Losing your passion for gardening?

This is my first year planting vegetables. They did OK but the ones in the pots did amazing. So my soil needs to be amended.

My problem now is that theres so many mosquitoes and the temp is getting really hot to be outside gardening. The weeds are getting redicoluos. The more I weed the more weeds come into my plot. Its very frustrating. Today I got bit up in the face by mosquitoes. The heat even at 6pm was too humid.

I live in Wisconsin so I shouldnt be whining like this. But I'm itching all over and I was only out for five minutes weeding.

Im seriously thinking out pot gardening now. No weeds to worry about. Easier on my back. But I have a nice backyard with plenty of space. Grrrrr. OK Im done now!

Britishbooke, I feel your pain! Right now it's a toss-up in my garden as to which is growing faster: the mosquitos or the weeds.

Have you tried one of those mosquito-magnet machines? Cousins of mine in North Dakota (the mosquito is the State Bird) have good luck with them in their back yards.

I do a lot of vegetable gardening in containers, and am pleased with the results. And you can read Carrie's article on container gardening at the site below--it also appears as today's article on DG, on the right side of the screen:

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/933/

britishbloke - I'm British, too!

The first year of veggie gardening can be particularly frustrating, but it does get easier as the years pass. Hubby and I (he's also British) moved into this house three years ago and the first summer we faced a sea of Burmuda grass. Now, let me tell you, Burmuda grass will grow up through ANYTHING you put down to smother it! But, three years later, most of the area is Burmuda grass free and the veggies are doing just great.

I still have a large area where I need to tackle the grass, but I reserve that chore for Spring and Fall when the weather is cooler. I AM winning!

Good luck with your gardening .

When it's in the mid-upper 80s in the mornings, 105º in the late afternoon, and "only" in the mid 90s at dusk, it's very easy to lose your passion for gardening. The mosquitoes here are active all the time and I'm a much-loved target. I spray with a homemade mosquito repellent when I walk out the door. I've heard that dry garlic applied to your yard will help keep them at bay. I've not tried it on the yard, but I did try it outside my back door and it worked well.

Thanks everyone. I was so frustrated when I posted this. Today luckily was windy and I was able to get alot done.

I did by one of these Mosquito repelents that this site has had commercials about. You hook it up to your belt/waist. Ill let you know if its worth 8 bucks or not.

I truly hate mosquitoes. Always flying in your face. They love me. Maybe I might go on a garlic binge.

I'll have to take a picture of this type of grass. If it wasnt seeding so much I would have almost zero weeds. I dont have any other problem than this one type of grass which grows behind me as Im weeding it out.....

Argh!

I lay a thick mulch around the plants. Reduces the weeding chore to next to nothing.


Frank

I feel your pain--moved to this house last fall--I am fighting bermuda and johnson grass--they both come out of nowhere everywhere--combine those with several different spiky devils and sometimes I want to give up--too little rain to have a real problem with mosquitos, so I do have something to be thankful for...

I feel for you also. Having lived in Mass and camped in Maine. I can attest to the viciousness of them northern mosquitoes and also the amount. We can't even compare here. My only solution was Off.
The last couple of years most of my garden has been in containers. Yes, i much prefer it tho you can't grow a large garden.
Goodluck

Why not try raised bed gardening. I have very little grass problem with mine. As far as mosquitos are concerned, deep woods off is good. You can also pin a couple of Bounce drier sheets to you and it will reallly work. If push comes to shove, start taking sulphur every day. Take a couple of weeks to get it in your system, but once loaded the mosquitoes will stay away, course your wife might not want to get to close either.

Hang in there...I have been planting the same plot for 3 years now and the weeds are finally giving up. There were a few weeds this year but not nearly as many as the first year. Use some newspapers several layers thick and rocks to weigh them down to END weeds for the season. And as for the bugs spray the heck out of yourself and wear a big hat. I have a huge sombrero. I joke my garden is fertalized with deer fly carcasses. The sweat and work really helps me stay skinny and fit. It is the best exercise and calorie roaster. As for the weather PLEASE send some heat up here we are at the top of NY and the weather SUCKS! It rains every day and the temps have been 40-60 degrees.... what summer ?

