2014 Lawn, Garden, Landscaping , Fishing , and Allergy Thread

[jburns]

What is that thing? It looks like a "mole cricket" on steroids.

 

It's a giant weta, native to New Zealand.

 

[JWXnc]

The Vine Borer is the worst enemy in my garden. I love to grow squash and pumpkins, but these things are ridiculous. There's literally nothing you can do about them other than pull the plant after they find it. I've cut out the larva, but they always come back. I can't keep a pumpkin plant alive long enough to grow a pumpkin. This year, I'm going to use sevin dust on my pumpkins. I know some don't like that stuff, I don't care. I'm not going to eat them.

I never had luck with the pumpkin varieties you get in packs from retail stores. So I bought a variety called Gladiator from an online store (Harris Seeds carries them, so does Southern States), and they grow great in my backyard! I also plant my pumpkin seeds this time of year, cut the fully-grown pumpkins shortly after July 4, wash them with a very mild bleach-water mix, and store them in a dark closet until September. They still last outside through about the end of January, and growing them early in the season avoids the heat and summer pests.

[WXinCanton]

The Vine Borer is the worst enemy in my garden. I love to grow squash and pumpkins, but these things are ridiculous. There's literally nothing you can do about them other than pull the plant after they find it. I've cut out the larva, but they always come back. I can't keep a pumpkin plant alive long enough to grow a pumpkin. This year, I'm going to use sevin dust on my pumpkins. I know some don't like that stuff, I don't care. I'm not going to eat them.

 I  pretty much count on pulling my squash an zuchini around July.  They get my squash every damn year.  I was thinking of trying seven or something this year.  

[WXinCanton]

Been fishing twice this year, 2 largemouth.  2 lb's each, going this evening hoping for some better results

[Cold Rain]

I never had luck with the pumpkin varieties you get in packs from retail stores. So I bought a variety called Gladiator from an online store (Harris Seeds carries them, so does Southern States), and they grow great in my backyard! I also plant my pumpkin seeds this time of year, cut the fully-grown pumpkins shortly after July 4, wash them with a very mild bleach-water mix, and store them in a dark closet until September. They still last outside through about the end of January, and growing them early in the season avoids the heat and summer pests.

I think you hit on something I started to put together last year. I have been buying packs of seeds from the grocery store every year. Each year the plants come out and grow vigorously. Then, the vine borers, squash bugs, and powdery mildew go to work on them. I might get one pumpkin to even start growing. But the plant dies before it can really even get going.

So the year before last, I bought a big pumpkin from a local farmer. I saved some of the seeds. I planted them last year. This time, it seemed the plant was much more resistant to the various attackers. I actually grew a pumpkin about the size of a cantaloupe. Unfortunately, I planted too late (trying to avoid the pests) and the frost got me.

So this year, I'm not going to buy those seeds from the store. I'll use the seeds I got out of the local pumpkin. Not sure why that makes a difference, but it seems like it does....especially since you mentioned about the store seeds not working for you either.

[Cold Rain]

I pretty much count on pulling my squash an zuchini around July. They get my squash every damn year. I was thinking of trying seven or something this year.

Yeah, that's about the time of year that mine are done too. The first year I put in our garden, I grew all kinds of squash and zucchini and cucumbers and corn and potatoes and.... I was like, "this mess is easy--gardening is so much fun!"

The next year, along came the squash bugs, vine borers, mildew, drought, voles, blossom end rot, and worms. My squash plants died, the voles ate half of my potatoes, the corn stalks grew about 4 ft tall and only about half of the ears were fit to eat, and the tomatoes rotted before they ripened. It's almost like, what's the point. Gardening is hard.

[mackerel_sky]

Yeah, that's about the time of year that mine are done too. The first year I put in our garden, I grew all kinds of squash and zucchini and cucumbers and corn and potatoes and.... I was like, "this mess is easy--gardening is so much fun!"

The next year, along came the squash bugs, vine borers, mildew, drought, voles, blossom end rot, and worms. My squash plants died, the voles ate half of my potatoes, the corn stalks grew about 4 ft tall and only about half of the ears were fit to eat, and the tomatoes rotted before they ripened. It's almost like, what's the point. Gardening is hard.

Veggie gardening is very tough ! Do y'all do crop rotation? That's suppose to help alot, by not planting veggies not even in the same family, in the same spot for two to three years?

[Cold Rain]

Veggie gardening is very tough ! Do y'all do crop rotation? That's suppose to help alot, by not planting veggies not even in the same family, in the same spot for two to three years?

I've tried to not plant stuff in the same spot as last year, but I'm sure I don't do it right. I need to get more edjumacated about it before planting again. I just don't spend the time with it that I should.

[mackerel_sky]

I've tried to not plant stuff in the same spot as last year, but I'm sure I don't do it right. I need to get more edjumacated about it before planting again. I just don't spend the time with it that I should.

