What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[rewebster]

it's more one of those 'isn't that strange' things rather than 'cover it with a tarp and put chlorine gas under it' things

 

[turbo]

What is extremely puzzling to me about rewebster's killer spider is that spiders don't need any special nutrients, out-of-whack pH or anything else that might stress other plants. Spiders are drop-dead easy to grow in the most crappy nutrient-deficient soil you can imagine. Give them indirect sun and regular water in a well-drained pot, and they will start throwing off runners and baby spiders like crazy. When I was in college my freshman year (with mandatory on-campus housing for that year), my complex was at least 3:1 female:male and I had lots of female buddies, and they loved it when I would give them lovely plants that they couldn't kill. I had several varieties of spiders in my room, and whenever some visiting lady-friend said "Ooh! I like that one." I'd start rooting one of the babies for her. I'd start the babies in undersized pots, so that they would get root-bound soon and start throwing out their own runners to produce that nice multi-level cascade look.

 

[rewebster]

oh--turbo--you were the spider man to those un-suspecting fly women in garden web raised bed

 

[Evo]

Has anyone grown tomatillos? I understand that they are "self incompatible" meaning that they only pollinate with another plant. From what I've read either people get hoards of them or nothing. I have about 7 plants and they are managing to all flower at different times. I have two right now that are in bloom and keeping my fingers crossed that by some miracle they will set fruit.

I just found out that these plants can reach heights up to 20 feet and produce 100-200 tomatillos per season each! I was wondering why they were getting so tall. I read that I can trim them back like I do with my basil and they'll just get bushier. But I'd like to hear from anyone that's actually grown these.

 

[turbo]

oh--turbo--you were the spider man to those un-suspecting fly women in garden web raised bed

Sometimes, all it would take is to visit the room of a friend or acquaintance that had a decent stereo, some non-perishable foods, and some nice house-plants to help relieve the homesickness of girls who had left home only to face the bare, institutional rooms of a public college. Giving them plants made me feel better and it made them feel better about being away from home.

I was a chem-E student and my room was not a hot-bed of party activity, especially since on Friday and Saturday nights, I was usually playing frat parties so I had enough money to eat all week without dipping into my savings. Forced on-campus housing for freshmen was a racket for the university. I could have gotten an apartment and bought and cooked all my own food (and eaten a hell of a lot better!) for a lot less than it cost me to live on campus that first year. When I got an apartment, the ladies across the street gave me a key to their apartment within a week or so. It's pretty amazing what an impression a skinny long-distance runner made on a couple of drop-dead gorgeous ladies (smart, too) with some home-cooked meals, gifts of house-plants, and a willingness to drop in and check on their critters. One of them lost a boyfriend over me - we were just friends, and she wasn't willing to throw me over to satisfy an insecure guy.

Big tip to students that know how to cook: If you are interested in someone, invite them to a non-threatening get-together and make a nice, simple meal with some pleasant music. I invited those two sweeties across the street to my apartment for a spaghetti supper and served spaghetti with hot pepperoni slices in the long-simmered sauce along with ground chuck and pork, a simple tossed salad, some Chianti, and some broiler-toasted garlic bread with crushed garlic, paprika, onion salt, and butter. They raved about that simple meal for weeks. When they wanted to have some people in for a party, they always cut me in on the action, if only (I hope not!) to get my enthusiastic participation with the food, music, etc. I met a lot of nice people at their parties, and some are still friends.

 

[turbo]

We had a gentle, but steady rain all morning which let up recently. Perfect after a couple of dry hot weeks. The resident female common yellowthroat is still helping with bug patrol. While I was killing Japanese beetles yesterday, she was persistently patrolling my tomato plants and peppers. Funny that the male doesn't join in - he stays mostly off to the side in a tree that he favors. Along with the helpful birds, I've got some free-loaders, too. The goldfinches weren't too bad until recently, but they have begun eating my beet greens and Swiss chard again, like last summer.

 

[turbo]

Whatever was killing off those violets, I must have transferred to the front yard, maybe on my shoes or whatever, as the violets in the front yard are now dying off. The worst part is that is now on the tomatoes--which means they'll be dying off in a couple of weeks probably--oh, well---- (and, yes, I have sprayed several times in case it was 'bugs'). I hope it doesn't get the peppers.

I'm going to send photos to my local extension office to see if they what what's going on.I find it really odd that something can effect two such different species.

Good luck with that. I'd hate to have something happen to my tomatoes or to my chilies - those are do-or-die staples.

The string beans are not only flowering heavily - the beans are coming like crazy. Today was our first picking and we got 1/2 peck from that one 35' row. I have most of them flash-freezing on a large pizza pan a big cookie sheet in one of the chest freezers. If you grow green beans, don't wash them or snap them or anything. Get them into the freezer laid out in a thin layer ASAP, and when they have frozen, transfer them to a big zip-lock freezer bag. They won't stick together when frozen this way, so if you want a handful of string beans for a soup, or a larger bunch to prepare as a meal, you can get just as much out of the bag as you want. Rinse them in cool water, snap them, get some water boiling, and toss them in the pot only after it's boiling well. Cook only until they are still a bit crisp. They are the best-tasting frozen beans you will ever eat, with beautiful color and texture. If your crop comes in heavy, and you keep up with the picking and freezing you'll have great beans until next year's crop is ready for harvest.

