Posted by (kgardens) on June 29, 2010

Thanks for the new watering restrictions info - YAY!  Sorry about your basil.  I have problems with growing herbs in the summer.  I usually have the best crops in the fall through winter.  I like to have basil growing in the tomato containers in the fall.  I made lots of pesto last year.

Posted by (Pumpkin) on June 29, 2010

Penny, This is great watering news for my non Tampa friends. Now for the blight, that is one of the garden words I learned last year from Farmer Rick. Now with all that we have learned over the last year, maybe we all can write a book on Florida gardening. The title The Dirt on Florida Gardening by Penny Carnathan!!!!! If this is silly remember I am still on drugs from my surgery. Pumpkin

Posted by (Janna) on June 30, 2010

My basil “bit the dust” not too long ago - now I know why. Thanks for the info! I agree with Kay that herbs are easier to grow in the fall and winter.

Penny, how is your “purple pygmy” doing? A couple of mine are about 2 1/2 feet tall and the blooms smell just like bubble gum! I’m trying to root some cuttings…hope it works.

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on June 30, 2010

Oddly enough I don’t think I have any herbs going at this time, only a fennel, mostly for it’s feathery look. So sorry about your basil. Is this a new blight that is just showing up? And only on basil?

Last night I got home late and parked in front of my garage door was a beautiful Anderson crepe hibiscus that reader, Peggy Moran, bought for me. Wasn’t that the best? Remember she was looking for one she lost in the freeze? Well, apparently she found a couple out at Colorfield Farms in Wimauma. So her hairdresser (moi) reaped the benefits of her search. Now to find that perfect spot——hmmm.

Posted by (Chip) on June 30, 2010

Ok so I thought I did something to Diane’s basil. good to know! Sill got the post surgery buzz going Pumpkin?  glad you are doing good! If I were to give a title to a gardening book it would be “100 things I have done wrong in the garden and still counting”  And the most resent entry would be wash hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers! you would think I would know better but I wiped sweat from my face while picking peppers big mistake. At lest I know what to do for it olive oil it works on “hot hands” you get that from picking really hot peppers gloves would be a good Idea. ...“Chip”

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on June 30, 2010

I’m sorry I missed the blog about Pumpkin and surgery. I am glad you are on the mend and feeling better, Pumpkin. I hope all is well.

Posted by (Chip) on June 30, 2010

Oh but I did get it right in my eyes! I had take a shower and sit down for a while! and yes I do know better It was just a natural reaction to wipe the sweat out of my brow. This batch of Tabascos and scotch bonnets are HOT. I thought they were goners but they came back up from the roots. I look like I have a sunburn the olive oil feels so good! note to self DONT DO THAT AGAIN!!  ...“Chip”

Posted by (Pumpkin) on June 30, 2010

Chip, When your eyes quick burning I have a question for you. Do you pick your tomatoes when they turn red or do you pick them green and let then turn red? Do you remember the different types of tomatoes plants you gave to the school? One type looks grape shaped. This sitting around for four more weeks is going to kill me. I have spies every where watching me and yelling I see you bending over. I reply it was just a little. Pumpkin

Posted by (Chip) on June 30, 2010

The olive oil did the trick but I will pay a bit more attention next time. Pumpkin I gave you yellow pear, sugar snacks, those I started from seed and a few volunteers. The yellow pear’s are ripe when yellow, the sugar snacks turn red when ripe [ these do real well in the heat]  But the volunteers who knows? you have to figure I had 15 different tomatoes and its any ones guess what combo of cross pollination they have.  I like to vine ripen tomatoes but you can pick them green and put them on a window still. The old trick of a banana peal or apple works, once one ripens its like a switch gos off and you will have more than you need in a hurry. Glad to hear from you! ..“Chip”

Posted by (Pumpkin) on June 30, 2010

Penny, That is really sweet, I like any books on flowers.

Chip, Thanks for the info. I am growing tomatoes, its really cool! Thank you for all your help on Earth Day again. I have tomatoes!!!!!

The kids at my school would have told you to put milk in your eyes. They say every time they get sprayed with mace they use milk.I say don’t get sprayed with mace. Pumpkin

Posted by (Chip) on July 01, 2010

I did not know about the milk trick! and you are right if that is what it feels like to be maced don’t do anything to get maced! The yellow pear take there own sweet time producing fruit. At first, and any vine that hits the ground will start a new vine so they will spread if you let them. A lot of people that do not like tomatoes will love these. The low acid content and high sugar content makes these a favorite with my Grand kids. My sugar baby’s water melon’s should be ready for the 4th of July! these guys are canon ball sized and packed with sugar I can only eat one or part of one but the grand kids will eat them til they pop! ...“Chip”

Posted by (Chip) on July 01, 2010

Penny the yellow pears I gave away were all from seed packs so they are what they are supposed to be! I do save seeds but since I always have so many different types of tomatoes cross pollination is going to happen. The volunteers almost always out pro form and seem to do better in the heat but they are mutts. You can almost hear the pure blood tomatoes making fun of them ” You mother is a cross pollinator!”  I am truly curious on how the yellow pears and volunteers I gave away at Rick’s are doing. Penny and Pumpkins seem to be thriving anyone else?....“Chip”

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on July 01, 2010

I got one of those yellow pear, Chip. I have it on a covered lanai, with morning sun, to avoid summer bugs and tomato worms. It’s about 4 foot tall with a few flowers but no tomatoes yet. With all the tomato talk I am wondering if I should drag it out to a sunnier spot or even put it in the ground. Whadya think?