I don't know a whole lot about it either. I know you are not supposed to plant even the same family of plants, in the same spot . Like all I know is peppers, tomatoes and I think eggplants , are in the " nightshade" family of plants, so, neither of them should be planted in the same spot for consecutive years, because the same diseases and pests affect the plants, and are more than likely already in the soil from last year. Moving them from year to year to year, just gives u a head start on avoiding pests and diseases. The longer you can go without planting the same family of plants in the same location, the better! That's all I got to say about that!

[JWXnc]

I think you hit on something I started to put together last year. I have been buying packs of seeds from the grocery store every year. Each year the plants come out and grow vigorously. Then, the vine borers, squash bugs, and powdery mildew go to work on them. I might get one pumpkin to even start growing. But the plant dies before it can really even get going.

So the year before last, I bought a big pumpkin from a local farmer. I saved some of the seeds. I planted them last year. This time, it seemed the plant was much more resistant to the various attackers. I actually grew a pumpkin about the size of a cantaloupe. Unfortunately, I planted too late (trying to avoid the pests) and the frost got me.

So this year, I'm not going to buy those seeds from the store. I'll use the seeds I got out of the local pumpkin. Not sure why that makes a difference, but it seems like it does....especially since you mentioned about the store seeds not working for you either.

 

If the local pumpkin was a hybrid variety, the seeds may not produce the same pumpkin with the same disease resistance, strength, vigor, etc. The grocery store variety I grew was the plain Jack o Lantern. Those vines grew straight for about 10-15 feet, and the pumpkins were the size of cantaloupes, like you said. The hybrid pumpkins often have much better disease resistance and vigor. Gladiator, for example, is also a semi-vine. It is much much more bushy than the store variety, so the pumpkins grow within about 3 feet of where I planted the seed. Eventually, later in the season, the vines spread to about 10 feet, but that's well after I have already cut the pumpkins off. So some varieties are much better space savers if you have a small garden.

[Cold Rain]

 

If the local pumpkin was a hybrid variety, the seeds may not produce the same pumpkin with the same disease resistance, strength, vigor, etc. The grocery store variety I grew was the plain Jack o Lantern. Those vines grew straight for about 10-15 feet, and the pumpkins were the size of cantaloupes, like you said. The hybrid pumpkins often have much better disease resistance and vigor. Gladiator, for example, is also a semi-vine. It is much much more bushy than the store variety, so the pumpkins grow within about 3 feet of where I planted the seed. Eventually, later in the season, the vines spread to about 10 feet, but that's well after I have already cut the pumpkins off. So some varieties are much better space savers if you have a small garden.

 

Those are really nice. I'll look into the gladiator variety. That's the other problem (that you mentioned)...the space the pumpkin vines take up. I don't have a ton of space, so a shorter vine would work better. Thanks for the tip!

[Cold Rain]

 

I don't know a whole lot about it either. I know you are not supposed to plant even the same family of plants, in the same spot . Like all I know is peppers, tomatoes and I think eggplants , are in the " nightshade" family of plants, so, neither of them should be planted in the same spot for consecutive years, because the same diseases and pests affect the plants, and are more than likely already in the soil from last year. Moving them from year to year to year, just gives u a head start on avoiding pests and diseases. The longer you can go without planting the same family of plants in the same location, the better! That's all I got to say about that!

 

If I can get the ground tilled up this year (obviously, I'm way behind), I'll try to be more dilligent about it. If you're going to spend time with it, you might as well try to do it right.

[WXinCanton]

I try and rotate, nothing specific.   Kinda like tomatoes were here last year, I'll put them here this year.  Same  with squash etc..

 

My buddy swears by seven, and I might give it a shot.  As CR said some people really frown upon it.  I've only used on my Birch trees to control Japanese beetles.

[JWXnc]

I try and rotate, nothing specific. Kinda like tomatoes were here last year, I'll put them here this year. Same with squash etc..

My buddy swears by seven, and I might give it a shot. As CR said some people really frown upon it. I've only used on my Birch trees to control Japanese beetles.

A lot of people frown upon sevin and other broad-scale insect killers because they kill 100+ types of bugs, including honeybees and other beneficial insects that help pollinate and protect the garden. Ladybugs, for example, eat aphids off your plants, and the specific type of wasp can take care of horn worms on your plants. Sevin can supposedly be carried back to the beehive and wipe out the entire colony of bees. Unless you have an overwhelming bug problem, I think most experts would suggest using targeted products that kill the specific bugs you have trouble with, and not the beneficial bees/insects. That said, there was one year my apple tree was absolutely covered with Japanese beetles, so I pulled out the sevin dust. Same for the year I had literally thousands of squash bugs in my garden. I use it as an absolute last resort, not as a weekly treatment.

[Crapper Jim]

I don't know a whole lot about it either. I know you are not supposed to plant even the same family of plants, in the same spot . Like all I know is peppers, tomatoes and I think eggplants , are in the " nightshade" family of plants, so, neither of them should be planted in the same spot for consecutive years, because the same diseases and pests affect the plants, and are more than likely already in the soil from last year. Moving them from year to year to year, just gives u a head start on avoiding pests and diseases. The longer you can go without planting the same family of plants in the same location, the better! That's all I got to say about that!

Mack is right.  Besides plant nutrient depletion... those pests bury themselves back into the soil in anticipation of next year's feast.

