Rain and Grandchildren
The rain and my grandchildren have pretty much kept me out of the garden since last Thursday. I don’t really mind we really needed the rain; and grandchildren are as much fun as the garden. The rain is making the greens grow. We can have a big mess of them with our “Hoppin’ John” on New Years Day.
“Hoppin’ John” is a southern New Years tradition that is traced back to England (I think). The general idea was that the nobility would eat like poor people one day; so the poor people could eat like nobility. I doubt that the poor people of that era ever ate like nobility. The three requirements of “Hoppin’ John” as it has evolved are: 1) Pork for health, 2) Peas, for change and 3) greens for “greenbacks”.
One other big benefit of having the grandchildren is that my son came with them. He did not have a mechanical bypass. He is actually quite handy. He helped me put up the storm door for the greenhouse. (Really, he did it.) We did not have a drill bit that we needed so we could not mount the handle. I bought the drill bit; but it has rained too much since then.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
Progress on the Garden Plan
Progress on the Garden Plan
Yesterday and Wednesday I spent measuring the rest of the garden, testing the soil and deciding what to plant. I get so excited. I made a list of everything I had to do and more-or-less when it should be done. Then I went to the Blums Almanac: http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ and made a schedule that will co-ordinate the activities with the signs. Then I made a do list of dates and activities.
One thing I have discovered from this research… Good Friday is always supposed to be the correct time to plant everything. I don’t know if that is still true. All of the signs are wrong for Good Friday. Also Good Friday comes very early in the season again. Last year I planned for Good Friday planting. I set all of my bedding plants in the yard to “harden them off”. Then came freeze warnings. I had to take everything back inside and I could not plant on Good Friday except for seeds. The seeds did very well.
Last year was the first year to start my own plants. I did not really know what I was doing and I was late getting started. I labeled the flats instead of the seed cups. When I had to bring everything back inside in a hurry, I mixed up the varieties of cucurbits and tomatoes. The tomatoes did great. The cucurbits did not do well from plant. I wound up replanting from seeds. The plants from seeds did much better than the plants started in the greenhouse. This year I will not start any cucurbits in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Yesterday and Wednesday I spent measuring the rest of the garden, testing the soil and deciding what to plant. I get so excited. I made a list of everything I had to do and more-or-less when it should be done. Then I went to the Blums Almanac: http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ and made a schedule that will co-ordinate the activities with the signs. Then I made a do list of dates and activities.
One thing I have discovered from this research… Good Friday is always supposed to be the correct time to plant everything. I don’t know if that is still true. All of the signs are wrong for Good Friday. Also Good Friday comes very early in the season again. Last year I planned for Good Friday planting. I set all of my bedding plants in the yard to “harden them off”. Then came freeze warnings. I had to take everything back inside and I could not plant on Good Friday except for seeds. The seeds did very well.
Last year was the first year to start my own plants. I did not really know what I was doing and I was late getting started. I labeled the flats instead of the seed cups. When I had to bring everything back inside in a hurry, I mixed up the varieties of cucurbits and tomatoes. The tomatoes did great. The cucurbits did not do well from plant. I wound up replanting from seeds. The plants from seeds did much better than the plants started in the greenhouse. This year I will not start any cucurbits in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Greenhouse
Greenhouse
I got my greenhouse ready to use last week. It is not finished, just ready to use. I still had one wall to complete. That was the wall with the door. I bought a storm door; but I could not figure out how to install it. My son is coming home with the grandchildren this week so maybe he can figure it out. I did finish the rest of the wall; but I have not painted it. I used some expandable foam from a spray can to seal all of the cracks. This is the first time I have ever used that stuff. For those of you with experience you may think I have a little bit of “overfill”. I do.
The 24th and 25th, Christmas eve and Christmas day, the signs were right to plant seed beds and root crops according to Blums http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ . I looked at the seed packets and determined when to plant the different items. I planted cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and chives. I might should not admit this… I did plant 5 tomato plants. I intend to put them into larger containers and have early tomatoes. It might work.
In the garden I planted potatoes, onion sets and radishes. In our climate, especially with global warming, radishes and onions grow year round and with some arugula, spinach, and lettuce, which also grow year round we can have some winter salads from the garden for a special treat.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
I got my greenhouse ready to use last week. It is not finished, just ready to use. I still had one wall to complete. That was the wall with the door. I bought a storm door; but I could not figure out how to install it. My son is coming home with the grandchildren this week so maybe he can figure it out. I did finish the rest of the wall; but I have not painted it. I used some expandable foam from a spray can to seal all of the cracks. This is the first time I have ever used that stuff. For those of you with experience you may think I have a little bit of “overfill”. I do.
