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Thread: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

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    Romania Avalon Member EFO's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Sue (Ayt) (here)
    Thank you all so much for sharing some of your garden skills here. What a beautiful thread!
    Each year, I am trying to learn and grow just a little bit more.

    This year was a disappointment for me, however, due to the dry summer, but mostly due to the squirrels.
    Last year, I had a wonderful crop of tomatoes, but this year, we had so many squirrels, and they robbed every single one of my tomatoes!
    It was so disappointing.
    At least they left the peppers alone, so I did wind up with a lot of peppers.

    It was a battle all summer long, and sadly, I lost the war.
    My question for all the gardeners is this - Is there anything I can do to prevent the squirrels from doing this again next summer?
    Planting walnut and nut trees at the edges of your garden/property will help forever and you will share the fruits.
    "Your planet is forbidden for an open visit - extremely aggressive social environment,despite almost perfect climatic conditions.Almost 4 billion violent deaths for the last 5000 years and about 15000 major military conflicts in the same period."

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Gracy May (here)
    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Sue (Ayt) (here)
    My question for all the gardeners is this - Is there anything I can do to prevent the squirrels from doing this again next summer?
    A friend of mine had the same problem and his solution was to build cages around the tomatoes with chicken wire.
    A lot of hassle can be avoided by having a dog roaming about.
    They have 2 and several cats.

    Oddly enough I live down the road from them and don't have this problem. I think it's cause they actively feed the little critters.

    EDIT: Maybe I don't have this problem in part due to what EFO said: I have a mulberry tree that they gorge themselves on.
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Today is supposed to be the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste.
    For those who invented this, it can be a warning, for all of us, it can be a good time to reinvent our health, choosing to be the "keepers of the earth" by blessing it with our work. It's not easy, in a system called almost climate, but we can still try. Every gram of natural food matters.
    We all have access to natural organic food!

    For the courtesy of all good ideas about healthy eating, I am here, and will always be everywhere, to emphasize the importance of Nature and its power to heal and nourish us enough to not waste good food.

    We can even grow herbs in a pot if we do not have space or time. Herbs are not so sensitive and forgive us if we did not water them yesterday.

    Pesticides speak "at every step", we must not only think about what we eat but we must find better solutions, there are many examples in which if we did not have a garden, we can buy vegetables and fruits in season and process them naturally at home and to preserve them.

    We should look for vegetables from farmers, close to us, maybe it's expensive or maybe not, but we have to weigh our health in a jar preserved by ourselves!

    Try the taste and flavor!

    Where I live, strange as it may seem, people preserve vegetables and make real and clean liqueur from plums, and sell them all, and then go to the store to buy drinks with additives and canned food (boiled in the manufacturing process together with canned metal)
    My apples are too fragrant for those who come from the city, they can't stand the intense taste because they are not used to it.
    Also, I bought 3 apples from the supermarket last year and placed them on the window sill, in a plate. They haven't been altered for 8 months! Can you believe that? My apples oxidize in a few seconds, and some, I share with lucky worms (apples that fall on the ground, remain for hedgehogs) that's nature .. they are very sweet and juicy.

    If we choose to grow our own vegetables, we become our own researchers of our body, the difference is felt in time long enough to be worth the effort and time allocated. Quality must not be chosen, we must use it.
    After months in which the pandemic changed the way we look at things that were once normal, it was autumn's turn to be greeted with a new perspective for our health. We do not need to travel to know that there are children who die of hunger every day, we also know that individually we can not do much, but together we can choose the responsibility to use the idea of ​​healthy and sufficient food for ourselves and others.

    Because the food system is a big puzzle, in equal proportion to the diseases resulting from food exposed to chemicals, because the expansive transition to organic food can still be made, because every human being has the right to healthy and enough food, above all problems, my intention is in favor of solutions, and I believe that together we could bring about a massive change.We don't have to wonder how. We can start acting now, doing our own research for good solutions.

    It's just a milligram of good intentions that I emanate, conscious, awake, present, maybe it doesn't weigh heavily, but I look like all people in having the right to a better, healthy life.
    And all this to be just human.

