I got straw bales for next year (no hay since it costs more here and I didn't experience a significant enough difference). Plus I got alfalfa bales but am not sure whether I can use them pure or need to mix the alfalfa with the straw. I would do that in cages. I posted another thread to address the alfalfa issue.
Last year was our bad year with the wet and cold which combined with the late blight. So I sympathize with what some of you went through where it was cold and wet early on. And then the excessive heat did others in. When the heat his us my plants were already pretty big and constant watering and feeding kelp them going. I was surprised they set as well as they did in the heat!
But I have learned that with straw bales if you are feeding and doing everything else right you can legitimately blame it on the weather (or critters and diseases brought on by the weather) if things don't grow!!
My only issue this year was chipmunks early on snipping off the stalks of the tomato plants. I lost about 10 plants until I got smart and wrapped the stems with veil material. I put 3 sticks in, wrapped the material around and closed it with a clothes pin. Problem solved! I wouldn't have been able to handle 10 more plants anyway!! I still have 2 pots of green tomatoes to cut up and fry plus a huge bowl of cut up ones to flour and fry!
General Discussions - 2010 - Chapter 33
Sounds good. Amazingly my thermometer on one deck said a low of 14 last night and a lot of the plants in that area where the thermometer is were black this morning. But the rest of that deck, the other deck, and the perennial beds, and tomatoes were not hit !!! Now can someone tell me why that is? What caused that?
The forecast is for 20 degrees tonight but that is 20 miles away. After last night, I don't know what to do. I am taking out what ones I really worry about, but waiting a while on the rest. It is suppose to warm up into the high 30s at night on Monday and keep going. Crazy weather anyway.
Have a good weekend everybody.
Brr, Jnette. Your temps make me shiver just thinking about it at this time of year!
We have had high winds the last two days mixed with rain so no inspiration to clean up the gardens. Tomorrow should go up to 68 so I plan to rip out all the tomato plants regardless of production. I am finding even the ones still ripening just don't taste good - very bland. I have never had tomatoes this late so never realized how the cold affects the taste, except when I put them in the fridge, they get bland. So obviously the cold nights affect them the same way.
Time to spread the good composted straw around as well. It's been a good summer! Only request of my husband has been to please plant less tomatoes next year since too many make him feel achy. As a result I will experiment next year with other veggies like peppers, eggplants, melons and zucchinis. Would like to hear how others do with different veggies besides tomatoes!
gardadore; I had great luck with butternut squash this year. great orange flesh high in antioxidants and minerals. I also love sweet potatoes. yup orange flesh. Both keep very well if allowed to cure properly before putting in storage. My water melons seemed to run all over this year. and they are delicious, I was thinking I had planted, Moon and Stars but I think I got the seed mixed up as I had Black Diamond and some kind of stripped melon that must have been a volunteer. Not as sweet as a Black Diamond or Moon and Stars but still tasty. My tomatoes didn't do as well this year as they barely could keep with just fresh slicers for the table. none for canning this year.
But had a good variety of produce.
If you plant zucchinis remember they seem to over produce. lol
Randponder,
I grow a lot of different veggies but not in the straw bales. Do you grow a lot of the veggies you mentioned in the bales or the ground?
I've never planted sweet potatoes but know there are some varieties for the more northern climates. We like sweet potatoes and I have given it some thought. I usually grow my squashes in E-Boxes but think I will try some in the bales next year. Do you have a favorite butternut variety? I have seeds for Early Butternut and Waltham but only planted them last year with poor results. Water melons need a long season, I believe, so have had poor luck with them but will try the Black Diamond you recommended. The Moon and Stars looks really interesting so will add that as well!!
My melons produced OK this year in the ground but never got sweet even when ripe - not sure why that is! My zucchinis do not overproduce since pollination seems to be an issue. I get enough for the two of us so can't complain. We also get those awful squash bugs and at times the borers which limits my production. But I will try a lot of these in the bales next year since I have amassed a good number of them and have the space to put them. I will TRY to limit my tomatoes to 20 varieties instead of the 40 plus I had this summer! That will still be more than enough! Thanks for your suggestions!
