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Post by daylilydude on Apr 27, 2012 4:00:48 GMT -5
Howdy-do LinFL, welcome to NJT!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 27, 2012 13:13:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the welcome!
The "bag trick" is something I read about online, can't remember where, unfortunately. It's really simple:
1. Get a big bag (2 cu ft) of good quality potting soil. 2. Lay it flat where you want to grow your melons. 3. Cut several small slits just at ground level, being sure to put some on each side. (These are for drainage.) 4. Cut an "X" in the top center of the bag. 5. Plant your melon seeds or transplants through the "X". 6. Water through the "X" as needed. (I snaked a 1/4" drip line from my raised beds over to my row of bags and put a drip emitter over each "X".)
The web site where I read it talked about doing this in the middle of the lawn, but I know I don't want tall grass and weeds mixed in with my melons. So I laid down cardboard (from old shipping boxes) over the whole area and covered it with pine straw. Then I put down the bags. The melons can now run all over the pine straw and (hopefully!) there will be no weeding and no melons rotting from sitting on damp soil. I am also going to put more mulch over the bags to moderate the soil temperatures, since it's already getting hot this year.
This is my first time trying the "bag trick," so I can't say for sure how it will work over the whole season. So far, though, the melons are going gangbusters. I seeded the bags on March 16. The cantaloupes are running; , I have one cantaloupe set (it's marble-sized) and pollinated another one yesterday. Male blooms are everywhere on the cantaloupes. Watermelons aren't blooming yet, but they are running and look very healthy. I just hope they can make it the whole summer.
I suspect they will exhaust the nutrients in the bags before the season is out, and I will need to foliar feed. If it works, it still beats weeding between vines, though. ;D
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Post by stratcat on Apr 27, 2012 23:14:56 GMT -5
Thanks for the great directions! Sounds like fun. Hope you get pictures.
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Post by Deleted on May 17, 2012 5:14:57 GMT -5
Good morning all. I'm Laurie and live in northern California with dh and our german shepherd Duke. Learning to garden at the cool coast. A real challenge for those heat-loving veggies!
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Penny
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Post by Penny on May 17, 2012 6:45:28 GMT -5
Welcome
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Post by daylilydude on May 17, 2012 21:36:37 GMT -5
Good morning all. I'm Laurie and live in northern California with dh and our german shepherd Duke. Learning to garden at the cool coast. A real challenge for those heat-loving veggies! Welcome laurieann we are glad you joined our little gardening forum and can't wait to hear about your gardeing endevers with col coast weather, so just jump in any where you like and tell us all about it, and have some fun while your here!
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Post by stratcat on May 17, 2012 21:55:55 GMT -5
Hi, Laurieann. Welcome.
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2012 15:07:46 GMT -5
Right now the weather is very windy and cold. Some sun is expected. Usually Our last frost date is not until after Memorial day. We have had some warm sunny days in the beginning of May . We are optimists and put in our peas early. They are now showing good growth. I have seeded a bunch o Chinese vegetable, and the are showing their second leaves. they are in a mini garden structure protected with grow-tarp. I am keeping my fingers crossed until I can transplant them in the garden.Since I am 80 on the 29th I take my sweet time.
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Post by daylilydude on May 25, 2012 15:21:07 GMT -5
Well here's an early "Happy Birthday" chpwldmn Taking your sweet time is a privilege you have earned... ;D
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2012 17:07:32 GMT -5
New here, I stumbled on this website looking for gardening sites. Heres a little about myself. I live in Iuka, MS and run a small market garden on the side of my day job as a landfill operator.
I mainly grow squash, zuccini, turnips, mustard, kale and peanuts.
I like doing arge scale composting being that i get alot of green wastes at work i bring home and compost in between garden times.
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Post by nofeargardener on Jun 3, 2012 18:54:41 GMT -5
New here, I stumbled on this website looking for gardening sites. Heres a little about myself. I live in Iuka, MS and run a small market garden on the side of my day job as a landfill operator. I mainly grow squash, zuccini, turnips, mustard, kale and peanuts. I like doing arge scale composting being that i get alot of green wastes at work i bring home and compost in between garden times. Nice to meet ya Taylor! Welcome to NJT ;D I'm Mike from Michigan. I have a modest veggie garden (tomatoes and bush beans are my main thing this year), as well as an herb garden and perennial flower garden. Hope u enjoy your time here.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2012 20:29:18 GMT -5
I see Daylilydude is from Tishomingo thats the next town over. I have few other things im trying this year. Also a few things I didnt get to plant. Im working on a dump trailer to bring more compostables home so I guess that counts. Im also working on settin up a 38 by 50 hoop house.
