:00Rain, rain and more rain is making gardening interesting.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do not remember when we have had so much rain and so many days in a row. It has already been a cooler than normal spring. The plus side is that in order to grow tomatoes in the greenhouse under low winter light without blasting them with lights, I ordered seeds for plants usually grown in Canada of all places. The </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tomatoes are called Scotia and have out performed any expectation I had of them. They have thrived in the cool wet spring and laid on a generous crop of tomatoes--larger than I expected too. They will play out as it gets hot but we have been having BLTs and sliced tomatoes! Some of the other varieties are not faring as well although they are loaded with large tomatoes, the celebrity and lemony boy are both in one of the huglekulture beds and covered with large green tomatoes but few blooms. I was kind of hoping for a second and third crop before pulling them. The juliet is thriving out back and does have blooms and new fruit setting daily. The peppers are doing fantastically--loving the extra water and full of fruit on the jalepenos and some setting on the golden pepper. The ones in the greenhouse are loaded with blooms and smaller fruit, even the ghost pepper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have finally pulled almost all the beets, all 400+ of them and found a much better way to use the greens. We love beets -- spiced beets, roasted beets, beets in our smoothies but the greens not so much. I decided to try making crackers from them and we are eating them by the trayful!! Super healthy and low cal to boot. I have used the beet greens, carrot tops, collard greens, kale and kohl rabi greens in addition to onion and leek greens in these. With or without topping they are a great way to use the greens. I am even using them with an egg as binder to make a pizza crust. Lemonade from lemons so to speak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cucumber plants are going crazy and blooming like wild so hoping to get more than a handful. Carrots were not a great producer this year and the special purple ones were a total flop. Will try again in the fall. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0Austin, TX 78728, USA30.4570672 -97.6819429999999930.4023142 -97.762623999999988 30.511820200000003 -97.601261999999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-58782539860451153952014-11-15T14:39:00.002-06:002014-11-15T14:39:54.510-06:00Dealing with the freezes and hoop houses<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px;">
Texas freezes are getting a lot colder and with the drought stressed landscape plants we need to take special care to protect them. Also more people than ever are planting home gardens and many of these plans will not take a “hard freeze” well or at all. So the temp is dropping and what do you do? </div>
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Central Tx Gardener: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82kqFT4jYZw</div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Mulch well around the roots of perennials like roses, mums</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Cover plants with cloth — blankets, sheets, frost blankets etc—not plastic unless it is over a frame.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Make temporary row covers from any bendable substance-wire, then cover with heavy frost blankets late in day and remove in morning. Frost blankets come in dark green and white. the white ones let light through and can be left in place for a couple of days. The green ones work for deciduous shrubs / small trees that need no light . </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Make hoop houses—you’ll need 1/2” PVC in 10’ lengths, 4 way connectors or strap ties, 4-6mm plastic sheeting, clamps, PVC can be made into hoop and attached to beds with U-brackets, cinderblock, short rebar pieces. (see pics following) Securing a piece at the top stabilizes the structure. attaching a length of wood or PVC to bottom of each side keeps it in place. Step by step instructions: <br />
<a href="http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/sepoct02/extending.html">http://www.texasgardener.com/pastissues/sepoct02/extending.html</a> or <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/hoop-houses.aspx#axzz3J3nvkhUF">http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/hoop-houses.aspx#axzz3J3nvkhUF</a> </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Use lights for heat. Old fashioned light bulbs work well, strands of Xmas lights 7w type, even mini-lights wrapped around pots help. Clamp type shop lights work well too—might need a colored bulb. For greenhouses the small oil filled radiator type electric heater works well. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Precondition tender fruit trees and strawberries using a spray like seaweed or kelp and watering with a higher potassium fertilizer. Several spays like Frost Away or Freezepruf work on non-edible leaves. These are anti-transpirants so plants do not loose moisture through their leaves. Trees need their graft area wrapped too. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Use buckets or water in a circle around a tree. fill the tree-gators with warm water—who would do that????</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>many potted plants have to be moved inside for a freeze. porous pots tolerate freezes worst as they water gets into the clay and freezing shatters the posts, any pot where water might stand(remove the drip trays) can cause frozen roots. putting several pots together and wrapping them or placing them inside a barrier filled with mulch/leaves can help them winter. Check the zone rating—those for 6 and less will overwinter here generally well. <a href="http://gardening.about.com/od/containergardenin1/a/Winter-Pots.htm">http://gardening.about.com/od/containergardenin1/a/Winter-Pots.htm</a> </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.5px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>consider creating a cold frame from boards or cinderblocks with a glass/plastic/plexiglass top. These are frequently placed against the house or garage but can be put against any wall. you can grow plants in it that need a bit more protection from cold or wind, put potted plants into it (depends on height) , store dormant plants until spring, harden off seedlings, <a href="http://www.finegardening.com/4-ways-use-cold-frame">http://www.finegardening.com/4-ways-use-cold-frame</a> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_exzLhioQs/VGe51CYTKGI/AAAAAAAAOGk/puKokc14DsQ/s1600/dianne%2Bin%2Bhoophouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w_exzLhioQs/VGe51CYTKGI/AAAAAAAAOGk/puKokc14DsQ/s1600/dianne%2Bin%2Bhoophouse.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;">Read more: <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/hoop-houses.aspx#ixzz3J8v3Yirc"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 51, 153);">http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/hoop-houses.aspx#ixzz3J8v3Yirc</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.backyardgardening.net/article/raised-bed-hoop-house/">http://www.backyardgardening.net/article/raised-bed-hoop-house/<span style="font-size: 12.5px;"></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://bonnieplants.com/library/make-a-row-cover-hoop-house/">http://bonnieplants.com/library/make-a-row-cover-hoop-house/</a> </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-86884996062298004422014-07-19T07:12:00.001-05:002014-07-20T05:43:56.492-05:00Starting your plants from seed or rooting and making them thrive<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love doing this starting my little plants from seeds and have played with a lot of ways to do it and have had multiple chances to see how it is done on a much larger scale at the Johnson backyard garden. Soil and moisture are two of the most important factors in the process after the quality of the seeds. Then the amount of effort to keep them going and not damp off before the get big enough to transplant is another big issue. Seeds should be kept dry and cool for best chance at germination. Ideal germination temperatures are different depending on the plant: <a href="http://barbolian.com/when-to-plant/9029-chart/" target="_blank">germination chart</a> This site endorses pre-sprouting but has a great chart on the #of days to germinate at which temperatures: <a href="http://learningandyearning.com/give-your-plants-a-head-start-by-pre-sprouting-seeds" target="_blank">pre-sprouting and temps</a> .