Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[Western]

Got any pine trees close?

Only the 2 I planted for 150 miles!:laughing:

I use alfalfa hay. The local feed stores always seem to have some for horses. I don't have a mega garden to feed the county like Jim so a square bale does it for me.

Don, I bet that works good and probably is great for the soil. My garden is 104'x54' so it would take allot of $12 baled alfalfa!

 

[bindian]

Got any pine trees close?

Now that's funny. I don't care who you are!:laughing:
hugs, Brandi

 

[WM75Guy]

Get some old round bales from last year and unroll them. Someone around you may have some sitting there that you could have for free.

 

[Bird]

I never used hay for mulch. When I first fenced off part of the pasture in the Fall and tilled it for a big garden, we put a big round bale of hay in it and left the gate open for the cows to eat hay in that new garden area and fertilize it a bit.:laughing: When the first bale was gone, we put a second bale in there a ways off from the first one. Now the next Spring I planted a garden and it did pretty well, but around where that hay had been, I sure had a lot of grass. So I decided I didn't want any more hay in the garden. But then a friend gave me two big round bales of straw. Now that was great stuff for mulch, and of course got tilled in later.

 

[WM75Guy]

My department is 2 hours away and they have farmed out the position of Range Officer after I left 11 years ago. There are only 2 arson investigators instead of 6 after everyone retired and they did not replace them. They contracted with DFW Airport to do annual qualification and they only go out there once a year. I am exploring options around Athens so I and others don't have to drive back to the Metroplex.

DPD adopted a more stringent standard than TCLEOSE which is what I did as a Range Officer. We also shot 10 rounds from the 25 yard line. If you made folks shoot at 25 yards then they shot very good at 15 yards in. Less than 95% got you a world of grief from the others till the next time we shot. We went to the range 4 times a year as my fire chief was an arson investigator and liked to shoot. We also kept score, none of this pass/fail stuff that many departments now use. You shoot all 50 rounds and they count points till you get 70% and stop. We scored before moving the line and before changing stance, for example going from drawing out of the holster to shooting from the ready position. If you didn't how did you know where the officer had problems?

: Texas Administrative Code

(c) The minimum standards for the annual firearms proficiency course of fire shall be:
(1) handguns - a minimum of 50 rounds, including at least five rounds of ammunition, fired at ranges from point-blank to at least 15 yards with at least 20 rounds at or beyond seven yards, including at least one timed reload;
(2) shotguns - a minimum of five rounds of ammunition fired at a range of at least 15 yards;
(3) precision rifles - a minimum of 20 rounds of ammunition fired at a range of at least 100 yards; however, an agency may, in its discretion, allow a range of less than 100 yards but not less than 50 yards if the minimum passing percentage is raised to 90;
(4) patrol rifles - a minimum of 30 rounds of ammunition fired at a range of at least 50 yards, including at least one timed reload; however, an agency may, in its discretion, allow a range of less than 50 yards but not less than 10 yards if the minimum passing percentage is raised to 90;
(5) fully automatic weapons - a minimum of 30 rounds of ammunition fired at ranges from seven to at least 10 yards, including at least one timed reload, with at least 25 rounds fired in full automatic (short bursts of two or three rounds), and at least five rounds fired semi-automatic, if possible with the weapon.
(d) The minimum passing percentage shall be 70 for each firearm.

 

[pacerron]

Get some old round bales from last year and unroll them. Someone around you may have some sitting there that you could have for free.

Great way to get fee weeds all over the garden too.

 

[foreman Etexas]

Only the 2 I planted for 150 miles!:laughing:



Don, I bet that works good and probably is great for the soil. My garden is 104'x54' so it would take allot of $12 baled alfalfa!

We planted 8 pines about 15yrs ago and they put off enough to do the parents garden. For fertilizer I go to the neighbors next door and pick up after the stallions(pretty easy they go all in one spot) with tractor bucket and only put it out where the rows are going to be then till it in.

