On 2005-03-07, Susan Hogarth wrote:
wrote:

On 2005-03-07, Susan Hogarth wrote:
Anne Lurie wrote:

...
Hey, I'm planting lettuce tomorrow!

In the ground? What other veggies can be planted now?


Sugar peas, mustard, collards, radish turnips, kale, Irish potaotes,
chard.

Mmm, turnips. I've just started cooking with them and love them. Can they be
sown directly this early, or should I sprout them first?


This time of year you will only get greens. You have to plant late
summer to fall to get the root. The heat here will make them bold and
go to seed before the roots are well formed.

--
Wes Dukes (wdukes.pobox@com) Swap the . and the @ to email me please.

is a garbage address.

Ann,
I keep a large wire "circle" in the middle of my garden, was once a
tomato cage. It's very convenient to just pile stuff in it, I don't
really bother to turn it, the composted stuff just eventually gets fine
enough to come out the bottom between the wire. Every once in a while
I push the whole thing over to spread out the good stuff from the bottom
that hasn't already fallen out and put the uncomposted stuff back into
the hoop. I also have a compost bin made of pallets too, which is no
where near as convenient to use. I put compost from chicken pen in it
and kitchen scraps that the chickens won't eat. Pretty much only put
garden compost in the garden hoop, mostly just a matter of convenience.
Eileen
PS Also do not live in town.

Anne Lurie wrote:
Don,

I must preface this by saying that I live in Wake County, not a town, so
basically, we can "do what ever we want as long as we don't scare the
horses" (to quote Lady Astor or someone, probably about anarchists
protesting in the streets).

Anyway, you might want to experiment with compost "sans container" until you
find the right container. I have one of the smaller tumbler composters --
end over end vs. the thing with the crank. However, what I actually use is
a pile in a corner here and there that I can actually turn over with a
pitchfork. But, as I said, I'm out in the county, so "attractiveness" is
not a concern.

What ever you choose, if the container is designed to be turned, consider
how much you can put into it and still be able to move it!!!

I have some compost in two large wire "circles" that were already here when
I bought my house. Stuff composts just fine there, but *getting it out* is
tricky for me (I'm only 5'4").

Good luck,

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh


"DonS" wrote in message
om...

Hi. My existing compost "bin" has died, and I am in search of something
to
replace it. It was the basic 4 pallets on end, and they have rotted.

I went by Lowe's, HD and Wal-Mart, but none had a compost bin. I thought
I
remember seeing one of the black plastic ones at Lowe's last year, but the
guy there swears they never carried them.

The Town of Cary web site suggests using trash cans. It said to drill
holes in the sides and bottom, and keep covered with the lid. It sounds
like
a good idea, as you could just roll the trash can to mix the contents.

I would appreciate input on what has worked best.

Thanx....don

wrote:

On 2005-03-07, Susan Hogarth wrote:
wrote:

On 2005-03-07, Susan Hogarth wrote:
Anne Lurie wrote:

...
Hey, I'm planting lettuce tomorrow!

In the ground? What other veggies can be planted now?


Sugar peas, mustard, collards, radish turnips, kale, Irish potaotes,
chard.

Mmm, turnips. I've just started cooking with them and love them. Can they
be sown directly this early, or should I sprout them first?


This time of year you will only get greens. You have to plant late
summer to fall to get the root. The heat here will make them bold and
go to seed before the roots are well formed.

Thanks! Didn't realise that.

--
Susan Hogarth
"For it is very clear that in fundamental theory socialism and democracy are
almost if not quite the one and the same. They both rest at bottom on the
absolute right of the community to determine its own destiny and that of
its members." - W. Wilson

"Steve" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jo wrote:

I thought beans and peas were not transplant friendly? Let me know how
it
goes with the transplanting. I would love to give it a try next year.

I guess I was unclear. The peas are sown directly in the garden under a
floating row cover. They don't get transplanted.

--
Steve


Oh thanks Steve.... Still an excellent idea for next year.

Jo

Jo asked

I thought beans and peas were not transplant friendly? Let me know how it
goes with the transplanting. I would love to give it a try next year.

Steve already clarified his post, but I'd like to add my own $.02!

In my mind, there is a difference between "transplants" and "pre-sprouted
seeds" -- admittedly, I can't claim much success with peas at all.
However, I have tried various things like soaking peas overnight and
planting them; soaking peas overnight, then planting them in a thin paper
towel covering, etc.

Also, despite the fact that peas & beans look much alike to us humans, my
understanding is that they are very different in the temperatures they
prefer! I.e., you can theoretically plant peas when it is cold, but beans
like a certain warmth before they will germinate, let alone grow.

