Gardening

[cineater]

I set up the lights the same day I took them down.   I always have a stash of lights.  They are part of the hard scape.  Can't start gardening until the hard scape is in place.  My opinion anyway.

Our nice day turned into cloud cover and spitting rain.  Couldn't pass by the pumpkin pie mix at the store.  I'll be cooking Thursday when the temps crash.  I hate people who scream at you.  Do that to me in the kitchen and it's a cast iron skillet to the head for you not to mention a drawer full of knives.   You're safe with me, not a violent person but it doesn't mean I'm not entertaining myself with the thoughts in my head.

[soon]

Im with you about the kitchen. Never thought about the weapons though!  I like to relax when cooking. Ooh, pumpkin pie - great idea! Ill have to make some myself. And that will mark my only use or consumption of 'pumpkin spice' the world has gone mad with pumpkin spice lattes.

Im loving the term hard scape. I should've known you were prepped  Now get those lights up!

[cineater]

You work in a psych hospital, everything is a weapon, lol.  It changes your thinking.  Damn pumpkin pie needed 4 hours to cool.  I had to go to bed before it cooled.  But not before I plugged in the roof line for the neighbor when he got home from work at midnight, lol.

Big push today.  We'll see what I can get done or rather want to get done.  I think I'm leaving all those canna bulbs in ground and burying them in leaf mulch.  I'm not moving all those pots to storage.  They can stay where they are and I'll bag them.

lol, I don't think they will notice I doubled the size of that not really a bed.  It will be a bed next year.  Nobody breaks more of the rules around there than me.  Never leave me alone in the garden.

Edited November 5, 2019 by cineater

[cineater]

Oh shit, Tuesday's high is 27.  We don't get that kind of weather until January.  I just got those crepe myrtle to become trees.  Here they are bushes but the last few years have been so warm we have been able to grow them as trees.  I may be cutting all those down to the ground next spring.  Maybe I better put some more mulch on those canna bulbs.  I'm at 4 inches but maybe I better take it up to 6.

We mulched at the side project today.  One scoop short!  The dog, the husband, the blade flying out of the saw when he turned it on, couldn't get out of there fast enough, lol.

So what do you recommend for fertilizer for those veggies in containers?  I generally use a mix for flowers that dissolves over three months.  Lots of the nutrients in containers wash right out because they are watered so often.  Rather than make our own potting mixture, we are going to use potting soil since that's what your urban deck/patio gardener would be using.

Pumpkin pie came out good!

Edited November 6, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

That sucks about the pie. Sound like something that would happen to me  Glad it was still great the next day!!

Those canna bugs will be great twice as big! That flying saw blade sounds scary af!??

For fertilizers in containers - have you seen those fertilizer 'plugs'? The fertilizer is made as a hard kinda stem that you stick into the soil. Its slow release and in my experience (not in containers) they stand up to water erosion. Ive used them with heavy feeders like dent corn and they worked really well. I also once made a planter out of a fallen pine tree. I left the leaves/fur on and it fertilized my sweet peppers... not sure if anything like that might work too?

My garden related work so far today is cleaning out my fridge after having no time/energy for that over the gardening season. I reorganized the shelves placement too and am really happy with it. Will make the final kale harvest that much easier and stress free. Planning to make some kale and ricotta ravioli 

[cineater]

I was just looking at those plugs/spikes/pellets.  Seems easier than using a liquid fertilizer and a more consistent feeding.  And I can use spikes with the right kind of fertilizer for the plant.  I was reading for my leafy ones have more nitrogen and more phosphorus for the fruiting veggies.

I don't fertilize my inground plants.  The leaf mulch I get from the garden is closer to leaf compost.  I should test my soil to see what is going on there.  I have a feeling I'm pretty high in organic matter because they grow like champs.  Helped some people clean out a bed and then we put down the leaf mulch.  I put down a good 4 inches.  They put down about an inch.  I flip the whole wheelbarrow over on it, spread it around and go back for more.  They are pitch forking it out.  This is why I don't weed and water the whole summer and their bed is covered in weeds plus we had to pick up the soaker hoses.

One last shake of the head because of Kevin.   He mowed over my newly planted green path.  Oh yeah he saw the mulch but didn't know I had plants under it.  Fortunately the mulch was really wet and he just took off the top.  The plants are all still there with a little less leaf mulch.  This plant grows like a weed but I'm still going to sweat it out till next spring.  And hey if it doesn't work, I can blame Kevin. 

Okay, don't hate me.  If I don't do another thing in the garden I'm good to go.  And the Christmas lights are up.  Feeling it's going to be a bad winter and I was panicked to get done.  We have fog tonight, very cool.

Edited November 7, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Harvested my last kale today

The echinacea is still bright yellow flowers! The oregano and catnip are still green and fragrant - they smell incredible!

