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Let me rave on about my local extension!So I have this horrid problem with my tomatoes. I have blogged here, and whined there about it.Well I emailed my local extension. I sent him photos. This man hunted and searched for an answer. Contacted Purdue, and spoke to two experts. Showed them my photos.......... Really really went the extra mile. Any time I emailed, he was emailing me back within 24 hours. Every single time. I have never had to contact my local extension. But I am so glad I did. I know someone here recommend that I contact the extension.......thank you. That is the best advice ever~!!!! 08:25 - Thursday, July 10, 2008 - comments {2} - post commentWhat is the best way to dry BasilI have a ton of basil I need to pluck of the bush and dry.What is the best way to dry, and store fresh basil? I will 'assume' that I wash it first, then pat it dry.....but after that? Dunno. I was thinking about smashing it between two pieces of screen, but I don't know what the screen is made of and if that material would leach into my basil, changing it's flavor? You expertise is appreciated!! 08:47 - Monday, July 7, 2008 - comments {2} - post commentMy tomatoes.I think the whole crop is terminal.The 'brown spots" are on the leaves, stems, and fruit. I am sick. Now.........the 'misplaced' tomatoes (the ones that randomly popped up out of the ground from last years left over seeds) are NOT diseased.. I don't know what the disease is. I don't know if I can kill it. I do know this. I will rip up EVERY SINGLE PLANT and return them for my money back!! I saved my receipt!! 08:26 - Monday, July 7, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentThings are looking better............Ok, after a little "N cocktail" and some HEAT..........my basil is looking much much better.The person I emailed at Purdue University said: Basil LOVES heat, and it has been 'cool' in my area........ My white pumpkin plants are huge. My squash and zucchini are getting flowers. My tomatoes have a few pieces of fruit hanging on the vine. So what my garden needed was not more water..........but some N and some HEAT!!! We need to move some of that global warming to zone 5! HA HA 08:26 - Sunday, June 29, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentMy diseased garden in photos...........I am in mourning!!!! This is my funky tomato leaves.......Extension office said: Too much water, and possible bacteria from the dead leaves that I mulched into the soil.  And this is my egg plant. The leaf is YELLOW Again.....extension office said too much water. Dig down 2-3 inches to see how moist THAT soil is......don't base it on the topsoil that is dry and cracked.  This is my basil. It SMELLS WONDERFUL when you pick it but the leaves are YELLOW and have this brown crunchy stuff on it Again, bacteria and too much water.  This is my green peppers....YELLOW leaves, brown spots Too much water. The excess water drains the soil of nitrogen. He told me to give them a 'N' cocktail to boost the soil.  And this is my poor cilantro. It's a brownish rust color and it stinks when you rub your fingers on it. This is the bacteria and too much water......and lack of N. He also said I should NOT have put lime in my garden, as the soil has plenty of alkaline in it. When I soil tested, my tester thing said I was low............but.............I think the leaves I 'imported' into my garden may be the culprit. My gf gave me 8-10 bags of leaves........from untreated trees, falling onto untreated lawn.........but from a total different part of the county. DUH DUH DUH. Live and learn!! H E L P!!!!!! 08:36 - Monday, June 23, 2008 - comments {2} - post commentTomatoes with brown crunchy spots.....and many other questions???Garden WoesIf you can help, I would so appreciate your input! Question 1 My tomatoes have these brown crunchy looking circle spots on the leaves. What can it be? How do I fix it? Question 2 My tomatoes, again, have on their main stems a brown "rotten" looking spot. What is it? Can I fix it? Question 3 My Cilantro is growing out......a rust color. NOT The green it was when I planted it??? What could this be, how do I fix it? Question 4 My Basil has the same looking brown spots.........and the leaves towards the bottom, are yellow? What and how to fix? Question 5 My green peppers leaves towards the ground are turning yellow? IS this a N deficiency? Question 6 My egg plants leaves are turning yellow too? Lest you think I am a total moron.........I have never had this much drama in the garden. I 'fed' the soil, then turned it, waited a full week before I planted. It was so stinking cold, I lost my first round to tomatoes. All 100 of them. (ok, I think 10 lived). I had to replant all of them. I lost my cucumbers, so I just threw seeds in the ground........and the new plants are doing wonderfully. My onions are coming up, slowly but surely. I lost all my carrots.......again.........and I even added 100lbs of sand to the soil!!! ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGG What is going on?? Any help you can throw my way would be greatly appreciated!! 05:53 - Sunday, June 22, 2008 - comments {2} - post commentWhat I do to extend my tomato growing season, and increase production Ok, this is your average joe tomato plant. It's about 10 inches tall. See ALL the dark thick green leaves (with no flowers)???  This is a "sucker". A big, thick, dark green leaf, that has no flowers on it. It sucks the life out of the plant, so I take scissors and snip them off where the stem comes out of the main part of the tomato plant.  This is the same plant. Looks naked. But it's not!  This is my tomato patch.Somewhere between 80-100 tomato plants. I am hoping that I will can enough to last me all winter this year!! I trim my tomatoes once a week. It's amazing how fast the suckers grow, and how much life they drain the life out of the fruit. By removing the thick dark leaves that produce no flowers or fruit, I am redirecting all that nourishment to the fruit!! HTH 02:50 - Tuesday, June 17, 2008 - comments {4} - post commentTo fence or not to fence..........that is the questionI have enough fence (5 foot tall farm fence with the small holes) to fence in my garden.The garden is 36 x36. BUT I am thinking of NOT fencing it in, returning the fence for a refund. What are your pro's and con's of not fencing?? I would love to hear your thoughts. 08:16 - Saturday, June 14, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentGARDEN HELP!!! PLEASE!!!My garden.My basil is turning brown, and shriviling up. My parsley.........ditto. My cilantro..........ditto. My egg plants are puny at best. The leaves have zillions of tiny holes in them. My tomatoes leaves are brownish, with brownish spots on them. Not all my tomaotes, but a lot of them. My pear and apple tree leaves have brownish spots on them, like something is chewing them up? HELP!! I don't know what's going on out there!!! 08:40 - Thursday, June 12, 2008 - comments {4} - post commentDeep breath.....now let it out.....Deep Breath....Ahhhhh Oxygen! My Garden!It is raining, again.It is supposed to clear up later today. Tomorrow the humidity is supposed to slack up. Thank you Lord. My basil, my parsley and my cilantro is turning brown, and yellow. I have brown crunchy spots on some of my tomato leaves. I have brown crunchy spots on my apple and pear tree leaves. My egg plants are pitiful. I don't know how they will survive. My carrots, never sprouted. What is going on? My sunflowers are looking good. My white pumpkins I replanted looking good........Now the rain.........so much rain. But really, since it has been raining like crazy........the plants have GROWN like crazy. My raspberries........the leaves are a little yellowish? What should I do?? I don't want to lose them too!! 07:59 - Tuesday, June 10, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentMy first tomato flowerI have my first flower on my tomato plant!!Squash from last year is popping up thru the soil in my tomato rows. QUESTION: What do you use for tomato stakes? I have 80 plants.......and would love to invest in something I can use over and over and over. Wood stakes are not cheap AND they don't last more than a season..... 07:32 - Monday, June 2, 2008 - comments {5} - post commentMy black thumbEvery single plant I started from seed has croaked.The cucumbers are totally dead, and the eggplants are well on their way to dead. How frustrating. I don't know what I did wrong? Whatever. I will just go out and buy some plants. It's just frustrating that I spent all winter try to grow this inside and this is the thanks I get!!  06:56 - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - comments {3} - post commentNow that's more like it!!!80 Tomato plants inThank you Lowes!! Big boys, Early girls, and some yellow tomatoes. 