Gardening 2024

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Absolutely luv my fresh peaches!! Mine won’t bloom for some time yet.

 

[Cindyd]

Don't know how 2 same pics attached..sorry about that. I thought I trashed one of the pics. Apparently didn't remove.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Be sure to include Medicinal Herbs in your garden this year. Or better yet, create a separate small garden of Medicinal Herbs!

 

[rachaelk]

Agreed. I have diabetes and every medicine they have recommended for me has a long list of terrible side effects and only makes actual health worse. I am in search of healing. In my garden or close by in the wild there are lots of helpful plants....plantain...yarrow...echinace...sochan...stinging nettles....oregano...sage... lavender...mullein...rosemary.... Parsley....purple dead nettle and wild mint..horse tail although im not too sure about what to do with that one... clovers ...cleavers....and so many others. I dry what i can for winter.

 

[GaRp58]

I am in search of healing.

Please take the time to look for the correct type of misteltoe. The berries are poisonous without the proper handling but the leaves can be soaked in spring water for several days and do help many people with their diabetes if it is still not so far as to need lots of insulin.
Doc Henley said something about which one, maybe he will kick in and help you ...

 

[rachaelk]

Thanks for the info....i have heard of using mistle toe but only if you are really experienced

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I’ve spent the day going through seeds. Making a list of what I need to purchase and planting a bunch of starts! Have them in the house under grow lights and sitting on seed warmers. Feel like I should have had some of these started 2 weeks ago. Sigh.

Anyone else have their seeds started yet?

 

[user 7704]

I do other have any started. The only ones that I don't direct sew are tomatoes and peppers.

I am going to do some herbs and try to start Moringa and Stinging Nettle again.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

I’m testing out some seeds to see if they are still viable. Several different types. I put them in small containers with paper towels and some water. Set them under the lights. Does anyone else do this?

Can you tell I’m taking a bit of a break for a few minutes and reading what you guys are saying?

 

[Proud Prepper]

I don't have time to plant a garden. I'm tired.

 

[Cindyd]

We have a variety of things in green house growing from seed from several varieties of tomatoes, spinach, variety of lettuce, peppers (bell and hot), pole beans and several other type beans (which I can't recall names of).

Anyway, have lots of things going now. Will see if they turn out worth harvesting or not this year. So far, most looking good.

Have used grow lights for certain things in the past. I need to get some new grow lights...but really don't need them here for most part. Also, have sprouted some seeds in damp paper towels, most have been successful sprouting roots.

I have great luck with green onion, celery, garlic by simply putting root end to sprout in water in kitchen window and then transferring to soil in pot. Free veggies! True!

 

[DrHenley]

I am going to try to get some fig trees going from cuttings. My sister bought my parents' house and there is a large fig tree in the back yard. I talked her into letting me cut one of the large branches that was being crowded out by two adjacent branches.
I will be trying to get a number of different fruit trees going at BOL2.
And the rest of the branch I have cut up and it will be dried to make fig branch tea. (ancient Chinese secret medicine, LOL)

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

These look so pretty I’m going to buy these seeds and grow them! We love kale salads anyway. Currently have some regular kale growing in the greenhouse. It and some Romaine are about all that is doing well in there at this point. Anyone else ever grown these?

 

[user 7704]

I went to the garden center this morning to get onion seeds. The had 3 different varieties of Long Day and one of short. I asked the lady is she know that in Tennessee, we don't grow long day? She did not.

It does seem that it would be the opposite. People will buy the long day and then wonder why the didn't grow and then they won't try again. Bad marketing,

Then I went to the feed and seed to get chicken feed and the guy said they got in their onion sets. I bought a pound of mixed types because I know they will grow and I haven't had luck with seeds.

In a few weeks I will get potatoes, but the ground needs to be 45 at night.

 

[GaRp58]

Yes, I repaired our little green Shack. 6 ft tall and 3 ft wide and 2 ft deep....don't have any more space or money yet

 

[Proud Prepper]

I moved some top soil to my garden area with my tractor today. Cleaned out the green house.

 

[user 7704]

I'm going to plant some snow peas , onions and greens today. The temp is going to be 70. Great weather to garden cool crops.

 

[user 7704]

my bursa sac is much better since my injection, so I put on my overalls and planted onion seed, onion sets, snow peas, kale, mustard greens, spinach and lettuce.

I planted 75 strawberry bare roots last Fall and so far I see zero coming up. I have grown from bare roots before so I know I did everything correctly. I will be pi $$ed if I wasted my money on these. I didn't get them from my usual stores. I remembered the name started with an H. When I planted them, there was some green on the crowns.

 

[user 7704]

I also planted some cabbage seeds. I've never had luck with cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I planted tomatoes, bell peppers. Cucumbers. Mustard greens. Collared greens. Sweet peppers. Jalapeños. Strawberries

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

Been spending time outdoors myself. Pruned the vineyard one day, then cleaned up the pruning the following day. Been killing the “devils walking stick” trees that are attempting to grow not too far from the vineyard. Those are some nasty trees! Spent yesterday starting to cleanup the greenhouse for spring. Hooked the warming mats up and removed the heater. Hubby had to replace my water faucet as that really cold snap messed it up. Ticks me off because we couldn’t find one like I had. The old one had a cool LED light that turned the water pretty colors. Silly…I know. Have ordered and bought locally more than $200 worth of seeds…just for storage as I have a lot of seeds already. Something keeps telling me to buy more seeds, so I did.

