tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80626804493111840802024-03-04T23:42:53.718-05:00Ruth's Garden BlogPlant Happiness, Harvest Joy : A blog about gardening at longitude 38.8° (the DC metro area)*Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-35020324996897804172013-05-09T21:21:00.001-04:002013-05-09T21:21:38.042-04:00Planted tomatoesWell, I gave in and planted the tomato plants that I mail ordered. They sent them almost three weeks ago when it was way to cold to plant. Still steamed that they did that. I read Adrian Higgins in today's Washington Post and he said it was just about ok to plant as of last weekend. Since my plants were looking peaky I decided to go ahead. I had thought to myself to wait and go to <a href="http://www.debaggioherbs.com/">DeBaggios Herb Farm</a> to get tomatoes, but did not. Of course Higgins suggests that they have the best toms because DeBaggio doesn't sell them until the time is right. Next year I will listen to myself and Higgins or try from seed again. Or do both!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-71614054602267749342013-05-02T19:37:00.001-04:002013-05-02T19:37:30.524-04:00Too cold for tomatoes and peppers?I ordered some tomato plants from a seed company and they sent them to me a week or more ago. It is still too darn cold to plant them and I really don't have a great place, like a greenhouse to keep them until they are ready to go totally out side on their own. Darn you nurseries and garden centers. I know you want to make room for other plants but really, it i still getting down in the 50's at night! Anyone else find this annoying?Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-81797825732794032312013-04-29T14:47:00.000-04:002013-04-29T14:50:27.078-04:00Neem Oil: Update from Garden Remedies Page<br />
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I did use neem oil as anti fungal and for pest control. I think it helped, but you must under take other measures. First, for fungus, especially blackspot on roses the best help is to remove old mulch, debris from plant and any old leaves or twigs from around rose in the spring and replace with completely new, fresh mulch. Also try spraying ground arond roses before mulching after clean up with mycorrhizal fungus. This may help give rose plant a fighting chance against fugus and critters. As for insects, spraying at the right time makes a big difference. If you want to keep squash bugs from killing plants or japanese beetles from eat all of your roses and raspberries spray while eggs are laid in late May early June. The neem oli covers eggs and keeps larvae from hatching. Also, look for adult bugs to catch and kill preventing them from laying eggs. Planting geraniums (pelagorums) seems to help with Japanese beetles.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-79184334865111915252013-04-29T13:08:00.002-04:002013-04-29T13:08:23.624-04:00Wow! It has been many months since I have posted. But spring is finally here and I can take a break from gardening to write about gardening! This year the tulips did very well. I planted more last fall and boy are they beautiful and they all seemed to come up even though there are a lot of squirrels in the hood. I think buying them from a very good source helps. I bought from <a href="http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com/">Brent and Becky's Bulbs</a> here in Virginia. I am always a bit skeptical of bulbs bought from big box stores that are in boxes and bags. You just do not know how long they have been stored and in what conditions. Speaking of bulbs, my dad and I planted garlic last September using organic bulbs from the farmers market and they are growing like crazy! In a previous attempt we used bulbs from grocery store, not organic and the did not grow well. <br />
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We have had a cool spring so far but my tomato plants ordered from Park Seeds came last week! Too early to plant tomatoes. So I will have to stick them in cold frame for a while. Annoying. But almost all garden centers already have tomatoes and peppers and other warm weather veggies for sale. Shame on them. People will plant them and they will probably live but they won't produce very well.<br />
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This year I am going to try using liquid mycorrhizal fungi to assist plants roots in absorbing nutrients from the soil and added fertilizers. The product is called <a href="http://www.alphathrive.com/">Alpha Thrive</a> and I have high hopes for the benefits of mycorrhizal fungus.<br />
It helps legumes so why not other plants? I have not used it yet because the soil temperature has to be above 45F, and I am not sure it has warmed up that much yet. Will keep you posted. <br />
