Whoo Hoo. Suzan!! We are planning to plant Wed. We are so excited to do this again. Got some straw bales and hay bales this year. Lots of mushrooms showing on those bales :)
Neighbor has 5 bales out and someone up on the corner from us set some out. Neighbors keep driving by and asking questions. Letting us know about the others that set some out. You can tell this is a sleepy little town with nothing going on LOL.
Connie
General Discussions - 2011 - Chapter 34
LOL, I can hear the excitement in you Connie. How are your bales composted? I have to get down and see how mine are doing.
In the meantime, I am house hunting but am not going to let the season go without any tomatoes just in case we are still here this summer. So, between that, sorting thru and clearing out junk, I have to work my gardening in thu the cracks.
Where are you moving to ? According to the map , you are in a nice area with the water and all .
When you get all your stuff sorted out , come on down and help me go through my junk . I need a hugh sale to get rid of a bunch of stuff .
Happy hunting , hope you find just the perfect place and maybe a little warmer . Sally
Gosh Sally, you have no idea difficult it is. I think I will be here forever. It is not an easy thing to do. I have only moved a couple of times in my life. My adult life that is. So, I don't even know what to do next. I am trying to get enough stuff out of here that the realtor can show it and it will look like they could live here.
I will not be leaving this area if you count Spokane as part of it. I won't move to Spokane, but the outlying areas have some fairly good places. Maybe too picky, but there is no point in moving if I can't find what I want.
I am not even going to bother with a sale. They are too much work and just doing it this way is work. Anything that is worth anything and I want it to go, I will take to one of the charity places.
Jnette, maybe talk to your friends? I was amazed at the response I got when I was complaining about how much I had to do, and didn't feel like doing. A friend offered to go thru and sort, and see what was there. Granted, I have lots of "stuff" that "I" consider treasures, and most people would decidedly NOT!
She had a ball (as she said) "Pawing thru everything", sorted it out into keep, maybe keep and dispose of. She knew pretty much what should be what. Then I went thru and boxed what I wanted. She set stuff aside for sale, and we will split profits. She then took what she wanted, and a church group came and took the rest. It was much easier for me to have it laid out. What was a huge, horrible undertaking to me was a treasure hunt to her.
I later did the same for another friend (with the first friend in on it) and it really was fun. When it wasn't my stuff, I saw it with different eyes, and no sentiment. She was amazed (as I had been) as to how much there was that seemed unreplaceable, but really wasn't when seen in the light of day :)
Yeah , and can take one room at the time , don't run back and forth , all over everything . Much easier .
HELP Cat, lol
Seems that in doing one thing I find something else that has to be done first.
Is that normal? Or old age? I have gotten all the info for storage places but have not committed to one yet. I am not there yet.
I
Do you all know if the VA wants magazines such as Handyman or Countryside to the hospital? I have several years of Countryside and one or 2 of the other. I take books there, and someone told me they like puzzles, so will take those too, But don't know about magazines. I know people that would like them, but do like to support the VA too.
Sorry, don't mean to hyjack this thread. Will get off the subject.
I don't think Kent would think we were off T . This thread is general discussion . Yes that's normal . That's why you do one room at the time . Then when you get to the next room , you add to the stacks you've done already . My big thing is paper .
Don't know why the V A wouldn't want the mags . or you can send them to the troops , be well appreciated .Then the men can plan what they will do when they get home .I'm sure they will be making lots of plans . Hugs
Good idea. I suppose there would be quite a few different addresses for them on line. google.
Seems that in doing one thing I find something else that has to be done first.
I've finally quit worrying about it. As long as I accomplish _something_ I figure it's a Good Day. I have bookshelves to build, and today I moved some of the bits and pieces where they need to be for me to actually begin.
Of course, then I started looking at the books...
But, it's a start *G*
You too? LOL, I do the same thing. I have to read the books before I pack them. I am never going to get out of here.
I was lucky. Both times I moved, I had lots and lots of time. Actually took a year once, and 6 months the next time. The biggest issue was how to move the critters (a rescue full of cats and several dogs) from Florida ot South Carolina. It ended up as a very interesting barter agreement which left me with three pet steers....
Count your blessings *G*
LOL, I remember the steers but don't remember how you got them. That is some trade tho. Just a little difference between cats and steers.
Ok you all, I need help. One of the bales in my hoophouse is full of ants. I suppose because it is so warm in there. Now what? I want to get rid of them before I have to plant. Any suggestions? I need something that is not going to affect the tomatoes.
If I were to take that bale out they would just go into another so that would not solve it.
Help!!
