Re: [gardeners] Monday and Tuesday in the garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 16 Apr 2003 10:31:58 -0500
"L. Neuru" wrote:
>
> George Shirley wrote:
> snip>
> Yesterday afternoon we got everything planted but the hot chiles and a
> little radish seed I want to plant. All looking good today. The
> eggplant, tomatoes, and chiles are all about 24 inches tall except two
> tomatoes, a grape type, that were about 30 inches tall. The tomatoes
> were planted in trenches that took up half their height and the planted
> part will develop good roots and add strength to the plant. All had a
> tablespoon of epsom salts and about a quarter cup of 13-13-13 buried in
> the planting hole and covered before the plant was put in. Tomorrow,
> given half a chance, the chiles will go in and I will stake the tomatoes
> and the eggplant for when the rains come.
>
> well, nice that someone has had spring; ours keeps coming and going.
> Yesterday the crocus were up - kinda doesn't have the same hit, second time
> around. Tomorrow if the weather holds we'll get out and clean the grass and
> beds in front of the winter's debris, then it'll feel a bit more like
> spring, I think. The long cold winter should make the bulbs beautiful come
> May, and the rose roots won't have died. Most do very well if not superbly
> when completely frozen for months on end; it's the freeze-thaw that does
> them in.
>
> Does epsom salts work on tomatoes and why??
Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) gives tomatoes and chiles a boost around
here. Soils are very poor in minerals, run about 6.7 pH, and don't have
much N-P-K either. We lasagna compost lots of ground leaves and all the
kitchen veg trash to help plus add some commercial fertilizers. With an
annual rainfall of 35-65 inches (sometimes 100 inches) most goodies are
leached from the soil fairly quickly so side dressing with fertilizers
and giving the plants something to eat right up front does wonders for
them. Keeps the maters and chiles greened up and does other nice things
that I can't remember at the moment.
> George, glad to hear tests went well. I don't remember reading whether or
> not the cleared artery improved thought, with increased blood flow to the
> brain. Did it?:))
Sometimes I'm thinking clearly but, honestly, blood pressure has not
improved, and I'm often sluggish and have to force myself to get going.
Doc seems to think I'm suffering mild depression but I don't agree with
her diagnosis completely. I have an active life with lots of friends,
still work a few hours each day either at my profession or writing,
still garden as much as I can with impaired limbs, etc.
> Margaret, thanks so much for the last round of jokes on Florida.
Me too, you could replace Florida with Louisiana and it would still
work.
> I am going to try some Roman chamomile and creeping thyme mixed in my front
> lawn, or soon to be ex-lawn.
>
> Lucinda, still waiting to be sure it's spring.
Miz Anne is out planting some more stuff right now and I'm getting ready
to go out and dig up the watering system to find a huge leak. Spring is
definitely here.
George