Gardening

[Ranger99]

Beans are blowing up through
the dirt.  Maters and peppers are
very slow. Been too cool and not
enough direct sun. Very overcast
and a cool breeze today
Cilantro and dill very slow

Looks like the folks way to the
west get a coat of snow according
to the weather people

[Bob Riebe]

Snow on the ground here  yesterday, no early planting this year.

[BUGEYE]

Planted my tomatoes Good Friday and then got a good rain.
They are standing more proud than when we bought them.

[Ranger99]

It'd cost a fortune to use started
plants here. $4.78 each here

[BUGEYE]

It'd cost a fortune to use started
plants here. $4.78 each here

That's probably about what I paid.
But I wanted hybrids and you can't start them from seeds.
Now if only I actually get some vine ripe tomatoes, I haven't the last three years.

[Mule 11]

I’ve found they’re actually better not fully ripe.

[BUGEYE]

I’ve found they’re actually better not fully ripe.

Nah, I want them red, ripe, and juicy.
Chunk them up in a bowl, salt and black pepper, and a spoon.

[Bob Riebe]

I’ve found they’re actually better not fully ripe.

That often depends on whether or not one likes sweet tomatoes vs what they call "real tomato taste".

I do not like mine sweet either and for sause underripe works well.

I am going to have to check and see how cold of ground potatoes can take; frost may or may not be out of the ground on May Day, when grandpa used to plant; but earlier planted , earlier ripe and earlier sprouting in the basement in spring.

[Ranger99]

I remember from the book and the
movie Dick Proenneke grew taters in
Laska
He was too soft hearted to kill the varmints
that ate a good bit of his vegetables

[BUGEYE]

I remember from the book and the
movie Dick Proenneke grew taters in
Laska
He was too soft hearted to kill the varmints
that ate a good bit of his vegetables

Stealing one of my tomatoes is a death sentence.
Rat trap baited with peanut butter in a box in the raised tomato bed.
Dogs can’t reach it squirrels can.

[Drilling Man]

I remember from the book and the
movie Dick Proenneke grew taters in
Laska
He was too soft hearted to kill the varmints
that ate a good bit of his vegetables

  I'm not sure where you got that idea, Dick shot lots of different animals to eat.  Here's something most don't know, but Dick didn't live out at Twin Lakes full time, he had a job and folks flew food and other things out to him regularly.

  BTW, I grew LOTS of potatoes in Alaska, in fact I sold quite a few pounds every year.

  DM

[BUGEYE]

I hear tell that Alaska vegetables grow quick and are bigger than those in the lower 48.

[Ranger99]

I remember from the book and the
movie Dick Proenneke grew taters in
Laska
He was too soft hearted to kill the varmints
that ate a good bit of his vegetables

  I'm not sure where you got that idea, Dick shot lots of different animals to eat

Well,  in the book he speaks of rabbits/hares eating
his rows of peas, then in the next sentence says
something like well they can have them.
I would have thought he would say that he killed
a rabbit in the garden every day for so-and-so days.
Yeah,  it's obvious from the book that he wasn't
subsisting on his gardening and meat gathering,
but from what was flown in by his bush pilot friend.
Even here in "civilization " I treat my small garden
stuff like it might be the only thing I get to eat
and that if a varmint eats a tomato, that's one
less bite of supper I'll have for myself

[Mule 11]

That reminds me I have to relocate a whistle pig.

[Bob Riebe]

Back when I mailed off for garden supplies, I always had a check reciept so I knew what I ordered; well today I got a box in the mail , from a garden center and did not know what it was.
It was onions from Piedmont Farm & Garden in South Carolina, usually there is a ordered form on the lap top but I either erased it or they never sent one.
When I opened I remember ordering what they sent but it still bothers me I had to open it to remember.

Now I always have had a select memory, remembering what I chose, but now I know I know some thing but some times I am going to state an item, get distracted for a few seconds, and cannot remember what it was I know  I was going to say but know, I know it.

Onions can take being planted in this weather but garden it too darn wet to till and I always till and remound the berm I grow them on, keeps it nice and loose and replenishes the soil.

[Drilling Man]

I hear tell that Alaska vegetables grow quick and are bigger than those in the lower 48.

  Yes and no, it depends on where in Alaska the garden is.  Also, many of those picts. you have seen of huge veggies are spl. varieties that grow BIG, but aren't very good for eating.

  One thing that was very good there, was NO potato bugs, I never had to spray for anything...

