Garden thread

[quote author="Sunshine" date=1245037957]I went to the Starbucks in my local grocery store this morning and they had two 7-10 lb bags of free used coffee grounds. </blockquote>


I understand a couple of pounds of coffee grounds with a few tablespoons of Dawn is the ultimate in hand cleaner if you get greasy working on cars. I use Fast Orange, but hey! Maybe I can get a contact high from the old grounds.
 
Stepping-up.... I always forget with hydranga's what color you get with adding acidic fertilizer. They are like litmus paper... I think if you make the soil more acid they turn blue, and if you leave them alone, they are pink. My mother-in-law has a bush that is half and half, she can only reach half of it with the acidic fetilizer. (She uses camilla food on them) I think you can change their color mid season if you fertilize now.



My tomatoes in the Earth Boxes are doing great. Several days of coastal fog slowed the ripening process, but it's been sunny all weekend, and I have lots of good tasting tomatoes now.
 
If you are unsure of your dirt's history, y<a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-realistbox19-2009sep19,0,3151643.story">ou can have your soil tested.</a>



<blockquote>All dirts are not created equal. Urban dirt in particular has suffered the fallout from human activity, often with higher-than-healthy concentrations of lead, arsenic and other toxic metals that accumulate in the soil and are sucked up by plants. It's an issue of grave importance for the millions of Americans who are food gardening. Soil testing, whether for pH, salinity, texture or heavy metals -- all of which affect how well, or if, a plant will grow -- is a good idea for anyone who intends to eat the bounty of their gardens. Several laboratories offer soil testing for home gardeners, including:



Wallace Laboratories, El Segundo. (310) 615-0116 or www.bettersoils.com. $65 per test.



EarthCo, St. Louis. (314) 994-2167 or www.drgoodearth.com. $20 to $100 per test.</blockquote>


I'm sure No_Vas will have some suggestions for which local residents may wish to do this sooner rather than later. ;-)
 
[quote author="EvaLSeraphim" date=1253489432]I'm sure No_Vas will have some suggestions for which local residents may wish to do this sooner rather than later. ;-)</blockquote>


The Hitching Post II sucks. The real gem in Santa Barbara county is the Hitching Post in Casmalia.



<a href="http://www.hitchingpost1.com/">http://www.hitchingpost1.com/</a>



For the record, I've never eaten there. I've tried five times and been lucky enough to be there when the are closed each time. Call for reservations, or at least to make sure they are open. But what does any of this have to do with soil contamination?



<a href="http://yosemite.epa.gov/r9/sfund/r9sfdocw.nsf/7508188dd3c99a2a8825742600743735/c09ac6f2b42071b188257007005e943f!OpenDocument#descr">Superfund site much?</a>



<blockquote>The Casmalia Resources Superfund Site (Site), formerly the Casmalia Resources Hazardous Waste Management Facility, is an approximately 252-acre, inactive commercial hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facility located in Santa Barbara County, California. This Site is located 10 miles southwest of the City of Santa Maria, 1.2 miles north of the Town of Casmalia, and four miles from the Pacific Ocean.



Site History



Between 1973 and 1989, the Site accepted approximately 5.6 billion pounds of waste into 92 waste management or treatment facilities. These facilities included landfills, ponds, shallow wells, disposal trenches, and hazardous waste treatment units. During its operational history, more than 10,000 businesses and government entities sent commercial hazardous waste to the Site. The waste material accepted at the Site included sludges, pesticides, solvents, acids, metals, caustics, cyanide, and nonliquid polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The facility owners and operators were Casmalia Resources, Hunter Resources and Kenneth H. Hunter, Jr.</blockquote>


If you're trying to garden in your backyard I wouldn't worry about it, but then again, I'm not moving into the Villages of Columbus either.
 
Been shifting the summer garden to winter.... two tomato plants that are still proflific and now have broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, chard and several varieties of lettuce and I'm trying winter tomatos for the first time. The basil I planted in Oct went no where, but new oregano, thyme, chives and parsley are coming along well. Lots of citrus buds giving off a nice aroma too. Haven't seen fava beans at Armstrong yet this year and they were a real winner last season, so may have to trek over to Roger's this weekend to see if they have any. Onions go in next weekend too.



Anyone else still gardening?
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258462843]Are you really? are you going to make beer from them? Can people do that?</blockquote>


Bed, Bath & Beyond sells Mr. Beer home brewing kits.
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258462032]Anyone else still gardening?</blockquote>


I have some winter tomatoes growing at the moment. They seem to be doing pretty well. Still really green, but they should start to change color in few more weeks.



Have you checked out the <a href="http://fullertonarboretum.org/home.php">Fullerton Arboretum</a>? I think it would be worth a road trip for you, especially the tomato and pepper sale they will have next year. Not sure if your schedule would permit, but you are welcome to join *cough* piggyback on our membership discount *cough* us next year when we go.
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258462843]Are you really?</blockquote>


I'm certainly going to try.



<blockquote>are you going to make beer from them?</blockquote>


Is there another reason to grow hops?



<blockquote>Can people do that?</blockquote>


Some people are known grow their own tomatoes and make their own wine, don't they?



O'sheas down off Avery has all the home brewing stuff you can possibly ever use. There's a ton of used stuff on Craiglist and a bunch of resources online. A lot of people burn out on the hobby.



<a href="http://www.osheabrewing.com/">http://www.osheabrewing.com/</a>
 
Count me in as an official taste tester for the No_Vas brew. You gonna make a hoppy beer, or go with something a bit richer? Oh... and where the hell will you put it?
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1258467637]Count me in as an official taste tester for the No_Vas brew. You gonna make a hoppy beer, or go with something a bit richer?</blockquote>


Don't know. Won't be before '10. I'm a little busy over here...



