mb3
Sapphire
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Post by mb3 on Jul 12, 2018 22:51:57 GMT -6
Well, I ended up going in to the nursery where I bought my hydrangea to ask for some advice since the pruning, watering and fertilizing wasn’t doing anything. They told me they think it’s beyond salvaging. I’m incredibly bummed. I get a refund but I just wish that plant had worked. They don’t have any in stock now to exchange it for, which I guess is good because my mom said she thought it would be too late to plant this year. I found some colorful perennials on the clearance rack and put them in that part of the garden instead and my friend offered to give me a cutting of one of her hydrangeas this fall so we can try hand cultivating.
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Post by yoginikiki on Jul 14, 2018 10:46:21 GMT -6
mb3 I hope you have luck with the hand cultivating!
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Post by Dramaphile on Jul 16, 2018 10:07:12 GMT -6
Had to add even more fencing because my effing other dog decided to dig a tunnel under my shed so he could eat my tomatoes, too. I am so sick of going to home depot for fencing and I just want to eat my dang tomatoes! Hopefully this works and I don't have to spend the entire summer being outsmarted by veggie-pillaging pups.
Also, against all odds, the zucchini plant my husband accidentally mowed has grown back (although small) and has a little zucchini growing! I got some fencing to go around it as well to hopefully protect it since it's not in the same spot as my raised beds.
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olenka
Gold
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Post by olenka on Jul 16, 2018 18:46:20 GMT -6
I harvested my garlic this week. I started pulling my onions too...they are pretty tiny, but oh well.
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Lakes
Sapphire
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Post by Lakes on Jul 17, 2018 6:41:44 GMT -6
I love that toad 🐸 olenka! I should check on my garlic. I’d totally forgotten about it since I was so excited about tomato and cuke explosion that occurred in the last week.
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Post by Dramaphile on Jul 17, 2018 6:43:42 GMT -6
olenka my onions are tiny this year, too! I think it's because of the unusually hot dry weather we've been having. They still taste good, but most of them are golf ball-sized.. I definitely want to grow garlic for next year, last Fall I waited too long and the ground was frozen before I had a chance to do anything. Need to do better at overwintering my beds in general so I don't have 8,000 weeds to pull in the spring.
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Lakes
Sapphire
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Post by Lakes on Jul 17, 2018 7:08:23 GMT -6
Showing off some of my grumpy garden frogs. Anyone have any recipe suggestions to use up an overabundance of chives?
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Post by Dramaphile on Jul 17, 2018 7:17:41 GMT -6
Showing off some of my grumpy garden frogs. Anyone have any recipe suggestions to use up an overabundance of chives? Chive butter is awesome on all kinds of things, like steak or fish, and you can make a bunch and then freeze and just slice off what you want to use. Or chive cream cheese on bagels. You can also chop and freeze them in oil (use an ice cube tray). I've heard of people making chive pesto, but haven't tried that myself.
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trtlcrzy
Moderator
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Post by trtlcrzy on Jul 17, 2018 11:27:26 GMT -6
I scored a Newport plum tree for $30! I love end of the season sales. Fx I can find a lot more good deals on trees because I want 3 more.
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Lakes
Sapphire
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Post by Lakes on Jul 22, 2018 5:47:31 GMT -6
We got two inches of rain yesterday and now all my sunflowers are flopped over. Some are in tomato cages so they’ll bounce back but a few came out by the roots.
The cucumbers are tasty! The cherry tomatoes are okay. I had a sweeter variety last year and I regret not trying to find it again this year. My garlic results are mixed. Some are a decent size but others are small. I didn’t space things well this year and some garlic got overrun by some overachieving leafy things.
One of my Prime Day purchases was a butterfly kit. Ds is very excited to watch the caterpillars grow and release the butterflies in our garden. Fingers crossed he doesn’t change his mind on release day 😂
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cam
Bronze
Posts: 201 Likes: 295
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Post by cam on Jul 22, 2018 16:05:44 GMT -6
Cucumbers are starting to appear. First cherry tomato is finally starting to turn red. Between having company then hurting my foot, I had neglected my garden a bit, so things were starting to droop but have bounced back in the few days since I watered again.
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trtlcrzy
Moderator
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Post by trtlcrzy on Jul 23, 2018 7:50:56 GMT -6
I just discovered white flies on my strawberry plants. Last year I bought some horticultural oil but of course I can’t find it right now. So I will be scouring my garage and if all else fails I’ll just buy some insecticidal soap.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Jul 24, 2018 23:17:45 GMT -6
You'd think after so many years growing up in AZ, my dh would know NOT to plant things in July. He's killed off 4 mint plants and a lavender plant in pots by not watering them enough and putting them in too much sun. I know I tend to NEED some kind of pretty flowers in July or August and inevitably kill them too. But I kind of learned and only do it every few years, lol.
