The leaves are falling. People are putting them in bags and putting them on the street. The ones from our yard get picked up with the bagging lawn mower and used for mulch or added to the compost pile. Some of the ones people put on the street wind up in my garden or my compost too. Some people even put pine needles out. Those are used to top the mulch in the front yard and make it look like we spent money.
Other leaves are coming out instead of coming down. Today’s lunch includes mixed greens. Last night’s supper was a garden salad made with arugula, onions and radishes from the garden. There were tomatoes too. They were small but tasty. The radish greens went into the mixed greens for lunch. Mesclun leaves will be in the next salad.
The bugs are not usually too bad in the fall. I hope the larger wild life will leaf me alone.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label mulch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mulch. Show all posts
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
It Worked
Yesterday the garden was sprayed with sulfur, water and soap. This morning there was a significant reduction in the white spots on the leaves. As a small side benefit, three ripe tomatoes and one cucumber were accidentally found while the garden was being sprayed. So far all of the tomatoes ripened are early girl.
As usually happens about this time of year, the grass growing between the beds and even in the beds is starting to become unmanageable. The leaves picked up by the road are being used for mulch. The fallow beds are being reworked and mulched. The bags are laid in the pathways and covered with mulch. The garden is about ½ done at this point. It is difficult to find bagged leaves this time of year.
Two days picking of okra yielded enough to furnish the okra for a large batch of jambalaya. Boy was it good. There should be enough to do something else tonight. The speckled limas are starting to fill out as well. They will probably start being ready in another week.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
As usually happens about this time of year, the grass growing between the beds and even in the beds is starting to become unmanageable. The leaves picked up by the road are being used for mulch. The fallow beds are being reworked and mulched. The bags are laid in the pathways and covered with mulch. The garden is about ½ done at this point. It is difficult to find bagged leaves this time of year.
Two days picking of okra yielded enough to furnish the okra for a large batch of jambalaya. Boy was it good. There should be enough to do something else tonight. The speckled limas are starting to fill out as well. They will probably start being ready in another week.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 20, 2011
Pathway Mulching
The pathway mulching started a little late this year. Leaves are not easy to find on the curbside. Some progress is being made however. Saturday, I found a bunch of pine needles. There were more than I could safely carry in my pickup truck so I made another trip Sunday. Most of them went into the pathways, but a few were used to put a light covering on the leaf mulch in the flower beds to give them a nicer look.
We are finally picking cucumbers. They are really hard to find among all of the foliage. The bugs are coming back as well, but not as bad as yesterday. The garden needs to be sprayed again, but every day seems to threaten rain. It hurts to spray and then get it washed off. BT is being used again this year, but the application method is different. Some of the bottles that came with organic foliar fertilizer were saved. The BT is put in the bottle at ½ strength and sprayed with the hose. It seems to work pretty well.
The squash is coming in like crazy. We have given away and eaten bunches, but now it is time to start drying it for use in soups this winter. The tomato vines are loaded too, but don’t count your tomatoes before they are sliced.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
We are finally picking cucumbers. They are really hard to find among all of the foliage. The bugs are coming back as well, but not as bad as yesterday. The garden needs to be sprayed again, but every day seems to threaten rain. It hurts to spray and then get it washed off. BT is being used again this year, but the application method is different. Some of the bottles that came with organic foliar fertilizer were saved. The BT is put in the bottle at ½ strength and sprayed with the hose. It seems to work pretty well.
The squash is coming in like crazy. We have given away and eaten bunches, but now it is time to start drying it for use in soups this winter. The tomato vines are loaded too, but don’t count your tomatoes before they are sliced.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
New Clothes
The earth is throwing off her old drab winter wear and putting on bright colors and greens for spring. She is getting ready to march in the St. Patty’s day parade. Daffodils are blooming everywhere. The trees are flowering. Michael’s weeping cherry is sporting some cheerful blooms. The garden is growing as fast as we can eat it. The arugula is even starting to go to seed. It will be cut back real heavy to see if the harvest can be prolonged.