The key to keeping beans producing at peak is to pick them frequently so that the plants are forced to keep budding. Don't let beans get big - the nutrients tied up in that extra growth should be reserved for the formation of more buds. Beans are far tastier and more tender when picked a little before what many people consider "mature". My father raves about the string beans we give him - I just have to smile, because he always let his beans get too big, and the texture and flavor would suffer AND it would reduce his crop by suppressing budding. I learned gardening from my mother and other relatives and friends - he just never learned a lot of these tricks, and at 82, it's hard to retrain him.

 

[Evo]

Red spidermites? Are you going to have to bring out the big guns?

 

[rewebster]

Red spidermites? Are you going to have to bring out the big guns?

I'd like to hire turbo with his red ryder

 

[Evo]

I'd like to hire turbo with his red ryder

At this point, you need a flame thrower. You don't want anything that will spread them around.

 

[turbo]

I'd like to hire turbo with his red ryder

I'd have to ventilate a LOT of leaves to do you any good, then your garden would be contaminated by lead from all the pellets.

 

[rewebster]

At this point, you need a flame thrower. You don't want anything that will spread them around.

do you want to rent that one you have?

 

[Evo]

do you want to rent that one you have?

Can you just imagine me with a canister of gas strapped to my back?

 

[turbo]

Here is a place that sells spider mite predators. They're pricey, but if it saves your garden...

http://www.arbico-organics.com/organic-pest-control-beneficial-insects-organisms-mite-control.html

 

[rewebster]

Can you just imagine me with a canister of gas strapped to my back?

well... yes... I can IMAGINE it---

you look and appear to be overly happy and almost laughing uncontrollably with some type of look of joy to your face as you send the flames 75 ft in most directions

 

[rewebster]

Here is a place that sells spider mite predators. They're pricey, but if it saves your garden...

http://www.arbico-organics.com/organic-pest-control-beneficial-insects-organisms-mite-control.html

thanks--I guess the main problem is the eggs (about every 10 days and 1000's) and they're on the bottom side of the leaves which the spray has a hard time reaching them all

I think I just re-spray and pay mre attention to the underside of the leaves--a soap, malathion, and sevin solution

and, yes, those were very pricey

 

[Evo]

well... yes... I can IMAGINE it---

you look and appear to be overly happy and almost laughing uncontrollably with some type of look of joy to your face as you send the flames 75 ft in most directions

That was a great thread. https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=122258

 

[rewebster]

That was a great thread. https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=122258

funny!

I don't know if I saw that one---I don't think I started coming down to GD regularly until about a year ago

 

[turbo]

thanks--I guess the main problem is the eggs (about every 10 days and 1000's) and they're on the bottom side of the leaves which the spray has a hard time reaching them all

I think I just re-spray and pay mre attention to the underside of the leaves--a soap, malathion, and sevin solution

Be careful with the soap - some plants are damaged by soaps, and some (like sunflowers) experience a synergistic damage from a combination of soap residue and sunlight (VOE, here). You may want to do some test-sprayings on a few sacrificial plants (one pepper, one tomato, etc) to be safe.

 

[Ms Music]

If you grow green beans, don't wash them or snap them or anything. Get them into the freezer laid out in a thin layer ASAP, and when they have frozen, transfer them to a big zip-lock freezer bag.

You don't even blanch them? I always thought the layer of water (ice) helped keep them from drying out. I never had luck freezing anything straight from the garden... But I didn't try beans either.

 

[turbo]

You don't even blanch them? I always thought the layer of water (ice) helped keep them from drying out. I never had luck freezing anything straight from the garden... But I didn't try beans either.

Nope! Don't blanch, don't wash, don't snap - nothing! Get them into the freezer (arranged in a thin layer, preferably on pre-cooled metal cookie sheets, etc) as soon as you pick them, so that they will freeze very quickly. Fast-freezing forms much smaller ice crystals that do less damage to the plant cells, and it preserves the texture of the beans beautifully. There's plenty of time to rinse off any dirt, pollen, etc, when you take them out of the freezer bag prior to use.

Edit: The purpose of blanching is to halt the action of enzymes that degrade the taste and depletes nutrients. These enzymes kick into gear as soon as you pick the beans, so you should freeze the beans as soon after picking as possible. Usually, I make several trips to the freezer while picking, so that the beans don't spend much time out in the heat in my basket. We fast-freeze green peppers, too. We slice them into rings, freeze them on trays and bag them, just like the beans. It works beautifully.

 

[turbo]

rewebster, I just took a lot closer look at your photo, and you don't have red spider mites, but two-dot (two-spotted) spider mites, which could be tougher to eliminate. Good luck with the infestations. These guys are nasty and can attack and survive on LOTS of plants, not just ornamentals, vegetables, etc. Your trees could also become infested.

