Brown Thumb
Well-Known Member
It went way over your Roof. Better start Running for that pot of Gold.
deluxestogie Grow Log 2015
- Thread starter deluxestogie
- Start date
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Watching the Grass Grow
Compared to my tobacco seedlings, my grass is growing noticeably every day. Aside from a few unfortunate deaths, the seedlings are looking reasonable for 4 week olds.
The Deer Tongue, now 2 months after germination, is still tiny. I have nine of them in 3-1/2" pots. Despite warmth and water and sunlight, they are taking their sweet time.
Bob
Compared to my tobacco seedlings, my grass is growing noticeably every day. Aside from a few unfortunate deaths, the seedlings are looking reasonable for 4 week olds.
The Deer Tongue, now 2 months after germination, is still tiny. I have nine of them in 3-1/2" pots. Despite warmth and water and sunlight, they are taking their sweet time.
Bob
BarG
Founding Member
My wee little tobaccitos are still growing, and have had their first haircut.
After severe storms yesterday, I snapped this photo as soon as it passed.
There must be a pot of gold somewhere near my house. I'll keep looking.
Bob
That pot of gold is everything you already have and hold dear.
Makes me smile.
Bob
My brother gave me a Burnz-O-Matic garden torch as a gift. I gave it a try on several garden beds that still need weeding.
I believe that just cooking the weeds would do the job, but burning them to char is more satisfying. One of the beds had been half weeded by hand, so I will be able to compare weeding vs. immolation.
Nine Deer Tongue transplants went into the garden today.
Bob
I believe that just cooking the weeds would do the job, but burning them to char is more satisfying. One of the beds had been half weeded by hand, so I will be able to compare weeding vs. immolation.
Nine Deer Tongue transplants went into the garden today.
Bob
I have one of those Burnz-O-Matics. Used it once. Me and fire just don't get along. I've caught myself on fire twice and am not looking for a third time. Pure acetic acid sprayed during the heat of the day will kill almost any plant.
rustycase
Well-Known Member
Nice rainbow shot, DS !
I'd loan you one of my metal detectors, but then I'd be worried you might dig up a cannon ball !
Thinking back, immolation didn't accomplish what practitioners hoped it would.
Best,
rc
.
I'd loan you one of my metal detectors, but then I'd be worried you might dig up a cannon ball !
Thinking back, immolation didn't accomplish what practitioners hoped it would.
Best,
rc
.
If your body and the physical world are illusions, then immolation is no different than holding up a protest sign. My weeds are quite real. Now they've truly reached nirvana, and are one with the Universe. My gardens, by contrast, are doomed to the cycle of weed rebirth.
Bob
Bob
Bob, I do believe you just made a potentially high selling teeshirt phrase. Coin in and watch the $$$ roll in.
(sort of like Harvey Ball and his Smiley Face in '63)
Your plants, as per usual are look terrific, and I am once again drooling over them. My biggest issue (I believe) is supplying enough warmth to get that rapid growing you do. Look forward to seeing more from your farm, cheers!
(sort of like Harvey Ball and his Smiley Face in '63)
Your plants, as per usual are look terrific, and I am once again drooling over them. My biggest issue (I believe) is supplying enough warmth to get that rapid growing you do. Look forward to seeing more from your farm, cheers!
rustycase
Well-Known Member
Ahhh
Wisdom
From the hub of the universe
Blacksburg.
rc
Wisdom
From the hub of the universe
Blacksburg.
rc
Effectiveness of My Garden Torch
The charring was fun. Results are mixed.
Small annuals (weeds that germinated this season) are toast. They have one chance to get something going. Probably even a light flaming (a second or less) that causes them to wilt within a few hours spells their doom. They are gone, never to return. This is also true of newly germinated perennials.
