Re: [gardeners] Breeze/Cans & transplants

Allen and Judy Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 11 Jan 2000 10:22:55 -0600 

Gardeners,
    Byron has a good suggestion. It also takes care of problems with cutworms.
I leave the cans on all season. I fill the cans to the top with water soluble
fertilizer or manure tea. The solution slowly perks down into the soil close to
the plants and not all over the garden row. It keeps me from fertilizing the
weeds that I work so hard to get rid of. The cans make watering or feeding much
more efficient. The cans usually last 2 seasons, sometimes more.
    I'm getting caught up on email after inadvertently crashing Windows 95, on
Jan. 2nd. Finally got restarted Sunday night.
    I have to get started on my early garden planting. I have 18 Rio Verde
cabbage plants and 200 onion plants to get in the garden. Not long before time
to plant red potatos, too.
    I have to put in a plug for a grower that I have had super success using
their plants. Hope George doesn't mind. The grower is Bonnie Plants. They have
a website, www.bonnieplants.com. I have been buying plants from them for the
last 2 years, this will be the third. None of the plants that I have
transplanted into the garden have died. That is an incredible percentage of
success compared to most of the transplant experiences that I have had from
other growers. I always accepted that I would loose around 20% or so. Not with
Bonnie plants. I have planted tomatos, peppers, onions, cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower, eggplants, Brussels sprouts, etc. They also have the plants that
are recommended for my area. The big chain nurseries usually have more plants
for other areas and a limited amount of recommended varieties.
    Allen
    Bastrop Co., SE Central Tx.
    Zone 8

Byron Bromley wrote:

> >. Duhhh. But the breezes
> >are tough to cope with. One could shove a >wooden shingle into the soil to
> >shield them if the wind only blew in one direction. >Problem is, it comes
> >from the west all day, then in the evening, it shifts >to blow from the
> >east. I've been thinking on this one for years, off >and on. Anything I
> come
> >up with is very labor-intensive. Margaret
>
> For small transplants, take some empty 3 lb coffee cans and cut the bottoms
> out, Place around plants.
>
> Byron