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Keeping in Touch:  Danger of Extinction  |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 21 2009 : 07:35:08 AM
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| HI everyone - I'm looking for some help. For those of you who use the square foot gardening methods, I finally convinced DH to go along with my "want" to garden this year. He finally built the frames for me and now I'm looking for the components of "Mel's mix", but I'm having trouble finding vermiculite. Most people look at me like I'm from outer space, never heard of it...one greenhouse suggested getting it from eBay...So I'm wondering how important it is and where you all find it? I haven't gardened in years, and when I did our garden was huge. This year I'm starting small with a 4x8 frame. Problem is, I still want too much in it...I just read a few pages here (cause I can't keep up with all you!) but Rene, your place sounds wonderful! |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Suzan
True Blue Farmgirl
659 Posts
suzanne
duncannon
pa
USA
659 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2009 : 12:12:06 PM
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| Thanks, Alee, I happened to call a nursery near us today and she said they can get me some, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2009 : 3:12:44 PM
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Lanna, that's a good idea! I have a bunch of plastic forks left over from a party. :) I think I scared the cat pretty good when I came around the corner yelling at him with the dog on my heels - hahaha! - but I'm sure he'll try again soon.
For the record, I have two cats myself and love my kitties, but my neighbors' tomcats are a real pain in the... garden!
Rene, Amy Grace, Lanna, WOW y'all have been busy.
My initial seed-starting was kind of a bust - almost all my outdoor winter-sown stuff sprouted, but then we had a freaky couple of days where a hard freeze was followed by 72 degrees and sunny, and I couldn't get home from work fast enough. Half the little buggers cooked. :-(
Lesson learned: milk jugs are great, all the other misc recyclables are NOT the thing to use for w/s, at least if you're ME!
Got some things transplanted into my Square Foot Garden over the weekend, and planted some seeds today. Hopefully I will have some success.
Rene I loooove Hollyhocks!
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2009 : 7:45:55 PM
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Hi Ladies!
So I am such a dork. Feel free to laugh! I started thinking maybe my peas weren't going to sprout so I dug up a tiny section of my pea bed thinking that I hadn't buried them deep enough or the soil wasn't staying damp enough. I should have had more faith. Sure enough they are sprouting! YAY! So by Sunday I will hopefully have some green sprouts up! YAY!!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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suethequilter
Farmgirl in Training
36 Posts
susan
jackson
michigan
USA
36 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 04:28:50 AM
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Alee, I guess you aren't the only dork. I checked my peas last week. Thought that birds must have gotten the seeds. Haven't checked again since it has rained every day since then, but your post has given me hope that we will have peas this year!
life is good
Farmgirl#172 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 05:45:32 AM
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Oh good! I am in good company then! LOL Sometimes I think that planting seeds in ground is a bit of magic. I know that the seeds are just doing what they are designed to do- but still! It amazes me! I think I have my lack of seed confidence from a 6th grade science project. Every other group's seeds grew and ours just rotted in the cup. It was so disappointing!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 5:21:40 PM
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Too funny!! I don't remember what happened to my bean seed in school, I know we did that project though, hmmm......
Just checkin' in to say hi, there is a half a compost pile that still needs to get moved that has my name on it, so....
Talk to y'all later
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 9:08:50 PM
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LOL!!
Well, that compost pile was bigger than I thought - almost done though. I guess we have been putting most of our grass clippings and kitchen compost there for about 5 years so it stands to reason it's pretty big. We have never done it properly so the stuff at the top is still intact, the stuff at the bottom is actually compost though, and now it's at the top - yay!! I also learned that a pitchfork is the ideal tool for that job - makes all the difference.
Maybe by this weekend I can do some planting (fingers crossed)
Night mavens
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2009 : 9:28:23 PM
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Success!! 96sf of asparagus weeded, and compost thrown on about 3/4 of it! And so it begins...
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 05:57:14 AM
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hello all, just checking i to say hi! Sounds like everyone is about as busy as i have been!
Our garden is already covered in weeds! And Fireants!! But we are already eating spinach! And it's so good!
I realized yesterday that all of my seedlings look weird! The stems of everything are purple and they have just stopped growing it seems like....then I think I figured it out...the bag of garden soil I used to transplant them in because they were all getting huge, has gosh darned fertilizer in it!!!! I can't believe that I missed that on the bag when I bought it!!! Anyhow, that is my best guess, I have never had this prob before and that is the only logical explanation I could come up with, so needless to say, I restarted a BUNCH of tomato seeds yesterday, in true, no additive, potting mix...grrr! Good thing we have a LONG growing season here!
