Gardening

[janrichmond]

i'm seriously considering hiring a gardener for a few hours a couple of times a week. I just don't have the time to do all the planting and weeding that needs doing.

[cineater]

I have all these people asking me to come over and landscape their yards.  Seriously, have you seen my yard?   I'm a home for unwanted plants.  My yard needs a total overhaul.  I only wish I was one of those organized gardeners.

[soon]

Cayenne and Jalapeno sprouts popping up daily!!  Just started a batch of tomatoes and sweet peppers. Thus maxing out my current grow space.  Just ordered an additional 24'' LED grow light (T5) and some fancy Deep-Root seed starters that are supposed to speed growth and more fully develop roots.

On a sad note, starting Monday I will be watching big machines rip up the community garden next door.  Its my smallest but most beloved plot; a sanctuary.  I hope to get my perennials out of it before then but the ground is only thawed maybe an inch or so and winter ugliness is expected to return in a serious way tonite and through the weekend. Its only a handful of all the perennials that Ill be transplanting to other garden, but still.  Im calling in a power tool loving pal to explore our options that way!

[cineater]

That sucks.  You could try putting a black plastic trash bag over the plant and surrounding area to see if the sun warms it up and holds in some heat overnight.  Might thaw it out after a few sunny days.  One thing I learned the hard way is bare root the plants you transplant from one garden to another.  You just bring the weeds from one garden to another and in my case I got wild violets and wild strawberry, both very invasive.  Bring the worms you find.

Did you say you till?  Tilling kills your worms and if you don't have money for amendments you're working against yourself.  I just attended a lecture on worm castings, ie worm poop. Plus if you pull out roots from last year, there go all those little beneficial microorganisms that are so helpful in the soil.  We've been cutting off at the ground and leaving roots in.

[Gracii Guns]

@cineater Leaving roots in? Doesn’t that make the weeds grow back faster?

My landlords are visiting on Monday, so I’m using today to get as much gardening done as possible. I’ll let you know how I get on. 

[cineater]

I meant of your dead annual, desirable plants.  I still pull weeds.

[soon]

9 hours ago, cineater said:

That sucks.  You could try putting a black plastic trash bag over the plant and surrounding area to see if the sun warms it up and holds in some heat overnight.  Might thaw it out after a few sunny days.  One thing I learned the hard way is bare root the plants you transplant from one garden to another.  You just bring the weeds from one garden to another and in my case I got wild violets and wild strawberry, both very invasive.  Bring the worms you find.

Did you say you till?  Tilling kills your worms and if you don't have money for amendments you're working against yourself.  I just attended a lecture on worm castings, ie worm poop. Plus if you pull out roots from last year, there go all those little beneficial microorganisms that are so helpful in the soil.  We've been cutting off at the ground and leaving roots in.

Thanks for these great tips!  Bare root means to dig em up and not keep them in a pot of soil, but rather just dig em up and keep them in that state until transplanting?  How long can they be kept that way?  It will be at least a month before I can get them in their new home.

Very good point about how central worms will be to my soil health especially this year!  Thanks for raising that. I have tilled when I first cleared my main garden. I tilled first and third years and not since, heading into year five. I had two perennial gardens that were never tilled.  I wont be tilling this year but there is a tree stump in middle of garden that I planned to remove next year.  That will involve a tractor.  Should I still not till after that weight drives on my garden?  Im totally onside with no-till gardening.  Or should I leave the stump in for the good bacteria?

I ordered a wooden worm farm last year from a very casual maker.  Something went wrong with the shipping and since then he's kinda flaked.  Guess its time I give in and buy a mass produced plastic one.  Great idea about taking the worms with me but the garden is being ripped up due to contamination; I wonder if the worms are safe to bring (just like the plants I guess?)

Sorry to bombard you with so many questions

[cineater]

Bare root means when you get ready to plant them in the next spot, take off most or all of the other soil.  Some plant's roots are just too fine to take all the soil off and others you can remove all the soil.  They will have to stay in soil until you are ready to transplant.

I would think it would depend on how how packed down the tractor makes the soil.  I wouldn't think it would be that bad for one stump removal.  I don't know about tree stumps.  They do have some big roots that get in the way of everything.  I've noticed though that more people are leaving them in ground whether that's good soil practice or it's just cheaper. 
But if you have some of the trunk left, it would be really cool if you did some chainsaw art with it or strip off the bark and paint it.  You might be able to get someone who is just starting with the chainsaw to use it as practice or get a talented high school student to paint it.  Look on pinterest for some ideas.  I love the little hobbit holes or fairy home, gets kids interested.  An owl out of the trunk would be cool.  I like the fat ones, not the skinny owls. 

http://nebula.wsimg.com/2839524bd04c74d93243556639cf45ee?AccessKeyId=45AB4BCA56B1FFDD7098&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

[cineater]

Forgot the contamination issue, would depend on what it is and then I wouldn't trust the answer.  I'd say if questionable leave plants and worms behind.  No point in contaminating another spot, sorry little plants.  Plants are easy to replace, contamination and food you never want to have.