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    Romania Avalon Member EFO's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    The planting season has almost ended and what was left is planting garlic for next year and giving a try to overwintering some peppers plants;an idea that came out from this guy a few days ago...

    Overwintering Peppers - Grow This Year's Peppers again NEXT YEAR!
    (16:35 min.)


    http://Overwintering Pepper Plants P... What I Missed
    (12:02 min.)


    If the experiment will be successful I'll expand it to more pepper plants next year because it have many advantages:less money to spend on seeds,early peppers to harvest,less losses on transplanting in pots and later in field,less care for little plants and so on.I'll be back with results in Spring 2021.
    "Your planet is forbidden for an open visit - extremely aggressive social environment,despite almost perfect climatic conditions.Almost 4 billion violent deaths for the last 5000 years and about 15000 major military conflicts in the same period."

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Spring is here, still some cloudy cool days with sunny ones inbetween. There has been quite a lot of rain this season, now up to yearly average. The past 3 years were well below the average rainfall so that was a surprise.


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    More work has been done on the greenhouse, as it is a work in progress, and now has another bed. The donkeys look on and enjoy company and seeing what’s going on. So far, the salad has been growing well for this time of year, as it is still cool and there was frost last week. I have been able to pick leaves off the lettuce and spinch and rocket for salads and mix with herbs in the garden.
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    The raspberries are shooting new leaves and the seed potatoes are in the beds ready to grow. There are about 6 varieties of potatos planted to spread out picking times and just for variety. Snow peas and sugar snap peas planted from last years saved seeds have germinated well.


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    The fruit trees are flowering and a delight to see with hundreds of bees buzzing away in the flowers. This is a Mutsu apple tree pictured flowering, a large sweet-tart apple that is very nice to eat or cook.
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    The garden has kept me quite busy this growing season. The weather has been reasonably warm the past month, but we are now having a cool windy week again.
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    The green house that is still a work in progress, has definitely made a difference in moderating the weather changes. There has been more than enough fresh greens and there are still vegetables from last season in the freezer while I wait for a new harvest.

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    The potatoes are growing well and stood up to some strong winds this past week.

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    Finally the peas are starting to flower and hopefully will be a welcome addition to salads and as a steamed vegetabe with excess to freeze for later next year.




    I'll be thinking of the Northern Hemisphere gardener's too and hoping you are enjoying your stored harvests while taking a rest during the cold months ahead.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    The days are getting noticably shorter now and signs of Autumn are apparent. The summer was cooler and wetter this year so the greenhouse was useful. This was the first season to trial the greenhouse, which is still not quite finished, so there was a bit of experimenting to see what worked best.

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    The tomatoes and zuccinis liking a warmer climate, were succussful and had quite good production and are starting to slow down nearing the end of their season in a month or so. It was important to have good ventilation, especially on the hot days, and it was surprising how much heat built up even with openings along the top of the highest side of the greenhouse where you would expect heat to rise naturally.


    The raspberries are getting used to their new position and will likely fill their beds next season. There was plenty of salad greens and also strawberries hung in pots along the wall.

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    With the higher humidity due to the extra rain and evaporation there was sometimes a problem with grey mould on the zuccini leaves and needing to be sprayed with a mixture of potasium bicarbonate in the late afternoon every now and again, which is safe for bees.


    (Mix 1 tsp of Potasium Bicarbonate with 1 litre of water and a Tbs. Of liquid soap)


    Peas and beans harvested have been put into the freezer for later use. Bottling fruits and drying some of the apples, saving seeds for the next growing season is how I am spending time now in Autumn.

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    As my growing season is slowing down I know all the Northern Hemisphere keen gardeners will be gearing up for the growing season ahead, and I wish you good weather conditions and good harvests to come.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Harmony (here)
    The days are getting noticably shorter now and signs of Autumn are apparent. The summer was cooler and wetter this year so the greenhouse was useful. This was the first season to trial the greenhouse, which is still not quite finished, so there was a bit of experimenting to see what worked best.