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My best method to date involves a bit of combining of methods.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I use an unfertilized <u>seeding soil</u> well moistened for all seeds but I use a big enough container to put good lightly fertilized potting soil in the wells first and dampen well. I then put in about 1/2-3/4" of the well moistened seed soil and pat it down. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For littler seeds I scratch the surface and drop on 1-2 seeds per sector. For larger ones I add enough seeding soil to cover the seed the required amount--the depth of 1 seed. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I water the whole tray when done seeding and set on a tray to catch the moisture and cover with bubble wrap or in a plastic bag or under a clear dome and set in a warm enough place to germinate the seed. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I watch the flats and wait for the seed to pop out a leaf. I do not water from the top as a general rule. Soaking from the bottom works better and makes for stronger longer roots. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I generally use a misting of fish oil in water on the seedlings weekly as they grow and most of them get blown on to strengthen their stems. You can use a small fan as well. You can also use weak compost tea.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once they are up and have at least a set of leaves I move them to the greenhouse most of the year. It is lightly shaded part of the day and gives them better air circulation but does increase their water consumption.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I try to get plants up to several leaves before they go to the garden. I lose fewer this way and have room to grow them and up-pot them when needed. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Growing herbs and tomatoes from rooting a cutting takes a bit of planing and has been hit and miss for me this year. Most herbs do well if you pinch off a length of a growing tip and drop the stem in either wet sand or just water and wait for roots to appear. Once they have roots move to wet potting soil and decrease watering to bottom only. Tomatoes can be rooted by breaking off suckers from the plant and dropping them into a cup of water. I take a piece about 6" long and strip off the leaves at the bottom if there are any. I use rainwater or purified water for this. In a couple of weeks the roots will be big enough to transplant into a pot then the garden. Sweet potatoes can be done this way as well. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-40702815086924463792014-06-23T08:26:00.002-05:002014-06-23T09:13:42.594-05:00Garden guild meeting June 2014 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We had probably one of our very best speakers of the year last Saturday at the Garden guild meeting. Sam Slaughter from Gabriel Valley Farms spoke to us on organic pesticides at the meeting. He was incredibly knowledgeable and it brought sheets for us to take notes on that had all the different categories of pesticides that he discussed. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;">He stressed at the very first thing you needed to do was identify what the pest was that you were wanting to treat or eliminate. You can do a web search looking for pictures or images of the pests you have found, take a picture of them with your camera or phone, and ask the county extension office to help you identify what the pest is. Once you've identified the pest then decide how aggressively you want or need to treat for this particular pest. Sometimes you may want to use a trap, just hose them off with a stream of water, or pick them off by hand. You may also want to promote beneficial insects in order to control the pests. Some of these are ladybugs and lacewings or special companion plants that serve to deter pests. If you are going to use beneficial insets remember that many of the pesticides will kill them as well so introducing ladybugs and then spraying with the pesticide is not in an effective way to manage the problem. </span></div>
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Next he talked about a broad spectrum organic pesticide called spinosad. This is found in several other products as well as a product in its own right. Oils that can be used in the garden are listed as neem oil, cinnamon oil, orange oil, and karaja oil. He said it is more a presence and aroma thing and they are all about as effective as each other. They are surfactants that clog up the thorax of the insects they are fairly general i.e. not specific to anyone one pest. It is best to use them in the evening as they have about a 24 hour lifespan and most of them need to be used under a temperature of 92° and when it is not sunny to prevent burning of the foliage of the plants.</div>
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There are number of soaps on the market that are specifically organic one is safer soap a second one is Desex. You can also use Castile soap, Ivory soap but detergents like Dawn are not organic.</div>
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He also talked about pyrethrins which come from a specific Chrysanthemum. This is a much older class of organic pesticide and is a neurotoxin to the bugs but not to people. The lifespan of these also is about 24 hours give or take. They are great to use on aphids <b>one time</b>. It seems that the pests that are not killed off the first time around develop a resistance to the pyrethrins and need to be treated with a second products to eliminate them. Perhaps a really bad infestation of aphids can be treated with pyrethrins then after about 48 hours ladybugs released to take care of the remaining infestation.</div>
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He also discussed diatomaceous earth. it's great for deterring ants. it's a contact dust so if you're sprinkling it around you should be wearing a dust protective mask to not get it inside your lungs. If it gets whetted it becomes ineffective. Sam talked about using sticky cards in the garden and was telling us that there are a lot of them now that have specific pheromones on them to attract just the pest that you are trying to eliminate instead of wide swath of them.</div>
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We also talked about Bacillus thuringiensis or BT one of the products on the market is called dipel. It is a stomach poison specific for caterpillars but it will kill all kinds of caterpillars including the larvae of any butterflies that you're trying to attract to your garden. This also should be used in the evening to treat the plants but it takes 2 to 3 days to kill off the caterpillars. You might have to retreat because some of them had not hatched yet when you treated the first time. There is a product on the market for grasshoppers called Nolo but it treats juvenile grasshoppers not adults. Sam says garlic and pepper spray on the foliage is fairly effective as well. </div>
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There are new biologicals being developed that are just coming out on the market commercially they are fairly broad. one is called Preferal the other is called Mycorral trawl they actually are a living fungus that you spray onto the leaves they last for several days and they are trying to specific size them as they are being developed.</div>
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We also discussed killing weeds naturally and talked about the vinegar and salt treatment for weeds there are several variations on this listed on the Internet the product not to add to this blend is Epsom salts it is a folio or you can use orange oil in it you can use Nemo oil in it you can use the vinegar and it's sunny days are the very best and retreatment will be required because you're killing the foliage and not the roots. If you're pouring this on the soil the salt may prevent anything else from growing in this location for sometime to come.</div>