Grapes are ripe. Apples have all gotten ripe and been eaten by us, birds or the sun made them into baked apples on the tree. Tomatoes are taking July off. Eggplant keeps making eggplants, but if they are in the sun they get sunburndt and turn kind of orange instead of eggplant purply color. Cucumbers died except two hanging out in the shave of the giant eggplant plant, but without sun they aren't growing much. Huckleberries keep getting white flies. serrano peppers just keep making peppers but every other pepper plant refuses to make any flowers.
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Post by Dramaphile on Jul 25, 2018 7:52:27 GMT -6
Got my fence shored up yet again and blocked my beagle’s garden break-in route. He was very miffed at me when he saw what I did and went and sat next to the fence and gave me the evil eye and refused to leave the garden when I called him! Hopefully this saves my tomatoes, I have a bunch of almost-ripe San marzanos I’m hoping to make sauce with.
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mb3
Sapphire
Posts: 4,500 Likes: 20,802
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Post by mb3 on Jul 25, 2018 11:38:04 GMT -6
You'd think after so many years growing up in AZ, my dh would know NOT to plant things in July. He's killed off 4 mint plants and a lavender plant in pots by not watering them enough and putting them in too much sun. I know I tend to NEED some kind of pretty flowers in July or August and inevitably kill them too. But I kind of learned and only do it every few years, lol. Grapes are ripe. Apples have all gotten ripe and been eaten by us, birds or the sun made them into baked apples on the tree. Tomatoes are taking July off. Eggplant keeps making eggplants, but if they are in the sun they get sunburndt and turn kind of orange instead of eggplant purply color. Cucumbers died except two hanging out in the shave of the giant eggplant plant, but without sun they aren't growing much. Huckleberries keep getting white flies. serrano peppers just keep making peppers but every other pepper plant refuses to make any flowers. Quite a talent that he can kill mint though! Sorry, that just made me laugh, even though I know that’s probably the norm in AS vs mint being impossible to kill here in IL. I’m jealous you have grapes and apples though!
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Post by Dramaphile on Jul 27, 2018 7:39:18 GMT -6
Garden harvest now that I’ve managed to keep the dogs out! Red and yellow onions, San Marzano tomatoes, carrots, and a poblano pepper
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cam
Bronze
Posts: 201 Likes: 295
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Post by cam on Jul 27, 2018 15:57:18 GMT -6
Good thing I accidentally knocked off the almost-ripe cherry tomato because the next day, a family of deer ate almost all the rest, so at least I got to enjoy one. There are a couple of tiny, green ones left, but it will take a while for them to ripen (if the deer don't get to them first), so nothing to enjoy for a while. They also are most of the pepper plants. Each plant has a few leaves yet, so I have my fingers crossed there are enough to finish developing the one pepper on each of three plants (one other plant has no peppers nor blooms anymore, while another has one developing pepper and a couple of blossoms, so yay if they survive). The carrot tops are very picked through, so we'll see how many carrots have enough foliage to keep progressing. Four cucumber plants are destroyed, but at least they were the younger ones since I have been greatly anticipating the first cucumber which is so close to being ready. To stick with my bad luck though, I found my bucket of fencing supplies, by which I mean literally the bucket and only the bucket, so I don't know what happened to the fencing supplies. Lol.
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clucky
Opal
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Post by clucky on Jul 29, 2018 9:49:43 GMT -6
Still growing and I’m starting to see some buds on my cantaloupe, cucumber, and jalapeño plants. All the others are just growing. I do have a fat cucumber to pick. Tomatoes and all the peppers.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2018 20:49:25 GMT -6
We have harvested a few tomatoes, lots of shishito peppers, and one cucumber. There’s lots of developing cukes so I’m looking forward to those.
I put my Thai basil seedlings in the ground and they’re doing well. Maybe they’ll be a good early fall crop.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Aug 7, 2018 20:36:43 GMT -6
It has reached the stupid hot phase of the summer. My roses like heat, but right now they are looking like they think they are dying. they are making quite a few sad looking flowers, and the leaves on some really look like someone took a blow torch to them.
