Gardens, Lawns and Such...

[paladin1991]

Two quail females nesting in my garden... Life promulgates life!

hmmmm.  Seen quite a few females that nest together in Long Beach.  But ain't seen no female quails nesting together... them I'd eat.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

hmmmm.  Seen quite a few females that nest together in Long Beach.  But ain't seen no female quails nesting together... them I'd eat.

I had a male burying half its body in my fresh soil.  Not sure what that was all about.

[Unquenchable Angst]

Tire thing works well but you can also put some hog wire fenceing around and start packing straw under the potato plant and force it to stretch above the straw. Then you reach in the straw and feel for potatoes in the straw , all nice and clean. or uese the first tire with rich soil/manure mix and subsequent tires -STRAW. .
I have been using potatoe bags but I only planted one with some blue potatoes this year .The others I put tomatoes in. Chicken or rabbit wire works too. Just make a circular ring  about 3 feet in diameter 3 or 4 feet high. Use straw, never hay(weed seed).

[WOTR]

Bravo on the planting! We live beside a creek with very very rocky soil, big rocks everywhere you jab in the shovel. I was told to not plant bamboo, ever -- it's so invasive that it might even be illegal in some places.

I appreciate the thought.  The place that sells bamboo out of BC sells an 80 mil barrier that I would install.  With that said, I doubt it would be much of an issue.  Bamboo will be hard pressed to survive no matter what I do.  The most hardy is "evergreen to USDA zone 5 and root hardy to zone 4."  I am in zone 3a or 3b and have never seen bamboo here (let alone seen it get invasive...)

For me (if I decide to try it) it would be mostly an experiment to see if it is even possible.

[sydtron]

Anybody ever used truegreen lawn service?

[cweb]

Have any of u tried planting potatoes in old tires?  Adding more dirt and tires when the top of plant goes above tire?

We've done potatoes in bags of potting soil and had some great results, believe it or not. Make 6 evenly spaced holes in a 2.8 cu-ft bag, pop the seed potatoes in. Put it in a SUNNY place.

Make sure the bag has some drainage holes too. One good drainage trick for any container is to just pour water into it and see how fast it comes out. If it's too slow, you need more holes.

Out of one potting soil bag with potatoes, you yield 1/2- 3/4 of a bushel. Best part is you can harvest them simply by cutting the bag open.

Another trick we've done is filling old unused gutters with potting mix and planting onions. (Make sure the gutter is CLEANED and dry first.)

As for the whole potting soil with fertilizer in it sensation-- be wary of the nursery that tries to sell it to you at a premium. Lots of these bags have about three months of "charge" in them. During the shipping process, they're often exposed to moisture which starts the clock on the fertilizer. After shipping/stocking/whatnot, you might have a month's worth of charge in there by the time you crack open the bag and use it.

[GeorgieForPresident2216]

Anybody ever used truegreen lawn service?

When I first looked, I was certain that must be an MV avatar.

Good work on getting the look and feel of this place .

[sydtron]

Well thanks! I needed a new look anyway.  Been a year since I changed avatars.  I was trying to get in on the whole "bizzare avatar contest" you are the first one that noticed. 

[paladin1991]

Anybody ever used truegreen lawn service?

The AirBnB I used in Idaho uses their service.  The hosts were positive about the results, not so about their timeliness. 

"Uh, we'll be there on the 25th." 
      "Okay.  What time   We'll put the dog in before you arrive."
"Uh, we'll be there on the 25th."
      "Yeah.  No prob.  What time?"
"Uh, the 25th?"
      "Yes.  What.  Time. Will. You. Be. There?''
"Uh, the 25th?"

[ksm32]

I had a male burying half its body in my fresh soil.  Not sure what that was all about.

Please forgive me but that statement invites mental pictures that do NOT involve gardening, as meant by the creator of this thread.

..again, sorry.

[ksm32]

Some years ago while planting our front yard flowers..

