neural
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2019
Posts: 114
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Post by neural on Jul 12, 2022 9:16:10 GMT -5
I know, I know. Rock forum is a strange place for gardening questions, but.. I'm a bit lost, and while there are a lot of videos on youtube, I'm struggling to find one that answers my questions in a way that I manage to understand and be able to apply. I've got garlic growing. After the year I've had with garden related things, this in and of itself is a miracle. Where I'm panicked at this point is that I really have zero understanding of how to gauge how much water to use and how often. Especially since out of the 5 I have, 1 has a huge head start (about 6" tall now while the others are barely over an inch). I'm more of a hydroponics person, where..well..it's kinda hard to *overwater* hydroponics, but the garlic is outside in a planter box I made. I don't mind advice on Garlic specifically, but would love some general experience/advice on best watering practices for plants and vegetables, especially when you have different growth rates etc. Weatherwise, I live in Arizona, zone 7b, so it gets about 95F or so in the daytime currently. Planter box is a custom built raised box with drainage at the bottom. Thanks! Hope you all are having a great summer.
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jimmie
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2021
Posts: 233
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Post by jimmie on Jul 12, 2022 9:57:24 GMT -5
All my garden is on drip irrigation from Drip Depot. Has a main line with on/off for each line.I put it on for a little while in the morning, works great. Sprinklers cause trouble with mold etc.
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victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,982
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Post by victor1941 on Jul 12, 2022 10:13:31 GMT -5
Neural, you have probably come to the right place for gardening questions and answers from actual gardeners that are not trying to sell you something. I live in Austin, Texas where the seasons are normally mild in the winter but sometimes very hot in the summer. I and my wife both grow indoor and outdoor potted plants and like others on the forum have a lot of experience in growing plants successfully under different conditions. Hot climates can be unforgiving if soil moisture and soil temperature are not controlled. Light is more easily controlled with shade cloth or plant placement in relation to the sun. I mainly grow amaryllis in pots and some bedding plants like dwarf cosmos or profusion zinnias in both pots and the ground because of high air and soil temperatures. I also make my own custom planter boxes from salvaged fence slats(pickets) and line the inside with 1/2" Styrofoam to keep the heat from transferring from the wood into the soil. I also have several larger pots that have a foamy feel that I believe help keep the soil temperature under control. My final thought is don't overwater and plant unlike plants together.
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Post by HankRocks on Jul 12, 2022 10:50:57 GMT -5
Agree with Victor, growing season here is different. Tomatoes are my favorite as homegrown flavor cannot be beat. Celebrity, Bella Rosa and Sweet Chelsea cherry are my go to. Have tried others but keep going back to my tried and true. One thing here on the Gulf Coast, the plants need to be in the ground by early March and start setting blooms by mid to late April, otherwise the low temp from mid June on does not break 80 and the blooms will not set. This year the temp got warmer earlier. Most years the crop is finished and plants pulled by July 4th.
The other problems here are water- too much or too little, bugs, and those pesky birds, especially the Mocking birds. They are persistent and seem to always find a way into my tomato shelter. In my case my garden area is surrounded by a garage, wood fences and trees, not the best spot but it's all I got. Some guy has stored buckets of rocks on part of the spot behind the garage!!
All the efforts are well worth it to a be able to have a Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, fresh Mozzarella, Olive Oil and just a hint of Balsamic Vinegar and dry Greek or Italian seasoning. We usually make the plate 30 minutes before consuming. The juice from the Tomatoes, the oil and vinegar, and the seasoning make a wonderful bread sopping liquid!!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 12, 2022 10:54:23 GMT -5
All the efforts are well worth it to a be able to have a Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, fresh Mozzarella, Olive Oil and just a hint of Balsamic Vinegar and dry Greek or Italian seasoning. We usually make the plate 30 minutes before consuming. The juice from the Tomatoes, the oil and vinegar, and the seasoning make a wonderful bread sopping liquid!!
You're making me hungry....
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Post by HankRocks on Jul 12, 2022 11:13:09 GMT -5
All the efforts are well worth it to a be able to have a Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil, fresh Mozzarella, Olive Oil and just a hint of Balsamic Vinegar and dry Greek or Italian seasoning. We usually make the plate 30 minutes before consuming. The juice from the Tomatoes, the oil and vinegar, and the seasoning make a wonderful bread sopping liquid!!
You're making me hungry....
I made the salad with store bought tomatoes once, just not the same at all.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jul 12, 2022 11:33:35 GMT -5
You're making me hungry....
I made the salad with store bought tomatoes once, just not the same at all. Oh, I know. We went on a road trip once and got a efficiency hotel to make a nice steak dinner. One the way, we stopped at a roadside stand and got some big, warm, fresh tomatoes. We said forget about the steaks and had some thick tomato sliced sandwiches. Divine!
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victor1941
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2011
Posts: 1,982
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Post by victor1941 on Jul 12, 2022 11:41:25 GMT -5
Rockjunquie, yes, tomato sandwiches with mayonnaise, salt and pepper are one of my favorites. I like them soggy.