Posted by (shirlgirl) on July 01, 2010

I like the idea of a book “The Dirt”. Of all the gardening books I love the ones most that contain stories from the gardener as well as their learned garden tips. If there is one thing this garden blog contains it is a lot of good stories and tips from very interesting people.

Posted by (Chip) on July 01, 2010

Susan if you and your yellow pear are happy just leave it alone. I think we are in for a very wet summer and tomatoes do not like it to wet. It is almost worse then too dry. So hopefully in a pot on your lanai could be its Goldy locks zone. My only concern, can bee’s get to it? if not you will not get any fruit and if you do move it. try to ease it into its new home. A rapid change of environment can shock or kill a plant. I was going to make hot sauce but these peppers got insanely hot last summer they were just hot now they are to hot for me! The peter peppers are coming along and they should be ready to pick in a week maybe I will have the courage to try them by then ...“Chip”

Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on July 01, 2010

Thank you Chip. The point about the bee’s made a lot of sense. So I move both plants (you have me a big stripey, I believe) to right in front of the lanai for some pollinating. That shouldn’t be too much of a shock. Of course we are getting a deluge tonight. What’s a gardener to do? Ha!

Posted by (Chip) on July 02, 2010

Susan it should be OK in a pot. Tomatoes and melons [water melons, cantaloupe etc] have one thing in common they are good at getting moisture out of the ground and into the fruit, but they do not know when to stop. And that is why you get cracked or split fruit. In a pot it will not have all the moisture it would have if it were in the ground so it can dry out faster than you think. Oh I love the stripy’ s they look cool and taste great. Diane and I both like having a lot of different types of tomatoes but there are so many to pick from. I have not had much luck with the black or purple types but maybe I will try a few for the fall garden picking them out of the catalog is half the fun! ..:“Chip”

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 02, 2010

Good morning everyone,
              I came home yesterday to my own home for the rest of my recovery and all I could think of was fried green tomatoes, Shirlgirl fried some for me a few days ago and they were delicious. I got Mr Grumpy to take me to Publix for green tomatoes they were out so next was Sweet Bay they only had one. So I had him take me to the school garden and the tomatoes Chip planted had one really big green one. Yea Chip! Pumpkin

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 02, 2010

I want to ask you guys something. The recent murder of two of Tampa police officers had me thinking what could I do as a gardener in their honor and I thought of this. There is a Hybrid Tea Rose called Veterans’ Honor I want to plant two of them up at Hillsboroughs’ Positive Park in their honor. This is what the rose looks like www.justourpictures.com/roses/veteranshonor.html. Pumpkin

Posted by (Chip) on July 02, 2010

I am so happy you are home Pumpkin!!! We have been pulling weeds in your honor, just make sure you don’t for a while. Planting rose’s for the fallen officers sounds like a great Idea. just let us know when you do this. I feel so sorry for everyone involved. All just for a traffic ticket this is hard for me to believe. I hope this end well, that we don’t lose any more good people to a rabid dog that should have stayed behind bars…“Chip”

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 02, 2010

Penny, I left a message for Hardins Roses to call me first thing in the morning about getting two Veterans Honor roses, right now they are on their availabity list. All Hardins Roses are on fortuniana rootstock, so yes Veterans Honor will grow here. Several years ago I was at a Tampa Rose Society meeting and Fermin Rodriguez said it was his favorite rose. I am going to place at each rose a solor light (enternal flame sort of)if any one want to come to Hillsborough High School the planting will be at 3 o’clock on the dot. If this posts twice if did not show up the first time. Pumpkin

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 02, 2010

I left out the day of the week Tuesday at 3 o’clock in Positive Park. Pumpkin

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 03, 2010

Hardins called today and have the roses! Pumpkin

Posted by (Chip) on July 03, 2010

Diane and I live on the edge of Lutz. This morning I went to Micky D’s to get some take out breakfast before taking on my garden. I have never seen so many cops in one place in my life. I got to shake the hand of one cop and asked him to say good by for me. Pumpkin are you planting your rose’s this coming Tuesday the 6th ? If I can I will be there. >...“Chip”

Posted by (Pumpkin) on July 03, 2010

Penny, I will take lots of pictures and email to you for The Dirt.

Chip, If you can make it that will be great. I am the crime watch caption of my two blocks and we are going to let them know, maybe some officers will stop by. Pumpkin