http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x5064Oh my.
It seems to be "agriculture night" in the DUmpster tonight, given the lack of other good material from Skins's island.
Tsiyu (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 03:57 AM
Original message
Some gardening questions
I'm too poor to donate, so can't post in the Gardening Group, but I can't sleep for wondering about a few things.
Today I did a half-ass survey/harvest of my meager garden before the expected fist frost. I harvested about 8 pounds of sweet potatoes and a handful of purple potatoes, some flat-leaf parsley, a little dill, blah blah blah.
The sweet potatoes are the first I've managed to grow well and I was so happy to dig those fat babies out of the ground. This summer was perfect for them, but I also used actual plants rather than the slips they sell at the coop. What I'm wondering is, can I make my own slips? The vines have almost taken over the garden and latched into the earth with little slips all over. Do I pull those and put them in a cool place? Anyone made slips and over-wintered them?
Second question: I have a real tall "tipi" in the center of the garden just overgrown with a combo of scarlet runner beans and heavenly blue morning glory (which are just stunning but they just started flowering right before frost dang it!) There are beans all over the beanstalks, and I'm wondering about the secret to saving thsoe beans to plant next year. Should I let them dry on the vines, even if it frosts? How do I know if the beans are at the stage where the seed will germinate?
Anyhoo, still have lots of peppers out there, a little kale, oregano, basil. I hate first frost!
Hope all are well here.
In reference to the boldened comment above, in case one doesn't know this, my fellow alum Skins charges extra to primitives wanting access to certain forums on Skins's island.
He knows how to rake in the dough, Skins does.
msongs (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 04:06 AM
Response to Original message
2. if beans are turning dry/brown already pick em and store til spring. If still growing it may be too late if they are not mature yet.
Tsiyu (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 04:21 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. That's what worried me
I've saved beans before but they were dry pods. These are all green. So you think the frost will ruin them if I let them dry on the vine a bit longer?
A primitive then proceeds to buy a star for the novice gardening primitive, so that she may get into the "extra-admission-charge forums" on Skins's island.
Tsiyu (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 04:51 AM
Response to Reply #7
9. You are awesome!
As for lavender, mine are all fading, sad to say. They are so precious and I don't know how to keep them going.
The only time I had a great lavender bed was at my farm 20 miles from here. I dug up grass to plant them around a Double Delight rose and they took off like crazy. Then I traded that place for this one and here, every lavender has died.
They supposedly like dry, mediteranean-type conditions, but I put them with the rosemary and other herbs and they have all withered.
Southern Ontario - lucky you! I was raised not too far away in Upstate NY. Have often thought of getting out of the South and moving to Canada.
You should see my silly garden gate made out of branches and twigs to keep the neighbor's ponies out! And maybe this year I'll get around to making some cold frames out of some old windows.
XemaSab (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 04:38 AM
Response to Original message
8. GET RID OF THE MORNING GLORY!!!!
It will take over your WHOLE YARD!
Tsiyu (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 04:57 AM
Response to Reply #8
10. You made me laugh
Nothing - not even freaking lemon balm - will take over here. This soil here is pretty but I have to add lots of horse/chicken manure. The only thing that takes over is pokeweed, and me and a whole lot of six-foot-tall pokeweed plants have had a go this week. My arms are covered in scratches from the sawbriar vines that twined around them and you should have seen the purple stains all over from the dang berries! I've got piles of pokeweed everywhere to burn now.
I planted the Heavenly Blue morning glories last year on the same tipi (I have a weakness for true blue flowers) and along a fence and I had to replant this year because none of them reseeded. I've got four acres to play with, too, but not one came back up.
The multi-colored ones DO take over some of the cornfields off the mountain, but not up here.
era veteran (1000+ posts) Fri Oct-21-11 07:02 AM
Response to Reply #10
12. I had morning glories in a wildflower mix 15 years ago
I am still fighting it off. It chokes everything and grows well in a gravel driveway. I have a trumpet vine problem as well.
I do admire a plant that wants to live that bad.
Tsiyu (1000+ posts) Sat Oct-22-11 10:39 AM
Response to Reply #12
13. Yeah, I have heard horror stories from others which is why I laughed (in a good way XemaSAb!!!!) because for those whom Morning Glories have invaded, it's a reason to panic.
Not here, though, and I only plant the Heavenly Blue. The mixed color ones seem to be the invasive types, and I can understand why others would be loathe to even see the name "Morning GLory."
It's like if you told me you grew pokeweed (which some actually do - they're good salad greens when they're babies). I would be all "Oh NOES!!!!!!"
