What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

i think it was on here someone posted a link to a seed site that had at least a dozen pages of tomato varieties, but i cannot remember it for nuthin'

Tomato Fest has a lot of different varieties.
tomatofest.com

 

[BReeder!]

I have an idea on when to water my grow bags. I'll wait for the bottom of the bag to feel slightly dry. This will force the plant to send down its root to the moist bottom under the bag. I am still figuring things out, the last thing I want to see is dropping leaves, split tomatoes and blossom end rot.

Tomatoes root vigorously in my experience. I wouldn't worry about trying to force the roots to grow down. They will on their own. If you're using the felt type grow bags, water more than you would a potted plant. I stick to check the top inch of soil with my finger. If it's feeling a bit dry, water. In mid-summer I would say grow bags need watering daily here in zone 5.

 

[BReeder!]

This is business as usual.

If it was in the store, it'd sit on the counter until it rotted and then they'd be forced to throw it in the trash.

BUT, since you are too lazy to go do your own shopping (in their POV) let's give it to you, because you are probably going to be too lazy to come in to complain about it, and I won't have to throw it away then. If you do complain, we make it difficult for you, to discourage you from complaining in the future, plus it employ's a few other dirt bags to handle the complaints.

IF you must have fresh stuff delivered, goto one of the more local stores that kind of specialize in 'food' like the IGA's and the likes. Getting fresh food from walmart is like talking to the prostitutes about virginity....NOT the best choice for quality.

Remember, your order is probably being handled by some worthless Z's who barely have time to look up from their phone, let alone care about the quality of your order, or even have a clue... about what's good food quality and what's not good.

Aaron

I don't disagree with all of this, but I so actually feel for many of the people in customer service who are just low-paid, often poorly trained, and have to hear or problems all the time which are often a result of poor management of another department.
Also, those shoppers who pick orders for us when we order a grocery delivery often appear young and also poorly trained. The lack of experience and training is the issue that I think leads to them selecting less than desirable goods. I recall learning as a kid from my mother and grandmother how to pick meat and produce for quality - I find that not everybody has the same "training" growing up. Many of these hired shoppers are just young adults trying to make a living from what I see - and that's first hand as I see them shopping alongside me as I typically do my shopping myself.

Just my $.02... their not all deadbeats, but rather just people like us but with less knowledge and experience in the quality of goods.

 

[BReeder!]

went to use the gator this morning as we got ice and snow and my knee ached. I thought I'd make the morning livestock chores easier, if not faster.
Got the gator stuck in the snow, on the ice, on the hill. (I failed to put the snow treads on her this year)
Finished animals by hand.
Walked up the hill on the snow and ice to get the tractor, dug out the gator, hooked up tractor, made it 30 feet before tractor got stuck.
Unhooked it all, dug out tractor and managed to not hit gator, fence or coop, and got tractor up the hill. It's too light for the ice, went to get SUV....see where this is going?

SUV got stuck in snow drift, on the ice on the hill....Dug out SUV, placed the tiger claws under tires plus grit, nope. Dug her out, reset it all, nope. Called DH on verge of tears. 90 minutes in, I'm cold, not had breakfast or water, and am exhausted. The vehicle being towed needs to be driven to make it up the ice.

He drives home from the city. I feel like a moron for underestimating the insane amount of ice we got and the wet snow on top of it, and dig out a 12 feet wide path to the top of the hill. He gets home and we tractor up the gator again and drive them up the hill.

My truck is still down there, but I needed food after 2 hours of cold, hard on your body, lungs, and soul.

Unfriggenbelievable. I HATE winter.

Sounds like a winter version of the book A Fly Went By.

 

[Ascholten]

I don't disagree with all of this, but I so actually feel for many of the people in customer service who are just low-paid, often poorly trained, and have to hear or problems all the time which are often a result of poor management of another department.
Also, those shoppers who pick orders for us when we order a grocery delivery often appear young and also poorly trained. The lack of experience and training is the issue that I think leads to them selecting less than desirable goods. I recall learning as a kid from my mother and grandmother how to pick meat and produce for quality - I find that not everybody has the same "training" growing up. Many of these hired shoppers are just young adults trying to make a living from what I see - and that's first hand as I see them shopping alongside me as I typically do my shopping myself.

Just my $.02... their not all deadbeats, but rather just people like us but with less knowledge and experience in the quality of goods.

I wish I could agree with you but the morals and ethics just are not there anymore.
Back when I was that dumb pimple faced kid, having a job was a privelage and you were glad you had one and PROUD of what you did, and tried to do your best to learn and be better.