I'll be eating this until next spring. Then its goodbye forever, kale! 

[cineater]

You're not growing Kale next year?  You're garden is really pretty even in snow.  Some of those beds are twice as high as ours.  My back is jealous.

[soon]

I might end up growing kale at the back half of next season if my cabbage grows fast enough to swap out. But right now I hate it! 

Ah, thanks. I should have got an after picture of the bed with no more kale - just the stumps of kale and perennials. Yeah Im lucky to have a bed in the 'accessible' area so they are higher 

I had considered my season over a few weeks now, since harvesting the beans and lentils. But today really got me back into the spirit of it all and excited for it. But now Im really really done. Got to see one of my absolute favourite people from that garden. Good send off to the season.

... well I still have a full garbage bag of kale to process and store 

19 hours ago, cineater said:

I was just looking at those plugs/spikes/pellets.  Seems easier than using a liquid fertilizer and a more consistent feeding.  And I can use spikes with the right kind of fertilizer for the plant.  I was reading for my leafy ones have more nitrogen and more phosphorus for the fruiting veggies.

I don't fertilize my inground plants.  The leaf mulch I get from the garden is closer to leaf compost.  I should test my soil to see what is going on there.  I have a feeling I'm pretty high in organic matter because they grow like champs.  Helped some people clean out a bed and then we put down the leaf mulch.  I put down a good 4 inches.  They put down about an inch.  I flip the whole wheelbarrow over on it, spread it around and go back for more.  They are pitch forking it out.  This is why I don't weed and water the whole summer and their bed is covered in weeds plus we had to pick up the soaker hoses.

One last shake of the head because of Kevin.   He mowed over my newly planted green path.  Oh yeah he saw the mulch but didn't know I had plants under it.  Fortunately the mulch was really wet and he just took off the top.  The plants are all still there with a little less leaf mulch.  This plant grows like a weed but I'm still going to sweat it out till next spring.  And hey if it doesn't work, I can blame Kevin. 

Okay, don't hate me.  If I don't do another thing in the garden I'm good to go.  And the Christmas lights are up.  Feeling it's going to be a bad winter and I was panicked to get done.  We have fog tonight, very cool.

Cool, I think the plugs should work! Yeah, perfect to be able to fertilize according to plants need.

I aim to be the same with my soil being rich enough to not need fertilizing. I do sometimes use some fermented beet sugar on flowering plants. Should have fed my chamomile this year, but the echinacea grew in just one year!!

Hahahaha, Kevin  It will defiantly be his fault if it doesnt come together! I really hope it will be okay though.

Like Im saying, I was happy to be done with gardening until I got a hint of it this morning again. I will miss it again. But I can relate to what youre saying for sure. 

If I tallied the loses caused by Sweet Cornbread at the beginning, middle and end of this season it would warrant firing him. But I think I'll keep him... just wish he could've destroyed kale instead 

[cineater]

Just after I posted I'm done, I look out the window and there's all those hosta seeds.  They're drying on the cookie sheet.  The ones off the hosta with the big leaves are under the lights.  And when the wind came through last night, the leaves where coming down so fast it looked like it was snowing.  Lily had a great time catching them as they fell.  Should have not shared my joy over the Christmas lights.  I'm putting mom's up Sunday.  Just to fuck with Mike I turned on the lights right before he came home from work.  Yeah, you know how I am.  We're putting his up on Saturday.

I know I have gotten my fingers and toes close to frostbite many times but this year those areas are screaming even in the warmth of the house.  My hands are sluggish and stiff.  Usually happens later in the winter when I'm outside but this year is different.  Does that happen to you?

It's music day in the house.  I'm cleaning but then there's empty hanging baskets in my garage begging for a new liner and once that happens, I have to put something in them.  I need a bigger house and more lights.  I forgot to sent the timer on my lights back an hour so they have been coming on at 5, lol.  The lights wake me up even though I'm in another room around a corner. 

Edited November 7, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

Awww, Im picturing Lily catching all the falling leaves 

Always one more thing, eh?! I hope all those Hostas are under lights now. Your Moms place will look great too, lots of work though. Mike comes home to a dark neighbourhood with the exception of your early christmas lighting up the block  

My hands get stiff and achy from the cold all the time. I did get a touch of frostbite last year actually - it no joke and was painful. But yeah, yesterday I processed that kale at that picnic table in the cold. I needed to take my gloves off to work the scissors. Then I got chatting with someone and I think I came close to frost bite again - got to get those winter habits back. Sometimes they stay stiff for a while once Im inside.

Listening to some Dead? Im enjoying organizing and cleaning my place too. I cant wait to get some herbs going under the lights. I brewed some sage ale. Bigger house and are lights sounds like bliss to me too! I hate when grow lights wake me, I can never get back to sleep after that!

