I can use a little humor. How about you? It's a necessity for sanity.
The Tomato Garden
An older man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato
garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son,
Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty badly because it looks like I will not be able to plant
my tomato garden this year. I am just getting too old to be digging up a
garden plot. I know if you were here, my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me.
Love,
Dad
A few days later he received a letter from his son...
Dear Dad,
Do not dig up that garden. That is where I buried the bodies.
Love,
Vinnie
At 4 the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son...
Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That is the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you,
Vinnie
7/23/2007
7/21/2007
Request to Praying Believers
My immediate family is going through a difficult time right now. Please pray for a healthy resolution, clear thoughts and guidance from God, peace and healing. I won't go into details. It would take too long. Thank you.
7/07/2007
Saturday
If my family wasn't sending off my sister next weekend, I'd go to this workshop. P Allen Smith will have a container workshop in Egg Harbor, NJ, on July 14. Spending a few hours "playing" in the dirt under the tutelage of a successful garden designer would be fun. If I'd had more advance notice, I might have made it part of a beach weekend. Bummer.
What I saw yesterday while weeding in my plot reinforced yesterday's entry. It's dry. It dried quickly after recent rain. Most things are doing well, but I will have to increase my hand-watering. The tomato plants that have red plastic under them are doing the best. Penn State research showed that colored plastics affect plant growth. Red is good for tomatoes and strawberries. I don't plan to use a lot of plastics as I guess they are not organic. And some shred. This year, it will be useful due to the lack of moisture. The straw has proven inadequate, and no more compost is available. Here's a little history of plasticulture.
I added some herbs to my porch containers: pennyroyal, fennel, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, a scented geranium, and I think that's all. My porch smells wonderful.
This is the color of the sage I bought:
What I saw yesterday while weeding in my plot reinforced yesterday's entry. It's dry. It dried quickly after recent rain. Most things are doing well, but I will have to increase my hand-watering. The tomato plants that have red plastic under them are doing the best. Penn State research showed that colored plastics affect plant growth. Red is good for tomatoes and strawberries. I don't plan to use a lot of plastics as I guess they are not organic. And some shred. This year, it will be useful due to the lack of moisture. The straw has proven inadequate, and no more compost is available. Here's a little history of plasticulture.
I added some herbs to my porch containers: pennyroyal, fennel, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, a scented geranium, and I think that's all. My porch smells wonderful.
This is the color of the sage I bought:
7/05/2007
Growth
One of the gardeners has been providing aerial photographs of the community garden plots. I've put them in past entries. In this entry, I have put all three to show the progression.
This one was in 2006.
(It was post-gardening season, I believe, but not yet winter.)
This is June 10, 2007.
This is July 1, 2007. If one goes about one-half way up the photo, from the left, my plot is the one with the red spots.
Greenery is not the only fluctuation in the photos. Last year, especially with June floods in the mid-Atlantic, the soil was wetter. This year's photos show light soil; we've have much less rain.
My garden's not as green as some of the others. I spent more time working on the soil this year. And I'm solo. Many of the other plot-renters are couples. I don't plant numerous plants of any one kind. I intend to add as I keep this plot. Were I to add too much at once, I would be overwhelmed. It will look much greener in a few days, after the rain from July 4.
This year I added cutting flowers: mixed colors of nasturtiums, asters and larkspur in addition to the sunflowers and lisianthus I planted in previous years. Woodring's Flower Shop, a short walk from my home, has a Bellefonte shop and a greenhouse. That's where I got the newest seeds from. I also bought something elsewhere, seeds for lagurus, or "bunny tail"; no germination in over a month. Still, my spinach finally came up long after I planted seeds. I think the dry conditions have contributed to this, but that's just my opinion.
This one was in 2006.
(It was post-gardening season, I believe, but not yet winter.)
This is June 10, 2007.
This is July 1, 2007. If one goes about one-half way up the photo, from the left, my plot is the one with the red spots.
