Garden Geeks thread

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Getting to be that time of year.

I am going to re-seed my lawn this year.

I've been saying that for the past 8 years.

But I'm really going to do it this time. I figure if I do a small patch at time, it's feasible.

The wacky weather is wreaking havoc on my flowers. Normally the primrose are up by now, but there's only 1 or 2 visible.

 

[walrus]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

I got peas in yesterday

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[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

First time ever- had almost total failure of all the seeds I planted Bummah!

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Getting to be that time of year.

I am going to re-seed my lawn this year.

I've been saying that for the past 8 years.

But I'm really going to do it this time. I figure if I do a small patch at time, it's feasible.

The wacky weather is wreaking havoc on my flowers. Normally the primrose are up by now, but there's only 1 or 2 visible.

Do you till it and reseed or just overseed?

 

[alfablue]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

First time ever- had almost total failure of all the seeds I planted Bummah!

Sorry to hear that!

I think I posted that I got a greenhouse last fall- partially to start earlier, and more to keep vermits off of the food they want to eat. So far, so good. I may plant some small tomatoes this weekend, since it's nice and warm in there.

Also, the self watering (from rain barrels) system is fully up and running again, and it works great. Now I need to incorporate some auto worm letchate and the same from compost. So that all of the "food" comes via the water and is fully organic.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Sorry to hear that!

I think I posted that I got a greenhouse last fall- partially to start earlier, and more to keep vermits off of the food they want to eat. So far, so good. I may plant some small tomatoes this weekend, since it's nice and warm in there.

Also, the self watering (from rain barrels) system is fully up and running again, and it works great. Now I need to incorporate some auto worm letchate and the same from compost. So that all of the "food" comes via the water and is fully organic.

THis sounds cool.

In happier news- walked out the front door at dusk to see a fox in the yard chasing a chipmunk down a hole. I have hopes for the groundhogs!!! Nom-nom-nom!

 

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Do you till it and reseed or just overseed?

I will probably till it and re-seed, since the spots I'm fixing are basically bare. It's all under trees, or where the patio guy piled stuff and killed all the grass.

I think I posted that I got a greenhouse last fall- partially to start earlier, and more to keep vermits off of the food they want to eat. So far, so good. I may plant some small tomatoes this weekend, since it's nice and warm in there.

How big is your greenhouse?
Will you come build one in my yard?
Also, I need a yard big enough to have a greenhouse.

 

[alfablue]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

I will probably till it and re-seed, since the spots I'm fixing are basically bare. It's all under trees, or where the patio guy piled stuff and killed all the grass.



How big is your greenhouse?
Will you come build one in my yard?
Also, I need a yard big enough to have a greenhouse.

6x10- it's a Palram kit. I was going to build one out of old storm windows, but was overruled, as my wife thought it would not look good.... Got a discount buying it through Sears, but it was still pretty pricey.

 

[MadTownSioux]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

So far this spring: indoor planted lupine and marigolds. Lupine went crazy. Planted them today in a new garden. Broccoli in.

Potatoes are in.

Planted onions, looked dead. 7 inches of rain in 4 days. Finally now showing signs of life.

Tomatoes, beans, watermelons and pumpkins in yesterday.

Cherrry and apple trees didn’t get a freeze this year - last 2 years did.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

6x10- it's a Palram kit. I was going to build one out of old storm windows, but was overruled, as my wife thought it would not look good.... Got a discount buying it through Sears, but it was still pretty pricey.

I got a little one from Christmas Tree Shop- 60$ and it is 5 X 5ft (I think) Walk in and 3 shelves on each side. Working great so far.

 

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Alas, I think I still don't have the right spot for even a small a greenhouse. I don't really have a "back" yard (corner lot), so it'd have to sit out in the open.

My blueberries do not look good. No green at all. Did I do something wrong, or is this normal? Should I have done something over the winter? They are supposed to be hardy enough for my zone.

I bought a bay plant! I had never seen one before. I expect my soup making life to be drastically improved.

I also bought watermelon and cantaloupe plants to try in containers. Do I need more than one of each to get fruit?