Ants hate mint. If you can get some peppermint extract and mix a few drops with water, spray it on (into) the bale that might make them run. I have used diatomaceous earth as well but am sparing in the regular garden because when the earthworms go over it, it it cuts them. Cups of Boric acid as in Borax placed near the bale might lure them. Then they take it back to the nest and it kills them. Have your iomatoes already been planted in the bales? Noner of the above will harm tomatoes or any plants. The ants wouold take so little Borac to he nest it should be minimal on impact. If the bales are still empty I would root around and disturb them as much as possible forcing them to vacate. We kill live ones in the kitchen using the sprays designed to wash vegetables such as Veggie Wash, My husband discovered it kills on contact out of desperation when we had an infestation in the kitchen all over the counter. He grabbed the closest thing that sprayed and it worked. Now we use it regularly in the spring when the ants come in. I would only use that on the ground as they ants leave not on the bales themselves! There are poisons you can buy to put around but not in the bales. . I had ants invade one of my grow bags last spring. That was at least easy because I just dumped the coir into a 5 gallon bucket, waited a couple of days and the ants left, Can't very well dump a bale, can you?!! Good luck
I sprinkled a little borax and powdered sugar in the trail of some of those little tiny ants that came in on the cupboard one day. The ants were gone by that evening and haven't come back. Several years ago.
Jnette am also in the process of moving... staying in the same county, just new place. Have not moved in over 30 years and it is a process that is ever changing. Have technically moved, but am still sorting and trying to clear out the old house so that it can go on the market. Am just attacking it one box at a time. Have put out bales at the new house (see how carefully I got back on topic!) and have actually planted most of them. Much smaller amount (as you said... so many things to do and so little time) but hopefully they will be successful.
Another view of the second row. Not as tidy as last year but I used last years bales from my hay man that he gave me for free.
nini when do you plan on putting your house on the market? My sister who is in real estate is trying to tell me to get it on by the first of June. Now, I am realistic, that is just not going to happen.
But, if we don't we are missing the best market. People like to get settled before the kids get into school. I guess.
edited to add: You did get right back on topic, didn't you.
This message was edited May 6, 2011 7:57 AM
Well...... I don't think I would make your sister happy either. The agent wanted it on the market by the end of April to catch the spring interest.... Guess I missed that one..... If I make June 1 I will be surprised. (I am also being realistic) But I must say, sooner rather than later is better... I will keep my fingers crossed that we both are close to that date. But back to the thread... Because of the move, I do not have any of my raised beds to plant in. (still trying to get those moved) and for the first time I have tried seeding green beans (bush and climbing) melons and okra on top of some of the bales in some topsoil. They haven't started to come up, but I am hoping this will work as I totally missed planting my spring garden due to the move and really don't want to miss the largest part of the summer garden. Wish me luck... Will post pictures when they begin to come up.
Got most of my plants in my bales - all but the tomatoes. I'm going to let them get a little bigger/sturdier and wait 'til the nights are a little warmer. Not sure how many of my pea plants are going to survive- they grew so much and untangling them to plant them didn't make them happy . . . but at least it's well underway. Feels good.
Wishing all of my 'mother Earth' friends an abundant and happy Mother's Day!
Suz
nini, I've done green beans and melons very successfully in bales, so you should be fine. They seemed quite happy. I've got cantaloupes this year, so we'll see. I'm not quite sure where they are, though. I bought both cantaloupes and cukes already started, and when I went to plant them both kinds were simply marked "C". They look pretty much alike, still....
*G*
Well, I couldn't find anything but peppermint and rather than hate it, the ants seem to really like it. Darn!! So, I ended up sprinkling Ortho ant killer along the side of the bales. I didn't get it near where the tomatoes will be. I am sure the ants will carry some of it in that area, but minuscule so shouldn't be too bad. Hope it works.
Thanks for the advice on the beans, but like you I am also having a moment of confusion with my bales. I know in which ones I planted the beans, but unfortunately I cannot remember which ones are the bush beans and which ones are the climbers. I guess I will figure it out when they really get growing. Happy mother's day everyone, I plan to spend mine working on plants in my garden....
Happy Mother's Day to all you moms!!
That was sweet . Thank you .
Ah...Thank you, Kent!!! Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms here :)
Jeanette, you bet I am excited lol. Got the bales all planted. We let the bales break down on their own. Are yours ready? Now I can't wait to eat some yummy tomatoes and do a little canning. I am hoping by the end of the season I don't want to look at another tomato til next year lol
Connie
I am trying to get the ants out of 2 of my bales Connie. Then I might be ready to plant. I am in between being excited and duh. House hunting so don't know if I will be here to enjoy any tomatoes I plant. And yet, I have to plant some in case we are still here.