    Attachment 46420


    The tomatoes and zuccinis liking a warmer climate, were succussful and had quite good production and are starting to slow down nearing the end of their season in a month or so. It was important to have good ventilation, especially on the hot days, and it was surprising how much heat built up even with openings along the top of the highest side of the greenhouse where you would expect heat to rise naturally.


    The raspberries are getting used to their new position and will likely fill their beds next season. There was plenty of salad greens and also strawberries hung in pots along the wall.

    Attachment 46421

    With the higher humidity due to the extra rain and evaporation there was sometimes a problem with grey mould on the zuccini leaves and needing to be sprayed with a mixture of potasium bicarbonate in the late afternoon every now and again, which is safe for bees.


    (Mix 1 tsp of Potasium Bicarbonate with 1 litre of water and a Tbs. Of liquid soap)


    Peas and beans harvested have been put into the freezer for later use. Bottling fruits and drying some of the apples, saving seeds for the next growing season is how I am spending time now in Autumn.

    Attachment 46422

    As my growing season is slowing down I know all the Northern Hemisphere keen gardeners will be gearing up for the growing season ahead, and I wish you good weather conditions and good harvests to come.
    Harmony,watching your images,searching for Heaven became senseless.

    As you experimented with greenhouse,this year we'll try Luffa/Louffah (a natural "sponge" from gourd family - more hygienic than artificial sponge ).I'll keep the thread posted with the progress (for the moment only the seeds are planted...didn't sprouted yet).

    How Luffa Sponges Are Made
    (4:32 min.)
    "Luffa Gardens in Reedley, California grows and harvests organic luffa sponges. Luffas are a type of cucumber in the gourd family. They're best used for bathing, exfoliating and cleaning. Farm Owners Nathan and Sherri Pauls show us how luffas go from seed to sponge."
    "Your planet is forbidden for an open visit - extremely aggressive social environment,despite almost perfect climatic conditions.Almost 4 billion violent deaths for the last 5000 years and about 15000 major military conflicts in the same period."

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Thank you for the video about Luffa sponges EFO. I would love to try growing them and look forward to your updates on your new endevour.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Today I planted Luffa sponges again....my first batch froze ! Thank you EFO for that video!
    "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” William Blake

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    We're gearing up in the northern hemisphere for the growing season. I have 12 tomato seedlings that are doing well and have just been potted up, and have planted some pea and runner bean seeds. Next week when the moon is waning in either Scorpio or Capricorn I'll get my potatoes, onions and carrot seeds planted.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Today has been a pleasant day for gardening!

    In Romania, the weather has barely become beautiful, after a few good weeks of cold.
    A few days ago I planted some seeds of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, thyme, cumin and celery. I like to grow tomatoes the most, and this year I will plant more varieties, some are good for preservation, some are good only for consumption, some are only for decoration.

    Today I planted more seeds in the greenhouse outside, I planted more than I would have hoped. I planted cranberries (it's the first year) and I want to grow these little trees, from seeds directly! I bought some cranberries, ate a few, and thought about taking out the seeds and getting some bushes for myself in the garden
    That's what I did a few years ago with goji bushes and it was worth it.

    I put some pumpkins, watermelon, parsley, carrots, more cumin, spinach, lettuce, hibiscus, cabbage seeds, tomatoes, peppers and I don't remember what... but it was cool to feel the sun's rays after a not too cold winter but veeery looong, god how much I love gardening!



    Good luck to all Avalon gardeners and those around the world, we really need healthy food, born of the energy of the earth, blessed with clean rains, sweetened by every ray of sunshine!

    Good health to all! I just love spring!
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Hello all,

    I thought I would make my first post on this thread, like Anka gardening is my thing...

    I started over 30yrs ago when I had my first garden and greenhouse. Without a clue I planted all sorts inside and out and everything grew!!!

    I had no idea how I had achieved it, but I had.

    Anyway as always life gets in the way and I dipped in and out of it until about 20yrs ago when I grew a load of flowers from seed, took them down the "car boot" it was a 'thing' then, sold the lot and came home with £30 in my pocket.