The last of the leaves in the front yard are finally picked up and mulched and put in the long bed that runs parallel to the sidewalk. That bed is only half mulch. The “stockpile” of mulch that has been accumulating in the back yard will need to be used up and maybe now that we have an electric leaf mulcher/blower/vacuum a few leaves from the street can be used. The time consuming part of that mulching project is laying down wet newspapers to cover the dirt.
A few more of the hardened cabbage, pak choy, parsley and cilantro plants went into the dirt today. It seems as if too many were started. At least as many as have been planted have been given away and there are still a bunch left.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The last of the leaves in the front yard are finally picked up and mulched and put in the long bed that runs parallel to the sidewalk. That bed is only half mulch. The “stockpile” of mulch that has been accumulating in the back yard will need to be used up and maybe now that we have an electric leaf mulcher/blower/vacuum a few leaves from the street can be used. The time consuming part of that mulching project is laying down wet newspapers to cover the dirt.
A few more of the hardened cabbage, pak choy, parsley and cilantro plants went into the dirt today. It seems as if too many were started. At least as many as have been planted have been given away and there are still a bunch left.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, July 12, 2010
Lessons from this Years Garden
There are things to do and things not to do. A big to do is to get the whole garden into raised beds. Another thing to do is be more diligent with the pepper spray. Both fig trees will definitely get a heavy pruning. The things not to do deal mostly with what not to plant.
There will be no potatoes and corn. The melons do well; but they all get ripe at the same time and we don’t eat them. The jury is still out on the melons. The three sisters will have sunflowers in the place of corn. There will be more varieties of tomatoes, peppers and squash and more eggplant plants. There will be lots of cucumbers, the same amount of okra and more pole beans. There will be green beans and speckled limas.
The spaces between the beds will be mulched much earlier next year to avoid grass. The mimosa tree that shades the garden will come down. It is possible the poplar tree will come down too.
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/
There will be no potatoes and corn. The melons do well; but they all get ripe at the same time and we don’t eat them. The jury is still out on the melons. The three sisters will have sunflowers in the place of corn. There will be more varieties of tomatoes, peppers and squash and more eggplant plants. There will be lots of cucumbers, the same amount of okra and more pole beans. There will be green beans and speckled limas.
The spaces between the beds will be mulched much earlier next year to avoid grass. The mimosa tree that shades the garden will come down. It is possible the poplar tree will come down too.
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, May 25, 2010
The Rise of the Queen
Silver Queen that is. You saw the pictures of the corn on the ground, smashed down by the rain. It is now standing straight and proud. The sunflowers are taller than I am. The tomatoes are chest high and loaded with blooms, but no little tomatoes. One of the peppers does have a little pepper. We picked a couple of yellow crookneck squash this weekend.
The peppers were not side-dressed with compost until the first blooms appeared. Too much fertilizer in the beginning stages will cause the peppers to make a big plant and almost no peppers. Side dressing needs to get heavy when the blossoms appear.
We have been getting quite a bit of rain lately, so the garden is being mulched a little each day to conserve this moisture and hopefully to suppress the weeds. We don’t really worry much about the weeds that grow in the pathways, but they do make the garden look raggedy. They also take some moisture; but with the raised bed structure, they are not a real problem. The weeds in the bed are pulled daily.
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, May 5, 2010
Cornucopia Time
Although it is not as nice as looking at my own garden, looking at any garden is fun. Sunday, I looked at Jane’s raised bed. Her tomatoes are blooming. Today, I walked past Charlie’s little garden. His tomatoes are knee high and blooming. His squash are filling out well. He told me Saturday that a weed did not have a chance in his garden. He is right so far. I haven’t seen Michael’s garden lately, but he say’s that he has green tomatoes already.
My garden is doing well too. The greens and salad stuff are especially prolific. The arugala is bolting; but there is plenty of other stuff. The tomatoes don’t have blossoms yet; but they are dark green and healthy and getting tall. The squash is getting really big, the corn is knee high. The cucumbers and beans are ready to start running. The watermelons and cantaloupes are so prolific they will have to be thinned.
