General Discussions 2008 - Chapter 25

We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/893091/

Doug

Thank you . I'm first , I'm first ! sally

Hey , doug , how's it going , haven't heard from you in awhile ? I've gotten just about to the end of garden this year . Altho the tom are still blooming their little hearts out , the weather isn't going to be warm enough to get them big enough to have green fried , so will just have to find something else to keep me busy 'til time to leave for texas .I've a bit of stuff to do on the room , but will probably not get to finish it 'till spring . Has your garden finished up ? and good news we got rain , real honest to goodness rain . I've been watering all summer , thank you Lord , for a good well . we'll have to teach your dw how much fun it is to get her hands dirty next spring . give her my regards . sally

We are doing fine here in KY. We finally got rain too!!! 1.5" Tue and wed. My toms are still producing very well. I'm amazed how great they have done in the bales. I'm hooked!
My DW does get her hands dirty! We have added probably 5-6 new flower beds this year and she's right in the middle of it! I do most of the veggie gardening though.

Doug

yeh , doug , you said cheryl was really getting into it , just not as deep as you . i grow a lot of plants , what does she like? i will have some extras for her . my stuff is mostly shurbs . We,ll get together in early spring to give her a list . no trade , no charge . postage , maybe , depending on what she wants . I will have some small goodies rooted . sally

Oh Sally, I loved the pics (on the last thread) of your pals! What cute pups.

I'm really winding dowm- just acorn squash, tomatoes and zinnias now, and they'll be gone soon. What a great summer, though. I loved my bale garden and am excited to find ways to improve it next year.

But you all here on the forum were the BEST crop of the season!! What a blessing! Please keep in touch. Lena, you're our continuing gardener- keep us in touch with Spring!! It's still beautiful here, but we've come close to frost once in the last week or two. Days in the 60s-70s, nights in the low 50s mostly- heavenly.

Namaste- Suz

P.S I think they're working on making you some more praying mantises for YOUR garden for next year- I had to leave before she bit his head off!

Suz, do they actually have their egg cases in your trees/shrubs? The Mantis? How fascinating. Maybe if they do, in the spring you could send me a case? I would love to have one.

Jeanette

suz, I'm going to plant more tomatoes next year ,too . I want to try acorn squash and some herbs . I'm going to try a different squash , straight neck instead of the yellow crooked neck because a neighbor keep giving me some that I thought was too old , but it was so tender , I couldn't believe it . It was huge. Need to try and get the bales now , because in the spring , they will be new bales and this years will be cheaper . It's hard to find good hay without burmuda in it . coastal burmuda is great , but that stuff people plant for lawns is a weed . It takes over everything and chiggers will eat you up . i'm going to dig my s.potatoes in the next day or so , it will be my first ones to try growing and hopefully , therhubarb that russ gave me will have a few stalks . what all did you grow this year ? I might try a little corn too ,altho , it's cheap already frozen ,in the stores .all my little dogs were give aways except the wirehaired datsie . he was the one in front .the chihuahua rules the roost and the white one is on very expensive meds . she has an immune system problem, and her skin is a mess . the other one is the shadow of mine , she thinks she is supposed to be where I am. bedtime ,suz , and blessings ,yo bud , sally

Thanks for the pic Suz, I have lots of praying mantis in my garden, and try and take photos of them sometimes. Its very hard to get a clear focus on them for some reason. I think they are cute, if you hold one up infront of your face and move it around slowly, its gaze will follow you, like its trying to make eye contact. Last summer I spent over an hour watching a pair of them in the same uncompromising position, waiting to see her eat him. I finally went inside to get a drink, 5 min later when I returned she had climbed a good distance further up the house wall, and there was absolutely NO trace of him. I was very disapointed.
What do they do in winter when everything is frozen??

I have a bunch of tomato seedlings ready to be transplanted into the garden, but Im holding off a bit still while we endure the worst of our spring storms. Its been heavy rain warnings and gale force winds for the last 3 weeks. Today is slightly sunny but still windy. The babies are catching some sun anyway, in a sheltered corner of my yard. I have plenty of pepper, zuchini, cucumber, sunflower, basil and lettuce seedlings started too. My sunny dining room has been turned into a seedling nursery, the table is extended to its full size and every inch is covered! My flatmate is patiently dealing with it.

