2022 gardens

[glenn57]

I prune, cut branches off whenever I get around to it,never killed a tree yet!!

[Dotch]

I do that on maples, ash, hackberries, river bitch, etc., glenn and it's fine. Oaks I prune only from November thru early April. On fruit trees, the way the temps are going, probably OK for a few weeks yet. The buds were just starting to show some signs of life on some of the trees yesterday. It managed to top out at a blistering 39 here so not much happening today. Supposed to be a lot of temps like that most of the week. By next weekend I see some upper upper 50's and low 60's. I'd like to be done by then if possible on our apples and pears. Give the cuts a chance to dry out and heal prior to extended periods of wet weather. Crabapples that pizz me off I'm not as concerned.

I see they found emerald ash borer in Waseca Co. roony. In Janesville I thought it said. 

[LPS]

I have a small 12' maybe oak tree that I cherish.  One branch hangs out and is in the way when mowing.  I better cut it right now then.

[KEN W]

How much longer will it be safe to prune?

Until they start to leaf out. I pruned my fruit trees 2 weeks ago.

[Dotch]

Wish I could've done mine then. Between windy weather, activity in the lambing barn and other weekend obligations, it's been a struggle to get at tree pruning this year. That and the lack of snow. Several years there's been enough snow that I can stand on top of it to reach what needs to be pruned in the Fireside and Haralson tree. No need to climb in the Gator box or on a ladder. Between climbing on and off of equipment or standing on concrete, I don't know which I dislike more these days.

   

[KEN W]

Erratic spring.....need consistent weather. My brother has bee collecting Maple Sap for 10 days now. Buds here aren't swelling yet.

[Dotch]

The buds are swelling some on the apple trees so after finishing pruning the Honeycrisp & SnoSweet trees tonite (and doing chores ), I went down to the CRP to see if there were any pussy willows. Sure enough, I hit the jackpot on what appear to be the female bushes. Perfect timing I was told as they have none at the flower shop. The weather should stay cool enough so they'll hold this week and the male bushes will kick in. Ought to keep me in gin for a while. 

[Jerkbiat]

So the wife noticed on our Apple tree Sunday afternoon that something has chewn the bark off of the bottom 4"-5" of the trunk when it was under the snow. Will I be able to put tree wrap on it to help it heal or is the tree going to be toast? The trunk is about 6" in diameter. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks.

[mike89]

if it's all the way around the tree I don't think it will make it...   Dotch chime in or Ken!!

[KEN W]

Yes....is it all the way around the tree? If it is.....it most likely won't survive.

[Dotch]

I agree with Ken. Had a couple 4" - 5" diameter crabapple trees the bunnies did that to a couple years ago. One of the trees never flowered or leafed out, just croaked. The other one flowered and leafed out, getting my hopes up. Looked kinda sickly though. It was dead the next spring. Ah hates rabbits!  My Dad was able to save a couple apple trees the voles had girdled under the snow when I was a kid. The trees had numerous suckers that he was able to graft into the trunk using some grafting wax and wrapping it. I remember running across the directions for the process in the stuff we hauled out of the house a few years ago. Be damned if I know where I might've put it. 

[glenn57]

there is an article in todays st cloud times about why there is a shortage of canning lids. it was in the opinion section, so for whatever its worth.........

speciffically speaking of ball and kerr lids.......... the areticle says ball or kerr no longer are being made by them. a few years prior to the so called pandemic an outfit called Newll Brands bought them out. this outfit decided to not sell ball and kerr to every store handling canning supplies, only to places like amazon, wallyworld and ACE  hardware.

they apparently also closed a couple faculities around the country of those 2 places!!!! they said prices are high going to wallyworld and ACE but not as high as going threw amazon.......go figure!!!

[mike89]

interesting Glenn..  self inflicted pain again for the greed of a few... 

[Jerkbiat]

Thanks guys. Yes the barked is chewed all the way around the trunk. 

[KEN W]

Thanks guys. Yes the barked is chewed all the way around the trunk. 