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We also talked about ways to treat poison ivy and other poison exposures from that family including feels Napfor soap Ivory soap which both defat the skin there a number of products to treat your reaction once you at once you've been exposed. We also discussed that under no circumstances are the plants to be burned as it can cause your hospitalization.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">n the Q&A's we talked about crown disease in cotton and lavender and the need for a root shod that is a living fungus to protect it. For powdery mildew on peas and other plants use oil spray regularly to prevent it. For trees like crepe myrtles it may be as important to adjust the sprinkler heads and promote air circulation as to treat. For leaf miners and shot holes in leaves use oil sprays too.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px;">Sam has invited us to come out to his nursery for a tour and I believe that George Holcomb will help us organize this trip later in the year.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-53333306469247172442014-05-21T12:00:00.004-05:002014-05-21T12:01:14.424-05:00Springing into the harvest of more than greens<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZU77s2k2XU/U3zTTe0dbVI/AAAAAAAANV8/AMN3GjOkx4Y/s1600/IMGP1379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZU77s2k2XU/U3zTTe0dbVI/AAAAAAAANV8/AMN3GjOkx4Y/s1600/IMGP1379.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I71k9sIUdLs/U3zTaHDdfVI/AAAAAAAANWE/Zgt1uPk0za8/s1600/red_coach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I71k9sIUdLs/U3zTaHDdfVI/AAAAAAAANWE/Zgt1uPk0za8/s1600/red_coach.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are also beginning to harvest some of the onions we planted. They are drying out a bit faster now that I have removed some of the mulch--not such a good thing. I put the first harvest in to ferment--1/2 gallon of the white/yellow onions. I will probably ferment these small red coach onions as well. Lots of the larger ones will go into the onion safe that George built for us last year. </span><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/goog_1803449609" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_86R5-gkv8/U3zTaDtYjKI/AAAAAAAANWI/_2gC_dLn2XE/s1600/yellow+onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4_86R5-gkv8/U3zTaDtYjKI/AAAAAAAANWI/_2gC_dLn2XE/s1600/yellow+onions.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The yellow onions are getting big--3" or more in diameter and some of the red ones are picking up a better size as I baby them. Some of the garlic is also getting dry but not as big as I hoped for. We have been using the garlic greens for a long time to flavor dressing for salad and butter. These have just been ones I planted to deter bugs over the winter that have been a real treat and bonus crop.</span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now there are a few squash plants that came up from seed in the compost that I am looking fondly upon. I think one of them is a cantaloupe so am holding off planting more until I can tell. Also have picked the first eggplant in spite of the cooler than normal weather. I think my big cloches helped a lot!</span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our garden has been good to us this year and I should not complain as I planted all the greens but sometimes you just want to eat something else. that said, we have had beets and carrots too but a lot of greens for a long time. We had a decent crop of broccoli and a few cauliflower along the way too.This is the 2nd year I have planted Contender Gr. beans and they are fantastic tasting, fast to fruit and produce prolifically--8-10 beans on each plant ripening at once! </span><br />
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<span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;"><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.0.$text0:0:$0:0">Loved </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/hovercard.php?id=100003595357334&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22ufi%22%7D" data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.0.$range0:0" dir="ltr" href="https://www.facebook.com/rachel.lebansky" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rachel LeBansky</a><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">'s yard and am looking forward to a start of the colored yarrow, the trailing rosemary at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152155341087476&set=pcb.731765893513591&type=1&theater" target="_blank">Barbara Romero's </a>was so interesting all trained over a wrought iron piece and the Victoria salvia a real hit as was her stacked wall around her patio; </span></span><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;"><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0"><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/hovercard.php?id=674162475&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22ufi%22%7D" data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$range0:0" dir="ltr" href="https://www.facebook.com/georgeholcombe" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">George Holcombe</a><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$text1:0:$0:0"> got to show off his new sweet potato starts and the irrigation system that runs off his rain barrel. </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/hovercard.php?id=706709569&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22ufi%22%7D" data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$range1:0" dir="ltr" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152155341067476&set=pcb.731765893513591&type=1&theater" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Yvette Shelton</a> <span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$text2:0:$0:0">showed off the plants that are thriving in the shade at home and her 2 gardens at the community gardens, chandra Patel even demonstrated the irrigation system for us and showed how it was laid out--the plants are thriving too. I got to explain those <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152155341777476&set=pcb.731765893513591&type=1&theater" target="_blank">hugelkulture beds </a>and brag on their water retention then we looked at the cinderblock bed with planted squares and the onions. Thanks to Yvette for explaining how to grow great ones. At the school garden we got an up close look at how the hoop houses were constructed and the new tank beds and how both conserve water. Last stop was the community gardens with </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/hovercard.php?id=196002573&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_location%22%3A%22ufi%22%7D" data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$range2:0" dir="ltr" href="https://www.facebook.com/FrioSwimmer" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Heather Johnson</a><span data-reactid=".5f.1:3:1:$comment731627293527451_731736853516495:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0"> , Dianne Koehler, and Yvette Shelton showing us around the beds. Heather and Dianne (me) lead classes during the school year and add considerable expertise in gardening to the program. </span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0Wells Branch, TX, USA30.4460353 -97.67945069999996130.3912788 -97.76013169999996 30.5007918 -97.598769699999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-91781479414145118752014-05-13T21:47:00.000-05:002014-05-14T13:27:01.845-05:00Garden tour in WB <div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px; position: static; z-index: auto;">
We have 8 gardens on our tour this year. Thanks to all who are sharing their yards with us. Invite anyone who is interested to join us. We will meet in front of the Rec center 3000 Shoreline dr. Each site will have a sign and maps will be available the day of the tour. <br />
Schedule for Saturday's Garden tour:</div>
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Meet at Rec center 9:00am<br />
