I find it odd that the days have been in the mid to high sixties here,
and the nights about forty, yet the soil on our north facing slope is
sixty. I planted 5 peas to see if they survive temps, and snails. If all
goes well, I'll plant the rest of the peas mid-week. Also I need to prep
the lettuce beds, although the lettuces is far from ready to go outside.

I switched out a non-producing orange tree, for an apricot tree that was
planted in a marginal spot, THEN I looked up orange trees. It said that
oranges may take 3 to 5 years to produce fruit! Mine was/is about 5
years old. I rushed out to the compost heap, and dragged it off, and put
its mangled root system in a large pot with wet soil. I'll watch
closely to see if it puts out any adventitious buds over the next few
months, if not then back on the compost pile it will go.

In the mean time, I'll just pound my head slowly against a wall.

"Though an old man, I am but a young gardener."
- Thomas Jefferson

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

Billy wrote:

I find it odd that the days have been in the mid to high sixties here,
and the nights about forty, yet the soil on our north facing slope is
sixty. I planted 5 peas to see if they survive temps, and snails. If all
goes well, I'll plant the rest of the peas mid-week. Also I need to prep
the lettuce beds, although the lettuces is far from ready to go outside.

I switched out a non-producing orange tree, for an apricot tree that was
planted in a marginal spot, THEN I looked up orange trees. It said that
oranges may take 3 to 5 years to produce fruit! Mine was/is about 5
years old. I rushed out to the compost heap, and dragged it off, and put
its mangled root system in a large pot with wet soil. I'll watch
closely to see if it puts out any adventitious buds over the next few
months, if not then back on the compost pile it will go.

save the wood to chip for grilling/smoke.


In the mean time, I'll just pound my head slowly against a wall.

at least that feels good when you stop...

around here we've had some warmer air/rains
putting the daytime temperatures into the 50s.
today was the first robin and killdeer sightings
of the season while out walking. should have
some spring flowers showing up soon. tomorrow
is forecast warm and rainy again and then we'll
be heading back to more cooler daytime temps
in the mid-30s and nights below freezing for a
bit.

still it is nice to see the end of winter
coming around the bend.

hang in there. if we get a nice day this
week i'll probably stick some peas out and Ma
will be stopping by the greenhouse Monday so
i'll have her ask about the onions.


songbird

On Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:24:38 -0400, songbird
wrote:

Billy wrote:

I find it odd that the days have been in the mid to high sixties here,
and the nights about forty, yet the soil on our north facing slope is
sixty. I planted 5 peas to see if they survive temps, and snails. If all
goes well, I'll plant the rest of the peas mid-week. Also I need to prep
the lettuce beds, although the lettuces is far from ready to go outside.

I switched out a non-producing orange tree, for an apricot tree that was
planted in a marginal spot, THEN I looked up orange trees. It said that
oranges may take 3 to 5 years to produce fruit! Mine was/is about 5
years old. I rushed out to the compost heap, and dragged it off, and put
its mangled root system in a large pot with wet soil. I'll watch
closely to see if it puts out any adventitious buds over the next few
months, if not then back on the compost pile it will go.

save the wood to chip for grilling/smoke.


In the mean time, I'll just pound my head slowly against a wall.

at least that feels good when you stop...

around here we've had some warmer air/rains
putting the daytime temperatures into the 50s.
today was the first robin and killdeer sightings
of the season while out walking. should have
some spring flowers showing up soon. tomorrow
is forecast warm and rainy again and then we'll
be heading back to more cooler daytime temps
in the mid-30s and nights below freezing for a
bit.

still it is nice to see the end of winter
coming around the bend.

hang in there. if we get a nice day this
week i'll probably stick some peas out and Ma
will be stopping by the greenhouse Monday so
i'll have her ask about the onions.


songbird

We are still having freezing temps at night and today it made it to
about 60°F. In the greenhouse onions and spinach got moved to larger
pots yesterday and today. I also started seeds for some lettuce,
herbs and tomatoes.

