#113115
November 22nd, 2005 at 10:36 AM
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Member
Joined: Nov 2004
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#113116
November 22nd, 2005 at 08:52 PM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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Your welcome.
It's still raining out today so I can't rake or turn the compost bin whaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Maybe it will stop later.
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#113117
November 24th, 2005 at 02:26 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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On Monday, I was looking up a link for Barbarajmck on overwinter care for hibiscus when I saw some information on mandevillas too and realized I hadn't dug mine up yet!!! So, I immediately went out and potted it up to bring inside. It had gone through several freezes, but the roots looked fine. It was planted right up next to my concrete front porch, so I think it's okay. I had already pruned it back when I cleaned the leaves and dead impatiens out of the front bed. Today, I went out to pull a big sheet of clear plastic over my 3 lettuce beds to protect them from the coming cold weather (16 degrees tonight) and got my gloves all wet from the water that was still sitting on the plastic from all the rain we got Monday. Then I pruned my 2 fig bushes to get them ready to cover for the winter. I should've changed my wet gloves first . Hopefully, next week I can finish up the figs.
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#113118
November 24th, 2005 at 04:08 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Aug 2003
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Obywan, are fig bushes little fig trees? My fig trees are big. I've never pruned or covered them. They produce every year but I want them to be healthy for a long time.
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#113119
November 24th, 2005 at 04:22 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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The weather was nice enough to get out there and rake today but guess what. I got lazy lol. I decided to do my turkey and dressing today. I'm actually going out to dinner tomorrow but I like having the leftovers so I'm doing one anyway. And since I have to do the traditional thanksgiving side dishes for the linger longer on Sunday I thought I might as well have the turkey too lol. I know I'm just plain weird sometimes. I have three baby roma tomatoes on my overwintering tomato plants as of this morning. I am so thrilled with that I just had to mention it. Even though I did up in veggies.
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#113120
November 24th, 2005 at 11:54 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Aug 2003
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TK, are you having family and friends in for dinner? Got your card. Thanks a lot. I have got to get my compost pile turned. It's growing grass on the top.
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#113121
November 24th, 2005 at 03:03 PM
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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Bestofour, I'm in zone 6b and my figs will suffer substantial dieback over winter if I don't protect them. Because of this I now prune to multiple stems to keep them shorter so they're easier to protect. I used to put up wire fencing (tomato cages) around them and then fill the fencing with leaves. Then I would put a garbage bag with the base cut through around the base of the tomato cage with another uncut garbage bag over the top to keep the wind and cold out. I've also tried cutting through the roots halfway around the plants and then pulling the plants over and burying them in a trench. That works well but is a lot of work!! Last year though, I tried a method that works better. I prune my fig bushes to have open centers pruning out all the old wood, and some of the new so that I have only a half dozen or so new stems sprouting from the ground in a vase shape. Then I bend these stems to the ground and weigh them down with bricks and cinderblocks before completely covering them with leaves. Then I put old carpet scraps and large sheets of row cover over that with clear plastic over the top. This spring I had the least dieback I've ever had. Only I uncovered the figs too soon in the spring and a late frost got them and set them back.
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#113122
November 24th, 2005 at 04:49 PM
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Member
Joined: Apr 2005
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As for me, I have decided that I will still be doing my fall chores in the spring. I have about 400 dahlia tubers to finish up for winter....what a chore. That is the biggest garden chore I have left. Darlene
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#113123
November 27th, 2005 at 09:34 PM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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Wow you all have much much more to do that I do. The hospital stay has set everything back. The two largest tomatoes got end rot of course since I wasn't here to water them. So I am still pruning the tomato plants to get off the leaves that died during my absence. Even with the water-keep in the pots those tomatoes still want daily care inside the apartment lol. But I love having them completely cover my kitchen window so I'm not going to complain. The outide portulaca got froze out and the first year Hollyhocks also died back. It was more than time for them to do that but I will miss their big leaves waving about in the container. Now the barbarry is all by itself in their and it looks lonely. Hey Sheri, Sorry to hear your compost pile is growing grass that isn't good. I wish there was something I could do to help but their isn't. You know I'd always heard that fruit trees took a bunch of care. You are awesome Terry to take care of as many as you do.
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#113124
November 28th, 2005 at 02:41 PM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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I was able to get some more leaves bagged yesterday and today. 7 of them were whole leaves I raked from the beds around my house and my azalea bed and 2 more I mowed off the yard so they're shredded. That gives me a total of 96 bags of leaves so far, most of them shredded and in 55 gallon bags. I'd guess I still have as many as 50 bags worth of leaves on the ground. I got one of my figs covered with leaves yesterday and put plastic over it today to keep the leaves from getting wet. I hope to finish covering them tomorrow. I also plan to give the yard it's November fertilization as well as spread Holly-Tone around some trees and shrubs and fertilize my bulbs, perennials, and fruits (except for the apples and peaches) They are calling for rain for the next couple of days, so that should serve to water the fertilizers in.