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<br />Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-72785789544020685642012-09-26T22:51:00.002-04:002012-09-26T22:51:51.886-04:00Fall is hereThe leaves are starting to turn, going to plant garlic and other bulbs soon. Hoping the giant mustard starts to get bigger, still too small! Not sure if it is too late to start Brussels sprouts from seed but will try anyway. Wish me luck on growing winter/fall vegetables.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-51119156211755382122012-09-26T22:48:00.004-04:002012-09-26T22:49:36.944-04:00Garden Shed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZalCNDEFEp7wX_kxMD2CrIzNKoxBuxyzDeZ31JC9bQM0nf0Xw7Ra-Eg2xNqNiJ2umenSEQ9NAPkOApn-1j-jvyGhgEpCAsWIK5QFsjkcqmgtoHTTCmzWFRweicXogwcukfIQmFvcC-o/s1600/IMG_0193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZalCNDEFEp7wX_kxMD2CrIzNKoxBuxyzDeZ31JC9bQM0nf0Xw7Ra-Eg2xNqNiJ2umenSEQ9NAPkOApn-1j-jvyGhgEpCAsWIK5QFsjkcqmgtoHTTCmzWFRweicXogwcukfIQmFvcC-o/s320/IMG_0193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Finally I have a new door and steps to garden shed! Here it is!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-8647387502282301182012-09-07T10:11:00.000-04:002012-09-07T10:11:02.559-04:00Well fall is on its way and I am raring to go with the fall veggies. I may actually get some carrots from my planting in late July. Soon I will plant garlic, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, red kale, more mustard and all sorts of other stuff. But first I have to finish off the green beans, okra and zucchini. I have a killer recipe for vegetable gumbo (vegan and non-vegan). Finally, i had someone add real steps to my garden shed. Now I am in less danger of breaking a leg when I go in and out of the shed. Miss Maddie, my terrier-corgi-fox-rabbit-woodland creature-dog, can manage the steps too. I have learned a lot about when to plant stuff this year. They were mainly negative lessons, but I am learning. I am adding more garden beds and berries. Next year I hope to add a couple of fruit trees too. <br />
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I cannot express how much joy I feel when I look at my garden. Thanks to my generous parents and family I am living my dream of my own piece of Eden.I am one of the luckiest people in the world. Now if I could just get those nasty insects to leave my melons alone...Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-76509917978846319622012-08-19T14:28:00.003-04:002012-08-19T14:28:33.179-04:00It's suddenly August 19th and I am already planting carrots, mustard and lettuces, plus a few other fall crops. It feels like the summer is already over and I haven't had a very good crop of tomatoes or any melons yet. I will have to start everything earlier next year. Plus I am going back to growing tomatoes from seed. The last two years I have bought plants from "reputable" garden centers. But the plants do not do well. My theory is that I buy the plants in June because that is the best time to plant outside, but these plants were probably ready to be planted in the ground much earlier and they have experienced stresses from being out in all sorts of temperatures, they may have been watered unevenly and I have no idea how many chemicals they have been subjected to. Another possibility is to purchase from organic sources of plants online. We shall see in January if I am ready for growing my own seedlings or not. Of course looking at seed catalogs I will no doubt succumb to their seductive descriptions of rare heirlooms and old time favorites. <br />
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It is raining now as I write (of course, I watered this morning!). It feels a bit fall-ish today and I am planning a harvest party. But that doesn't mean the garden is being neglected, at least in my mind it is being planted with fall crops and the blueberries are about to be put in their new raised bed. Remember, dreaming is a form of planning ahead.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-33724544624338407892012-06-05T10:27:00.006-04:002012-06-05T10:35:40.591-04:00<img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/8030_10150835626931059_1765717705_n.jpg" width="320" /><a href="http://www.bbbseed.com/">Isn't this just the cutest thing? And doesn't it look like a fairy is about to come out of the little door! from BBB Seeds</a><a href="http://www.bbbseeds.com/">(www.bbbseeds.com)</a>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-29813521651110389872012-06-05T10:21:00.001-04:002012-06-05T10:22:15.583-04:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left;">Hoping to grow cucumbers this year. I had a few lemon cukes make it last year but the Japanese long, killed by bacterial wilt caused by cucumber beetle. I hate cucumber beetles. Never have been able to grow cucumbers successfully, this year I hope it works. Going to cover the little plants until they are large enough to fend off said beetle and bacteria. Hope it works. Also, the Swiss chard did well, unfortunately I don't like it that much so I probably won't grow it next year although it is pretty and healthy (it comes in various colors). I really loved the bok choi I grew this year, but I can't remember the name of it. Am I the person who always tells you to write everything down?</span>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-85486670035540661232012-05-29T15:31:00.000-04:002012-05-29T15:31:22.557-04:00Sorry I haven't posted in soooo long. Health issues have kept me preoccupied. However I am still gardening and things are looking better. The strawberries were awesome this year and it looks like I will have blueberries from the lone blueberry bush in pot! Snow peas, "Norli" from Park seeds were a hit as seedlings and the peapods are now coming in and they are prolific and tasty. Can't say enough great things about them. As for lettuce I have tried Jericho, also from Park seeds, a miniature romaine. Delish, and survived a large dog (and one small one) running through the patch. As always, I am impressed with the lettuce seed "Marvel of the Four Season's " (my translation from the French, my French spelling is even worse then my English spelling). resists bolting and seems to taste good at any size.