2012 Tennessee Garden Thread
Fleet Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 28,609
Likes: 18
From: Lake Tahoe, Nevada
I was looking for ways to get rid of JOHNSONGRASS (yes - it is sometimes spelled without a space)
ALL sites said to cut down the green to the dirt - but one or two said to feed the microbes in the soil by spreading GRANULATED SUGAR on the ground, and lightly water it in.
It feeds the microbes and strengthens them - which is bad for weeds.
They also made mention of "VINEGAR BASED HERBICIDES"
~I have a name now for what I have been looking for: "SOIL MORPHOLOGY"
The science of transforming soil
ALL sites said to cut down the green to the dirt - but one or two said to feed the microbes in the soil by spreading GRANULATED SUGAR on the ground, and lightly water it in.
It feeds the microbes and strengthens them - which is bad for weeds.
They also made mention of "VINEGAR BASED HERBICIDES"
~I have a name now for what I have been looking for: "SOIL MORPHOLOGY"
The science of transforming soil
I like it!!!
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
I don't have a pump sprayer yet, but this is my plan.
From the results posted all over the web I
m thoroughly intrigued myself and have been told that it IS just about the only way to kill Johnson Grass.
I'll fill you in after I get back from WALMART!
From the results posted all over the web I
m thoroughly intrigued myself and have been told that it IS just about the only way to kill Johnson Grass.
I'll fill you in after I get back from WALMART!
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,985
Likes: 0
From: Sewanee, Tennessee
I'm still getting PEPPERS like crazy....everything else is done or almost done. I am gearing up for my last batch of chow chow and then a big batch of apple butter within the next couple weeks.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
It seemed to me like the peppers took an unusually long time to bust out, but yeah - they're all over the bushes and going strong. This is also (as I said elsewhere) the first time ever that bell peppers have done real good at my place. I can only think that the things I've been doing and plowing back into the soil are having a cumulative improvement effect.
Next year I want to drop as much pearlite or something like it into the garden spots as I can afford, that and peat moss.
I'm also going to put at least half of my spud garden off-limits and use it only for a dumping ground for grass cuttings. If I can't kill off the weeds one way I'll use another;
BURY THE SUMMITCHEZZZ!
But I do need a good large compost plot
Next year I want to drop as much pearlite or something like it into the garden spots as I can afford, that and peat moss.
I'm also going to put at least half of my spud garden off-limits and use it only for a dumping ground for grass cuttings. If I can't kill off the weeds one way I'll use another;
BURY THE SUMMITCHEZZZ!
But I do need a good large compost plot
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
More about killing weeds with sugar - also about making your own "FLYPAPER" from it.
New Uses for Sugar | eHow.com
Apparently, loading up a garden with sugar is a sure-fire way to choke out weeds AND ALSO make the good plants respond better...
I know I at first thought: "Yeah, and have more flies than I could deal with too..." but they can't get to it once it washes down in.
Your thoughts & comments?
*Sugar is a quick energy source, I had no idea that plants went after it too though. OR that weeds had a bad time dealing with it
The main thing though seems to be that there are "BUGS" that we want VERY BADLY in our soil, and this feeds them and makes them more populous so that they can do their God-given 'BUGLY' duties down under there, whereas pesticides would certainly kill THEM off along with the BAD actors...
New Uses for Sugar | eHow.com
Apparently, loading up a garden with sugar is a sure-fire way to choke out weeds AND ALSO make the good plants respond better...
I know I at first thought: "Yeah, and have more flies than I could deal with too..." but they can't get to it once it washes down in.
Your thoughts & comments?
*Sugar is a quick energy source, I had no idea that plants went after it too though. OR that weeds had a bad time dealing with it
The main thing though seems to be that there are "BUGS" that we want VERY BADLY in our soil, and this feeds them and makes them more populous so that they can do their God-given 'BUGLY' duties down under there, whereas pesticides would certainly kill THEM off along with the BAD actors...
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
GREEN NOTE for December:
It has not been a bad year for me - not at all. In everything else, I found that BELL and certain other peppers seem to like my soil more than ever before. This was something that I was hoping to eventually see happen.
I have saved as many seeds from the many types of peppers I was so fortunate to bring in this year - and for 2013 I want to ensure that I have TRUCKLOADS of Anaheim Chili's (my very favorite).
Remember this post when the "sprouting season" draws closer - I'd be more than happy to pass along some of my seeds to anyone who wants to send me an SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) free of charge as long as I have lots of extra ones (I have many more Bell and Anaheim seeds than I can foresee a use for, also Banana Peppers). These are from plants that were successful in the Memphis area, and should be able to stand up to local conditions well
~Wolfie
*I'm not kiddin' even a little!
I have
TRUCKLOADS of seeds...