The 24th and 25th, Christmas eve and Christmas day, the signs were right to plant seed beds and root crops according to Blums http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ . I looked at the seed packets and determined when to plant the different items. I planted cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and chives. I might should not admit this… I did plant 5 tomato plants. I intend to put them into larger containers and have early tomatoes. It might work.
In the garden I planted potatoes, onion sets and radishes. In our climate, especially with global warming, radishes and onions grow year round and with some arugula, spinach, and lettuce, which also grow year round we can have some winter salads from the garden for a special treat.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wet & Cold
Wet and Cold
Saturday was wet and cold. Sunday was just plain cold. I think last night was freezing. Saturday morning, I finished laying most of the garden. I raked where I had tilled earlier and put the material in the compost pile. I am finally back up to 3 bins of compost. Compost loses mass as it rots. Most of my compost is leaves and that loses mass quickly and decomposes slowly. Adding old vegetable stalks and roots and some dirt improves the quality of the compost as well as the volume.
I have to confess, I did put out some chemical fertilizer. If is a mitigating factor, I used Vigoro. The 15th and the 16th were the days Blum’s almanac http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ recommends for chemical fertilizer. Somehow it seems really strange to put out chemical fertilizer by the signs. I really hate to use the stuff; but what can I do if I don’t have any finished compost?
Sunday I cleaned up all the debris from the trees I cut last week. This stuff has to be “gift wrapped” if one wants the city to pick it up. I wonder if I should buy a chipper. I also had some construction debris. Windows had to be “X’ed” with masking tape. All the nails have to be bent flat. One has to make a “reservation” to get service.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Saturday was wet and cold. Sunday was just plain cold. I think last night was freezing. Saturday morning, I finished laying most of the garden. I raked where I had tilled earlier and put the material in the compost pile. I am finally back up to 3 bins of compost. Compost loses mass as it rots. Most of my compost is leaves and that loses mass quickly and decomposes slowly. Adding old vegetable stalks and roots and some dirt improves the quality of the compost as well as the volume.
I have to confess, I did put out some chemical fertilizer. If is a mitigating factor, I used Vigoro. The 15th and the 16th were the days Blum’s almanac http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ recommends for chemical fertilizer. Somehow it seems really strange to put out chemical fertilizer by the signs. I really hate to use the stuff; but what can I do if I don’t have any finished compost?
Sunday I cleaned up all the debris from the trees I cut last week. This stuff has to be “gift wrapped” if one wants the city to pick it up. I wonder if I should buy a chipper. I also had some construction debris. Windows had to be “X’ed” with masking tape. All the nails have to be bent flat. One has to make a “reservation” to get service.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Garden Plans & Seeds
Garden Plans & Seeds
Blum’s Almanac http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ said that yesterday (the 13th) was a good day to prune for getting rid of growth. I took the opportunity to cut down 3 trees that are shading my garden. With any luck they won’t sprout.
I also took the time to make a list of the seeds needed for the bedding plants that will be planted in the greenhouse. I can see them growing now. I compared the list with the seeds that I have left from last season. The next step will be to go to Renfrow’s Store in Matthews NC. I will see what seeds they have that are on my list. Some of the seeds I like are branded and can only be obtained from the catalogues. An example is the Porterhouse Beefsteak Tomato from Burpee. http://www.burpee.com/home.do .
The Porterhouse Beefsteak Tomato supposedly gets up to 4 pounds. Last year was the first year for that tomato. Mine did not get to 4 pounds; but they were big enough that 1 slice covered the sandwich bread and hung out on the sides. They were also the 1st seeds to germinate and the 1st plants to produce ripe tomatoes.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Blum’s Almanac http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ said that yesterday (the 13th) was a good day to prune for getting rid of growth. I took the opportunity to cut down 3 trees that are shading my garden. With any luck they won’t sprout.
I also took the time to make a list of the seeds needed for the bedding plants that will be planted in the greenhouse. I can see them growing now. I compared the list with the seeds that I have left from last season. The next step will be to go to Renfrow’s Store in Matthews NC. I will see what seeds they have that are on my list. Some of the seeds I like are branded and can only be obtained from the catalogues. An example is the Porterhouse Beefsteak Tomato from Burpee. http://www.burpee.com/home.do .
