Gardening Thread

[Ventsi]

Okay ,so gardening is not really pyro, but if you have a Willow/Paulwonia tree patch in your backyard its a differnt question.

 

Gardening can be fun ,usefull and is good practice to learn taking care of things.

Also its something to do while your stars are drying.

I'll be happy to answer questions or get mine answered

I'll try and post a tutorial of making and growing your own Bonsai tree !!

Edited May 20, 2009 by Ventsi

[firetech]

Home-grown fruit is delicious!

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

I am growing a meyer lemon tree, and there are spiders and flies all around it, should I worry about this, or is this fine?

[Ventsi]

I am growing a meyer lemon tree, and there are spiders and flies all around it, should I worry about this, or is this fine?

 

 

Do you let the lemons fall on the ground and rot?If so thats what's bringing the flies.

 

Spiders are completely normal, I would leave them alone since they take care of the flies and other bugs that can do harm.

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

a few of the very small "lemonlings" fall off, but I get rid of those. Its not very many flies, but maybe one or two every now and then

[Mumbles]

There is a thread around here somewhere about several members' adventures in hot pepper growing.

[Ventsi]

a few of the very small "lemonlings" fall off, but I get rid of those. Its not very many flies, but maybe one or two every now and then

 

 

Oh well thats just fine. But if they are really bothering you just get one of those sticky rolls that catch them and just hang it from you tree.

I thought you were talking about a swarm of flies , happened to me once , me and a friend blowtorched them all!!

[lostfido]

There is a thread around here somewhere about several members' adventures in hot pepper growing.

 

 

I know I don't help out here alot as I don't know that much about pyro, but I can help out in the "Hot Pepper" thread.

 

Now I just have to find it.

 

 

Here is a hint "fatali"

[Ventsi]

The thread is about extracting capsaicin from peppers, not much gardening there.Thanks though I'll have to try extracting it some time!

[manchesterfireworks]

Whats wrong with spiders you get them in most trees unless it is liks a scene from arachnophobia

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

This is my first time doing this, so I was just wanting to make sure that they are alright. My dad said the same thing happened to him when he grew peppers, so it should be alright. Now as for keeping the lemons on the tree so that they grow is another question.

[Pretty green flame]

This is my first time doing this, so I was just wanting to make sure that they are alright. My dad said the same thing happened to him when he grew peppers, so it should be alright. Now as for keeping the lemons on the tree so that they grow is another question.

 

Just don't get all paranoid and start spraying with insecticides.

[Mumbles]

It might just be because it's the first year (seemingly). My grandparents always needed a few years before they were getting good fruit.

[RUUUUUN]

Good morning Ladies:

 

The Capsaicin(oids) thread that Mumbles was referring to, did have quite a bit on cultivating different types of Peppers IIRC.

 

However the main body of the thread was the extraction of the capsaicinoids from different types of peppers and which peppers got good yeild Etc.

[tentacles]

I've been growing my own hops since last year - the plant's going to be enormous this year. Just came up about 2 weeks ago, and I cut back all but one shoot (increases yield). I took one of the shoots I trimmed and put it in a glass of water, and lo and behold, it rooted!

[TheSidewinder]

Well, since his *IS* the gardening thread....

 

 

Tyrone:

 

If you want a "natural" insecticide, buy some Praying Mantis egg-sacs and put them in the trees. (When they hatch, look out flies!)

 

If you have aphids, too, buy Ladybugs while you're at it.

 

I've seen both of those available online. Don't remember where, exactly, but it was some outlet specializing in "eco-friendly" pest control for gardeners.

[FrankRizzo]

I've been growing my own hops since last year - the plant's going to be enormous this year. Just came up about 2 weeks ago, and I cut back all but one shoot (increases yield). I took one of the shoots I trimmed and put it in a glass of water, and lo and behold, it rooted!

 

 

Oooh...the possibilities. Are there any old buildings in the area that have that crawling Ivy on the side of them?

[tentacles]

ROFL! What a great idea.. If I'd known the shoot could be rooted, I'd have done it to all of em.. Always next year, I guess! This one I gave to a brew club member who wanted it.