2 Mr. Stripey's!! Basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, cliantro, parsley. IN! 4 cucumber plants? They are dying, nice. That's ok. They grow quick from seed.......no problem 3, 15 foot rows (about 240 bulbs planted) of onions. 2, 10 foot rows of carrots. 5 egg plants. I still have room?? I am thinking about lettuce.........but dont' know. 08:41 - Thursday, May 22, 2008 - comments {0} - post commentPhotos of the garden and such......... Twice, during construction of this nest, my dh removed what Mrs. Robin started. So.........she waited until night.She built this nest, then promptly laid her eggs. That way my dh could not tear down the nest! These are my garden boots, that I will NOT be using this year......I don't dare move the box of tree stakes either, so I will have to go to Lowes and get more!! This is right on my back stoop where I keep all my garden stuff. When you walk around to the back deck, Mama takes off flying......but each day, she takes off less and less. I think she knows we are not going to bother her or her babies.  Look how pretty blue they are!!I can't wait for the babies to pop up!! I just love the sound of baby birds. It's so precious.  These are my cucumbers. They were the hardiest plants I grew indoors. These are my eggplants, and are my second hardiest plants that I grew indoors. These are my tomato rows. I have surround each plant with a newspaper base, and 8-12 inches of cut grass. This keeps the ground warm, cuts down on the amount of wind that they are exposed too, and is an incredible weed barrier.Seven rows, with 15 plants in each row, for a grand total of 105 plants.  Deep in this dark place is a tomato plant. You can't see it because it is so tiny. I am so afraid I will lose my whole tomato crop.........I dont' want to run out and buy a ton of plants because I am being impatient...........but I don't want to get caught with my pants down either and end up with NO tomatoes to can!!!  These are my 3, fifteen foot rows of onions. I think we threw in 250 bulbs!!!! Again, we put grass inbetween the rows to keep the weeds under control.It is supposed to rain all week this week, so I will put in the peppers, carrots and herbs later today. 09:18 - Monday, May 19, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentI am getting warmer!!!!!Ok.........I am freaking out.I planted 115 tomato plants. The plants, I grew from seed inside. The look like _______. The are tiny tiny, and only have 2 leaves. Most of the leaves are a brownish color, not even green. They WERE green 2 weeks ago, but in the last week.....turned a brownish color. They are only about 2 inches tall and as big around as a pencil lead......... I keep telling myself......they were small last year, I don't use chemicals and that is why they are so small, they grew last year, relax it will be ok..........But I am really concerned. I also don't want to end up with NO tomatoes..........so I am panicking thinking I need to run to buy more and get them in the ground, now.....  This is what my tomatoes looked like LAST YEAR. They lived, they produced, it was wonderful.  See the wee bity little green pants to the far left and the far right?? The wee bity ones with only 2 little leaves??Those are THIS years tomatoes. I think my greenhouse idea was bad................. What do you think? Should I run out and buy 100 plants? Or be patient? 06:53 - Monday, May 19, 2008 - comments {2} - post commentHurts so good...........I will post photos Monday...........So as of this morning, I have 90 tomato plants in. I have about 15 more to go. Then I am done planting tomatoes Next, Onions, carrots, eggplants, and cukes I lost my bell peppers and my herbs, so I will have to go and buy those. Global Warming my butt. It is the middle of May.........and it is 15 degrees cooler than normal.I planted yesterday with a sweatshirt and a jacket on. April here set a record for the coldest April since we have been keeping records. I need some of that Global Warming here in Zone 5 please....... Give me oxygen. 08:13 - Sunday, May 18, 2008 - comments {0} - post commentWoe woe is me...........we really need for the temp to go up and the rain to stop here in Zone 5. I have 30 tomato plants in, and about 100 plants on my kitchen table that are going to DIE if I don't get them in this weekend!!!!They are turning brown and the leaves are dying!!! I will just throw up if I lose all these plants. 