Re: N&C Midwest: March and April 2021

mollyhespra 4/20/2021, 10:48 pm

Interesting about the currants and gooseberries. I read up on them after you mentioned it, OG and yea, apparently they are an intermediate host for the White Pine Blister Rust. My state (NH) does ban some varieties but not others. I found a nursery that carries one of the OK varieties but get this: I need an actual PERMIT to grow even the allowed ones in my garden! Not sure if the nursery won't sell them to me without said permit or if it's on the honor system. I get it, it's important, but I have visions of that scene in _Monsters, INC._ where the decontamination swat team bust in and shave one of the monsters down because a child's sock got stuck to his fur, only it's the swat team busting in and incinerating my poor plant. I think I'd rather not risk it.

OhioGardener 4/21/2021, 8:35 am

That is a shame, Molly! The fruit of Gooseberries, and especially Gooseberry Pies, are soooooooooo delicious!

Ohio has simplified the restrictions, so that only one variety is banned:

The current Ohio law (Regulation AG-71-85.01) to suppress and control White Pine Blister Rust Disease is as follows:

The European black currant, Ribes nigrum L. or any variety of this species is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, and it shall be unlawful for any person to possess, transport, plant, propagate, sell, or offer for sale, plants, roots, scions, seeds, or cuttings of these plants in this state.
Recognized varieties, e.g., "Consort" produced by the hybridization of Ribes nigrum L. or a variety thereof with a resistant or immune species, known to be immune or highly resistant to the White Pine Blister Rust fungus, (Cronartium ribicola, Fischer) are exempt from the restrictions imposed by paragraph (A) above.

Note: Ohio law does not prohibit the planting of red currants or gooseberries within the state.

OhioGardener 4/21/2021, 9:49 am

We got a late spring snow last night, with sub-freezing temperatures. Under that snow are the kale, chard, lettuce, spinach, radishes and bunching onion plants.

N&C Midwest: March and April 2021 - Page 3 Spring19

mollyhespra 4/22/2021, 6:27 pm

So pretty, though, OG. When's your LF date?

OhioGardener 4/22/2021, 7:33 pm

mollyhespra wrote:So pretty, though, OG. When's your LF date?

Our "official" last frost date is May 15th, but we very seldom have freezing temps after the first week of April. The last time the area had snow on this date was 1923.

**Scorpio Rising** 4/25/2021, 8:59 am

Going to start tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squashes today on pad downstairs today hopefully. I need to also transplant bunching onions and celery outside too.

Trying new varieties of tomatoes this year, and in a new place, in containers in the south annex. I have had squash and melons out there every year but the SVBs got to things last year—hoping to at least delay their damage by changing location on them!

Enjoy the coming weather, Midwest!

OhioGardener 4/25/2021, 2:31 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote: I need to also transplant bunching onions and celery outside too.

You may be behind schedule getting your bunching onions out, SR. I planted mine on April 4th, and they're growing like gangbusters. Smile

Have kale, lettuce (3 varieties), spinach, radish, beets, and carrots growing in the beds.

Have peppers, tomatoes, basil, alyssum, and lychnis seedlings growing under lights. Won't be starting the squash under lights until early June.

These are the bunching onions....can't wait to start pulling them....

N&C Midwest: March and April 2021 - Page 3 Bunchi12

OhioGardener 4/30/2021, 1:44 pm

The lettuce is coming in now faster than we can eat it! A good problem to have. Smile

N&C Midwest: March and April 2021 - Page 3 Leaf_l14

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