The Porterhouse Beefsteak Tomato supposedly gets up to 4 pounds. Last year was the first year for that tomato. Mine did not get to 4 pounds; but they were big enough that 1 slice covered the sandwich bread and hung out on the sides. They were also the 1st seeds to germinate and the 1st plants to produce ripe tomatoes.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Strawberries, Blackberries and Grapes
Blackberries, Strawberries, Grapes
Yesterday I planted blackberries and strawberries and started putting up the arbor for the grapes. For the blackberries, I dug holes with the post hole diggers and filled them up with water. I don’t have any good compost yet so I had to uses store-bought cow manure to fill the holes before planting the blackberries. I had prepared the ground by tilling in rock phosphate and a little compost. These are blackberries that I dug up from pretty much the same place.
The strawberries were real easy. I separated the crowns and placed them equidistant in the bed. The ground was so soft that I just opened the whole with the trowel and set the strawberries in the hole and filled it. Strawberries and blackberries both need to be planted with the crown exactly the same level with the ground as they were before they were dug.
The grape arbor is not really a grape arbor. It is a fence. I am using some old fence post from a rail fence. The fence will be about 5’ high and the posts will be 8’ apart. There will be wire to hold the grapevines. The top 2’ will be of lattice for now to provide screening from the neighbors. As the vines grow I will be able to take the lattice down and let more light on the grapes.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Yesterday I planted blackberries and strawberries and started putting up the arbor for the grapes. For the blackberries, I dug holes with the post hole diggers and filled them up with water. I don’t have any good compost yet so I had to uses store-bought cow manure to fill the holes before planting the blackberries. I had prepared the ground by tilling in rock phosphate and a little compost. These are blackberries that I dug up from pretty much the same place.
The strawberries were real easy. I separated the crowns and placed them equidistant in the bed. The ground was so soft that I just opened the whole with the trowel and set the strawberries in the hole and filled it. Strawberries and blackberries both need to be planted with the crown exactly the same level with the ground as they were before they were dug.
The grape arbor is not really a grape arbor. It is a fence. I am using some old fence post from a rail fence. The fence will be about 5’ high and the posts will be 8’ apart. There will be wire to hold the grapevines. The top 2’ will be of lattice for now to provide screening from the neighbors. As the vines grow I will be able to take the lattice down and let more light on the grapes.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Broken Toys
Broken Toys
Yesterday I went home early to blow leaves. The choke on the leaf blower would not stay up. I could not start the leaf blower. Any readers who know me know that I had a mechanical bypass at a very early age and I am totally unable to fix anything. My leaves are unblown and the leaf blower is in the trunk of my car.
I did lay off and sulfur the 4th row of the garden. That is the row where some stuff is already growing. Greens, radishes, arugula and lettuce are coming along nicely. The temperature went to 80 degrees yesterday. It is supposed to do so again today. That should make things grow. Our salad last night had arugula and radishes from the garden. Most of the 1st planting of the fall garden did not come up because of the drought. That is why everything is so late this year.
I also ordered grapevines and asparagus crowns from Stark Bros. http://www.starkbros.com/ yesterday. Their web page said they were sold out; but they took my order over the phone for February delivery. Ordering stuff is almost as much fun as planting. Nothing is more fun than eating the produce from the garden though.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Yesterday I went home early to blow leaves. The choke on the leaf blower would not stay up. I could not start the leaf blower. Any readers who know me know that I had a mechanical bypass at a very early age and I am totally unable to fix anything. My leaves are unblown and the leaf blower is in the trunk of my car.
I did lay off and sulfur the 4th row of the garden. That is the row where some stuff is already growing. Greens, radishes, arugula and lettuce are coming along nicely. The temperature went to 80 degrees yesterday. It is supposed to do so again today. That should make things grow. Our salad last night had arugula and radishes from the garden. Most of the 1st planting of the fall garden did not come up because of the drought. That is why everything is so late this year.
I also ordered grapevines and asparagus crowns from Stark Bros. http://www.starkbros.com/ yesterday. Their web page said they were sold out; but they took my order over the phone for February delivery. Ordering stuff is almost as much fun as planting. Nothing is more fun than eating the produce from the garden though.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Sulfur
Sulfur
I was having a hard time finding sulfur at a price I was willing to pay. I finally found 4# bags at Myers Park Hardware for $5.25 each. I was a little surprised as this store is normally a little more expensive.
If you go buy sulfur take a plastic trash bag and a way to close it securely. I put the paper bags of sulfur in the trunk of my car. It makes the whole car stink. I have had to explain to everyone who rode with me that I had not given George Bush a ride.