 

[user 7704]

I started some tomatoes and peppers indoors. Probably 50 tomatoes and 10 peppers

 

[user 7704]

Been spending time outdoors myself. Pruned the vineyard one day, then cleaned up the pruning the following day. Been killing the “devils walking stick” trees that are attempting to grow not too far from the vineyard. Those are some nasty trees! Spent yesterday starting to cleanup the greenhouse for spring. Hooked the warming mats up and removed the heater. Hubby had to replace my water faucet as that really cold snap messed it up. Ticks me off because we couldn’t find one like I had. The old one had a cool LED light that turned the water pretty colors. Silly…I know. Have ordered and bought locally more than $200 worth of seeds…just for storage as I have a lot of seeds already. Something keeps telling me to buy more seeds, so I did.

Not familiar with this tree.

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

TEA HERBS, MEDICINAL HERBS, COOKING HERBS!

I’ve decided to expand my herbal garden areas this year to include growing under a few more fruit trees. I started this type of gardening a couple of years ago and I am happy with the results. Here are the herbs I’m adding this year.

Holy Basil - Great for improving health. It goes to the part of the body most needing help. Is beneficial to your energy level too.

Parsley - Even though this is common, I’ve never grown it. It is filled with nutrients.

Cilantro - This is a GREAT heavy metal detoxifier. I rarely use it in food, but will be changing my ways.

Lemon Balm - Good for sleep and stress. Works as a bug spray. Just rub it on you.



What is everyone growing as far as herbs?

 

[DrHenley]

Not familiar with this tree.

There are thickets of them at BOL1. I didn't know what they were called for years. One of our food plots/deer stands is even called the "Thorn Stand" because the stand is right next to a thicket. Most of the time I only saw them in late fall and winter during deer season, when they had no leaves or branches. Just a trunk sticking up out of the ground with spirals of thorns around them. Really freaky looking!

 

[user 7704]

There are thickets of them at BOL1. I didn't know what they were called for years. One of our food plots/deer stands is even called the "Thorn Stand" because the stand is right next to a thicket. Most of the time I only saw them in late fall and winter during deer season, when they had no leaves or branches. Just a trunk sticking up out of the ground with spirals of thorns around them. Really freaky looking!
View attachment 23871

Thanks. Doesn't look familiar

 

[GaRp58]

I cut down a rose-hip bush a few years back and kept the main stem, looks kinda like your devils walking stick, just meaner. I cleaned each end for a easy grip. One hand grip for people and a two-hand grip for use against dogs...just let them bite into it. It is about 30 inches long and almost an inch thick, pretty aggressive. It is standing on the window sill outside as you walk towards the street and about 15 ft. from the front gate.
All the thorns are now long dried and hard a nails....

 

[GeorgiaPeachie]

There are thickets of them at BOL1. I didn't know what they were called for years. One of our food plots/deer stands is even called the "Thorn Stand" because the stand is right next to a thicket. Most of the time I only saw them in late fall and winter during deer season, when they had no leaves or branches. Just a trunk sticking up out of the ground with spirals of thorns around them. Really freaky looking!
View attachment 23871

Nasty and ugly trees. They spread like raspberry and black berry bushes…underground. The only use for them that I am aware of is for toothaches. Use the bark in a tincture. Had a landscaper who is heavy into medicinals tell me the berries and bark can also be used to relieve arthritic pain. Also, the roots can be used as a poultice. I wouldn’t use the berries as they can be toxic at higher quantities.

 

[Cindyd]

For herbs, I have most of just the basics: basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, peppermint, spearmint, cilantro, chamomile, chives. I use all of those except chamomile and the mints, regularly. I like plucking and munching on the mint leaves. Planning to expand more, but haven't started any others yet.

 

[DrHenley]

Nasty and ugly trees. They spread like raspberry and black berry bushes…underground. The only use for them that I am aware of is for toothaches. Use the bark in a tincture. Had a landscaper who is heavy into medicinals tell me the berries and bark can also be used to relieve arthritic pain. Also, the roots can be used as a poultice. I wouldn’t use the berries as they can be toxic at higher quantities.

I found this article very interesting:
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/...nes-inhibit-multidrugresistant-wound-bacteria

During the Civil War, a Union blockade prevented the Confederacy from importing adequate amounts of medicines. In response to the shortage, the Confederacy commissioned botanist Francis Porcher to compile a book on medicinal plants that could be used by battlefield physicians to treat sick or wounded soldiers. The plants featured in Mr. Porcher’s book were native to the southern United States, and some were used in traditional Native American medicine.​

​

For this study, the researchers prepared extracts from three plants described as antiseptics in Mr. Porcher’s book—the bark and galls of white oak (Quercus alba); leaves, root inner bark, and branch bark of tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera); and leaves of devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa). They then tested the effects of the extracts on multidrug-resistant strains of three types of bacteria commonly found in wound infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii.​

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Extracts from white oak inhibited the growth of all three bacteria. Extracts from all three plants inhibited biofilm formation—a process in which bacteria secrete substances that protect them against antibiotics and the immune system—in S. aureus. Extracts from devil’s walking stick also inhibited a signaling process in S. aureus called quorum sensing, which causes the bacteria to start secreting toxins.​

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These results suggest that the historical use of these three plants to treat wounds may actually have been helpful. Substances from the plants might also be useful in modern medicine as treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The researchers who performed the study suggested that it may be worthwhile to investigate other plants recommended as antiseptics in Mr. Porcher’s book. In light of the global spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, it’s important to consider all possible sources of new (and perhaps old) treatments, they said.​