Search results

I thought it might be fun if everyone wanted to record on this thread when their first frost happens this year. We got our first frost last night, but it was sort of an incomplete frost -- the lower portions of our property frosted, but the higher spots (like around our house) did not. So I...

Well, it has been a strange year here in the Pacific Northwest. Winter stayed a little late and then it seems we got swept directly into summer. At least where I live (at about 500 feet above sea level) . . . we had about 2 weeks of normal spring weather and that was it. About now it should...

OK, I've got celery and no ideas on how best to enjoy it, besides the painfully obvious ones (like raw with ranch dressing). What would you make?

I have never had tomato plants get as big as mine are this year. They have overgrown my wimpy support system. I think it would take cattle panels to corral them. They are in a hothouse and metal is not supposed to be good for staking plants when temperatures get super hot. Does anyone care...

Just a friendly reminder. I think we can all use one every once in a while. Yes, there is someone I am particularly directing this message to, but I think most of us let our inboxes fill up and could use the reminder. ;)

I've got some about to flower. I heard to cut them before the leaf bracts start to open on the flower. Hard to know when that is unless you have grown them before and let them flower. LOL Anyone have a fool-proof method for knowing when to harvest them? The heads are different sizes on my...

Someone asked a week or so ago about how to grow garbanzo beans (chickpeas). I hadn't tried them before, nor had I read anything about them, but I planted some about 3-4 weeks ago, when I planted my regular peas. I actually planted garbanzo beans that I bought in a bulk food bin at the...

Can we get the links at the bottom of the sister sites to go DIRECTLY to the forum page on the linked site? I like to switch back and forth between BYC, Easy Garden, and SS using the links, but I have to navigate a little bit to get to the Easy Garden forum. It isn't a big deal, but...

I spent some time weeding out one of my garden paths. I had a bunch of strawberry runners that I decided to pot up rather than weed out. I got really tired after all that work. Phew! I couldn't understand why I was tired, until I realized I had potted up 35 strawberry plants. LOL That was...

I've been brushing up on my fruit tree pruning (I only just started pruning fruit trees last year) and I found that the description on this website was the best one I've found ever. It has good descriptions of both pruning new trees as well as pruning old and neglected trees. I hope it helps...

Are any of you familiar with soil blockers? I've been starting seeds for at least a decade, but never heard about these nifty tools. Supposedly starting seeds this way gives the little plants an advantage in that they are not subject to transplant shock. Here is a blog tutorial for any of...

Anyone else chomping at the bit to get their seed catalogues, or have some of you already recieved yours? I got one already, but it isn't from the company I usually order from. In years past it seems like the catalogues arrive when I'm not thinking about gardening at all, but this year I can't...

For those of you interested in attracting more bees to your gardens -- for pollination, of course -- you might want to visit this site about gardening with bees in mind. The site is geared towards Californian readers, but many of the plant suggestions and most of the information is relevant to...

OK, I'm just curious how you guys dress when you are out gardening. I own a really nice wide-brimmed gardening hat, but I NEVER wear it because whenever I'm out working I always get dirty or sweaty and so I prefer something I can wash regularly -- an old bandana. Sometimes I buy clothes...

Those of you who grow on a large scale, how many of you use furrow irrigation? I saw someone post a photo of this method in another thread about watering techniques. I'm just wondering if this is more efficient than drip irrigation or equally so, but without the investment in infrastructure...

By chance (and lack of foresight :rolleyes:) I think I have a cross between a zucchini and a pumpkin. My question is: At what stage would the fruit be edible? This particular plant is growing fruit like a zucchini, so can I eat them like a zucchini? It's "siblings" are all growing fruit like...

Some voles seem to have discovered my potato patch. Of course they have to sample just about every potato, rather than choose one and eat it whole. :/ My potatoes are at the point where the foliage is beginning to die back (not quite the best time to harvest). I'm thinking I might just...

Hey all you Washingtonians, I thought you'd appreciate a little nugget from our local newspaper: While it doesn't really help, maybe we can take some comfort that at least it is a shared misery? :/

of a loved one. Anyone want to make suggestions of a tree they would plant? I guess a tree that would make you smile when you see it. Weeping willow comes to mind, but I'd love to hear other suggestions or from anyone who has done this. Whatever is clever.

Hey, I hear your general area, in particular, is about to get blasted with this sudden onset of 80-90 degree weather. I was wondering if this is going to be disruptive to your garden. My cool season crop seedlings have been struggling to grow true leaves and now I'm wondering if they are...