Happy gardening to everyone!! |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 07:54:09 AM
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Alee, I did the exact same thing yesterday with the tomato seeds I was trying to presprout - pulled them out of their little baggies, and said, FINE, I'm just going to stick you in the dirt as originally planned and the heck with you! - and sure enough, a few of them were starting to sprout! :)
Kelley that's funny, I just restarted all my tomato and pepper seeds yesterday too, after being quite disappointed in my original seed starting medium and results. I think I finaly have my setup and potting mix right - glad we have a growing season almost as long as yours.
And *SO* glad I'm not the only one!
Gardening is not for sissies. :D
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 08:06:58 AM
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Hi all! Again, I feel as if I've abandoned you all. I dont think I have any more room to start seed. My biggest fear is that no one is going to buy the starters and I'm gonna have to find a place to plant all this! YIKES!
TM: I'm so happy that you have found a place. Super duper cool!
Not much else happening. Slow day at the chicken farm. NOt if I were home though!
AG: my compost pile looks AWFUL. Nothing appears to be breaking down. I've tried turning it but it's SO HEAVY! Oops, gotta get the phone...
Dawn #279
MJ's Heirloom Mavens-QMD
http://harvestthymefarm.etsy.com
http://harvestthyme.blogspot.com
~live big, ride hard, and shoot straight~ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 2:13:27 PM
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Dawn, I sure wish I could come to Spring Fling - the postcard looks great! I'm sure you'll have a big turnout.
Anybody had success using thyme as a groundcover? Creeping thyme or mother of thyme? I've got some stepping stones in my side yard and I usually mulch around them - but I hate that because it washes away so fast - I thought thyme might be a pretty (and good-smelling) alternative.
lso on the other side of my house where I put my raised beds, it's basically an ugly gravely weed patch - so a low-maint groundcover might really look a lot better.
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 4:16:30 PM
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Dawn, you're lucky I don't live closer or I would be competing with you to get rid of starters. This is the first year I have started seeds and I wasn't sure it would work so I overdid it a little - we have about 100 tomatoes and 60 peppers going:D My husband wants to sell the extras but I want to make sure I know what I'm doing before I involve innocent bystanders so I will probably give some away - even for me 100 tomato plants is kind of a lot.
I was going to do some work outside but it is snowing/raining so I am going to repot to seedlings into bigger pots - at least I'm playing with dirt - and try to be quiet - DH is working nights again and trying to sleep
Talk to y'all later
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 4:58:04 PM
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Amanda ~ I've totally been debating getting creeping thyme to put in the little slope behind our garden, but then I went and put in fruit trees so I might just end up mulching with straw or something. My herb lady had a neato variety of creeping thyme a few years ago that had purple flowers or something, but it didn't stay as low to the ground as moss (it got a few inches tall). I'd go for it.
Amy Grace ~ You only have 100 tomato plants?  I probably don't have as many peppers as you, but at last count I had about 151 tomato plants the kids and I need to transplant (to one plant a pot) in the next few days when it's rainy out. And I still need to plant those Campbells seeds that I got for free from 'em. I got them addressed to my 5.5yo, so he's beyond excited for "his" tomato seeds that will make soup and whatnot. 
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 5:03:30 PM
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Okay Lanna - I had to go count - I have 120 tomatoes, 97 in the first batch, then I wanted to make sure I had enough so I planted another set of 23 I think I might be good - I still need to start melons and cukes but I have about another week or two before they need to go in.
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 5:33:46 PM
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I'm debating throwing some pea seeds in the ground. Hubby's being slow with my trellises, and then I can let the boys go nuts with the seeds.
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 7:47:13 PM
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We have 6 more cool season bed to dig, then we start planting Monday or Tuesday - 2 beds of peas, yay...
Then we start digging the other beds
Wow - repotting 78 tomato starts takes up a good part of your evening.
Lanna - are you planting all 151 tomatoes?
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2009 : 10:01:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by graciegreeneyes
Wow - repotting 78 tomato starts takes up a good part of your evening.
Lanna - are you planting all 151 tomatoes?
Mostly. I'll probably trade or give a few away to/with friends, but yeah. I've got my family to feed (can we say canning and dehydrating?) and 1700sf I get to plant this year. I'm having fun this year, darnit. Last year I planted something like 76 tomato plants, and I needed more. Of course that might've been partially because of last year's torrential spring/summer, but still. I'm hedging my bets. But if I have to sell or give away tomatoes or something because I have too much produce, there's worse things. 
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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Keeping in Touch: Danger of Extinction |
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Danger of Extinction