At this point I have laid off 3 rows counting the raised bed. All of them tested between 6.5 and 7. PH. I did not put anything on the raised bed yet. I will do that when I plant the strawberries. I did put about ½ pound of sulfur in beds 2 and 3. After that I covered them with leaves to a depth of about 8”.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
I was having a hard time finding sulfur at a price I was willing to pay. I finally found 4# bags at Myers Park Hardware for $5.25 each. I was a little surprised as this store is normally a little more expensive.
If you go buy sulfur take a plastic trash bag and a way to close it securely. I put the paper bags of sulfur in the trunk of my car. It makes the whole car stink. I have had to explain to everyone who rode with me that I had not given George Bush a ride.
At this point I have laid off 3 rows counting the raised bed. All of them tested between 6.5 and 7. PH. I did not put anything on the raised bed yet. I will do that when I plant the strawberries. I did put about ½ pound of sulfur in beds 2 and 3. After that I covered them with leaves to a depth of about 8”.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Soil PH
Soil PH
A few weeks ago, I asked if anyone was reading this blog and if they knew how to reduce soil PH. No one answered. I am going to be optimistic and assume that someone was reading; but they either did not know or did not care. I found out how to reduce soil PH.
Bartlett tree service http://www.bartlett.com sent me a newsletter suggesting that soil PH could be reduced with the use of sulfur. I searched with Google and found this to be the case. Aluminum sulfate and iron sulfate will also work. The iron sulfate may actually be superior in some soils and some conditions. The aluminum sulfate sounds like it is fast; but it has some toxic side effects. The sulfur seems to be cheaper and longer lasting than the iron sulfate.
I found a couple of sources of more information that may be helpful. Clemson University http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1650.htm has some useful charts to show how much of the soil amendment to use based on area, soil type and desired effect. The Garden Helper http://www.thegardenhelper.com/soilPH.htm gives the desired PH range for different popular fruits and vegetables.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
A few weeks ago, I asked if anyone was reading this blog and if they knew how to reduce soil PH. No one answered. I am going to be optimistic and assume that someone was reading; but they either did not know or did not care. I found out how to reduce soil PH.
Bartlett tree service http://www.bartlett.com sent me a newsletter suggesting that soil PH could be reduced with the use of sulfur. I searched with Google and found this to be the case. Aluminum sulfate and iron sulfate will also work. The iron sulfate may actually be superior in some soils and some conditions. The aluminum sulfate sounds like it is fast; but it has some toxic side effects. The sulfur seems to be cheaper and longer lasting than the iron sulfate.
I found a couple of sources of more information that may be helpful. Clemson University http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1650.htm has some useful charts to show how much of the soil amendment to use based on area, soil type and desired effect. The Garden Helper http://www.thegardenhelper.com/soilPH.htm gives the desired PH range for different popular fruits and vegetables.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
I Love Dirt
I Love Dirt
This weekend I tilled the whole garden except for the spots where I have winter crops planted. Churning up the earth is such a wonderful experience. I love the smells and the way the earth feels when it is freshly turned. Now I am ready to lay out the rows, test the soil and mulch the rows with a deep layer of leaves. I am also ready to plant the donated strawberries and the blackberries that I dug up before working the soil.
I worked on the green house a little bit yesterday. I am trying to put a storm door on it for a door. I am mechanically incompetent. I built a new door frame from 2”X6”’s. I just can’t figure out how to mount the storm door to the frame. The instructions seem to have been written by someone from Microsoft. Last year two walls of the greenhouse were just polyethylene. The door was a flap that was taped together. This year I have covered one more wall with the fiberglass panels. The wall with the door is what is giving me a fit now.
It is almost time to plant seeds. As soon as I finish laying out the garden and test the soil I can plan the garden and order the seeds needed for the bedding plants.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
This weekend I tilled the whole garden except for the spots where I have winter crops planted. Churning up the earth is such a wonderful experience. I love the smells and the way the earth feels when it is freshly turned. Now I am ready to lay out the rows, test the soil and mulch the rows with a deep layer of leaves. I am also ready to plant the donated strawberries and the blackberries that I dug up before working the soil.
I worked on the green house a little bit yesterday. I am trying to put a storm door on it for a door. I am mechanically incompetent. I built a new door frame from 2”X6”’s. I just can’t figure out how to mount the storm door to the frame. The instructions seem to have been written by someone from Microsoft. Last year two walls of the greenhouse were just polyethylene. The door was a flap that was taped together. This year I have covered one more wall with the fiberglass panels. The wall with the door is what is giving me a fit now.
It is almost time to plant seeds. As soon as I finish laying out the garden and test the soil I can plan the garden and order the seeds needed for the bedding plants.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
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