I have some stonefruit, struggling in barrel liners, and I am about to give up on the two pluots. Not giving up on the Blenheim apricot just yet, although I would love to find a spot for it in the ground. So far I’ve cut them back somewhat drastically.
While the Seedcorn maggot may lay eggs on the soil, near the bulbs, Onion maggot flies tend to lay eggs on foliage. You could have either, but the Seedcorn version is likely more common in your area. Putting the Agribon/Reemay over the bulbs after planting might stop your mystery digger from unearthing the bulbs.
I’ve never soaked garlic before planting. Planting time here is usually means wet soil. I do add fertilizer before planting, to provide mostly phosphorous, which doesn’t travel well downward (to the roots), because clay soils, found here, tend to bind it. I top dress with fertilizers in the spring.
Oh wow, @MunchkinRedux ! I would kill for a green house like that – KILL! My little citrus plants and lavendar plants would be so happy in the winter in that. Instead I watch the citrus shed leaves and just flounder in the winter in my house.
Huh…didn’t know that was a thing. I have to try that next year. Instead, I just put a few layers of gardening mesh on top this year, held down by rocks. It’s better than nothing, but I have to be wary of windy storms, like the one coming up the Northeast tomorrow. I caught one also digging into my garlic bulbs…little s**ts.
Lol! That’s my husband’s pet project (bucket-list thing). He micro-manages it. He has a remote thermometer in there, the readout of which is right near our back door (slider), where he can stand in the warmth of our breakfast nook and gaze, and check the temperature about 33 times a day. Retirement - aint it grand!
@MunchkinRedux you have a huge garden and impressive crop where do you live?
@shrinkrap somebody is making a big sacrifice with the basketball court there! Nice mandarins from your neighbor I’m looking forward to the really good citrus coming our way. We just have lemons and meyer lemons. Rats in the city make fruits a challenge. They even eat my habaneros!
Yes, indeed! They’re completely different fresh. A Chinese couple told me they didn’t peel them. They just cut the tops and bottoms off and cook them in their skins after scrubbing. I’ll have to try that, as peeling is tedious. Then again… folks have dubbed me “the Master of Tedium” for the laborious food processing which seems meditative. With the lure of tedium, it may be hard to adopt easier.
They are one of my favorites! The canned version is not even remotely close to fresh ones. I remember whenever my mom was preparing them for a dish, I would always sneak one to eat raw. Something about that starchy sweetness that I loved. Knowing where they grow now, I’m surprised I never got sick from eating them raw.
