That looks GOOD !
General Discussions - 2012 - Chapter 38
Shoe, you be careful of those pepper plants Kent is peddling. They are real special. I mean Be Careful!!!
Isn't that right Kent?
Don't mean to intrude on a nice visit, sounds like you all had a good time together. How far a ride was it Kent? Did the Harley eat up the highway? They are having a lot of trouble around hear. Hitting animals like deer, elk, moose, etc. Makes for a real bad accident. I don't think the riders are expecting them and wham!!
Glad you made the trip before this weekend tho. Lotsa people on the roads.
Heheheh, yeh, I KNOW what kinda peppers those are, Jnette. The kind you could use for chemical warfare! HOT!!
As for me, I normally can handle peppers up to the heat of a jalapeno or cayenne; have had some Habanero jam before and it was fairly nice though. But these super hot ones, I'll have to experiment with and see how they do. After all, what's the worst that could happen...end up with my lips burnt off, my innards on fire, , etc? *grin
Wishing you some good tomatoes this year! Planted yet?
Shoe
Thanks Horseshoe!! I was worried so I bought the fish fertilizer for a lil extra love.. :-)
ilndmon, looks good!! I never thought of wrapping the bales.. I have to give mine a "haircut" now & then as Kent says.. Looks like you're in for some rain!
I unwrapped my bales (black plastic) and they were bone dry!! I was shocked 'cause they were rain soaked when I put the plastic on. They were really decomposed tho. I just today got a compost thermometer in the mail I ordered online and am anxious to try it. It is about 18 inches long. So should reach down into the center of the bails. Tomorrow.
But, I don't know whether to water the bales that would cool them off, with the hose, or plant the tomatoes and just water them with a panfull of warm water. Oh well, Shoe, I am getting ready to plant my tomatoes, hopefully tomorrow. Using the alfalfa bales from last year.
Jnette , I watered mine with well water that was pumped from 200' down the well , very cool and it may have cooled them some . No difference tho, it seemed to perk them up a bit . I think as long as the plants get the warming sunshine , the roots stay cool anyway .Maybe someone else has a different thought about it .
Thanks for the positive response digger9083 and JaxGma. I have been picking cucumbers now for about a week. Lots of small bell peppers but I haven't picked any yet and I should have some ripe tomatoes in a few days. The biggest problem I am having is Tobacco Horn Worms and there eggs. They are some pesky devils. I pick them off daily. I have been able to keep up with them fairly well. Most of the worms are small when I find them. I enjoy bug picking time it is relaxing and helps me clear my mind. Take care all.
Shoe, you got to meet a good man there!! Cheryl and I stopped to see him on our way to the OBX. Sorry we didn't have time to stop and see you too. When we came back thru Efland it was later in the day than I'd planned and I knew you had activities to attend to so I didn't even call. Next time buddy. (and I want some good ole Carolina BBQ when I do stop!)
Doug
Have a few blooms on the tomato plants even tho they are so small yet and many blooms on the squash! I planted about 3 weeks ago and I think so far so good.. :-)
Jnette, I doubt the water temp will slow down your tomato and/or bale growing. Bummer your bales were so dried out though. I think I'd go ahead and drench them. Are they still in your g-house again this year? If so I bet they'd be just fine.
ilndmon, hornworms don't lay eggs, only the adult moths do. If they get too overwhelming for you to pick (harvest? hornworm harvest!? *grin) you'd do well with dusting the the plants with Dipel, a very safe product to use in the garden and won't harm other beneficials including humans and birds, etc.
Howdy Doug! I wondered about your vacation. I just thought ya'll were in a hurry to get to Boone/Mountains. As an aside, I wasn't here on your way back anyway, having had to make an emergency trip to Florida. Maybe next time will be more fruitful...OR I can swing up your way and WILL BRING Carolina bbq fixings! Maybe Kent will tag along behind on his bike!
Jax...NICE looking garden! Wishing you a great harvest!
Shoe (off to cook some grub.)
You cook TOO ?
Hey, folks, shift work, garden chores, teenager's exam week, honey-dos, church, etc playing havoc with my computer time so no time to really get on and converse.
Will catch up soon.
Hey, Doug, I'll meet you at Shoe's place next time!! :-)
"Hey, Doug, I'll meet you at Shoe's place next time!! :-)"
It's a deal!
"You cook too?"
Yep, digger, I love to cook. I grow it, I harvest it, I cook it! Will probably be picking green beans in the next day or so...sowed them when we had "summer" this past spring! Yay!
Nice rain just started coming down here...gonna do wonders for the pole beans and Kandy Korn that just popped up! Again, Yayyy! :>)
Happy Day, all!