It has not been a bad year for me - not at all. In everything else, I found that BELL and certain other peppers seem to like my soil more than ever before. This was something that I was hoping to eventually see happen.
I have saved as many seeds from the many types of peppers I was so fortunate to bring in this year - and for 2013 I want to ensure that I have TRUCKLOADS of Anaheim Chili's (my very favorite).
Remember this post when the "sprouting season" draws closer - I'd be more than happy to pass along some of my seeds to anyone who wants to send me an SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) free of charge as long as I have lots of extra ones (I have many more Bell and Anaheim seeds than I can foresee a use for, also Banana Peppers). These are from plants that were successful in the Memphis area, and should be able to stand up to local conditions well
~Wolfie
*I'm not kiddin' even a little!
TRUCKLOADS of seeds...
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,985
Likes: 0
From: Sewanee, Tennessee
I would LOVE to have some of your seeds. I THINK I still have your address in my "Messages" box. I wish I had some to trade with you...all I have are a few nasturtium pods and some fennel seeds, if any of those interest you. O may have some Columbine seeds as well (pink & white).
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
I need fennel, I wish I had some Comino seeds (CUMIN). Both of which are essential sausage-making spices...
*Fennel has a bit of a Licorice flavor aspect to it, unlike Cumin. Fennel is best used in Italian style sausage because of that, whereas Cumin is more common in Mexican food - such as Taco meat spice packages. A small amount of Cumin is also a good thing to use when roasting Turkey
I got a PARKS SEED catalog recently too, and was kind of disappointed that they had no Garlic to offer. There are some interesting kinds, such as Purple Garlic, that I have always wanted to get established around my place somewhere, and I was also told that it is an effective deer and pest repellant that should be planted in combination with marigolds
MAPLES in MID-TN, take note: GARLIC is an effective deer, and garden ruining ruminant repellent. They don't like it at all, and I expect you are still having ground hog issues...
*Fennel has a bit of a Licorice flavor aspect to it, unlike Cumin. Fennel is best used in Italian style sausage because of that, whereas Cumin is more common in Mexican food - such as Taco meat spice packages. A small amount of Cumin is also a good thing to use when roasting Turkey
I got a PARKS SEED catalog recently too, and was kind of disappointed that they had no Garlic to offer. There are some interesting kinds, such as Purple Garlic, that I have always wanted to get established around my place somewhere, and I was also told that it is an effective deer and pest repellant that should be planted in combination with marigolds
MAPLES in MID-TN, take note: GARLIC is an effective deer, and garden ruining ruminant repellent. They don't like it at all, and I expect you are still having ground hog issues...
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
Good news - I have around fifty or so red, and some orange Tabasco peppers drying.
Each pepper pod yields an average of three dozen seeds, so even a few can populate a long stretch of garden.
~These are the same that I have shared out in years past, and in my opinion are even hotter than Habernero's
Each pepper pod yields an average of three dozen seeds, so even a few can populate a long stretch of garden.
~These are the same that I have shared out in years past, and in my opinion are even hotter than Habernero's
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
Why? Would you be too tempted to do something - ahh... along the lines of an IMPRACTICAL joke??? 
I also ran a soil texture test on the ground around here.
So far it looks like 95% silt
5% clay
0% sand
~Where the ideal "Loam" is 30% of each, no wonder I've been having trouble with some things...
Best way to check for this is to fill a quart jar 2/3 of the way with water, fill the rest up with soil (best to do several jars from separate spots)
Shake 'em up good, then let them sit undisturbed for several days if necessary. Sand should settle out first, followed by silt, the clay in it may remain in suspension for a long time
When the water looks mostly clear, you can guage what percent of what is in the soil.
Mine ain't lookin' real good, frankly
I also ran a soil texture test on the ground around here.
So far it looks like 95% silt
5% clay
0% sand
~Where the ideal "Loam" is 30% of each, no wonder I've been having trouble with some things...
Best way to check for this is to fill a quart jar 2/3 of the way with water, fill the rest up with soil (best to do several jars from separate spots)
Shake 'em up good, then let them sit undisturbed for several days if necessary. Sand should settle out first, followed by silt, the clay in it may remain in suspension for a long time
When the water looks mostly clear, you can guage what percent of what is in the soil.
Mine ain't lookin' real good, frankly
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 14,325
Likes: 14
From: Island Southeast Alaska
Grind them pepper seeds up and mix it in the floor wax they shake out on the floor of yer favorite pub Wolfie? See how long it takes for the dancers to clear out. I did that with some black jelly fish. Than turned up the heat as well so everyone sweated more. I was bar tending so it was okay. Right?
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
Rufuss is lucky he's good about not chewing on things - that's all I can say. I used to have to treat furniture legs with a paste made out of Tepin peppers...
Even a Bull Terrier eventually wises up if you do that
Even a Bull Terrier eventually wises up if you do that