2022 gardens

[glenn57]

That's calcium.

thats the claim, the calcium is supposedly to prevent the blossom end rot??????????? i mean how much can a jug of tums be>>>>>

[Steve-o]

That's calcium.

thats the claim, the calcium is supposedly to prevent the blossom end rot??????????? i mean how much can a jug of tums be>>>>>

An excerpt from a comprehensive article:  7 Tips to Stop Blossom End Rot and Save the Harvest/

6. Add calcium to your soil.

I work in crushed eggshells at planting time. If you don't have eggshells, try a few cheap calcium antacid tablets.

A handful of garden lime or gypsum also works. Spread a sprinkling of lime onto the soil surface, work in gently, cover with mulch, and water well.

There are also rot stop sprays that can be applied to the tomato foliage.

[glenn57]

That's calcium.

thats the claim, the calcium is supposedly to prevent the blossom end rot??????????? i mean how much can a jug of tums be>>>>>

An excerpt from a comprehensive article:  7 Tips to Stop Blossom End Rot and Save the Harvest/

6. Add calcium to your soil.

I work in crushed eggshells at planting time. If you don't have eggshells, try a few cheap calcium antacid tablets.

A handful of garden lime or gypsum also works. Spread a sprinkling of lime onto the soil surface, work in gently, cover with mulch, and water well.

There are also rot stop sprays that can be applied to the tomato foliage.

you DA-MAN Steve-o!!!!!!!!

[roony]

The primary cause of blossom end rot is uneven watering. Mulch helps keep the soil st a more consistent moisture level.

[glenn57]

The primary cause of blossom end rot is uneven watering. Mulch helps keep the soil st a more consistent moisture level.

i dont disagree Roony.....but how da heck you gauge that?????? curious minds wanna know????????

[roony]

The primary cause of blossom end rot is uneven watering. Mulch helps keep the soil st a more consistent moisture level.

i dont disagree Roony.....but how da heck you gauge that?????? curious minds wanna know????????

Experience 

[glenn57]

 

you hang around dotch way to much!!!!!!11

[Dotch]

  That box of stuff keeps getting fuller and fuller. I'll have to use ratchet straps on it to seal it shut! 

[mike89]

 

[glenn57]

That box of stuff keeps getting fuller and fuller. I'll have to use ratchet straps on it to seal it shut! 

[glenn57]

Double mummy's!!👍

[KEN W]

The primary cause of blossom end rot is uneven watering. Mulch helps keep the soil st a more consistent moisture level.

i dont disagree Roony.....but how da heck you gauge that?????? curious minds wanna know????????

Experience.....

I always put straw mulch around both tomatoes and pepper plants when fruit starts to show up. Top dress, then straw. try for 1 inch per week. Not always possible but dry in July and August makes it easier to do that with a rain guage.

[glenn57]

If I remember correctly, the world famous Dotch said you need to watch if the straw has been sprayed with chemicals too???

After what I've been dealing with, I'm trying this year going with nekked ground and see where it takes me.  If I could find virgin straw I'll try it next year.

[KEN W]

 Blossom end rot is known to be caused by a calcium deficiency. And that’s why Tums pills are supposed to come to the rescue, as they are mostly composed of calcium carbonate. Calcium, in other words, and in a highly soluble form to boot. That should solve the problem, shouldn’t it?

But that’s misunderstanding the situation. Blossom end rot is rarely caused by a lack of calcium in the soil, but rather by a lack of calcium in the plant. Calcium is abundant and available in almost all soils, even in artificial soils or poor quality ones. In fact, it’s one of the most abundant elements in soils all over the world. Almost any soil contains more than enough calcium to satisfy a tomato plant. And essentially all fertilizers also contain calcium as well. As a result, the average tomato plant has an abundance of calcium in the soil in which it grows: you don’t need to add more.

In fact, blossom end rot is really due to the inability of the plant to absorb the calcium present in the soil. And this is related to moisture stress and uneven watering. If the plant lacks water during the critical period of fruit formation, the roots can’t absorb all the minerals that are available and therefore what little sap now reaches the fruit will be carrying less calcium than it should. Since the fruit isn’t getting sap of the quality it requires, a calcium deficiency occurs … and blossom end rot sets in.

