Re: New England ~ May 2014

lyndeeloo 5/2/2014, 7:39 pm

Myth or truth about the iron I don't know, but my grandfather used to throw old horse shoe nails into the garden. That man had green thumbs right up to his elbows. He could grow anything! I spent a lot of time in his garden as a young child, he's the reason I love gardening so much.

boffer 5/2/2014, 8:44 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:...even ignoring the fact that I can't get it out of the quote box.

Use this button to switch from WYSIWYG to code mode, and you shouldn't have that problem.
New England ~ May 2014 - Page 2 Screen45

Mips 5/3/2014, 7:27 am

Of a selection of flower, some vege & some herb seeds started 2 weeks ago in a mini greenhouse all that is poking up is 1 little lettuce. Rolling Eyes

I am wondering if something happened; if I should reseed.

I had some experimental starts in late summer last year when the seeds came up in days. I know I was spoiled with that. I know high summer vs colder spring have much different results...but...I still worry.

**AtlantaMarie** 5/3/2014, 7:49 am

What kind of herbs/vegs are you seeding? That may play a role as well since it's still pretty cold for you.

**camprn** 5/3/2014, 7:55 am

A bunch of different herbs I sowed last month took more than 3 weeks to terminate on my window will. Give it another week.

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 8:28 am

camprn wrote:A bunch of different herbs I sowed last month took more than 3 weeks to terminate on my window will.

That's as good as "I'm stuck in the quote box and I can't get out!"

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 8:32 am

About the germination - wouldn't it be quicker on a heat mat?

About the concrete reinforcement wire - what's the difference between that and, say, regular animal fencing? I think the animal fencing material is galvanized to prevent rust, I'd rather go with that.

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 8:39 am

Okay guys, I'm still not seeing any freezing temps in the 10 day forecast. This is unbelievable. Of course, it could happen, and then I'll be crying, but as my seedlings keep growing out of their containers or flopping over (what was that about lopping peppers again?) I'm tempted just to transplant them into the garden.

We inherited a pile of pine logs when we moved here 7 yrs. ago. It's been an eyesore (not that I care) but the other day I realized - some of these absolutely crumble when you touch them. Source of woodchips! My goal is to get 2 wheelbarrows of them a day into the garden area to keep weeds at bay between the boxes. It's probably very inefficient, but it's fun. Actually, once the bugs, vegetation, and snakes come out in full force, it'll probably be over for now.

**camprn** 5/3/2014, 9:07 am

Planting out would take care of the immediate problems but keep in mind that planting summer vegetables in too cold ground may be equally, if not more, stressful on the plants. I'm considering potting up again.

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 9:24 am

Right. Soil temperature. Well, as long as "stressed" doesn't mean "dead" I might just go for it. Even if growth is delayed, they're pretty big to begin with. Hmm.

Definitely the broccoli, kale & kohlrabi can go in. I'll report on the tomatoes I put in the other day.

I just indoor seeded the vines and they're barely beginning to sprout, so it would just be a couple peppers for now.

**camprn** 5/3/2014, 9:28 am

I'm planning on setting out my kales today. I have to start turning the monster compost pile and move more wood pellets into the garage before the hot weather does make an appearance.

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 12:39 pm

I've noticed becoming increasingly bothered by gnats the past few days. Black fly season is right around the corner, and then mosquitoes. It's been nice this spring without them!

CapeCoddess 5/3/2014, 1:48 pm

NHG, when you start vines inside do you start them in peat pots? how long will they have been sprouted before you plant them out? my indoor started cukes and such always die after being transplanted into the garden.

I just finished planting the peach tree, then dug up some stray strawberries and walked them down to a neighbor, filled all the SFG buckets with water and decided tospread some more wood chips. Then I came in for lunch and read that Camp was going to turn the compost pile and it made me go "ugh". I think all my energy has gone into eating chocolate brownies for the past two nights. Bad CC, bad girl!

I need to mow the lawn...
boogie woogie

and stop eating junk food!

RJARPCGP 5/3/2014, 2:35 pm

Wowsers! It's barely in the 50s in Chester while still 61 F at my thermometer out front when I got back from riding through Chester!

And only a reading of 49 F west of downtown Chester.....

