User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Re: TomatoNuts 2021 garden

@Gary350 — on the iPhone, if you tap at the sender at top of message and tap info and then info again on next screen, you can scroll down and BLOCK the number the message was sent from, then you can delete the message itself.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I am a pack rat. I have a list for a basic hurricane kit. It contains. Water jugs (collapsible 5 gallon jugs). I also save some beverage bottles 2 L. soda and Juice bottles every year as emergency water jugs. I have the rain barrels that I can use for non-potable water and I have plastic sheeting and garbage bags that I can use to line the tub for emergency water. I check my battery supply. They all tend to expire at the same time and I have flashlights in the important areas of the house. I have a hand crank emergency radio (no batteries required). I have already started collecting food supplies just in case. Fruit, soups, canned meats, spaghetti, ravioli, chili, beans, etc. that don't have to be cooked to eat and most of them have pull tabs. I have pet carriers and a crate and at least a month's supply of cat food that I always try to keep on hand. I have enough bleach and sanitation wipes to last a few years I think. I have a separate box that contains other stuff for hurricane supplies including tarps and ropes, cooking equipment, and portable cookers (no fuel though, so that is why I get a lot of canned goods that don't need to be cooked). I have a tent (which needs to be aired out annually). A basic camp kit (whistle, matches, emergency blankets. If I have to evacuate, I have the basic kit plus a list of other things that need to be added to it, like a can opener, cash, clothes, extra batteries and stuff like that. I have a smaller car than before, so I may have to prioritize things if I do have to evacuate.

I have been lucky, except for the last minute trying to tie things down in the yard, I have only had to deal with power outages and the muggy days that follow the storm and some broken glass. But, Oahu has not had a direct hit (knock on wood). I don't live in a flood zone, so there is little problems with flooding, but after past storms we have had rolling blackouts due to storm damage to the generators. The sewer system depends on pumps and that backs up everywhere. Water also needs to be pumped uphill, so water availability can be affected by power outages.
I have a couple of gas cans for extra gas. That is always a problem when there are prolonged power outages as well. Most gas stations cannot pump gas without power.

We have to store a longer food and water supply than the mainland because when the power goes out, the power company does not have any extra resources to call out to fix it. If ports are damaged by high surf, cargo cannot get in easily. Not to mention that most of our houses are not made of hurricane proof materials. I do have hurricane clips on my house, but it is only going to withstand a category 1 hurricane, the shingles won't be protected. The house is not going to withstand much higher winds.

The planners in all their brilliance, did not design any new school facility as a civil defense shelter so only the older schools are designated. If you want to take your pets, you have to find out which shelters accept pets in advance, or they have to stay in the cars in the open parking lot.

Every year, I usually stock up on certain canned goods as an emergency food supply. A lot of times, it is things I don't normally eat so I end up throwing it away as it expires or I give them away. Which is what I did when I did my last purging of the pantry.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

So while I'm connected to temporary Wi-Fi again, I will update everyone: @Gary, don't worry I don't want an apple phone. No need in my having a phone that is smarter and more expensive than me anyway, lol! I finally found a LG Journey that I will go with. I've been super busy but ill get it soon.

@Applestar, I have tried out the Sweet Splash Electra: the mottled yellow fruits have thick walls, juicy and have a very mild sweet flavor. I have saved seeds from it, some are already spoken for, but if you would like some of the seed just holler, I am happy to share.

@Imafan, I really wish I had the storage space for emergency stuff like you described, otherwise I to would save stuff up. Actually I was I could afford a storm shelter. What are collapsible water jugs?

Garden update: my tomatoes are already playing out, and I have started more from seed for fall: Terra Cotta, more Spoon, Big Beef, Splash of Cream, Marglobe and German Pink. I'm debating about whether or not to remove my cucumbers and put squash in its place. There's been an outbreak of itty bitty toads, I have to be careful where I walk.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

I am now setting up my brand new LG Journey phone. I don't like it but I'll bond with it eventually. But now I can be active again.