Yesterday brought .4” of rain. Mulching has begun. If we have another dry year, that will save a lot of water. It will also keep the weeds down and add organic matter to the soil and make a nice habitat for earthworms. Today everything will be sprayed with either pepper spray or BT.
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/
My garden is doing well too. The greens and salad stuff are especially prolific. The arugala is bolting; but there is plenty of other stuff. The tomatoes don’t have blossoms yet; but they are dark green and healthy and getting tall. The squash is getting really big, the corn is knee high. The cucumbers and beans are ready to start running. The watermelons and cantaloupes are so prolific they will have to be thinned.
Yesterday brought .4” of rain. Mulching has begun. If we have another dry year, that will save a lot of water. It will also keep the weeds down and add organic matter to the soil and make a nice habitat for earthworms. Today everything will be sprayed with either pepper spray or BT.
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, January 27, 2009
Back to the Garden/Greenhouse
Back to the Garden/Greenhouse
The weather and my work schedule have been so evil that my greenhouse has received water and heat and little else. I did plant one more flat of the things that did not do well on Sunday. When things start germinating I always think they will be too big too soon to plant. As they grow (slowly), I think they will not be big enough in time to plant outside.
The temperature is a little higher now than it was last week. Plants don’t like cold water; so I have been filling jugs from the rain barrel and setting them on the heating pads to let the water warm up. It still seems like things are growing really slow. I put a pillow case full of compost in one of the rain barrels to make manure tea. I wonder if the plants would like a different flavor.
Today I have several projects. I was able to find some more leaves and pick them up. I think there is enough to finish mulching the garden. Now I have to lay it out, test the soil and make the plan. I have a lot of new weird ideas. I will share them with you as I put them into practice. Maybe at least one will work. Some of last years great ideas have to be refined a little. Spring will be here some day.
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/.
The weather and my work schedule have been so evil that my greenhouse has received water and heat and little else. I did plant one more flat of the things that did not do well on Sunday. When things start germinating I always think they will be too big too soon to plant. As they grow (slowly), I think they will not be big enough in time to plant outside.
The temperature is a little higher now than it was last week. Plants don’t like cold water; so I have been filling jugs from the rain barrel and setting them on the heating pads to let the water warm up. It still seems like things are growing really slow. I put a pillow case full of compost in one of the rain barrels to make manure tea. I wonder if the plants would like a different flavor.
Today I have several projects. I was able to find some more leaves and pick them up. I think there is enough to finish mulching the garden. Now I have to lay it out, test the soil and make the plan. I have a lot of new weird ideas. I will share them with you as I put them into practice. Maybe at least one will work. Some of last years great ideas have to be refined a little. Spring will be here some day.
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/.
Back to the Garden/Greenhouse
Back to the Garden/Greenhouse
The weather and my work schedule have been so evil that my greenhouse has received water and heat and little else. I did plant one more flat of the things that did not do well on Sunday. When things start germinating I always think they will be too big too soon to plant. As they grow (slowly), I think they will not be big enough in time to plant outside.
The temperature is a little higher now than it was last week. Plants don’t like cold water; so I have been filling jugs from the rain barrel and setting them on the heating pads to let the water warm up. It still seems like things are growing really slow. I put a pillow case full of compost in one of the rain barrels to make manure tea. I wonder if the plants would like a different flavor.
Today I have several projects. I was able to find some more leaves and pick them up. I think there is enough to finish mulching the garden. Now I have to lay it out, test the soil and make the plan. I have a lot of new weird ideas. I will share them with you as I put them into practice. Maybe at least one will work. Some of last years great ideas have to be refined a little. Spring will be here some day.
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/.
The weather and my work schedule have been so evil that my greenhouse has received water and heat and little else. I did plant one more flat of the things that did not do well on Sunday. When things start germinating I always think they will be too big too soon to plant. As they grow (slowly), I think they will not be big enough in time to plant outside.
The temperature is a little higher now than it was last week. Plants don’t like cold water; so I have been filling jugs from the rain barrel and setting them on the heating pads to let the water warm up. It still seems like things are growing really slow. I put a pillow case full of compost in one of the rain barrels to make manure tea. I wonder if the plants would like a different flavor.
