Smokefree

Petee, How does Groundhog Day info help me get rid of one? LOL

I saw this huge groundhog mosying toward my garden so now I know what is happening to my plants. How do you get rid of a groundhog in the city? I know there are people who trap skunks. Would they get my groundhog? Does anyone know who would do this and how much it would cost? Thanks

Several of my little Rose of Sharon bushes were covered with those tiny little black bugs a few weeks ago. I got rid of them with my "vile spray" that I mix up with garlic, hot sauce, dawn dishsoap, a beaten egg, and some water. This keeps the groundhog away too. It really seems to be working and i haven't lost any more plants since I began spraying with this.

I didn't use it plain for the transplanting. I mixed it with the soil/compost/manure/Miracle Grow Organic soil combination that I already was using so I could stretch it further (expensive stuff) and still get some of the benefits. The soil from my yard is not so good. when I put it plain into pots it hardens up like concrete. LOL

I did have a little trouble with the wetting last night but the plants are all on my deck and after this rain today I'm sure that that made up for my lack of knowledge on wetting! LOL I swear that the plants I transplanted into it last night looked bigger and fresher already this morning. They were really perky.

Thanks! I want to learn all I can. Brenda

Has anyone used Farfard Canadian Growing Mix #2 for flowers or tomatoes? I asked the owner of a nice greenhouse what he used and this is it. Then I asked where I could buy it and he had it for sale so I splurged and bought a bag. It is very expensive. He charges $30 for a 3.8 cubic foot bag. The bags are huge though and I have been using it all night after work to repot some plants and still have a ton of it left. It's ingredients include: Canadian sphagnum peat moss, Perlite, Vermiculite, Starter nutrients, Wetting agent, and Dolomitic Limestone. I added some relatively cheap mushroom compost and a little aged manure. The dirt and compost that I was using didn't seem to be helping my plants so far.I didn't just put tomatoes in it. I also transplanted some flowers. Do you think things will grow well in it? Can you reuse it next year if you add amendments? I never used soilless mix before. Will it affect the taste of my tomatoes? I don't really care how big my tomatoes get as long as they taste good and I get a lot! LOL

I am trying a lot of different varieties for the first time this year. Before I always just bought "tomato plants" without much thought about the name of them. I was thinking it might be fun to have a "tomato tasting" party with my family this summer and have different types sliced up to serve with a buffet of bacon, miracle whip, lettuce, salt etc. and have a vote! LOL I could even write down comments on shape, attractiveness, size, etc. Of course, they all won't ripen at the same time, but some of them will. We could have hotdogs and stuff for those few in the family who don't love tomatoes as much as the rest of us. Brenda

What do you think is the best tasting just to eat on a sandwich? Or does it matter that much? I never paid much attention to it and I usually just tried to buy healthy looking plants that are fairly cheap but I have been reading opinions on the internet that make it sound so much better to plant heirloom varieties for good flavor. A greenhouse near Brookville is having a half-price sale and there were some nice looking heirlooms so I bought one of each that they had. They had 6-packs too but not heirlooms. I already have planted many other types this year. What kind do you like?

Yea! The putrid concoction that I sprayed on my garden plants lastnight worked and nothing touched them! Maybe I dare to plant more in my garden now instead of on my deck.

I'll admit everything I have is growing very, very slow too. I just now noticed a growth spurt. The few blossoms on my tomatoes are on plants that are small. The rain without a lot of sunshine on some days didn't help. A few days ago I followed Petee's advice that was printed on a slip when I bought some plants from her. I mixed Miracle Grow and Epsom Salts with water for my plants and that is what I think is perking them up. I am not surprised about your potatos. The ones I threw in my compost bin are growing fast and big. LOL

I just started some lettuce, cilantra, and basil in with some of my tomatoes in pots. I hope it isn't too late to start it.