Turning over soil helps (in the fall)... but, won't cure.

 

BTW - No "over-the-counter" pesticide has proven 'effective' to me... esp. Sevin (maybe aphids and white flies, that's it)!

 

Blossom End Rot.

That's what is rotting your veggies.  I grow container veggies a lot.  Rot happens when pots dry and get watered quickly again, esp. in "non-breathable" containers.  Mineral deficiencies develop (calcium, esp.) with the stress.   Easy fix is any garden center prep for blossom end rot.  It will halt almost immediately.  Re-apply every few days. Harmless to your health.

[Crapper Jim]

Here's another pest - some of you may be familiar...

... Spider Mites!

 

Stories about those?

[mackerel_sky]

Here's another pest - some of you may be familiar...

... Spider Mites!

Stories about those?

They suck! They usually thrive/infest during dry weather, so last summer may have kept them at bay, to an extent? They seem to like certain plants more than others. They seem to enjoy : euonymus , cotoneaster and soft touch hollies, right off hand

[mackerel_sky]

The new to the world of gardening , disease that it scary is: the rose rosette virus! It can affect any rosé bush, but is particularly attacking everyone's favorite rose, the Knockout! It can be airborne and spread by bugs( aphids). Once the bush has it, it's a goner, and no cure as of yet. If you notice one of your bushes with it, dig it up and burn it

[Crapper Jim]

Indoor Garden Pest!

 

This little parasite will ravage all you indoor plants... then cuddle up to you

like he/she/it is perfectly "innocent"!

 

You can identify them by droppings, tiny little pies of clay and hair on everything inside the house, thick

and foul smelling 'stuff' squirted on all your valuables, "half-consumed" vermin (typically traced by feathers or hair),

strange sounds in the middle of the night... and Vet Bills.

 

This creature should be avoided at all costs!  I cannot get rid of these!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mackerel_sky]

Update on things blooming in the yard:

Clematis

Kierra japonica( don't know the common name)

Creeping phlox, still going

Native azalea

Regular azalea

Ajuga

White lady banks rose

Purple leaf pink flowered lorapetalum

Green leaf white flowered lorapetalum

Dandelions, lol

Redbud

[Solak]

A before and after thing... as some of  you know, my wife was hospitalized in December 2012 for surgery and didn't come home until June of last year (3 month stint in a rehab facility where she learned to walk and talk again), during that time, obviously, our gardens got out of control while I tended to her. Her pride and joy is her Memory Garden in the back yard, which got totally overrun with weeds and other 'stuff' last summer. I've been working all about the yard, but today I finally got the Memorial Garden back in shape.

 

Before...  last August

 

 

 

This afternoon...

 

[mackerel_sky]

That garden looks awesome! I know the work was very hard to get it back to the way it looks today! The weeds and regular plants can get out of line very quickly. Very good work!

[Solak]

Thanks, Mack!

 

Getting the mowing out of the way today, with rain/storms/severe in the forecast for the next 4 days. Don't want the grass and weeds turning into a pasture before I can get out there again

[Crapper Jim]

I've decided to "consolidate".

I'm gonna collect Irises for a few years.  Just Irises.

 

Anyone here knows anybody that breeds them?

[JWXnc]

I've decided to "consolidate".

I'm gonna collect Irises for a few years. Just Irises.

Anyone here knows anybody that breeds them?

I've seen many good things about Schreiner's: http://www.schreinersgardens.com/

Their new introductions are expensive, but that's understandable since they'd have limited supplies of new varieties.

[mackerel_sky]

I've decided to "consolidate".

I'm gonna collect Irises for a few years. Just Irises.

Anyone here knows anybody that breeds them?

Brent and Becky's bulbs, has alot of bulbs and irises. I really like the reblooming bearded irises that bloom spring and fall! Just google irises and check out Ebay for plants and bulbs.

[crossthread]

Salt water fishing down here in SENC starting to bust WIDE OPEN!...

Spanish Mackerel, (LARGE ONES), Blues up to 10 pound range, Pomps, and Whiting & smallish croakers... Lots of Red & Black drum in the Lower CFR, very Large Whiting around Bald Head, in/around the Shipping channel, ..

Here is just ONE example, Location OKI Pier... (Oak Island)..

That is all,,, CT..

PS: take a Kid Fishing..

 

[jburns]

Salt water fishing down here in SENC starting to bust WIDE OPEN!...

Spanish Mackerel, (LARGE ONES), Blues up to 10 pound range, Pomps, and Whiting & smallish croakers... Lots of Red & Black drum in the Lower CFR, very Large Whiting around Bald Head, in/around the Shipping channel, ..

Here is just ONE example, Location OKI Pier... (Oak Island)..

That is all,,, CT..

PS: take a Kid Fishing..

 

I usually take a quick trip down to do some spring fishing.  Looks like the time is here.

[mackerel_sky]

I usually take a quick trip down to do some spring fishing. Looks like the time is here.

Don't forget your cane pole!

[jburns]

Don't forget your cane pole!

 

You mean my cane, and my pole.