Garden update: I didnt have the heart to pull out my cukes so I made a trellis out of two stakes and twine. The male blossoms are showing up.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I know the feeling. My old computer died and windows 10 refused to talk to my camera, phone, and wifi. I could not get the pictures out of my camera or my old phone and nothing was wrong with them. I was forced to buy a new phone with a camera, but someday, it will probably be obsolete and I will be forced to buy another expensive phone with features I don't want or need. I still have problems with the ethernet. I have the ethernet cable directly connected to the computer, but the adapter, also needs updating and I have had to buy a new one when the old one could no longer update.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Yesterday I grabbed my pruning shears pruned down and\or removed my spring tomato plants. All that remains is Blue Beauty, Berkley TDG, Bradley, Shimofuri and Sweetheart Cherry. And even those will be replaced with my fall crop soon.

I also harvested my first cuke yesterday, a couple more are on the way.

I blanched and froze four packages of tomatoes for winter soup so far.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Collapsible water jugs are 5 gallon water jugs made of soft plastic. It is usually sold where they sell camping supplies. The collapsible jugs and the other compact things like the camping utensils and folding pot and frying pan make it easier to stock a lot of things in my hurricane kit.

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-20000148 ... 8282&psc=1

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Long time no post. Not much happening in my garden. My hogbrain peas are growing good, I was afraid they weren't going to make it. The viability of those seeds I saved from last year must have been somewhat low. Many of the seeds didn't germinate.

My one Heavy Hitter okra plant has given me two nice little handfuls of okra so far. I pulled out my last bag of frozen okra from last year, and fried up a huge batch. It was delicious. I can eat that stuff like candy.

Anyway, the one plant I have is infested with ants. They're sucking or doing something to the new buds and blossoms. This morning I blasted the plant with the water hose but I know the nasty vermin will come right back. I would've brought out the sevin dust but there was a baby lizard and a grumpy mantis on the plant so I will not poison them. Too bad mantises and lizards don't eat fireants.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I use outdoor Terro for ants. The boric acid stays in the container and the container has pegs to anchor it so it does not get in the soil. I put it at the base of plants like lemon grass, citrus trees, and gardenia because the ants and aphids really like to go after those plants.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

How do you catch a dumb rabbit? One has been sneaking in my fenced in backyard during the night and snacking on peas and rolling in the sand. My fence is lined with chicken wire along the bottom so idk where it's getting in! Last night I sat two traps and my night camera. Traps caught nothing and camera got nice pictures of my knee, my legs and boots. Rabbit must have turned invisible as it went by the camera, I had it set very close to the spot around the garden bed where the varmint must be jumping up and into the pea patch. I had baited the traps with shelled pea pods but it didn't work. Someone suggested I use a carrot but I know a wild rabbit wouldn't be interested in a store-bought carrot from the refrigerator. Any suggestions, please?

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Sat Sep 18, 2021 11:46 am
How do you catch a dumb rabbit? One has been sneaking in my fenced in backyard during the night and snacking on peas and rolling in the sand. My fence is lined with chicken wire along the bottom so idk where it's getting in! Last night I sat two traps and my night camera. Traps caught nothing and camera got nice pictures of my knee, my legs and boots. Rabbit must have turned invisible as it went by the camera, I had it set very close to the spot around the garden bed where the varmint must be jumping up and into the pea patch. I had baited the traps with shelled pea pods but it didn't work. Someone suggested I use a carrot but I know a wild rabbit wouldn't be interested in a store-bought carrot from the refrigerator. Any suggestions, please?
I have 3 motion detector Game Cameras. I have trouble getting pictures of animals because the cameras have a 5 second delay before they start recording. If an animal walks across the picture it will leave the picture before the camera talks a photo or video. Sometimes I get 50 blank pictures and 1 picture of an animals tail as it is leaving. Very frustrating. Try to setup camera so animal has to walk straight at the camera. A few years ago I though deer were eating corn, I raked soil smooth next day no deer foot prints only tiny animal foot prints that turned out the be squirrels. Fence will not keep cats or squirrels out of my garden but they are seldom a problem. Cats keep squirrels out of my garden. Cameras are $50 each at Walmart and if you order from Walmart online they cost less with free postage.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Some stupid idiot dumped a puppy off at my house last night. I wondered what that thumping noise was. I'm ignoring it/staying inside hoping it will leave but it's spreading it's germs/fleas on the front porch. Now I'm going to have to haul it off somewhere else. I need a sign that says "if you dump off an animal near my house you will be caught on camera" and maybe that would stop the midnight animal abandonment at my house, lol!

