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Post by rdback on Jul 20, 2021 10:13:24 GMT -6
Very nicely done!
Excellent looking raised beds. I can see why you salvaged them.
Now it's jungle time! lol
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jul 21, 2021 6:21:24 GMT -6
Thanks. I’m excited for the idea of a jungle! We’ll see.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jul 27, 2021 6:09:42 GMT -6
We put up cattle panel trellises between the beds this weekend.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2021 16:33:19 GMT -6
I see a lotta beans in your future!
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jul 28, 2021 13:13:59 GMT -6
We’re still thinking about how much to let go for production and how much to chop and drop before the nitrogen is diverted to pods. Our current plan is to harvest from the trellised beans and chop and drop the others, but I think it will probably depend on how lush the growth is before flowering starts. I’m going to be excited when the plants are big enough to start climbing. That always feels like such a milestone.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jul 28, 2021 18:34:52 GMT -6
Chrysanthemum, and Bon,
Speaking of setting nitrogen in your garden soil, have you ever tried growing peanuts? They set nitrogen by way of root nodules and they love hot weather. I'm not sure about dry weather though? I grow them here, from plain old raw peanuts that I buy at the grocery store, just like you'd use for making peanut brittle. They do well in my part of Oklahoma. Plus, they are just an interesting plant to watch as they blossom and grow little spikes or 'pegs' along the runners before they fall over to set peanuts just below the surface. The sandier the soil the better to a certain degree. When the peanut plant falls over, the pegs penetrate the soil to take root at the point of contact with the soil and will form little peanuts along those roots, similar to how potatoes grow their tubers, only these are called, "Gooobers".
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2021 6:30:38 GMT -6
That's a really good idea.
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Post by macmex on Jul 29, 2021 9:18:41 GMT -6
I just took this photo of a peanut plant, which I put in one of our ornamental beds, at work. I think they're beautiful. I wish NSU grounds hadn't sprayed (weed killer) the patch I planted along the street side of our buildings.
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Post by heavyhitterokra on Jul 29, 2021 13:06:32 GMT -6
What a beautiful photo George! I see little yellow blossoms. It won't be long now until they start falling over and forming peanuts along the stems where their little pegs come into contact with the soil.
I used to work on the NSU grounds crew as a student worker. Some of the people they hire there don't know come here from sick'em about plants.
They sent a guy out to help me pull weeds once. I had twenty beds to weed along my 5-acre plot surrounding the Administration Building, along both sides of Grand avenue. Each bed having upwards of a thousand flowers. The guy they sent to help didn't know marigolds from bermuda grass; he was a moron! About 10 minutes into it, he stopped and said, "Are those things you're leaving in there some kind of flower?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "What are they called?"
I said, "Marigolds."
He said, "Hmmn, I knew they had a smell that wasn't quite right for a weed."
When I looked over to his pile of weeds, about half of it consisted of my poor old marigold seedlings.
I took him off of the weeding project and put him on a push mower. I never let him in my flower beds again.
I'll bet if you asked around to find out who's territory that is, the person over it would work with you on the edible plant project. Way back in 1991, when I worked there, each person had a 5-acre plot to look after. Of course back then, it was only an 80 acre campus. It has grown quite a bit since then, Plus the Supervisory postion has changed hands several times since then as well. Back then, they also had a 'roving' crew, (Mostly just dummies who couldn't be trusted not to wander off if given a real job). They'd just ride around in the truck, hitting the high spots, like maybe that sidewalk you mentioned. One of those guys might have sprayed your plants with weed killer, not knowing the difference.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jul 6, 2023 21:18:04 GMT -6
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Post by macmex on Jul 7, 2023 6:47:29 GMT -6
Moving is hard, especially when you leave a garden. So glad you have another to drop into! Keep us informed on your new gardening adventures!
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Post by woodeye on Jul 7, 2023 7:20:45 GMT -6
chrysanthemum, I'm sure it has been a sad ordeal to leave your garden in Texas behind, but congratulations are in order for having built such a nice group of productive raised beds. You've endured conditions there that would scare most of us away, and have turned it all the way around and made it enviable. Once again, hat's off for an outstanding job.
Here's to your new garden adventures across the country. I agree, from the looks of the salad that is pictured, you and your mom are going to make a fine team. Looking forward to pictures of your new gardens...
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Post by rdback on Jul 7, 2023 8:12:03 GMT -6
Well Chrys, I guess the first thing I will say is Welcome Back! I'm sure your families are thrilled with your return. And your gardening adventures will be much more robust, with a MUCH friendlier climate. Like others, I'm looking forward to reading about your gardening exploits. And, in the meantime, the kids can look forward to building snowmen!
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jul 7, 2023 19:36:54 GMT -6
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, gentlemen. It was hard to leave my gardens behind, but I was encouraged to know that the buyers intended to keep them going. They actually arranged a special meeting before we left to learn about what was growing and how I’ve managed. I even left behind seeds of particular varieties that caught their eye or that do well in that area since they were interested in heirloom vegetables. My kids are looking forward to snowmen building here and sledding. They actually did get to do that on more than one occasion in Texas, strangely enough, but we think the chances are higher in Virginia. I love a good snowfall as long as I don’t have to be driving in it. I’m happy to go on walks or sit by the stove and watch the flakes. I did start a new thread about my mom’s garden, and I’m going to be showing off her hard work in some pictures as I can. The new thread can be found here: seedsavingnetwork.proboards.com/thread/996/greetings-foothills-virginia-blue-ridge
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