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#113125
November 28th, 2005 at 09:12 PM
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Member
Joined: Aug 2003
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My figs grow on big trees so I don't do anything to them. I don't even prune them. I was going to try to do some stuff outside today but it's raining. Tk, you keep your holly hocks in pots? I've never tried that. Hope you're feeling better.
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#113126
November 29th, 2005 at 02:16 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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I wish I could let my figs grow into trees, but it's too cold here, and we're very prone to late freezes. There's a guy up in Pennsylvania who builds a frame big enough to enclose his fig trees. In late fall, he covers the frame with plastic and takes barrels he's painted black and puts them in with the fig tree and fills them with water to act as a heat sink to protect his fig. Seems like a lot of work to me. I just finished fertilizing my yard. It was raining the whole time so I was wearing my rain jacket, but I still got wet I was sweating so much. I'm taking a break for lunch, then I'm going back out to fertilize some more stuff.
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#113127
November 29th, 2005 at 04:35 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
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That is a LOT of trouble for figs.
It's raining here too but it's 70 degrees.
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#113128
November 30th, 2005 at 02:13 AM
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Critter Keeper
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Critter Keeper
Joined: Aug 2004
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Terry could you post the link for over wintering Hibiscus please or PM me with it. I have been over wintering mine with good luck for a few years but always open to new or maybe better ways of doing it. My sister lost some of hers last year she said her house was too warm. She lives in N.M. I live in Texas with my tropical birds and Iguana's my house has to stay warm although the Iguana's have automatic heat and lights. I would really appreciate it if you did. Thanks Jimmy
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#113129
November 30th, 2005 at 02:42 AM
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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Here you go JV, this site makes me want to go and get some tropical hibiscus myself. (as if I need anything else to overwinter :rolleyes: ) http://trop-hibiscus.com/gindr.html#bay
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#113130
December 1st, 2005 at 03:05 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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The Hollyhocks got put in the 3 ft cement container this year because the marigolds got spidermites so bad I pulled them up and had a barespot to contend with lol. Wether they will come back next year and flower I have no idea. Some times I just stick things in places and hope for the best lol.
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#113131
December 1st, 2005 at 04:00 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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I cleaned up my asparagus beds today. I cut off all the dead branches and then raked the old leaf mulch off and hauled everything to the compost pile.
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#113132
December 1st, 2005 at 06:26 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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asparagus that takes two years to start right? An ex-boyfriend of mine tried to start those but we weren't together long enough to see if they actually came up lol. Isn't that just my luck lol.
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#113133
December 1st, 2005 at 07:09 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Aug 2003
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I still have not been able to do a thing outside. It's beginning to get to me so I take that as a sign I'm getting better. This time last week I didn't even care.
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#113134
December 1st, 2005 at 10:50 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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Yep sounds like you are getting better to me.
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#113135
December 2nd, 2005 at 06:40 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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Well today I raked alittle but not much compared to what I needed to get done. Atleast most of the leaves are off the tree now so once I corral these I'm good to go for the year. I don't have enough to carry me for the entire mowing season but I'll do the best I can I guess.
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#113136
December 2nd, 2005 at 08:48 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Aug 2003
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TK, don't have enough what?
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#113137
December 2nd, 2005 at 11:18 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: May 2005
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leaves for compost, Sheri. T, I have a shed full now - let me know when you need some, and I'll squarsh them down and shove em in a box and send them your way! Gardeners are so weird, aren't we?
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#113138
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:43 AM
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Official Blabber Mouth
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OP
Official Blabber Mouth
Joined: Mar 2005
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lol you wouldn't believe what I just did. I made arrangements to buy a car on Monday. It's an old clunker van but it runs. Hopefully it will also pass the emmissions and safety tests. Anyway with that I can go down to the park 3 blocks away and bag up a bunch when I need them. Can you believe I bought a car. I can't believe I did that. But I want to be able to get to church by myself and to the Shoppers Food Warehouse. That trip was costing me 20 bucks a trip.
Anyway that's what I did so now I've just got to do all the inspections and insurance and getting a Virginia Drivers License (hope I pass the test) and then I'll be legal. Maybe then I can find a part time job to help ends meet alittle better. I would so like to get off of social security and on my own. I guess I'm alittle crazy.
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#113139
December 3rd, 2005 at 04:00 AM
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Member
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Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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I finished carting the old leaf mulch from the asparagus patch to the compost pile, then I hoed the asparagus and then spent several hours mowing and bagging leaves. I'm trying to take advantage of the nice weather before the rain and perhaps snow??? starts coming in Saturday afternoon.
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