Greenery is not the only fluctuation in the photos. Last year, especially with June floods in the mid-Atlantic, the soil was wetter. This year's photos show light soil; we've have much less rain.
My garden's not as green as some of the others. I spent more time working on the soil this year. And I'm solo. Many of the other plot-renters are couples. I don't plant numerous plants of any one kind. I intend to add as I keep this plot. Were I to add too much at once, I would be overwhelmed. It will look much greener in a few days, after the rain from July 4.
This year I added cutting flowers: mixed colors of nasturtiums, asters and larkspur in addition to the sunflowers and lisianthus I planted in previous years. Woodring's Flower Shop, a short walk from my home, has a Bellefonte shop and a greenhouse. That's where I got the newest seeds from. I also bought something elsewhere, seeds for lagurus, or "bunny tail"; no germination in over a month. Still, my spinach finally came up long after I planted seeds. I think the dry conditions have contributed to this, but that's just my opinion.
6/29/2007
Romance of Country Life
When I was growing up, my younger sister and I often accompanied our parents on visits to my great aunt and uncle's home in Benton, Pennsylvania. It was "out in the country" compared to where we lived. Much of Pennsylvania is rural or forested land. Where I grew up was not a metropolis, but a small town. Still, my great aunt and uncle's home had a lot a of green space, a farmer neighbor on one side, and a creek next to the side yard that we played in.
My great uncle died when I was still pretty young, so I don't remember him as well as his wife. Uncle Claude Moore was a tall, thin man with silver hair and glasses. He was a brother of my mom's father. His wife Mary (born a McHenry) was shorter, plump (by the time I knew her) and wore her silver hair pinned up by bobby pins. Both of them were much like the traditional grandparent image.
It was easy to romanticize country life for me. And I still do. I do enjoy the conveniences of "town" life. The attractions of large cities do not elude me. I've been to NYC close to 20 times.
I think I'd enjoy living on a small farm. While scanning the hobby and crafts section of a magazine display recently, I discovered Hobby Farming, which does put beautiful fantasies in my head. In my aunt and uncle's youth, many people were trying to leave the family farm for the "big city." Now there are people going the other way.
It reminds me of the film Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. Her character is a New York City business woman who "inherits" an infant. Eventually she moves into rural New England, and falls in love the country lifestyle, and an attractive veterinarian.
(Before her transition, she tells a physician how country life is driving her crazy, putting her into the poor house, and that it has been way too long since she had sex. To her humiliation, she learns that he's a vet, not a people doctor.)
These hobby farmers choose to live an agrarian life. To learn more, check out the website and/or the magazine if you find it. The site has a wonderful gallery of photos submitted by hobby farmers.
My great uncle died when I was still pretty young, so I don't remember him as well as his wife. Uncle Claude Moore was a tall, thin man with silver hair and glasses. He was a brother of my mom's father. His wife Mary (born a McHenry) was shorter, plump (by the time I knew her) and wore her silver hair pinned up by bobby pins. Both of them were much like the traditional grandparent image.
It was easy to romanticize country life for me. And I still do. I do enjoy the conveniences of "town" life. The attractions of large cities do not elude me. I've been to NYC close to 20 times.
I think I'd enjoy living on a small farm. While scanning the hobby and crafts section of a magazine display recently, I discovered Hobby Farming, which does put beautiful fantasies in my head. In my aunt and uncle's youth, many people were trying to leave the family farm for the "big city." Now there are people going the other way.
It reminds me of the film Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. Her character is a New York City business woman who "inherits" an infant. Eventually she moves into rural New England, and falls in love the country lifestyle, and an attractive veterinarian.
(Before her transition, she tells a physician how country life is driving her crazy, putting her into the poor house, and that it has been way too long since she had sex. To her humiliation, she learns that he's a vet, not a people doctor.)
These hobby farmers choose to live an agrarian life. To learn more, check out the website and/or the magazine if you find it. The site has a wonderful gallery of photos submitted by hobby farmers.
6/20/2007
Lost A Few Battles ...
