Lawn & Garden Thread

[tron777]

Yea , I took out the last couple tomato plants . I planted spinach a week ago, no signs of sprouting yet,, plan on planting another batch in a few days.

What kind did you get? Did you go with the Bloomingdale or another species?

[Bgoney]

Yea , I took out the last couple tomato plants . I planted spinach a week ago, no signs of sprouting yet,, plan on planting another batch in a few days.

What kind did you get? Did you go with the Bloomingdale or another species?

I went to my local mom and pop nursery and got a envelope of it. It only had spinach on the pack, so I couldn't tell you the variety.

[tron777]

Yea , I took out the last couple tomato plants . I planted spinach a week ago, no signs of sprouting yet,, plan on planting another batch in a few days.

What kind did you get? Did you go with the Bloomingdale or another species?

I went to my local mom and pop nursery and got a envelope of it. It only had spinach on the pack, so I couldn't tell you the variety.

Gotcha! Hopefully, we'll have a cool and wet spring so we'll get those nice big leaves!

[tron777]

I think I'll put my spinach seeds in this weekend. With the warm week ahead they'll germinate, so hoping the cooler pattern coming up as advertised to begin by next weekend isn't a phantom. If this is real, my timing ought to be perfect.

[tron777]

Sowed my spinach seeds today and watered them, I'll need to keep em watered so they'll germinate with the warm weather this week but once we cool down and get some rain towards the end of the week, Mother Nature should take over until Spring. I usually start cutting it to eat in April depending on how the Spring goes. Recent springs have been cold and wet which is perfect.

[Bgoney]

Did the spinach come up?


Sorry for the lack of participation in the weather threads. My oldest daughter just got married over the weekend, the last few months have been a challenge. Now my youngest just bought a house that will aquire some maintenance stuff for dad. Another challenge.

[tron777]

Did the spinach come up?


Sorry for the lack of participation in the weather threads. My oldest daughter just got married over the weekend, the last few months have been a challenge. Now my youngest just bought a house that will aquire some maintenance stuff for dad. Another challenge.

Not a problem Bgoney! Congrats to your kids too! Get all of that out of the way so you're ready for winter. But yeah... it came up and looks fantastic. It's right where I want it to be. It came up as little blades of grass, which have now turned into 2 little starter leaves on each plant. that's what you want to see this time of year. Now the cold can come, snow, whatever and as long as we have a cool and wet spring like the last couple have been, I'll be eating fresh spinach during the month of April.

[Bgoney]

Getting excited for outdoor stuff in the next few.weeks. Ready for another dismal winter to end

[tron777]

My spinach should start to grow sometime next month with all of the rain coming. It loves wet and cool weather.

[tron777]

Spinach should be ready to start cutting in the next week or two. Not sure if I'll have time for some cauliflower or broccoli with my Lake Erie trip upcoming... Anyway, it's almost time to mow for the first time this season! Going to try and do that Sun most likely Mon before next week's system hits. We are still a month and some change away from getting the cold sensitive plants going.

[tron777]

I renamed the thread title also guys to cover not only gardening, but lawn talk, landscaping, or anything cool you have going on at your hood.

[tron777]

Popeye would be proud.

16497991257483965937855612730559.jpg

[Bgoney]

Looking nice Les, I planted spinach seed about two weeks ago and they are about an inch high. We'll see how a spring seed crop turns out.. Have peas about 3" tall and just planted lettuce.

[tron777]

Looking nice Les, I planted spinach seed about two weeks ago and they are about an inch high. We'll see how a spring seed crop turns out.. Have peas about 3" tall and just planted lettuce.

I wanted to do cauliflower and broccoli in some pots this spring, just didn't get around to it. Gotta cut spinach before I leave for Lake Erie and probably again when I come back. It'll be time to get my beans in probably in about 3-4 weeks from now. My spinach will be done by then.

[tron777]

I'll be cutting batch #2 for supper this week. Probably will get a third batch before I rip it out and put beans in for the remainder of the growing season in that zone of the yard. Not as much as I got last year. This spring, lack of moisture and the 80s we had aren't helping. Spinach likes cool and wet weather. It doesn't like warmth as in 70s or 80s. It is a cool weather crop so that's why I start it in the fall to get a jump on development since we get hot faster down here. In Michigan, my Dad used to grow it and planted it normally. Tried it down here and didn't do so well. It went to seed and hardly got any leaves off it. Our fix was to get it started in the fall. The snow and cold doesn't seem to bother it too much.

Anyway on to beans in a couple of weeks, maters, maybe a green pepper plant. The usual suspects. Be time to throw some flowers in the boxes too. Oh and cooking spices! Garlic chives can be cut now honestly. They are already grown up pretty good in the last 3 weeks.

[tron777]

Lawn update... deep, lush and green! Edged this week and mowed when I got back from Lake Erie, but did not weed whack. That'll be next week then the lawn is up to par again.

[MVWxObserver]

Les, I wonder if the Tri-state region has had any reports of this kind of invasive worm?

Its one I've never heard of before until my dad came across the article in our local once a week "The Early Bird" newspaper.

Bgoney and Kris may have heard of this species via their landscaping and arboretum field of expertise.

Invasive hammerhead worm appears in Darke County

By Taylor Dill

OSU Extension Darke County

DARKE COUNTY — The Ohio State Extension office has received calls and questions about a new to Ohio species of worm found here in Darke County. The type of worm that has been found is a Hammerhead Worm. This type of worm is a species of terrestrial flatworms.

These species are shiny and covered in a slime-like substance. However, these flatworms do not have the tentacles that slugs have.