[Gracii Guns]

Yesterday I installed a trellis while my husband held the ladder. 💪 (The one above the door).

I also edged the lawn, pruned the wisteria and weeded. 

[cineater]

That's cute.  Love your door.

[soon]

Thanks again @cineater for expertise and wisdom.  Oh, I wish there was enough of a stump to do a chainsaw art! That big owl is awesome. Dang, next time!

Im glad you checked me on taking the plants.  I will leave them behind.  Sad when some are gifts from garden neighbours I likely wont see anymore.

I'll go no till after the tractor next year too.  Depending how far the roots stretch out the land will at least be tossed over some anyways. The guy with the tractor is crazy so will consider it a success if we all survive, lol.  I'll be putting in some berry patches and other perennials this year, leaving room for the tractor to access the tree next year.  And then will put in even more perennials after that.  Might still roto-till where I grow my peanuts and carrots though, because they like loose sandy-type soil. 

Im really grateful you took time to help me with answers to my many questions!

[cineater]

1 hour ago, soon said:

Thanks again @cineater for expertise and wisdom.  Oh, I wish there was enough of a stump to do a chainsaw art! That big owl is awesome. Dang, next time!

Im glad you checked me on taking the plants.  I will leave them behind.  Sad when some are gifts from garden neighbours I likely wont see anymore.

I'll go no till after the tractor next year too.  Depending how far the roots stretch out the land will at least be tossed over some anyways. The guy with the tractor is crazy so will consider it a success if we all survive, lol.  I'll be putting in some berry patches and other perennials this year, leaving room for the tractor to access the tree next year.  And then will put in even more perennials after that.  Might still roto-till where I grow my peanuts and carrots though, because they like loose sandy-type soil. 

Im really grateful you took time to help me with answers to my many questions!

You're welcome.  Makes me feel like I actually know something.

I had my Sunday crew help transplant the tomatoes today.  Never assume what just comes as common sense to you and easily done isn't a mystery to other folks.   

[soon]

26 minutes ago, cineater said:

You're welcome.  Makes me feel like I actually know something.

I had my Sunday crew help transplant the tomatoes today.  Never assume what just comes as common sense to you and easily done isn't a mystery to other folks.   

Sounds like some of them fibbed on their resumes, lol?  Hope it worked out okay in the end.  Oh to have tomatoes to transplant - we are in midst of ice storm.

BTW is that owl sculpture yours?

[cineater]

No, I got it off google images.  Chainsaw art use to be pretty poor but it's really come into its own as a sculpting medium.  I'm a big fan of the owls.  It's kind of like having a scarecrow in the garden all though I don't know how long little critters are going to think it's real.

We have a freeze warning and spitting sleet.  It's going to be a while before the tomatoes go in the garden.  Ended up with 73 of them.  We have another round of transplants tomorrow.  I have a bad feeling about this.  You tell the guy to grow only so many and he goes way overboard.

[Gracii Guns]

Got a plant diplomacy issue on my hands. When I moved into this house, some stuff was left by the previous resident (she was moving abroad so couldn’t take everything). She asked me if I could take care of her kumquat tree. I mostly did, but then I went on holiday and forgot to water it. So the top branches died. So now I have a mighty ugly kumquat. 

I did buy another kumquat, but managed to kill that one too. 

I’m so scared that she’s going to be really pissed off with me. (She’s not a massively chill person). Plants don’t mean a great deal to me, but she seems to care about this kumquat. 

I know that all I can do is apologise, but would it be better to try to return the half-tree to her, or to get rid completely? I’ve a feeling she would hate the half-tree.

[SoulMonster]

10 minutes ago, Gracii Guns said:

Got a plant diplomacy issue on my hands. When I moved into this house, some stuff was left by the previous resident (she was moving abroad so couldn’t take everything). She asked me if I could take care of her kumquat tree. I mostly did, but then I went on holiday and forgot to water it. So the top branches died. So now I have a mighty ugly kumquat. 

I did buy another kumquat, but managed to kill that one too. 

I’m so scared that she’s going to be really pissed off with me. (She’s not a massively chill person). Plants don’t mean a great deal to me, but she seems to care about this kumquat. 

I know that all I can do is apologise, but would it be better to try to return the half-tree to her, or to get rid completely? I’ve a feeling she would hate the half-tree.

I think you just have to move again. And not tell her. 

[soon]

17 hours ago, cineater said:

No, I got it off google images.  Chainsaw art use to be pretty poor but it's really come into its own as a sculpting medium.  I'm a big fan of the owls.  It's kind of like having a scarecrow in the garden all though I don't know how long little critters are going to think it's real.