I'll send you some heat and drought if you send me some cool rainy weather! :)

And I thought I was the only one from across the pond...

You'll probably get a giggle out of this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8119428.stm

I've been getting weeds all over the place in my veggie garden. I have ten 8"X4" raised beds for 3/4 of my plot and these seem to fare much better better. I planted melons & potatoes earlier in the year and I'm pretty sure I can identify the odd plant or two in there somewhere amongst the carpet of weeds. Next year I'm putting down mulch, or black plastic, or corn gluten. This year I have made friends with my bench grinder and my nice sharp hoe...

Hey Steph, you gettin any rain in Fort Worth. We got .6 yesterday and .7 today. Temp hovering at 80 and I'm about to freeze. Hope it warms up tomorrow or the long pants will have to come out.

A warm Southern greeting to all the rest of you.

Jim, we've gotten about 1/4" of rain the past 3 days with cooler temps in the day (in the low-mid 90s). It's been heavenly!!

I thought every one in our area was getting one today but found out you had to be in the line. Wasn't general at all. Still thankful for it. Saving me a lot of water I won't have to pay for. Can you believe I picked a mess of fresh string beans yesterday. How could they pollinate in the heat we've been having. No complaining, counting my blessings.

I'm yanking my beans today. They've never done well and it'll soon be time to plant for fall, so they're coming out and I'm adding more amendments to that bed. I'll plant the beans somewhere else in the fall, and I'll only plant the bush variety this time.

Hi Steph, the rain came back late last night. Got 1.3 puts us up to 2.5 over the last 3 days. Hope you folks get some of it. Weather map yesterday shows you guys to be just out of the loop.

I was going to pull my beans and plant bush but think now I'll take a wait and see attitude. I think bush beans always do better in the fall. I'm wanting to get started on fall stuff but I know it's way to early yet. I've never planted fall stuff except for turnips and mustard. I want to try brocolli and I will plant some cabbage. Do you plant from seed or buy plants? When do you think I can plant radishs and lettuce?

No rain since yesterday morning, but we've got partly sunny skies, a breeze, and some cooler temps. I'm growing most of my fall stuff from seeds except peppers and maters. The peppers are left from my spring planting and the maters were planted in either late May or early June and we've been pampering them all summer. I planted some small pumpkins last week from seed and every single one of them sprouted! LOL

I have a fall planting guide published by my local county extension agency and we don't plant lettuce until mid-October. You could probably start indoors about 6 weeks prior to the plant out date if you wanted.

I found these resources for you by googling.

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/vegetables/soil_fertility/Louisiana+Vegetable+Planting+Guide.htm

http://text.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/vegetables/cultural_information/Fall+Vegetable+Garden+in+Louisiana.htm

Stephanie

Thanks a lot Steph. I'll give these a look see tonight after prayer meeting. I haven't started my tomatoes yet. I built Jo a greenhouse last fall and have room to raise some in there. I'm going to try them in hay bales. I have a lady that is going to start my seed for me about the middle of August. Promised my daughter in Ohio I'd have fresh ripe tomatoes for Christmas.

Jim, for spring planting, I think you start seeds around Jan 1st. I'm gonna try that this coming winter and see what happens. Have to get DH to build us some kind of set up with grow lights or something first, though.

I might give that a try. Usually I just buy my plants. I've been fortunate to have a lady in my church that makes her spending money starting garden plants and since we've been back home, there is a young man a couple of miles from us that supplements his income doing it. He got burned pretty bad this year by several people who wanted him to plant large quantities of plants for them and then didn't come get them. Not for sure how many he'll be doing if any.

Oops! For spring planting of TOMATOES! Forgot that very important info there! LOL This past spring, I got mainly transplants. I'd definitely but the starts from those 2 people, though, to help them out.