I still havent given up on strawbales, but its just not happening yet. Need to think of new ideas for mulch. Has anyone gon any experience with seaweed?? There should be plenty of it on the beaches ofter the recent stormy weather.

Lena

Russ, I looked at the tomatoes in the hoophouse today, figuring that I probably wouldn't be getting any more because so many things had frozen the last 2 nights, but the tomatoes were pretty good. I picked almost a dozen big yellow Dr. Wyche. Not quite ripe yet. I was pleasantly surprised. Except for those and the little golden Sun Sugar cherry tomatoes my tomato crop this year was a total bust.

Should have some good BLTs yet. Had given up on any more.

Jeanette

I think my garden has had it. Got down to 27 a couple of mornings and supposed to get even colder next day or two. I think I finally got everything tender either into the gh or here in plant room in my house. I didn't try to save any brugs other than the Snowbank. I did take cuttings but for some reason they don't look happy. Well the two tomatoes in pots, Sungold and Stupice ( they are right next to east end of garage) haven't frozen yet.

Donna

lena and ruth , jnette and russ , it's fun to know when the gardens in your area are shutting down or starting up . sure makes it more personal than just watching the weather reports on t.v. have any of you guys checked out trash to treasure forum yet? we can keep up with each other this winter . i just love that forum . sally

Hi Sally, Yes, I was looking at t&t last night. I will watch it. I have been trying to find the instructions for making ladybugs out of bowling balls. They are way beyond that. But I saw it in a magazine somewhere. Will have to keep looking.

But, yes. I will see you there. Not thru here tho. LOL

Jeanette

Hey Jeanette- Yes, in the spring, I found about 10 Praying Mantic 'pods/cocoons'. If you'll remind me, next Spring I'll send you some! They're so darned CUTE, and very beneficial is skeeter-eaters (and other pests, too).

Lena, I've recently joined a local photo club, and one of the members has the most wonderful close-up headshot of a praying mantis- you'd swear he had to be Kermit's cousin . . .smiling at you like that!

Sally, I really had NO PROBLEM whatsoever with weeds from the hay! That's obviously an old wive's (or husband's) tale. As they compost internally, I'm sure that kills the seeds. The only weeds I got at all, at the end of the season, came up through the bales and pulled out with no effort at all.

Namaste- Suz

P.S. My late season morning glories- still had some sweet peas with them this week! Wish y'all's post more pictures!

I'm going to hold you to that Suz, I got a whole lot of witnesses. LOL

Thanks, Jeanette

Oh my! The frost finally came last night and wiped out my beautiful zinnias. I think I will miss them the most (channeling Dorothy Gale here) . . . went out and harvested the rest of the acorn squash (I'll bet there are between 15-20!), tomatoes and cosmos- funny, they seem so wispy and delicate, but the frost didn't bother them a bit!

I left the garden gate open tonight, for the first time. . . . sad. It IS a beautiful autumn, though, and it feels kinda good to snuggle inside a soft sweater.

How is it where YOU are?

Namaste- Suz

P.S. Here's my final harvest

Suz, that would make a great picture on a poster for inside or porch . my small garden's gone too , but i watered my tropicals , in pots , outside to keep frost off . they are now in house , and on porch. sally

Sounds like everyone is going to be ready for winter. I hope. It's a lot of work right now but in a few months, it will seem like more, we will be dragging all of that back out again.

LOL, wish it were just a few. But it is for some of you. Be sure to let us up here in the north country know when you start in again and keep us company with all of your gardening pictures etc. this winter.

We will surly be envious. Jeanette

Nice picture Suz, heres one for you, its about 2 weeks old by now though and the tulips have finished. Lena

Very pretty picture Lena. How is the gardening going? How is school? Everything keeping you busy? Let us know when you start planting. Send pictures.

Jeanette

Hi Jeanette, I have started planting over the last week already, but no new pictures taken yet, the weather has been pretty grim. Here are some of my older tomato seedlings getting some sun, the same day the tulips were blooming, 2 weeks ago. I will take some more pictures soon when I have finished planting, and when exams are over!