    I suddenly thought "Hey" can I make a living out of this... I did of a fashion (as a single person then) but no matter how many hours I put into the plants and always having to work at least a year ahead I could never get the balance right to make enough to last me the whole year...

    And just when I had thought I had reached my lowest point, ever... I reached out to friend who had had a reading with a lady... I duly had my reading and one of the first things she said to me was "plants get all excited whenever you get near them"

    Then it made sense how I was able to visually see what the plant would look like before I'd even grown it. Still no matter how hard I worked I couldn't achieve the right balance and the plants I grew were so beautiful that deep down I didn't even really want to sell them . lol...

    Folk started asking me to do their gardens for them, so gardening for others took over and the plants got left behind. UK inclement weather meant that if I'd had a really good couple of weeks work and thought I was ahead, then the UK weather would quickly bring me back down to earth when there was weeks I couldn't work.

    Eventually I burned my self out and there was a period of about 4 yrs where I couldn't look at a garden or plant...

    Thankfully that passed and we bought our now home enclosed in garden of approx 1/4acre, 5yrs ago. Everything needed work, the garden was a complete jungle, but we could afford it so we set to.

    It's still very much a work in progress, it's completely organic (or as organic as I can make it), I share it with many creatures (voles, shrews, field mice) and birds.

    To watch the blackbirds creep out from the undergrowth first thing in the morning to feast on some sunflower hearts I have put out for them is a sight to behold (likened to an army of black ants descending on their prey) and then there is the army of sex starved sparrows fleeting from shrub to shrub with their shrill bickering that deafens you most mornings at the moment, not to mention the robin who sits by my lounge window and reminds me if I'm late with their breakfast. I could go on and on...

    Aoibhghaire is always saying that nature knows nothing but balance and it's so true, nature will never leave a patch of bare earth empty, it will always fill it. As a gardener it's a fine line with balance and I'm very much still learning, that's part of the joy. Figuring out how it all works.

    I'm still eating last years onions and just finished the last of my potatoes. I'm coming to the end of my carrots and still have plenty of sweet peppers in the freezer.

    My onions from seed are ready to be planted out. The peas are already in the ground. I finished the potato pots for this year today. The kales are ready to be planted out, as are the cauliflowers. I'm going to have to restart the broccoli as one of the chickens got in the greenhouse and demolished them as a "snack". This week I'm going to sow the more tender crops as I think the worst of the frosty nights have now gone.

    If anyone in the UK needs some help or advice about flowers or shrubs (cuttings or seed)or veg I am happy to help if I can x

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Hi! EarthGirl, and Welcome to the forum!

    Hello to all gardeners!


    I like your serenity to understand nature and plants and especially flowers! I understand perfectly when you say that you were able to see what the plant will look like before it grows. They have a consciousness of their own.

    I have a thing with tomatoes, I like them and I love them. In recent years, I have begun to grow them with more passion, that is, when I put the seed "I advise" it to withstand all weather, and I place the seeds carefully with the intention of growing to "become".
    -the "fruit" belongs to them until it ripens very well and gives it to me and I always thank them, as I thank the water that waters them (I like to water the garden manually especially when the seedlings are babies, it is a more intimate connection of intention between me and plants).

    It was a year when I saved a few hundred tomato plants from a flood (it rained 6 weeks in a row) and all I thought about was standing with my feet in the mud like them, and save them to fulfill their role at least as a plant, I never asked for fruit. We carried with multiple buckets all the water from their root, and until late summer they offered us many tomatoes, and because we saved them, they no longer emitted the substance with which they protect themselves (to the touch) ... that was their form of defense and they gave it up and they "collaborated" with us to save them, because the next day they looked better and greener. They are really alive.

