I guess it was here. Yep. I am going to try them now and later. Just to see.
Gardening 2022
- Thread starter Robinjopo1
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DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Square beans and a runner or pole?
My guess it is the heirloom Aunt Ada's Italian when you said square beans this is the first that came to mind but truthfully there are thousands of varieties of heirloom beans out there.
It should be a versatile bean as a green snap bean, shell bean or dried soup bean.
Aunt Ada's Italian Bean Seeds 811 · Turtle Tree Seed Initiative
the heirloom pole bean called 'aunt ada's italian'
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
It was over in the preps only personal message but same info. As long as you start your onion seeds early January to early February you should be fine. You and I are in the same zone.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
Giving up.
We're thinking about giving up on the garden and orchard because of pests. We started out getting a good crop this summer. But then the grasshoppers moved in and are stripping a lot of plants, including the asparagus, corn and goose berries. Just as the blackberries and grapes started getting ripe the yellow jackets moved in by the thousands and are eating all of the fruit. They're eating the plums, apples and corn too. We got a total of 1 strawberry this summer, yellow jackets got the rest. I found several nests and have sprayed with wasp and hornet killer, just makes them mad. So I shoot the nest out of the tree with a .22 and stomp on it. I have YJ traps out all over the orchard area. They kill thousands with no noticeable effect. The ducks and chickens are gorging themselves on the grasshoppers, doesn't help. I've never seen grasshoppers like this before. They are everywhere.
Just the other day I found another pest to deal with: tent caterpillars. They weave a web around the branches on a tree and kill the branch.
We get maybe 3/4 inch of rain total for the months of June, July, August, September and October. We need to water every other day for about 8 hours. So far this summer we've gone through about 350 gallons of propane trying to keep the garden alive.
A garden may not be feasible up here. It's much cheaper for us to buy our fruit and produce from the grocery store or farmers markets. We have thousands of $$ invested in the garden/orchard but I'm at a loss of what to do. I can deal with the weather, but these pest are kicking my arse.
We're thinking about giving up on the garden and orchard because of pests. We started out getting a good crop this summer. But then the grasshoppers moved in and are stripping a lot of plants, including the asparagus, corn and goose berries. Just as the blackberries and grapes started getting ripe the yellow jackets moved in by the thousands and are eating all of the fruit. They're eating the plums, apples and corn too. We got a total of 1 strawberry this summer, yellow jackets got the rest. I found several nests and have sprayed with wasp and hornet killer, just makes them mad. So I shoot the nest out of the tree with a .22 and stomp on it. I have YJ traps out all over the orchard area. They kill thousands with no noticeable effect. The ducks and chickens are gorging themselves on the grasshoppers, doesn't help. I've never seen grasshoppers like this before. They are everywhere.
Just the other day I found another pest to deal with: tent caterpillars. They weave a web around the branches on a tree and kill the branch.
We get maybe 3/4 inch of rain total for the months of June, July, August, September and October. We need to water every other day for about 8 hours. So far this summer we've gone through about 350 gallons of propane trying to keep the garden alive.
A garden may not be feasible up here. It's much cheaper for us to buy our fruit and produce from the grocery store or farmers markets. We have thousands of $$ invested in the garden/orchard but I'm at a loss of what to do. I can deal with the weather, but these pest are kicking my arse.
Maybe next year it will be different AD. I have had more tiny grasshoppers this year too. Had to plant beans 3 separate times and am finally canning a few jars. I guess any amount helps. I don't have to spend 350 gallons of propane though.
Next Spring, we will have a new weather patterns and hopefully the pests will not have survived the winter.
Next Spring, we will have a new weather patterns and hopefully the pests will not have survived the winter.
You guys are in 6b right? I’m in 7a. Only a tad bit warmer in winter…normally that is.
Some years are simply hell on gardens. This is one of those years for you. Don’t give up. Try different modes of growing. A greenhouse or hoop house would solve a lot of pest problems and allow you to grow in fall and early spring.
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
Just fyi bacillus thuringiensis (bt) works great on tent caterpillars. Per wikipedia it is a gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, the most commonly used biological pesticide worldwide. Works great on most caterpillars with little residual effect. It is even approved for use on organic fruits and vegetables.
My husband grew up on the prairies of the midwest. His Dad lived through the Dust Bowl and Depression. He used to tell stories about huge swarms of grasshoppers. He said they were so bad if you left your hoe out in the field the grasshoppers would eat the handles out of them. Even eat at the fence posts.