We are playing "musical planter boxes" here. DH is making new ones
since the old ones are falling apart. Two of the boxes have mostly
perennials. I got one of those moved into one of the new boxes. These
are a little taller than the old ones. Hope he gets them finished
before I need to set out plants.
--
USA
North Carolina Foothills
USDA Zone 7a
To find your extension office
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html

In article ,
The Cook wrote:

On Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:24:38 -0400, songbird
wrote:

Billy wrote:

I find it odd that the days have been in the mid to high sixties here,
and the nights about forty, yet the soil on our north facing slope is
sixty. I planted 5 peas to see if they survive temps, and snails. If all
goes well, I'll plant the rest of the peas mid-week. Also I need to prep
the lettuce beds, although the lettuces is far from ready to go outside.

I switched out a non-producing orange tree, for an apricot tree that was
planted in a marginal spot, THEN I looked up orange trees. It said that
oranges may take 3 to 5 years to produce fruit! Mine was/is about 5
years old. I rushed out to the compost heap, and dragged it off, and put
its mangled root system in a large pot with wet soil. I'll watch
closely to see if it puts out any adventitious buds over the next few
months, if not then back on the compost pile it will go.

save the wood to chip for grilling/smoke.


In the mean time, I'll just pound my head slowly against a wall.

at least that feels good when you stop...

around here we've had some warmer air/rains
putting the daytime temperatures into the 50s.
today was the first robin and killdeer sightings
of the season while out walking. should have
some spring flowers showing up soon. tomorrow
is forecast warm and rainy again and then we'll
be heading back to more cooler daytime temps
in the mid-30s and nights below freezing for a
bit.

still it is nice to see the end of winter
coming around the bend.

hang in there. if we get a nice day this
week i'll probably stick some peas out and Ma
will be stopping by the greenhouse Monday so
i'll have her ask about the onions.


songbird

We are still having freezing temps at night and today it made it to
about 60°F. In the greenhouse onions and spinach got moved to larger
pots yesterday and today. I also started seeds for some lettuce,
herbs and tomatoes.

We are playing "musical planter boxes" here. DH is making new ones
since the old ones are falling apart. Two of the boxes have mostly
perennials. I got one of those moved into one of the new boxes. These
are a little taller than the old ones. Hope he gets them finished
before I need to set out plants.
I'm still surprised at the discrepancy between the average air temp, and
the soil temp. Night temps here in the mid-30s for the last few days,
but the planted peas seem to be OK, so I'll put in more today. They
don't seem to be doing well under the grow light. I may be time to
replaces the bulbs.

I have one more round for my starting plants. The first sweet pepper
seeds I tried were too old, and I'm not sure that they were refrigerated
all this time, so I need to try germinating fresher seeds this time.
Then I need to get the sweet basil, parsley, chervil, and cilantro
started.

Ever try spaghetti squash? Anyone have any opinions as how it compares
to pasta? I have room (I think) for 1 or 2 winter squash. Trying to make
up my mind about which (butternut, acorn, or spaghetti).

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

On Monday, March 11, 2013 4:14:04 PM UTC-4, Billy wrote:
In article ,

The Cook wrote:



On Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:24:38 -0400, songbird

wrote:



Billy wrote:



I find it odd that the days have been in the mid to high sixties here,

and the nights about forty, yet the soil on our north facing slope is

sixty. I planted 5 peas to see if they survive temps, and snails. If all

goes well, I'll plant the rest of the peas mid-week. Also I need to prep

the lettuce beds, although the lettuces is far from ready to go outside.



I switched out a non-producing orange tree, for an apricot tree that was

planted in a marginal spot, THEN I looked up orange trees. It said that

oranges may take 3 to 5 years to produce fruit! Mine was/is about 5

years old. I rushed out to the compost heap, and dragged it off, and put

its mangled root system in a large pot with wet soil. I'll watch

closely to see if it puts out any adventitious buds over the next few

months, if not then back on the compost pile it will go.



save the wood to chip for grilling/smoke.