9:15 shady garden—Yvette Shelton 2111 Fuzz Fairway<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />9:35 veggies &fruit trees, drip irrigation setup — Pravin"chandra” Patel 2409 Rick Whinery<br />9:55 General garden—Barbara Romero 2440 Rick Whinery -<br />10:20 xeriscaping —George Holcombe 14900 Yellowleaf Tr.<br />10:40 water wise, mostly perennials, butterfly attracting flowers—Rachel LaBanski 14904 Yellowleaf Trl.<br />11:05 Hugelkulture beds and alternative raised vegetable beds—Dianne Koehler 14909 Alpha Collier<br />11:30 Hoop houses, tank beds, greenhouse, kids gardens—WB Elementary gardens enter off Town Hill in back<br />11:55 Community gardens —Heather Johnson</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/lxwt3ev" target="_blank">garden tour map</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-89030193815623276412014-02-15T14:33:00.000-06:002014-02-15T14:42:22.381-06:00Easy to grow and drought tolerant plants for Austin TX<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One would think that most plants would be easy to grow here. We rarely get freezing weather, we have decent soil, we used to get an adequate amount of rain especially in the winter. Now and for the for forseeable future it looks like we are going to be in a drought. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14px;">What makes plants easy to grow? Is it that the seeds come up easily? Is it that the plants thrive once they are up and produce? Is it that they do not require a lot of tending? A lot depends on the gardener in this case. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S2qOQjKSpqc/Uv_K3ar9udI/AAAAAAAANNM/ncNkYiTCwrk/s1600/huerta+june+2008+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S2qOQjKSpqc/Uv_K3ar9udI/AAAAAAAANNM/ncNkYiTCwrk/s1600/huerta+june+2008+011.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">One </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">of the things that makes plants easier to grow takes a little work up front. Especially </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">during times of drought and heat it is essential that the garden have adequate mulch around the plants. This serves to keep their roots cooler and to retain moisture in the soil. It is also beneficial to establish a soaking program for the plants so that they develop deeper roots and are </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">less</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qs1-65aHRdc/Uv_LpYHtkkI/AAAAAAAANNU/pIHBDKgnc6k/s1600/drip3837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qs1-65aHRdc/Uv_LpYHtkkI/AAAAAAAANNU/pIHBDKgnc6k/s1600/drip3837.jpg" height="157" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">dependent on frequent watering. Some plants however do not have deep roots systems, it is not their culture. This includes peas and beans and many of the cole crops like broccoli and cauliflower. Many leafy plants can be grown in the heat of the summer like lettuces if they are grown in a much shadier location where they only get 2 to 3 hours of sunshine per day. Plants that have smaller leaves also tolerate drought better as do plants that have fleshier leaves or hard stems. You may want to choose plants with shorter days to harvest in the spring to assure a better chance of picking before it gets hot>> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://horttest.tamu.edu/travis/files/2012/11/VegetableVarietiesTravisCounty2013.pdf" target="_blank">VegetableVarietiesTravisCounty</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is a good plan to place the plants with the same water requirements in the same areas of the garden. If you put your plants in pots, you may want to avoid clay pots that are not glazed in favor of the glazed and plastic pots. Darker colored plastic pots may overheat service of your plants in the summer causing them to die. Best to use lighter colored or to cover the outside of the pot with a wrap to not cook the roots.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: 14px;">When you consider what plants to grow in a vegetable garden for spring and summer most years we need to plant plants that we can harvest the fruits before July. The easiest plants that can be planted very early in the spring February through April are of course the lettuces, some greens like kale, peas, root crops like beets, radishes, spring onions, and carrots, and several types of beans. We are still able to transplant broccoli through mid-March but it frequently will draw diseases to the garden.</span></span><br />
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There are several seed suppliers that specialize in plants that seem to do better in Texas and the Southwest where it is drier and hotter. A number of vegetable plants do well until it gets into the 100s in July and August like tomatoes, Peppers, and eggplant. </span><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px;">These can be grown from seed on a windowsill and then transplanted into your garden when the soil is warm enough in late March through early May. B</span><span style="font-size: 14px;">lack-eyed peas or cow peas thrive in the heat as does okra and malabar spinach. And sweet potatoes are very easy to </span><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px;">grow</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> the summer both for greens and tubers if you can keep them </span><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px;">irrigated</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> over the summer. Swiss chard will grow for several years at a time and does not mind a bit of shade.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e8e5Gp5W2kY/Uv_InspeQyI/AAAAAAAANM8/4Aegtt-w1OA/s1600/Lantana-montevidensis-Trailing-Lantana-Weeping-Lantana-Austin-Texas-Native-Plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e8e5Gp5W2kY/Uv_InspeQyI/AAAAAAAANM8/4Aegtt-w1OA/s1600/Lantana-montevidensis-Trailing-Lantana-Weeping-Lantana-Austin-Texas-Native-Plants.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZCuT-3U2NM/Uv_IoIaP8OI/AAAAAAAANNE/fNisnjrwQPQ/s1600/Malvaviscus-arboreus-Turks-Cap-Wax-Mallow-Plant-Texas-Natives-Under-Trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RZCuT-3U2NM/Uv_IoIaP8OI/AAAAAAAANNE/fNisnjrwQPQ/s1600/Malvaviscus-arboreus-Turks-Cap-Wax-Mallow-Plant-Texas-Natives-Under-Trees.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e8e5Gp5W2kY/Uv_InspeQyI/AAAAAAAANM8/4Aegtt-w1OA/s1600/Lantana-montevidensis-Trailing-Lantana-Weeping-Lantana-Austin-Texas-Native-Plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e8e5Gp5W2kY/Uv_InspeQyI/AAAAAAAANM8/4Aegtt-w1OA/s1600/Lantana-montevidensis-Trailing-Lantana-Weeping-Lantana-Austin-Texas-Native-Plants.jpg" height="200" width="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.166666030883789px;">Landscape plants for the garden should be selected from the list of Texas natives when at all possible. Most of these are perennials and unfortunately during their first year Will require much more water and in subsequent years. Gardeners get the idea that they want A blooming English garden but our climate just doesn't support those kinds of plants very well. It is possible even in a drought tolerant Garden to have blooms from spring through late fall if you pick the right plants and put plenty of mulch around </span>th<span style="font-size: 14px;">em. They are finding that plants from the nursery that are grown and squarish containers transplant better because their roots don't get all wound around and will spread out better in the garden. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/veg_variety/select.php">https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/veg_variety/select.php</a> Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Travis County<br /><br /><a href="http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/">http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/fruit-nut/</a> Fruit and Nut Fact Sheets<br /><strong><br /></strong><a href="http://horttest.tamu.edu/travis/files/2012/11/VegetableVarietiesTravisCounty2013.pdf">http://horttest.tamu.edu/travis/files/2012/11/VegetableVarietiesTravisCounty2013.pdf</a> Vegetable Varieties for Central Texas—Great list</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.attainable-sustainable.net/growing-food-drought/">http://www.attainable-sustainable.net/growing-food-drought/ </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.attainable-sustainable.net/growing-food-drought/"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=drought">http://www.rareseeds.com/search/?F_Keyword=drought</a> Seed source<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.southernexposure.com/blog/2012/02/what-to-grow-through-very-hot-summers/">http://www.southernexposure.com/blog/2012/02/what-to-grow-through-very-hot-summers/</a> seed source<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.tomatodirt.com/tomatoes-for-hot-dry-climates.html">http://www.tomatodirt.com/tom</a><a href="http://www.tomatodirt.com/tomatoes-for-hot-dry-climates.html">atoes-for-hot-dry-climates.html</a> seed source<br />