Jessica
Well, Bob and I spent this afternoon cleaning off the livingroom deck of potting soil, root balls, pots and you name it. took 4 trailer loads just off the one deck. Left the Japanese Maple in the whiskey barrel and a 9 bark in a container too. Think I am going to wrap those in insulation and plastic and leave them there. So, he has to empty the 2 ponds and put the lids on them he made and that will be taken care of for the winter. He can clean the snow around those few things. Everything froze pretty solid again last night, then Monday, tomorrow, it is suppose to be warming back up into the 60s hi and the lows in the high 30s. We'll see. That will give me a chance to water and mulch everything and put the hoses away.
All of this for a few months of nice weather and pretty flowers and a few veggies. Think those farmer's markets look better all the time. But then what would I do with my time? LOL
I have to go into Spokane tomorrow for a dr. appt. and pick up a router for my laptop. I am hoping I can install it with the help of Cisco in SF. They make them and the fellow there told me he would help me. Soooooooooo. Wish me luck. lol
Jessica; The butternut will do well either in bales or in the ground. I haven't tried water melons in bales. The Black Diamond require around 105 to 110 days good growing as do the moon and stars.
I have been meaning to try Sweet potatoes in a mixture of straw and compost soil but was in a hurry again this year, so they went in hills of dirt again. This year I tried Georgia Jets, they done good but I let them get extra large again due to wet conditions and not wanting to dig when it was very wet. They are just as good just not that smooth skin and uniform size we all like to see. The other variety I like is the Centennial.
They seemed to bear more uniform storage roots per hill for me. But then that could have been just the year too.
I had trouble finding reasonable prices on bales so this year I had a weed problem. Everything was in dirt. I took a big tub of the squash to the gospel mission and gave many more away as they really really done well.
Usually May 15th is the earliest safe planting here for melons and things that freeze easily, sometimes even that don't leave enough growing season. This year was good though.
When it comes to the squash bugs I usually plant extra, so if they kill a few vines I still win.
I don't know how close you planted melons to squash or cucumbers. I like to have as much distance between either of those and any melons. I have seen them to affect the melons and ruin the flavor.
I will be cutting way back next year as we are planning a trip and I don't want to come back to more weeds than I can handle.
We do go to senior meals a couple times a week, so we probably don't need as much garden anyway. I won't be using bales next year either due to being gone for a large part of July. The bales do have to be watered where most of the time the ground retains sufficient moisture.. Now the following year who knows, I may go all out with bales again. after all it is a lot easier to just mow around the garden than to have to pull weeds.
Good evening, gang.
Been hectic my way since 8/31, so not much time or energy for a lot of gardening talk. Thought I'd give you a quick update.
On 8/31, my Daddy's 73rd b-day, he had a heart attack while he was out in the yard between 10 am and 12 pm. It was one of those 90+ days with full sun. (He's had 5+ strokes and a heart attack previously.)
One of his neighbors saw him around 10 am in the yard. The neighbor went to town, came back, and was back out in his yard around noon when he heard some moaning. He looked over and saw Daddy stretched out in the yard.
The neighbor runs over. Daddy is moaning and barely breathing and hot as a firecracker.
EMT's arrive and checks his temp. It's 108!
EMT's spend 30-45 minutes trying to get his temp down with ice packs.
In addition to the heat stroke and heart attack, at one point Daddy fell out on his asphalt drive way and laid there long enough to get badly burned on the back of his legs, back, and arms. He rolled off somehow. He doesn't remember anything at all.
I'd post a pic of his legs but don't want to gross anyone out.
After he was stabilized at the hospital in Raleigh, he spent 30 days at the Univ of NC Hospital Burn Center to get some skin grafts which are healing up nicely.
He's now at a local nursing/rehab center where his wife is also a resident and Daddy is doing much better.
With all the travelling back and forth to different hospitals and working, I had no time for much else.
So, that's it in a nutshell.
Missed you all.
Kent
Kent, so sorry about your pop!! That sounds like a terrible time for him. Amazing that he is still with us. Must be a pretty tough guy.
I can certainly understand where you have spent your time and it really is time consuming.
Take care and will be thinking of your daddy.
