Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[farmgirl19]

Western; Did you have enough okra seed to get replanted? I am making a trek to Grand Prairie tomorrow morning, and can drop off somewhere, or put in the mail, if need be. If I need to mail you any, PM me a snail mail address, and I'll get it out within 48 hours.

 

[jinman]

We just put a T post at each end of a 50 foot row and a couple in between. Then as the tomato vines start getting taller take some old plastic baler twine and go down one side and back up the other with the tomato vine stems in between. By the time that is done about 3 times 8-12" apart coming up the vines are like trees with the branches holding the tomatoes off the ground.
Nothing fancy, but it works, so we can till between the rows most of the summer.

That sounds easy enough to give it a try. I'm looking for an easier method than the cages and that certainly sounds easier. I'm going to Harbor Freight this week and will load up on sash cord. I LUV t-post and cord solutions.

BTW, I've been using hogwire field fencing for cages. I just cut it and make a loop. I have some rebar cut into a "J" shape that I drive into the ground to hold the fencing around the plants. It works good, but reaching through the hogwire to till the ground is a pain.

 

[bindian]

Are you sure we weren't leading parallel lives? I ended up with the 5.0 Mustang, with the powerful version, BEFORE they detuned them some in Feb. '79. Mine had come off of the floor, before Uncle Sam said they were too powerful for street cars. They then began using the version that I had in the police interceptors.

And my old QH gelding was faster than anyone else on the short run, and across a pasture!

Funny about you taking the mowers apart. I don't remember any of ours wearing out, due to dad's maintenance of them. I was always under a car or on a tractor with him, doing whatever project he was working on, even from toddler stage! Not something mom was happy about, but dad was happy to have the help.

We could be. What is your name?
hugs, Brandi

 

[Western]

Western; Did you have enough okra seed to get replanted? I am making a trek to Grand Prairie tomorrow morning, and can drop off somewhere, or put in the mail, if need be. If I need to mail you any, PM me a snail mail address, and I'll get it out within 48 hours.

I haven't even started them again yet, been planting trees and cutting wood before it gets hot. And it looks like I may have to go to Conroe again tomorrow night, so my sleep has been messed up again.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My green beans came up fine but have some sort of disease, fungus, virus or whatever. I went to A&M's site and there were no pictures to compare to. It is possible but probably unlikely that the farmer to the east of me sprayed his corn crop with some round up and has curled up my leaves.

Some of the leaves look like they were eaten or curled back. I don't like what many of the recommendations involved which were fungicide or malathion or diazonon...

 

[jinman]

Kyle, is it possible that your green beans got a bit frost-bitten. Mine went through an ugly stage after one cold morning and now they are coming around and looking great. I don't think I gained a thing by planting them early though. The hail and frost made them have stunted growth for awhile and they just sat there with little growth. Maybe they were making roots beneath the ground to support topside growth.

Don: Oh no! I'm not doing a gardening blog or You-tube. I spend enough time on the computer already. I'll just stick with TBN. Besides, I'd hate for somebody to think I was some kind of gardening expert. The only reason I have good gardens is because I'm tougher than the weeds.:dance1:

 

[pacerron]

That sounds easy enough to give it a try. I'm looking for an easier method than the cages and that certainly sounds easier. I'm going to Harbor Freight this week and will load up on sash cord. I LUV t-post and cord solutions.

BTW, I've been using hogwire field fencing for cages. I just cut it and make a loop. I have some rebar cut into a "J" shape that I drive into the ground to hold the fencing around the plants. It works good, but reaching through the hogwire to till the ground is a pain.

Jim,
Here's a snapshot through the deer net in early July last year after the Super-Fantastics had been in about a month and a half. You can see in the left foreground how we tie up the tomatoes just using old plastic baling twine snake woven around the stems between the posts. Rows are 4 feet apart and the plants are spaced about every 2 feet. We take the outside tines off the tiller as the tomato plants get bigger.
Ron

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Kyle, is it possible that your green beans got a bit frost-bitten. Mine went through an ugly stage after one cold morning and now they are coming around and looking great. I don't think I gained a thing by planting them early though. The hail and frost made them have stunted growth for awhile and they just sat there with little growth. Maybe they were making roots beneath the ground to support topside growth.

It is possible they have frost damage. That last cool front did get close. And the 30 mph constant winds did a number on my 'mater plants.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Ok, I need to open up a can of worms that is associated to the spring and summer in Texas....Property taxes

My in-laws own the land surrounding my place. Roughly 25 acres. I take care of it and in the past, have made hay and sold it. The past 4 years' drought has taken its toll on the land and I have not put out any fertilizer because it would be a waste of money. Here's the problem. Somehow we lost our Ag exemption. I don't know if they sent a questionnaire to my MIL (and she forgot to fill it out) or they just somehow knew that we were not able to produce any hay last year??? Anyway, we are headed up there tomorrow or Thursday morning to find out what's up. Will tell more of the tale as it comes around.

 

[Western]

Raining!!!!:cool2: Chance was downgraded to 10%, but it's raining right now. Not hard ,but will take what I can get.

BTW, Killed a Copperhead in the dog pen yesterday. Small one about 16", but had a bad attitude for sure.....Keep an "eye" out everybody.

 

[txdon]

Kyle, if, and only if, you can get your agg exemption back you can switch to a Wildlife exemption by doing the required practices.