Today I have several projects. I was able to find some more leaves and pick them up. I think there is enough to finish mulching the garden. Now I have to lay it out, test the soil and make the plan. I have a lot of new weird ideas. I will share them with you as I put them into practice. Maybe at least one will work. Some of last years great ideas have to be refined a little. Spring will be here some day.
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 26, 2008
Post Weekend Update
Post weekend update.
Almost the whole garden is mulched. The greenhouse is pretty much on schedule. There were earthworms in the compost pile. I love earthworms. The items planted in rockwool are still largely un-germinated. I put some items under lights; but I still have a lot of work to do rigging the lights. That will be a good job for Christmas morning.
The greens and salad greens are producing well. My wife and one of my friends is saving the little trays in which the rotisserie chickens are packed. The will be used to make little herb gardens that I can give to people around Easter. They will act like a miniature green house until the weather gets warm enough to repot the herbs or plant them in the yard.
Last nights temperature dropped to 23 degrees. Time to refill the gas bottles. The leaf blower would not start. I was really kind of glad. That is a chore I really hate.
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/.
Almost the whole garden is mulched. The greenhouse is pretty much on schedule. There were earthworms in the compost pile. I love earthworms. The items planted in rockwool are still largely un-germinated. I put some items under lights; but I still have a lot of work to do rigging the lights. That will be a good job for Christmas morning.
The greens and salad greens are producing well. My wife and one of my friends is saving the little trays in which the rotisserie chickens are packed. The will be used to make little herb gardens that I can give to people around Easter. They will act like a miniature green house until the weather gets warm enough to repot the herbs or plant them in the yard.
Last nights temperature dropped to 23 degrees. Time to refill the gas bottles. The leaf blower would not start. I was really kind of glad. That is a chore I really hate.
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, October 16, 2008
Getting Ready for Bed
Getting Ready for Bed
As this years less than perfect garden starts to wither and even the weeds are going to seed and dying, next years perfect garden is coming to life in my mind. The plans are not on paper yet, only some rough ideas. I know next years garden will be perfect though. I can see it. One of the most important steps in next years perfect garden will take place over the next week or two. The parts of the garden that won’t be used for winter crops need to be put to bed.
The earthworms have had a stressful summer with heat and tillers and drought and heavy rains. Now is their turn to rest. One more time they have to dodge the tiller as everything gets turned under. That will give them their winter food. Then the rows will be laid out and the soil will be tested for ph. This is necessary to plan the locations for the things that will grow next year. I prefer to alter the ph as little as possible by planting the crops where the soil ph is closest to what they like. More about ph in another blog.
Once the new rows are laid out they will be covered with leaves to a depth of about 4 to 6 inches. This will keep all but maybe the top inch of soil from freezing in our climate. The earthworms will have warm soft soil with lots of organic matter to munch on. They will aerate the soil and leave their castings to make that perfect rich bed for next years perfect garden.
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/.
As this years less than perfect garden starts to wither and even the weeds are going to seed and dying, next years perfect garden is coming to life in my mind. The plans are not on paper yet, only some rough ideas. I know next years garden will be perfect though. I can see it. One of the most important steps in next years perfect garden will take place over the next week or two. The parts of the garden that won’t be used for winter crops need to be put to bed.
The earthworms have had a stressful summer with heat and tillers and drought and heavy rains. Now is their turn to rest. One more time they have to dodge the tiller as everything gets turned under. That will give them their winter food. Then the rows will be laid out and the soil will be tested for ph. This is necessary to plan the locations for the things that will grow next year. I prefer to alter the ph as little as possible by planting the crops where the soil ph is closest to what they like. More about ph in another blog.
Once the new rows are laid out they will be covered with leaves to a depth of about 4 to 6 inches. This will keep all but maybe the top inch of soil from freezing in our climate. The earthworms will have warm soft soil with lots of organic matter to munch on. They will aerate the soil and leave their castings to make that perfect rich bed for next years perfect garden.