So don't waste the tums.....won't do any good.

[KEN W]

I have never in 40 years of gardening had a problem with straw having chemicals.

Planted shell peas, snap peas, lettuce, and bok choi today.

[Dotch]

You're lucky Ken. If the small grain was sprayed with products such as Curtail, Curtail M or Stinger there's a potential problem. Using straw from fields where clopyralid containing products mentioned above have been applied is playing Russian roulette. Had some people find out the hard way with straw bale gardening a few years back. Also, goes right on thru livestock in the urine or feces if clopyralid or it's newer cousin aminopyralid have been sprayed on pasture. Accumulates in the bedding. Kills soybeans deader than a doornail. Killed a patch of my neighbor's beans a couple years ago. Had several other cases too. Another little gem we've run across is folks discovered Curtail works great on lawns for dandelion control. Then they decided to use the grass clippings for mulch around their tomatoes. Bad idea. Maters messed up beyond repair. 

Under avoiding Injury to non-target plants:

https://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld11C004.pdf

[KEN W]

Well...never been a problem. As for mulch it is still the best to keep soil moisture constant. What else is there? I guess pine or cypress wood chips would work. But have to be removed before tilling since they don't break down over winter.

I have also tilled all my grass clippings into my garden for many years with no problems. Guess there is always a first time.

[glenn57]

Has anyone meandered through FF garden center recently??? I'm hearing there not all that stocked up on garden plants. I need tomatoes, celery, green and jalepeno peppers .

[mike89]

check the big M too, Alex has their's open but didn't go into it yet...     or dive to Clarisa and go to the amish!! 

[Dotch]

Prolly head to Owatonna FF sometime tomorrow for Momma's Day to see what they have. Not optimistic. I know the Mrs. & Auntie Mar Mar have a trip planned to the Amish in IA next week. Maybe they'll see Gunner! 

[Bobberineyes]

I went thru home dumps veggies yesterday,  they had lots of everything except for squash and cukes..

[glenn57]

One step closer to seeds. Friggin wind is howling so need to wait. Maybe later tonight.

Think I'll check out da garden center at FF.

I fire is out of the question today!

[LPS]

We just cut up some fallen trees and cleaning up our woods some.  The wind is howling here too.  Darn, we wanted a fire too.  Lunch time now. 

[KEN W]

Planted red and yellow everbearing raspberries before the rain tonight and tomorrow. Noticed the asparagus is starting to pop up. 

[glenn57]

Just got back from FF. they had everything I wanted!!! Ran into a guy I worked with at DCI years ago, he's working an 8 week gig in the garden center. Said they unloaded 2 trucks of stuff this morning. Wasn't busy at all but he said this morning ya couldn't move in there.

[glenn57]

Planted dill, onions lettuce, spinach and radishes tonight. Ran out of daylight or woulda but in the kalarabi!

[glenn57]

not sure if that wind beat up the tomato plants i got from my brother but they look rough. that and maybe being transplanted into bigger pots from starter soil to the potting soil.  but looking at the extended forecast, think between the rains this week, i'm going to stick them in the garden and maybe tie them up  to get them going in some decent ground!!!!!!!

[deadeye]

We got the front flower beds cleaned and prepped for spring and summer blooms.
Yesterday we started in back. The first picture is of one section we finished.
Unfortunately, as you can see in the other pictures it's only about 15% of the
total flower gardens.

One section is done!


Lots of them left to go through and prep.

[HD]

I got my raised beds all planted.

I put some of Glenn's Dill in, we'll see if it grows. For some reason, I always have a problem with growing it.

The other garden is all tilled and planted with a couple zucchini plants.

[glenn57]

just got done putting the maters in i got from my brudder, also 2 rows of kalarabi!!!!!!!! it started to mist so i quit. if the rains stay away i'll have my garden fully in by weeks end!!!

good luck with the dill HD!!!!!!!!! i have heard some people have issues growing it??????