    I also had a company through which I performed the landscaping activity and it worked for a while, but I was not impressed, because I only found people who asked for something in a minimalist extended form (many rocks, lawn with scheduled watering, no trees and without too many flowers,(they having no time for to take care of plants) and I was not lucky enough to meet people who want a little paradise to be maintained with love, a plant sanctuary that generates beauty and love of nature .
    In the meantime, I was "specialized" according to "market demands" with street furniture and decorative wells, which "was no longer my thing."

    Gardening for me came as a kind of necessity, moving to the country in 2001, where I learned to plant vegetables on my own (I learned from my mistakes every year ) and it is still a process of learning and adapting to clear conditions of weather and seed quality. The first thing I learned in the first year was how to place the plants to "catch" more sun and I grew more and more varieties of plants until we reached to complete our absolute necessary for food for at least 4 people (even if we are just two, I always share with friends too) in full season cycle (and I also have canned vegetables in all sorts, and a huge fridge with finely chopped peppers, frozen tomatoes, beans, spinach, zucchini and more fruits), pickles and onions and leeks which I still gladly offer.

    This year I have over 27 varieties of tomatoes, along with the old ones and we have planned "a big planting" (they are stronger together). We grow almost 2000 square meters of vegetables:
    -corn, parsnip, salad, beans, green peas, cucumbers, radishes, beets, spinach, cabbage, carrots, zucchini, peppers, eggplant, potatoes and many varieties as if a small child (from the cartoon) would say: "Wow ... you put the seed in the ground and grow pizza"



    I plowed the land with a tractor (with a neighbor's, not mine) and then these days he will come (if the rain stops), to make the land like sand, so I that can start planting.
    A few days ago, a sudden snow came, a "plastic" snow was like polystyrene, and before that it thundered. Something I've never seen, for an already "known" weather system. And I ran to cover the seedling tunnels with extra wool blankets and foils.
    I'm glad they withstood the cold overnight, some even sprouted



    When I moved here, the garden was grown with vegetables for animals, mostly corn, and the garden was surrounded by plums from which only alcohol was made.The old owner was only interested in these...and I had pretty much transformed everything.
    I don't have many flowers, it's something I'm still planning. I started with decorative shrubs, like many jasmines and lilacs, and wisteria, Albizia julibrissin, acacias and hibiscus, and we planted a linden tree because I drink a lot of linden tea.

    I have flowers such as lilies, gladioli, hyacinths and daffodils (these, I picked them all this year, because I noticed that the bulbs grow better if I pick the flowers) .. is it true? or maybe they multiplied for some other reason? The plot of flowers has almost doubled, by itself. But I also have many varieties of wild flowers that I let multiply for bees.



    In the spring I plant a lot of poppies, and bees, in the form of armies, come from the hill, down in the garden, and some pollinate my plants very well, tomato flowers, peppers and eggplants (sometimes "genetically crossing varieties with pollination"), anyway they are very diligent.

    Some of the plants in the tunnel, tomatoes, cabbage.



    Over the years, until 5 years ago, I worked seasonally in the winter, and I returned home every spring to what I call for myself, the "treasure" , and every time, every spring, I started the gardening season with a great love of belonging to the awakening of nature, through this work, like many others, that ennobles the soul.
    Yesterday I was sitting on a chair in the garden and I was thinking: "Gardening is already becoming a beautiful habit, I was just 'guarding' the seedlings next to me, thinking that I could grow old right there and be happy.
    There is a connection with plants and they always feel that.



    A week ago, I multiplied the bay bush (just cut some branches and carp a little branch to put a grain, or two of "magic wheat"), probably everyone knows that, but I say it anyway,
    because it always works for me, the roots always grow from there.I don't need many bay plants for myself, but after two years of care, I can give them as a gift to my friends.



    I tell you again and again, welcome dear EarthGirl! For a first post, your sincerity is as beautiful as the flowers you grow, and thank you for that.
    I can't wait to see photos of your flowers, to "see" that perfume ...

    If you can imagine the scent, I send you a photo of a flowering plum, was just before the storm, I stayed there for a while in the rain...
    I wish you much success in gardening, a sunny day every day, a healthy life, and a pleasant evening further.

