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mischief posted:Eh, even in the most organic approach there is a time and place for tearing poo poo up every now and again. Heavy tillers are a good investment for when something does need to get done. You might be able to rent one if the job you need it for isn't that big. e: or borrow!
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 15:41 |
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# ? May 4, 2024 13:24 |
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Our tiller definitely gets loaned out more than anything. Chainsaws and pressure washers are up there but the tiller gets flogged pretty hard.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 16:22 |
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Oh yeah, a pressure washer is another thing I've needed pretty often, but not often enough to justify buying one.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 16:39 |
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Real tillers are surprisingly expensive both new and used it seems, so rental seems like a better option for this time and when I resod my back yard. I can chop/hoe cover crops under by hand.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 16:42 |
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Orbs posted:Oh yeah, a pressure washer is another thing I've needed pretty often, but not often enough to justify buying one. Unless you really need it for like commercial grade use, I find electric ones that run about 100 to 150 bucks get the job done. I have used it to effectively clean paved walkways, wood decks, tile floors etc. I also use the lowest settings and nozzles to wash cars and do windows.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 17:04 |
mischief posted:Our tiller definitely gets loaned out more than anything. Chainsaws and pressure washers are up there but the tiller gets flogged pretty hard. i got a 16' sun joe tiller walmart had on sale and it really is handy, great for quickly turning under cover crops, great for busting up grass and making new beds, etc. probably terrible if you needed it for serious commercial use but really useful at home
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 17:54 |
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Dr. Eldarion posted:
Dr. Eldarion posted:1.8 tons of concrete blocks delivered today. Surprisingly, moving them is significantly less tiring than doing half of the remaining levelling was. (I do have a hand truck though) Main structure is finished! Now I just need to stick it all together so I'm not constantly adjusting blocks after bumping into them / leaning on them / etc. I really like the look of the bare blocks, but dealing with mortar/adhesive would have been a nightmare given how many adjustments I had to make and sections I had to re-do to get it all straight and fitting together. So I'm going to slather the whole thing with surface bonding concrete. Still wavering on the dye color, though - I had initially thought of going with a light terra cotta but I'm second guessing myself, maybe I'll play around in an image editor and see how it looks.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 17:56 |
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Looking great! I like the rat statue
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 17:58 |
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Thanks! I love how it turned out. I know I'm not maxing out the growing space but I wanted to jazz up the yard a bit and there's a decent amount of space to add more beds if/when I want to grow more.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 18:17 |
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I think I had too high hopes for a tiller. It's really more of a finishing tool. We have a bed in our front yard that is unusable because of a mat of sub-surface roots. I was hoping a tiller would make at least a couple inches usable, but probably I need to use a stump grinder.Dr. Eldarion posted:Main structure is finished! That looks good! I've got a similar project to finish. Built a bed years ago outside of my fenced-in veggie garden with an old metal frame and leftover compost. Decided to replace it this year with some retaining wall bricks. It was quite the project to level it since it's built into a hill. Liking the look of it now with a (hopefully deer-resistant) Japanese maple, blue juniper and holly. But I still have to glue down the bricks because I am sure my daughter will try and kill herself with them otherwise.
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 20:42 |
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I threw this together in our driveway now that the snows sposed to be done, just a bunch of river rocks I…uh….borrowed
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# ? Apr 23, 2024 23:34 |
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mischief posted:Eh, even in the most organic approach there is a time and place for tearing poo poo up every now and again. I'm tearing poo poo up to put up a poly tunnel greenhouse because I didn't know where I wanted to put it 6 months ago. Putting a tarp down over the winter would've been a much better idea Edit: I don't have a tiller, I'm clearing a 10'x8' spot by hand with a mattock
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 00:01 |
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Every year I seem to get aphids on my roses… and apparently it’s that time again. I got quite the little eco system going here I’m thinking about just letting it happen and letting nature sort it out (in the past I bought lady bugs and also tried spraying with soapy garlic water). I figure I can support the local aphid killers by leaving them
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 01:09 |
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Do you have any bait plants in the surrounding area? I get aphids every year but they stay on the lamb’s quarter and other fobes in the yard. Granted, I don’t have roses but they do stay off my tomatoes because of the abundance of food plants in the area.
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 10:43 |
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Neon Noodle posted:Do you have any bait plants in the surrounding area? I get aphids every year but they stay on the lamb’s quarter and other fobes in the yard. Granted, I don’t have roses but they do stay off my tomatoes because of the abundance of food plants in the area. Any ideas for bait plants for rhododendron lace bug? I have three infested bushes in the front yard but surprisingly the variegated one in the back yard is unaffected. Not sure why.