Just my opinion! Plus I have to confess that when I said I planned to plant
lettuce on March 7th, I had not been paying enough attention to the weather
forecast! (The seeds might have been fine, but the gardener chickened out!
LOL)

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC

Don,

I realize that some dogs will go after anything, but if you make sure your
compost has only vegetative matter (no meat scraps, no dairy), they should
not be rooting through it. Now, rolling in compost is another matter!

Anne Lurie
NE Raleigh


wrote in message

Thanks for the input and links. I forgot to mention that I have dogs,
so an open mulch pile is not an option for me.

Anne Lurie wrote:

Don,

I realize that some dogs will go after anything, but if you make sure your
compost has only vegetative matter (no meat scraps, no dairy), they should
not be rooting through it. Now, rolling in compost is another matter!

You've never had a beagle, have you? My male beag -prefers- fruits to meat!
He can't be bothered to get his lazy old butt off the couch for a biscuit
(he'll consent to eat it if you deliver it) and just looks mildly
interested if you are eating something meaty, but bite into an apple and he
is there jumping all over you and *trembling* with desire. He can't hear me
calling him at the top of my voice from 3 feet away, but crack a banana off
the bunch in the kitchen and he's there from the living room like a shot!
If I want an apple for breakfast I have to sneak it out of the house to eat
in peace.

In the summer the beags will get into the neighbor's tomatoes and eat them
off the vine. (oops) In the spring we can't walk on campus without a
careful leash because Ed gorges himself on mulberries and tries to eat
underripe peaches.

I have seen my *collie-thing* pick blackberries off the bush! He also picks
pears off the tree, but less to eat than to be helpful, we think, since he
just drops them. I guess the beags have him brainwashed ;-) The male beagle
has to be dragged away from under the apple and pear trees when they are
dropping fruit - he will eat as much as we allow him to.

--
Susan Hogarth |
What's so special about Annabelle?
http://annabelle.big-head-ed.com/

Susan Hogarth wrote:
compost has only vegetative matter (no meat scraps, no dairy), they should

You've never had a beagle, have you? My male beag -prefers- fruits ..
interested if you are eating something meaty, but bite into an apple and he
is there jumping all over you and *trembling* with desire. He can't hear me
calling him at the top of my voice from 3 feet away, but crack a banana off

This is getting a bit off-topic, but I can't resist adding that
one of the three Scotties in my life was insane about oranges.
She could be sound asleep in the back of the house, and if you,
as silently as you possibly could, took an orange out of the
bowl on the table, suddenly she was sitting there, grinning
hungrily. Nobody in that house ever ate a whole orange while
she was alive--she always got her share. :-)


_______________________________________________
Ken Kuzenski AC4RD ken . kuzenski at duke .edu
_______________________________________________
All disclaimers apply, see? www.duke.edu/~kuzen001

"Anne Lurie" wrote in message
...
Jo asked

I thought beans and peas were not transplant friendly? Let me know
how it
goes with the transplanting. I would love to give it a try next
year.

Steve already clarified his post, but I'd like to add my own $.02!

In my mind, there is a difference between "transplants" and
"pre-sprouted
seeds" -- admittedly, I can't claim much success with peas at all.
However, I have tried various things like soaking peas overnight and
planting them; soaking peas overnight, then planting them in a thin
paper
towel covering, etc.

Also, despite the fact that peas & beans look much alike to us humans,
my
understanding is that they are very different in the temperatures they
prefer! I.e., you can theoretically plant peas when it is cold, but
beans
like a certain warmth before they will germinate, let alone grow.

Just my opinion! Plus I have to confess that when I said I planned to
plant
lettuce on March 7th, I had not been paying enough attention to the
weather
forecast! (The seeds might have been fine, but the gardener chickened
out!
LOL)

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


The weather has been very strange. That storm a few days ago had me jump
out of my skin!

Jo

"Susan Hogarth" wrote in message
m...
Anne Lurie wrote:

Don,

I realize that some dogs will go after anything, but if you make sure
your
compost has only vegetative matter (no meat scraps, no dairy), they
should
not be rooting through it. Now, rolling in compost is another matter!

You've never had a beagle, have you? My male beag -prefers- fruits to
meat!
He can't be bothered to get his lazy old butt off the couch for a
biscuit
(he'll consent to eat it if you deliver it) and just looks mildly
interested if you are eating something meaty, but bite into an apple and
he
is there jumping all over you and *trembling* with desire. He can't hear
me
calling him at the top of my voice from 3 feet away, but crack a banana
off
the bunch in the kitchen and he's there from the living room like a
shot!
If I want an apple for breakfast I have to sneak it out of the house to
eat
in peace.