    Good luck to all gardeners.
    Love, Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Hey Anka, question for you: You once mentioned that you "bombard tomatoes with ______" but I don't remember what it is? It's somewhere in my PMs. I would PM you but I thought I'd post the question here, it may be of use to other gardeners. Thanks in advance!

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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Hey Anka, question for you: You once mentioned that you "bombard tomatoes with ______" but I don't remember what it is? It's somewhere in my PMs. I would PM you but I thought I'd post the question here, it may be of use to other gardeners. Thanks in advance!
    Hi, Strat
    We treat the tomatoes with powder copper sulfate water and lime (100 gr. Each 2 solid parts per 10-15 l of water), sometimes with baking soda (if necessary, two tablespoons per 10 liters of water) and often with hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy or Food grade (16 tablespoons of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide concentration is put in 7, 5 liters of water) this is good for all plants in the garden for a surplus of oxygen, and the difference is very clear the second day. The plants manage to get rid of any disease in a week.



    I have exactly that (above), at less than a dollar / kg.

    You can also extract some information from here:
    https://www.verywellhealth.com/coppe...nefits-4684436

    Depending on the severity of the disease, ie how advanced it is or what kind of fungus it is, the solutions are applied, maximum three times a week avoiding high temperatures, ie to be applied best in the evening.

    But try only if the plants are mature, and if you have a picture, then I will know better what to do, if not, then try to apply on a plant, leave a day break and then apply the solution again, leave one day break and notice later. I'm here.
    I forgot to tell you that it is possible to find copper sulfate rather at a hardware store, I don't think you will find it at the plant care store (they have to sell their chemicals)...

    You can also find this Bordeaux juice for plants on the market in a complex industrialized form, but it is not natural. It should look something like ...



    Tomatoes can also be treated with nettle juice or aloe verra, but only in mild cases.

    Ask me anything, bro'... buy me an orange juice and we'll talk!

    Love you. Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Anka (here)
    Ask me anything, bro'... buy me an orange juice and we'll talk!
    Being a Floridian I can definitely supply you with fresh oranges lol. I have a loquat (aka Japanese Plum) growing in my front yard if you want to try fresh tea.

    I believe the PM I'm thinking of though you weren't speaking of disease prevention but of soil additives for fruit growth. So, nitrogen? Potassium? Something like that. My memory sucks so maybe I am not remembering this properly and I should just dig through the old PMs.

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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Oh. I apologize, Strat. Of course, in gardening language, "bombing" is the fertilization of plants. I was not paying attention

    Tomatoes need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to grow, all in one place. It is commercially available in many ways.

    If you have the opportunity to sprinkle the ashes of burnt wood on the ground around them (with burnt wood, from the grill or some fireplace), that right there is a natural fertilizer.
    The remaining coffee grounds also help - 800 grams / 50 liters of water.
    Banana peels - you can also make a solution in which you put 6 banana peels in 3 liters of water. Leave the banana peels for 2-3 days in a container that you covered with a cloth. After that, put the solution in a container with a sprayer and give the plants a natural fertilizer. At the same time, you can put this solution in the ground.
    A natural fertilizer for tomatoes (and many other plants) is yeast.
    Yeast is a group of single-celled fungi, and it secretes many nutrients for plants. In yeast we find amino acids, iron, protein, thiamine, vitamin B, auxin or cytokinins.
    These mushrooms are used only for ripening, the yeast can speed up the ripening period of the fruit, and in this way you will benefit from fruit much faster.

    The yeast solution * used in a maximum of 10-15 minutes, but one liter of the solution below, is used for 10 liters of clean water.
    -10 liters of hot water, 10 grams of dry yeast, 0.5 liters of ash, 75 grams of sugar. An adult plant should receive 2 liters of water with yeast fertilizer, only once every 30 days.

    However, an organo-mineral fertilizer for tomatoes should have:
    -compound nitrogen - phosphorus - potassium (4 - 2 - 8)
    -keratin - a natural source of nitrogen, eg coconut fiber
    -mineral components - ensures the growth of green parts, rich flowers, acts in the soil, as many vitamins as possible.
    It is also the most effective manure from chickens, rabbits or cows or horses.
    If you have a farm nearby or if you find it in stores in certain concentrations and mixtures. But this type of fertilizer is applied before the plant begins to bear fruit.