Shoe
Thanks for the heads up Horseshoe. Now that you mention it, that does look like I am talking about hornworm eggs. lol . I meant the moth eggs...really...:)
I will check out the Dipel. I have been using Neem oil extract and it seems to have helped with the fungus flies but it has rained ( not complaining ) after every application so I really don't know how well it works on the hornworms. I find a yellow striped army worm occasionally but that is about it for pests. Very lucky so far.
Nice setup you have there JaxGma. Even with the landscape cloth I have my bales wrapped in I have to water once a day. I was hoping wrapping them would help them retain water. I will probably have to water more frequently when it gets really hot. We haven't hit 90 degrees here yet.
This message was edited May 31, 2012 11:25 PM
ilndmon, Neem is much slower going than Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), which is the active ingredient in Dipel (powder form) or Thuricide (liquid form of Bt). It will only have an affect on caterpillars (at least those two products will) and it acts much more quickly than Neem. The only negative about it would be if you are in an area that has a decline in Swallowtail populations, then I'd be sure to use it sparingly and the Swallowtail butterfly has suffered greatly from human intervention.
Shoe (off to put his feet up a while. ...)
Now that Shoe's brought it up, I've got a Bt question. My summer squashes have just started to grow. Every year I have trouble with squash vine borers, and I'm tired of it. It's always been worse in my inground plants, but the Bale Babies suffer as well. I read somewhere that you can inject the stems with Bt as a preventative. Has anyone tried that? I was considering wrapping in foil, but maybe both? I do love my squashies :)
Would that spare the "good" caterpillars? The ones NOT eating my squash?
Will strawbale gardening eliminate the chance of wilt?
I have wilt! I have removed 4 plants so far this year. I'm not sure what wilt I have, but it looks like wilt to me. I have never had wilt before and I've planted (in the ground) here for the last 5 years. Everything I've read points to the wet cool days we've had. I grow my plants from seeds, using sterile potting mix, so I know it's not from that.
Jinxi , Post those pictures in the Tomato forum . We have some experts over there that will answer , and recommend a treatment fast , for you .
Horseshoe may not get back on here for a day or two and that looks serious and needs attention right away or it may be too late to salvage those plants .
Growing in bales probably won't ELIMINATE that risk but it sure will reduce the chances of it occurring. You have no dirt splashing up on the plant which is a factor in many fungal issues.
Doug
I did as suggested and am waiting for replies.
I pulled those 2 up, knowing they were hopeless....just hoping the damage doesn't spread further.
Thanks digger and Doug!
Jinxi, are you planting tomatoes in the same place for 5 years? That could be the problem. They say never to plant in the same place as the year before. I know you can get away with it for a while, but I think you are taking a chance if you keep trying. And 5 years is pushing it I think. They say you should rotate your crops.
Just my opinion.
Jnette, no, I rotate. I'm sorry this was confusing. I planted tomatoes in this section 4 years ago. What I meant was I have been gardening on this property for 5 years. I try to keep an accurate garden plan and records on what grew well or not so well, so I can amend soil, look for potential problems, rotate, and keep certain veggies far enough away from the pecan tree.
thanks,
jinxi
@ digger
LOL Thanks for your help in the tomatoes forum!
Jinxi , that's what dave's garden's all about . To help if we can . And you're welcome .
jinxi, what is the problem with the pecan tree?
Anyone ever seen this "mushroom " before? I guessing this is what it is....
Yes I see it quite often in my mulch and/or horse manure compost.
I picked up some Bt and it is working great on my tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. It has pretty much ended my Horn worm and Army worm problem. Thanks for the information Horseshoe.
This message was edited Jun 11, 2012 2:51 PM
Hey guys! After a series of tech problems I think I've figured out how to post on here again.
I'm the one who had some questions some time back (March?) about alfalfa bales. Well I put a thin layer of compost soil, black kow and blood meal on top of the bales, watered it in thoroughly and man did they cook! For three weeks they were steamy on the inside. Then one evening I checked the temp and they were cool inside so I planted them. The next day they were black and lying flat as a flitter on the bales. Lesson learned: the bales re-ignite in the heat of the day so don't trust an evening temp check.
I couldn't look at the bales for a couple weeks but when I finally did recheck them, they were ready to be planted. They really are great- all kinds of worms and mushrooms living happily in there. The tomatoes took off like crazy, and the squash is coming along. I'm waiting just a little while to figure out what to plant in the rest of my bale space.
The bales were already collapsing at each end, and I wanted to just use stakes but my husband insisted on boxing them in.