Not much happening in the garden. I'm only getting very few handfuls of hogbrain peas, they're maturing abnormally slow. Must be the weather. I'm no expert on peas that's for sure, what's the lowest temp cowpeas can tolerate?

Getting the last of the okra. I accidentally broke the top of the main stalk trying to bend it down to reach a pod. It's really amazing how much I've gotten just off this one plant. Total space saver! I've saved some seed if someone would like any.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

I had 5 lbs of okra seeds form last years okra crop. We eat okra seeds in soup like beans. I like to plant about 40 okra plants because they are very slow at first then 2 weeks later we get enough pods at once to have a meal. Then 2 months later I pick a 5 gallon bucket full of okra every week. When okra starts coming too fast to eat I let pod go to seed. I did not plant okra this year and not planting it ever again it takes up too much space for such a small harvest. Saved seeds stay good about 10 years.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Gary350 wrote:
Wed Oct 06, 2021 1:28 pm
I had 5 lbs of okra seeds form last years okra crop. We eat okra seeds in soup like beans. I like to plant about 40 okra plants because they are very slow at first then 2 weeks later we get enough pods at once to have a meal. Then 2 months later I pick a 5 gallon bucket full of okra every week. When okra starts coming too fast to eat I let pod go to seed. I did not plant okra this year and not planting it ever again it takes up too much space for such a small harvest. Saved seeds stay good about 10 years.
Then maybe you should try growing Heavy Hitter. Plants are such heavy producers you could plant much less. I got a few quart bags of okra in the freezer, fried a batch or two, and even gave some away just from one plant.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Sorry I didn't post this earlier but I have removed my okra and hogbrain peas and have planted cabbage transplants, spinach seed, lettuce transplants and some scraggly arugula and kale that I grew myself. Bonnie plants have gotten more outrageously expensive, they used to be 3.58 a plant or six pack now they are 4 something.

No frost expected here yet but I need to go ahead and pick what bell peppers are left. I don't need anymore frozen but I will freeze them if I can't give them away.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 11:08 am
I'm so proud! :D This is the biggest onion I have grown! I have learned my lesson: NO MORE SETS! Transplants only!
THAT is a NICE onions. I have never grown onions that large. I tried transplants last year they are suppose to be better than sets buy did no better than sets. Transplants were $7 for bundle of 50. Sets are $1.50 per bag of 75. I planted seeds 2 months ago they will be transplants March 1st.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Gary350 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:35 pm
TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 11:08 am
I'm so proud! :D This is the biggest onion I have grown! I have learned my lesson: NO MORE SETS! Transplants only!
THAT is a NICE onions. I have never grown onions that large. I tried transplants last year they are suppose to be better than sets buy did no better than sets. Transplants were $7 for bundle of 50. Sets are $1.50 per bag of 75. I planted seeds 2 months ago they will be transplants March 1st.
I'm going to stop getting sets. After years of failure or puny bulbs I am not getting them again. Transplants this year did WAY better. I've never done onion from seed I guess it's too late for me to start any now. And I wouldn't know what seed to get for this area anyway.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 4:45 pm
Gary350 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:35 pm
TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed May 19, 2021 11:08 am
I'm so proud! :D This is the biggest onion I have grown! I have learned my lesson: NO MORE SETS! Transplants only!
THAT is a NICE onions. I have never grown onions that large. I tried transplants last year they are suppose to be better than sets buy did no better than sets. Transplants were $7 for bundle of 50. Sets are $1.50 per bag of 75. I planted seeds 2 months ago they will be transplants March 1st.
I'm going to stop getting sets. After years of failure or puny bulbs I am not getting them again. Transplants this year did WAY better. I've never done onion from seed I guess it's too late for me to start any now. And I wouldn't know what seed to get for this area anyway.
I think now it a good time to plant onion seeds, I ordered more seeds today, 250 yellow onion seeds, 250 red onion seeds. I planted seeds Sept 1st it appeared most of the seeds grew but many of them died it was too dry. Seeds are $1.69 per 250 pack free shipping Ebay.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Gary350 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:43 pm
TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 4:45 pm
Gary350 wrote:
Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:35 pm


