Hey where’s the garden chitchat

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 06-27-2009 09:59 PM

Harvested our first cukes today!!! Yum!

It's HOT here, was around 104 today and supposed to be 107 tomorrow. Yuck. We watered really well early this morning and everything made it through just fine. We've got 3 days of this HEAT, though (Monday, too), so wish us luck! I think we'll make it through with no casualties, though.

eagle · Post by **eagle** » 06-27-2009 10:04 PM

My tomatoes are about 2' tall and getting flowers I guess I'll have to go out and pinch the flowers off. Getting close to picking some sugar snap peas, anyone else picking anything or getting close?

Psychicwolf · Post by **Psychicwolf** » 06-27-2009 11:06 PM

We've had such a weird season. I thought my tomatoes were never going to do anything, I went out of town for a few days and came back to two feet high tomato plants. I did give them a feed right before I left of a friend recommended product called 'Mater Magic. And it WAS!:p

Also friend recommended a safe weed killer to use in areas where the pets, birds and wildlife traverse.

1 oz. gin, 1 oz. some kind of pure soap (I used a castile soap), and 1 oz. cider vinegar. It works great and the critters and birds are unharmed. Maybe a little drunk, but....

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 06-27-2009 11:37 PM

Psychicwolf wrote: Also friend recommended a safe weed killer to use in areas where the pets, birds and wildlife traverse.

1 oz. gin, 1 oz. some kind of pure soap (I used a castile soap), and 1 oz. cider vinegar. It works great and the critters and birds are unharmed. Maybe a little drunk, but....

Hmmm... wonder if it'll work on crabgrass?

Psychicwolf · Post by **Psychicwolf** » 06-27-2009 11:48 PM

Joolz wrote: Hmmm... wonder if it'll work on crabgrass?

Joolz, it worked on my most stubborn broadleaf weeds.

Just mix it up in a spray bottle shoot it on. The gin made the dogs turn tail, the birds seemed unfazed, and even the raccoon last night gave it a wide berth. But it killed two of my biggest most determined repeater weeds.

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 06-28-2009 12:17 AM

I'll try it! Crabgrass is our worst enemy. That, and these Mexican Fan Palm seedlings that keep popping up everywhere. I potted a couple of them because they're cool, but I don't want them everywhere. Oh, and pecan seedlings. The squirrels plant them all over our yard.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 06-29-2009 09:34 AM

Must say had not heard of the gin, soap and vinegar combo, but may have to try that on some of these weeds.

NOW the question on purse soap -- 1oz - presume that is liquid soap.

I've used dish soap and water on aphids and similar bugs.

==
NOW the 'stink bugs' some call "blister bugs" - have arrived - gray color monsters (sometimes look black). Its their mating season and they exude a pheromone that gets on leaves of squash, melons - similar plants and will literally cause your skin to break out and 'itch'. (and cause blisters) We do use a powder killer that won't harm plants - just kills the bugs. So far its the only thing that has worked. IF left unattended they will eat fruit, stems and keep on spreading.

Psychicwolf · Post by **Psychicwolf** » 06-29-2009 09:57 AM

Cherry Kelly wrote: Must say had not heard of the gin, soap and vinegar combo, but may have to try that on some of these weeds.

NOW the question on purse soap -- 1oz - presume that is liquid soap.

I've used dish soap and water on aphids and similar bugs.

==
NOW the 'stink bugs' some call "blister bugs" - have arrived - gray color monsters (sometimes look black). Its their mating season and they exude a pheromone that gets on leaves of squash, melons - similar plants and will literally cause your skin to break out and 'itch'. (and cause blisters) We do use a powder killer that won't harm plants - just kills the bugs. So far its the only thing that has worked. IF left unattended they will eat fruit, stems and keep on spreading.

I used a pure castile shampoo because I had part of a travel sized bottle left, CK. But I'll probably use dish soap next batch. I use 7th Generation dishsoap so it's "natural" soap with no frangrances. It's just to get the desiccants to hold on to the weed.

We don't have those stink bugs here. You talked about them last year. Glad I don't have to deal with them!

joequinn · Post by **joequinn** » 06-29-2009 10:23 AM

This garden thread does nothing, absolutely nothing, to advance the revolution. In fact, it detracts attention, however momentarily, from the revolution and its all-consuming demands on the soul.

Which is exactly why this thread should survive and should never apologize for being exactly what it is, no less, and no more...

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » 06-29-2009 12:19 PM

Originally posted by Psychicwolf
[BII use 7th Generation dishsoap so it's "natural" soap with no frangrances.

Yep, that's what I'm gonna use, too. (Good stuff, BTW.)

Psychicwolf · Post by **Psychicwolf** » 06-29-2009 09:56 PM

Joolz wrote: Yep, that's what I'm gonna use, too. (Good stuff, BTW.)

It is good stuff and pretty reasonable in price too. I used to pay a fortune for non-toxic dishwashing soap (I have to be careful, I have a graywater system to flush to toilets...then a septic in a wildlife/river system sensitive area), but 7th Generation is the same price as any major brand and Fred Meyer (where I shop alot) has it on sale quite often and I find coupons for it everywhere.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 06-30-2009 09:33 AM

We get the stink bugs, the blister bugs and the squash bugs - and with all the rain this early - they do seem to arrive all at the same time as the chiggars. I just do the Skin So Soft in the shower - takes care of the chiggars... wish it would take care of the bugs... alas it doesn't.

Will pick up some of that dishwater soap at Big Lots or one of the other places where I've seen it sold. I normally just use Dawn for my mixes.

One thing about zukes - I am going to try a late year planting as I was reading about it being done in this climate...so will let you all know how it works out later this year.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 07-06-2009 02:25 PM

June ended here with a whopping 7 days without some rain or quick type shower.

Corn has ears and is now surrounded by the electric fence - which won't kill but should keep coons out of the corn patch.

Tomatoes loaded with flowers and small starting tomatoes - few with fist size and the cherry tomatoes - loaded, but still not turning red...

patience -- ya ya ya -- and I'm trying to be very patient waiting for some of the cherry tomatoes to turn red.

badspell · Post by **badspell** » 07-07-2009 04:20 PM

We were blessed with some appreciated gentle rain down here.

If I can get Jeannie to take a few pictures. I would love to share my over 6 foot tall tomato plants with ya’ll.

The peppers, unbelievable this year. The cucumbers, the okra, the carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions. I have never seen a better year!

On the not so happy side the deer have discovered blackberries without thorns are delicious. Yes stems, berries and leaves…. I guess that’s okay. It’s good for them.

Fresh corn unfortunately we will not experience this year, but definitely will next year.

Cherry Kelly · Post by **Cherry Kelly** » 07-08-2009 10:12 AM

Sounds like some nice tall tomatoes. I think if I tied up the cherry tomatoes = instead of wrapping them in/around baskets, they would get that tall...but I go for the bush type for most of my tomatoes. keep them in hip tall baskets and so far that seems to work fine.

Got this one silly pepper plant that is no more than a foot tall at most and so loaded with peppers - it has to have a props to hold it up. Wish a few would ripen so I can pick them, either that or I will have to find some more 'crutches' for the poor plant.

I will have to start watching out for little box turtles as the tomatoes ripen as those little pests will show up. Then they will get numbered and removed to the back pond area!

Garden looks great at the moment and hope it stays that way as the temps go up....