I think we all have those type of gardening years from time to time. It has been a bad gardening year for many in the U.S. Gardening is definitely not for the faint of heart.
I am 7a. DD is 6 because of her higher elevation.
Looks like more rain in a few minutes. Lots of thunder. The radar looks as though it will last a while.
Arcticdude
Top Poster
I did some research today while in town. I found a product called Onslought. You mix it with either meat or fruit juice and the yellow jackets will take it back to their nest and it kills the entire colony. In the early spring and summer the yellow jackets feed mostly on meat, late summer/fall they feed on fruit juice. Right now its on back order.
Dealing with the weather isn't a real problem, we can work around it by the methods mentioned above. It's the vermin that is more difficult to handle, with grasshoppers, yellow jackets, voles, gophers, chipmunks, squirrels and rabbits being on top of the list. Not sure if there's anything that can be done with the grasshoppers. They're about 4" long right now. I shoot, trap and poison the rodents.
Our growing season is so short that there are very few things that we can replant in case of a failure. We're supposed to be down in the lower 40's later this week, so we'll be covering the tomatoes and peppers. Next year I'll build some cold frames so we can start planting earlier in the spring. The wife has a greenhouse ($6000) on order that won't be delivered until next spring. I'll also put in an irrigation system, more raised beds and terraces to make watering easier and should save on water too. The garden is on a slope so the water tends to run off.
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AD it’s been a tough year around here with insects. Drought has driven them up here. All relative, cause the game animals are here too.
I talked with a neighbor yesterday. He couldn’t get over how my property is such a game crossroads. He is a mile up and would be happy to see a tenth of what he sees on mine. All he sees are hogs. I don’t see hogs.
I talked with a neighbor yesterday. He couldn’t get over how my property is such a game crossroads. He is a mile up and would be happy to see a tenth of what he sees on mine. All he sees are hogs. I don’t see hogs.
You have a solid plan to correct many issues. Don’t be too discouraged as next year will be a different time and you might just get some bumper crops! Cold frames are a fantastic option!!!
I always save my tomato seeds by putting in water until they ferment, etc. Just saw a video by Doug and Stacy where she sliced tomatoes and put them on top of a pot of soIL and then just put them in a crawl space for the winter. Doesn't touch them until Spring,then start to water until they sprout.
This is like when I drop one of those little yellow tomatoes and they come back the next year. Or when the chickens poop seeds and they grow. I am definitely going to try this, but am worried about mice in the crawl space. Maybe I could cover them and leave in the garage now that I can actually move around in it.
She learned this from the Amish.
This is like when I drop one of those little yellow tomatoes and they come back the next year. Or when the chickens poop seeds and they grow. I am definitely going to try this, but am worried about mice in the crawl space. Maybe I could cover them and leave in the garage now that I can actually move around in it.
She learned this from the Amish.
Sounds like I need to watch that video! Doug and Stacy are definitely not ones to doubt as they have supported themselves off grid for 13 years!
They have really good videos. This is much easier method than the fermenting, drying, etc.
DirtDiva
A True Doomsday Prepper
GP I agree with you cold frames are a great option and less expensive than a greenhouse especially if you have less room.
We had a terrible problem with ground squirrels this year. We have never had this problem before. My husband put smoke bombs in their runs which seemed to work well. My husband says road flares work too.
We put out bait made up of oatmeal and plaster of paris for rodents. They eat the oatmeal/plaster mixture and it hardens in their stomachs/intestines and they die. We put it in coffee cans with the lid on turned on their sides with a hole cut in the top. If other animals or birds of prey eat on the dead mice/rats/rodents it won't kill them. Cheap and effective.
We had a terrible problem with ground squirrels this year. We have never had this problem before. My husband put smoke bombs in their runs which seemed to work well. My husband says road flares work too.
We put out bait made up of oatmeal and plaster of paris for rodents. They eat the oatmeal/plaster mixture and it hardens in their stomachs/intestines and they die. We put it in coffee cans with the lid on turned on their sides with a hole cut in the top. If other animals or birds of prey eat on the dead mice/rats/rodents it won't kill them. Cheap and effective.
I have an 12" elderberry bush in a one gallon pot. Should I leave it until Spring or plant now. (Sept. 8) zone 7a. I have been reading and watching videos, but of course, each says something different.
