That's really good to hear. Maybe I'll see a former client out there too. But seriously, it sounds like a good program, and something I definitely want to support.

4/16/2012 5:13:32 PM

The county has been trying to shut it down the past couple years to cut costs. We thought last year was going to be the last year, but a bunch of people (me included) signed a petition to keep it open. I asked the Sheriff that was working there if it would be open next year, and he said that from what he heard it will be open indefinitely.

[Edited on April 16, 2012 at 5:18 PM. Reason : a]

4/16/2012 5:18:08 PM

RAIN DAMN IT!!!

4/17/2012 1:21:13 PM

lol I know right? Where's these damn thunderstorms they promised us!!

4/17/2012 1:47:47 PM

yeah i just spent a hot minute watering everything. our grass really needs it, but it would look a lot worse had we not put the raised beds in. that section of the yard (fescue) was bare in august as no amount of watering would help them out.

speaking of raised beds...here's how our veggies look today (yes, i used instagram...wat?!)

4/17/2012 2:15:32 PM

We had a similar drought last year...right after I laid down sod

I've been doing a good job keeping up with the watering. I did try to fill in a couple small bare spots in my lawn which I think are going to fail. Oh well...they're really not that bad, I just want my law to be perfect. I'll do a better job of fixing it next year.

4/17/2012 2:17:24 PM

Shouldn't have heavily watered everything yesterday...it's raining all day today...

4/19/2012 8:00:40 AM

haha yeah I'm glad I held off on doing any major watering. Woke up early this morning just to check and make sure I didn't need to water the veggies. Great success

4/19/2012 8:44:13 AM

5 tomatoes growing on my container plant!

4/23/2012 11:08:54 AM

fingers crossed we don't get frost tonight. going to be close

4/23/2012 12:11:51 PM

whoa, crazy late!

4/23/2012 12:22:44 PM

Yeah I'm moving my cucumber seedlings indoors tonight. Already had one bite the dust last night and it wasn't even that cold.

4/23/2012 1:18:19 PM

Damn...hit 39 last night in Charleston...you guys must have gotten frost in Raleigh (I know they got it in Wilmington).

4/24/2012 10:12:02 AM

I escaped hopefully the last frost threat of the year

4/24/2012 8:41:31 PM

So a few weeks ago I was piddling in the yard when I noticed the remains of a dead female cardinal. Probably met her demise at the hands of the neighbors' cat...poor thing. Well I guess that cardinal's last meal was at a strawberry patch as we now have strawberries growing in our back yard haha

4/26/2012 10:20:06 AM

I think I'm too impatient to be a gardener. My tomato plant got an early tomato and now I want to see new tomatoes every day.

4/26/2012 10:39:49 AM

I have 5 now but i feel like the arent growing.

4/26/2012 10:42:13 AM

I've got a couple of blossoms on my German Johnson....I'm worried about their stature though. I hope the roots aren't having trouble. Bought my cages today though.

My peppers and herbs look great--especially cilantro. I'll be putting my corn, squash and cucumber seeds in the ground today. Also got some zinnia and sunflower seeds.

4/26/2012 11:23:27 AM

tomatoes need foliar fertilization to do their best

4/26/2012 11:24:51 AM

What fertilizer do you recommend for that?

4/26/2012 11:30:26 AM

I gave my garlic some fish fertilizer last week and good god they've exploded in size Doesn't seem to have nearly as great of an effect on my other plants lol.

4/26/2012 12:06:02 PM

i've heard kelp is supposed to be good for tomatoes, but 10-15-10 wouldn't hurt

4/26/2012 2:28:36 PM

i use tomato-tone for feedings which i had great success with last year.

i actually got an epsom salt tip today for watering my tomatoes...2 tbsp epsom salt to 1 qt water. water w/ 1/2 quart, wait 2-3 days then water with the remaining. was told i could also do this with ferns.

4/26/2012 2:38:26 PM

Found a bird's nest with little baby birds in it in our kindling box. Couldn't think of any other place to post it, so here it is:

4/26/2012 7:50:05 PM

What can I do with all this spinach? I've got a boatload and I'm tired of eating salads with it.

4/26/2012 11:04:38 PM

Sauté with some olive oil & garlic.
Make a spinach dip.
Quiche.
Use it in a veggie lasagna (though now that I've had veggie lasagna with collards I prefer that)

4/27/2012 8:02:41 AM

Spinach vichyssoise will use up a shitload of spinach and is delicious.

4/27/2012 8:47:23 AM

^^we use leftover bacon grease when we saute spinach. Sure, it's not healthy, but it's damn delicious.