<blockquote>Oh... and where the hell will you put it?</blockquote>


I'm giving up my bathroom shower because it's the most stable temperature controled area I have.
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258462032]



Anyone else still gardening?</blockquote>


I hope to be soon. Not much going on with my 6x9 balcony right now. But there is a big blank slate of backyard awaiting me in Fullerton. :) You know, I wanted to ask you... How does your garden fair with your dog? My daughter wants a puppy. I can just see the puppy destroying the garden and I would go nuts.



Graph, I swear you are the strangest guy. I mean that in good way. Fullerton Arboretum & car racing, finance & art, on on. For ever interest you have, there is a contradictory interest. No putting you in a box, huh? That is a great quality to have.



Anywayz, I love the Fullerton Arboretum. I wanted to get married there but it never materialized..long story.
 
I do love the Fullerton arboretum. Maybe I'll make the trek over this weekend to see if they have fava beans or anything else of interest to finish off the winter garden.



McD, you must be psyched to have your own plot of dirt to play in! Maggie is so well behaved that I haven't had any issues. When we first got her she did run to the back fence to chase squirrels, but only had to tell her twice to stay out of mommy's plants. We had another rescue and fostered one too and both of those girls were reckless in the yard, but I think they both could have been taught to stay out of certain areas. You should be able to train the puppy and as long as he/she has a play area, it should be fine. A barrier can be put around anything that you absolutely don't want touched.



RE home brew.... I've never heard of someone growing the hops themselves. I'm sure it's done all the time, but it just struck me as being an uber cool thing to do. We have a Vermentino vine and a Picpoule blanc vine, but I don't think the soil here will make the grapes worth experimenting with. Hubby may give it a go just for fun. They won't have fruit until next year though. He says when we move up to the Paso house that for sure he's going to have a row of vines and make some plonk.
 
[quote author="Mcdonna1980" date=1258500313]Graph, I swear you are the strangest guy. I mean that in good way. Fullerton Arboretum & car racing, <strong>finance & art</strong>, on on. For ever interest you have, there is a contradictory interest. No putting you in a box, huh? That is a great quality to have.</blockquote>


You forgot the good food/fine wine/cooking part, but I don't know what contradicts that. Yes, ADD makes me box free. Thanks for the compliment.



Funny story about the finance & art part of my life... So when Cayci and I were in Chicago a couple of weeks ago we went to the Chicago Art Institute for the free admission on Thursday night. We were in the modern art section and I hear this raspy older voice say: "That's Gerhard Richter. That's a great piece." I immediately know that voice... that is Sam Zell!



G: Honey! That is Sam Zell. You know... the guy who sold off his real estate holdings at the peak and bought the Tribune and the Chicago Cubs. He is filthy f'ing rich.



C: How do you know that is him?



G: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=958439696&play=1">I recognize his voice from CNBC</a>. And... look at what his wife is wearing.



C: <em>(blinded by the bling bling on her wrist and fingers)</em> OOOHHH.... yeah.



Needless to say, Sam and wife did their best to stay away from us after that. I was tempted to get a picture, and I'm sure he knew that. I guess his purchase of the Tribune wasn't the best financial decision he has ever made, and may explain why he was there on free admission night.
 
[quote author="Mcdonna1980" date=1258500313][quote author="stepping_up" date=1258462032]



Anyone else still gardening?</blockquote>


I hope to be soon. Not much going on with my 6x9 balcony right now. But there is a big blank slate of backyard awaiting me in Fullerton. :) You know, I wanted to ask you... How does your garden fair with your dog? My daughter wants a puppy. I can just see the puppy destroying the garden and I would go nuts.



Graph, I swear you are the strangest guy. I mean that in good way. Fullerton Arboretum & car racing, finance & art, on on. For ever interest you have, there is a contradictory interest. No putting you in a box, huh? That is a great quality to have.



Anywayz, I love the Fullerton Arboretum. I wanted to get married there but it never materialized..long story.</blockquote>
My dad planted a little garden with veggies, basil, strawberries, and fruit trees in the Huntington Beach home I grew up in. I got a pure breed boxer for my 8th birthday and my dad fenced off the garden to make sure the dog didn't have his way with it (just like stepping up did). One thing you'll want to do is bring in some good fertilized soil and put it down on where you want the garden to be (my dad did that and he had some great results). I'll have my dad drop by before you guys go to Costa Rica and he can give you some good ideas on what to plant and when (he knows his stuff as he grew up on a plantation when he was little in Poland).
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258505988]I do love the Fullerton arboretum. Maybe I'll make the trek over this weekend to see if they have fava beans or anything else of interest to finish off the winter garden.



McD, you must be psyched to have your own plot of dirt to play in! Maggie is so well behaved that I haven't had any issues. When we first got her she did run to the back fence to chase squirrels, but only had to tell her twice to stay out of mommy's plants. <strong>We had another rescue and fostered one too </strong>and both of those girls were reckless in the yard, but I think they both could have been taught to stay out of certain areas. You should be able to train the puppy and as long as he/she has a play area, it should be fine. A barrier can be put around anything that you absolutely don't want touched.



RE home brew.... I've never heard of someone growing the hops themselves. I'm sure it's done all the time, but it just struck me as being an uber cool thing to do. We have a Vermentino vine and a Picpoule blanc vine, but I don't think the soil here will make the grapes worth experimenting with. Hubby may give it a go just for fun. They won't have fruit until next year though. He says when we move up to the Paso house that for sure he's going to have a row of vines and make some plonk.</blockquote>


Off topic, but had to give you props for taking in rescues and fostering dogs.
 
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