That's to bad.....probably have to replace it. 6 inch diameter.....that's been there for awhile. What variety is it?

From now on in the fall, make sure you wrap all your trees with tree wrap.

[Dotch]

I try to put tree wrap & guards around anything I don't care to lose. The 2 crabapples we lost were expendable. Just some SWCD tree sale trees advertised as Red Splendor that turned out to be a run of the mill mix of spiny, white-flowered Siberian crabs I couldn't care less about. On the edge of the EQIP planting, the redosier dogwood will fill in the gaps. Fine by me. Mowing around those crabapples is like mowing around cactuses. I've got a 100' long row of aronia berries (chokeberries) that I am concerned about. They've been there ~15 years. The rabbits never touched them up until this winter. They chewed the snot out of them and a lot of other shrubby stuff that didn't matter. The suckers on the apple trees that started about 2' in length got chewed down to ~6". Less stuff for me to pick up. Glad I put cages around the hydrangea and burning bushes last fall. Between those and spirea, absolute cottontail candy. 

[Steve-o]

Between those and spirea, absolute cottontail candy.

Allst I can say is...   

[Jerkbiat]

Sorry I said that wrong. About a 6" circumference trunk. We have had it about 5 years. Ya, something under the snow sure liked it. If it isn't the deer on top of the snow it is something under it getting the trees. 

[mike89]

I would try to wrap it to, just to see any ways...   sad

[KEN W]

I put the white plastic tree wraps around mine. Protects them from winter damage and accidently hitting them with the zero turning radius riding mower.

[Jerkbiat]

I would try to wrap it to, just to see any ways...   sad

Ya, I am going to give it a try for sure.

[Cooperman]

How long do vegetable seeds last? Do you guys buy fresh seeds every year? I’ve got seeds dated 2013 that I’m throwing out, but I also have some that are just a couple years old. Also, does it depend on the type of vegetable how long they last?

[mike89]

Do veggie seeds expire?
Most vegetable seeds will last through their expiration date if kept cool, dry and away from sunlight. Baker Seed guarantees seeds for at least two years after purchase. Most seeds last three to five years after purchase, but those dates can vary depending on the variety.

this is what I found just looking around Cooperman...   hope it helps...   

a little more

How do you know if vegetable seeds are still good?
One method to check for seed viability is the water test. Take the seeds and place them in a container of water. Let the seeds sit for 15 minutes. If the seeds sink, they are still viable; if they float, discard, because they probably will not sprout.

[roony]

I keep my seeds in small zip lock bags in the refrigerator. They seem to germinate well even after 5 or more years.

[glenn57]

yea i'd throw the seeds from 2013. but a couple years old should still work!!!!!! i usually end up with more seeds then i need from year to year, but usually only from last years purchase and they grow fine!!

i plant my own dill, let some seed out, and keep them, replant them and it grows, i've had some 3-4 years old and they do fine.....but after that i throw them and start fresh.

what amazes me are tomato seeds. when i can, i throw the discard in the garden. if they havent started growing before it freezes, its amazing how many "volunteers" i get the next spring. yet a tomato plant will croak the second it freezes. i usually bury the discard for the most part, then they wont grow!!!!

[KEN W]

Sounds good Glenn....But I have found that dill comes up on its own. I just leave some heads on and they always come up some where. Just leave as many as you want, pull out the rest and never have to reseed again.

[glenn57]

Sounds good Glenn....But I have found that dill comes up on its own. I just leave some heads on and they always come up some where. Just leave as many as you want, pull out the rest and never have to reseed again.

oh yea.....i have volunteers of that too!!!!!!!

[Cooperman]

Thanks all, I went to Glennmart today and bought a bunch of new seeds. I grow a heirloom tomato my great uncle use to grow when he was alive, and we keep those seeds going. We haven’t had a decent garden since before we moved north, but this summer we are.

[Dotch]

Good for you coop! 

[roony]

I'd like to hear more about that heirloom.