Anyone into gardening here?

[Joe Bass]

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So this is how I cut the kale

Also, my garden is going nuts. As are the weeds. Trying to weed a little each day. I hate that part.

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[shanekingsley]

As some may recall, we got rid of the Mulberry tree last year after the family of racoons were visiting it nightly. My wife was freaked out.
This year she didn't like the lack of privacy, so we added a birch, that will hopefully grow well and add some privacy and much needed shade.
Also added 3 black cedars on the opposite side of the yard. The cedars are doing well, but the birch has had some leaves turn yellow and fall off.
My buddy that planted them said to give it a good soak 3x per week.
How does it look to you guys?
Watering suggestions?
Every other tree we've ever planted survived on some watering for first couple of weeks and then rainfall.
This was planted ~two weeks ago.
(Pic was yesterday)

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Joe: most birch trees like water, but a deep soak every 3 days does sound like overkill though, unless you have very free draining soil (sandy). I agree with Robbo.

Usually a good way to water in a tree is to have a saucer of soil made to trap the water (about 2-3ft diameter) and then mulch on top of that. Then put your garden hose on a slow trickle and let it completely saturate the ground over several hours. Then water about 2x per week based on rain, heat and wind patterns. Knowing what species of birch it is will help you know exactly the environment it thrives in.

 

[shanekingsley]

Looks like its going to be a bad year for powdery mildew in the garden I'm seeing mold damage on a lot of the wildflowers already usually this does not show up till much later in the season.
Might be wise to stock up on PM treatment product early this year.

Which wildflowers?
Some like monarda are easily prone to excessive mildew.
I hope that my bud doesn't get it. Nothing worse than big mouldy buds!

 

[shanekingsley]

So this is how I cut the kale

Also, my garden is going nuts. As are the weeds. Trying to weed a little each day. I hate that part.

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There is a tool called a stirrup hoe that you can buy at ctire or homedepot. Makes weeding between rows of plants like your garden very fast and easy. Cut your kale by just cutting the mature leaves and you can harvest one plant for most of the season. Have 5-10 plants harvested this way and you are eating kale for 6 months solid.

 

[Mad Mike]

...Cut your kale by just cutting the mature leaves and you can harvest one plant for most of the season. Have 5-10 plants harvested this way and you are eating kale for 6 months solid.

i have a few kale varieties this year, my perennial crop started giving early may and it’s bolted, will come back in the fall. The kale seedlings I planted May 15 were good the first week of June and are producing like mad right now. I harvest them daily by pulling mature leaves. Enjoying the dinosaur kale.

I cut my bok Choi at the ground, first crop finished June 15, it regrows twice each summer so I’ll have next crop in a few weeks.

Everything is bumper this year except my celery.

 

[jc100]

Looks like its going to be a bad year for powdery mildew in the garden I'm seeing mold damage on a lot of the wildflowers already usually this does not show up till much later in the season.
Might be wise to stock up on PM treatment product early this year.

I've got a flea beetle problem but dusted with diatomaceous earth so hopefully headed that off. Don’t see a mildew problem as it’s been so hot and not really that wet so far here. The growbags I’m using have prevented splashes from the soil too which used to give me some issues before. Great salad crop yields so far. I have some chilli peppers at about 4 inches long. Some green toms already and no sign of blossom end rot. Lots of spinach, cucumbers setting fruit nicely and some small zucchini on the way.

 

[Joe Bass]

@shanekingsley this is the one.

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[shanekingsley]

Hey Joe,

One of the better sites I would recommend is: Betula platyphylla 'Fargo' DAKOTA PINNACLE - Plant Finder
I find their information just right - not too technical, but with enough detail that anyone can follow their guidelines for a variety of plants. They may have some botanical terms there that you may not be familiar with, but there's enough easy language there for everyone to understand.

That's an interesting type of Birch tree. It's mature growth form and habit make it a really good tree size/shape for urban properties or smaller planting locations. If you should ever plant another birch tree, consider the river birch as well, which has really interesting darker coloured bark than the white birches.

