Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I've had damn near zero luck with it, I used to use it and then I'd go right to malathion (neither of which I've used for years now). The only thing I can do with scale is to suffocate it with oil or soap. Can you expand on brand, how much you use per gallon, etc., Lance?
It'd sure make my life easier if I can get it to work for me. :tu

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

My FIL has enough veggies growing for all of us. We'll be tilling our garden and probably just do some perennials. The wife wants some jasmine on our columns. If I had my druthers, I'd put in a trellis and try my hand at some berries. May do the herbs again.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Blackberries or Rasberries, Jason?

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I just look for it in the ingredients of whatever. I use two different types of insecticide so if any buggers survive the one mechanism the other takes them out. Scale require a complete saturation of the plant and soil. Some plants seem to be more prone to attack. Those plants are invited to try to survive outside. ;)
I usually double what the instructions say for ornamentals. I only use Neem and soap on the veggies. Last year I got some weird beetles on the beets that I dusted with Sevin to make them go away. But that was a one time spot occurrence.
There are a lot of frogs and lizards and such in and around the greenhouse, so I take everything out, spray it all outside, clean the greenhouse out really well and put it all back. This is a two day job but seems to work.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I never had a scale problem in PA, but it was because I always sprayed all the fruit trees with dormant oil. I had a couple citrus trees that I grew inside, and when I took them outside they got covered. I fought with them until they ultimately succumbed.
I'll keep your instructions in mind just in case it becomes a problem here.
Thanks, brother!!! :tu

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Weeze and I got the seeds planted last night, finally. We're on our way for real!!! :tu

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Not sure yet. Have to see which grow best in warm weather. Probably raspberries.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Trying to clear out all those onions. I've been giving them away at work. About 50 more left. I can't believe how fast those radishes grow. I've got 3 more packs to stagger over the next few weeks. I've got a pound of ammonium nitrate and I'm betting it will go a long way into growing some awesome lettuce. So far so good on the garden.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I may start next weekend. We still have another round of winter storms coming this week.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I'll have to hold my breath a little next week. General cooling trend, with a possibility of frost one night. Predicted temps keep rising slightly, and frost risk lessened, but still there. And everything will be up and advanced if it happens. I'll just keep an eye on the forecast, and decide how to deal with it, if a frost seems probable.

As it is, everything is up and growing....... Except the cucumbers and squash. Zucchini hill has two plants up, but others are cubes and squash are still MIA. If nothing breaks ground by time possible frost is past, I'll go with some plant sets for these.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Well... I thought I would be alright from pests this year, but I forgot one of the bigger ones. It seems my soybeans have been taken out by a rabbit. Oh well, it only puts me 2 weeks behind schedule. But it does mean I need to put some fencing up now.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

The broccoli I started is hitting the lid in the starting tray already. I guess I need to transplant. Yay. :)

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

:tu

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I still haven't planted anything but I got out there today and worked. I pulled the latest weed crop and added compost to three of the nine boxes. The raspberries are taking over the box they are in so I will move the strawberries and let them have that box to themselves. I'm sure glad they are in a box. Potatoes are coming up in the potato box, of course. We will add more. The artichokes are starting to flower their first crop of the year. Everything in all the different areas around my house is starting to demand attention. The work is ramping up. Ow, my back.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Here's some pictures from this morning. My daughter and I picked a giant bowl of lettuce for supper. It was awesome! The radishes will be ready in another 1.5 weeks. I just planted another plot between the peppers this weekend. Everything is coming along well. The lettuce is really kicking right now. You could probably hear it growing.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050187.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050188.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050191.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050193.jpg

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Hi Jamie! Looks delicious. Is the rebar stuff new this year? I may adapt something like that.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

Rebar is in my blood! My dad managed many construction sites in his career and he has stockpiles of #3 to #11 rebar all shapes and lengths. I use it in my garden and anywhere else I can. It's handy stuff and works great in the garden. It's #3 and 4 and straight, L and U-shaped. Great for securing tomato cages and trellises, too. Plus the rust gives the plants the iron they love. Other plus, it'll last a lifetime. Check around construction sites - they usually have lots of excess and scraps.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

25 days in and the lettuce comes up tomorrow, all but the Romaine. I'll keep a few heads to eat (I've already ate a truckload of leaf pickings) and I'll take the rest to work for several of my employees that I usually dump extra veggies on. I'm really impressed all 45 plants lived and matured. The radishes are maturing and the second crop is coming in. The peppers, cukes, and tomatoes are also doing fine. Trying to think about what I'll plant in place of the lettuce. Probably cherry tomatoes as my wife and kids eat them like candy. Here's a 4/1 picture and here's a few from this evening.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050185.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050233.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050231.jpg

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/P1050232.jpg

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

I'm so late. Now I'm going camping in the Sierras this weekend. I should be planting by May. Not that we've been getting any good growing weather. I'm wondering if I should even bother with tomatoes and squash.

Nice lettuce, Jamie. Do you have a Farmer's Market there? Those tomatoes look like monsters.

Re: Gardeners in the Asylum
 

We do have Farmer's Markets. I've hardly been to any. With my mom/dad's garden and my humble plot, we hardly ever want for fresh veggies. All my over-growth (and my dad's) go to friends, family, and co-workers. It's funny how a bag of lettuce or green beans puts a special smile on someone's face.