Today nobody gives a crap, they act like they are doing YOU a favor when they show up on time or actually look away from their fkn phones and actually do some work for a change. The ones that might care, quickly don't because they find out that their managers are the same s-bags I just described who happened to stay there for more than a month or two and got 'promoted'. Plus they are told from their managers, you are not here to care, you are here to do what I TELL YOU, and we need to make money (so I can get MY bonus), so you will sell that old nasty crap.

Im sure in smaller towns where it's still a mom and pop mentality this may not be true and I honestly long for those days again, but here, it's a freak show of disgrace. Ask anyone on the street just about, hey, I want to see a freak show, where do I go? they'll tell you, yah, goto the walmart on Lem Turner after 8 pm, or the one by the airport.

I make it a habit NOT to shop at walmart EVER, even if I have to do without something for a bit. there are a few other places as well I will not do business with but that's another story which Ill keep for now.

Aaron

 

[BReeder!]

Looks great. I used something similar for my 6x10 base. I was able to use the greenhouse in the middle of summer with 30% shade cloth, two automatic vents, a fan, one panel removed so I could use a diy swamp cooler, and on the hottest days a mister. Best I did was 90 inside when it was 104 out. If your summers are humid to begin with (mine were dry in Cali), it will be harder to keep cool.

90 inside when 104 outside is impressive. I don't expect to keep it lower than outside temps. I ordered 40% shade cloth and a 10" exhaust fan with thermostat. I plan to put vents in at the bottom as well on the front with the up high in the back. I already have the auto vent openers. I'm hoping this is enough. We will see...

 

[CNJ]

Somehow I have managed to not have any tomato seeds

i think it was on here someone posted a link to a seed site that had at least a dozen pages of tomato varieties, but i cannot remember it for nuthin'

suggestions?
thank you in advance!

Baker Creek has free shipping and fast delivery time to Hawaii which is unusual for me. I always get screwed with the shipping. This link is for orange tomatoes, but they have lots of other types. Also, my order from Etsy had free shipping, but seeds never came, so they refunded my money. I might try them again latter.

https://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/orange

 

[igorsMistress]

went to use the gator this morning as we got ice and snow and my knee ached. I thought I'd make the morning livestock chores easier, if not faster.
Got the gator stuck in the snow, on the ice, on the hill. (I failed to put the snow treads on her this year)
Finished animals by hand.
Walked up the hill on the snow and ice to get the tractor, dug out the gator, hooked up tractor, made it 30 feet before tractor got stuck.
Unhooked it all, dug out tractor and managed to not hit gator, fence or coop, and got tractor up the hill. It's too light for the ice, went to get SUV....see where this is going?

SUV got stuck in snow drift, on the ice on the hill....Dug out SUV, placed the tiger claws under tires plus grit, nope. Dug her out, reset it all, nope. Called DH on verge of tears. 90 minutes in, I'm cold, not had breakfast or water, and am exhausted. The vehicle being towed needs to be driven to make it up the ice.

He drives home from the city. I feel like a moron for underestimating the insane amount of ice we got and the wet snow on top of it, and dig out a 12 feet wide path to the top of the hill. He gets home and we tractor up the gator again and drive them up the hill.

My truck is still down there, but I needed food after 2 hours of cold, hard on your body, lungs, and soul.

Unfriggenbelievable. I HATE winter.

That’s a tough break lady

 

[Ascholten]

90 inside when 104 outside is impressive. I don't expect to keep it lower than outside temps. I ordered 40% shade cloth and a 10" exhaust fan with thermostat. I plan to put vents in at the bottom as well on the front with the up high in the back. I already have the auto vent openers. I'm hoping this is enough. We will see...

Being in illinois, your humidity is a bit lower so you might have decent luck with swamp coolers to keep the temp down when needed.

Aaron

 

[igorsMistress]

Yes, use gypsum if you need calcium, it will not raise your pH, and the powdered stuff is fine. That's all we ever used in California where the soil is alkaline.

Draw some big eyes on the shiny side of CD's and hang them up, but wait until the fruit is almost ripe enough to peck. That worked for my figs.

Sungold is a great tomato. I am trying black cherry this year because it looks promising that it can set fruit in Florida heat (high day and night temps).

Looks great. I used something similar for my 6x10 base. I was able to use the greenhouse in the middle of summer with 30% shade cloth, two automatic vents, a fan, one panel removed so I could use a diy swamp cooler, and on the hottest days a mister. Best I did was 90 inside when it was 104 out. If your summers are humid to begin with (mine were dry in Cali), it will be harder to keep cool.

DIY swamp cooler?