    I hope I was helpful, because there are even more types of fertilizer (homemade).
    I sometimes use a natural growth hormone that does not inflate plant cells. This one:

    https://atonik.eu/index.php

    Thanks for the tea!
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Dear Anka

    I am already jealous the amount of area you have to grow in...

    if that was me as well as chickens I would have a pond for ducks and an area that I could raise pigs in for 6mths of the year.

    It looks beautiful and I echo your sentiment about being in tune with your land.

    As for your question about flowers growing better if you pick them... A flowers soul purpose in life is to grow in order to reproduce... So if the bulb/plant is large enough and happy where it is planted then in theory yes you can pick as many as you can because it will encourage the plant to produce more and grow more (provided it can) although there is a limit as there is with everything but stopping a plant from setting seed means it will be more determined to grow better next year and provided the conditions are right it will grow according to oblige. I hope this makes sense and is probably what you already know x

    As for tomatoes you are way ahead of me technically I use seaweed and comfrey, Strat if you are near the coast in Florida go gather some seaweed as with all areas it will appear at some point in the year.

    Copper sulphate was used here to stop damping off of seedlings and I'm nor even sure I can purchase it anymore, as for Bordeaux mix that's been banned for use by ordinary gardeners in the uk.

    If our potatoes get blight then so be it we now have no access to what the commercial growers use to prevent it and where I live we are potato central and my potatoes get blight every year, so I've bought some supposedly blight free varieties this year to trail and the rest I plant early and hope for the best.

    Our climate is akin to the rainforest re humidity and I now accept that. I can't grow any decent tomatoes outside they all have to be under cover so my growing space is limited.

    It's all about adapting to our climate and I save and grow my own seed when I can. I am most excited about my watermelon seeds this year, I'm limited of course but I managed to get a 5lb beauty from a 10lit pot on the shelf in my greenhouse last year, although I think that was down to the heat we had early last summer.

    The seed is saved and will be sown again this year as it will now be 4th year generation watermelon seed adapted to my own acclimatised conditions.

    I have never tried wheat with bay cuttings, interesting, there is usually a point in the year when shrubs decide to sprout of their own accord depending on the conditions and I go out and look at them and then (this sounds silly) I get feeling that the time is right.

    How lovely to find a fellow gardener as passionate as me x

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Dear Earth Girl,

    As a gardener to an other gardener we have to help each other,not only with ideas,but also in physical plane,were available.For example,this year,after many years of growing hybrids (we only have potatoes,garlic and peach trees as pure species),finally this year we found gardeners who grow old species of tomatoes,different paprika,watermelons and melons,carrots,cucumbers and for the first time we'll grow Luffa.
    Our potatoes we have the potato taste we were used in the childhood,while the villagers are "infused" every year with all kind of potatoes,of which I tried them,and as me they are complaining that the potatoes don't boil or can't be fried and even if that happened they have no taste at all.With garlic is the same,they lost the "seeds" and now they buy it and having that particular slightly bitter-ish taste instead of slightly sweet taste among its natural garlic taste.As per peach trees,they are so pure that they sprouted from their own seeds.

    And you gave me a great idea of growing melons in pots.Thank you!

    We're also living in a very humid area (hills shadow,mist or fog,a lot of dew,rains and a large river - practically we live in a corridor of permanent moisture),so humid that every year we have to fight with tomatoes fungi until we found different variants not to kill the fungi,but to highly reduce their influence over tomatoes using copper sulfate for soil and plants,peroxide and sodium bicarbonate among others more or less.So we have to find together a solution for you to be able to grow outside your tomatoes.We have to talk.
    "Your planet is forbidden for an open visit - extremely aggressive social environment,despite almost perfect climatic conditions.Almost 4 billion violent deaths for the last 5000 years and about 15000 major military conflicts in the same period."

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