4/27/2012 10:07:31 AM

oh i bet! i'll try that next time when husband isn't looking

4/27/2012 10:08:32 AM

Put the last of my seeds in....corn, zucchini, yellow squash & cucumbers.

My sunflowers didn't sprout where I originally sowed them, so I got more seeds for a different spot. If they grow, they will also serve as a natural screen between ours and our neighbor's back yard.

Frost got some of my zinnias, so I got some more seeds of those as well. Both the cutting and shorter variety.

4/27/2012 3:05:30 PM

I have sunflowers in one spot that are huge and others that didn't sprout at all. I think slugs got the one set when they were still seedlings

4/27/2012 3:16:40 PM

4/27/2012 3:42:53 PM

Picked up my Nucs last night. Installing them in my hives this afternoon.

4/29/2012 9:49:48 AM

I planted like 6 sunflowers from seed in the grown and only 2 have come up so far. oh well.

4/29/2012 3:30:36 PM

BEES ARE INSTALLED!

pics to come

4/29/2012 6:18:59 PM

Finding the first Queen:


Finding the second Queen:


Hive 1:


Hive 2:


Both Hives:

4/29/2012 7:10:32 PM

^ Super jealous of the bees. If I ever settle somewhere I'm getting into that.

Here is some of 'my' garden




Corn, tomatoes, radishes, rudabega, beets, garlic, arugula, lettuce, spinach, various herbs, watermelon, zucchini, acorn squash, cucumbers, blackberries, strawberries, kale.
yum

4/30/2012 9:57:32 AM

I, too, and jealous of the bees!

It looks like my sunflowers might think about blooming soon

Also realized some dick squirrels dug up almost all the bulbs I planted last weekend Guess next time I need to put down chicken wire after planting.

4/30/2012 10:11:29 AM

^That looks awesome.

My tiny little garden is doing well. My lone tomato is finally starting to get some friends and the rest of the tomato and pepper plants are looking greats. Herbs are doing good as well and my little meyer lemon sapling is growing some monster lemons. I don't know how the little branches can support those things.

My zinnias are pretty much dead though. My gf forced them into a little area that I believe doesn't give them enough sunlight. Will have to go find some colorful flowers that don't need a lot of rays this weekend. Any ideas? This is the area:



They initially grew and looked great...but died off pretty quickly. The little fence behind that is covered in jasmine that has now bloomed and looks great. But we'd like some color to go with the white and green of the fence/jasmine.

So something that doesn't need a ton of sun and has a lot of color.

[Edited on April 30, 2012 at 10:13 AM. Reason : .]

4/30/2012 10:13:18 AM

^ You can grow lemons in NC?!?!

4/30/2012 10:20:29 AM

South Carolina.

4/30/2012 10:22:53 AM

I have had luck growing nasturtiums in part-shade. They won't flower as much but they will flower and you can get a variety with interested variegated leaves.

4/30/2012 11:03:24 AM

impatiens are the classic- tons of flower, accept pretty deep shade

4/30/2012 11:23:42 AM

Just looked them up...sounds perfect. Thanks.

4/30/2012 11:56:21 AM

So some asshole has been letting his dog piss on my mailbox post and it's killing my gardenia. Any recommendations for a product I can spray to deter this?

5/1/2012 8:07:22 PM

Plant a few cacti in there. My mom had the same problem, and all it took to fix it was a cactus quill to the undercarriage.

Either that or spray them with cheyenne pepper dissolved in water. One sniff and the dog will not want to be anywhere near it.

[Edited on May 1, 2012 at 8:33 PM. Reason : a]

5/1/2012 8:32:12 PM

Hmm, I wonder how tall of a cactus I would need. I'm guessing it's a lab sized dog based on where the urine yellowing is happening. Is the pepper spray something I can pick up at Lowe's or should I just get a can of bear mace at Dick's and spray that everywhere

5/2/2012 8:59:50 AM

I would just mix some cheyenne pepper in water and put it in a spray bottle. Or you could possibly even get away with just sprinkling Cheyenne all over the place out their. Dog's sense of smell is so strong that they probably won't go anywhere near it. That's a short-term solution though, as rain will wash it away. The Cactus is more of a long-term solution, plus they look cool

[Edited on May 2, 2012 at 9:12 AM. Reason : a]

5/2/2012 9:11:54 AM

Cukes! Zukes! And corn! Oh my!!

Birds or squirrels appear to have gotten some of my sunflower seeds, but I do have a few sprouts

5/3/2012 9:13:57 AM

My tomato and peppers plants are crushing it.

My flowers boxes are frustrating me though. Some plants/flowers are just amazing while others are dying/wilting. Why can't they all act the same! They all call for the same amount of sunlight and water! ugh...

5/3/2012 9:21:57 AM