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Table of Contents
1) Editor's Comments:We are closing in on the end of our Vegetable Garden Planting Guide with Part Five. We also have another herb to share, talk about bees, and something again no one wants to share, poison ivy. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Tom Krueger Rex Gregor "Exotic & Unusual Seeds from Around the World" 2) Stinging Insects --Honey bees, wasps, etc.There are basically three types of "stinging" insects. 1. The African honey bee (known as the killer bee)
The European Honey Bee was imported from Europe in the 1600s. This is the bee that "bee" farmers raise. The honey bee is a 'social insect' that rarely stings. But, it will sting if their hive is disturbed -- in fact, they can become aggressive if their hive has a major disturbance. In the wild, these bees will build hives in hollow trees, old buildings or even in home attics. There are several types of wasps including yellow jackets, hornets, mud wasps, among others. They are more aggressive and will sting without reason. The yellow jacket and hornets are known to build nests on the ground, lawns and fields. Most other wasps will build "paper hives" or "mud hives" on buildings, over- hangs on houses, trees, etc. Again, they are very aggressive if disturbed. Most bee stings are made by wasps or hornets. It is unfortunate that "honey bees" are often blamed for stings, when in reality, it is likely a yellow jacket, hornet or a wasp. Identifying the type of bee that stung is important in order to find the the source of the nest or hive. You can study where the bee traffic comes from; generally, you can narrow the direction of the nest by watching where they fly. Bees and wasps do not fly at night, therefore, if you wish to destroy their nest or hive, it is best done at night . But you still want to be very careful. Always remember, bees and wasps will attack when they are disturbed, and they can be disturbed at night, as well. Personally, it might be best to consider having a professional do the job. Or, your local agricultural agent may be able to help you solve your problem. If they are honey bees, the agent may even have contact with bee farmers who would be ble to capture a hive of honey bees.
3) Humor for Today:Little Johnny was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom. Little Johnny turned to his mother and said, "Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark." His mother smiled reassuringly at Little Johnny. "You don't have to be afraid of the dark," she explained. "Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you." Little Johnny looked at his mother real hard and asked, "Are you sure he's out there?" "Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him," she said. Little Johnny thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, "Jesus? If you're out there, would you please hand me the broom?" 4) Vegetable Garden Planting Guide: Part Five
Peas Pea seeds can stand cold temperatures, but they may take longer to germinate. You can generally plant the seeds as soon as you can work the garden soil. Plant the seeds 1" deep with about 10 seeds per foot. Peppers Almost all pepper seeds need to be started in flats or peat pots at least 10 weeks before the last frost. If you live in a warmer climate, it is best for the soil temperature to be at least 70° because the seeds will not easily germinate at lower temperatures. You should "harden off" the plants for at a least a week before you transplant them. Space the plants about 2 feet apart in rows that are 3 feet apart. Pumpkin Pumpkin seeds should be planted outside after the last frost. The vines are usually very tender, thus they will be killed by a light frost. The plants like a moist soil with lots of humus and fertilizer. Normally you should plant about 6 seeds per hill. If you wish to grow a grand champion pumpkin, choose a large variety then early on, pick off all blooms except the one you choose to be the grand champion; then keep picking off all other blooms. Keep the plant moist and feed it with a water soluble balanced fertilizer weekly and talk to it daily. (People who talk to their plants take better care of them!) Radish You should plant your seeds in the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. Make additional plantings every two weeks for a continuous harvest. You should plant the seeds about ½" deep and place the seeds about 1" apart. You can thin the plants to 2" apart. Rhubarb You should plant the seeds 4 weeks before the last frost. Place the seeds about ½" deep in rows 3 feet apart and thin the seedlings to about one foot apart. Rutabaga You should plant the seeds in mid-summer for a fall crop. Place the seeds 2" apart in rows 3 feet apart. Cover the seeds very lightly with soil. Later, thin the seedlings to 6" apart. Salsify Plant the seeds as soon as you can work the soil. Place the seeds ¼" deep and ½" apart. Salsify seed may