Established perennials, on the other hand, have their own "super-PACs" to support their campaign of renewed growth. Last year's dandelions, for example, will have a taproot that extends 8" or more into the soil. Even though the growing crown is fully roasted and charred, the taproot will send out new growth within a week. On the bright side, those persistent roots are not as healthy and rigid as they were before the garden torch, so long as you can get to them within a day or two after the new growth begins to show. It's much easier at that point to dig the root, and pull it out intact, leaving no remnant. Repeat flaming at 5 day intervals, without digging, would probably exhaust the roots' viability after 3 or 4 torch sessions.
Grasses with deep roots are problematic. Within a few days of being totally charred to the ground, their roots sprout new blades. Digging them out is just as difficult as they would be without being torched. This is probably because of their extensive collateral rooting.
Is the garden torch useful? I think that, for driveways and stonework, it would be most useful in eliminating and preventing weeds if used in the spring each year. For garden beds, it is indeed helpful (before planting) in eliminating all the tiny, newly germinated weeds and grasses, and can do the job with just quick flaming, rather than charring.
For established taproot weeds, a quick flaming, performed a few days before digging them, makes for an easier and more thorough removal.
For established grasses, torching is not worth the bother and expense.
For temporary relief of weed hatred, charring their greenery into nothingness can be gratifying, if ineffectual.
The garden torches start at about $35. Small propane canisters cost about $2.50 each, and will last for about 1 hour of therapy.
Bob
The charring was fun. Results are mixed.
Small annuals (weeds that germinated this season) are toast. They have one chance to get something going. Probably even a light flaming (a second or less) that causes them to wilt within a few hours spells their doom. They are gone, never to return. This is also true of newly germinated perennials.
Established perennials, on the other hand, have their own "super-PACs" to support their campaign of renewed growth. Last year's dandelions, for example, will have a taproot that extends 8" or more into the soil. Even though the growing crown is fully roasted and charred, the taproot will send out new growth within a week. On the bright side, those persistent roots are not as healthy and rigid as they were before the garden torch, so long as you can get to them within a day or two after the new growth begins to show. It's much easier at that point to dig the root, and pull it out intact, leaving no remnant. Repeat flaming at 5 day intervals, without digging, would probably exhaust the roots' viability after 3 or 4 torch sessions.
Grasses with deep roots are problematic. Within a few days of being totally charred to the ground, their roots sprout new blades. Digging them out is just as difficult as they would be without being torched. This is probably because of their extensive collateral rooting.
Is the garden torch useful? I think that, for driveways and stonework, it would be most useful in eliminating and preventing weeds if used in the spring each year. For garden beds, it is indeed helpful (before planting) in eliminating all the tiny, newly germinated weeds and grasses, and can do the job with just quick flaming, rather than charring.
For established taproot weeds, a quick flaming, performed a few days before digging them, makes for an easier and more thorough removal.
For established grasses, torching is not worth the bother and expense.
For temporary relief of weed hatred, charring their greenery into nothingness can be gratifying, if ineffectual.
The garden torches start at about $35. Small propane canisters cost about $2.50 each, and will last for about 1 hour of therapy.
Bob
Slowly, the tobacco is being transplanted out to the beds. So far, I've put in Vuelta Abajo, Florida Sumatra, Dutch Ohio and Columbian Garcia.
After transplant, each bed is covered with Agribon-AG15 row cover, to avoid many early bugs and pecking by birds. When the plants lift the row cover enough, I remove it.
Because the Columbian Garcia (a 24' bed of 16 staggered plants) is alongside the house foundation, I pre-treat that bed with Sluggo a week ahead of transplanting, then do not cover it. I've found that a row cover allows the soil surface to remain damp more of the time, and seems to encourage slug predation. As you can see below, I've left the daffodils in place, since their bulbs are right up against the brick. I trim the tops that surround any tobacco transplant, to remove easy access for bugs and slugs.
I'm hoping to have the rest in the ground within a week.
Bob
After transplant, each bed is covered with Agribon-AG15 row cover, to avoid many early bugs and pecking by birds. When the plants lift the row cover enough, I remove it.
