Posted by  Janna,  on 11/09  at  08:35 AM

Wish I could’ve made it to the plant auction. Chip and Diane, sounds like you got some great stuff! Keep us posted on your garden progress…

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 11/08  at  03:04 PM

Diane, you are too funny!! Yes, we dirty girls love your hubby, but we love you, too! (So nice to see you here!!)
  Both Kim and I would’ve LOVED to hit the FNGLA plant auction. She was planning to but had an unexpected trip out of town. I had an expected trip out of town—to the last of Epcot’s food and wine fest. (It was very yummy, and I got to see Epcot’s cool hydroponic research/production gardens. I thought of Eric the whole time.)
  Diane and Chip, thanks for the great report on the auction. I am TOTALLY envious about both the heirloom tomatoes and the avocado tree. I will mark my calendar for next year.
  Chip, something’s chewing on the leaves of my lima beans. Hit it with the soap solution you think?

Posted by  Chip,  on 11/08  at  01:59 PM

From Diane ( Chip’s better half-I’m not kidding here folks lol )

Thanks for arranging the tour of Riverview Farms - Great folks! It was wonderful meeting those dirty girls my hubby spends so much time with. ( that was just a joke )
The tour was very informative and BEAUTIFUL ! I will always check Home Depot for plants first from now on- I know I can trust the people what supply them.

Hope there is another field trip this spring.

If you folks missed the plant auction you really missed some bargains and some fun.

Thanks again to all of you good people , the dirty girls, bloggers and especially Riverview farms.

Happy Planting ! Diane

Posted by  Chip,  on 11/08  at  11:04 AM

That was a lot of fun! I didn’t know the auction was going on at the same time as the county fair that made those free tickets even better. There were bargains every where you looked. Diane spotted a real find on the silent action table six tomato plants that everyone over looked.  they are black plum,stupice,old ivory,purple Russian,big zebra and giant Belgian.I need to thank some one at Hudson’s nursery they really know tomatoes. we got out bid on the mango tree but there was two avocado tree’s that we wanted and after a friendly agreement with a gentleman he bid on one and Diane and I the other now we have to find room for it!...“Chip”

Posted by  Chip,  on 11/07  at  08:42 AM

Any one else going to the plant auction? No fish fry this year!  to bad that made the trip worth it by it self. If you know some one who need’s to re landscape there house this event is for them, these guy’s all try and out do each other each year with what they donate to the auction so most of there very best is sent in! See you there if you are going ...“Chip”

Posted by  Kim Franke-Folstad,  on 11/06  at  03:58 PM

I picked up a papaya tree a few months ago at Lowe’s. It looks just like Eric’s—but without the papayas! I can’t wait until mine gets some fruit. I have it in a nice sunny place on the side of the house.
Like Eric, I am running out of room in my yard. (It’s my own fault, though.) The poor tree sat in its pot for a couple of weeks before I found a place for it. Now it is growing and growing.

Posted by  mangoman,  on 11/06  at  03:49 PM

Yes, Nov. 14 is also 10-1.

Eric

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 11/06  at  02:38 PM

Is Ms. Brandeis’ open garden also 10 to 1 on Nov. 14? (Sorry if you already told me this!)
  Chip and Janna, I still have room to plant. C’mon over!

Posted by  mangoman,  on 11/06  at  02:32 PM

Ummm… My mom drives me there so I never think about how to get there… Her address is 1508 Burning Tree lane Brandon, fl. I guess you could google or mapquest it.

I’ll bring the seeds to her house next saturday. I might be out of town at my grandparents house (:D) but I’m sure if I leave it there she can give them to you.

Does anybody here have a gardenweb acount?

Posted by  Janna,  on 11/06  at  02:08 PM

I will be out of town tomorrow, but for the future, where is Mrs. Brandie’s garden?

Posted by  Janna,  on 11/06  at  02:06 PM

Eric, I was the one that wanted some skullcap seeds if you have extra. I can save some hollyhock seeds for you if you want. (The flowers are not edible, but they are big and beautiful!) I know what you and Chip mean about needing more garden room. It probably won’t be long before I start ripping up some more grass to make room for flowers (including the yesterday, today and tomorrow seeds I got from Chip.)

Posted by  mangoman,  on 11/06  at  12:27 PM

Yeah, I know what you mean Chip. I recently saw somebody on gardenweb that had sooooooooo many types of fruit trees (he’s in south fl though) the list would’ve taken at least two pages! That list made me drool!!  Who was it that wanted the chinese skullcapp seeds?