..as usual we had purchased more than needed. I had noticed a green, seemingly lost wagon just outside my back fence. After a few days, it was still unclaimed.

I still have it, and it's mobile for extra shade, or sun.

[jrd30337]

anybody know any magic for keeping carpenter bees from renesting in a pergola? I will plug the holes and apply something (what, I do not know) to preserve the wood.

[pyewacket]

anybody know any magic for keeping carpenter bees from renesting in a pergola? I will plug the holes and apply something (what, I do not know) to preserve the wood.

This might help you, it's a cycle similar to treating fleas, I think:

http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterbees.htm

[General Johnson Jameson]

This might help you, it's a cycle similar to treating fleas, I think:

http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterbees.htm

Hey man...thank you very much for posting that link pyewacket. I have had an invasion of fleas into my lawn this year. Overpopulation of coyotes and infestation of fleas on them is the culprit I think. We have "lots" of them here and I caught one outside the bedroom window staring at me one morning last week. They are eating everyone's farmcats it is so bad. I've lost 12 in the past year.

Back off my tangent..I have three guard dogs, two stationed and one on roam. Trying to control fleas on them has been the battle of battles this year. Fortunately, I do not have an issue with them in the house, though spiders, that's another thing. I've sprayed my lawn heavily with 57% concentrate malathion and mixed richly might I add. I got high as hell of it if that says anything. Every insect on my lawn is dead minus these damn fleas. I don't get it. My yard is several acres and borders a tallgrass meadow. Maybe they are coming in from the meadow?

The deer and every other animal has to be absolutely eat up with them this year. I've seen deer close also but not so much in the yard due to the dogs. I've got half a 25 gallon tank of super malathion left to spray then I'll be switching over to tempo extended release and mix it rich as well. Oddly, I've only seen two ticks all year...
Thoughts?

[pyewacket]

The deer and every other animal has to be absolutely eat up with them this year. I've seen deer close also but not so much in the yard due to the dogs. I've got half a 25 gallon tank of super malathion left to spray then I'll be switching over to tempo extended release and mix it rich as well. Oddly, I've only seen two ticks all year...
Thoughts?

You're welcome, General JJ. Fleas are the worst if they get out of control in your house. I don't know much about the outdoor treatment, but I'm sure they have the right product available.

We've had cats for years and never had much of an issue until the company changed our flea treatment formula and it failed. Once the cycle starts it's the devil to break and eliminate.

We had to switch to another product and dose them every two weeks as per our Vet. You can use sprays, foggers, and traps to help kill adult fleas to prevent them from laying more eggs, but you have to keep it up- the egg/larva phases will continue the cycle until the last generation in the cycle is gone. Flea traps are handy if you have infested enclosed areas. You can make one with a light source and a foil pie tin filled with water or buy the traps with the light and sticky surface. The heat attracts the little buggers- this will help only if you dose the pets, too.

Sad to hear about the animals suffering with them. They can cause serious infections from them scratching and also lead to internal parasites.

I hope you are able to get this under control. Do you have a Cooperative Extension Office in your area? They are affiliated with colleges and are geared towards the agricultural community. I hope you can get some help with this. 

[pyewacket]

I don't know why this post is so wonky- Gen JJ- just click on my text- I think it will direct you to the text I was trying to link. I'll try this- hope it works. they have a good deal of info on this site:

http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/flea-lifecycle.html

[jrd30337]

This might help you, it's a cycle similar to treating fleas, I think:

http://www.pestproducts.com/carpenterbees.htm

Thanks for the link. Lots of good information.

[pyewacket]

Thanks for the link. Lots of good information.

You're welcome! 

[General Johnson Jameson]

I hope you are able to get this under control. Do you have a Cooperative Extension Office in your area? They are affiliated with colleges and are geared towards the agricultural community. I hope you can get some help with this.