THAT is a NICE onions. I have never grown onions that large. I tried transplants last year they are suppose to be better than sets buy did no better than sets. Transplants were $7 for bundle of 50. Sets are $1.50 per bag of 75. I planted seeds 2 months ago they will be transplants March 1st.
I'm going to stop getting sets. After years of failure or puny bulbs I am not getting them again. Transplants this year did WAY better. I've never done onion from seed I guess it's too late for me to start any now. And I wouldn't know what seed to get for this area anyway.
I think now it a good time to plant onion seeds, I ordered more seeds today, 250 yellow onion seeds, 250 red onion seeds. I planted seeds Sept 1st it appeared most of the seeds grew but many of them died it was too dry. Seeds are $1.69 per 250 pack free shipping Ebay.
I for sure don't need 250 seed, how long will onion seed store? I didn't think it was very long, like only a year?

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

Seeds are so low cost on Ebay & so easy to order in 2 minutes, then they arrive at my door 3 days later. $1.69 FREE postage for 250 onion seeds is a better deal than any seed catalog. This is what I ordered yesterday. If I could grow onions as large as yours I would not need to grow 500 onions. It will take 5 or 6 of my small onions to = your 1 large onion. 500 small onions don't take up much garden space in 32" wide beds. Last years experiments long day onions grew the same size as intermediate onions in TN and transplants were over priced and did not do well. If I grown my own transplants they might grow better sets.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184380684361?var=692080932457

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184859187484?var=692639329419
Last edited by Gary350 on Thu Nov 04, 2021 1:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I like Pinetree Garden Seeds (superseeds.com) for their interesting selection and very small quantity and cost seeds. They might not be actually inexpensive per number of seeds, but when you don’t need a lot and don’t want to spend more money for more seeds, it’s acceptable trade off.

The seed packets are so small I sometimes end up buying 2 packets (which might have defeated the purpose except the particular variety was hard to find :lol:)

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Someone dumped another mutt off out here. A female that appears to have had puppies recently. I got my pellet gun after it and she ran off. It's thin as a rail, it'll either starve or a predator will kill it and it's pups if it had them after being dumped. Wish my yard were fenced in with high powered electric fencing that would electrify anything that touched it, I'm sick of people dumping animals out here. I want that rabbit gone to, I can't seem to trap it and I have absolutely no idea where it's getting in. Tired of watching where I walk in my own backyard, it's full of rabbit mess.

Anyway, I'm having trouble with my spinach germinating. I've heard it's spotty on coming up but so far I'm only seeing one baby come up in that whole row. Is there a trick to spinach?

Vanisle_BC
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1354
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2015 9:02 pm
Location: Port Alberni, B.C. Canada, Zone 7 (+?)