 

[jinman]

Oh, I need you guy's imput. I am thinking about using either coastal, wheat hay for mulch this year, leaning towards wheat. I dont want careless weeds so may end up with the coastal to be safe. I have never "mulched " a garden, so wondering if any of you have used "hay" in instead of "straw". Not much "straw" production around these parts!!

I'm thinking the "pros" would be cheap mulch, does the job, will cut down on weeding maintenance and can till it in at the end of the growing season. Negative would be I get a weed such as Careless weeds or sand burs.

Dennis, every year I try to get to Walmart early in the growing season to buy their Scotchman's Organic Compost before they are sold out. A 2 cu-ft bag of this stuff is around $2 (maybe $2.50 a bag) and is excellent for mulching or mixing with your soil to make it light and fluffy. It is not heavy like some mulches and contains no cow poop as many do. It can be used for compost or mulching. I'd say two bags of this stuff will be much more mulch than a bale of hay and it's about the same price or even less. It comes in nice bags that are easy to handle and stack. They also sell another product called Scotchman's Premium Hardwood Mulch. It's close to the same price and is larger pieces to use for surface covering to retain moisture and discourage weeds. Both are products of Texas companies and are a superior value in my estimation. I use the compost and mulch in flowerbeds too. No noxious weeds. . . :thumbsup:

 

[pacerron]

Dennis, every year I try to get to Walmart early in the growing season to buy their Scotchman's Organic Compost before they are sold out. A 2 cu-ft bag of this stuff is around $2 (maybe $2.50 a bag) and is excellent for mulching or mixing with your soil to make it light and fluffy. It is not heavy like some mulches and contains no cow poop as many do. It can be used for compost or mulching. I'd say two bags of this stuff will be much more mulch than a bale of hay and it's about the same price or even less. It comes in nice bags that are easy to handle and stack. They also sell another product called Scotchman's Premium Hardwood Mulch. It's close to the same price and is larger pieces to use for surface covering to retain moisture and discourage weeds. Both are products of Texas companies and are a superior value in my estimation. I use the compost and mulch in flowerbeds too. No noxious weeds. . . :thumbsup:

Jim,
Do you check the PH in your garden often?
We have plenty of horse apples and have always made a compost pile from them, dirty hay scraps off the floor ( barn floor not our little house on the praire ), eggshells, veggie scraps, and of course snakes. It is great after about a year with some occasional turning with the FEL.
Great for gardens and flower beds.
Then a couple years ago we got the idea of putting the softwood chips sold at your favorite store on the same pile.
We only use them when the rubber stall mats get slick, so not very often.
The next spring we put some in the impatiens flower bed and it messed up the soil. The impatiens didn't grow or bloom in their usual magnificent glory. Same problem in the bed around the well head. After 2 years of tilling lime into the spots things are beginning to get better.
So we have found that hardwood chips are fine but the softwood stuff really messes up the PH.
Ron

 

[Western]

I can get 2yr old round bale of coastal for $30 and a round bale of wheat stubble also for $30. I think I'd rather try straw, but that "could" be weedy. Primarily want to mulch for weed control in the rows, since when I'm done bringing the garden full level. I will have added a BUNCH of topsoil.

 

[jinman]

So we have found that hardwood chips are fine but the softwood stuff really messes up the PH.
Ron

Straight uncomposted wood chips will suck all the nitrogen out of the soil. They should be added only in the fall along with urea (nitrogen) to make them decompose. For example, I would never mix chips from my chipper-shredder in the springtime. I top dress it in the garden to hold moisture and prevent weeds then till it in in the fall over a wide area so it can decompose before the next season. That's one of the reasons I'll turn my garden with my tiller at least 5 or 6 times between fall and the next spring. As you found, straight wood chips that are uncomposted are a sure way to suck out all nutrients that the plants need, especially in the spring before planting.

