What did you do in the garden today?

[igorsMistress]

Good morning gardeners. I need to dig the remaining potatoes up today, pick what beans are ready. TS Debby will be here tomorrow afternoon through Saturday morning. I’m really hoping we don’t get any strong winds. They’re saying we should get 4 inches of rain and the ground is already near saturated. Fingers crossed we don’t lose power.

I was thinking about you when I saw the predicted storm track. Hopefully the winds won’t tear everything up!

 

[igorsMistress]

Well, that was bogus. Wherever I read about the wicking was wrong. I mean, the wicking is moist, but the sponges the plants are in were dry when I got up just now.

I usually keep them in shallow containers until they have roots long enough to reach the water. Easier than wicking and works better in my experience.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Woke up to the washing machine going out in grand style. She finally blew a bearing, at 4 years old. This is my second LG washing machine to go out this way. The other was 6 years old. I'm DONE with LG.
This machine was also a CONSTANT battle with mold, behind in the drum, in the soap dispenser and in the gasket - despite monthly deep cleanings. and the door leaked. Ridiculous.
I'm going back to a top load Speed Queen. Plain simple workhorse.
But as long as the laundry room is empty, it's a good time to repaint the whole laundry. So that's the plan for tomorrow.

I quit LG last year when my less than 2 yr old refrigerator needed a new compressor and the manufacturer was a NIGHTMARE to deal with. They kept refusing to send the part, then they didn't like the repairman I chose even though he was the only LG-certified repairman in 75 mile radius. After 4+ weeks of nonsense and no fix, I just dumped it and bought a new GE Profile. I filed a consumer complaint against LG with our state attorney General. Only THEN did LG finally come back and offer to refund me, minus depreciation, for the refrigerator.

I will never again buy an LG appliance.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Forgot to add... We had a Maytag washer and dryer that lasted nearly 20 years. Even though they still worked, I replaced them with high tech Samsung washer and dryer because they had a great sale. Big mistake. The board in the dryer went out within 3 months. They replaced it because of warranty but then the heating element would get so hot and not shut off that I feared it would cause a fire. After 2 years of constant worrying and heat damage to my clothes, we got rid of it and went back to a plain Jane Maytag dryer with no bells or whistles. It works just fine. I still have the Samsung washer but would love to chuck it out too because it often clogs from pet hair and it shuts off every time I try to wash pillows or comforters.

 

[TeresaW]

I usually keep them in shallow containers until they have roots long enough to reach the water. Easier than wicking and works better in my experience.

I would have, but they weren't doing so well in the shallow containers, they were crowded and some of them were severely stunted in growth.

I need to make something in between their starter container and the bigger one. I'm new to this, so I'm learning, thanks.

 

[igorsMistress]

G’morning everyone. @Sueby i have gathered what I need to fill my Greenstalk, but was wondering what kind of fertilizer you add? And how much lime, blood meal and bone meal? I watered and cleaned the duck pool. There’s weeds in the shade garden so I opened it up for the chickens to do their thing. I heard lots of excitement coming from in there when I walked by, I imagine there’s bugs in there to hunt too. I have a few babies to cut off the dragon fruit and stick in pots and the aloe will need to be thinned. And this other succulent that’s out there needs dividing too, so I think I’ll have plenty to fill in the xeriscape area a bit more and that’ll be pretty much done. That whole area has much less erosion and the water retention of the soil has improved tremendously after adding the wood chips and several layers of straw over the years. I’m going to move the better part of the leftover wood chips, big pieces really not chips, over to the xeriscape garden over the weekend. My dang heel/ankle still screams at me almost every day so I feel like it’s taking forever to get anything done. I gotta go make biscuits and gravy before it get too hot, have a good day!

 

[igorsMistress]

I would have, but they weren't doing so well in the shallow containers, they were crowded and some of them were severely stunted in growth.

I need to make something in between their starter container and the bigger one. I'm new to this, so I'm learning, thanks.

I’m no expert, just know what works for me. You can simply get an additional tote like the one you’re already using and cut it in half. I slide the top half down over the bottom so the lid has good support still. I’ve also used clone collars and grew three tomato plants in one five gallon bucket. Just cut holes in the side, put the collar around the little plant stem and popped it in.

 

[Sueby]

@Sueby i have gathered what I need to fill my Greenstalk, but was wondering what kind of fertilizer you add? And how much lime, blood meal and bone meal?

This is the recipe I followed from a woman on YT using my own compost & I like it a lot (note that recipe fills 2 tiers approx):

Here is my recipe (fills approx. 2 original tiers):
5 gallons Cococoir
5 gallons Compost
5 gallons Vermiculite/Perlite Mix (I go heavy on the Perlite so 3 gal perlite, 2 verm)
Additives: 1 gallon worm castings, 1 cup slow release fertilizer, 1/2 cup lime, 1/2 cup bone meal, 1 cup blood meal

 

[Sueby]

@igorsMistress are you making all your own or amending a bagged potting soil?

 

[Minanora]

@TJAnonymous Thank you for sharing your experience with the LG fridge... I was thinking about getting an LG to replace our Samsung that's at it's EOL. I may risk getting another Samsung. I have a Samsung dryer that is now 10 years old. When it dies we will be getting a speed queen to replace it. Ours is natural gas fueled, so I hope it will last a long time.