Hey Everyone :)
Just wanted to stop by and see how you all are doing and welcome the new ones giving this a try. We have our bales planted and so far so good. Baby tomatoes are showing quite nicely :)
Russ, I hate you are having bad headaches and hope you will find relief. Have you found out what is causing them yet?? I live with migraines and have for years.
Connie
Yes Connie, I have a handle on it. Acute chronic sinus infection. I didn't hesitate when the eye ear nose and throat surgeon said surgery is recommended. The headaches I was getting were far worse than migraines. Ive had those for years, Oh yes they get bad but after they get so bad You just get sick and vomit several times take a few aspirins and lay down in a dark room with an ice pack on the back of your neck but I've never had a migraine that felt like a hot railroad spike actually being driven into the top of my head and twisting it to tear flesh. if you can imagine that much pain, your close. They called those Cluster head aches. Google those and it might give an indication why nothing over the counter would help.
The last few did take me out of control. But Thank the Lord I just couldn't bring myself to just say good bye to my better half. The only help for some of them was a hypo of some sort although oxygen did help with a few. but aspirin, Advil nothing like that would help. The last trip to ER I asked the Lutheran minister " a friend " to take us to ER My uncontrolled shaking really had him worried, and at ER they thought I was having a heart attack. I kept saying no just give something for the pain. They asked where I hurt. I'm not sure if I got irate or not but I let them know that was my head and that I had a really bad sinus infection. They finally listened but it took clear into the next afternoon to go away.
Had the surgery on the 1st. and it has been 12 days headache free " The bad ones that is" I have had a sinus headache or 2 since but They are controllable. I'm still on antibiotics and getting a lot of drainage and a low grade fever often but I'm felling better every day.
Thanks to every one for all the prayers. I needed them!
@ catmad
Walnut, pecan, and hickory trees give off a chemical substance from their root system called juglone. This substance inhibits germination of some plants.
The only veggies that do well within 50' of these nut trees are beans, carrots, corn, onions, squash, and melons. My watermelons thrive under the pecan tree. I spend half the summer pulling up the volunteers. :)
Sorry it took so long to reply....
jinxi
dbanks, you will probably be glad he did box them in. The little guy helping is so cute.
Russ, so glad things are working out. You didn't mention all the work you had to do on your plumbing with the terrible headache. Lord, I think I would have done something bad over them. Hard to say without being in the position.
SO good to hear you are feeling better Russ :) Praying that surgery will give you permanent relief from those headaches. I know I didn't hear much from you but thought you were busy with early summer activities.
Connie
jinxi, that's no problem :), I was just curious. I've never had any issues growing anything under or near my pecans, except for things that dont tolerate shade. I have issues with the Black Walnuts, but that's about it.
Did make me look up the juglone, so thanks! I now know much more about juglone than I probably need to, but it may come in handy someday.
Probably a really dumb question, but since it's coming from the roots of the pecan tree, then plants in straw bales aren't affected, right?
Wowza that description of those headaches made me cringe. My mom has had migraines for years and years, at least 30 years. When she gets them, no one can walk through the house, open or close a cabinet, make any kind of noise. She suffers really badly with them and often has to go get a shot of some sort to knock her out for a day. Luckily though they only come once every couple months or so.
Thank you guys for this discussion forum! I have learned so much so far. I am really enjoying the straw bales a lot!
Keep us informed , Russ , I can't imagen pain worse than migraine , but know cluster headaches are much worse .Wish I could help .
@dbanks,
LOL, since I am a newbie, and haven't planted in straw bales (yet), I don't know. But, I would think it wouldn't affect the straw bale veggies, not the first year, anyway. I just know my melons and squash love a little shade from the tree and thrive there.
@catmad,
I found out about the juglone the 3rd year I planted on this property. My tomatoes and peppers did so bad that year! I had planted on the south eastern side, about 20' away, so I knew it wasn't too much sun causing the problem. A neighboring farmer told me veggies don't do well near pecan trees, so I went searching for the reason.
I pulled up a newly planted pecan and walnut when I found out .They both grow native here altho the pecan natives are small nuts . Mine was a Stuart
Hi everyone!
My bales are absolutely full of these little critters that growing up in Kentucky we called roly polys, and some people call pill bugs. Turns out their scientific name is way cool and really fun to say: Armadillidiidae. I looked up some information to find out if I should be concerned or not, and it seems that they really don't harm established plants, but may harm seedlings or strawberries. In my quest I found a couple really interesting facts though, that I thought you guys might get a laugh out of:
They don't pee; they fart instead. Heeheheeee
They aren't really bugs; they are crustaceans.
They turn bright blue or purple when they are sick.
They are "waste managers" and are often used as such in spider cages to clean up, um, everyone else's poo. Cause they like to eat that too.
Did I mention earlier that I'm a big ol dork?