 

[pacerron]

Straight uncomposted wood chips will suck all the nitrogen out of the soil. They should be added only in the fall along with urea (nitrogen) to make them decompose. For example, I would never mix chips from my chipper-shredder in the springtime. I top dress it in the garden to hold moisture and prevent weeds then till it in in the fall over a wide area so it can decompose before the next season. That's one of the reasons I'll turn my garden with my tiller at least 5 or 6 times between fall and the next spring. As you found, straight wood chips that are uncomposted are a sure way to suck out all nutrients that the plants need, especially in the spring before planting.

Jim,
I agree, but the softwood chips from your favorite store were composted over the winter before use.
Of course the real factor may be the horse urine added to the chips while in use on the mats, or some unknown
chemical added when they are mfg./packaged to prevent mold or something.
We have a little meter with a metal probe to stick in the ground to get an instant PH reading.
Some of her flowers, blueberries as well as garden goodies are quite sensitive to PH.
We've got about 1,000 onion sets planted a week ago popping up in the onion bed. The raised bed is a rectangle of old RR ties kept level with the used potting soil she tosses in the fall every year. Planted in a bed rather than rows 1k bulbs only take up a space about 2 x 5 feet wide. We thin them by eating them at least 2 meals a day. We love our onions.
We are starting our own sweet potatoes this year by soaking a couple from last years crop in water. They are doing great.
84 degrees last week now back to 50 and we need rain as well.
Ron

 

[Western]

Did you see the weather forecast for Thursday?? 35*??!!:confused3: This has to be a "conspiracy". Keep your buckets handy Jim, I may have to borrow a couple:ashamed:

 

[jinman]

Did you see the weather forecast for Thursday?? 35*??!!:confused3: This has to be a "conspiracy". Keep your buckets handy Jim, I may have to borrow a couple:ashamed:

Nah, it won't freeze. When I took my buckets and flower pots off of the plants, I left them sitting right beside the plants with a rock on top for easy installation if it gets cold again. That means it won't freeze or hail. Being prepared is the best way to ensure there is no more bad weather.

 

[txdon]

Central Texas prediction is 39˚ for Friday morning. Good Luck Northies.

 

[jinman]

It's supposed to be 84 F here on Wednesday, I'm thinking the ground will be warm enough to radiate lots of heat over the next 36 hours. I don't dare cover my plants until late on Wednesday because they would get cooked in those pots acting like saunas. Of course, we have a 40% chance of t-storms Wed during the daytime and 70% at night. I guess I'll have to wait until the wall cloud comes over and run out to put on buckets. There may be an America's Funniest Home Video moment at my house sometime on Wednesday.:laughing:

 

[kevin37b]

Jinman , have you still got that fine JD mower ?

 

[jinman]

Jinman , have you still got that fine JD mower ?

You mean the "fine" JD mower. I'd never say "fine" without quotes. Yep! I still have it and have replaced enough parts on the deck that I finally got all good parts. I have blades and idlers all from a 3-party supplier and after two spindles, it seems they improved the parts. When I serviced the deck last week, all the spindles and idlers were tight and smooth. The after-market blades have held up well through two sharpenings. My OEM JD blades would be gone after one summer. Of course, half the paint has peeled off my operator platform, but that plastic hood is still as good as new.:thumbsup: I have the quirks worked out of the engine and I've added a spring to aid the keeper on the electric clutch. I'm at 178 hours. If I make it to 250 hours, I'm gonna push it off into my pond so the fish can use it as an artificial reef.:cool2: What do you think?

 

[Western]

I'm at 178 hours. If I make it to 250 hours, I'm gonna push it off into my pond so the fish can use it as an artificial reef.:cool2: What do you think?

Sounds like it would be a total waste of pond space

 

[Bird]

I'm at 178 hours.

How old is that machine? I know you've got so much more to mow than I do, but I mowed today and had 58.7 hours on my Toro ZTR when I finished, and it's barely over 2 years old. In fact, it'll be 25 months old in another 3 days.