What's Growing In Your Garden? Horticultural Science

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by palmtreepathos

Not much rain here in the atlanta area this year.
We have moderate/severe drought conditions and
trees starting to show signs of distress dropping leaves etc.

It's very dry here indeed! Did you read the paper today (er...yesterday)?
Drought could cause temperatures to soar | ajc.com

It makes sense that the temperature could rise without the mediating force of water, but 'soar' is a bit of an 'inflated' term.

It sucks though.

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by freeztar

It sucks though.

My buddy in Iraq emailed me yesterday. 110° there when he sent his message. I'm thinking mid-90s isn't so bad.

[freeztar]

Here's the weird part though, the humidity is below 100% (at least it feels that way, big time). No water=no humidity=weird summer.

It's subtle enough that I doubt most people even notice.

I'm happy that I'm not roasting at 106 with the eminent threat of whatever. Tell your buddy that he's appreciated, but to get his hiney back to his family when he can.

[palmtreepathos]

My bro-in-law is here on leave from iraq. He may feel like he never left. while I am still shocked when the car registers 110* on the atmospheric measuring system he doesn't seem to notice! These asphalt parking lots really are excellent solar collectors.

I spoke too soon about the threats to my corn. Last night Japanese beetles ate the silks off of half of them.. =-( I treated the rest with diatomaceous earth and set watermelon traps. we will see what works if anything... on the upside white cucumbers are ripening yummm..... and the okra is busting out in blooms.

[Racoon]

Garden update: You can see the raspberries flourishing in the background, and after a week or two they will be cut way back. They tend to block out quite a bit of light.
But a small container of organic raspberries is like $4 , so they're worth keeping around for awhile.

The tomatoes are doing great, and the peppers advancing slowly despite an extra hour or two of sun more, thanks to the neighbors fence and building..

[Turtle]

i have about a dozen plants growing from the small-round-whitish seeds from the birdseed. i think it's millet!

one of my black-oil sunflower plants came up triploid! i think that's the right term; it had 3 cotyledons, not 2.

we continue to have unseasonably wet & cool weather which seems to have slowed things a bit.

all i'm growing to eat >>
- acorn squash
- popcorn
- red radishes
- millet
- sorghum (milo)
- tomatoes }cherry, beefmaster, & roma
- medium jalepeno pepper
- cucumbers
- black-oil sunflower
- giant sunflower (all seeds from conjoined-twin-head plant)

[Chacmool]

Originally Posted by Turtle

all i'm growing to eat >>
- acorn squash
- popcorn
- red radishes
- millet
- sorghum (milo)
- tomatoes }cherry, beefmaster, & roma
- medium jalepeno pepper
- cucumbers
- black-oil sunflower
- giant sunflower (all seeds from conjoined-twin-head plant)

Make sure you put that sorghum to good use, dear Turtle.

Umqombothi (Oom-comb-bo-tee) - African Sorghum Beer
* Using an open dish, mix the 3kg malt and 2.5kg mielie-meal (maize) or sorghum together with lukewarm water.
* Leave mixture in a cool place overnight, or until mixture tastes sour.
* Boil 25 litres of water in a pot and pour the mixture into it. Cook for about 40 minutes while stiring often.
* After cooking, pour the mixture into an open dish and allow to cool down.
* When the mixture has cooled, add 2kg of malt to the mixture and mix thoroughly.
* Add 40g of of yeast, mix again and leave overnight.
* The following morning strain and serve.

[DougF]

Not much rain here in the Leesburg area this year.
We have moderate/severe drought conditions although this
month shows a remarkable increase in participation.
this year I have let my garden go a Little slack I have
1- tomato {beefmaster}
2- bell pepper
15- pineapple
the tomato plant is doing OK if I can keep the birds away.
cutworms ate the two bell peppers (literally cut them off at the ground
what a wast.)
the pineapple are doing OK a Little small this year do to the drought
I think (they are about 1/2 the size as last year) PS last year three
pineapple this only two have produced fruit (Note: I have found that it takes
three to five years for pineapple to bear fruit) I was hoping for more do to the fact that I just love homemade Hawaiian pizza.

But those homegrown tomato's make it all worthwhile.

Congratulations on all of your very impressive gardens.

[palmtreepathos]

Last night Japanese beetles ate the silks off of half of them.. =-( I treated the rest with diatomaceous earth and set watermelon traps. we will see what works if anything

Watermelon traps (my first try) attracted only flies and tiny slugs yet after the diatomatious earth powdering no more silks disappered and we have a nice crop of corn inspite of the Japanese beetles. Also it rained and that may slow them down, but I am not sure about that.

3 weeks since last post and how things have changed, having received about 5 inches of rain! the garden looks like a jungle. The greenbeans hit the top of the 7 ft trellis and now hang 3 ft down its side. And don't turn your back on the zucchini or they become melons...

Right now skeeters and mushrooms are what's growing everywhere. The wetlands (400 ft from the garden) was the mosquitoes only hope a month ago now they are free to terrorize the neighborhood. I am suffering from a malarial type infection from being fed upon. oh boy, chills sweats backaches ugh! (This too shall pass with a little homeopathic care.)

Is it just my North Georgia neighborhood? I haven't seen a single fire/ant mound this year! 2 years ago the big slugs that were common disappeared. hmm... wonder what is up with that?

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by palmtreepathos

Is it just my North Georgia neighborhood? I haven't seen a single fire/ant mound this year! 2 years ago the big slugs that were common disappeared. hmm... wonder what is up with that?

Yeah, I haven't seen many fire ants this year, nor lightning bugs (fireflies for those not in the South). I also didn't see any Japanese beetles until a couple weeks ago, quite late for them. It is a bizzarre year, hopefully the rain will continue.