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-58497724152164065802012-02-07T12:11:00.004-05:002012-02-07T12:11:52.007-05:00Seed ExchangeThis past Sunday I was fortunate enough to take part in a seed exchange with some avid vegetable gardeners. I learned so much and got a bunch of seeds that I was about to order from catalogs, thus saving a few bucks. I was a bit embarrassed because these people have been gardening a while and were very organized. I am still at the "keep all of the seeds in a large tin container" stage. I am starting to think I need to get file boxes. In my defense this is the second year with my new raised beds and I didn't need to file anything before because I didn't have anything to file yet! But this is the time to get organized since once the growing season gets underway one is less likely to take time to organize seeds (or other things.) I am so glad I wrote down the names of all of the seeds and which company they were from. Now re-ordering or exchanging seeds is so much easier because I know what I want and also, what I do not want.<br />
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In addition to vegetable seeds and some flower seeds too, I learned a lot from the other gardeners. This group has been a Meetup group called the Northern Virginia Garden Ninjas but we are about to merge with another Meetup group, I will keep you posted.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-86218436880092908752011-12-01T12:07:00.000-05:002011-12-01T12:07:19.641-05:00Gift ideas for gardeners.Whether you are giving a gift to a seasoned gardener or a newbie, and for what ever budget you have, there is always something a gardener can use.<span> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span></span>Generally I don’t recommend the sets of spades, trowels and other things, because they are often of low quality materials and break pretty quickly.<span> </span>It is better to spend more money on one good tool, such as the ken-ho garden weeder(ken-ho is a style of weeder not the brand name), a <span></span>good sturdy garden knife or a <span></span>good pair of pruners (<span></span>I recommend the Felco No.2 classic manual pruner, or the no. 6 for smaller hands).<span> </span><span></span>OXO Good Grips makes many gardening tools that have their signature easy grip handles.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Despite my extensive collection of gloves, I mainly use a pair of leather work gloves from a big box store. On the other hand (so to speak) having an extra pair of inexpensive cotton gloves handy isn’t a bad idea either.<span> </span>Sometimes I just want to quickly grab a pair of gloves to yank a weed from the flower bed and my other pair is still be wet from the last chore. Hats are very important because gardners are always out in the sun. Other helpful things are kneelers, for knee protection, or a stool or rolling seat to avoid kneeling or bending.<span> </span>I love my rolling seat, but sometimes I use the kneeler to get at a part of the garden where the rolling seat does not fit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For most gardeners there are some regular household tools that you might not associate with gardening, yet would be helpful to have an extra one for the gardening shed.<span> </span>These include, scissors, pliers, screwdriver, markers and pens.<span> </span>An extra bottle of sunscreen, some hand scrub or gardeners hand cream makes a great gift idea as well.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span>Books on gardening and journals to write in are also great ideas for gardeners. I have books I recommend listed on the slideshow to the left. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If money is tight offering your services is a wonderful way to give a gift and a great way to spend time with loved ones.<span> Remember, not much in the way of gardening is happening now, so write out an IOU for the spring. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span>Happy gardening and happy holidays. </span><span></span></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-85671175304955999722011-11-03T11:38:00.000-04:002011-11-03T11:38:05.627-04:00Still time to plant Spring bulbs.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><div class="MsoNormal">Gardening is all about hoping for the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sense of hope is well represented by the spring bulb. Spring bulbs are nature’s little bundles of delayed gratification.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In each bulb is a harbinger of spring; a snow drop or crocus, a daffodil or tulip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this will be yours in exchange for some hard labor now in the fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is very easy to get carried away with purchasing spring bulbs. I should urge you not to go crazy purchasing bulbs, but it is hard to resist their allure. But remember, you will have to plant every single one of those bulk discount bulbs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our climate we can plant bulbs up until early December in some years if the ground doesn’t freeze, which happens at about 20-24 F.