... But It Looks Like I Won the War
Foil wraps and cardboard collars on plants in my plot and in containers on my porch have defeated the cutworms. I also removed grubs and squashed them as I worked the soil. So, my tomatoes, basil, and remaining brocolli seedlings are fine.
The next strategy will be implemented against the ubiquitous flea beetles.
They are on my mustard.
My black bean seedlings are also tasty to them.
They like my green and runner bean seedlings. Rapid sprouting and growth has kept them ahead of the damage so far.
You might think that more plants appeal to flea beetles than discourage them. I would agree, based solely on their love of our community garden plantings. We've grown a smorgasbord for them.
Leaf lettuce is left alone, so far. Onions and garlic chives surround my lettuce beds, which may be detering them.
I prefer organic. It is important to remember that organic methods have less effect on the environment, but are not always without hazards. Follow instructions carefully, especially with chemicals applied to the plants or soil. Wash all vegetables before consuming them.
Diatomaceous earth, etc.
"Diatomaceous earth is one of the more effective repellents, applied as a dry powder to the plants. Horticultural oils and some neem insecticides also have some repellent effect on this insect."
Garlic spray
Flea beetle photo from this web page, which has a long list of beetles:
Foil wraps and cardboard collars on plants in my plot and in containers on my porch have defeated the cutworms. I also removed grubs and squashed them as I worked the soil. So, my tomatoes, basil, and remaining brocolli seedlings are fine.
The next strategy will be implemented against the ubiquitous flea beetles.
They are on my mustard.
My black bean seedlings are also tasty to them.
They like my green and runner bean seedlings. Rapid sprouting and growth has kept them ahead of the damage so far.
You might think that more plants appeal to flea beetles than discourage them. I would agree, based solely on their love of our community garden plantings. We've grown a smorgasbord for them.
Leaf lettuce is left alone, so far. Onions and garlic chives surround my lettuce beds, which may be detering them.
I prefer organic. It is important to remember that organic methods have less effect on the environment, but are not always without hazards. Follow instructions carefully, especially with chemicals applied to the plants or soil. Wash all vegetables before consuming them.
Diatomaceous earth, etc.
"Diatomaceous earth is one of the more effective repellents, applied as a dry powder to the plants. Horticultural oils and some neem insecticides also have some repellent effect on this insect."
Garlic spray
Flea beetle photo from this web page, which has a long list of beetles:
6/19/2007
What's Growing? What's Knawing?
I planted broccoli, concerned that they would develop heads right about the time that heat would make them bloom. So far, only a few survived cutworms and flea beetles. This is one of them in the photo. It's now much bigger (about a week later).
It's hard not to love perennials, especially tasty herbs like these chives. The pretty purple flowers taste better than the leaves.
This photo of last year (probably late July) shows that the chive bed was not as thick.
Grubs of cutworms and Japanese Beetles turned up in many shovels of soil while I worked in the compost. The curled white one is the Japanese Beetle. The fat gray grub is a cut worm.
I took this photo as an experiment. The camera is sitting on the ground in my lettuce bed.
One could say this is a bug's perspective.
It's hard not to love perennials, especially tasty herbs like these chives. The pretty purple flowers taste better than the leaves.
This photo of last year (probably late July) shows that the chive bed was not as thick.
Grubs of cutworms and Japanese Beetles turned up in many shovels of soil while I worked in the compost. The curled white one is the Japanese Beetle. The fat gray grub is a cut worm.
I took this photo as an experiment. The camera is sitting on the ground in my lettuce bed.
One could say this is a bug's perspective.
6/13/2007
Summer Again -- Almost
Above is another aerial photo of the community gardens, courtesy of one of the gardeners. This was taken on June 10.