Because the Columbian Garcia (a 24' bed of 16 staggered plants) is alongside the house foundation, I pre-treat that bed with Sluggo a week ahead of transplanting, then do not cover it. I've found that a row cover allows the soil surface to remain damp more of the time, and seems to encourage slug predation. As you can see below, I've left the daffodils in place, since their bulbs are right up against the brick. I trim the tops that surround any tobacco transplant, to remove easy access for bugs and slugs.
I'm hoping to have the rest in the ground within a week.
Bob
I've given up on the Agribon row cover for new transplants, at least for this year. The fox kits go out every night and roll on it, drag it, tear it, and otherwise make life difficult for the tender transplants underneath. When the cover is dragged across the bed, the fist-size rocks that anchor its edges seem to end up directly on top of a tobacco plant. Aside from the row cover mayhem, they have trampled at least one or two of each variety. And they've dug up about half of my cucumber seedlings.
I have extras. I also have plenty of cured tobacco. Life is too short to worry about small aggravations. But I can't resist hoping that the little buggers try to bite the blackberry canes. (Maybe they have, and they consider the tobacco dancing a simple tit-for-tat.)
Bob
I have extras. I also have plenty of cured tobacco. Life is too short to worry about small aggravations. But I can't resist hoping that the little buggers try to bite the blackberry canes. (Maybe they have, and they consider the tobacco dancing a simple tit-for-tat.)
Bob
I know what you are going through with your "pet" fox kits. My German Shepherd puppy is into everything. I can't catch him during his mischief so I can't discipline him for the mayhem. I could spank him but he wouldn't know why I was doing it so it would be counterproductive and just confuse the giant dunderhead even further. He's only 11 months old now and already big enough for a saddle.
One of the sly kits that have managed to obliterate my Deer Tongue plants, as well as abuse the tobacco transplants. This is the first time I've been able to move close enough to get a decent photo. The kits (when their fur is dry) are now about the size of house cats.
Bob
Nic
Well-Known Member
One of the sly kits that have managed to obliterate my Deer Tongue plants, as well as abuse the tobacco transplants. This is the first time I've been able to move close enough to get a decent photo. The kits (when their fur is dry) are now about the size of house cats.
Bob
Nice pets you got there Bob!
They have now reached the size when their mother will start turning them away. They will start exploring the world by them self but still return to their litter. If you want them around give them some food and you will have them eating from your hand in no time. If you want them away from the house put out a fish or something for smell and some dogpellets for eating. Start near where they live and move further away and they will start searching for food away from your garden. And yes they will eat about anything, including apples etc. They are easy to trap for another month or so if you want to take that route... Either way, they can be fun creatures to watch.
//Nic
They may be fun to watch but I draw the line when animals start eating/destroying my stuff. I find the best solution is to trap them with a Hav-a Hart trap, then shoot them. It may sound cruel but sometimes man and nature just cannot live together in harmony. I only resort to shooting them as a final option. I have quite a few foxes, coons, possums etc that I share the land with but when they try to eat my chickens it's time for them to meet Mr .22LR.
If they were trying to eat human children, I would kill them. Eat rabbits? Be my guest. Eat mice? Help yourself. Eat rats? Please, have some more. Kill moles? What's not to like?
Tearing up non-vital plantings (that is, I won't perish for lack of them) is not a capital offense in Deluxestogieland. As for the fox and my grapes, the vines are within olfactory range of my neighbor's goats and chickens. The grapes are probably sour, anyway.
Bob
Tearing up non-vital plantings (that is, I won't perish for lack of them) is not a capital offense in Deluxestogieland. As for the fox and my grapes, the vines are within olfactory range of my neighbor's goats and chickens. The grapes are probably sour, anyway.
Bob
My sister-in-law, waiting in a lawn chair to photograph a fox kit.
Bob
Bob
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