  DM

[BUGEYE]

I hear tell that Alaska vegetables grow quick and are bigger than those in the lower 48.

  Yes and no, it depends on where in Alaska the garden is.  Also, many of those picts. you have seen of huge veggies are spl. varieties that grow BIG, but aren't very good for eating.

  One thing that was very good there, was NO potato bugs, I never had to spray for anything...

  DM

I spent many hours as a kid bent over with a stick and a tin can with kerosene in it brushing potato bugs into the can.
As for big, a woman in Florida gave me a lemon as large as a football, it had less than a tablespoon of juice.

[Ranger99]

Sure do need some continuous sun
and warmth to make everything go.
We've been having these cold snaps
and dreary dark days every day.
Dark all day here so far.
Some days dark enough to make the
outside lights come on

You folks in the cold dark regions
are tough.  I would be depressed

[Bob Riebe]

After 70 , rainy and windy yesterday; today is 46 , cloudy and windy.
Temps. in the high thirties low forties for next four days but I may, maybe fire up the roto-tiller and at least till the edge of the garden and the berm, so I can get the onions in.

Slight chance I may get some of my potatoes in around May Day as Grandpa used to do.

[Mule 11]

After 70 , rainy and windy yesterday; today is 46 , cloudy and windy.
Temps. in the high thirties low forties for next four days but I may, maybe fire up the roto-tiller and at least till the edge of the garden and the berm, so I can get the onions in.

Slight chance I may get some of my potatoes in around May Day as Grandpa used to do.

Had my first thought of the roto tiller today. Road the local single track bike trail with wife and kids. Low 80’s today, snow in the forecast

[Ranger99]

. . .  maybe fire up the roto-tiller and at least till the edge of the garden and the berm, so I can get the onions in.

I would unless it was all soup
Mine's all containers and raised beds
so it can all be turned by hand
relatively quickly

Mines very slow growing right now
because of the dreary weather.
The yard long beans are doing great
though. They are tough tough tough.
It's a shame there's not a hamhock
vine I could plant with the beans.
I could live off of what I grew

[Bob Riebe]

We have been steadily below average all month but it seems the temperatures will his fifties, sixties and then seventies for the next 14 days.

No more twenties at night so, now I have no reason for not getting the gardens flower and vegetable ready.
I must admit jumping from forties to seventies suddently sucks, as you do have time to get adapted .

[Mule 11]

Bought a dozen better boys, going in the ground soon. Rest of the garden will follow. Btw I paid $8 for 12 very healthy plants which are outside adjusting.

[wtxbadger]

Everything planted for this year except for sweet potatoes. Yellow squash, butternut squash, green beans, tomatoes, blackeye peas, beets, cucumbers and eggplant. Growing our slips for the sweet taters and it's taking time for them. Never have grown beets or eggplant and I'm wondering how they'll do.

[Mule 11]

My first garden I grew when I was 7 from seed. Horseradish and they did well butt never ate one. I love horseradish now butt have not tried to grow any. Mebbe in my future or not.

[Bob Riebe]

I have all my potatoes planted , both North and South gardens; approximately 25 plants up North and 60 plants down South; I gave approx. a dozen potatoes from last year to my Cousin's Mom as they were still usable and I have more than enough in the ground as is.

It is 70 degrees now, and as the forecast seems to change daily not sure, but stinkin eighties in the next few days and seventies after that, which is odd as two days ago the high days were forecast but what is now seventies was supposed to be fifties and sixties.

Still have put my many plots of corn, both sweet and dent , in and tomatoes, brocolli, carrots, and what ever else strikes my fancy.
My volunteer tomatillos seem to have disappeared but I weede heavily last summer which included many volunteer vegetables.

[Ranger99]

Need to get a few weeds pulled
and some of the grass clippings
raked up for mulching a small
patch of okra

[30calflash]

 I'm behind on it, as usual. The weather is finally decent, 60-70's daytime and 40-50's nights. Earlier this week it was 40-50 daytime.

[Ranger99]

Chopped up some weeds and pulled
some others.  A few of the maters are
rolling along. No fruits yet
One relative in SA harvested her 1st
mater of 2022 this week
They use started plants though, and
I use seed

[Bob Riebe]

Chopped up some weeds and pulled
some others.  A few of the maters are
rolling along. No fruits yet
One relative in SA harvested her 1st
mater of 2022 this week
They use started plants though, and
I use seed

I had thought about putting some vegetable plants I bought in the garden yesterday, but they would be battered and laying on their side if I had.