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Gardening 2020

UConnSwag11

Storrs, CT The Mecca
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What's everyone planting?

Just started tilling the garden and putting in new topsoil, moss, and manure. What do you guys do for weeds and insects? Specifically Squash Beetles and Creeping Charlie.

Looking to also do some self wicking raised garden beds. Does anyone use these?
 
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One of the benefits of living in South Alabama, I picked some radishes and romaine lettuce today. Can't get much better than that. All of my tomato plants are flowering as are a couple of my zucchini plants. So far the only thing that hasn't popped out of the ground is my pumpkin plants.

So what’s it like in August?
 
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I need to figure out the tent caterpillar situation this year - last two years they’ve ravaged my apple trees. Any tips on getting ahead of them?!

Put on a white tee shirt. Get a 10 to 12 foot piece of lumber like a 2 by 4. Rip the board in half with a skil saw to make it lighter to hold. Wrap a rag around the end and soak with lighter fluid. Light rag on fire, pick up wood and and push it into the tent catapiller nest to set it on fire. Don't forget to smoke a cigarette while you are doing this. Just going by what my Dad used to do.
 
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Put on a white tee shirt. Get a 10 to 12 foot piece of lumber like a 2 by 4. Rip the board in half with a skil saw to make it lighter to hold. Wrap a rag around the end and soak with lighter fluid. Light rag on fire, pick up wood and and push it into the tent catapiller nest to set it on fire. Don't forget to smoke a cigarette while you are doing this. Just going by what my Dad used to do.
V neck, crew, or A shirt?
 
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I’ve got a 80’ x 20’ patch tilled and ready to go. This year I’m planting a lot of heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, hot peppers, romaine lettuce, spinach, and green beans. Has anyone grown tobacco?

I also have mint, basil, and thyme inside.
Tobacco? Broadleaf cigar wrappers, or smoking type?
 
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Put on a white tee shirt. Get a 10 to 12 foot piece of lumber like a 2 by 4. Rip the board in half with a skil saw to make it lighter to hold. Wrap a rag around the end and soak with lighter fluid. Light rag on fire, pick up wood and and push it into the tent catapiller nest to set it on fire. Don't forget to smoke a cigarette while you are doing this. Just going by what my Dad used to do.
Just keep the cigs away from the tomato plants.
 
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So what’s it like in August?
100° plus ......take the good with the bad. But at least I don't have to shovel snow anymore. Traded my snowblower for a riding mower and high taxes for a slower pace. And the best part is I still get my UCONN games with my tv package.
 
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I'm going to give the herb garden another shot. Rule 1: Don't plant mint. I'm a disaster though, I killed a cactus.
Why don’t plant mint? Last 2 summers I’ve done an herb garden on my city balcony, and last year my mint was a sturdy beast while the parsley/cilantro/dill struggled at times.

many one got tips to keep squirrels from eating my stuff on a balcony? I tried the cayenne pepper on the top of the soil but didn’t seem to do anything, I’m not going to install some obstructing fencing over my plants because this is mostly just for fun anyways. Open to any other suggestions or anecdotes
 

ClifSpliffy

surf's up
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Why don’t plant mint? Last 2 summers I’ve done an herb garden on my city balcony, and last year my mint was a sturdy beast while the parsley/cilantro/dill struggled at times.

many one got tips to keep squirrels from eating my stuff on a balcony? I tried the cayenne pepper on the top of the soil but didn’t seem to do anything, I’m not going to install some obstructing fencing over my plants because this is mostly just for fun anyways. Open to any other suggestions or anecdotes
'Open to any other suggestions '
first, go to the supermarket. buy some parsley and dill. forget the cilantro-that stuff is nasty.
then, swing by bass pro, pick up an inexpensive pistol.
return home, tear out the herbs. replace with tomato plants. shoot the squirrels, then eat the dill and parsley-tasty.
smoke a cigarette, and smile at an afternoon well spent.
 
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Only thing different this year, we are trying St. Pierre tomatoes from seed. They are supposedly highly flavorful. We'll see.
 

Waquoit

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Why don’t plant mint? Last 2 summers I’ve done an herb garden on my city balcony, and last year my mint was a sturdy beast while the parsley/cilantro/dill struggled at times.
Mint is too sturdy, imo. It takes over my herb garden. When I was cleaning up at the end of the season a couple of years ago, I couldn't believe the spread of the roots, they went throughout the entire area. Not worth it for me considering how little I was using. My parsley/cilantro/dill stink. Basil, rosemary, thyme, chives and tarragon grow best in my garden. I love chives, even I can't kill it. It's tall enough to use today.
 
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Just bought a baby portabello mushroom growing kit. Heard from a co-worker you get more mushrooms than you know what to do with in 3 weeks and onward.
 
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Where do you plant? In a pot?

Nope. In the box it comes in.

www.WillowMountainMushrooms.com

Basically, there's this sort of mulch in a bag in the box. Then there's a ziploc of stuff that looks like loam or a finer soil labeled "casing". You moisten the casing, let it sit over night, spread it over the mulch and create like a tent-like top in the bag and 3-4 weeks, boom. Mushroom city.
 
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Mint is too sturdy, imo. It takes over my herb garden. When I was cleaning up at the end of the season a couple of years ago, I couldn't believe the spread of the roots, they went throughout the entire area. Not worth it for me considering how little I was using. My parsley/cilantro/dill stink. Basil, rosemary, thyme, chives and tarragon grow best in my garden. I love chives, even I can't kill it. It's tall enough to use today.
Plant mint in a pot so it doesn't spread and overtake the garden
 

Dove

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Dumb question:

I don't have a place to dispose of fire pit ash/charcoal. Is this something that can be raked into top soil?
 

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