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Lakes
Sapphire
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Post by Lakes on Aug 9, 2018 4:43:13 GMT -6
The squirrels found and decimated my sunflower patch. Any buds and blooms are gone and most of the stalks are broken. Stupid squirrels. I was enjoying all the goldfinches that were attracted to the flowers.
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mb3
Sapphire
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Post by mb3 on Aug 9, 2018 6:15:08 GMT -6
The squirrels found and decimated my sunflower patch. Any buds and blooms are gone and most of the stalks are broken. Stupid squirrels. I was enjoying all the goldfinches that were attracted to the flowers. That’s so disappointing! I’m sorry.
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mb3
Sapphire
Posts: 4,500 Likes: 20,802
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Post by mb3 on Aug 9, 2018 6:21:14 GMT -6
So I went a little nuts this week in my front garden. At first I tried to just prune the yew hedge down to the height I wanted but after that I said screw it, it’s going out altogether. Then I realized I can’t dig out the stumps because of the water lines right under them. So I think right now I’m going to just have them cut back to almost to the ground and see if they grow back, at which point I’ll keep them pruned to the size I want (aka very small). Lots of tree care sites say these yews are monsters to kill and will come back from a bare stump. So I’ll test that out and if it doesn’t work I won’t be very sad. This leaves me with so much new garden space, plus changes the entire facade of the house. I think I’m going to plant some bulbs along the front of it this fall (tulips and daffodils) and spend the winter planning.
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Post by Dramaphile on Aug 9, 2018 6:24:57 GMT -6
Damn dog dug under the shed and got into the garden again and then ripped down part of the fence when he couldn't figure out how to get out. I am so done with this crap. Going to have to buy some cement blocks to block his digging and some chicken wire fencing he can't break down. I feel like Sisyphus trying to roll a boulder up a hill. At least he didn't manage to destroy any of the plants.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Aug 10, 2018 0:41:58 GMT -6
to teach a dog not to dig, fill any holes he digs with his own poop. they will then not dig in that spot. additionally or alternatively, fill the hole and put a cement block on top of it, so if he digs there the cement block is in the way, or it falls on his paw as he digs. good luck.
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trtlcrzy
Moderator
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Post by trtlcrzy on Aug 10, 2018 20:35:42 GMT -6
Picked up a bunch of plants on sale this week. I’m planning to plant them along my garage in a mixed border. I need to get some peonies still to add but I think I’ve got a good start. When I get them all in I’ll post a pic.
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Lakes
Sapphire
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Post by Lakes on Aug 13, 2018 8:13:19 GMT -6
According to my rain gauge, I was just hammered with 4 inches of rain this morning. Everything is drowning. I just went out to dump as many pots as I could. I’m glad I’m on top of a hill!
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Post by Dramaphile on Aug 13, 2018 8:17:16 GMT -6
to teach a dog not to dig, fill any holes he digs with his own poop. they will then not dig in that spot. additionally or alternatively, fill the hole and put a cement block on top of it, so if he digs there the cement block is in the way, or it falls on his paw as he digs. good luck. <iframe width="21.100000000000023" height="3.240000000000009" style="position: absolute; width: 21.100000000000023px; height: 3.240000000000009px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 15px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_60110216" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.100000000000023" height="3.240000000000009" style="position: absolute; width: 21.1px; height: 3.24px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 998px; top: -5px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_62675256" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.100000000000023" height="3.240000000000009" style="position: absolute; width: 21.1px; height: 3.24px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 15px; top: 102px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_16442669" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="21.100000000000023" height="3.240000000000009" style="position: absolute; width: 21.1px; height: 3.24px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 998px; top: 102px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_29714534" scrolling="no"></iframe> I don't think poop will work, he's a very prey-driven beagle and is digging under the shed because he smells groundhogs or something. Will probably just end up with a poop-covered dog or new holes in a different spot... Once he gets going, he is very single-minded about getting under there! Going to get some cinder blocks to bury in his holes and hopefully deter him from digging new ones.
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AmyG
Ruby
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Post by AmyG on Aug 13, 2018 11:51:12 GMT -6
Even crazy dogs usually avoid areas where they smell their own poop. Even crazy beagles. Laying down chicken wire just under the soil can also help
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trtlcrzy
Moderator
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Post by trtlcrzy on Aug 18, 2018 7:02:39 GMT -6
It rained quite a bit this week, heavy rains. Turns out that the area I’m planting in along my garage has terrible drainage. So I pulled out the stuff I just planted at the beginning of the week so I can amend the soil. I’m thinking of using some compost, and soil conditioner along with more dirt to build up the area. Does that sound like a good plan?
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