Washingtonians

[jbear]

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I was just wondering about something like this! I run out of dirt for hilling in my garden. It's so tiny, and everything is kinda squashed in together. Plus, once stuff is established I let Garden Bug n Slug Patrol in and they can't resist scratching away at the freshly hilled dirt! I didn't have to dig many taters last summer, just kinda daily picked up the 'uncovered' ones! lol!

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

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Yes north EW. good to hear about the peppers growing there. 2 years ago I planted over 300 pepper plants, started them in the house in January.

 

[Chickielady]

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Please post !
I am all about looking forward to spring and planning the garden etc.
Where di you get the boxes ??
Are they chicken tractor size maybe ??

and YES IMP NEEDS LADyBUGS or will have to grow something else for his sprays, right JB ?

 

[jbear]

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But I meant we should save seeds from our own home grown stuff from open pollinated varieties. I KNOW i could get tomato seeds from my dad, and corn and squashes, beans, peppers etc. My mom saved ALL her seed and had been doing so for YEARS. They are all organic.. and probably there are a few that are their 'own' ..

On the other hand, I will also have many extra purchased seeds shortly as I am placing my orders! I did just join the Seed Savers Exchange too.. Anyone else do that??

So, this was a long term project I thought would be fun.

I just picked up a seed saving book at the library==and I know there's another one out there by someone Bubel? is that right?

Cackle--You should totally hang onto that wheat as long as you can... grow it in a protected area somehow and save from it. You are not kidding you will have a commodity!

CL~~ may your husband have a safe trip home!!

BNF~ if you are moving to EW, you will have NO problem growing any of the hot weather stuff. The only thing my poppa can't get to grow (but some of his friends do) are melons. The melons have to be babied with plastic and mulch and sweet whispers. But poppa grows peppers--alllll kinds, and many many tomatoes. He lives in the Methow Valley. Last summer was kind of an exception for growing things, it was so wet and cold. But he STILL gave many tomatoes away after he put up enough salsas etc for himself. My dad is like you--the hotter the better. Sometimes I can't eat his cooking! lol!

Jen we talked about saving seed and sharing last spring...maybe you were not online here yet or missed the post.
But seed savers sounds interesting !

ooh oopsie sorrys! *blushes* I prolly wasn't on yet. I am newbie still. heehehe.

I am sorry you have had such a yucky Christmas with your family. Grace has good ideas and I loved the ideas from the article you mentioned too, a couple posts up. All of my family is on the East coast-I mean ALL of them. My momma passed away a year and a half ago and now it's just my step daddy in EW. So, my husband and my son and Poppa are all that I have here in WA. It's really hard, sometimes I wish I had all of my cousins etc closer. I am sad when I see big families who are located so closely that get so nasty to each other. .. anyway.. And grace is right too--people who don't have or don't want to have animals do NOT understand.

 

[Chickielady]

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Honestly I have never seen any insect eat nasties !
Chickens do not like them either. I can let mine go and they wander through the nasty forest looking for bugs but never eat the nasties...maybe you had some different kind of nasties ?

I don't know either. The bugs look just like the aphids that get on roses etc, just black. I will usually see a few then overnight the nasturtiums are coated like they've been spray painted black. Haven't even tried planting them in 10 years. I tried Ciscoe Morris' "el kabatski" method of control, but the damage is too extensive. I do not see those bugs on other plants. I usually buy the Ed Hume seeds.
Guess it's just one of those things.

Russ

Give it a try again.
I recall having those black aphids and yellow along with the green.
The black ones, as I recall, LOVE artichoke heads and the underside of squash & pumpkind leaves also. The bright yellow got on a shrimp/lipstick type plant I hung outside for summer in california.
Came outta now where and found the plant I usually keep indoors.
I srayed with water.
The underside of the pumpkins were the worst.
Even the ground beneath was coated with a shower of sweet nectar from the masses of black aphids and ants were everywhere.
Get lady bugs!
I have millions over wintering in the attic here in this barn

 

[jbear]

garden pictures!! I am diggin thru some of my pictures.. but most seem to be of the animals.. hmmmmmmm

 

[jbear]

Rainwolf--pictures of the Seramas?? I can always take hens, but at 6 roosters here --in our small neighborhood, I can't take anymore..... I think the neighbors would be sneaking in and letting them out...

also--grace/heather--did you see that MFC pair on the auction list??

 

[Chickielady]

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[Cowgirlgrace]

Yes, they love artichoke heads. I also have a landscape account that has lots of helebores. They love those too.

 

[Chickielady]

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I just ordered some artichoke seed, am gonna see if it will work here, and have to die back and regrow in the spring so have to protect them over winter with hay bales alongside the long boxes and heavily mulch the top but think it will work ?
I am going out to work a bit & will return in a few~~