In the mean time, I'll just pound my head slowly against a wall.



at least that feels good when you stop...



around here we've had some warmer air/rains

putting the daytime temperatures into the 50s.

today was the first robin and killdeer sightings

of the season while out walking. should have

some spring flowers showing up soon. tomorrow

is forecast warm and rainy again and then we'll

be heading back to more cooler daytime temps

in the mid-30s and nights below freezing for a

bit.



still it is nice to see the end of winter

coming around the bend.



hang in there. if we get a nice day this

week i'll probably stick some peas out and Ma

will be stopping by the greenhouse Monday so

i'll have her ask about the onions.





songbird



We are still having freezing temps at night and today it made it to

about 60�F. In the greenhouse onions and spinach got moved to larger

pots yesterday and today. I also started seeds for some lettuce,

herbs and tomatoes.



We are playing "musical planter boxes" here. DH is making new ones

since the old ones are falling apart. Two of the boxes have mostly

perennials. I got one of those moved into one of the new boxes. These

are a little taller than the old ones. Hope he gets them finished

before I need to set out plants.

I'm still surprised at the discrepancy between the average air temp, and

the soil temp. Night temps here in the mid-30s for the last few days,

but the planted peas seem to be OK, so I'll put in more today. They

don't seem to be doing well under the grow light. I may be time to

replaces the bulbs.



I have one more round for my starting plants. The first sweet pepper

seeds I tried were too old, and I'm not sure that they were refrigerated

all this time, so I need to try germinating fresher seeds this time.

Then I need to get the sweet basil, parsley, chervil, and cilantro

started.



Ever try spaghetti squash? Anyone have any opinions as how it compares

to pasta? I have room (I think) for 1 or 2 winter squash. Trying to make

up my mind about which (butternut, acorn, or spaghetti).



--

Welcome to the New America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

or

E Pluribus Unum

Next time vote Green Party

Spagetti squash is a very poor substitute for pasta. It's bland mushy and virtually tasteless. Go with the butternut, it's quite nutrisious and keeps well in storage. I've tried many of the smaller winter squashes and always come back to butternuts.

Steve Peek said:

Spagetti squash is a very poor substitute for pasta. It's bland mushy and
virtually tasteless. Go with the butternut, it's quite nutrisious and keeps well
in storage. I've tried many of the smaller winter squashes and always come
back to butternuts.

I agree; butternut squash is a better choice.

Butternuts (Cucurbita. moschata) are also resistant to squash vine borers while
spaghetti squash (C. pepo) are quite vulnerable.

I've found the 'cheese' types to be more productive for me than the 'necked'
types you more typically see these days. The necked types are very easy to
to process, but the 'cheese' types keep better, so the solution is to grow both
sorts. A list of some of the 'cheese' types I am familiar with follows.

Highly recommended 'Autumn Crown' (F1) available from
several sources, including:
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7827-autumn-crown-f1.aspx

Similar to the above, but larger, 'Long Island Cheese' Heirloom variety
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-7194-lo...nd-cheese.aspx

Highly recommended 'Rumbo'
http://www.jungseed.com/dp.asp?pID=03662&c=138&p=Rumbo+Hybrid+Squash

'Musque de Provence' an heirloom variety VERY similar to 'Rumbo'
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6552-mu...-provence.aspx

'Fairytale' is described by Stokes as C. maxima but actually similar
to 'Rumbo' and 'Musque de Provence' (from the illustration we can
see from the stem it is NOT C. maxima*):
http://www.stokeseeds.com/product.as...CategoryID=122

*I think the confusion is that they are selling it as similar in appearance
to 'Cinderella' AKA 'Rouge vif d'Etampes' squash which IS a C. maxima
squash. C. maxima have rounded, rather corky looking stems.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

Billy wrote:
....
I'm still surprised at the discrepancy between the average air temp, and
the soil temp. Night temps here in the mid-30s for the last few days,
but the planted peas seem to be OK, so I'll put in more today. They
don't seem to be doing well under the grow light. I may be time to
replaces the bulbs.

i won't be planting anything for a while yet.
grow lights do need to be replaced every so often.
do they have LED grow lights yet?

it's been colder here than average temps. today's
forecast is for more rain/snow and the next week looks
like we'll have overnight temperatures in the teenies.
even though i went out yesterday and weeded a little
as it was a sunny day and i wanted to be outside
doing something/anything. i moved a few leaves around
one garden and found frozen ground under the top inch
of leaves. in the raised tulip gardens i could get
some of the weeds scraped. where the tulips are just
now poking above the ground it's a good idea to get
the weeds out before the tulips start growing.