Sun protection while gardening is important. This time of year, the UV rays are strongest because they are most direct. I found a quiz to test sun protection knowledge on the American Academy of Dermatology's website: quiz
Generally, I get no color and I do not burn, despite being pretty fair-skinned. I still use liquid SPF. The time of day when the sun is strongest is between 10 a.m. and 3 or 4 p.m. (It is also when pollen is most concentrated.) The importance of a sunblock that protects skin from both UVA and UVB rays is emphasized more than it used to be; such a sunblock helps protect against burn, and the skin (DNA) damage that can result in cancer and aging.
If you should get a sunburn, here's some advice from health central's website:
First Aid
* Try taking a cool bath or shower. Or place wet, cold wash cloths on the burn for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day. You can mix baking soda in the water to help relieve the pain. (Small children may become easily chilled, so keep the water tepid.)
* Apply a soothing lotion to the skin.
* Aloe gel is a common household remedy for sunburns. Aloe contains active compounds that help stop pain and inflammation of the skin.
* An over-the-counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be helpful. DO NOT give aspirin to children.
Do Not
* DO NOT apply petroleum jelly, benzocaine, lidocaine, or butter to the sunburn. They make the symptoms worse and can prevent healing.
* DO NOT wash burned skin with harsh soap.
6/05/2007
My! What Colorful Stems You Have!
No matter how many years I garden, I'm sure there will be new things to learn. I earned a new insight yesterday.
First a little background: my brocolli seedlings have been disappearing seemingly from above and below ground. On some, healthy leaves are dropped or gone; on others, only a hole remains as though a mysterious underground creeper pulled the fresh seedling into its dark lair.
As of yesterday morning, two beautiful Sun Gold tomato seedlings, which were hardening off on my porch, were merely stems about 4-5 inches high. Self-seeded morning glories have also disappeared from my containers this year and previous summers. My first thought was to blame the pigeons that spend their days on the roof of my apartment building.
(this photo is not mine.)
Later in the day the likely answer occured: cutworms. On my porch!
Cutworms chew holes in leaves, just as flea beetles do. This explains why my first suspect in damage to my mustard was not visible. (I did not see the beetles on the plants.) They are better known for their ability to rapidly destroy tomato seedlings, as my Sun Golds exemplify. So, I never suspected them at first. I will have to do some prevention. It is time to declare war on cutworms.
Black cutworm corn damage
I'm growing corn this year, too, for the first time.
Advice on Growing Tomatoes from P Allen Smith's site
First a little background: my brocolli seedlings have been disappearing seemingly from above and below ground. On some, healthy leaves are dropped or gone; on others, only a hole remains as though a mysterious underground creeper pulled the fresh seedling into its dark lair.
As of yesterday morning, two beautiful Sun Gold tomato seedlings, which were hardening off on my porch, were merely stems about 4-5 inches high. Self-seeded morning glories have also disappeared from my containers this year and previous summers. My first thought was to blame the pigeons that spend their days on the roof of my apartment building.
(this photo is not mine.)Later in the day the likely answer occured: cutworms. On my porch!
Cutworms chew holes in leaves, just as flea beetles do. This explains why my first suspect in damage to my mustard was not visible. (I did not see the beetles on the plants.) They are better known for their ability to rapidly destroy tomato seedlings, as my Sun Golds exemplify. So, I never suspected them at first. I will have to do some prevention. It is time to declare war on cutworms.
Black cutworm corn damage
I'm growing corn this year, too, for the first time.
Advice on Growing Tomatoes from P Allen Smith's site
5/31/2007
Here Comes The Sun
Too much of even a good thing is still too much, it has been said. Sun's a good thing.
Too much is not good. Doesn't it look searing? I think that's a solar flare shooting off to the right. Solar flares affect communication signals all over the Earth, and simultaneously can affect the very magnetic field in a way that intensifies the display of the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis.
My garden has full sun: great for many plants, but tough on human skin. I was never a big sun lover, so I'm new to serious protection. Although I use liquid SPF, gloves and a straw hat, my dermatologist also recommends a specific (and expensive) hat. There's a lot of false claims about sun protection products.
There's a distinct difference between the effects of UVA and UVB radiation, but both cause problems.
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