@TomatoNut - as soon as someone gives you the spinach secret, could you pass it on? Not sure why I try to grow the stuff; I don't really like it.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Vanisle_BC wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:03 pm
@TomatoNut - as soon as someone gives you the spinach secret, could you pass it on? Not sure why I try to grow the stuff; I don't really like it.
Ah-ha, so there IS a spinach secret? Lol! I like fresh spinach leaves as a healthy part on pasta or pizza. I have heard it's a spotty germinator, I tried to grow it years ago with puny success. I guess I'll just replant for now.

pepperhead212
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2851
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:52 pm
Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b

I never had a problem with it germinating (but then, I never kept it very long, so it was never old seed! lol) - my problem was that it bolted before I got very much at all out of it, like cilantro! Spring, fall, indoors, all different types, no matter what - same result. Some people put the seeds in the fridge a couple of weeks before planting, but I didn't do this, and it almost all came up.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 9:41 pm
Vanisle_BC wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:03 pm
@TomatoNut - as soon as someone gives you the spinach secret, could you pass it on? Not sure why I try to grow the stuff; I don't really like it.
Ah-ha, so there IS a spinach secret? Lol! I like fresh spinach leaves as a healthy part on pasta or pizza. I have heard it's a spotty germinator, I tried to grow it years ago with puny success. I guess I'll just replant for now.
I don't know the spinach secret either. Every thing I grow is a learning experience to learn what seeds & plants like best. 100 seeds will grow only a few plants for me & I learn it does best in cold weather & bolts is warm weather. Bugs eat it is summer but not winter. Watch YouTube videos you might learn how to grow it. I often need to watch 20 videos to finally learn what will work for me.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Gary350 wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 7:53 am
TomatoNut95 wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 9:41 pm
Vanisle_BC wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 7:03 pm
@TomatoNut - as soon as someone gives you the spinach secret, could you pass it on? Not sure why I try to grow the stuff; I don't really like it.
Ah-ha, so there IS a spinach secret? Lol! I like fresh spinach leaves as a healthy part on pasta or pizza. I have heard it's a spotty germinator, I tried to grow it years ago with puny success. I guess I'll just replant for now.
I don't know the spinach secret either. Every thing I grow is a learning experience to learn what seeds & plants like best. 100 seeds will grow only a few plants for me & I learn it does best in cold weather & bolts is warm weather. Bugs eat it is summer but not winter. Watch YouTube videos you might learn how to grow it. I often need to watch 20 videos to finally learn what will work for me.
I can't use YouTube much because it would use too much data. I prefer a book anyway. The spinach variety I got is Bloomsdale Long Standing. It's supposed to be prolific. Last night I got a storm, I think while the ground is still moist I'll replant and whatever happens, happens. I never was good at cold crops from seed anyway. But my arugula, mustard greens and kale from seed are struggling on. My Chinese celery is still too itty bitty to put in the ground.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

The ladybugs are TERRIBLE!! I despise this time of year when they swarm. I don't understand why when I truly need them during the spring/summer gardening peaks that it's a miracle if I see a couple of them but then when it's cooling off, and aphids aren't a problem, they swarm by the millions and I have trouble going outside without any of them sticking on me and coming inside with me. As beneficial as they are, right now they are being pests and I'm considering breaking out the Ortho.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

On the mainland, ladybugs hibernate for winter. Apparently they like basements and crawl spaces. People are called to collect them and later they will be sold to other people who want them in the Spring.

I don't know where my ladybugs go at this time of the year. I still have whiteflies, so I wish they'd come back. The bees are still very active every day. The colonies here get smaller in the fall, but they don't stop foraging.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

imafan26 wrote:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 7:31 pm
On the mainland, ladybugs hibernate for winter. Apparently they like basements and crawl spaces. People are called to collect them and later they will be sold to other people who want them in the Spring.

I don't know where my ladybugs go at this time of the year. I still have whiteflies, so I wish they'd come back. The bees are still very active every day. The colonies here get smaller in the fall, but they don't stop foraging.
If I could sell these ladybugs, I'd make a fortune!!! I won't Ortho them, I know they are too beneficial to destroy. I'm worried about my honeybees, I think my roadrunner has been snacking on them. The honeybees are still foraging on the flowers of the bush who's name I can't spell at the current time and the roadrunner dashes around the base of the bush like he's on fire. He's a very amusing bird; I'm assuming he's trying to chase some bugs. He hasn't been in my yard much this month, probably the scent of that stray dog that wandered around here for a couple of weeks.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:19 pm
imafan26 wrote:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 7:31 pm
On the mainland, ladybugs hibernate for winter. Apparently they like basements and crawl spaces. People are called to collect them and later they will be sold to other people who want them in the Spring.