With me, it is a matter of time. I might go for a week and never see the outside of the house except in the head lights of the car. It seems like we'll have a rash of people in the hospital in the hospital at one time. I haven't had to go now, for nearly three weeks. Got one of my senior group having a heart cath in the morning and I can nearly guarantee there will be several more in the hospital before the week is out. Never fails. If you start seed they need to be seen after every day. I'm going to order my own seed this year and get them to start them if he will. I always mess up, when it comes time to harden off your seedlings. Paul has the best seedlings I've ever seen. He told me he keeps a fan occilating to make them move. Strengthens the plants. Makes sense to me. I'm going to try that in the green house this winter with Jo's potted plants.

Well, when it came time for seed planting, I think I'd send one of the deacons or the elders to do visitations!! LOL Or, if you have someone in your church who has the gift of mercy and doesn't mind going to the hospital to see sick people (that would be my husband!), I'd enlist them to help and send them. Don't get me started on this topic! This is one of my "hot button" topics! LOL

I understand what you are saying and agree that all should be more concerned. But, that is where my heart is. Been like that ever since I started pastoring. Just in me to go. I've always gone to my church members, their family or to any one in the area if I'm already at the hospital. Have always been told that I push to hard. Part of my make up. Don't expect any one else to pastor like I do. I know some, however, that ought to show more concern for their flock. Hey, to each his own. I just love people. Oh yeah, when I had by pass surgery, my hospital room stayed full of visitors from all over the parish where I was pastoring. My congregation and as many not of my congregation. Had one whole wall taped with cards. So I guess what goes around comes around.

Hi, I've been lurking and injoying this thread. I used to garden in Kilgore TX. If you want good seeds. I've always got mine from Pinetree Farms in Maine. www.superseeds.com They don't send a lot of seeds per packet. but they're inexpensive and good germinating %.
Now a question for Jim. Do you know anyone that sells Cream pea crowders? MY SIL could'nt find any to plant this year. Do you know of any locally?
thanks. Sure hope i have'nt asked you before.
Vickie

No Vickie you haven't asked before. I don't plant peas any more because of time but I'll check and see. Is that the little pea that puts up the stem and the peas stick out from it? Peas are maybe four or five inchs long? Hull light green? If so, locally, we call them stick up peas. How many does she want if I can find them? Does she want them for this year? or is she just trying to get some for next year? Put them in the freezer and they'll keep forever.

That sounds like them. They want them to plant next year. They could'nt find any this spring.
They're not that far from Delhi and would go to the store to get them. That'd be great if they had someplace to get some. Yep they freeze them. I've canned them and froze them. We used to grow all kinds of field peas. Black eyes,Purple Hulls,Brown Crowders,Speckled Crowders and Cream Crowders.
I used to go on Hospital visits too and also remember how nice it was to get a visit myself from a church someone.
Thanks
Vickie

Got a lady in my chuch that planted some.
Will find out where she got her seed and get back to you.

Thanks!

Cando1, she bought the seed at Sullivan's Feed Store in Winnsboro, La.

We've had some cooler weather the past week, and a bit of rain. By cooler, I mean in the 90s as opposed to the 100s! We've had several days of cloudy weather and a bit of rain. Yesterday, my husband and I worked out in the garden a bit. I pulled all the green beans and the last of the sickly looking cucumbers and yellow squash. I also pulled out a few tomato plants that had seen better days. We planted some small pumpkins on 7/15 and every seed sprouted, so DH transplanted the ones we thinned out to a couple of other places in the garden. We're getting ready for our fall planting season!!

Hi Steph, sounds like our weather is running about the same. My tomatoes survived the drough and heat but the two and a half inch rain we got destroyed them. Caused them to split. Get one for about every ten I toss. Worked out side some today and the temp is nice but the humidity is about 85 per cent. Finally had to come in to cool down.

Thanks Jim, Hey! i got folks in Winnsboro! A neice, and her husbands folks have lived there forever.

Hey that's great dmail me their names and I'll see if I know them or ask if they ever heard of Jimmy Goodman. Know some people down there.

GreenGuvnor - thanks for the link - it certainly did give me a chuckle :) I battled couch grass in one small area of my South Florida garden for ten years - IT WON! It would have taken over the enter site if it hadn't been for the concrete garden path in it's way!

As the article implied - leave one teeny tiny bit of white root and it will grow again. Now I'm battling Burmuda grass in much the same way - only this time I'M WINNING :)