Trip Around the Garden

In other words, Showin Off!

Here is the group that went outside at the first of April or there about. Ill top the mulch on these over the weekend. When rain is in the forecast I broadcast about a tablespoon of 10-10-10 on the mulch, trying to ensure there are none of those hard balls touching the stem. Also since there is rain forecast for tonight/tomorrow, no DE, but a shower of DE will return on saturday. 

(not) Watering

These have not been watered. Since the inside container was placed into the outer container I have not watered these plants. Granted there has been some rain in the land below the Arrow, but thats about a month of no watering at all. (this is san bernardino, CA alleged drought capitol of the world)  

Hey! Is that a Blue Weed?!

or I knew there was a secret.

The blue curly thing is something I bought a couple years ago and got it on such a deep discount (I think about $2) that I decided to grow tomato's. I dont particularly like tomato and I dont put them in my salsa but I had these things that needed to be used.

I don't recall what the name of the curly thing is, but it has one use. That being, to grow single stem tomato's on. Oh, here's a yellow one. To be honest they don't work as well in the container, but soon the wobbliness of the curly thing will be taken over by the great strength of the stem of the tomato.

Some trimming to be done

As these stalks are growing up, I will be grooming the tomato to be not only single stem but blight resistant (by removing the lower 8 to 10 inches of branches) and weaving the stalk through the curly thing. (which from now on I'm going to call a stalk minder) I have been keeping a nearly daily watch for suckers and removing them with extreme prejudice.

Chili's

I dont know what this is, its not important at this point. It is a chili. It is a hot chili. It is green and growing well.  I am happy.

In the cups, a couple deaths. I think they were tomato's and I have enough, so no loss. These cups have been harmfully tossed and left on a table for the last week or so. A kind of tough love called hardening off, more like trial by fire. Into the buckets this weekend!

Other Stuff

These were planted from a garlic I bought at the super market (which is not so super), broke apart and put in the raised bed. I saw or read somewhere that if you cut the leaves of garlic and onion that your fruit is larger. About once a week I cut every leaf that has bent. Stay Tuned. 

This particular bed was created from cardboard boxes (beer, beans, pizza etc consumer boxes), leaves from work, grass clippings that contained a scary amount of dried pine needles (rumored to screw up the Ph of anything within a hundred miles). This ~4'x4' raised bed got the worst of it. There was school trash, and small plastic bags in with the leaves. Shiny sided boxes with lots of (eek!) harmful (not) ink and gloss (which is likely wax). I fear NOT. Into the breech. Started in late summer. The grass on top was added subsequent to garlic sprouting and was completely dry when applied.

Last but not Least, Failure

I am fortunate to have a couple ducats to rub together to feed myself. If I relied on my expertise in growing potato I would probably would have expired by now. I think this is my fault. I added some immature compost, so immature that it still had a bit of heat (I discovered after applying) deeper down in the compost container. I think that active composting nuked my other wise good looking potato plants. I think I got these from Sandy. They are a purple variety (can't ya tell). For now these will go into the root cellar (which no one in San Bernardino has) and wait for the fall to be planted again. The photo is of the results of one potato that was cut into 2 pieces. It was small to begin with.

04.28.16

What is this magic stuff called, Water?

Tip of the Week: 04.26.16

According to Wired Magazine:

Watering isn’t easy. “The single biggest human cause of plant death is overwatering or incorrect watering,” says Mike McGrath, expert gardener and host of the nationally syndicated public radio show You Bet Your Garden. “If you water a plant all the time its roots won’t grow because roots only grow in search of water.”

Careful daily examination of your plants and a bit of guilt for killing plants will gain you the experience to determine over/under watering. Almost all gardeners overwater. Yes, you do. You might not be a plant killer, but your plant needs so much less water than is provided it by the home gardener to survive.

We do want more than survival. We want phatt colorful fruits all over the place, so our bad over watering is reinforced. The key is when overwatering is beneficial and when it is terminal.


Now it not the time to overwater.

Before and After a Rain

After a rain...

• Apply diatomaceous earth to plants
• ensure you plants are not sitting in water

Before a rain...

• apply long acting fertilizer
• try to ensure no leaves are touching ground
• you don't want the leaves to touch standing or still water

please post in comment section on what I am forgetting.

Benefits of Mulch

Mulching Your Container Garden

Why Mulch? What is Mulch?

Mulch is a term used to describe a material that protects the soil surface and the plant. Mulch also allows the exchange of water and air from the soil to the environment.

In our case, mulch allows your soil to breath while protecting it from extreme heat and assists in the protection of plants from blight. Here is a link about Blight from Purdue University.  If you grow tomatoes, you should be very well versed on this document.

I recommend 5 inches of mulch for tomatoes and chilis in San Bernardino.

That is actually enough, right there.

UPDATE 041016

Out door plants (so far)

I travelled to vegas yesterday. It snowed, but a great time was had by all. Vegas trip at bottom of page.

These are the tomato the chili that went outside a couple weeks ago. The tomato shows a bit of damage from yesterday's rain, but certainly not a terminal amount. The white is the diatomaceous earth (DE) getting wet and then drying on the leaf. No worries there either.

This is a Fatalii (link) to time lapse.

(Note the leaves while sun is on. Most all chili's do this)

This is likely a spanish hab

A bit of damage on the main step. This might be fatal.

If I can not train this for a single stem, it will meet its demise by my hand.

muwhaahaaa!

Vegas Snow!

and then just a couple mins later...

Right Now!

This week in San Bernardino

Its a great week to harden off your plants. Sun them, get them out of the house!! It is very good forecast for just taking them outside and leaving, night and day for the next 5 days. It will likely completely harden off your plants with little effort.

TOTW First of April

Tip of the Week: 04.07.16

Now that your tomato's are out in the sun, its time to start protecting against pests.

Required Materials:

• a 2 liter soda bottle and lid
• a drill bit (anything smaller than 1/4 inch)
• or a nail and hammer
• diatomaceous earth (DE)
• does not need to be food grade or other special branding
• This or that or any diatomaceous earth you feel comfortable purchasing from any source is fine. Diatomaceous earth has many uses. Some are insect related, some are ceramic ware related (I have never seen a ceramic kiln that used bricks to insulate that did not use DE bricks. Its all the same stuff. Its a specific mud that when added to water can be formed into shapes or pulverized to dust. One form kills insects.
• What is DE? Its dirt, granted a specific kind of dirt, but still dirt and just as dangerous to you regular dirt.

Preparation of Materials:

1. Simply drill or poke to create 3 to 4 holes in the lid.



Inside of lid with holes



Outside of lid with holes

2. Put abut 1/2 cup diatomaceous earth (DE) into the dry 2 liter bottle.
3. Put the lid on the bottle
4. Squeeze the bottle to atomize or dust, the DE powder onto the plants.

The bottle is usually/mostly horizontal. The 1/2 cup recommendation is for you to become accustomed to it. After that, put all you like. Its only $8.00 for about the amount of DE you would use in a decade.

Application:

When the plant is dry and out of direct sun (late afternoon) apply liberally by squeezing bottle to atomize the DE towards the plant. Applicator should be less than a foot away. Adjust as you become proficient.