I don't know where my ladybugs go at this time of the year. I still have whiteflies, so I wish they'd come back. The bees are still very active every day. The colonies here get smaller in the fall, but they don't stop foraging.
If I could sell these ladybugs, I'd make a fortune!!! I won't Ortho them, I know they are too beneficial to destroy. I'm worried about my honeybees, I think my roadrunner has been snacking on them. The honeybees are still foraging on the flowers of the bush who's name I can't spell at the current time and the roadrunner dashes around the base of the bush like he's on fire. He's a very amusing bird; I'm assuming he's trying to chase some bugs. He hasn't been in my yard much this month, probably the scent of that stray dog that wandered around here for a couple of weeks.
I have heard there is a look alike lady bug that is not a lady bug but I don't know how to tell 1 from the other. I wonder if that is true? When I see lady bugs I live them along. Why are lady bugs good for the garden?

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Gary350 wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 5:23 pm
TomatoNut95 wrote:
Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:19 pm
imafan26 wrote:
Sun Nov 21, 2021 7:31 pm
On the mainland, ladybugs hibernate for winter. Apparently they like basements and crawl spaces. People are called to collect them and later they will be sold to other people who want them in the Spring.

I don't know where my ladybugs go at this time of the year. I still have whiteflies, so I wish they'd come back. The bees are still very active every day. The colonies here get smaller in the fall, but they don't stop foraging.
If I could sell these ladybugs, I'd make a fortune!!! I won't Ortho them, I know they are too beneficial to destroy. I'm worried about my honeybees, I think my roadrunner has been snacking on them. The honeybees are still foraging on the flowers of the bush who's name I can't spell at the current time and the roadrunner dashes around the base of the bush like he's on fire. He's a very amusing bird; I'm assuming he's trying to chase some bugs. He hasn't been in my yard much this month, probably the scent of that stray dog that wandered around here for a couple of weeks.
I have heard there is a look alike lady bug that is not a lady bug but I don't know how to tell 1 from the other. I wonder if that is true? When I see lady bugs I live them along. Why are lady bugs good for the garden?
I think there is a ladybug look-alike but I've never seen them here. I have, however, seen a reverse ladybug that was black with two red spots. Ladybugs are beneficial to your garden because they eat aphids. Or their nymphs do anyway. One reason I don't like ladybugs because they stink if you pick them up. They must be in the stinkbug family. For me, ladybugs are never there when I need them. I wish I could raise hover flies.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Saw the first robins of the season. It was a pleasant sight.

Got a question: how often is it truly necessary to rake around plants to areate the soil? My bff thinks it's not necessary to do at all but I've heard that soil that is compacted over time from traffic and heavy rain causes suffocation to the plants roots and you're supposed to rake the soil to get air to the roots. My bff says to keep raking excessively causes the soil to become more compacted underneath. I only hoe to control weeds. What does anyone else think?

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Actually I don't use a rake to aerate the soil. I don't mulch because, I don't have good mulch available and mulch provides hiding places for vermin like snails, roaches, and beetles.

I don't do a lot of cultivation around perennials (like my roses), mainly because the roots are near the surface and I might damage them. I do apply a thin layer of compost on top. Supposedly the earthworms and other critters in the soil come up and pull it down. I know I have a lot of earthworms in the garden because I can't avoid digging them up when I do use a shovel.

That being said, I do believe there is a truth to compaction over time. I have been practicing no til in my main garden for a couple of years. I have found it to be true that it creates layers on top of the soil and when I have deep rooted plants, I am finding they are doing poorer over time. This year, instead of tilling, I tried forking, not so much for the compaction but to try to get more nutrients down deeper in the soil. A core aerator, gave me space to spread compost and fertilizer deeper into the soil layers before I added the top layer. My soil test is pretty much off the charts, but I find that the plants do better if the fertilizer is not only at the top. I will have to see how well this strategy works. If it does not work out so well, I might try strip tilling.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I think it depends on the plants— are they annuals/vegs or perennials? shallow rooted or deep, or shrubs? what kind of moisture levels do they prefer?

