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 Post subject: Laundry List
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:43 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2004 10:06 am
Posts: 51
Location: Keller, TX
Hello again. I have so many things to ask, and they spread across a variety of topics, so I just decided to consolidate them here...

1. RESIDUE ON USED SPRAYERS. As a newcomer to organic gardening who previously used synthetic poisons and pesticides, etc (forgive me Father; I have sinned), I have some plastic sprayers that previously housed some of these chemicals. Can these be reused, or are they ruined? Does the plastic absorb the chemicals? Can they be detoxed, or am I better to throw them out and buy new ones?

2. HEALING A BROKEN PLANT. Did I mention I'm new to this? I am. While handling a baby cucumber plant, I snapped it. Not completely, but enough to kill it. Needless to say, I was distraught, having raised it from a seed, so I taped the section that was snapped with transparent tape, and to my surprise, it survived! However, I'm now thinking that this isn't good. As the plant grows and tries to expand, it's now constrained by the tape... Any advice? Is this a lost cause?

3. LAST FREEZE IN DFW. Since some of you clearly know where Keller is, any idea when it's safe to move the plants outside? Last year, I moved them too early and a freeze killed them all. I'm itching to get started, but I don't want to kill them again, especially since I've started them all from seed myself.

4. PEAT PELLETS. Speaking of seed-starting, I bought some peat pellets and haven't had much luck with them -- less than 20% germination, I'd say. I tried using regular trays and using a technique from Square Foot Gardening (poking a hole, half-fill with vermiculite, insert seed, top-off with vermiculite), and it seems to work great -- nearly 100%. The same seeds were used with both. I'm inclined to give up on the peat pellets, but I was wondering if anyone else had success with them, such that they are worth another shot... They're definitely more convenient, if I could only get them to work. I know it sounds like a no-brainer, ditch the pellets, but I want to make sure I'm being objective.

5. KEEP YOUR TENDRILS TO YOURSELF. Last one. My three oldest kids each planted something that we're going to transfer to the garden. #3 planted a pea, and it's growing tendrils already and reaching for the other plants, which causes them to complain to me about "personal space." Any ideas? Should I transplant it now and chance it? My fear is once I transplant it, and it starts to maneuver around the trellis, it will be hard to cover it in case of a freeze.

I know that's a lot. Thanks in advance for any feedback on any of these items.

Chris


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 7:28 pm 
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Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:39 pm
Posts: 532
Location: Lavon,Texas
Chris,
I love your humor in #5, but it is true. The plants want and need their own space. I bought a container from Walmart that hold 72 peet pellets and planted all 72. I was a little more lucky. I had about 30 - 40% success rate this year. The ones that didn't grow I put different seeds in and still no plants. I collect 1 gallon milk cartons and transplant the plants, along with the peet pellets in home made potting soil in the cartons. I cut off the bottom 4 - 5 inches and dispose of the rest. They make great containers for the transplants. All my plants are at least 4 inches tall. The sun flowers are 10 - 12 inches and intruding on the neighboring plants. In fact the neighboring plants were complaining so bad I had to put more distance between them. I got tired of them complaining every morning when I water them. Next year I plan on starting the seeds in the milk cartons because they seem to do much better in the potting soil then in the pellets. As for the tape, I have tried it but never have any luck. The plants just die.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:25 pm 
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Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2004 10:06 am
Posts: 51
Location: Keller, TX
Wow. I'm so relieved that I'm not the only one whose plants talk to him. My wife claims I'm going mad.

Thanks for the feedback on the pellets. Sounds like you had the [lack of] success I did. For what it's worth, I've done milk carton, pudding cups, Dannon yogurt cups, all with soil and vermiculite, and they're all great. What is vermiculite, anyway? Doesn't 'vermi' mean worm? I like the yogurt cups only because they come with a transparent lid. It keeps the humidity in until they sprout, and then I can pop them off.

Thanks again. Looks like I need to use the expanded pellets for batting practice rather than anything gardening related.


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 Post subject: laundry list
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2004 10:38 am 
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Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 5:48 pm
Posts: 806
Location: Weatherford,TX
I'll try to answer a couple of your questions.
#1 Opinion - I believe that if you wash out your plastic sprayer with hot soapy water, you would be OK. Plastic does absorb things but not enough to harm your plants.
#2 You should try to remove the tape but I'm afraid you will break the plant again when you do this; so ?????
#3 Last AVERAGE frost date for this area is March 16. This doesn't mean a whole lot. You will need to be ready to cover crops with row cover or something since we have had frost up to April.
#4 Peat sucks - not much good for baseball either.
#5 Take a gamble - peas are fairly cold tolerant

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