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it is best to plant them when there will still be some time for them to develop a root system before they go completely dormant for the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plant them too early and the heat will cause them to bloom and then be damaged in the coming cold periods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have purchased so many that you cannot plant them all at once, as I have been known to do, they can be placed in a paper bag and put in the refrigerator until they can be planted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be sure to label the bags so you don’t plant alliums where you wanted the fritillaria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Plant all bulbs, including tulips, to a depth of three times the height of the bulb. This depth will help them weather temperature fluctuations and supposedly foil squirrels. However, I never underestimate a squirrel’s ability to dig up something it wants and squirrels love tulips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to preserve the tulips by rolling each bulb in chili powder as a repellent (remember even though chili powder is not toxic to humans, you do not want to inhale it or get some in your eyes!) Bulbs in pots are practically like cookie jars for squirrels, so cover tulips in containers with a bit of chicken wire. The wire keeps the squirrels from digging the bulbs out but lets the plant emerge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bulbs are really some of the easiest flowers to grow and perhaps the most rewarding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They only need sun, well draining soil and water if it becomes very dry. Remember that many bulbs emerge before trees have their leaves so a shady spot in summer will be sunny in the early spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For fertilizer I prefer to dig in some compost when planting, or organic bulb fertilizer. Don’t fuss too much. The truth is bulbs are little powerhouses of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside each bulb are the nutrients that the flower needs to bloom in spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, be patient. If the flowers can make it through the winter only dreaming of blooming, so can you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">TIPS: If you see little tips of bulbs coming out of the ground during a freak warm spell just cover them up with some shredded leaf mulch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t forget the culinary bulbs, like garlic and shallots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Divide a head of garlic or shallots into cloves and plant each one tip up. After the green shoots emerge, mulch with shredded leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next summer you will have plenty of garlic and shallots to eat and share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Brent and Becky’s Bulbs in Gloucester, VA is a local source for bulbs. <brentandbeckysbulbs.com></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-26155697681268697652011-11-03T11:31:00.000-04:002011-11-03T11:31:57.891-04:00Fall: It's All About the Leaves<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Where to pile the leaves, how to gather them up and what to do with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Don't just bag them and throw them in the trash.</span> <div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I like to (Or I should say my neighbor with the lawn mower does it for me)pile them up and go over them with a lawn mower to shred them for storage as compost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can be placed directly on top of beds to act as winter mulch but they will clump, so shredding gets rid of most of the clumping problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can gather them with a gas blower, and that is how my neighbor helps me gather mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I wish I had a manual leaf collector, it is quieter and doesn’t use up energy, except your own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many neighborhoods the local government will collect leaves for composting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a great way to get rid of leaves that you don’t use yourself for compost or mulch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are caveats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First make sure there are not too many twigs and branches or larger objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, if you have any diseased plant debris, do not add this to the collection pile or add to your own compost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The diseases which injured or killed the plant may survive the compost process and invade your garden again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, if you use chemicals on your lawn or garden, do not add grass or plant clippings from things with chemicals on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These chemicals can be harmful to the beneficial bacteria and fungus in the compost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dispose of diseased and chemically treated yard waste through the trash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you have a place to pile the leaves please keep them for a lovely compost material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can be used as the carbon component in your composter, or just let them rot where they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or, add them to your layering when making a new “no dig” bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-52453105300789878072011-10-30T14:02:00.001-04:002011-10-30T14:05:09.546-04:00Brrr, ick, snow ice.Well, yesterday was disgusting weather-wise. To my mind there is nothing worse than precipitation that keeps switching back and