All that said, this type of birch likes wet soils. If you are having a bit of leaf yellowing or dieback right now, and you just planted it, my guess is that it's going to take a little bit of time to get established in it's new home. The intense summer heat waves that we have been having on and off and possibly afternoon sun in that location will accelerate the level of shock for the short term, but if you just give it a bit of extra care during any upcoming heatwaves, it should weather that transition and adjust well.

Just be mindful that even after being established, it will still prefer wet soils especially as the temperatures rise. Maybe not 3x per week wet, but likely 2x per week for our general climate. Based on what I'm reading, it seems this tree would be slightly better suited north of Barrie, but doesn't mean it can't thrive in your spot. The fall colours on it and winter bark look really nice!

 

[r3r3r3]

https://imgur.com/a/bd0aOvb

I converted/upgraded this 10'x10' to a hugulkultur in the fall.. Guess the plants are happy with it. That's 5 tomato plants and 4 zucchinis... So long for the row of peppers between them

 

[Green Meenie]

I never had any luck with birch trees. Planted 3 over the years and they all eventually died. I used to see mine turn yellow during very dry, hot periods. Watered them pretty regularly but not overly so. Still, it was off to the morgue within 2-3 years. Think one lasted maybe 4 or 5? Good luck!
Best tree I ever had was an Oak that I picked in the woods as a tiny seedling. Planted it without much expectation but it turned into the most beautiful, robust tree I had ever seen. The wife & I hated to leave it when we moved ☹

 

[Amazon]

I need a motion activated flame thrower system around my garden for squirells or a catapult to launch them away. Came out this morning to a giant hole dug out and all my tulips gone as well as my pumpkin plant which was growing quite well ripped up and dead. Last week they ate all my tiny strawberries that were still yellow/white and my sunflowers. I have planted 7 sunflower sapling (as they dig the seeds out asap) and they have eaten those as well, and they're just boring green sticks at that point. They also got into my raised bed and ate my potatoes and keep digging up the asparagus roots, though those are thankfully growing like crazy still.

Anywho. This gardening thing is pissing me off.

 

[shanekingsley]

Have you tried using cayenne pepper yet?

I remember a few years ago I grew some giant sunflowers and just as the flowers were reaching peak size the squirrels came and would jump from the fence or off the top of the compost bin and land on the flower heads. In two days or so all the flower heads were broken leaving me with green stalks.

I don't do then sunflowers any more, but if they come back they are getting the pepper.

Last resort for you could be to use a finer chicken wire and build a cage.

 

[jc100]

Land mines

 

[jc100]

Last couple of days it’s been a bit too humid to ride and so I got to working on something I’ve been putting off for years. We have two big raised beds at the end of the garden and left room for the third. Thing is after the first two I remembered moving the soil for them and vowed “never again”. These things take 2.5 cubic yards of soil each and shifting that from the driveway to the back of the garden takes a full day (for me) even with a big wheelbarrow.

Anyway...all done, took me half a day to get the lumber and build the beds with Lee Valley stacking corner brackets. Ordered the soil, got it delivered in 5 mins this morning (took me by surprise) and set to work.

 

[shanekingsley]

Those are nice and simple raised beds and a good size too. I've long thought about building raised beds for my veggie garden. I don't grow much in the way of root crops and would totally grow more if I had raised beds. Also the weeding would be much faster. I like those Lee Valley Brackets too. Did you use cedar for them?
I think I would want curved raised beds for my backyard.

My hibiscus plants were recently moved from a somewhat shady spot to a full sun spot and are now blooming like crazy.
The one on the right has 9 flowers on it.

An interesting thing is happening on my Eastern Redbud tree. The leaves are being harvested by leaf cutter bees, who are now using these leaves for their nest making, which is something typically reserved for a true native species. The Redbuds aren't truly native to our region, but are pretty much naturalized now and so this phenomena is something that was investigated by PhD students at UofT as an example of insect adaption to climate change.

home | citsci

urbanredbud.wixsite.com

 

[jc100]

Those are nice and simple raised beds and a good size too. I've long thought about building raised beds for my veggie garden. I don't grow much in the way of root crops and would totally grow more if I had raised beds. Also the weeding would be much faster. I like those Lee Valley Brackets too. Did you use cedar for them?
I think I would want curved raised beds for my backyard.