Jeanette
Kent , how awful for him with that pain and helpless . My dad had an unfortunate accident back when he was a double amputee and it makes me sick that he was alone . It's hard to see your loved ones in pain . Hopefully that part is over and he has plenty of people around to see after him . Our thoughts are with you and him , and of course the rest of his family . Sally
Wow, Kent!!! God bless him!! I am so sorry that happened to your Daddy and so proud that he is healing. Prayers go out to you and your family :)
Connie
Kent; our prayers are for you & your family & your Dad. God be with you all.
Many times us older folks think we are pretty tough, and keep on working at things that really are hard, and we get caught off guard. We don't want to be pampered but I have to admit, we need to go at a slower pace. I am also 73, so I think I can relate to your dad fairly well.
God bless him. This sounds like it will be a tough healing process. Keep his spirits high.
Russ
Do keep us posted when you can . Sally
Thanks for the well-wishes, ya'll.
1 day at a time.
Kent
Jeanette, a Spokane, WA, Navy buddy sent me this pic this afternoon of his back yard. More on the way!!
What's it like for you?
Mid 60's forecast for us tomorrow.
KR
Hi Kent,
Yeah, pretty much the same. Here is one off my deck.
Jeanette
Out my bedroom window.
These were taken a couple of days ago and it is still snowing.
Jeanette
Wow. If you're getting all this now, it may be a long winter for you.
Yup, you got it. The most since 1955
Still no snow accumulation here. YAAA
We have had a dusting but that is all gone. I walked over to the garden the other day and looked at all the green leaves on my strawberry plants. It is 10 degrees right now. The lawn today has a frosty sheen to it but the grass is still green. I say this because this is so unusual.
I welcome it now but we better have some snowfall to protect the many of the fruit trees root system from freezing dry and the farmers depend on the moisture the snow provides for next spring.
Last year at this time, we had snow piled 7' high at one corner of the house just to make room for more. I had pushed more further out away from that pile. So you see, I am not ready for snow just yet. lol
Jeanette I will have to say though It does look very picturesque, out your window. I will be happy just seeing snow second hand lol
Russ, we had more snow this November than all of last winter combined. We set a new record for November. Almost 29 inches I think he said. Not that I want more.
bob's mom passed away Wednesday in Seattle. He drove over and it took him 10 hrs. that normally is 6 or7. He just got thru the pass before they closed it for avalanches. So, at least he lucked out there. But, he came home to bring me the car since I was snowbound here. He will take the Subaru back. Hope he doesn't have to buy chains.
Know what you mean about the chains!
Late 60s I flew to Portland OR. to help my mother move back to Iowa.Early spring. We got to the Dells and It was starting to snow, mom was determined to get through Pendleton Pass before it got bad. We were at what I think was the half way point, Truck stop and motel and such, There was about 4" of snow on the ground. We stopped for a catnap. Mom up front and I crawled in back and zonked out. When I woke up we were already pushing snow. Mom had had already started out. We traded off a couple times before the snow started getting not quite so deep and we came upon highway patrol and state trucks. They were closing the gates for the other lane. They flagged us down to caution us to be careful, And My mother( now you know where I get it ) said back to the patrol man : You don't want us to turn around and go back do you?
The response was simply No no, you made it this far just take it easy. So we continued on down the mountain, U Haul in tow and logging trucks on our tail. And nope we didn't have to put on chains but it was slow going for a while.
Just one tail for the old memory book.
I think we were lucky that it was really cold that night as the snow was really squeaking under the tires. Had it been wet, I don't think we would have been so lucky.
Well, he headed back today with the Explorer. 4 wheel. The Subaru's tires are frozen to the ground. He didn't have time to unstick them so he left me snowbound again. Crap!! It was 10 degrees when we got up this a.m.
The truck tires did that a couple years ago and he had to jack each one up to pry it from the ground.
Unfortunately they do not have the time for the funeral confirmed. They are suppose to have it Wednesday but it hasn't been confirmed yet. I hope they don't string this out. He has a lot to do over there that I am hoping he can get done tomorrow, then head home Thursday morning.
We are suppose to get snow Tuesday thru Friday.