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 18:01 |
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Neon Noodle posted:Do you have any bait plants in the surrounding area? I get aphids every year but they stay on the lamb’s quarter and other fobes in the yard. Granted, I don’t have roses but they do stay off my tomatoes because of the abundance of food plants in the area. Arg! I was planning on doing that sort of thing at the end of last year but completely forgot until you mentioned this... Story of my life. Actually, remembering and putting it off would be the correct story I was going to add plants that encouraged anti aphid bugs but your idea of bait plants would be smarter since the aphids seem to come before the lady bugs and friends. I'll look into what would be good to add in the area that might help. I haven't planned my yard in any smart way, I just see plants I like and add plants (besides their sun needs). Last year I finally added tulips so I would have an early blooming plant and I was pretty proud of myself for that forethought. As of right now, this rose bush seems to be the aphid bait, it's in an area that gets less light so i wonder if that is doing it, my other rose bush that usually gets infested is clear of pests. I'm pretty sure it's because the aphids can sense I like this one a lot more... I guess they like it a lot more too Thanks for the good idea!
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 19:42 |
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Hmm, I'm worried I just hosed up my whole overseeding plans for spring. Due to how wet it's been, I wasn't able to do the first cut until Mid-April, got the scarifying done after that, but I just put down some all-in-one feed/weed/moss killer because I read it was pointless to put seed down if you didn't get rid of any moss first (there's a fair bit around the edges and probably a bunch in the middle I'm just not seeing). From what I've just read though I need to wait 8 weeks until putting down new seed after using that which puts me right bang in the middle of June. Is that always a bad time of the year to put new grass seed down even if I'm watering the lawn every day to help keep it hydrated?
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 21:01 |
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Yes. It's unlikely to work. You were in a situation where you needed to do this in parts anyway. And fall is a much better/more successful time for overseeding anyway. Follow the course, re-treat as appropriate for broadleaf weeds and moss through the summer. Dethatch and core aerate in the late summer and overseed then going into fall with a good high-octane start fertilizer like a 25-25-4-is like Scotts turf Bulider starter (can be found at big box stores and it currently the cheapest way to get nitrogen that I can find - just bought 160 lbs of it),
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# ? Apr 24, 2024 21:35 |
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Vicious Panda posted:Every year I seem to get aphids on my roses… and apparently it’s that time again. I got quite the little eco system going here I'm reading the book Carrots Love Tomatoes and it says that planting coriander will repel aphids
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 04:38 |
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Lacrosse posted:I'm reading the book Carrots Love Tomatoes and it says that planting coriander will repel aphids I’m going plant shopping tomorrow and I’ll take a look for coriander, that seems fun to try, thanks! On that note, anyone have recommendations for a tomato plant for someone that doesn’t really like tomatoes but everyone is always talking about how amazing garden tomatoes are so… (I do like them in BLTs) I bought beefsteak last year and I guess they were fine but I want to try something else, something better, there are just so many varieties… so many
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 05:02 |
I always recommend Black Krim as it has very intense flavor that works well on sandwiches, fresh salsa, or by itself with a touch of salt. It produces heavily and is heat tolerant. You have to stay on top of keeping it trimmed and supported though, as it can sprawl pretty majorly.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 12:34 |
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Vicious Panda posted:I’m going plant shopping tomorrow and I’ll take a look for coriander, that seems fun to try, thanks! Sun golds. Sweet unlike anything in a grocery store and they grow like weeds. Lacrosse posted:I'm reading the book Carrots Love Tomatoes and it says that planting coriander will repel aphids I started planting marigolds because I was told they repelled aphids from companion tomatoes. It turns out they actually attract aphids? But now I just like marigolds so I live with it. I've also read that chives, catnip, fennel, dill and cilantro work but I am starting to suspect a lot of this received wisdom is bullshit and aphids are legion.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 13:56 |
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Cilantro is also just great to have. I was making salsa this morning and anticipating a couple of months from now when I have every single one of those ingredients fresh from my garden (no tomatoes or peppers yet) e: Chad Sexington posted:I've also read that chives, catnip, fennel, dill and cilantro work but I am starting to suspect a lot of this received wisdom is bullshit and aphids are legion. For what it’s worth my herb garden has never had aphids. Whether that’s due to the cilantro / coriander or not is anyone’s guess freeedr fucked around with this message at 14:13 on Apr 25, 2024 |
# ? Apr 25, 2024 13:58 |
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My dill is always the least-bad-buggy of my plants, so there may be something to it. Granted, it attracts wasps (usually the nicer kind that doesn't bother people much), bees, butterflies, and moths, (including caterpillars), so it's possible the predators are taking care of things. (The swallowtail caterpillars will eat them down to the stems, but I plant/volunteer sprout so much dill I don't mind.) I think the idea with marigolds (and nasturtium, which I'm going to try this year) is that they are more attractive to the aphids than your vegetables, hopefully, and prefer to mostly stay there. I've heard them called "trap crops" and that seems like a better expression of what they do.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:06 |
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effika posted:(The swallowtail caterpillars will eat them down to the stems, but I plant/volunteer sprout so much dill I don't mind.) This is a feature not a bug. I always over plant dill because it reliability brings in the black swallowtail caterpillars for the kids' enjoyment. I'll cut and dry what I actually want to keep when I start to see the little guys crawling around.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:20 |