I'm considering going to chemical control of mesquite. What is required?

 

[jinman]

Rain??? I don't see no stinkin' rain.:confused3: Yep! The storm has skirted Sunset. . . again. Sigh!!! Good for you, Dennis. At least you may get the dust washed off your vehicles.

I was looking at my asparagus ferns yesterday and some are 7 feet tall if they didn't bend over. Trying to walk between rows is like walking through a jungle (photo). I'm still getting some spears, but I'm letting the ferns build strong roots for next year. My MIL has already put in her order. I sent her about 6 lb this year and it was the first really fresh asparagus she ever had. Loved it.



In the photo below, you can see my sugar snap peas that have now grown so big they are putting out runners and need to have something to support them. I have lots of old slightly bowed deck balusters that are 42" long and cut to a 45 deg point on one end. I drive them down to hold clothesline cord. Those, along with old 3/4" PVC pipe, make great stakes when I need strength. Also note my bamboo stakes in my tomatoes. Yep, Dennis, my colorful buckets are all gone. Once the tomatoes are staked, you can't use buckets anymore.



My onions are doing really well. Since they are on a raised bed, I had lots of them get the soil washed off and had to replant them deeper. They are coming on like gangbusters now, especially with the soaker hoses. I had room at the end of the rows and planted a couple of yellow cherry tomatoes. You can really see the bamboo stake in this photo.



My bush blue lake beans are starting to come on. I don't know why the first ones didn't germinate well at the ends of the rows, but I've replanted and they are starting to pop out of the ground. I think the warm days are really getting them going. On the right side of the photo below, you can see my two blackeyed peas rows. They are also really breaking the ground and coming up since I replanted. I'm still waiting to plant a couple of rows of okra. If we get some rain this weekend, I'll plant okra next week.



Let's keep our fingers crossed and pray for a good rain from this approaching front.:thumbsup:

 

[Western]

Well Jim, got enough rain to wet the ground, It's like eating potatoes chips, you cant eat just one, I want more RAIN!!!

Your letting your Asparagus go to "Deliverance" :laughing: Think I would have to pick a few more then let'm grow out:licking: I will plant the Okra this weekend come He11, or hopefully "high water". 40% chance tomorrow, wonder if we need to get farmgirl a beach towel ready

 

[Bird]

BTW, Killed a Copperhead in the dog pen yesterday. Small one about 16", but had a bad attitude for sure.....Keep an "eye" out everybody.

In Post #9 of this thread I mentioned having seen a copperhead in our "community park". Our veterinary has a sign out front in big letters "WE HAVE SNAKE BITE VACCINE". I took our little dog for her annual checkup and vaccinations this morning and they say they do have the vaccine for copperhead bites. And they're getting more reports of copperheads this year.

Of course, I'd assume that some of the reports are erroneous.:laughing: I always remember a little over 40 years ago, we had a next door neighbor who was usually one of those know-it-all guys. And one night my sister and her family came to visit and were leaving our house around 1 a.m. And in the middle of the paved street was a big, black snake; non-poisonous variety but I killed it to make the women happy. I just left it in the street and the next day I was out working in the front yard when that neighbor came out with a friend of his who was just leaving. So the neighbor came over and asked, "Have you seen that big snake out in the street?" I told him that I was the one who killed it, and he said, "Well, my friend who just left is something of a snake expert and he said it's a copperhead." I just said, "OK" and left it at that.:laughing:

 

[foreman Etexas]

I have killed 3 copperhead this year so far...

 

[farmgirl19]

I will plant the Okra this weekend come He11, or hopefully "high water". 40% chance tomorrow, wonder if we need to get farmgirl a beach towel ready

I saw the lightening and heard the thunder, but didn't get a drop. I am working Saturday, in Tarrant County, so send word before then, of you need seed.

And with that high a chance of rain, and being as dry as we are.... Get that beach towel ready, and maybe some bail money too! :cool2: :thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

I was quite surprised when I looked at the NWS website for Denton this morning and it showed "light rain". It sure was not raining here; 10 miles south of the airport, but when I drove another 3 miles south this morning, I'm pretty sure there were 2 dozen tiny drops hit the windshield.

 

[texasjohn]

I'm considering going to chemical control of mesquite. What is required?

Reclaim or Remedy are the only two effectine herbacides. Both are expensive but work, I have used both. One is a foliar application, the other is applied to the stem/trunk. Use dye in either mix to avoid missing plants or double coverage. Now is the right time for Reclaim...right now and for next 5 weeks or so. Texas Brush Busters has the formula.

http://texnat.tamu.edu/about/brush-busters/mesquite/

Both are very specific to mesquite, will not harm other plants. If you wish, PM me with questions. Do you have an applicator's license?

 

[farmgirl19]

I have killed 3 copperhead this year so far...

Everyone mentioning the Copperheads, and I went out to turn off the water, after filling troughs. Reached for the faucet, and just in time, noticed a snake beside it. Startled me enough, after reading this thread, that I could have hurt myself! Luckily, it was a rat snake, and I let it go on its merry way.

 

[Lou66]

I killed two copperheads today.. they looked to be large snakes,, they were in several pieces,, mower so no mercy,, nor the cow birds and one old hawk,, I say it was an old hawk because I believe he/she is the same bird that has been comes for a couple of years and watches,, I know the hawk likes field mice more than snake but time are hard and dry so you take what it there.. Lou