In the summer the beags will get into the neighbor's tomatoes and eat
them
off the vine. (oops) In the spring we can't walk on campus without a
careful leash because Ed gorges himself on mulberries and tries to eat
underripe peaches.

I have seen my *collie-thing* pick blackberries off the bush! He also
picks
pears off the tree, but less to eat than to be helpful, we think, since
he
just drops them. I guess the beags have him brainwashed ;-) The male
beagle
has to be dragged away from under the apple and pear trees when they are
dropping fruit - he will eat as much as we allow him to.

--
Susan Hogarth |
What's so special about Annabelle?
http://annabelle.big-head-ed.com/

My boxers too. They love veggies and fruit. When I make their food for
them I always put extra carrots and green beans in for them. They are
their favorites.
They also go after my vegetarian food.
I had always thought dogs were pure carnivores as well. I have seen dogs
who won't even touch meat.

Jo

Today Dear Abby:

DEAR ABBY: Please alert other dog lovers about something our family learned this week after spending hundreds of dollars at an emergency veterinary clinic: Dogs can become seriously ill or die from eating grapes, raisins, onions and garlic.

Our darling puppy may have permanent kidney damage because, in our ignorance, we left a bowl of grapes on the dinner table. I hope other families will read this and keep their pets safe. Thanks for spreading the word. -- GERMAN SHEPHERD MOM, THORNTON, COLO.


DEAR SHEPHERD MOM: Consider it done ... a "woof" to the wise.


Jo wrote:

"Susan Hogarth" wrote in message
m...
Anne Lurie wrote:

Don,

I realize that some dogs will go after anything, but if you make sure
your
compost has only vegetative matter (no meat scraps, no dairy), they
should
not be rooting through it. Now, rolling in compost is another matter!

You've never had a beagle, have you? My male beag -prefers- fruits to
meat!
He can't be bothered to get his lazy old butt off the couch for a
biscuit
(he'll consent to eat it if you deliver it) and just looks mildly
interested if you are eating something meaty, but bite into an apple and
he
is there jumping all over you and *trembling* with desire. He can't hear
me
calling him at the top of my voice from 3 feet away, but crack a banana
off
the bunch in the kitchen and he's there from the living room like a
shot!
If I want an apple for breakfast I have to sneak it out of the house to
eat
in peace.

In the summer the beags will get into the neighbor's tomatoes and eat
them
off the vine. (oops) In the spring we can't walk on campus without a
careful leash because Ed gorges himself on mulberries and tries to eat
underripe peaches.

I have seen my *collie-thing* pick blackberries off the bush! He also
picks
pears off the tree, but less to eat than to be helpful, we think, since
he
just drops them. I guess the beags have him brainwashed ;-) The male
beagle
has to be dragged away from under the apple and pear trees when they are
dropping fruit - he will eat as much as we allow him to.

--
Susan Hogarth |
What's so special about Annabelle?
http://annabelle.big-head-ed.com/

My boxers too. They love veggies and fruit. When I make their food for
them I always put extra carrots and green beans in for them. They are
their favorites.
They also go after my vegetarian food.
I had always thought dogs were pure carnivores as well. I have seen dogs
who won't even touch meat.

Jo

wrote:

Today Dear Abby:

DEAR ABBY: Please alert other dog lovers about something our family
learned this week after spending hundreds of dollars at an emergency
veterinary clinic: Dogs can become seriously ill or die from eating
grapes, raisins, onions and garlic.

Our darling puppy may have permanent kidney damage because, in our
ignorance, we left a bowl of grapes on the dinner table. I hope other
families will read this and keep their pets safe. Thanks for spreading the
word. -- GERMAN SHEPHERD MOM, THORNTON, COLO.

Thanks. The grapes/raisins thing is a bit overblown in my opinion. Sure, a
small dog might die from eating a pound of grapes - but if you ate the
equivalent amount of grapes *you'd* be in serious trouble too. An
occasional bit of onion or garlic or chocolate won't make a dog keel over
as many people have been taught to fear. Just use noral precautions (which,
with beagles, means leaving NOTHING edible laying in reach).

However, in general most veggies and fruits can be safely given to dogs in
moderation. Dogs are omnivorous like humans, and most enjoy a wide variety
of foods.

Sorry; off-topic!

--
Susan Hogarth |
What's so special about Annabelle?
http://annabelle.big-head-ed.com/