trap crops make sense to me but it feels like there is a lot of gardening myths about "companion plants" that'll repel pests that are very questionable
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:21 |
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Weed attracts friends that can help you tend the garden
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 14:31 |
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Pioneer42 posted:This is a feature not a bug. I always over plant dill because it reliability brings in the black swallowtail caterpillars for the kids' enjoyment. I'll cut and dry what I actually want to keep when I start to see the little guys crawling around. Oh for sure! They're great. Black swallowtails are my state's butterfly and I love them. Their caterpillars are very cool looking too. And once you let dill go to seed you always have dill sprouting somewhere, so plenty to go around for all.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 15:04 |
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effika posted:Black swallowtails are my state's butterfly and I love them. Their caterpillars are very cool looking too. Same here, which is also part of our enjoyment! (Which means we either live really close or really far apart and no where in between )
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 15:12 |
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Vicious Panda posted:I’m going plant shopping tomorrow and I’ll take a look for coriander, that seems fun to try, thanks! Seconding Black Krim. They’re delicious.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 15:18 |
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We have well water with really high nitrate content and is pretty hard. As I type this they are installing a water softening system and filters and such. I can hook up my hose so it comes off the well pump directly before the water treatment, or after. Which is better to use to water my garden and containers? Does it matter that much overall?
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 15:35 |
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We also have well water with a softener. All of our fruit trees and gardens are watered with that water after treatment and I have never noticed a difference. I'll usually turn it off or use distilled water if I'm doing something with really delicate flowers or baby plants but for the most part I believe it just adds a little bit of salt in the end. If you can get a hose in front of it you might as well though, one less thing to fiddle with.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 16:09 |
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swickles posted:We have well water with really high nitrate content and is pretty hard. As I type this they are installing a water softening system and filters and such. I can hook up my hose so it comes off the well pump directly before the water treatment, or after. Which is better to use to water my garden and containers? Does it matter that much overall? It'll be easier on your water softener if you hook the hoses up before it. If you don't use it for drinking or other potable water solutions, that's going to mean less work for the system and it should take longer before needing heavy maintenance. The plants aren't going to care that much and if you're worried you can add a charcoal filter to your hose line that will be much cheaper to maintain long term. My parents have been dealing with this for two decades and there's really no benefit to additional filtering for the water that isn't used for human (and pet) consumption.
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# ? Apr 25, 2024 16:19 |
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Found sun gold but not black krim, I’ll keep an eye out for it though cause now I’m curious. I got some marigolds for aphids and cause I like flowers although I’m not the biggest fan of annuals. Also bush cucumbers hopefully for pickling, early jalapeños which I have no idea how they differ from others (come early I guess), habanero peppers, and Roma tomatoes for pasta sauce!
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 01:51 |
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sun golds and black cherry tomatoes are the best/tastiest varieties I've grown this year I'm trying tropical sunset, alston everlasting, and black cherries again. i may break down and grab a sun gold plant from the garden center
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 02:08 |
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Vicious Panda posted:Found sun gold but not black krim, I’ll keep an eye out for it though cause now I’m curious. If you can't find them, most other "black" tomatoes should be somewhere in the ballpark. Another one I really like is Japanese Black Trifele. I don't think I've ever seen starts for that in regular stores, but I've definitely seen them at farmer's markets. The 300 year old guy who mainly sells sad rusty looking produce usually has decent looking plant starts...and he always misspells that one as "truffle". the milk machine posted:sun golds and black cherry tomatoes are the best/tastiest varieties I've grown I love the black cherries. Sun golds are great, but I also like the Napa Chardonnay. I don't usually bother with red cherries anymore unless I have extra starts that need a home (I start a few of those for family members who want them).
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 11:11 |
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I have seen Cherokee purple tomatoes at Lowe’s in years past, that’s an excellent one that’s pretty widely available.
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 14:04 |
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Got rid of my slugs with Sluggo, but I found earwigs are here and just ate my basil sprouts!! Sluggo Plus ordered. Tomato chat: Super Sweet 100 is another delicious variety, probably my favorite red one. effika fucked around with this message at 14:49 on Apr 26, 2024 |
# ? Apr 26, 2024 14:44 |
Black Krim is tough to find. You almost certainly have to go to a dedicated nursery or plant sale to get it. There's a major plant sale this weekend that I would normally go to but it is also Train Day at a nearby town and the 4yo has very very strong opinions about which of those we will be going to.
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 15:10 |
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# ? May 4, 2024 13:24 |
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effika posted:Tomato chat: We always enjoy Sweet Million too. They rarely escape the gardens though, more like a chef's snack while you are working. Something to be said for a nice sun warmed sweet tomato!
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# ? Apr 26, 2024 15:34 |