My first exam is wednesday in a week already, Im feeling quite unprepared still. Annoying how second semester exams always seems to coincide perfectly with the big spring planting time. Labour Weekend (this coming weekend, a three day public holiday) is the traditional time to plant out summer crops in NZ, I started a week early though, this weekend will be used for studying!

Ive just spent the last two nights in Wellington, our crazy little capital city. My Mum flew down there for a weekend work conference, then stayed on an extra two days with me. I live just a two hour drive from Wellington, so we made the most of the opportunity. We spent a whole day in the national museeum Te Papa, and visited a family friends new baby Max. He was so smiley and lively, with big eyes and grabbing little hands. And very affectionate and trusting for a 6 month old, he tore up my dinner napkin, then wouldnt let go of my hair! Made me want my own all over again.

I picked up 6 big rubbish bags ful of seawed from Plimmerton Beach on the way home from Wellington today. Its now spread out on the lawn for rinsing before I chop it up with the lawnmower and compost it. Next 4 days are supposed to rain.

And one of my regular gardening clients has asked me to do some work before her aniversary party next weekend, pull the weeds and prune the roses etc. So yes, I am keeping busy! Shes very kind to me, so I will do my best to fit her in around exams and the poor weather.

What do you do with your days, now that summer gardening is finished for the year?

Lena, yes you are very busy. Good luck with the exams. Looks like a lot of gardening ahead of you. Good way to move your plants in and out.

28 degrees here this morning. My hoses and connections are all ready for winter which means I can't irrigate and the ground is getting really dry. Hope we get some rain soon.

Donna

Good morning all , this is my day to take all my buckets of plants and dig trenches in compost to bury them for winter . Had lite frost day b4 yesterday , and put tropicals on porch . They will go in the house until we leave for texas . then will have permanant home there . I'm not going to do this next year.I hope to do a lot of veggie gardening and landscapeing ,sewing and bottle painting . going to take bottles and paint to Tex for when it's too cold to fish and work in yard . hear me jnette? come on down and you too russ , we'll eat beans , fish , and hushpuppies . Heck , everyone's invited , I'm not gone yet , and miss all of you already sally

Sally, you need a lap top to take with you. What kind of bottle painting do you do? Pictures please. Beans fish and hushpuppies sound wonderful. I would love to go fishing with you. Bet Russ and Barb would too.

When are you leaving? Let us know.

Jeanette

jnette , I'm just getting into glass painting . Gordo posted her work on t to t and i just love it . she uses One Shot paint and I ordered some of it but havent used it yet . Eufala sent me a big box of clear paint , and so far , have used that .today it is windy and cold and am going to get into the One Shot . I've posted pic on other threads but will put them on here also . It's so satisfying , better than sewing or any other craft i've done . My patterns came off a web site that has anything you want to see in the way of animals on t- shirts , coffee mugs , ect . My printer doesn't work so I have to look at the picture and draw freehand and think they look pretty good ,(the pictures ) . love to have you and russ for a little vacation and all the other friends I've met on DG . we could have a real reunion in Tex . here goes . sally

here's some more .

That's all, so far

digger, You sure have made some pretty bottles. I take for granted that all the painting is done on the outside of bottle. Does OneShot mean that one time paint and you don't have to coat with clear paint. Nice effect however you do it.

Donna

One Shot is a brand name for automotive paint that Gordo uses . She says ,she used to paint signs on glass for outside and the way you get it off is with razor blade . I typed it in on Ebay and got several dealers . comes in 4oz and 8 oz . I ordered 8 oz and can tell you the smaller one will last a looooooong time and go a looooooooong way It's what they use to paint on storefront windows . what I used on these is delta glass paint that i found for 5.00 at michaels in a kit of 8 or 9 colors . well worth the price . after all this , still have plenty left . tiny little paint pots .Yes , it's all painted on outside . Made my pattern and as gordo says , use sewing transfer paper to trace on glass . clean first with alcohol or paint won't stick .paint over with black for outline then fill in with paint colors . let me find that thread and I'll be back

Ruth , It's trash to treasure forum . about seven threads down under Stained glass window painting , by Gordo . read , all , you'll learn the how to . sally

You do really good with your drawing Sally. Very artistic.