 

[walrus]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Alas, I think I still don't have the right spot for even a small a greenhouse. I don't really have a "back" yard (corner lot), so it'd have to sit out in the open.

My blueberries do not look good. No green at all. Did I do something wrong, or is this normal? Should I have done something over the winter? They are supposed to be hardy enough for my zone.

I bought a bay plant! I had never seen one before. I expect my soup making life to be drastically improved.

I also bought watermelon and cantaloupe plants to try in containers. Do I need more than one of each to get fruit?

Did you test soil before planting berries. They like acidic soil, they also like lots of organic matter.

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[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Lawn mower-related question. I have a bumpy lawn. When I mow, it loosens the bolts that hold the handle on the mower. Had to stop 6 times the last time I mowed the lawn. Anyone else have this problem? What can I do? i did replace the original bolts with longer bolts, and it helped for awhile, but now they seem to be loosening again. This is extremely annoying. I know rolling the lawn isn't good for it - anything I can do to make it less bumpy?

Did you test soil before planting berries. They like acidic soil, they also like lots of organic matter.

Nope, that could be the problem.

 

[walrus]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Locktite on the bolts. It's like glue to keep bolts from loosening . It comes in different strengths. I think red is the color you want. It will still come apart with a wrench if need be. Go to a auto parts store and ask. Do the bolts go into nuts. If so you can replace regular nuts with nylock nuts or lock nuts. Probably a good hardware store could help with that

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[dxmnkd316]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Beyond the bolts, walrus has that covered, consider having your lawn aerated. If it’s as bumpy as that, you might have issues with compacted soil. I do.

This fall I’m going to get it aerated to help out and then heavily overseed it. It hasn’t come back as thick as it used to.

 

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Locktite on the bolts. It's like glue to keep bolts from loosening . It comes in different strengths. I think red is the color you want. It will still come apart with a wrench if need be. Go to a auto parts store and ask. Do the bolts go into nuts. If so you can replace regular nuts with nylock nuts or lock nuts. Probably a good hardware store could help with that

Thanks, will try this.

Beyond the bolts, walrus has that covered, consider having your lawn aerated. If it’s as bumpy as that, you might have issues with compacted soil. I do.

This fall I’m going to get it aerated to help out and then heavily overseed it. It hasn’t come back as thick as it used to.

Had it aerated last fall (I do it every other year). Doesn't help.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Had it aerated last fall (I do it every other year). Doesn't help.

Have you tried peat?

 

[CLS]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Are they the bolts you need to loosen to fold the handle? If so, I'd recommend the nylock nuts.

Is the bumpiness cause by dead spots? If so, you might try spreading topsoil to even the ground out, then overseeding. Best to do in the fall, because grass goes dormant in midsummer anyway. I have a problem where my dog pees. Since she's changed her preferred unrinal spot, this fall I'm going to dig out the dead spot, spread some topsoil and reseed.

 

[jen]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

I have a watermelon and a cantaloupe! The watermelon is not really getting bigger at this point, though. Still early days for the cantaloupe.

I've never grown tomatoes, but I bought one plant and put it in a pot with basil (for my mom, who loves tomatoes - I'm not a fan of fresh tomatoes unless they're pureed in sauce). The plant is almost taller than me - I've gotten probably 10 tomatoes so far, and there's at least 10 more. Definitely a successful experiment.

btw, the lawn mower handle issue - Locktite didn't work. Screws still kept coming loose. I have resolved the problem with duct tape. Have not addressed the bumpy lawn yet - maybe when I get around to re-seeding.

next chore is to buy a lawn edger, since my neighbor edged his. grrrr.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Garden Geeks thread

Got home from the weekend away and the groundhog has eaten everything in the garden to stalks. Except tufts of morning glories at the top of the stakes. All the beans, all the tomatoes, GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!! I think we are going to electrify the fence. Anyone ever do that? what needs to be done?

We do have a mutant squash growing out of each compost heap. Butternut squash is at least 2.5 ft long- probably closer to 3 ft and the other one is acorn- not quite as mutant but still the plant is huge. The groundhog looks like it has started on those leaves for dessert