[TYRONEEZEKIEL]

I really appreciate the help ya'll. I dont plan on using insecticides or anything, I just wanted to make sure this was healthy for my tree to have spiders on it. Ive got 2 lemons that are really sprouting strong, and are about ping pong ball sized. I am so amped to make real "homemade lemonade".

 

Meyer Lemons are much sweeter, and far less acidic than store lemons.

[lucast123]

I am going to venture into the world of rose gardening in the spring and I was hoping for some advice. The first thing I'm going to do is get my soil tested and put a lot of work/money into it, as a vegetable and fruit gardener I am a firm believer in working the dirt.

I've been waffling a bit on the exact roses that I will plant and I was hoping for advice from you people. I will be planting one climber, six shrubs, and six standard trees, with a sunset color theme.

Here are the roses I've chosen, please tell me if you think they are good or if you think I should plant something else instead.

Climber: Autumn Sunset

Shrubs: Midas Touch, Joseph's Coat (I know it's a climber but I must have it and I'm willing to prune/train,) Strike it Rich, Fragrant Cloud, Chris Evert, Legends.

Trees: Julia Child, Radiant Perfume (I've read lots of bad news about this one, is there a good replacement?) Just Joey, Sunstruck, Dream Come True, Bella'roma.

[Pretty green flame]

Homegrown coffee baby, yeah!

This is going to be a challenge in my climate

[TheSidewinder]

With respect to roses, one of the first questions is where do you live?

 

I'm in Minnesota and we actually DO have one or two varieties that can survive the winters here without being completely buried.

 

It's been so long since I had to remember the name that I've forgotten it, but Jackson & Perkins makes a lavender-colored hybrid tea rose with (I think) the word Heritage in it, that's about as winter-resistant as they get.

 

I had one and basically ignored the thing for almost a decade before it finally died of neglect.

 

I've heard of Fragrant Cloud, but it definitely won't survive up here without some very careful Fall preparation. You have to spray it well with lime sulfur (or whatever the hell it's called now), trench it deeply and cover the whole area with some insulator like leaves or hay. If the roots freeze, bye-bye.

[jm82792]

I used to grow tons of carnivorous plants.

The collection consisted of about 100 species,

Australia, Germany, South America,

Africa, Asia and oter places around the globe were the places my plants originated from

(originated, I only got seed from other contries)

I sold them all for cheap,

moved away and now I have 10 species that are newbie grade.

There as so much trading, buying and selling,

I must have dealt with 20 or 30 people total......

 

There is no winter here so I can't grow many of my favorite carnivorous plants,

although it enables me to grow many of my other favorites outside..

It's a bummer however there are wrse things that can happen

 

Let me think...

I did tissue culture at home,

I failed but I know how to do it and if I wasn't 13, and had money it would have worked.

 

I've done gardening, vegetables, fruit trees and such..

The project I want to get around to is aquaponics.

Edited January 13, 2010 by jm82792

[pyrochris732]

this is a good topic, and im not surprised to see this pop up from a pyro person either. I think pyros appreciate the beauty of spectacular colors whether it be in the garden or the sky.

 

Its funny that you mentioned stars drying while you are in the garden, i was doing that today, lol.

[gordohigh]

I have a small garden approx 25'x50' that we share as a family and I have found that it brings us all together more often. Instead of buying a bunch of tomatoe plants you can get one nice one and root cuttings,(inside while it's still cold out), something that a lot of people didn't think was possible. I usually get three varieties and then root 6 or so of each. we planted most everything else from seed and now the rush is on to get to harvest before it gets too hot down here in the far south.

 

Gardening to me is a great hobby and the fresh veggies/fruits are a bonus worth the hard work. If you can go organic, all the better but keep on top of the bugs, they can eat the leaves on a plant in a couple of days and ruin an entire crop in no time at all. Anyone care to share their way of controlling the bugs? I would rather use an organic prevention method if possible and don't want to spend a lot on pre-made expensive mixes. I know soap has good properties to fight bugs but so far it hasn't been enough. I am currently trying organaside so hopefully that will work for now. I am also worried about the worms that get into the corn, those buggers ruined our corn crop last year.