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2020 Mid-Atlantic Garden, Lawn, Etc. Thread


mattie g
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Garlic shoots have started sprouting in force in the last week. With temps in the 70s yesterday and mild overnight temps the last two nights, they’ve now taken off. Good thing they’re hearty and will withstand the upcoming blizzards.

I’ll have to post picture of the forsythia at L’Enfant - plenty of yellow on them. Likely that the first daffodil shoots in the neighborhood have started coming up, too.

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4 hours ago, mattie g said:

Garlic shoots have started sprouting in force in the last week. With temps in the 70s yesterday and mild overnight temps the last two nights, they’ve now taken off. Good thing they’re hearty and will withstand the upcoming blizzards.

I’ll have to post picture of the forsythia at L’Enfant - plenty of yellow on them. Likely that the first daffodil shoots in the neighborhood have started coming up, too.

:banned:

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Visited friends in West Springfield yesterday with a full bloom of early hellebores.

Here, 10 mi south of National Airport, my hellebores come out in March. Now I have some shoots of something (Paperwhites?) that are 5" tall, a lot of daffodil and crocus shoots, toad lily leaves, strong sedum pips, and some small fall crocus shoots. No snow drops yet.

History says that the very cold weather to come will kill all the above-ground vegetation, but maybe we'll be lucky this year.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Garlic has really sprouted in the last couple weeks - nice to see that every clove has produced a plant.

Still yet to get set up with grow lights so I can start seeds indoors, so for yet another year I’ve ordered my tomato and pepper plants, which should arrive in the first week of April. I might go ahead and get LED grow lights and a heat map, though - would be good for starting the early leaf vegetables and cucumbers, rather than plant them directly in-ground.

The best part of this year’s garden is that my new beds are fully functional from the beginning of the season, with me having built the first in late April and the second in mid August last year. Can’t wait to really get started!

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33 minutes ago, nw baltimore wx said:

Last October would have been best, but early March will work. Just watch for stress all summer and water well. It’ll take a year to recover completely 

Thanks, I had a feeling we should have moved it sooner. Blah life 

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  • 1 month later...

We need another distraction thread other than banter....

Never started a thread but I always enjoy this one every season.  There are plenty of knowledgeable folks on here that take their lawns and gardening seriously...Always great discussions and I always learn something new.  Here is to a great growing season! 

Adding 3 raised beds this year to our existing gardens.  (1) 10x10 Strawberry patch (transplanted from another garden) and potatoes/onions. (2) 4x10 that will receive various veggies.  I do plan on trying out a hoop house this fall/winter on one of the 4x10 beds.  Would love to continue some greens into the cold season.

10x10 is complete...starting the 4x10s today.

Placed a few layers of chicken wire on the bottom to try to keep moles out of the bed...at least for a few years until it rusts and disintegrates. My oldest in a few of the pics as she is using this as a project for school.

KsHMknE.jpg

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AHtVyof.jpg

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Planted a few blueberry bushes today and prepped areas to plant beans and snap peas.  Carrots and onions are sprouting.  By the time I figure out all the tricks and methods through trial and error I'll be dead.  Gardening is kind of like the weather....there is no end to gaining knowledge. 

Anyone ever use neem oil for pest control on veggies/fruit?  Hoping this will keep the slugs away this season.  

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On 3/31/2020 at 8:22 AM, poolz1 said:

We need another distraction thread other than banter....

Never started a thread but I always enjoy this one every season.  There are plenty of knowledgeable folks on here that take their lawns and gardening seriously...Always great discussions and I always learn something new.  Here is to a great growing season! 

Adding 3 raised beds this year to our existing gardens.  (1) 10x10 Strawberry patch (transplanted from another garden) and potatoes/onions. (2) 4x10 that will receive various veggies.  I do plan on trying out a hoop house this fall/winter on one of the 4x10 beds.  Would love to continue some greens into the cold season.

10x10 is complete...starting the 4x10s today.

Placed a few layers of chicken wire on the bottom to try to keep moles out of the bed...at least for a few years until it rusts and disintegrates. My oldest in a few of the pics as she is using this as a project for school.