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 3:22 pm

CC, no peat pots. Last year my transplants did well. The reason I started indoor sprouting them was because those darn cut worms (I think that's what they are) kept eating the tops off the seedlings in the garden as they germinated. So this way, with a head start, it protects them. My sheet says to indoor seed them three weeks before last frost.

Like I said, last year they transplanted well, but then I put them in a new field (not SFG - wanted to try to save space in the SFG, those vines take over) that got waterlogged everytime it rained so they turned yellow and didn't do well, and then the SVBs got them anyway. I hate those things. This year I think I'm going to hoop them with agrabon and keep out that darn moth that turns into the SVB.

PS - I made chocolate chip cookies for the youngster last night and BLEH am I sick now...

lyndeeloo 5/3/2014, 4:47 pm

It's been warm today with the occasional dark cloud passing through. Looked like rain on and off, so I start picking everything up, a few raindrops later the sun comes out. I lost count how many times I put away my tools today. Emptied all my big planting pots, screened the soil, added some compost and potted up all of my perennial herbs. Put all the seedlings in the new little greenhouse. Planted some veggies in the garden and some potatoes in big pots.

A couple of artichoke plants followed me home the other day so I did some research. What I thought was 2 plants turned out to be 6. I planted 3 in big pots and will try 3 in the ground in the front yard. Sounds like they will take up quite a bit of space, so too big for my SFG.

I bought a dwarf Bartlett pear the other day and have been researching if it needed a pollinator. I picked it out because it is supposed to be one of the juiciest and most flavorful pears and the tag claimed it didn't need another pear tree. Well the opinions online seem to be mixed on that as well as what other pear should be the pollinator. Bosc and Anjou seem to be the most mentioned, but I can't find one anywhere without breaking the bank. Moonglow was suggested and supposedly Lowes has them for $19.99. So better safe than sorry, I'll get a second tree, not sure where I will find room for 2 pear trees but, heavy sigh, I guess I'll just have to make room.

CC, any FTA meetings scheduled? Help!!!

**camprn** 5/3/2014, 4:52 pm

Oh dear, I'm having a similar weather day. Hey, did you know artichoke plants can have a 3 foot spread? Shocked

lyndeeloo 5/3/2014, 5:05 pm

camprn wrote:Oh dear, I'm having a similar weather day. Hey, did you know artichoke plants can have a 3 foot spread?

That's what I read online camprn, have you ever grown them? The 3 I planted already are in big pots. I thought the others would be in the middle of the front yard. At least they would be ornamental.

CapeCoddess 5/3/2014, 5:26 pm

Sorry I can't be of any help, fellow fruitee. I'm thinking you need another pear tree.
idk

what does the tag that came with it say? Does it say self pollinating?

lyndeeloo 5/3/2014, 5:34 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Sorry I can't be of any help, fellow fruitee. I'm thinking you need another pear tree.

what does the tag that came with it say? Does it say self pollinating?

It does, but a lot of info online disagrees. So I guess err on the side of caution?

CapeCoddess 5/3/2014, 5:43 pm

that would frustrate the heck out of me! can you call the company or at least send them an email?

lyndeeloo 5/3/2014, 6:01 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:that would frustrate the heck out of me! can you call the company or at least send them an email?

I'll be looking into it. It's so hard to find websites that agree on this one. I didn't realize the pear would be an issue. The peach tree was so easy

NHGardener 5/3/2014, 7:10 pm

Sure. That's how they do it. They start you out on peaches, and you think: Oh. This is easy. Then you progress onto pears, and it gets a little harder...

Peaches... the gateway tree...

Speaking of artichokes, I love artichokes (they may choke Arty, but they're not gonna choke me! - Little Rascals I think) but I was under the impression they won't grow in 5b? Camprn? What do you think?

**AtlantaMarie** 5/3/2014, 7:41 pm

Besides, what's another tree? You can shoehorn it in. Right.... there! You know you want it.... And it's only, what? $20?

Shocked

Must... buy... tree... Shocked

mollyhespra 5/3/2014, 7:58 pm

I was looking at growing artichokes a few years ago and I'd bookmarked this link:

http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26902

I then decided it would be too much work for me so I never bothered. But if the guy on page 2 in Ontario gets good results, then it should work for us in New England.

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