The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

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Harmony
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Harmony » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:37 am

Bittersweet, haha! I never proclaimed to be a math wizzard! It doesn't sound so bad that way.

I've had gardens down here that produced a lot and ones that did absolutely nothing. It is way more difficult here than up north. In Pennsylvania I always had vegetables for the whole year. And I sold a bunch of them too.

We have nematodes in the ground that attack the roots, especially of tomatoes and lots and lots of bugs. I have a family of raccoons who live in a nearby empty wooded area.

We'll see how these plants do. So far the tomatoes I put in haven't perked up yet. Their root ball was practically non-existant and their roots didn't hold onto the soil when I took them out of the little containers. Even watering hasn't helped yet. Maybe when it gets warmer?

It's too bad you didn't put your perennials into pots for later when the workers were done. But maybe they were too big?

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Harriet
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Harriet » Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:51 pm

Marigolds for nematodes, the dwarf/smaller ones - they hate them. Wish dd10 could just give you some but she hasn't even started growing hers yet! I'm pushing for them to be her science project and kill 2 birds with one stone. She is resisting that but has no other ideas. We picked up "Jiffy Pots" at Tractor Supply.

Btw, avoid TS! Sellling rabbits of course this time of year, and baby chicks coming later. A parents' landmine field! Dh did his usual "fried rabbit" joke to try to head dd off falling in love and the man said, "Meat rabbits coming next week" just as serious! To a little girl bonding with a pet one. Good grief. Shooed her out of there and let her mope!!! She'd adopt an elephant if she got the chance.

Hope all your plants do well, sedona. Love to grow banana pepper - very rewarding.

We are getting 7 eggs a day now from 9 hens. Able to give some away.
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.

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bittersweet
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby bittersweet » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:51 am

I did put my perennials in pots, Harmony! That's part of the reason they died...the workers were supposed to be done in about four weeks, but instead, they weren't done until late November/early December, by which time the ground was partially frozen, and the plants couldn't have re-established their roots before total freeze up. It's not a big problem...I have lots of friends with perennials that need splitting. All I have to do is go over, help them split and replant their hostas, phlox, irises, and whatever, and they give me the extras! :D
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Harmony
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Harmony » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:11 pm

Harriet, I'd always heard of marigolds being good to chase away bugs, but I'd never heard they were good for nematodes. Since the nematodes are in the ground, do the marigolds work if they are growing, or is it crumbled flowers added to the ground? Silly question I guess.

bittersweet, I'm glad you have a source for more plants. I have some Iris and other stuff I could divide and bring over from the old house, but DH wanted me to leave everything as it is because it looks so full, etc., for selling. I still might do some of that someday.

Well, half my tomato plants and peppers withered, the ones that are on the side that gets full sun all day. And I watered good every day. The stuff on the other side where there is a good bit of shade is doing better. DH and I moved the stuff that was still live to the shady part. The beans are up a couple inches, also the broccoli, but in the sunnier part they are non-existant. Too hot I guess. Dries out too quickly.

We haven't had any rain in a while. We really need it.

We planted all the seeds from the Acorn squash we just ate. They may not grow, but we just had to try. Now if all of them grow we will have enough squash for my whole county!

dearduckyducky

Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby dearduckyducky » Mon Mar 16, 2009 8:18 pm

*sigh* I can't wait to get my garden going!!!

Plans for this spring....

More chickens! Will be getting chicks as soon as they come into the farm store (April) We have six now, and just love them!

Garden! I have a small garden. I'm hoping to build some containers along the fence line to increase my gardening footage.
...green beans
...peas
...pumpkins
...carrots
...brussel sprouts
...corn? (never have managed to grow to maturity, but it gets closer every year)
...zuchini
...Salad Container (spinach, leaf lettuce)
...strawberry container (need to transplant my strawberries)
...potatoes
??????? I'm sure I'll end up planting more :lol:
Canning!
...more jams and jellies (did this last year and really enjoyed it!)
...extra veggies?

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Harriet
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Harriet » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:44 pm

Harmony, I think any part of the marigold will offend them, and that starts working right away, but here's something I read:

"Marigolds often supply the greatest nematode suppression when they are turned into the soil at the end of the year. This suppression is caused by chemicals in the marigolds that prevent nematode larvae from laying their eggs in marigold root knots, and by deterring nematode feeding in the surrounding soils. It’s been written that these suppressive effects can last up to three years after incorporation of the marigolds."

dearduckyducky, what kind of chicks will you buy at the farm store and how many? Oh, I love the peeping biddies!

bittersweet, I lost my most expensive azaleas in that way, just in the pots waiting too long. We had planted the inexpensive one to the side of the house so it never had to be moved, has actually grown into a showpiece since then - interesting how that worked out!
If you don't believe in miracles, you're not being realistic.

dearduckyducky

Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby dearduckyducky » Tue Mar 17, 2009 11:23 am

Harriet, we've had really good luck with the sexlinks, so will get more of those. And I'd like to get a couple more auracaunas (sp?). I have a hen that is my broody girl. I think we'll wait til she goes broody and slip some chicks under her. We did this last year with a couple of turkey chicks, and she raised them up beautifully!

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Harmony
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Harmony » Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:48 pm

Harriet, I will definitely try the marigolds. Thank you for the tip.

We have the funniest looking garden imaginable. It is around 2 1/2 sides of the house where one would normally put foundation hedges. We have landscape curbing (concrete) around and my veggies are between that and the house.

I got another 9 tomato plants. Couldn't resist them as they looked so strong. There was a real difference in their root ball from the first ones I bought & put in. I put in a package of black seeded simpson lettuce also. DH insisted on trying the front of our house also which is pretty shady, so right under our front office window are tomatoes. Well, we won't win any awards for our landscaping, but if this turns out well we will enjoy our meals!

Dearducky, I've grown all thos veggies you mentioned. One year I had very tall corn, but didn't know when they were ripe and by the time I harvested the ears were very tough! Good luck with it all.

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bittersweet
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby bittersweet » Tue Apr 07, 2009 9:05 am

One tip for buying any plant from a greenhouse (starter plants, not bushes or anything big like that), is to actually tip the plant out of its pot. If you can see roots around the edges of the soil, it's growing well. If not, it's likely been very recently transplanted into that pot, and needs more time to establish itself and get growing.

I may actually get out into my front flower bed and do some work today! :D The snow's been off it long enough that the soil should be warm enough to work. There's still some roots from the juniper bush to deal with, some general cleaning up, and if the soil is warm enough, I may dig out the few perennials that are still there, and incorporate the bag of leaves that's been waiting all winter. They're just poplar leaves, so will decompose nicely to help amend the soil.

Then, of course, there's still doggie doo patrol in the back yard where the snow melts oh so slowly *sigh*
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year." Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring 2009

Postby Nancy » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:03 pm

I did not get the beans canned was in the hosp. last summer
got a case of green beans at the store
some times it's good to do what works lol!


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