KsHMknE.jpg

t4nTdbg.jpg

lkSzomK.jpg

AHtVyof.jpg

Just a thought...  A potential alternative to normal chicken wire would be something stainless.   Here's an option you may find interesting.  https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/126/2045    Middle left of the page.  For about $200 you'd have a 304 stainless steel mole proof foundation that would never rust.  

If you've dealt with McMaster Carr before, they are great.  Excellent online catalog and fast service.  I buy all my stainless hardware there for less than what you can get zinc plate at Home Depot.  

 

 

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8 hours ago, RDM said:

Just a thought...  A potential alternative to normal chicken wire would be something stainless.   Here's an option you may find interesting.  https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/126/2045    Middle left of the page.  For about $200 you'd have a 304 stainless steel mole proof foundation that would never rust.  

If you've dealt with McMaster Carr before, they are great.  Excellent online catalog and fast service.  I buy all my stainless hardware there for less than what you can get zinc plate at Home Depot.  

 

 

Dude!  That is a fantastic site...Much appreciated.    We use a ton of stainless at work...There are 2 decent hardware/fasteners stores in Frederick but they are pricy and dont always have what you need.  

That would certainly have been a better product to put in the beds.  I will be placing Hydroblox drainage boards around the perimeter of each bed and then out of the garden area to help move water away in case of flooding type rains.  Hoping this will be somewhat of a physical barrier as well.

On a side note...Our Black Lab was just a pup last spring and summer.  The hunting genes must have kicked in this season and he has already dug up and sent 5 moles to the promise land! lol  He showed interest last year in hunting them down but he's on a mission this Spring!

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1 hour ago, poolz1 said:

Dude!  That is a fantastic site...Much appreciated.    We use a ton of stainless at work...There are 2 decent hardware/fasteners stores in Frederick but they are pricy and dont always have what you need.  

That would certainly have been a better product to put in the beds.  I will be placing Hydroblox drainage boards around the perimeter of each bed and then out of the garden area to help move water away in case of flooding type rains.  Hoping this will be somewhat of a physical barrier as well.

On a side note...Our Black Lab was just a pup last spring and summer.  The hunting genes must have kicked in this season and he has already dug up and sent 5 moles to the promise land! lol  He showed interest last year in hunting them down but he's on a mission this Spring!

Good morning.  You are very welcome.  I've been using McMaster Carr professionally and at home for 35 years.  Used them extensively when I lived and worked overseas because they would ship to an APO box.  I easily ordered a few million $ worth of hardware from them over the years and they've been infinitely reliable and have excellent customer service reps who know their products very well (this is NOT a paid advertisement!!!).  

MC's lineup of stainless steel hardware covers about anything you'd ever want.  Fine thread, course, grade 8, exotic aircraft hardware etc...  I have a decent supply of SS hardware at home from 6-32 up through 5/16" dia.  If/when I run out, a simple online order shows up in 2 days max.  Given them a shot, don't think you'll be disappointed.

 If you make a sufficiently large order, ask them for a catalog or two.  They are loath to offer one, but I'm old school and like to have a catalog.  Their catalog is like a Grainger catalog on steroids and MC lists prices for everything.  Can't say enough good about them...  

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1 hour ago, poolz1 said:

 

On a side note...Our Black Lab was just a pup last spring and summer.  The hunting genes must have kicked in this season and he has already dug up and sent 5 moles to the promise land! lol  He showed interest last year in hunting them down but he's on a mission this Spring!

Brings back fond memories of my maternal grandpa.  He used to sit on his porch in a rocking chair and watch his front yard for the vermin.  Had a dog that would help seek them out.  When one was detected, grandpa would saunter out with his trusty pitch fork and do the needy.  If it came out dry, denoting a miss, he'd thrust it in again (with help from his dog on where).  When it came out wet, he'd smile with his cigar sticking out the side of his mouth and resume watch on the porch.  

BTW, he never smoked his cigars.  He chewed them like chewing tobacco, but never spit!  Half a cigar in the morning and the second half in the afternoon...   

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