be slow in germinating. You should thin the seedlings to about 4" apart. Sorrel Start sorrel seeds in trays about 4 weeks before the last frost, or they can be sown in the garden after the last frost. Place 5 seeds per foot in rows 3 feet apart. You should barely cover the seeds with soil. Thin the seedlings to about 6" apart. Soybean Plant the seeds after the last frost. Place 6 seeds per foot in rows 3 feet apart. Spinach Plant these seeds as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. Place 5 seeds per foot to a depth of ½". Thin the seedlings to about 6" apart. We'll be back with our final installment next week. 5) Highlight on Herbs: Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)Tansy is actually a member of the daisy family. It is an old cottage-garden herb with bright yellow flowers. The foliage is a bright green. If you have a dry border area, this would be an excellent herb to consider because it does not like damp soil. In herbal medicine over the years, tansy was used to treat sunburn and to remove frekles. It was a cure for stomachache and toothache; it helped to expel gas; and was a cure for worms. Tansy was even used as a tonic to be taken in the spring. At Easter, tansy cakes were baked and eaten. If your looking for an insecticide, tansy has been used to fill the bill. And the flowers and leaves are used to produce yellow and green dyes. The family to which tansy belongs are perennials up to Zone 4. They can have a height of 2 feet and spread 2 feet. They are native Europe and Asia. They prefer sun or partial shade, and as we said, in fertile well-drained soil. They can be propagated by division in the spring or fall or seed can be sown in the spring when the soil is around 50-55°F (10-13°C). HR219 TANSY (Tanacetum vulgare) Save
up to 70% at gardeners.com Outlet 6) Quote for Today:"Remember the difference between a boss and a leader; a boss
says "Go!" - a leader says "Let's go!" 7) Poison ivy -- Thwart the Rash:As we mentioned, urushiol is the chemical in poison ivy that gives you the rash. Because urushiol can penetrate the skin within minutes, there's no time to waste if you know you've been exposed. "The earlier you cleanse the skin, the greater the chance that you can remove the urushiol before it gets attached to the skin," says Hon-Sum Ko, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Cleansing may not stop the initial outbreak of the rash if more than 10 minutes has elapsed, but it can help prevent further spread. If you've been exposed to poison ivy, oak or sumac, if possible, stay outdoors until you complete the first two steps below: First, cleanse exposed skin with generous amounts of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. (Don't return to the woods or yard the same day. Alcohol removes your skin's protection along with the urushiol and any new contact will cause the urushiol to penetrate twice as fast.) Second, wash the skin with water. (Water temperature does not matter; if you're outside, it's likely only cold water will be available.) Third, take a regular shower with soap and warm water. Do not use soap before this point because soap can pick up some of the urushiol from the surface of the skin and move it around. Clothes, shoes, tools, and anything else that may have been in contact with the urushiol should be wiped off with alcohol and water. Be sure to wear gloves or otherwise cover your hands while doing this and then discard the hand covering. Using these steps and some precaution, you may save yourself plenty of discomfort. 8) Are Tumbleweeds Actually Plants?Tumbleweeds ARE plants. They start the summer as densely- branched, globe-shaped shrubs with spiny green leaves. In the fall, they dry out, turn brown, then break off at the stem and go tumbling! If you live in the western US, you might see them spinning and tumbling over the highway. 9) Subscribe/UnsubscribeThis newsletter, the Green Thumb Times, is sent out only to those who have requested a FREE subscription by signing up at http://rexseedco.com or specifically asked to be added, or are a valued customer of Rex's Seedco. PRIVACY: Your email address is held in the strictest of privacy. It is never traded or sold to anyone else. To subscribe to The Green Thumb Times Click Here or send email to subscribegtt@rexseedco.com To unsubscribe Click Here or send email to unsubscribegtt@rexseedco.com Tom Krueger, Editor and Publisher Rex Gregor, Contributing Editor Please feel free to forward The Green Thumb Times to a friend. Rex’s Seedco has searched the world for quality
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As far as we know, the African Honey Bee has never migrated any further
than the southwest United States. There are only a few instances that
they have been identified in Texas; thus, we can rule them out as a
major problem in the United States.
This is now our fifth installment of the Vegetable Garden Planting
Guide. We only have one more left after this.