<br /><a href="http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/vegetablesaz.html#gsc.tab=0">http://www.swallowtailgardenseeds.com/vegetablesaz.html#gsc.tab=0</a> has lots of hot weather seeds—got my summer lettuce here<br />
<br /><a href="https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/growgreen/plantguide.pdf">https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/growgreen/plantguide.pdf</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://austinnativelandscaping.com/xeriscape-texas-native-plants-for-drought-toleran-landscaping-in-austin-texas/">http://austinnativelandscaping.com/xeriscape-texas-native-plants-for-drought-toleran-landscaping-in-austin-texas/</a> nice list of plants with interactive features</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?collection=centex_drought">http://www.wildflower.org/collections/collection.php?collection=centex_drought</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://valleycresttakeson.com/watermanagement/resources/top-5-drought-tolerant-plant-resources/">http://valleycresttakeson.com/watermanagement/resources/top-5-drought-tolerant-plant-resources/</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><a href="http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/organic/files/2011/03/E-512_mulching.pdf">http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/organic/files/2011/03/E-512_mulching.pdf</a> great discussion on types<br />
<br /><a href="http://alternative-energy-gardning.blogspot.com/2013/05/shade-tolerant-vegetables.html">http://alternative-energy-gardning.blogspot.com/2013/05/shade-tolerant-vegetables.html</a> shade tolerant veggies</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.ivillage.com/best-plants-attract-butterflies-your-garden/7-a-535056?ivNPA=1&sky=stu%7Civl%7Chh%7Cbutterflies%7C%2F" target="_blank">http://www.ivillage.com/best-plants-attract-butterflies-your-garden/7-a-535056?ivNPA=1&sky=stu%7Civl%7Chh%7Cbutterflies%7C%2F</a> plants to attract butterflies<br />
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I have been watering and covering plants for weeks now as each cold snap comes through but I think it has been worth it in preserving the plants that we eat. I did not count on all this cold when I bought the cheddar and purple cauliflower. They are nice but don't do the cold as well as the snowball. I am surprised to see how much moisture the soil is holding (see my cute moisture meter) as I was ready to pour more water on an already adequately moist bed. The brussels sprouts though needed water and got a good gallon.<br />
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Inside the greenhouse I have a mix right now--peppers and tomatoes in large containers that continue to give up a few fruit every week or so and new seedling that are in their growing pots. I have over 15 tomatoes out there and many celery and broccoli and chard too. The broccoli and chard will move out in a week or so but the tomatoes will live in there until March.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-22352330049668364332014-01-23T16:51:00.000-06:002014-01-23T16:51:26.202-06:00Surviving the freezing weather one blanket at a time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEoANgiCZ_I/UuFuBkr4R7I/AAAAAAAANII/7s1uMMU1toI/s1600/20140123-124419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R7giQPxqQfM/UuF3z0wAamI/AAAAAAAANJ0/D31ySSunatk/s1600/20140107-120148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R7giQPxqQfM/UuF3z0wAamI/AAAAAAAANJ0/D31ySSunatk/s1600/20140107-120148.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span id="goog_1551710674"></span><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEoANgiCZ_I/UuFuBkr4R7I/AAAAAAAANII/7s1uMMU1toI/s1600/20140123-124419.jpg" height="300" width="400" /> This has been a really hard cold winter here in central Texas. For the second time in a month our temperatures will fall into the low 20s. I have been out covering up the plants that are supposed to tolerate a little bit of frost. Cauliflower unfortunately does not like to be frozen and apparently neither does arugula. As you can see from one of the pictures the plants did live through the phrase but they sure look battered. It also slowed down the production of the broccoli that was just starting to make nice heads. The cauliflower has been really stunted and I lost two of the cheddar hollow flower<span id="goog_1551710675"></span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-2424099743656303092013-11-11T07:37:00.000-06:002013-11-11T07:37:27.645-06:00Harvesting sweet potatoes, kohl rabi and more <img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Q-LhJpzykY/UoAeb2U-HvI/AAAAAAAANDU/J_AiXVV_2jU/s400/IMGP0413.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="400" />Last spring some of the sweet potatoes I had purchased near Thanksgiving and began to sprout.I investigated how to produce sweet potato slips from them and successfully came up with about 12 slips. Digging into the bed behind my shed and readying it for the slips was the easiest part. Not much grows in the summer heat and I was pretty busy with camp anyway. The vines got really rangy and in August I snipped some and shoved them into a pot just for greens. I should have used a bigger pot as when I pulled the soil out it was full of little fingerling potatoes.Last<br />
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With a frost predicted this week I began harvesting my sweet potatoes. I decided to use my weed weasel in hopes that I would not damage the potatoes. Great choice! The harvest was not bad, about 3 gallon jugs but I probably would have had more if I had known to cut my vines and either harvest the leaves or just have more individual plants. As it is I put up three bags of leaves for creaming and probably will have another two or three bags this week as I complete the harvest.<br />
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Some of the kohl rabi from last year didn't make any rabes or bulbs but because the leaves are so tasty I left six or seven of them in the garden. After all of the heavy rains during the last month, imagine my surprise that they're making rabes or bulbs. With the cold weather I have pulled the last of the okra plants and am still harvesting A handful of green beans that survived the bugs. It is still nice to have a variety of fresh vegetables right from the yard. We still have several eggplant in the garden that are full of blooms and baby eggplants as well as green peppers that probably will need to be covered with plastic to survive these cool fronts.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-1769705093632316282013-08-04T10:17:00.002-05:002013-08-04T10:17:30.594-05:00Summer harvests are slow but keep coming<img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8l-D8ewMiEU/Uf5r0ljkC7I/AAAAAAAAMtQ/8wqMVRd56rE/s400/20130801-052257.jpg" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /> We are really eating from the garden even in the heat. The trick is to make great stuff with the vegetables that are coming to harvest and rotate in the ones that I put into the freezer. We are getting better at this after having tomatoes at night for weeks--George is not complaining. As the heat has increased we are seeing a lot more eggplants setting fruit. The weird rains in July though meant the tomatoes are all having some blossom rot again. Black-eye peas are coming on and so is the malabar spinach--finally found a lettuce from Nevada that might be able to survive in the shade and give us some leaves. Just when I thought the greens were dying down the kale has gone nuts from the rain (it should be dead) and we are doing kale chips. Celery is growing well and actually looks like little stalks. Doing rainwater only on the property is a bit tough some days. Hopefully next year I can get an irrigation system of some kind to work off the barrels.<br />