They also have a crescent shaped head and can be up to 12 inches long. The Hammerhead species are usually orange, yellow, or brown with one to several stripes along the back.

Flatworms in general are more common in southern states, such as North Carolina and Florida, where these species can be native or were introduced from another country before 1950. Hammerhead worms have moved throughout the country through the movement of soils, especially in greenhouse production.

Hammerhead worms require moisture, so they can be found under rocks or other debris where the environment stays wet and humid. Flatworms in general are predatory. They feed on invertebrate organisms like earthworms, snails, slugs, and arthropods.

Flatworms’ mouths are on the underside of the body towards the middle. Similar to a snake, flatworms wrap around their prey to consume it. Flatworms can reproduce asexually; this occurs when the body is divided, and each section becomes a new worm. Therefore, cutting these worms up to destroy them is not an effective tactic. This is one reason why these worms can become abundant so quickly in an area. Because this species can populate quickly and consume earthworms, they can be considered damaging to the environment. However, the impact on the environment is complicated and not well understood or measured. They are likely not a major concern as no direct evidence of their impact has been seen in the areas that they inhabit now. However, the main human health concern is that this species contains the same toxin that is in puffer fish and is used to assist them in overcoming prey. The worms contain low quantities of the toxin, but it can cause irritation if it is touched with bare skin.

If you find these in your yard or garden, do not try to dispose of them by cutting them up, as that will only produce more. You can destroy these worms by placing them in a bag with tweezers or gloved hands and freezing them, or by using rubbing alcohol. To avoid direct contact, use salt to eliminate individual worms. Limit salt use near plants. Molluscicides and traps can be effective against flatworms as well as slugs, but keep in mind, these management strategies will also eradicate earthworms.

These worms have traveled through the United States in potted plants and through greenhouse production. If you find a flatworm in a potted plant or in soil, try not to move or plant it without first isolating and destroying the worm. Though, it is assumed there is minimal damage to the environment associated with these species, it is best to avoid moving them around since they are considered invasive.

[tron777]

Never heard of this... interesting... I'll be on the look out for sure.

[tron777]

Cut batch #2 of spinach today for dinner tomorrow and I think I can get one more as mentioned before turning over to beans. Also sprayed for d-lions / broadleaf weeds with Ortho Weed-B-Gone. TruGreen does my lawn for fert. and weed ctrl and they get 85-90% of it. But they always miss stuff. You know the old saying, if you want something done right, do it yourself. I just mix up a few batches and spot spray around the yard with a pump / spray tank system.

Just waiting until week to 10 days and then I HOPE we can proceed with planting for the warm season. I'm itchin'!

[tron777]

I harvested the rest of the spinach today, enough for 3 meals! So a total of 5 meals this year down from about 7 or so from last year when we had a wetter spring. You can't water it enough so a dry spring is no Bueno. April was cooler then normal which was great but also drier then normal.

Put in 100 blue lake bush bean seeds today for green beans. I figure the chipmunks will get a third of the seeds so I'll have to plug in a few more as we go along. I can solve the birds clipping off the seedlings as they sprout issue. I put netting over it as they start to come up.


Lawn is doing good. Have a few weeds, always do, but I killed probably 80-90% of them so I'm cool with that.

[MVWxObserver]

I harvested the rest of the spinach today, enough for 3 meals! So a total of 5 meals this year down from about 7 or so from last year when we had a wetter spring. You can't water it enough so a dry spring is no Bueno. April was cooler then normal which was great but also drier then normal.

Put in 100 blue lake bush bean seeds today for green beans. I figure the chipmunks will get a third of the seeds so I'll have to plug in a few more as we go along. I can solve the birds clipping off the seedlings as they sprout issue. I put netting over it as they start to come up.


Lawn is doing good. Have a few weeds, always do, but I killed probably 80-90% of them so I'm cool with that.

Hi Les,

There's probably some safe and humane ways on Google to help deter Alvin, Chip and Dale from your garden.

[tron777]

I harvested the rest of the spinach today, enough for 3 meals! So a total of 5 meals this year down from about 7 or so from last year when we had a wetter spring. You can't water it enough so a dry spring is no Bueno. April was cooler then normal which was great but also drier then normal.

Put in 100 blue lake bush bean seeds today for green beans. I figure the chipmunks will get a third of the seeds so I'll have to plug in a few more as we go along. I can solve the birds clipping off the seedlings as they sprout issue. I put netting over it as they start to come up.


Lawn is doing good. Have a few weeds, always do, but I killed probably 80-90% of them so I'm cool with that.

Hi Les,

There's probably some safe and humane ways on Google to help deter Alvin, Chip and Dale from your garden.

Live trap / relocation program is an option if it gets too bad lol

[Bgoney]

Sounds good guys , and Happy Late Birthday Mr. Les. Have tons of lettuce at various stages in the garden, also onions, carrots, peas, I'm all about the salad stuff atm. Waiting to put the Tom's and peppers out until probably midweek after the soil temp gets up a bit more which will have no problem getting there at that time with 80s I'm our future

[tron777]

Thanks Bgoney! Always love your garden and landscaping updates too!

[tron777]

Got 3 tomato plants in this year (a purple heirloom and a couple of big beef steaks), green bean seeds (the Blue Lake bush beans which you know about) also some white half runners too. The spice cabinet: garlic chives, basil, dill, thyme, oregano, and parsley. All that's left to do in the next week is plant some flowers and spread a little mulch. Then just keep things watered and watch it grow... eventually fertilize once the new plants get established.