Everyone in my area has the same problem. I do have a usda office in town but unfortunately the place is staffed unqualified individuals. I'm thinking spraying the perimeter of the lawn heavily. Really leaning towards the theory they're moving in from the meadow. Ironically, I pulled a tick off me crawling on my leg after walking in the yard earlier. #3 for the year and a bad omen imo. Crap I was just bragging about not having tick issues this year about two hours ago. Headin out the door soon to mow despite 100f and a concussion. May spray come dusk, we'll see. Are you familiar with Tempo?

[chefist]

Glad to see this thread getting used! I'll post some pics of the garden! It's been hot but the monsoon rains have helped a lot!

[chefist]

Some years ago while planting our front yard flowers..

..as usual we had purchased more than needed. I had noticed a green, seemingly lost wagon just outside my back fence. After a few days, it was still unclaimed.

I still have it, and it's mobile for extra shade, or sun.

Very Nice!

[General Johnson Jameson]

Glad to see this thread getting used! I'll post some pics of the garden! It's been hot but the monsoon rains have helped a lot!

If you need pumpkins...I'm your man

[chefist]

If you need pumpkins...I'm your man

Oh that is cool! I have some difficulty with winter squash in Tucson...they like a lot of water and humidity...summer squash does pretty good...

[nbirnes]

If you need pumpkins...I'm your man

Need pumpkin seed recipes, plus other sweet and spicy nut recipes. Not lo-cal, but rather lo-carb. Thanks in advance.

[chefist]

Need pumpkin seed recipes, plus other sweet and spicy nut recipes. Not lo-cal, but rather lo-carb. Thanks in advance.

Oh Nancy! My daughter and I roast spicy pumpkin seeds every time we make a Jack-O-Lantern at Halloween! They are amazing, but the memories are more valuable! 

[General Johnson Jameson]

Oh that is cool! I have some difficulty with winter squash in Tucson...they like a lot of water and humidity...summer squash does pretty good...

Do you have the squash beetles down there? The ones that are very deadly to squash and pumpkins.

[albrecht]

Need pumpkin seed recipes, plus other sweet and spicy nut recipes. Not lo-cal, but rather lo-carb. Thanks in advance.

-->send to recipe thread
If you like spicy and Mexican food there is a very tasty mole (sauce) made with pumpkin seeds (amongst other things, there are various recipes and can be made more-or-less spicy based on your taste. And be a "red" or a "green" sauce.) I love it with chicken dishes but even on tacos. It called Pipián Mole

[General Johnson Jameson]

Need pumpkin seed recipes, plus other sweet and spicy nut recipes. Not lo-cal, but rather lo-carb. Thanks in advance.

I wish I had some to share. I mainly grow mine for jack o'lanterns  and for Thanksgiving theme decor. I give most of them away. Just might try roasting some pumpkin this year, seeds too possibly.
One variety I have growing is "Big Max" and the seeds from those are huge. The other two are Conneticut Field and Jack O'Lantern. I think I bought a package or two of the white pumpkins too. Casper was the variety, I think.

[chefist]

Do you have the squash beetles down there? The ones that are very deadly to squash and pumpkins.

No not really...my big nemesis are aphids and inch worms...there are these pretty yellow moths people love...but they are the devil in disguise to a gardener!

[albrecht]

I wish I had some to share. I mainly grow mine for jack o'lanterns  and for Thanksgiving theme decor. I give most of them away. Just might try roasting some pumpkin this year, seeds too possibly.
One variety I have growing is "Big Max" and the seeds from those are huge. The other two are Conneticut Field and Jack O'Lantern. I think I bought a package or two of the white pumpkins too. Casper was the variety, I think.

Seeds are a must do. So easy and tasty and can experiment with different spices.

Sounds like you got a good crop. Post some pictures if you get any big uns. I'm amazed how large some varieties get.

If you run out of things to do with pumpkins... it is fun to have a "pumpkin chunkin' party with your family, friends, or neighbors. We did it the past few years and it was hilarious. (And no one got hurt.) Trebuchets, catapults, an ill-fated slingshot....nothing on the level you see on tv but still fun making primitive machines and seeing if they work.