All of the onions and garlic are now in the house in keeping. Garlic tastes great and smells so good. Red onions are not sweet but are terrific--now if they just have the same kind this fall! Only one more meal of potatoes and they are all gone. Asparagus though is thriving so maybe next spring we'll have a good harvest.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0Austin, TX 78728, USA30.4570672 -97.6819429999999930.4023142 -97.762623999999988 30.511820200000003 -97.601261999999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-10145971720261765482013-06-22T18:07:00.000-05:002013-06-22T18:07:40.467-05:00Tomatoes are a challenge but just keep comingthe weather this year has not been a good friend to the tomatoes but they just keep coming. The challenge are that the Early Girls, Brandywines, Jaunne Faumes, and Super sweet 100 are suffering from early blight. In researching this, I should have been giving them preventative treatment to counteract the really wet spring we have had. I have trimmed off the diseased leaves each week and thrown them in the trash. Good news is they are putting on new growth and still producing and I have a round dozen of them. We are eating fresh tomatoes every day--someday I will put some by.<br />
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The San Marzanos in the front are having intermittant blossom end rot issues. Have found that if I pick them a little green and use them with the rot cut off they are just fine. We like green tomatoes too. The extra dose of tomato fertilizer was not much help--heavy rains a few days later. On the advise of a friend I have given them a good dose of calcium carbonate--she said smash rocks but I figure it comes in pills so dissolve a handful and use that. There are only 5 plants. They are full of tomatoes both with and without the BER. The black cherries looked bad but are coming back--every day 2-5 of these beauties and the Thai pink egg is a stunner. we just pick and pick on this one. As it is in a container I have rigged a watering bottle to help through the high 90s days we are now having.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0Wells Branch, TX 78728, USA30.4570672 -97.6819429999999930.4023142 -97.762623999999988 30.511820200000003 -97.601261999999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-27423934053947245312013-06-15T07:45:00.000-05:002013-06-15T07:45:00.797-05:00June Garden Guild meeting<br />
<pre style="line-height: 21px;"><tt style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #020202; font-family: Helvetica;">Judy Barrett, author of: What Can I Do With My Herbs? What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great? Recipes From And For The Garden, Tomatillos: A Gardener's Dream A Cook's Delight,</span></tt></pre>
<pre style="line-height: 21px;"><tt style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #020202; font-family: Helvetica;">will be the presenter on Herbs. Judy makes frequent appearances on Central Texas Gardener and is a recognized expert in her field. You can check her out on the sites listed:
</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Helvetica;"> <a href="x-msg://8/" rel="nofollow" style="outline: 0px;" target="_blank">www.HomegrownTexas.com</a>
<a href="x-msg://8/" rel="nofollow" style="outline: 0px;" target="_blank" ymailto="mailto:HomegrownTexas@yahoo.com">HomegrownTexas@yahoo.com</a></span></tt></pre>
<pre style="line-height: 21px;"><tt style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We'll meet as usual at 10:30 AM at the Rec. Center to share plants, seeds and conversation and the meeting will start at 11:00. Come join us for a delightful time of sharing and learning.</span></tt></pre>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-25187011933893378592013-06-01T07:21:00.000-05:002013-06-15T07:23:19.220-05:00Garden thriving on cooler weather but humidity is bringing problems<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Boy oh boy is stuff growing well! Instead of being blistering hot at this point, the weather has continued to be a bit cooler and a lot wetter. We have had RAIN weekly and kept the rain barrels full in addition to watering the garden. I have pulled the last of the winter beets and am harvesting the onions and hanging them to cure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomatoes are going crazy. I do have some blossom end rot on the San Marzanos but they are producing well and we are eating those green or half ripe and they are good. the Thai pink egg and early girl are really coming in--we are eating as many fresh as we can right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green beans are doing well and giving us a dinner every few days. Eggplants are just starting to produce and the okra is growing so we'll have plenty later. I did a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dianne.koehler/media_set?set=a.10201067874440227.1073741834.1269228376&type=3" target="_blank">photo tour </a> of the garden to share. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com014909 Alpha Collier Drive, Austin, TX 78728, USA30.44584 -97.6773120000000293.151759000000002 -138.98590600000003 57.739920999999995 -56.36871800000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-64491078875031505242013-05-14T07:43:00.000-05:002013-05-14T07:43:04.805-05:00Tomato experiment this yearI am working on a new watering scheme for the tomatoes this year. First I got seeds from the <a href="http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/" target="_blank">Sustainable food center</a> that are recommended for our area (I did check the A&M list too) and started Early Girl, Brandywine, San Marzano, and Supersweet 100s for this year. I also started a Thai pink egg that did well last year and a black cherry that did well for others. I also got 2 Jaune Flammee from the <a href="http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/" target="_blank">SJC</a>.<br />
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Transplanting was tricky with the weather but they got up potted several times and went into the ground in mid-March. I set gallon milk jugs near each one inverted so I can give them a gallon of water without directing it to the surrounding soil. Calculations are that the plants need 2-4 gallons/week depending on the heat. This also is allowing for direct application of fertilizer without hitting the leaves. <br />
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On the advise of many tomato growers, I am nipping all the suckers this year. God they sprout fast and often. I have rooted several and thrown a lot of them away. Pinching them off below bloom level sounds like a great idea in theory--in practice it takes a lot of vigilance but the plants are full of blooms and fruit at this point about 7 weeks after transplant. I did cage all of them so they may not get as much air as they might if I only staked them. We will see. Although we have had a very cool spring it looks like things will heat up soon so now every plant will need some mulch around the jugs.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com014909 Alpha Collier Drive, Austin, TX 78728, USA30.44584 -97.6773120000000293.1517924999999991 -138.98590600000003 57.7398875 -56.36871800000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-3710483888189230542013-04-29T12:32:00.000-05:002013-04-29T12:32:23.933-05:00Spring is slow to settle in--plants are loving it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">I keep going out to look at the plants because my tomatoes have NEVER looked so good. I have taken lots of advise about how to grow good tomatoes and what varieties to grow and am having a great year so far. every plant on the lot (20+) was grow by me from seed except for 2 that I got as transplants. I am pleased that the Early Girls are living up to their names--each has cascades of blooms and are setting most of them. So far most plants look to have 5-6 or more tomatoes on them. The San Marzano's are just behind them and since they went in 2 weeks later--doing great. They also have lots of blooms and have set 3-4 tomatoes per plant already. The Supersweet 100s and black cherry are also ramping up as is the Thai Pink Egg (top corner above) We are excited that the new Jaune Flammee(center), an orange tomato is setting clusters of 5-6 tomatoes and is blooming like crazy. They are getting measured water and fertilizer each week and had protection from the cold winds a few weeks ago with row cover. I was really worried as I waited and still they got a bit more cold than I thought they would do.</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIAf7JafJOg/UX6lkW2HreI/AAAAAAAAMGQ/-LJwCKWOsG0/s1600/2013-04-291.