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Jul 12, 2022 13:53:25 GMT -5
I know, I know. Rock forum is a strange place for gardening questions, but.. I'm a bit lost, and while there are a lot of videos on youtube, I'm struggling to find one that answers my questions in a way that I manage to understand and be able to apply. I've got garlic growing. After the year I've had with garden related things, this in and of itself is a miracle. Where I'm panicked at this point is that I really have zero understanding of how to gauge how much water to use and how often. Especially since out of the 5 I have, 1 has a huge head start (about 6" tall now while the others are barely over an inch). I'm more of a hydroponics person, where..well..it's kinda hard to *overwater* hydroponics, but the garlic is outside in a planter box I made. I don't mind advice on Garlic specifically, but would love some general experience/advice on best watering practices for plants and vegetables, especially when you have different growth rates etc. Weatherwise, I live in Arizona, zone 7b, so it gets about 95F or so in the daytime currently. Planter box is a custom built raised box with drainage at the bottom. Thanks! Hope you all are having a great summer. My experience with garlic has been pretty good.....hard neck & soft neck. Living in SoCal makes it pretty easy.......if approached like any other bulb plant........I prefer growing in large clay (Terra Cotta) pots, easier to manage and keep insect and varmint damage away.......yes, our gophers like garlic......lol I use Kellogg Palm, Cactus & Citrus potting soil........it drains real well and keeps moist not soggy.....the key to any bulb growth.......even a little on the dry side is better than to wet........can't say what is the best watering method, since type of garlic and size of container is critical, but if in direct sun all day long everyday, water enough to keep sticky dry moist finger test rule in mind......... Stuff your finger in the pot, wait a second or two, pull it out........if the soil covers and clings to your finger heavy, to much water........if your finger is covered but dusts off easily, just right........if your finger has no soil clinging to it, to dry.......simple as that.......lol
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 12, 2022 13:55:16 GMT -5
Rockjunquie, yes tomato sandwiches with mayonnaise, salt and pepper are one of my favorites. I like them soggy.A favorite of my DH One of my DH's favorites. He's had more than a few since the one single, large, sprawling tomato plant in the garden started producing. The neighbor picked up a package of that microwavable bacon for us, so he had a BLT yesterday. It was a hella lot less mess than frying some up on the stove. He loved it! Me, tomatoes I can take them or leave them. Store bought are an absolute no-go, I'll eat homegrown when the mood strikes me. Like on a hamburger a few nights ago. Yum! We have much work to finish on the garden, got a really late start this year. We just had some cattle panels delivered from Tractor Supply on Friday to tie plants to, keep them off the ground. Also a place for shade cloth in places where necessary, as the tomatoes were getting sunburnt in the harsh, SoCal nuclear sun!
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller
Member since June 2011
Posts: 3,813
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Post by gemfeller on Jul 12, 2022 14:22:28 GMT -5
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jimmie
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since August 2021
Posts: 233
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Post by jimmie on Jul 12, 2022 15:20:14 GMT -5
All this talk about tomatoe sandwiches. It’s the high light of growing tomatoes. I use beefsteaks, two fat ass slices with mayo and salt and pepper , it’s heaven. One of my good friends is a vegetable farmer, tomatoe sandwiches is all he looks forward too. My tomatoes got a ways to go, got one lone pink one . I grow potatoes, onions , tomatoes , basil, cilantro, peppers, eggplant,broccoli , zucchini , summer squash , radish and cabbage. Zinnias, marigolds and sunflowers. With legal weed dispersed among the veggies. Lots of work, but I love it.sorry for the run on sentence!
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neural
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2019
Posts: 114
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Post by neural on Jul 12, 2022 17:32:55 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for the info! I've got one garlic that is outgrowing the others by quite a bit, but it was also the first one up by a couple days head start too.
Built a second raised planter today. No idea what I"m going to put in it yet.
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,239
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Post by RWA3006 on Jul 13, 2022 12:18:49 GMT -5
I jab my finger several inches into the soil next to my plants to feel for dampness near the root zone. It's as easy to over water as it is to under water so I don't make assumptions. Right now I run a drip line for 60 minutes twice a week. My soil retains moisture well but we are in the high 90's every day. My main challenge at this time is reducing solar stress on my plants.
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Post by fernwood on Jul 13, 2022 13:23:17 GMT -5
I know, I know. Rock forum is a strange place for gardening questions, but.. I'm a bit lost, and while there are a lot of videos on youtube, I'm struggling to find one that answers my questions in a way that I manage to understand and be able to apply. I've got garlic growing. After the year I've had with garden related things, this in and of itself is a miracle. Where I'm panicked at this point is that I really have zero understanding of how to gauge how much water to use and how often. Especially since out of the 5 I have, 1 has a huge head start (about 6" tall now while the others are barely over an inch). I'm more of a hydroponics person, where..well..it's kinda hard to *overwater* hydroponics, but the garlic is outside in a planter box I made. I don't mind advice on Garlic specifically, but would love some general experience/advice on best watering practices for plants and vegetables, especially when you have different growth rates etc. Weatherwise, I live in Arizona, zone 7b, so it gets about 95F or so in the daytime currently. Planter box is a custom built raised box with drainage at the bottom. Thanks! Hope you all are having a great summer. My experience with garlic has been pretty good.....hard neck & soft neck. Living in SoCal makes it pretty easy.......if approached like any other bulb plant........I prefer growing in large clay (Terra Cotta) pots, easier to manage and keep insect and varmint damage away.......yes, our gophers like garlic......lol I use Kellogg Palm, Cactus & Citrus potting soil........it drains real well and keeps moist not soggy.....the key to any bulb growth.......even a little on the dry side is better than to wet........can't say what is the best watering method, since type of garlic and size of container is critical, but if in direct sun all day long everyday, water enough to keep sticky dry moist finger test rule in mind......... Stuff your finger in the pot, wait a second or two, pull it out........if the soil covers and clings to your finger heavy, to much water........if your finger is covered but dusts off easily, just right........if your finger has no soil clinging to it, to dry.......simple as that.......lol I use the same method for container planting. Ditto for plants just put in the ground.
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