I forget if I mentioned that Pawpaw is a native here and theres a big push to restore the population.

[cineater]

Allman Brothers, Eat a Peach, stick with that gardening theme.  Youtube knows where I go from there.

I forgot I had a second timer going in the plant room for the house plants, 5AM again.  The hostas grew well last year under the lights but once they got in the ground (shade) they didn't grow much.  I think I'm going to grow them in containers with more sun next year and put them in the ground in the fall.  Hopefully they get bigger.  I have enough seeds I'm going to try starting some in ground at the garden.

I guess that is a touch of frostbite and not the actual thing.  I can tell you as the years go by they get more sensitive to the cold.  It's like the cells in those areas are dead and can't retain heat.  Maybe that's how they discovered to kill fat cells with cold.

I think this is the second time to restore Pawpaw because I remember hearing about them in the early 80's.  The place we went to learn about them had an old grove that was dying out and they hadn't bothered to replant.  They haven't come up with many varieties yet so each tree is going to taste different.  They end up grafting the trees they like onto root stock.  It would take lifetimes to develop those into a marketable product.  But they were good tasting.  Maybe something you have to find in the field if you develop a taste for them.

Simone is trying to make her way through the yard.  My one tree dropped all its leaves last night.  Where did the grass go? 

[soon]

Alllman Brothers - nice!! Haha, gardening theme is a much more positive spin on that name. I need to listen to Eat a Peach asap. Its been too long. Hearing Whipping Post from At Fillmore East was such a formative musical experience for me. Id love to be able to hear that song again for the very first time. Magic.

I just started listening to a Widespread Panic concert recently. Never heard them before. Im liking that too. Do you listen to them at all?

Another 5am wake up  Oh, I shouldnt laugh.

If its frost bite there will be a brown discolouration and some odd nerve disconnects and pain (possibly only when touched certain ways. The texture is like a corn. Sounds like you must have got at least a touch of frost bite, though. That sucks  

Yeah, thats one thing they mentioned about restoring the Pawpaw presence here; to have one more wild edible. To hope people can get used to getting some tasty food locally that way too.

If only Simone could rake the leaves . Im trying to figure out how to condition my new neighbour to do all the shovelling 

I ended up just putting the entire garbage bag, bursting with kale into my mini fridge. I had to tape the door shut since the bag is so full  Tomorrow I'll make a mac n cheese, burger and kale puffed pastry wrap (from a recipe)... so thats a handful of kale down...

[cineater]

Called it!  Bad battery in my car.  Working on cars in the cold is part of the reason I have this cold sensitivity in my hands and toes.  I swear the guy who replaced the battery was high or brain damaged, lol.  First he announces he now has to go pee before he works on the car since he went out in the cold.  Comes back and reminds himself of what he was he was suppose to be doing and then shocks himself installing the battery. 

So I asked the guys at autozone if there was anything new in the way of hand cold protection, no.  I'll ask the motorcycle riders.  In the meantime, it's hold the hot cup of coffee solution.

I have to shred and bag this group of leaves for leaf mulch.  It's kind of pretty with the different fall colors in there.  It only last so long before it's all brown.  And because we are wedding dress shopping tomorrow when it's 50 again, I'm going out there now to freeze my hands and toes.   Wasn't bad, the sun was out.  I only have yellow and a few orange leaves.  Sometimes I would like to mow over in my neighbor's yard and get those red leaves.  

Edited November 8, 2019 by cineater

[soon]

17 hours ago, cineater said:

Called it!  Bad battery in my car.  Working on cars in the cold is part of the reason I have this cold sensitivity in my hands and toes.  I swear the guy who replaced the battery was high or brain damaged, lol.  First he announces he now has to go pee before he works on the car since he went out in the cold.  Comes back and reminds himself of what he was he was suppose to be doing and then shocks himself installing the battery. 

Lord love a duck! At least you didnt have to work on your car in the cold. Im really sorry to hear that you are so effected by the cold.

I have these tight winter gloves that are like a blend of rubber and thermal material. So you keep a lot more dexterity than with other gloves. And they are tight and 'grippy.' Would something like that be useful?

17 hours ago, cineater said:

I have to shred and bag this group of leaves for leaf mulch.  It's kind of pretty with the different fall colors in there.  It only last so long before it's all brown.  And because we are wedding dress shopping tomorrow when it's 50 again, I'm going out there now to freeze my hands and toes.   Wasn't bad, the sun was out.  I only have yellow and a few orange leaves.  Sometimes I would like to mow over in my neighbor's yard and get those red leaves.  

The colourful leaves are so beautiful

Dress shopping sounds exciting!

***

My downstairs neighbours place has started oozing some caustic fumes. Its filling my unit and its hurting my nose and throat. Sometimes eyes water. Smells like a laundromat to some extent. Im concerned they are making drugs. Thought Id ask for your take on it, please?