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DIAf7JafJOg/UX6lkW2HreI/AAAAAAAAMGQ/-LJwCKWOsG0/s320/2013-04-291.jpg" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlr4FjwNIEA/UX6sjAcpkCI/AAAAAAAAMGs/FSEDsi4PBA0/s1600/2013-04-292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlr4FjwNIEA/UX6sjAcpkCI/AAAAAAAAMGs/FSEDsi4PBA0/s320/2013-04-292.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">The herb area and the front part of the garden are getting a real facelift this year. It is fun to make it so colorful and unique. The cucumbers seem to love their rales and the scarlet runner beans are already blooming on the bamboo trellis. I am still not pulling out the peas as it is cool and they are still producing enough to keep us eating a time or so every 10 days. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">The onions I planted last fall are really getting big. I have been scraping back the soil from around the bulbs and think the harvest will keep us in onions for months. I have harvested about half of the green cabbage but none of the purple yet. The heads are doing well and getting big. I was able to trade a couple of heads of the green for eggs and make 3 - 1/2 gallon batches of kraut plus slaw. We intend to eat some cooked too. </span>Brocoli is going well but will bolt if the heat comes on too fast. good thing it is getting within days of picking. I am already planting beans where I had beets this winter. There are only a few beets left out front but I am replanting in the back were there is more afternoon shade. Lettuce too in shadier spots so we have it until bad heat.<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0Wells Branch, TX, USA30.4460353 -97.67945069999996130.3912788 -97.76013169999996 30.5007918 -97.598769699999963tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-13155763907607118822013-04-14T18:43:00.000-05:002013-04-14T18:44:14.577-05:00New growth as garden goes from winter to spring<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0i73kVp4RI/UWs-Lc269zI/AAAAAAAAMEY/ZxtTe3966GU/s1600/IMGP6663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_0i73kVp4RI/UWs-Lc269zI/AAAAAAAAMEY/ZxtTe3966GU/s320/IMGP6663.JPG" width="240" /></a>I have been so busy trying to rearrange the plants and cope with the crazy weather we are having. Hot days in early spring confuse the plants and are making me cover and uncover to keep things on an even keel. Got all the tomatoes in just after the last freeze date around March 10th only to have very cold nights a week later--37-39 is not freezing but way too cold for the little guys. I did a different thing in up-potting them that I will do again. I put the seedlings into 4" round pots that fit into quart yogurt containers and had self watering seedling pots. Roots came down, plants grew great and transplanting went really well. No root bound plants.<br />
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I put in a second round of broccoli from the nursery and am encouraging the brussel sprouts to make little heads--fighting the bugs. We will see how it goes. Peas are just about done and need to come out so I can plant the blackeyes there or peppers there and blackeyes where the cabbage is.<br />
Was lucky to get another variety of eggplant at the sustainable harvest spring event and put them in and got one more in a plant exchange.<br />
I harvested 3 beautiful cabbages this morning. Biggest yet--around 4-5 lbs. each. I am going to shred some for slaw and kraut and cook some for dinner. well worth planting!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-8525734131913477442013-02-28T13:42:00.001-06:002013-02-28T13:44:07.351-06:00March Garden Guild focus on shade gardening<span style="font-family: Arial;">Wells Branch is an aging neighborhood and with that comes a wonderful cover of shade from mature trees. Or maybe not so wonderful if you're trying to figure out which plants to grow in the lower level of sunshine. Many people also are trying to find perennial or drought tolerant plants to add to their landscaping. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The March meeting for the Wells branch Garden Guild will help you with all these questions. We are lucky to be having Michelle Pfluger from Green and Growing in Pflugerville to talk to us about shade plantings. In the brief discussion I had with her recently, she reeled off all kinds of ideas to address this "growing problem." Join us March 16th at 11 at 3000 Shoreline for the presentation and at 10:30 for chat and seed/plant exchanging.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com03000 Shoreline Drive, Austin, TX 78728, USA30.4547434 -97.683599899999993.1606379000000011 -138.9921939 57.7488489 -56.375005899999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-49214031503422634312013-02-28T10:18:00.000-06:002013-02-28T13:44:55.069-06:00Winter crops coming alongSeemed like such a long time since I planted the cabbage and the cauliflower and broccoli in the beats. All of a sudden all of them are getting ready to harvest. We have been eating beets now for several weeks, both the cauliflower and the broccoli have small heads on them and the brussels sprouts are taking off and putting on lots of their small heads on each stem. The spinach didn't fare too well this winter but we are getting a smattering. The bok choy keeps bolting because of the warm weather however is the flowers are absolutely covered by bees every day. They have put on nice large leaves which I'm harvesting individually. Even the lettuce is finally beginning to produce. I have two different kinds of P is growing and the ones that only get about 2 feet tall are producing well the other ones finally are blooming but they're getting mildew on them so we'll see how they do.<br />
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Going inside the greenhouse makes me smile. I have four different kinds of peppers in there and two different kinds of tomatoes as well as basil and one eggplant. All of the peppers are producing nicely and one of my tomatoes given to me by a friend is covered with small tomatoes that we have been able to ripen every few days. I am using the shelf to bring along the tomato seedlings until I can plant them in March. I have had to move most of the herbs out of the greenhouse and put them in the ground as they're big enough and have tolerated the transplanting.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-71766218146561736592013-01-07T11:33:00.002-06:002013-01-07T11:35:17.771-06:00Winter garden presents challengesThis falls garden has presented a number of challenges. The infestation of whiteflies and other insects I had in the front yard garden has carried over onto many of the fall garden plants. I have pulled out all of the infested plants throwing away many eggplants and squash plants. Faithfully using fish emulsion on the suggestion of green and growing and the sustainable harvest people I have managed to have plants that are once more thriving except for the beets. They are being particularly hard hit by something that's eating holes in their leaves but I don't want to risk putting too much nitrogen on them and causing them to not make adequate sized beets. I have also found a number of very large cut worms in the soil which were doing significant damage to my bean plants and others. I have dug them out and smash them in hopes of reducing their population. At least we have had several flight freezes in late December and early January.<br />
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We were able to get the greenhouse repositioned and covered with its plastic in plenty of time for the cold weather. In fact as soon as we had it ready the weather was not cold for several weeks again. The plants seem to be thriving in there with the extra humidity and heat. I have about six different kinds of pepper plants in the greenhouse and all of them have numerous peppers on them. This morning I noticed almost 20 small tomatoes on the four tomato plants and one more eggplant. I have a shelf mounted on the side to nurture small plants before I transplant them to the garden.<br />
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I use the tops of several 2 L bottles to make cloches for my broccoli and brussels sprouts transplants and these seem to have caused them to grow better. Experimenting with the tops and the middles of the 2 L bottles leads me to believe that the tops that are closed with just a small hole work better then a 4 inch tall surround from the middle of the bottle. Now I wonder if using the bottom that is totally closed over the plants will also work well. However I will use whatever I can use so that the plants are protected from all the wind we have had.<br />