I have one more round for my starting plants. The first sweet pepper
seeds I tried were too old, and I'm not sure that they were refrigerated
all this time, so I need to try germinating fresher seeds this time.
Then I need to get the sweet basil, parsley, chervil, and cilantro
started.

good luck on those.


Ever try spaghetti squash? Anyone have any opinions as how it compares
to pasta? I have room (I think) for 1 or 2 winter squash. Trying to make
up my mind about which (butternut, acorn, or spaghetti).

spaghetti squash is bland enough like zucchini
but zucchini is more productive. i'd put butternut
in instead. acorn is too bland too, especially as
often found in the stores the past dozen years. it
used to be that you could find acorn squash with
yellow-orange centers. now it is often pale yellow
and fairly tasteless.


songbird

In article ,
songbird wrote:
do they have LED grow lights yet?

Yes, in a choice of spectra; 7 different versions on the last vendor I
spent much time looking at, supposedly optimized for different things
(vegetation, flowering, etc). Cost is improving, but still kinda out
there, so I'm still using cool white fluorescents with a bit of low-watt
incandescent added - seems to work as well as overpriced purply "grow
light bulbs" for a lot less money.

Now, if the bulbs cost the same (they don't where I shop) the purply
things (basically lots of red and blue, no green, since plants reflect
green because they don't use it) would be "better", though in my case
the plant starter is also something I look at in the house, so I'm just
as happy to have white light on it for my sake. Aside from "still
expecting rapid improvements in LED efficiency and cost" one reason I
didn't even spring for a test-lamp of the LEDs I was looking at was that
they are really horrifically purply in the name of being efficient for
people outfitting huge greenhouses with supplemental light, and not
caring what it looks like so long as it's what the plants actually use.
I'm not that customer.

Cool white supplies the blue, and incandescents supply red/IR in the
bootleg solution (I didn't come up with it - I read a book which
somewhat predated "grow light bulbs" where they had figured that
solution out.)

spaghetti squash is bland enough like zucchini
but zucchini is more productive. i'd put butternut
in instead. acorn is too bland too, especially as

I'll put in a plug for buttercup here - or 'nut from your list. I like
'cup a bit better. If you want spaghetti, grow durham wheat. Spaghetti
squash, well, just isn't.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Billy wrote:
...
I'm still surprised at the discrepancy between the average air temp, and
the soil temp. Night temps here in the mid-30s for the last few days,
but the planted peas seem to be OK, so I'll put in more today. They
don't seem to be doing well under the grow light. I may be time to
replaces the bulbs.

i won't be planting anything for a while yet.
grow lights do need to be replaced every so often.
do they have LED grow lights yet?

A little pricy. Until I can sell my lettuce for $1000/lb, I think I'll
stay with normal incandescent. If you do grow a lot of indoor lettuce,
grow lights will help reduce the spike in the current used. Pacific Gas
& Electric is installing meters locally that send electric current usage
in real time to their offices. When you open the refrigerator door, and
the light comes on at 2 AM, PG&E knows.


it's been colder here than average temps. today's
forecast is for more rain/snow and the next week looks
like we'll have overnight temperatures in the teenies.
even though i went out yesterday and weeded a little
as it was a sunny day and i wanted to be outside
doing something/anything. i moved a few leaves around
one garden and found frozen ground under the top inch
of leaves. in the raised tulip gardens i could get
some of the weeds scraped. where the tulips are just
now poking above the ground it's a good idea to get
the weeds out before the tulips start growing.


I have one more round for my starting plants. The first sweet pepper
seeds I tried were too old, and I'm not sure that they were refrigerated
all this time, so I need to try germinating fresher seeds this time.
Then I need to get the sweet basil, parsley, chervil, and cilantro
started.

good luck on those.