 

[cineater]

I was thinking meth lab too.  Definitely call the landlord.  You can call the fire department and ask them to identify the smell.  If it's currently happening, they will probably come out, in the truck, with the lights going, and accompanied by the police.  I would not be cool about any smells that fill my apartment and hurt my nose and throat especially with pets in the home.

No rubber when it gets cold.  I noticed that only holds in the cold.  I know I should just come in from the cold but I don't want to, lol.

Regular garden sessions close after today.  There's always something to do in the gardens but I won't have to be up there every Wednesday and Saturday.

[soon]

Thanks. I dont abide landlords   So I will call my favourite co-op board member for the same assistance and for a second set of nostrils. I wont lie, nothing would make me happier then to watch them perp walked out of here, never to be seen again. Just hope theres no damage to my nose and that we dont all blow up first. Will call fire department right away if we both smell it again. 

I never wanna go in either! Sounds like some electrically heated gloves might be worth the investment? https://www.amazon.com/HEAT-WARMER-Rechargeable-Touchscreen-Handwarmer/dp/B07MVWX229/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=heated+gloves&qid=1573316715&sr=8-4

The season officially ends, but you cant take the garden outta the gardner  

[cineater]

If they've been making drugs in there, be prepared to have the building condemned.  Those chemicals get into the structure and the whole place has to be gutted before it's safe to live there, even then I wouldn't.

Those gloves are too thick.  Like you said, we have to be able to move our fingers.  Love my hoodies but my hair is standing straight out today, lol.

[soon]

Should I leave here immediately then since its effecting me? This sucks.

They also smoke weed and it fills my unit. So my question is: If they can smoke, with a flame, in there does that maybe suggest that there arent dangerous chemicals in the air after all?

Too bad theres no designs of these types of gloves that are thinner. 

Haha, whys your hair like that? Is it frozen solid?? 

[cineater]

Never trust that your drug cooker knows what they are doing, lol.  Pot is not a chemical.  It's organic matter.  Second hand smoke.  Meth people are using chemicals that take many, many years to break down.  Those chemicals come with warnings to wear protective clothing and possible side effects, some that take years to develop.  Our instructions for suspected meth labs was to exit immediately.  Usually it's a smell of ammonia, cat urine.  You said laundry so it could be they don't have their dryer vented outside.

Static electricity in that hoodie.  The hair either has no life or is flying on its own. 

The kid's face did not light up in any of those wedding dresses.  You can't put a petite woman is an obese woman's dress and tell anything.

[Dazey]

14 hours ago, cineater said:

Pot is not a chemical. 

Of course it’s a chemical. What a silly thing to say.  

[SoulMonster]

23 hours ago, soon said:

My downstairs neighbours place has started oozing some caustic fumes. Its filling my unit and its hurting my nose and throat. Sometimes eyes water. Smells like a laundromat to some extent. Im concerned they are making drugs. Thought Id ask for your take on it, please?

I thought you liked drugs. And locally produced and everything. 

[SoulMonster]

19 hours ago, soon said:

Should I leave here immediately then since its effecting me? This sucks.

They also smoke weed and it fills my unit. So my question is: If they can smoke, with a flame, in there does that maybe suggest that there arent dangerous chemicals in the air after all?

Not all dangerous chemicals are inflammable. 

[soon]

3 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

I thought you liked drugs. And locally produced and everything. 

No. I dont know why you think that.

1 minute ago, SoulMonster said:

Not all dangerous chemicals are inflammable. 

Obviously. But meth labs and shatter labs frequently explode.

[soon]

15 hours ago, cineater said:

Never trust that your drug cooker knows what they are doing, lol.  Pot is not a chemical.  It's organic matter.  Second hand smoke.  Meth people are using chemicals that take many, many years to break down.  Those chemicals come with warnings to wear protective clothing and possible side effects, some that take years to develop.  Our instructions for suspected meth labs was to exit immediately.  Usually it's a smell of ammonia, cat urine.  You said laundry so it could be they don't have their dryer vented outside.

Static electricity in that hoodie.  The hair either has no life or is flying on its own. 

The kid's face did not light up in any of those wedding dresses.  You can't put a petite woman is an obese woman's dress and tell anything.

Wow. The gardening thread is blowing up - who even knew anyone else was reading along 

I just meant if there was residual chemicals from meth lab in the building would they even be able to light up a joint with out risks. Therefore if I smelled pot would that mean I likely dont have to fear that they have a meth lab going?

I hope its just laundry!!!! I dont know why theyd put in a washer dryer in that little space is what keeps this mysterious. Ive never been bothered by laundromat smells, so they must have zero venting - or its venting to my unit.

Static hair  

Edited November 10, 2019 by soon