I planted about 8 tomato plants in my garden a few weeks ago and something ate them all. Now I have literally dozens of several different varieties in buckets on my deck. Even have a few blossoms on some and it's looking good. I just planted 3 squash, a white lilac bush (thanks Lavender!), some banana peppers, and a few more tomatoes in the garden (sprayed with repellant and a nasty homemake concoction of hot pepper sauce, garlic, and rotten egg mixed with water) which seems to work on the few that I sprayed it on after the first tomatoes bit the dust in the garden. My blueberry bushes are covered with green berries but I don't see anything going on yet with my apple trees. Hope I get a few apples this year. I only planted them about 2 years ago and last year I did get a few apples but these are little trees so I don't expect too much. Can you put miracle grow or compost on apple trees? I still have green peppers to plant and I want to plant more after I see what the garden pests leave alone. The chocolate mint that I bought at the plant sale is growing like a weed so I set it free of it's contairner and planted it in the garden. I know animals and bugs are supposed to leave mint plants alone but it smells so good and chocolatey that I wonder if something will eat it too now. I love the spring and summer. Now I will have to water all these plants all summer! Lucky I have two rain barrels going or it would cost a fortune.

Well I sprayed all my plants with a mixture of hot sauce, beaten eggs, and garlic. Sprinkled Blood Meal around the edge of the garden. Then I covered them with sheets and pillowcases in case of frost. I can't wait to uncover them this morning (after 8am) to see if I succeeded in keeping them safe. LOL Non-gardeners at work can't understand why I care so much. It's only a few plants. It is not like I have a farm. LOL There is just something so great about picking a tomato out of your own yard and sitting there with a saltshacker....................... Oh yeah, I also planted Marigolds. LOL

I don't have amonia. Would bleach work? I just fed the chipmunks 7 tomato plants last night and I don't want to do that all summer!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 1 egg 1 15 oz can pumpkin 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 5 oz. (1/2 bag) chocolate chips DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pie spice, and cinnamon; gradually mix into the creamed mixture. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Cool on wire racks. I got the recipe from the internet and after reading the suggestions of others who tried it i am printing the recipe the way others recommended using part brown sugar, more pumpkin, etc. because that is the way I tried it and really like it. I didn't add frosting, although I am sure you could. Great cookie and not too sweet.

I made it and it is great. Thanksgiving or Christmas I am going to make some more because it is so yummy and the whole house smells wonderful.

I am going to make some more apple butter only this time adding raisins and walnuts too. Do you think it will seal?

It tastes great! I am so glad you told me how to make it. Brenda

When you can it do you can it in a water bath and for how long? I am making some right now. I just have cortland apples but it smells delicious. Also, after the first hour it had cooked down a lot and I added more apples to fill it. Is that all right do you think? Brenda

If you google roasted roma's you will see an amazing amount of recipes but the basic method is the same for all of them. I peel mine first but some people don't peel at all or roast them for awhile and the skin will then slide right off. Wash as many tomatoes as you want to do. Since I am canning, I put in 2 roaster pans full. Slice the tomatoes in half. Then line them up cut side up in your roaster pan or cookie sheet with sides so the juice doesn't drip into the oven. You can line the pans with parchment paper, spray with Pam, or lightly grease with oil (olive oil is best) First lightly drizzle olive oil on the timatoes if you like. I skip this step. Sprinkle the tomatoes lightly with sugar (to caramelize the tomatoes), garlic powder, salt, italian spice or oregano or basil, or any other spice that you wiould use if you were making sauce. Then you roast them. I leave mine in the oven at mostly 250 degrees for 6 to 8 hours to get the flavor that I want but it is entirely up to you on the temperature and time. I see on google that many people roast at a higher temperature for a shorter time and some do it at 200 degrees for up to 12 hours. After the first few hours I stir them to let them roast evenly. I try to fill the oven with as many pans as possible so I don't waste energy. These are great canned with juice or frozen in small bags to add to pasta dishes or eat plain. I even like them in sandwiches with ricotta cheese. The flavor is unbelievable. And you can roast them this way and then make sauce and can that if you like. It is great. They are done when there is no juice in the pan and the tomatoes are still soft. I go by taste. When they taste good to me they are done. LOL

Heh Steelnut, Get any tomatoes done today? Roma's are great but they are so much work to roast first like I do but I love them that way. Sure don't get many quarts from a bushel though.

Something just as good is listening to those first jars popping on the counter as they cool! And I will hear that sound within a half hour. MMMMMM

Years ago I had one and somehow it died. I have always wanted another and finally found several in Brookville yesterday. I can't wait to watch it grow. I love the fuzzy purple leaves. As soon as I can I am going to get some starters off of it and make some more little plants.