We have a freeze warning and spitting sleet.  It's going to be a while before the tomatoes go in the garden.  Ended up with 73 of them.  We have another round of transplants tomorrow.  I have a bad feeling about this.  You tell the guy to grow only so many and he goes way overboard.

I think Ive underestimated the power of green hoses and hoop houses. Ive never had access to even just explore one. They just sit outside and even if its dark and freezing out, you can still grow plants?  I think I thought one needed a heat source in those cases.  

You, being the home for unwanted plants are going to get to grow lots of delicious tomatoes at home?  

[soon]

8 hours ago, Gracii Guns said:

Got a plant diplomacy issue on my hands. When I moved into this house, some stuff was left by the previous resident (she was moving abroad so couldn’t take everything). She asked me if I could take care of her kumquat tree. I mostly did, but then I went on holiday and forgot to water it. So the top branches died. So now I have a mighty ugly kumquat. 

I did buy another kumquat, but managed to kill that one too. 

I’m so scared that she’s going to be really pissed off with me. (She’s not a massively chill person). Plants don’t mean a great deal to me, but she seems to care about this kumquat. 

I know that all I can do is apologise, but would it be better to try to return the half-tree to her, or to get rid completely? I’ve a feeling she would hate the half-tree.

For me, I consider leaving a plant with someone like lending out a book to anyone other then close family;  I hardly do it because when I do lend a book, I dont actually expect to get it back.  And if I do get it back I know it will be bent out shape.  Sounds like this women doesnt see thing this way though, which sucks.  Give her the original one and she should still say thank you imo.  Tough and awkward situation though.  Hopefully it continues to rebound before she returns.

[Gracii Guns]

31 minutes ago, soon said:

For me, I consider leaving a plant with someone like lending out a book to anyone other then close family;  I hardly do it because when I do lend a book, I dont actually expect to get it back.  And if I do get it back I know it will be bent out shape.  Sounds like this women doesnt see thing this way though, which sucks.  Give her the original one and she should still say thank you imo.  Tough and awkward situation though.  Hopefully it continues to rebound before she returns.

Thanks, I might actually look out for a kumquat which looks the same as her tree. She'll have forgotten her tree's nuances after two or more years away from it. 

[soon]

8 minutes ago, Gracii Guns said:

Thanks, I might actually look out for a kumquat which looks the same as her tree. She'll have forgotten her tree's nuances after two or more years away from it. 

Sheesh: two years!?!  What a kind act on your part.

Ive always wanted to have a kumquat tree.  Sound like they're temperamental?

[Gracii Guns]

57 minutes ago, soon said:

Sheesh: two years!?!  What a kind act on your part.

Ive always wanted to have a kumquat tree.  Sound like they're temperamental?

I’ve found that you can’t water them irregularly. Their fruit isn’t much use, but they do look pretty. Last year when the tree fruited we only got two kumquats. 

They are quite wide and have a lot of ‘presence’, so unless you live in a warmer climate, you’ll need a fairly large spot in your home. Being ornamental, they don’t suit being left in a corner if you see what I mean? 

[cineater]

3 hours ago, soon said:

I think Ive underestimated the power of green hoses and hoop houses. Ive never had access to even just explore one. They just sit outside and even if its dark and freezing out, you can still grow plants?  I think I thought one needed a heat source in those cases.  

You, being the home for unwanted plants are going to get to grow lots of delicious tomatoes at home?  

You have to heat them if the temperature is going to fall below 55 and you are growing in them.  Ours has rarely gone below freezing but because it cost so much to heat, we start growing at home and take them to the greenhouse when it gets a little warmer and the heater doesn't have to run all night.  I'm growing at home for our plant sale at the end of the month.  The tomatoes go to the greenhouse this weekend and then I can start my annuals and the marigolds I'm growing for the park.

 

[willl]

One of my trees has green bits on it!

This ones a cherry tree, I also planted a plum tree and 4 apple trees but they're not doing as well. I put a bed of rocks at the base of each tree because it can get really windy up here so the rocks just prevent the trees falling completely over and makes a nice well for holding in water.

Going to read up on how to properly plant trees this year and next March/April I want to plant lots more

[cineater]

Yea!  Looks like that top rock is rubbing on your trunk.  Read up on it but I would cut off all those lower branches and have all the growth concentrated up top.  Typically your tree roots that take up the water are in the upper part of the soil and go out from the tree, not down.  I'd also stake them if they need support from the wind, rocks are going to rub/cut into the trunk.  Tree looks healthy so you must be doing something right.  There's lots to know about trees but they're kind of like weeds, once they start growing in a place, they'll grow with or without your help and can be forgiving of your mistakes although there will be a scar.  Trees are kind of in your face that way.