Ever try spaghetti squash? Anyone have any opinions as how it compares
to pasta? I have room (I think) for 1 or 2 winter squash. Trying to make
up my mind about which (butternut, acorn, or spaghetti).

spaghetti squash is bland enough like zucchini
but zucchini is more productive. i'd put butternut
in instead. acorn is too bland too, especially as
often found in the stores the past dozen years. it
used to be that you could find acorn squash with
yellow-orange centers. now it is often pale yellow
and fairly tasteless.


songbird

Sounds right. I've had good luck with banana squash in the past. Baked
with a little orange juice, yum.

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

In article
,
Ecnerwal wrote:

In article ,
songbird wrote:
do they have LED grow lights yet?

Yes, in a choice of spectra; 7 different versions on the last vendor I
spent much time looking at, supposedly optimized for different things
(vegetation, flowering, etc). Cost is improving, but still kinda out
there, so I'm still using cool white fluorescents with a bit of low-watt
incandescent added - seems to work as well as overpriced purply "grow
light bulbs" for a lot less money.

Now, if the bulbs cost the same (they don't where I shop) the purply
things (basically lots of red and blue, no green, since plants reflect
green because they don't use it) would be "better", though in my case
the plant starter is also something I look at in the house, so I'm just
as happy to have white light on it for my sake. Aside from "still
expecting rapid improvements in LED efficiency and cost" one reason I
didn't even spring for a test-lamp of the LEDs I was looking at was that
they are really horrifically purply in the name of being efficient for
people outfitting huge greenhouses with supplemental light, and not
caring what it looks like so long as it's what the plants actually use.
I'm not that customer.

Cool white supplies the blue, and incandescents supply red/IR in the
bootleg solution (I didn't come up with it - I read a book which
somewhat predated "grow light bulbs" where they had figured that
solution out.)

spaghetti squash is bland enough like zucchini
but zucchini is more productive. i'd put butternut
in instead. acorn is too bland too, especially as

I'll put in a plug for buttercup here - or 'nut from your list. I like
'cup a bit better. If you want spaghetti, grow durham wheat. Spaghetti
squash, well, just isn't.

Thanks for the response. The butternut has it.

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article
,
Ecnerwal wrote:

In article ,
songbird wrote:
do they have LED grow lights yet?

Yes, in a choice of spectra; 7 different versions on the last vendor I
spent much time looking at, supposedly optimized for different things
(vegetation, flowering, etc). Cost is improving, but still kinda out
there, so I'm still using cool white fluorescents with a bit of low-watt
incandescent added - seems to work as well as overpriced purply "grow
light bulbs" for a lot less money.

Now, if the bulbs cost the same (they don't where I shop) the purply
things (basically lots of red and blue, no green, since plants reflect
green because they don't use it) would be "better", though in my case
the plant starter is also something I look at in the house, so I'm just
as happy to have white light on it for my sake. Aside from "still
expecting rapid improvements in LED efficiency and cost" one reason I
didn't even spring for a test-lamp of the LEDs I was looking at was that
they are really horrifically purply in the name of being efficient for
people outfitting huge greenhouses with supplemental light, and not
caring what it looks like so long as it's what the plants actually use.
I'm not that customer.

Cool white supplies the blue, and incandescents supply red/IR in the
bootleg solution (I didn't come up with it - I read a book which
somewhat predated "grow light bulbs" where they had figured that
solution out.)

spaghetti squash is bland enough like zucchini
but zucchini is more productive. i'd put butternut
in instead. acorn is too bland too, especially as

I'll put in a plug for buttercup here - or 'nut from your list. I like
'cup a bit better. If you want spaghetti, grow durham wheat. Spaghetti
squash, well, just isn't.

Thanks for the response. The butternut has it.

Had it. I got another recommendation for buttercup, and it appears to
have a slightly earlier ripening than butternut 90/110.

I ordered from a local supplier

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
http://rareseeds.com/shop/

They also have a very nice on-line catalog.
http://rareseeds.com/
"Click" downloadable.

--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Next time vote Green Party