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Post by stratcat on Jun 3, 2012 22:52:03 GMT -5
Hi there, Taylor! I'm John in Michigan. Welcome. Dld may be closer than you think.
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 3, 2012 23:04:32 GMT -5
Well howdy-do Tayor, I'm Richard and I'm a little closer now as The family and I have just moved to Iuka 3 weeks ago! Welcome to NJT!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2012 22:08:05 GMT -5
Richard nice to meet you. I guess youve got out to see Kevin Robbinettes seed store.
I live over in midway, kinda up and behind New Prospect church.
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Post by izitmidnight on Jun 5, 2012 8:16:00 GMT -5
Taylor welcome to the family!
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Post by daylilydude on Jun 6, 2012 6:22:01 GMT -5
Richard nice to meet you. I guess youve got out to see Kevin Robbinettes seed store. I live over in midway, kinda up and behind New Prospect church. Nice to meet you also, Yep been to Kevin's Seed Store, and it looks to be doing great! Kevin knows me as the tomato man as a few years ago he and I worked at the same place, and I grew a boat-load of heirloom tomatoes and I took some in for different people to try! I live out off of Harmony Rd. by New Salem Baptist Church, but I work in Midway at the Bus Shop for the summer to help get the school buses ready!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2012 8:43:02 GMT -5
THats kinda funny as a kid in the 80s I went to head start in the old Carter Headstart building in front of the bus shop. I live on 181 or old 25. I live on the secon Cr on the left. I have a shop an salvage yard there at my house. Looking to try the new farmers market this weekend. I have 2 long rows of squash comming in now and a spotty row of zukes putting on.
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Penny
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Joined: December 2010
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Post by Penny on Jun 8, 2012 6:33:39 GMT -5
Welcome.
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Tatiana
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Tatiana's TOMATObase
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Post by Tatiana on Nov 28, 2012 22:42:53 GMT -5
Hi everybody, I am new here, but I already see quite a few folks I met at other places - good to see you! For those who do not know me yet, I am very obsessed with tomatoes and lettuces and squashes, and I am afraid my obsession is getting expanded into hot peppers... as I realize that I do not as many pepper varieties as I have tomatoes... Ouch! Love my garden and my veggies and my seeds. Love to hear about yours! Tatiana
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Post by stratcat on Nov 28, 2012 23:31:26 GMT -5
Hi, Tatiana. Nice to see you here! Welcome.
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Tatiana
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Post by Tatiana on Nov 28, 2012 23:36:32 GMT -5
Thank you
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Post by txdirtdog on Nov 29, 2012 6:28:11 GMT -5
Welcome Tatiana!
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Post by izitmidnight on Dec 2, 2012 21:37:51 GMT -5
Welcome!
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Tatiana
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Post by Tatiana on Dec 3, 2012 11:29:03 GMT -5
Thank you folks.
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Post by horsea on Feb 2, 2013 21:24:51 GMT -5
I find your listing of open pollinated tomatoes to be most helpful. I'm going there all the time!
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Post by timothyt on Feb 4, 2013 14:22:31 GMT -5
Hey Good Gardening Folks!
Finally decided to quit lurking and actually sign up!
So here's my intro:
I'm young, rich, tall, well built, handsome, know everything there is about gardening after gardening 45 years, and have a most loverly wife!
Ok...truth in advertising.....
I'm old, broke, short, pot belly, ugly, don't know squat, have 1 year's experience 40 times and a few years actual learning, but hey...I actually do have a most loverly wife!!!!!
Look forward to learning, sharing, and interacting with all you fine gardening folks--just give me awhile to spool up and get settled.
Still Growing It Forward, but a wee bit slower, TimothyT
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Feb 4, 2013 14:54:24 GMT -5
Welcome, Timothy. Glad to see you here!
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Post by stratcat on Feb 4, 2013 14:55:21 GMT -5
Hi, TimothyT. Welcome to NJT!
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Post by daylilydude on Feb 4, 2013 18:06:22 GMT -5
Hmmm... sounds like a few of us here so me thinks you will fit right in... lol! So welcome Timothy to NJT we would love to hear all about your gardening, so jump in anywhere you like and tell us all about it. Sent from my SCH-I500 using proboards
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