forth between rain, ice and snow, with the temperature hovering around freezing. It is the worst of all , no crisp dry cold temps or gentle warm rain. Speaking of rain we had have way too much for gardening, unless you grow mushrooms. The damp promoted all kinds of ick on plants. Not really anything new, just made it seem to last longer into the fall. Of course one good thing about freezing weather is it kills off fungus pretty quickly. I wouldn't worry about the effects of yesterdays weather. It didn't last long enough to really damage anything. However, if you weren't really paying close attention to what was going on a and you left out your hoses and some garden furniture, here iw what to do. First make sure the hose has thawed completely and drain it before unscrewing it from the faucet. Then put it in storage in a garage or shed. Make sure the furniture is dry before storing it in a dark place to prevent mildew growing on it. This is a very good time to clean up your tools, oil and sharpen the metal bits. Clean out and organize the garden shed or wherever you keep your gardening tools. You will want to know where everything is come Spring.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-84105989136333915572011-10-30T13:52:00.000-04:002011-10-30T13:52:44.368-04:00Oh, it has been so longIt has been so long since I have posted where to begin. I am still writing for the Beacon Newspapers, but apparently not for the Falls Church News Press. The incredible amount of rain in September plus some inertia on my part equals no fall vegetables being planted. :( On the other hand I will be planting bulbs very soon, as soon as they arrive from Brent and Becky's bulbs. Can't wait. On that note my November article in the Beacon Newspapers is on bulbs. Check it out at<a href="http://www.thebeaconnewspapers.com/"> http://thebeaconnewspapers.com</a>, look up page 15 in the Howard County print edition and keep an eye out for the December column which will talk about gifts for gardeners. <br />
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RuthRuthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-26938730561132299392011-08-19T23:47:00.000-04:002011-08-19T23:47:35.298-04:00Garden UpdateAs you can see from the new photos my winter squash plant tried to kill my housemate Cindy. We were just able to save her. Successes: Tomatoes, although I could have done with more Cherokee purple, they are the best tasting heirloom (or any kind) of tomato I have ever had. But the Mr. Stripies are not ready yet, so we shall see. The early girls are still producing. Both the hot and sweet peppers are also doing well. The pole beans are taking their time, but so far so good. Okra, tasty and I think there will be a larger harvest after tonight's rain. The kale is just wonderful, still going strong after transplanting. The red kuri winter squash has 3 fruits, one is already fairly large. Watermelons have 3 tiny melons and the mystery melon has a few tinies and one larger one. The lemon cukes are very tasty and I think doing ok. It looks like I will ahve zucchini even though I thought I had killed the two plants. Leave it to me to be the only person who cannot grow zucchini.<br />
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Sadly, the Japanese long cucumber was a failure. Some ick got to it and I had to pull them all out so they wouldn't infect the other plants. I am trying to figure out what it was and how to keep it from happening again.Perhaps the soil was too acidic, there were several mushrooms growing in there, not sure what that means. <br />
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The potatoes in the bags did produce some yummy taters but I am not sure it is worth it since potatoes are not that expensive and I had to buy topsoil to mix with the compost. But if you want to try it I would definitely use the shopping bags not the plastic bags. I think I would only use compost and perhaps a little bit of topsoil, I think they needed more nutrients halfway through the growing season so I would give them a feeding of something higher in potassium and phosphorus than nitrogen.. <br />
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Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-44853633472793303602011-07-21T11:49:00.000-04:002011-07-21T11:49:38.125-04:00Bad bugs and good bugsCheck out my new article in the Falls Church News-Press, "Not All Bugs Are Pests" <a href="http://www.fcnp.com/around-fc/9723-garden-time-not-all-bugs-are-pest.html">http://www.fcnp.com/around-fc/9723-garden-time-not-all-bugs-are-pest.html</a>. This is the first month that the FCNP has put my article on line (they have previously only had it in the print and E-issue).Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-9560585683245510082011-07-15T11:00:00.000-04:002011-07-15T11:00:02.601-04:00Strawberries in JulyI had a few (3) fresh strawberries this morning. I can't describe how delicious a freshly picked strawberry is. I was under the impression (false) that strawberries only grew in June. Not only are they ready to pick in July their taste is really quite a pleasant intense strawberry taste. I just wish I could remember which type of strawberry it was that is ready to pick now. Perhaps Tristar? Now all I have to do is to get the birds and bugs to stop eating them first!Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-33888001981001247812011-07-07T21:23:00.000-04:002011-07-07T21:23:51.943-04:00Cucumber beetle Aaaaargh!I saw one today! I am so bummed, I thought that planting the cukes, squash and melons a bit later would preclude a problem. Now I wonder should I spray? Should I use Remay to cover the plants? But what if I trap one of them in there with the plants and tomorrow morning one little beetle has eaten everything or laid their eggs? Last year I did not get one cucumber.<br />