I’ll be working at Mrs. Brandies open garden tommorow from 9:30-1. It’s open to anyone.

Eric

Posted by  Chip,  on 11/06  at  12:01 PM

I know what you mean about not enough room Eric! our garden is encroaching on our neighbors on both side’s. we are lucky to have such good neighbors [they do not mind as long as I do the work!] Kerby’s Has a big selection of fruiting tree’s Diane and I went there after the field trip. They even had jack fruit and Barbados cherry those are the two oddest fruit tree’s I have ever seen. when we go there I get a bad case of the “I want’s” then where would we put it comes up and well a guy can dream right? ..“Chip”

Posted by  Janna,  on 11/06  at  11:03 AM

Wow, Eric! Impressive garden - what a green thumb you have! I really like the papaya (looks like you’ll have a good crop!) and I’ve never seen asparagus growing before - yours looks nice and healthy. The HydroStacker does seem like it’s perfect for herbs! Thanks for sharing the photos and info!

Good to see you back here, Dave. Nice to know your milkweed is doing well - I have some milkweed seeds I’ll be planting soon.

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 11/06  at  10:41 AM

I say it’s time for an “armadillo” to start digging up your mom’s flowers, Eric. All that space she’s taking up with stuff you can’t eat!

Posted by  Iluvpumpkins,  on 11/06  at  10:38 AM

Eric, The area at the school I want to plant the papaya is a toasty place surrended by red bricks. I will have Penny give you my email address so you can contact me and I can come pick it up. Thanks Janice

Posted by  mangoman,  on 11/06  at  10:17 AM

Janice, I don’t know anybody personally that sells papaya trees. I’ve got one that I can’t plant sitting in my backyard right now if you want it. It’s about 3 feet tall. I can’t plant it due to lack of room in my yard but if you want it please take it. I’m not sure that winter would be the best time to plant a papaya tree. I would wait until at least march (they really get hurt in the freezes).

I’d love to plant banana trees but I’m out of room.

Eric

Posted by  Iluvpumpkins,  on 11/06  at  09:42 AM

Eric, Great looking vegtable garden. Do you know who sells papaya? I would like to plants some at the school I work at. Have you tried growing banana trees? Very easy and would look good with the papaya trees. Janice

Posted by  Chip,  on 11/06  at  07:00 AM

Way to go Eric asparagus is a hard crop to do here but you really have found its happy spot! Being able to eat the fruit of your labor just make’s it just a bit better.  “Chip”

Posted by  Susan Gillespie,  on 11/06  at  06:36 AM

I had to look that up, Penny. You are right about fennel being a butterfly food, along with dill and parsley. They attract the swallowtail variety. And here I only liked the plant for it’s feathery looks. Nature is full of fun surprises and has such a wonderful order about it.

BTW—-there is a new gardeners site I stumbled onto.
www.gardenersindex.com

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 11/05  at  11:01 PM

Susan—fennel is supposed to be another great butterfly plant, isn’t it? And also maybe something to put in the veggie garden to detract pests? (I may be wrong on that one.)

Posted by  Penny L. Carnathan,  on 11/05  at  10:51 PM

I haven’t heard of balsam apple vine, Dave, but I’ll check it out and post something back here. (Torpedo grass is my nemesis. I HATE it!)
  Milkweed is fabulous. ... You may already know this but in case you don’t, it’s a fav food of monarch caterpillars. They will devour the leaves. Let ‘em! The plants come right back and you will have tons of monarch butterflies visiting.

Posted by  Dave Cyment, Tampa, FL on 11/05  at  10:27 PM

We’re trying milkweed in pots out front. They seems to be doing great, blooming already and expanding rapidly. The Biz and Meyer are planted, taking their time.

Haven’t had much time to devote to the yard lately. We’ll get moving on it again shortly.

Posted by  Susan Gillespie,  on 11/05  at  10:24 PM

What a pretty plant the asparagus is. My fave veggie. Fennel is pretty and feathery like that too. And what a lovely smell too. I’ve never seen mangoes growing either. Interesting. Does the tree get bigger than that?

What an articulate young man with an awesome green thumb. I’m impressed. Another Farmer Rick in the making. Way to go Eric.

Posted by  Dave Cyment, Tampa, FL on 11/05  at  10:21 PM

By the way… Does anyone know how to eradicate balsam apple vine? These things seem to be impossible to shake!