Jeanette

Nice looking bottles Sally, well done. I especially like the frogs :-)

Lena

thank you , I had an art teacher in grade school ,and she taught us how to draw a circle or oblong ,or square , triangle for the main body . then you look at arms, eyes , mouths , etc in relation to the main body .line everything up with each other and lo , it starts looking like the original picture . I could never produce something on my own , but thanks for the complements ,sally

Lena, it was really late at night when I found your post and then of course it didn't show up as not read so I forgot I hadn't told you that I cannot believe how organized you are. My gosh your plants all look so nice and neat and ready to go into their new homes. They are beautiful. Looks like spring!!!

And studying for your exams, helping someone else with their yardwork, I can't believe you have so much energy. And you ask what we do with our time since it has turned cold and everything is put to bed? Well, it seems like there are not enough hours in a day believe it or not, and I don't know where the last 24 went to.

It seems like I do not do anything, seems like nothing gets done, and yet yesterday is gone. I do go to a gym with my sister twice a week, and of course stop in their little deli and have lunch where we undo everything we did in the gym. But you know, we drive 20 or so miles to get there and then back, so that shoots the whole darned day. Guess we are going to have to bypass the gym, go right to the deli for lunch. LOL, that would give us an hour saved right? I am still trying to get plants taken care of in my plant room in the basement. So, working on that, dr appointments take another whole day since they are almost 100 miles away, I am growing old so fast I don't have time for it.

Now you know what we do. How do we find time to garden? I thought we would get to rest in the winter.

Jeanette

Jeanette, I dont have nearly as much energy as Id like. I had to cancel a new gardening job today because I was so tired from yesterday and it was raining. Again. Didnt stop me doing a few hours work in my own garden though :-)
Started on the anual spring war against the buttercup and forget-me-not along the back fenceline. In winter the long bed is theirs, but I need it for my sunflowers in summer. I got over half done, and re-dug some drains to help the flooded lawn. It just wont stop raining! My yard is a lake, and Im worrying for the newly planted tomatoes, some will be getting some very wet feet, planted barely above ground level. I can hear the rain now, very loud on the roof. And the wind is knocking my buckets and pots over, and throwing my lovely mulch everywhere! I took a few photos today though, Ill post a couple.
Lucky you still make it to the gym, I havent been for the last two weeks :-s

These are looking a bit happier, under the shelter of the house

These are last years bales, boxed in with layers of cardboard and newspaper, held in place with driftwood, and a bit more mulch/ sawdust/ manure thrown on top. Very cheap and easy raised bed! Full of worms too, Im still trying to protect them from the birds with the ugly flapping plastic bags.

The last few Irises still hanging in there, and the first cannas are coming out. The brown stuff on the lawn is fresh seaweed, Ive spread it out to rinse before I run it over with the lawnmower to make mineral rich mulch for the tomatoes. If it ever stops raining.
Its 1.30am, goodnight everyone.

Lena

Wow Lena, your last 3 pictures look a lot better than the top one. Did the digging to re direct the water help any? I can't believe all that water!! I just got rain barrels but don't have my gutters up yet but it is so cold that it isn't raining at all. Cold and clear. No snow, Thank the Lord, and no rain. My DH has been sick with bronchitis the last 2 weeks so we haven't gotten any gutters and gotten them up yet. So, we are lucky for the cold I guess.

He is feeling better today and went out and cleared off what was left on the decks from my work. So much work for such a short summer.

The hoop house is still up so that has to come down yet before we get snow and it smashes it like it did last year. LOL Not funny I guess.

Well, got an apple pie in the oven and got to get some ribs in the crock pot for the BBQ sauce.

Jeanette, glad your DH is feeling better. What sort of work do you do on your decks? Do you work from home? It kept raining heavily all night, the edge of my courtyard lake has risen again. These next few days are supposed to clear up though, if the weather girl is right. Could you be getting the first snow any time now already? Time has gone so fast.

Apple pie sounds good! I wanted to make an aple and rhubarb crumble yesterday, but only had two apples left, not quite enough. Rhubarb is starting to make flowers. Do you know if the flowers affect the taste of the stalks? Not sure if I should pick it all quickly, maybe even break off the emerging flower stem, or just let it do its thing.

Lena