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The garlic and the onion sets that I planted are growing well this year. I did get to mulch them with about an inch of leaves just before the freezes to keep the moisture into the ground. I think that only two or three of all the garlic bulbs I planted failed to germinate. We've been stealing a bit of the tops and they taste wonderful. I can hardly wait till this summer when we harvest them to have much superior garlic to what we've had in the past.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-4417595128705187752012-10-20T05:54:00.000-05:002012-10-21T06:25:30.995-05:00Herbs: grow them, love them, preserve them, cook with themWe always used herbs--a few but not very many and we were not using many fresh ones. That was before I tried growing them in the garden. We fell in love with purple basil and when I learned to make a good pesto--sweet basil. I got cutting from friends and started more kinds of herbs. Now we were on the lookout for recipes to use sage, cilantro, thyme, and more. I have found that putting them in medium sized pots seems to keep them in control and a bit smaller than those in the ground. It has also let me rearrange them and share them more easily. Found a great website about their growing habits and so in not reinventing the wheel: <a href="http://culinaryherbguide.com/herbgardens.html">http://culinaryherbguide.com/herbgardens.html</a><br />
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I learned how to make the plants multiply by doing cutting and rooting in water but was loosing many cuttings to rot. The last cuttings I rooted in wet sand and they all took. Now I am trying a batch in seed starter with sand and they also seem to be doing very well. I volunteered at Johnson Farm this summer and one of the days we did mint cuttings and planted them that way. The advantage is they grow faster and true to the parent plant. It worked well on the sage, begonias, lemon basil and mints.<br />
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I have tried out several ways of putting herbs up so that we have them fresh when we want to use them. I use my Foodsaver and make small vacuum bags then fill them with damp herbs, seal and freeze. I have also made up pesto packs with just a bit of oil so they need to have oil added to serve them. We also made parsley - garlic butter and thai basil butter. The mint kept really well in the refrigerator so it has not made it to the freezer. Now to find recipes using rosemary and more using fresh cilantro. <a href="http://culinaryherbguide.com/drying_freezing.html" target="_blank">drying and freezing herbs</a><br />
We grew chamomile in the school garden last year but I have never grown it. Great for attracting bees so I need to add one and the tea is not bad either.<br />
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Heather shared a printout at our last garden guild meeting on growing herbs from A&M <a href="http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/fallgarden/herbs.html">http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/fallgarden/herbs.html</a> and brought several different herbs for members to touch and smell. We discussed and demonstrated how to take cuttings and start new plants for ourselves. Great short video on this at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv3r9-CsF40" target="_blank">Propagating Herbs video on youtube</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-11957025464444697432012-10-01T16:36:00.001-05:002012-10-01T16:36:50.079-05:00Gardener's TO-Do list for October <br />
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From Organic Living</h1>
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Our zone-by-zone list will keep you busy this month.</h2>
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<strong style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="plant a wildflower meadow" height="400" src="http://www.organicgardening.com/sites/default/files/October-to-do-wildflowers.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: right; height: 507px; margin: 5px 15px; width: 380px;" width="299" /></strong><strong>Zone 8</strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Plant more lettuce, Chinese cabbage, spinach, carrots, beets, peas, radishes, onions, turnips, garlic, shallots, and cress.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Set out strawberry plants.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Sow a cover crop of winter rye (<em>Secale cereale</em>), purple vetch (<em>Vicia benghalensis</em>), Austrian winter peas (<em>Pisum arvense</em>), or ‘Elbon' rye (<em>Secale cereale</em> ‘Elbon') in vacant beds.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Use rye clippings to add nitrogen to compost, speeding the breakdown of fall leaves.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In flowerbeds, plant anemones, oxalis, and ranunculus for spring bloom.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Also, seed annual candytuft (<em>Iberis umbellata</em>) in bare spots of flowerbeds for spring bloom.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Broadcast wildflower seeds to establish a meadow.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Plant trees and shrubs: Warm fall temps will help them get established before winter.</li>
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For more zones or to look at other articles: <a href="http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/gardener-s-do-list-october?page=0,5" target="_blank">organicgardening.com</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7042993136898517239.post-42766856672532449632012-09-23T18:39:00.001-05:002012-09-23T18:39:36.303-05:00Fall gardening into full swing with brassicas and root crops<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I couldn't wait for fall so I could replace the under-performing plants that lived through the heat with the broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and beets/carrots that we seem to be able to grow in great profusion. I started all of the plants except cabbage from seed and am spending time fine tuning the soil with my little test kit and transplanting the little seedlings into the garden. I am also looking closely at companion plantings. The cool mornings are enticing me from many other tasks but the rewards are going to be many.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found an interesting lettuce tower on </span><a href="http://pinterest.com/dikoeler/garden-ideas/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and got it made up with a few sprigs of red sails lettuce. should be fun if nothing else. I am trying fall green beans and peas to see if they do better. Seems that last fall the green beans did pretty well. I have a new really short season variety to try. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The herbs are going strong compelling me to find recipes to utilize all of them. <a href="http://myfrenchcuisine.blogspot.com/2005/07/sage-pork-roast.html" target="_blank">Sage stuffed pork roast </a>was terrific, the Thai basil and garlic parsley butters are great on bread, potatoes, rice --the list goes on and on. I have dozens of packets pesto in the freezer waiting to be spread on pasta, bread, crackers and more. The lemon basil has appeared on chicken and on a zucchini torte. George is using a lot more mint in his tea too. I haven't tried out rosemary dishes but will go there next. Garlic cloves are on their way from the grower so next year we should have really tasty garlic to use too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I participated in a few plant swaps in the last few weeks and have added a number of perennials to the beds and bringing in new color and textures. I got half a dozen coleus plants of various leaf types and rooted most of them to double or triple the plantings. Looks pretty good out there even with all the heat.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910094531157508227noreply@blogger.com014907 Alpha Collier Dr, Austin, TX 78728, USA30.445898894112826 -97.67759799957275430.442476394112827 -97.682533499572756 30.449321394112825 -97.672662499572752