A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!!!!!
Same to you and EVERYONE else Perry.
Just getting back on here . What's the latest on your dad , Kent ? Sure hope its a joyous Christmas for all. My great grandson is getting a Radio Flyer wagon . I hoped they still made them , and found them at Kmart. Toys r Us never answered the phone. Busy for Christmas , I guess .
Hi Sally!! Are you in Texas now? How are things down there? Are you getting the cold like everyone else? Maybe you'll get snow? LOL
Here's hoping you guys have a great Christmas.
Jeanette
And Happy Holidays to all of you. So far we have had little snow - just flurries unlike so much of the rest of the country. We are supposed to get more flurries on Christmas Day. It's unusual to not have something on the ground by now. But the season is still young!! It's been cold, however.
Thanks to all of you for your wonderful input I had the best straw bale gardening season ever and am planning to try a number of different veggies besides tomatoes next year in the bales. All but two alfalfa bales are in place so they can break down a bit over the winter. Alfalfa will be my one new bale type. I wish you all a successful 2011 as well!
Best regards to all!
Jessica (Gardadore)
Merry Christmas to you, too, Perry and all my DG friends!
We may get our first white Christmas since 1947.
Looking forward to my 1st 2011 tomato sandwich.
Kent
O M G ! I saw green toms in a neighbors yard awhile ago . It has been a warm winter so far and I'm just brash enough to stop and ask for a coupla suckers to plant . Supposed to get into the 30's over Christmas , but can put up a hoop
house for them .I'll keep you posted and will try loading pictures on this laptop .
Merry Christmas to all.
Sally, aren't you in Texas this year? I thought you would be by now.
Merry Christmas wherever you are.
Jeanette
The first message is lost in space , won't repeat it but yes , I'm in Texas and won't be home til April .
Hello everyone and Merry Christmas. We are not doing much this year. I'm just baking cookies, breads candies and Carmel corn. Will add to that a jar of jelly for each of the girls and their family and a couple of the grand daughters who are near by. We are not traveling. I will keep my drive way open. Anybody wants to come will be welcome.
Russell & Barbara
Merry Christmas to you and Barb too Russ.
Sounds like a safe and sound Christmas for you and us. Will think of you tomorrow and that way we will spend the day together. With none of the fuss and expense of travel. How about that?
I am thinking of making a carrot cake with cream cheese icing. LOL, doesn't that sound good? Think I have a good recipe. Bye
Merry Christmas, Jeanette. Just got done with 6 pt. of plum jelly and as soon as I rest up a bit, I'm making two coconut cream pies, as if nobody shows up, we are invited down to the barn at Gary and Tami's.
Not doing the turkey unless I know we have something planned.
Once again A very Merry Christmas to you & Bob.
Thanks Russ. I did make the carrot cake. We decided to forgo the pies and opted for the cc instead.
You take it easy Russ. 6 pts of plum jelly and then 2 pies is a bit much. More than you and Barb can eat. It sounds like you might be expecting company!!
Have a good one.
Well we only had Sandi & Ken to drop by but the jellies were part of the Christmas presents. The pies were for Christmas Dinner down at Tami & Gary's ( the Barn ). They had invited us to share with them.
The girls gifts only amounted to a container of home made goodies, The home made jelly and a jar of pear butter,Carmel corn, fudge, cranberry oatmeal cookies and some peanut brittle. Barb had to help with the Carmel corn as it is hard to pour the carmel over the corn and stir at the same time, to get it all coated. More fun that way too.
So now we are stuffed, have a sugar high and are in need of a nap. LOL
R
Russ, don't say ONLY consisted of homemade stuff. That is so nice to know someone cared enough about you to spend the time making it rather than just go out and buy something. My sister gave us a box about 5# of cookies and candy she had made. While we, neither one of us, need all that sweets I thought it was great that she had made them for us.
It sounds like you had a very nice Christmas. Have a great New Year. I know it is going to be a better growing season this year.
Jeanette
I had hoped that would be the way the kids would feel. I included the recipe for the carmel corn so they could make more if they wished
R
I love caramel corn. Send it to me. Please. Jeanette