Playing In Dirt

[Chrysalis]

The veggie and flower seeds I planted are poking through the soil. It's been hot and dry so spending some time watering rows. The little plants sure look happy.

The asparagus is mostly finished for the season so going to mix them with the Egyptian walking onions and red pepper from the store.

Still waiting for the monster rhubarb to grow and that pie with apple and rhubarb sounds delicious, Gracey.

Sorry to hear about your strawberry plants, rainbow.sprinkles and I haven't even heard of something chomping on the leaves. We had grasshoppers really bad one year, but they chomped on the berries. Maybe try putting a net over your plants.

One year I had sparrows chow down on peas when they were just sprouting. They ate all of them. The following year, we got netting but was a pain to put up but it did save the peas from being eaten by sparrows. The year after that, I thought I'd fix those birds. I noticed some weeds came up before the peas, so I weeded a bit to have them in a row where the peas had been planted. The sparrows tried the weeds and didn't like them. I let the weeds grow and the peas came up beside the weeds. When the peas were tall enough, I pulled out the weeds. I guess the sparrows didn't like the weeds as they never came back to try dining on the pea sprouts again.

It seems we won't have any apples this year due to lack of rain.

linen, you have well travelled tomato plants.

Happy gardening to all!

[linen53]

A quick note to Gracey and whoever else is interested:

I was thumbing through a Rachael Ray magazine and saw some a recipe for pickled rhubarb.

Here's the recipe:

Pickled Rhubarb

3/4 lb rhubarb, cut on an angle into 1/2 inch slices
1 c red wine vinegar
1 c sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Place rhubarb in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan stir in the remaining ingredients with one cup of water and 2 tbsp salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves, about 6 minutes. Pour over rhubarb. Let sit for 30 minutes, drain. Add to cheese boards, toss in salads, or serve with pork. Makes 4 cups.

Chrysalis, I am just afraid the pots will get to hot if I let them stay in direct sun to long. Plants seems to thriving so I'm doing something right.

What a neat idea to leave the weeds until the peas were big enough.

Oh it's it wonderful when the seeds germinate and say hello to the world for the first time. They are just so adorable!

Yeah, my pear trees started out with tons of pears but has since dropped most due to the drought we are currently in.

rainbow, lol I was thinking the slugs were detracted from the shells because of something in the composition of the egg shells, but you're right, the sharp edges are probably what keep them at bay.

When the stocks on the rhubarb look thick it's time to start picking. And I learned the hard way you need to thin your plants out every x amount of years. They like lots of room.

[hallow]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

The veggie and flower seeds I planted are poking through the soil. It's been hot and dry so spending some time watering rows. The little plants sure look happy.

The asparagus is mostly finished for the season so going to mix them with the Egyptian walking onions and red pepper from the store.

Still waiting for the monster rhubarb to grow and that pie with apple and rhubarb sounds delicious, Gracey.

Sorry to hear about your strawberry plants, rainbow.sprinkles and I haven't even heard of something chomping on the leaves. We had grasshoppers really bad one year, but they chomped on the berries. Maybe try putting a net over your plants.

One year I had sparrows chow down on peas when they were just sprouting. They ate all of them. The following year, we got netting but was a pain to put up but it did save the peas from being eaten by sparrows. The year after that, I thought I'd fix those birds. I noticed some weeds came up before the peas, so I weeded a bit to have them in a row where the peas had been planted. The sparrows tried the weeds and didn't like them. I let the weeds grow and the peas came up beside the weeds. When the peas were tall enough, I pulled out the weeds. I guess the sparrows didn't like the weeds as they never came back to try dining on the pea sprouts again.

It seems we won't have any apples this year due to lack of rain.

linen, you have well travelled tomato plants.

Happy gardening to all!

that is a really clever idea! Wonder if that would work for rabbits. This year rabbit problem isn't as bad as last year's. The owls hanging around might be helping me with the rabbit issue.

[Chrysalis]

linen, thanks for the recipe. I took an ss of it. I used to have a recipe for rhubarb chutney but I lost it.

hallow, I don't have any experience with rabbits chewing up plants. I suppose the weed trick is worth a try or cover up the plants with remay (not sure of the spelling) cloth which is specifically for gardeners to keep bugs off veggies like cauliflower. I think the cloth would help chase away rabbits.

Coyotes are another rabbit predator.

rainbow, you can use beer for slug bait. Put a bit in a dish or something with high sides that they can't crawl out of. If they're there in the morning, you can relocate them further away from your yard if you want. Or just have some plants that they can chew on and hopefully they'll leave the others alone.

[hallow]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

linen, thanks for the recipe. I took an ss of it. I used to have a recipe for rhubarb chutney but I lost it.

hallow, I don't have any experience with rabbits chewing up plants. I suppose the weed trick is worth a try or cover up the plants with remay (not sure of the spelling) cloth which is specifically for gardeners to keep bugs off veggies like cauliflower. I think the cloth would help chase away rabbits.

Coyotes are another rabbit predator.

rainbow, you can use beer for slug bait. Put a bit in a dish or something with high sides that they can't crawl out of. If they're there in the morning, you can relocate them further away from your yard if you want. Or just have some plants that they can chew on and hopefully they'll leave the others alone.

coyotes are rare around here our main predator is the owl. There totally slient in flight. One night I was outside and I Hurd thump on the ground and then death curdling scream. Soon after an owl flew away with a rabbit. This happened within 15' from me. Farmers should have owls on farms for mice an rat control. A barn owl will consume at least 3xs the amount rodents of a farm cat.

[hallow]

Originally Posted by rainbow.sprinkles

I don't think it was recommended as a way to do anything to the soil, I think it was just to deter slugs from crossing that salt barrier to get to the plant in the first place? same idea as broken eggshells?

now something is eating my other strawberry plant, but instead of the leaves being all jagged from the outsides being munched, entire leaves are just gone like something bit the entire thing off at the stem! I sprayed it down with dish soap water and put more epsom salts around it, hoping that does something.

should get yourself a pet toad. Toads love to eat slugs

[rainbow.sprinkles]

Originally Posted by linen53

rainbow, lol I was thinking the slugs were detracted from the shells because of something in the composition of the egg shells, but you're right, the sharp edges are probably what keep them at bay.

When the stocks on the rhubarb look thick it's time to start picking. And I learned the hard way you need to thin your plants out every x amount of years. They like lots of room.

I just assumed it would be the sharp edges! didn't really think about it beyond that. who knows though.

what constitutes thick though? I'll have to google it sometime lol

the rhubarb was here when we moved in and we won't be here forever so it won't come with us but that's good to know for the future!

[rainbow.sprinkles]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

rainbow, you can use beer for slug bait. Put a bit in a dish or something with high sides that they can't crawl out of. If they're there in the morning, you can relocate them further away from your yard if you want. Or just have some plants that they can chew on and hopefully they'll leave the others alone.

I don't think beer and neither does my roommate so we never have it in the house. not gonna buy beer just for the slugs haha.

so far there haven't been any more problems since I redid the epsom salt barrier and sprayed the plants down with dish soap water. fingers crossed!

[rainbow.sprinkles]

Originally Posted by hallow

should get yourself a pet toad. Toads love to eat slugs

I'm not sure I would like having a toad around any better than having slugs haha!

[hallow]

Originally Posted by rainbow.sprinkles

I'm not sure I would like having a toad around any better than having slugs haha!

but there cute. I wouldn't touch one but there adorable. Last summer I kind of had a pet one that would visit me on the night shift. I would even catch moths and feed it. That toad was awesome.