07:34 - Friday, May 16, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentWhat's in the garden?7 kinds of tomatoesRopreco Paste (roma) 12-14 plants Amish Paste (roma) 22 plants Wisconsin 55's (beefsteaks) 12-14 plants Sweet Tangerine (orange) 5-6 plants Double Rich (red) 5-6 plants Italian Ice (white cherry) 3-4 plants Amana Orange (orange beefsteak) 4-5 Onions Two, 36 foot rows of onions, grown from bulbs. Peppers Red Bell Peppers 9 plants Green Bells 9 plants Jalapenos 6 plants Habaneros 6 plants Cucumbers Mideast Cukes 4 plants Straight 8's 4 plants Carrots Five 10 foot rows of carrots. Eggplant Black Egg Plant 10 plants Garlic I will plant this in the fall. As of right now I am uncommitted to the kind or flavor of garlic. White Pumpkin I put out 8 plants. Last fall, a little girl at work handed me seeds and asked me to grow them for her!! So we shall see how this turns out!! Lettuce I have 5-6 kinds of lettuce, and I will try my hand at it, again....... HERBS Parsley 5 plants Basil 5 plants Oregano 5 plants Cilantro 5 plants Sage 3 plants Thyme 3 plants Dill 3 plants Raspberries I planted 6 canes. Three were dead, so I had them ship 3 more. I am hoping to see some life today. I planted them so that they get all the eastern sun, and some relief in the evening. That way the fruit doesn't fry on the cane!! Fruit Trees Apple 3 Trees (Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, GrandGala) Pear 2 Trees (Bartlett, Beurre Bosc) All trees are dwarfs, so I should see fruit next year. I am seriously thinking of throwing a couple of peach trees out there too........ FLOWER BEDS We are starting our flower beds on the east side of the house. Eventually, I would like to wrap that bed from the south east corner of the house all the way around to the north west corner of the house. That is approximately 100 feet of flower beds!!! We started on the east side and transplanted some ornamental grass. I planted some sunflowers, forgetmenots, shasta daisys, oriental lilies, poppies. I will also put out 4-5 other kinds of flowers (holly hocks, diathus, etc) that I am growing in the house. 08:02 - Saturday, May 10, 2008 - comments {0} - post commentTut tut, looks like rainIt is predicted that here in Zone 5, it will rain on Mother's Day..........So I will move up my "put the garden in on the 2nd Sunday of May" to tomorrow! I simply, cannot wait!!! 03:06 - Friday, May 9, 2008 - comments {1} - post commentThe weather outside is .................Wet and delicious!It is supposed to rain here for 2-3 days, and I am pretty excited about it! My dh borrowed the neighbors John Deere. This was taken Sunday, May 4th.  This is what the garden looked like before he blasted it with the big mega tiller............  26 x 26 of some weeds. This is the 'dead' tiller. Praise God that our neighbor is not only generous, but trusting!! And this is the after photo.........36 x 36 of tilled up lovin'!!!! I added my lime, my gypsum, and my sand one day after this photo, and my dh took the above tractor and tilled over it one more time.It is wonderfully pulverized!! We will put up the new fence, plant, and load with grass (hopefully) this weekend. If not, we will do it all week next week!!!I can hardly contain myself!!! 09:08 - Thursday, May 8, 2008 - comments {0} - post comment
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Description 1 Timothy 1:15-16 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Home User Profile Archives Friends National RIGHT TO LIFE Holy Days or holidays? Are you Pretending? ONCE SAVED.........ALWAYS SAVED!!!! Recent Entries - FREE CYCLE!! - Isaiah 58........ - Top 5 on my First Love list - 10 Things I will never say to my kids - Choices............Which would you chose? Categories BEING HEALTHY HOME SCHOOL LISTS! OH! THE GARDEN Politically Incorrect & Potentially Offensive :-) THE HOMESTEAD THE KITCHEN WHO IS THIS JESUS? Friends BackyardTreasures Roberta67 NewHarvestHomestead motherearth HandsNHearts homesteadinthemaking borderling smmagers glenda Daisyblend Jonash2004 morningsunshine Cindeerella Pattisea happymama CarolinaWren MommyG oklamouse mdonohue PattyMarie 4byGodsgrace farmgal35 Sweetmama2 HuberHof boellner naturalmama a1health Lorraine GoofyMamma Rhen Chas chimicole jennikl9 Isabella birdlady canadianmom naturemama sonpops melaniedawn 1ladybeale faithfarm short countrylivin Talysa toby0131 GypsyFarmGirl ASimpleLife mamato8 |