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, May 4, 2008
Catching up from the Rain
Catching up from the Rain
Tuesday the ground was just too wet to mess around in the garden. Yesterday (Wednesday) started catch-up time. Everything grew like crazy. I picked a big enough bag of salad greens to give some away and still have a good salad on Tuesday. They need to be picked again. I picked a huge bag of mixed greens for a friend and did not make a dent in the rows.
The potatoes jumped about 6”. They had to be mulched again; but this is the last time. Any more mulch will just fall off. The squash was worked and weeded and mulched to about 3” deep. More can be added later if needed. The tortuous job of tying up tomatoes began. This is a job that will last till the end of August when they finally get so high there is no place to tie them.
Mulch may be a problem. It takes about 3 wheelbarrow loads to do one row. There are several rows that still need to be mulched. I may have to pick up some leaves on the side of the road again. My little convertible hates being used as a pickup truck.
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 the ground was just too wet to mess around in the garden. Yesterday (Wednesday) started catch-up time. Everything grew like crazy. I picked a big enough bag of salad greens to give some away and still have a good salad on Tuesday. They need to be picked again. I picked a huge bag of mixed greens for a friend and did not make a dent in the rows.
The potatoes jumped about 6”. They had to be mulched again; but this is the last time. Any more mulch will just fall off. The squash was worked and weeded and mulched to about 3” deep. More can be added later if needed. The tortuous job of tying up tomatoes began. This is a job that will last till the end of August when they finally get so high there is no place to tie them.
Mulch may be a problem. It takes about 3 wheelbarrow loads to do one row. There are several rows that still need to be mulched. I may have to pick up some leaves on the side of the road again. My little convertible hates being used as a pickup truck.
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, April 29, 2008
May Flowers?, Yes!!
May Flowers, Yes!!
And the rains came and they came and they came and they came. Now comes the sun, then comes the flowers. The rain started Saturday. It rained Sunday and Monday. My rain barrels have gone from almost empty to over half full. In a dry moment, I walked through the garden yesterday. All the little green things were smiling. The things I planted and the weeds.
The task at hand is to conserve this water just in case we don’t get more. As soon as the ground makes a dry crust, it will be worked with the tines on the hoe. Then comes the mulch. 3 or 4 inches will be enough to start with and not too close to the plants. If it is available half-finished compost is the perfect mulch for most things. Do not use that on potatoes or peppers. Potatoes taste nasty if they get too much Nitrogen. Peppers will make gorgeous plants and no peppers. I learned that the hard way. Just plain leaves are great for peppers and potatoes.
The mulch will last longer and do a better job if newspapers are placed on the ground before the mulch is added. With potatoes don’t use the newspapers. Bring the mulch up to the potato plant so that only the top of the plant shows. Some of the potatoes in my garden are 2’ tall now. The mulch is within 6” of the top. More will be added this weekend because the rain packed it down. When the potatoes start “making” they are really easy to “gravel” from the leaves.
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/.
And the rains came and they came and they came and they came. Now comes the sun, then comes the flowers. The rain started Saturday. It rained Sunday and Monday. My rain barrels have gone from almost empty to over half full. In a dry moment, I walked through the garden yesterday. All the little green things were smiling. The things I planted and the weeds.
The task at hand is to conserve this water just in case we don’t get more. As soon as the ground makes a dry crust, it will be worked with the tines on the hoe. Then comes the mulch. 3 or 4 inches will be enough to start with and not too close to the plants. If it is available half-finished compost is the perfect mulch for most things. Do not use that on potatoes or peppers. Potatoes taste nasty if they get too much Nitrogen. Peppers will make gorgeous plants and no peppers. I learned that the hard way. Just plain leaves are great for peppers and potatoes.
The mulch will last longer and do a better job if newspapers are placed on the ground before the mulch is added. With potatoes don’t use the newspapers. Bring the mulch up to the potato plant so that only the top of the plant shows. Some of the potatoes in my garden are 2’ tall now. The mulch is within 6” of the top. More will be added this weekend because the rain packed it down. When the potatoes start “making” they are really easy to “gravel” from the leaves.
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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