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Okay, I have calmed down a bit. My plan is to go out tonight with a flashlight, scare any CBs off that I see and then cover with cloth. Hopefully tomorrow morning all will be well and I can take the cloth off to water later. Whew! Panic over.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-16582464860710561682011-07-03T14:01:00.000-04:002011-07-03T14:01:04.615-04:00Vegetable garden updateNothing yet is ready for picking, but if the critters stay away from the tomatoes (see garden remedies) I will have fresh ripe "Early Girl" tomatoes in about a week. Some are already orange and hopefully there will be enough sun to ripen them. I do have basil, 2 types "Genovese" and "Siam Queen", baby garden cress, arugula and lettuce to add to salads or garnish a plate with. The tiny salad greens are in a shady spot which I hope will keep them growing through the heat. Also available are several other types of herbs to cook with. Now if I could just gather up the energy to cook something! It seems I either have energy to garden or energy to cook, anyway, I hope the beans, cucumbers, squash and melons do alright. I don't want to jinx anything, but it seems that planting the cucurbits in June (around the 15th) may have bypassed the life cycle of cucumber beetle and the squash bug (but not other pests but hey, the CB and SB are nasty buggers). Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-57888965017908098842011-06-22T21:17:00.000-04:002011-06-22T21:17:31.954-04:00Garden GnomesGarden gnomes originated in Germany and were brought to England in the mid-nineteenth century. Gnomes are supposed to guard against evil spirits and help in the garden at night. Obviously I need a few more because the one garden gnome I have seems to sit around reading all of the time instead of working in the garden. Naturally garden gnomes are a huge controversial subject among gardeners, whimsical art or tacky kitch? You decide. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcpZtM6mLKLJXvGrwQC_HotY0CS5ZF_05ykgup9WyeN4RsE4f55u-rAI3eF0PgiFkQbDJAH5EcwEURZfsBgI4ZL4w9loGNZUOX87SsXfRGZ5Fi3R7B2vYXAqqbozFTZw9AsRrb7UXSGA/s1600/IMG_0140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlcpZtM6mLKLJXvGrwQC_HotY0CS5ZF_05ykgup9WyeN4RsE4f55u-rAI3eF0PgiFkQbDJAH5EcwEURZfsBgI4ZL4w9loGNZUOX87SsXfRGZ5Fi3R7B2vYXAqqbozFTZw9AsRrb7UXSGA/s200/IMG_0140.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-73033470570615408392011-06-21T12:50:00.000-04:002011-06-21T12:50:50.410-04:00Messy Chaotic Gardens or Picture perfect?On the <a href="http://gardenrant.com/">Garden Rant</a> blog they discuss their manifesto which states that they like chaotic messy gardens instead of picture perfect garden magazine photos. A former contributor to their blog, the <a href="http://renegadegardener.com/">Renegade Gardener</a> begs to differ. He thinks aspiring to the perfection of most garden photos is a good thing. I do too. I get great ideas from magazine photos. To be honest, the articles don't interest me unless there are great photos or it is a well written piece on a subject that interests me. <br />
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Now, true confession. My deep dark secret is that I probably write as much (or more ) than I actually garden. I have health issues (lupus), resulting in fatigue and I cant be exposed to the sun for too long and I don't take heat very well. So you may ask how do I garden, Answer: very carefully. (ha!) I get help from a neighbor to mow the grass (I mean weeds) every 2 weeks and do mulching and pruning. I also get help from friends and family. Having a chronic illness for most of my life I decided a long time ago that since I feel like crap most of the time anyway, I might as well feel like crap while I am doing something I enjoy. Now in my 50's that is gardening. Parts of the garden are looking pretty good right now (if you don't look to close) and other parts are a mess. As a writer I can identify the bugs that are eating my hibiscus, I can tell you how to prevent the black spot which is defoliating my roses as we speak, and I can give you turf alternative such as the clover and weeds in my lawn. But when I sit out in a shady spot and doze off near the Zepherine Drouhin rose, while sipping iced herb tea made with my own herbs, I don't care about these imperfections. This is heaven and why I garden.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8062680449311184080.post-43295950308624445912011-06-16T22:30:00.000-04:002011-06-16T22:30:29.065-04:00Another FCNP articleCheck out my new article in the Falls Church News-Press, "Shoveling the Brown to Get the Green", on page 32. It's about healthy soil and using organic fertilizers. We should cultivate our soil since plants are able to absorb nutrients through their roots courtesy of organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, in the soil. If you only use inorganic chemicals for fertilizer that do not have organisms in it or don't feed the organisms, the soil will die. Compost is one of the best things to add to soil as a conditioner, making it a better consistency for the plant roots and as fertilizer because it has nutrients to feed the organisms.Ruthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01261484475202549854noreply@blogger.com0