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/twospotted_mite.htm

 

[Evo]

rewebster, I just took a lot closer look at your photo, and you don't have red spider mites, but two-dot spider mites, which could be tougher to eliminate. Good luck with the infestations.

Oh, don't just stab him through the heart, twist the knife!

<Evo throws protective net over her plants and builds a shrine to the assasin bug>

I've realized that in a patio garden where you have maybe 2-3 of each plant, one infestation means the loss of the entire garden!

 

[turbo]

Oh, don't just stab him through the heart, twist the knife!

<Evo throws protective net over her plants and builds a shrine to the assasin bug>

I've realized that in a patio garden where you have maybe 2-3 of each plant, one infestation means the loss of the entire garden!

Part of getting rid of pests is knowing which pest you have, and I have scanned a bit of the literature regarding mites - these guys seem to be much more problematic than red spider mites, and can thrive on plants that other insect pests leave alone, like maples, redbuds, etc.

 

[Evo]

OH! Hold your breath! I think a couple of tomatillos might have been poliinated! They aren't turning yellow and falling off!

Stay tuned!

Turbo, at what size do you start picking your jalepenos? My bushes have about a dozen each already set with more blooms and some are quite large.

 

[turbo]

Turbo, at what size do you start picking your jalepenos? My bushes have about a dozen each already set with more blooms and some are quite large.

If I don't have an immediate use for them, I just let them keep growing, and eventually, they develop purple streaks and ultimately end up red. I prefer the flavor of the ripe ones. No matter - if you get an itch for poppers use 'em green. Cook bacon so that it is crisp and crumbly, mix it with cream cheese and whatever other seasoning you'd like (black pepper is a must for me), slice the peppers lengthwise and stuff with the mix. Top with shredded Monterey Jack, and stick the tray under the broiler on in a grill on high until the cheese has melted and starts to brown. I use an aluminum pizza pan that heats up fast, and line it with aluminum foil to catch the cheese that WILL drip and burn. Delish!

 

[Evo]

My jalepenos.

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/4076/camerapictures316on4.jpg

My plum tomatoes are ripening.

My only squash so far.

 

[rewebster]

rewebster, I just took a lot closer look at your photo, and you don't have red spider mites, but two-dot (two-spotted) spider mites, which could be tougher to eliminate. Good luck with the infestations. These guys are nasty and can attack and survive on LOTS of plants, not just ornamentals, vegetables, etc. Your trees could also become infested.

http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/twospotted_mite.htm

yeah--I think you're right about the two-dots---thanks--

I read some more too about them---oh boy---this looks like its going to be a full time job for a while--if there's that many on that one leaf, I bet there more mites in my yard than there are people in Oklahoma---

 

[rewebster]

Oh, don't just stab him through the heart, twist the knife!

<Evo throws protective net over her plants and builds a shrine to the assasin bug>

well--good---I see that you're feeling better and back to that spunky evo that we all enjoy


oh yeah---nice fruits there evo--you may end up having a better crop than me (something is better than nothing)---they look good

 

[turbo]

Those jalapenos are babies, Evo. Let 'em grow. If you've never had ripe ones (many people have not) let at least a few of them mature. They are VERY tasty.

 

[Evo]

Those jalapenos are babies, Evo. Let 'em grow. If you've never had ripe ones (many people have not) let at least a few of them mature. They are VERY tasty.

I've never grown jalepenos before, don't know why. Ok, I will let them sit.

Oh. In case anyone is wondering how Canada Dry's Green Tea Ginger Ale tastes. Mix Ginger Ale and grass juice together. Why am I such an impulse buyer (sucker) of such strange things?

 

[rewebster]

I've never grown jalepenos before, don't know why. Ok, I will let them sit.

Oh. In case anyone is wondering how Canada Dry's Green Tea Ginger Ale tastes. Mix Ginger Ale and grass juice together. Why am I such an impulse buyer (sucker) of such strange things?

well, it helps all of us who won't be buying it now-



-(the PF guinea pig?)

 

[turbo]

well, it helps all of us who won't be buying it now-

-(the PF guinea pig?)

Should we ask Greg to come up with a smiley for a "Click and Clack" dope smack? The big DUH!?

 

[Moonbear]

Today, I noticed one tomato is finally turning orange (and a few others are that yellowish shade of green that says they'll start turning in a day or two). The funny thing is it's not even on the first plant that started growing tomatoes...on that one, they're still very green, huge, and funny-shaped.

I only have one zucchini growing though. Lots of blossoms, but a bunch have just fallen off without fruiting. The leaves all look healthy, and I see bees on them every so often, so there's no shortage of pollinators. Oh well, if they'll just kindly stagger growth of a few zucchinis, I'll be happy. I don't need as many as I have flowers anyway.

 

[rewebster]

Should we ask Greg to come up with a smiley for a "Click and Clack" dope smack? The big DUH!?

hey--good idea!------it may become one of the 'more used' smileys

(I was thinking about a thread---'New products tried by PF members'---'What new product have you tried?'---'The Guinea Pig Thread'---something on that line for reviewing new products out there---cameras, laptops, programs, ginger ales, new products to get rid of two-spot spider mites, etc.--we could have a Guinea Pig Award)