My hibiscus plants were recently moved from a somewhat shady spot to a full sun spot and are now blooming like crazy.
The one on the right has 9 flowers on it.

An interesting thing is happening on my Eastern Redbud tree. The leaves are being harvested by leaf cutter bees, who are now using these leaves for their nest making, which is something typically reserved for a true native species. The Redbuds aren't truly native to our region, but are pretty much naturalized now and so this phenomena is something that was investigated by PhD students at UofT as an example of insect adaption to climate change.

home | citsci

urbanredbud.wixsite.com

I just used 1x8x12 lumber cut so I get an 8ft and a 4ft side from each board. 24” deep which keeps rabbits out. It’s the newer pressure treated (environmentally friendly) stuff so not as bad as the old stuff but I still line the beds with two layers of plastic weed barrier then another layer or so of fabric weed barrier. The middle of the beds is braced using joist hangers and some 2x4s to stop the beds bowing in the middle. One of my older beds looks like it’s had the joist hanger broken free though so I’ll need to rectify that. The 1x8 lumber isn’t a common size but I’ve managed to get it at Home Depot when I need it. You can use 2x8 if you chamfer the edges!?

We put cardboard at the bottom then layers of landscape fabric, then a load of grass clippings and leaf cuttings from the garden. 2.5 cubic yards (just short actually) of triple mix with our own compost about 3” under the surface. Sprinkled the top with Miracle Grow solid fertilizer granules (I used to use blood and bone mix but the dogs found that pretty attractive) and levelled with a fence board ready for seed sowing.

Can highly recommend the brackets from Lee Valley. When the boards start to rot just unscrew one and replace the board. My other beds have been there for years and the brackets still look like new. These beds replaced ones built by the previous owners from rail ties....they rotted and we literally had to do a demolition job on them. The brackets save all that hassle.

Edit: pretty sure you could do curved beds with them as the brackets are hinged with no restrictions. You'll need to precurve the lumber and get creative with some stays and stakes.

 

[jc100]

Those are nice and simple raised beds and a good size too. I've long thought about building raised beds for my veggie garden. I don't grow much in the way of root crops and would totally grow more if I had raised beds. Also the weeding would be much faster. I like those Lee Valley Brackets too. Did you use cedar for them?
I think I would want curved raised beds for my backyard.

My hibiscus plants were recently moved from a somewhat shady spot to a full sun spot and are now blooming like crazy.
The one on the right has 9 flowers on it.

An interesting thing is happening on my Eastern Redbud tree. The leaves are being harvested by leaf cutter bees, who are now using these leaves for their nest making, which is something typically reserved for a true native species. The Redbuds aren't truly native to our region, but are pretty much naturalized now and so this phenomena is something that was investigated by PhD students at UofT as an example of insect adaption to climate change.

home | citsci

urbanredbud.wixsite.com

How do you get your hibiscus to flower? Mine only have a few buds right now. Also having an issue with a mandevilla vine that’s growing like crazy but no flowers yet.

I have a nice yucca with a 4ft flower spike right now though. Jasmine is about to flower. Bougainvillea is growing well but not flowering yet either, I read it needs to be “abused” to get it to flower so I’m holding off the water for a bit.

 

[shanekingsley]

To get the hibiscus to flower we use a fertilizer with medium nitrogen, low phosphorus and high potassium. The one we are using now is a granular, slow release Miracle Gro 10-5-15. The plants should be in full sun and should always be watered well, since they are thirsty. They were transplanted into larger pots immediately upon buying them and so there is lots of room for roots to grow. The soil I used to transplant them into was recycled potting soil from last years plants, with a bit of compost and earthworm castings mixed in.

Mandevilla on the other hand do need a high P fertilizer. There could be a number of reasons why your are not flowering, so read this for some good info and maybe you spot something you can improve upon. StackPath

Thanks for the detailed info on your raised beds!

 

[jdmsteR]

My hibiscus plants were recently moved from a somewhat shady spot to a full sun spot and are now blooming like crazy.
The one on the right has 9 flowers on it.

Those 3 on the right are vegging along quite nicely ?

 

[Mad Mike]

a row protein converters in my yard. No more lettuce or strawberries, had to tie up the black and raspberry brambles.

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