23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Thanks for the replies, I think I will try just a thin layer and see what happens

What are you planning on growing? Some plants, like tomatoes, are very sensitive to juglone. Some others, like forsythia and daffodils, are not as sensitive. I grow everything in large containers (20+ gallons) because my small yard is surrounded by six black walnut trees. Twice in the past 10 years I accidentally included compost that had a small amount of walnut leaves and twigs in the mix for my tomato plants, and had plants completely collapse from walnut toxicity.

Also, from what I have read from university studies, the toxicity from the living trees extends wider than the drip line, which can be 30-40 feet from the trunk. And it can take a year of composting to remove the juglone. From personal experience, I can't grow impatiens within 50 feet of a walnut tree, and I have seen other sensitive plants fail to thrive in that same range.

I'm with Floral on this one, into the compost bins it goes. I use jute hung from the top of my bean poles, anchored in the ground with a wire staple. pull the staple at the end of the season, save for another year, gather up all the dead stuff and haul it all off to be composted, makes for a quick cleanup. I like using jute because it disappears amongst the foliage, doesn't stand out like a sore thumb.
Annette

OK, I just went and smelled my jute! LOL! Actually, I think it was the plastic packaging that smelled. I'll unpackage it and give it a sniff tomorrow. Nancy

I always buy lots of extra bulbs in the spring to use as green onions in the fall. I put them in a paper bag in the crisper of my fridge. I'll usually start fall onions late Aug/early Sept. A few will mold, but most are in good shape.

Put them in the fridge, in the dark. They may get long and yucky looking, but they will store. I just keep picking out the ones that have sprouted and plant them each time. I plant sets for green onions too. That reminds me, I need to buy extra sets now and put them in the walk in cooler.

I use cardboard hugely in my FL gardens - it is ideal for killing patches of bahia, cardboard on the grass and then I put a thick layer of wood chips or cut grass on top of it. A year later the cardboard is vanished.

That's good to know pnbrown. You've changed my thinking somewhat on using cardboard.

To answer your other question: Yes, that bug (listed as a "springtail") looks very similar to the bugs in my garden, except that in addition to white, some that I've seen are grey or appear spotted (it's hard to tell when they're so tiny).

Are springtail bugs good, bad, or indifferent?

The grey ones I figured are just a different(molting) stage of the springtails.

Spotted? Check out pics of Carpet beetles -- I've seen some of those around also.

Here's what UC website says about springtails...

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74136.html

Kevin

I live in Texas and 3 years ago when having some remodeling done on my home termites were discovered and well 6.000.00 later to repair the terrible damage to the structure of the house. Then 1000.00 to have Terminix to come and surround the house with bait stations. After reading that this barrier might be just a waste does anyone out there know what I can drop into those traps myself or if it is even possible to do so? I haven't opened one up yet to see exactly what is down in those traps. I just wanted to find a way to do this myself or is spending another 300.00 this year to have them come and fill the traps again worth it. Or is that all a waist of money????

If you have sub-terrainian termites the bait stations work very well. Did you get a warranty from Terminix? If so you need to pay them the annual renewal. They only add baits to the stations that have termite activity, otherwise it is just pieces of soft wood. If the warranty is not a issue go to Doityourselfpestcontrol.com or doyourownpestcontrol.com You can purchase the baits from them at a good savings. This system will work for the garden beds also.

Good luck!

Craig

Thanks Digdirt! I've been looking at the after care and it seems to very a lot. Some people say to plant them on a mound to separate the roots and then gradually add soil other say it doesn't matter. Some say to mulch after, other say its not necessary. Seems like a large variation in what people found successful.

Hey Brook I just checked the DeBruyn website and they're selling 2 year old Jersey Knight roots 10 for $2.95. That is wicked cheap compared to everyone else! You said you had good luck with these? The prices is so low it kind of scares me.

I market farm and buy as much in bulk as I possibly can. I've never been disappointed w/DeBruyn--and I order seeds and stock from dozens of different suppliers each year. The roots I got from them last year were as good as any I've gotten elsewhere. Nourse probably has the finest roots, but there's always the dinks thrown in as well. The DeBruyn roots were very uniform--if not a little small. Not to get off topic, but I bought the best shallots from DeBruyn last year I've ever planted. I don't know the variety, but they outyielded anything I've ever planted before. To this day, they are still in perfect condition. I reserved ten lbs of them to plant this year.

I have to say that while I am skeptical that this particular spot can be used for any vegetable gardening, I was *stunned* to see a neighbor of mine growing huge, lush collards in about 80% shade. They're really pretty remarkable plants, and I intend to try growing some next year.

Thanks for all the feedback. I am in zone 8A (Dallas). This location is towards East side of my home. My home is facing South. It gets some light during summer. I think because of this light issue, there are lot more weeds in this area. I will check it out to put in a concrete stones to help weeds issue. I am not able to landscape this area.

Thanks

If you can find your compost pile under the snow, I doubt it is frozen. Even a small pile generates enough heat to keep it from freezing in most climates. If compost piles froze, you'd never find any worms in them. If you care about the worms, I'd crack open the pile and throw them in.

Thanks all! My pots only have to survive till end of May and there were no big worms - just small ones. So I think I am all set!

I have also let my chickens free-range in my garden. Once the garden is in full swing, they usually didn't do enough damage to the plants to kill them (though I know that is possible). Of course, it's also related to the number of chickens and size of garden. But what I do find is that with the chickens roaming around, I find less of the icky, squirmy bugs or insects around my plants, and just more of the bugs that I like having around. I have also found termites in some rotting wood and once I exposed them, the chickens made short work of that colony.

And I could swear that once having chickens around free-ranging, the mosquito population seemed to be much less also.

We had to stop free ranging ours because of loose dogs in the neighborhood. You can use a chicken tractor and wheel it around. After your garden is done for the year you can place it there and they will clean it up for you and fertilize too!

Just looking at the picture from the distance of your lens, it does look like the soil is pretty wet and muddy even. Of course, it could be that you have just watered it, thinking that the curly, dry-looking leaves is because it needed more water.

The soil is pretty much sand, I changed it to potting soil and it looks much better now. They still look curly curly, but better.

Hi vgkg. It's good to hear from an oldtimer.

Hi back at ya Wayne!

I'm getting ready to start my melon seeds indoors, many thanks for your past advice on your favorite varieties, they are now mine too!

good clarification ballonflower.

You could do some trench composting prior to planting.

Makes a difference as the soil-based mixes are much more prone to disease issues.

Could the change from the heat in the basement to a cooler room cause this? I'm going to try to get a picture up later today.