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

applestar wrote:
Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:20 pm
I think it depends on the plants—
It does depend on the plants. Melons need sandy soil plants need roots same length as the vines. Certain pepper plants than can grow 6 foot tall plants need very long roots. If roots are too small plants will drop blossoms and drop fruit. Sweet potatoes need long roots. I have never used an aerator machine but I have tilled 3 cu ft bales of peat moss into the soil to make it soft for sweet bell peppers to grow 6 ft tall instead of on 3 ft tall & produce 50 large peppers per plant.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

applestar wrote:
Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:20 pm
I think it depends on the plants— are they annuals/vegs or perennials? shallow rooted or deep, or shrubs? what kind of moisture levels do they prefer?
Vegetables. Like, how often should you aereate the soil around ANY vegetable plants. My mother thinks its necessary to do it like every other day otherwise the plants will suffocate. How that notion got into her head I don't know. She didn't used to think that way before. She raked the top of the soil around her bean plants too often if you ask me. I recall reading somewhere that compacted soil caused by a lot of traffic isn't really good for my plants, but it's not like I stomped around my plants. My soil would become the most compacted via heavy rainfall.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I prep the soil before I plant. In no till gardening, I forked the garden first just to aerate it and put 4 inches of potting mix essentially on top of it. I plant in that. It does not need any more aeration until the next planting. I have noticed that my bed has gotten harder to dig, or maybe it is just because I haven't as much strength as before. I can still dig it. Mainly, the problem is getting it dry enough since it is never a good idea to dig wet clay. I have been there and the clods take years to fix. I have to walk in my garden because it is an oval so I use stepping stones in the garden so I only walk in certain places and avoid compacting the rest of the garden as much as possible. I don't really have to rake my beds, I have under planted the roses and I actually have to cut the grass out because it is always encroaching on the border beds.

I don't have as many weeds this way, but I still sometimes have to get in the garden to pull some of them out. I try to plant intensively so the plants almost touch each other. That way they cover the soil and keep the light out so there are fewer weeds and the leaves catch the rain and direct the water to the ground, so I don't get a lot of soil erosion.

However, where the feral chicken dug up my flower bed, I did add more compost and fertilizer before planting the flower seeds. Although the flower seeds have started to germinate, the bed is actually alongside my sloping driveway, so I am losing some soil with this rain since I have a lot of loose soil on the top and the plants are too small to hold it together. Luckily, I only partially renovated the bed and the roses are also well established so there is not a big bare space.

User avatar
TomatoNut95
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2069
Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 11:11 am
Location: Texas Zone 8

Got another question here: somebody told me that garden plants don't like oak leaves. Idk if I believe that either because I used oak leaf mulch in my garden before with no problems.

User avatar
Gary350
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7396
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:59 pm
Location: TN. 50 years of gardening experience.

TomatoNut95 wrote:
Sat Dec 04, 2021 4:50 pm
Got another question here: somebody told me that garden plants don't like oak leaves. Idk if I believe that either because I used oak leaf mulch in my garden before with no problems.
I have never heard oak leaves are bad for soil. My father had a very large 70 ft tall oak tree near his garden that dumped 5" of leaves on the garden soil for about 50 years. He tilled those dry dead leaves into the soil every spring about mid May. Oak trees are the only trees I know that hold their dead leaves all winter then drop dead leaves about mid May when the tree starts to sprout new leaves. Maybe that is why his soil always looked like potting soil. ??? I never thought about that before. I have a giant 65 ft tall maple tree that drops leaves in the wrong direction form my garden. Yesterday I was looking at all those leaves wishing I had all of them in my garden. I need a lawn mower that will suck up leaves then blow them into a container in the rear of the mower.



Return to “Vegetable Garden Progress + Photos & Videos”