Jnette, can you still move them, or are they too far gone? If you could put one in a wagon, you could take it with you.....
Might be a long pull. I am looking about a hundred miles from here. No, I am still trying to get them to decompose enough to plant in them.
Jnette , If you're looking at 100 miles , what zone will that be ? In what direction ?
We are considered the same zone, but they get warmer about 3 weeks sooner in the spring, and they have a longer growing season in the fall. Would be going South.
We are called (as they are) zone 5, however I buy for zone 4. We are a strange state. The coast, West of the Cascade mountains is zone 8. I am sure it is because of the closeness to the water. Also, the middle of the state is much colder in the winter than we are, and hotter in the summer. Bet they are zone 5.
Yep, understand buying plants for zone 4 instead of 5.
Bu some maps we are on the upper edge of 5 but zone 5 perennials are only for down to -20 It has been as low as -42 right here. zone 4 perennials will say -30. We frequently loose a few to a freeze when there is no snow cover. Now today I just wilted. not many days ago we were 24 degrees, I think that was the first part of last week. Today my thermometer out in direct sun said 101 the one in the shade said 98.
I mowed part of my lawn this morning. and planted 2 more rows of potatoes this afternoon. I didn't need them but they were given to me. I am sure the Gospel mission will appreciate them. We were trying to avoid turning the A/C on just yet but after that bit of work, open windows and fans just wasn't enough. Sooooo the air is on!
I bought a Reliance Peach tree yesterday, needless to say I didn't plant it yet.
I will see what it is like just about dark or wait till early morning. I think tomorrow is supposed to be 75 and by the end of the week down to 62.
I don't recall the heat bothering me this much, even just 10 years ago but certainly not in the 50s as I remember loading an awful lot of hay and straw bales directly behind the baler and Dad only knew one speed, That was as fast as the baler could take it without killing the motor.
Then in 60 I was in Key West FL and still didn't mind the heat and humidity.
Jeepers I think I just figured it out- - - - - - my hair was blond then and now what hair I have has turned gray. Maybe I better start coloring my hair.
Jeanette I hope you don't get home sick for your secluded Paradise, but yeah sometimes a move is for the better. Wish you luck!
Thanks Russ, but still looking. Found a house I really wanted and wouldn't you know they had just accepted an offer on it the day before. Oh well. Yeah, I know, deals fall through, but so far it hasn't. So, will continue looking.
Are you and digger all prepared for your cool trip this summer? Bet you guys are really looking forward to it. Should have a great time.
When do you plan on leaving? And for how long? Did you plant anything other than the potatoes? Tomatoes, or anything? Sweet potatoes?
OK, frustration has set in... Planted my bales with green beans, okra, and melons... The plants were just beginning to break the surface and what should happen, my 70 lb pit bull cross dog (sweet thing that she is) decided that the rotted bales (that had been rotted with blood meal) looked like a great place to rummage with her large nose! :( total destruction of the okra, melons and 50% of the beans... have spent the day replanting and trying to explain to Vegas the error of her way.... Wish me luck, not sure the lesson took......
Yeah, Potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes. I have a few peppers to plant and I have a large Sweet potato that has a bunch of sprouts, I will root them and plant those too. But that will be it this year. I have a bunch of canna roots to set out yet.
I have a little work to do on the camper yet and we are still taking a second look as to use the van or the S10. That $4buck gas scares me. but that will be the only major cost.
The kids think we are nuts for doing this. But If we just stayed home, We would not have that experience and we would always wonder what we missed.
Besides we will meet Digger. and a bunch of her other friends.
Several years ago we took a longer route out to see the kids when they were in Ohio and met several other friends from the water gardens forum on DG and made some swaps. ( water plants ) That was also fun. Our daughter thought we had gotten lost, because we had gone about 40 miles south of the normal route. But then I'm not quite ready to let them run my life. Oh O did I say that?
nini; She looks puzzled. Like what did I do. You left them out there didn't you??
But Mama!! It smelled SOOOO good I had to see what was in there! There's lots of other green things around, and these didn't smell like anything anyone would want to eat.
I sorry......
Vegas
I have no idea how long Russ will stay ,but I plan on being there about a month . When we come back , will stop in Tex for awhile to plan and maybe build my boy a shed house for his new water system .Just because we leave at the end of July , they can stay as long as they want.I need to start getting the little things together and D H needs to get off his duff and get the motorized equiptment checked out .I want to take two dredges with pontoons for both .
Be nice if some D G ers could stop by and visit too .
I just checked the average temp for Buena Vista and the ave high for July is 81.9 and the low is 47.7 so it will be blankets ,coats , and t-shirts .Need a coupla longsleeve shirts 'cause the sun can get hot .