I still can't figure out why I never needed to water my bales & everyone else does. I know there's drought all over the place but we weren't exactly rolling in rain here.
I only grew charentais melons & a few smaller kinds of tomatoes but had a bumper crop of both.
Perhaps because the bales were surrounding my compost, which I had topped off with more straw to let cook for a year? If so, it might be worthwhile for more people to try that method!
Strawbale Gardening (Part 16)
Foggy; Well we didn't like what they found.
Connie has 100% blockage from the carotid artery to her brain on the left side. That side of her brain is getting some blood flow from another source. Perhaps it is another vein trying to compensate for the loss of blood flow. She also has 80 to 85% blockage on the right side. They don't even want to do any surgery, because she is still getting along good. As the surgery don't have very good odds. But if she has a stroke, or starts going blind in one eye, She is supposed to get right in. But with blood thinners and amitriptlyn they have her headaches slowed way down.
She is staying with us and her children. and working two days a week, for some friends. Just keeping away from as much stress as possible.
I just dug the last of our sweet potatoes this morning. I think they done pretty well, except for not as many uniform sized taders. Many of the tubers wrapped around one another. Giving me some weired shaped ones. I did get a few uniform ones and one very big one. It didn't beat last years biggie tho, this one was only 6lb. 4oz. last years was 6lb, 8oz.
I am not sure why so many were twisted around one another unless there wasn't enough loose soil, or the plants were in the pots too long before planting, and I didn't straighten out the roots????
Sure feel for you with the water shortage. We had problems a few years after we bought this place. Was still working and getting lots of overtime.
I had a new well dug with a submersible pump instead of the sand point and an old pump jack. So I haven't had that problem. Not every body can have a 100ft. deep well though. I will just have to sympathise with you on that. I do like your plan for a water system. I use some water from a Koi pond we have. I would like to have PVC pipe between the rows with small holes drilled in them. to keep the water down low, so I could water even when it is blistering hot, and not hurt the leaves any.
So far the major problem I have is The nozzle keeps getting plugged with some of the trash that comes through the pump in the pond. But I'm sure the pond water has a lot of nutrient's in it that the veggies like.
I have a long soaker hose on the bales but it don't work as well as it should. Some places get no water and other places the water sprays out. But after the bales got really soft I didn't have to water any more as they stayed wet inside, between the rains.
Where did you get the Charantais melon seed. I would like to try some. I will put them on my list for next year.
Well I've rested enough I better get back out and try picking the last of the tomatoes. It is going to freeze this week sometime. so might as well get in what I can. I also need to dig all my ornamental S/Ps too. Hoping to get slips from them in the spring as well.
~~~~~~~Russ
Russ, I think I have some Charentais seed to spare. Will look.
Summer, That sounds good. I already had my bales cooking when I saw your post before, So I wasn't going to try moving them. I may give it a try next year though.
I will be taking down the cattle panels and posts that held them as I will be increasing the size of that garden spot. as I had 3 garden spots this year. It would be a little easier to have it all in one " less hose draging".
I will be putting the bales over an area that some of the previous owners had used for a place to get rid of tin cans and other junk. When trying to till it up before my tiller got caught in an old bucket handle, I also dug up a part of a feed grinder. so for what I can plant in bales that might be a good place. Russ
Hey that would be great. I'll send you a Dmail.
Russ, sure sorry to hear about Connie's problems. Are you saying that the stents or whatever it is they use for heart surgery wouldn't work? I'm sure you have gotten more than one opinion.
Good to hear from you Foggy. I can't imagine why the miracle grow in the water wouldn't work. Sounds like you have it all figured out.
Glad you liked the spinach souffle. We really like it.
Russ, I'll opt for the second reason on the sweet taters and I've never even seen them grown. But, it sounds like you should have straightened them out. I do that with my dahlia tubers.
Also Russ, you might just dig up some of those old "treasurers" and sell them on ebay. LOL
Jeanette
Jeanette; Connie has had more than a second opinion. The artery is in her brain and the problem is if they do anything It could dislodge, a part of the plaque and death or paralysis would probably nearly instantaneous. Also that part of the artery has shrivelled up to a point where it is no longer an option. I didn't come to this conclusion very easily. but I feel she is doing the right thing. She is trying to get every thing in order. and enjoy what good life God will offer her. I believe that the problem may even correct its self by forming a new route to get the blood needed to that side of her brain.
Supper time gotta go
foggy: I love Miracle Gro because I don't have time for anything else, i.e., making up my own fertilizer.
Russ: adding Connie to our prayer list!
Kent
Thanks Kent In my heart I know that prayers is her only chance, to see her grand children graduate. which is what she would like to see. Only one has started school as of yet. I don't think that is too much to ask of the Lord. At least not after some of the things he has done for us, that could not be explained any other way.
Summerkid: thanks for the compost suggestion, I think I'll lay it out that way.......we had some terrible windy conditions that dried the bales a lot & 104 degree heat which just burnt everything to a crisp this year......our little corner of the county was particularly bad off....LOVE those charentais!
I'm turning to solar pumps & salvedged water for next years garden......& I have several rolls of shade cloth & light row cover ....I am going to keep them rolled up on top of my posts so I can roll them down in the hot afternoons & on windy days & when the beetles are active......wish me luck.
Was raised in Springfield , Ill, this area is similar but really bad droughts for the last ten years are killing the forests & emptying the wells.
Russ: so sorry about Connie, my prayers are with you, too.
Foggy
Let's move our General Discussion to Part 17. It'll help the dial-up folks.
Click on this link to go to Part 17: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/785218/
Kent