BarG
Founding Member
I had a mild case of heat exhaustion after catching up on yard work and cleaning up the perimeter of my main areas. I took 2 days off to relax in the ac.
Deluxestogie Grow Log 2022
- Thread starter deluxestogie
- Start date
Oldfella
Well-Known Member
You gonna include Alice in the picture?
Oldfella
Alice is in yet a different bed.
Bob
EDIT:
Alice's Restaurant, on Youtube. A 1969 film with Arlo Guthrie.
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Tobaccofieldsforever
Well-Known Member
I
I don’t know the details of your battery situation but your local tractor supply store, though likely overpriced, likely has it in stock. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/store_Christiansburg-VA-24073_475What is a deluxestogie grow log without another episode of Oh! Deere! Lawn Tractor?
I meditated, and willed the springtime explosion of lawn growth to slow down, please. It did not listen. But then the birds, the bumblebees, and the bunnies began to celebrate. Dandelions' bright yellow served their role as camo for small gatherings of goldfinches. With the honeybees from a nearby apiary monopolizing the pollinating trees, hundreds of plump, noisy bumblebees luxuriated among the blue and lavender wildflowers throughout the tall grass.
The thought of my annual dead lawn tractor battery, my having to drag 50 feet of electrical extension cord from the house to the storage shed, lug out my car battery charger, and then manage to recharge the battery between electrocution-worthy rain storms—another happy summer of mowing.
I saw a listing on newegg.com for a rechargeable car jump starter battery ($66 with free shipping). I ordered it.
When the jump starter arrived, I recharged it (takes about as long as recharging a cell phone). Yesterday afternoon, I carried it out to the shed. Flat tire! One of the two, large rear tires on the Oh! Deere! had deflated itself over the winter.
I drove to the local Dollar General, and purchased a can of Fix-a-Flat. Once you refill a tire with its foamy goo, you have to drive the vehicle in order to disperse the goo evenly around the circumference of the tire—before the goo dries in a puddle at the bottom. Fix-a-Flat usually works, but not always. (Rim leaks are notoriously difficult to seal, and valve stem leaks never seal.) Will the Fix-a-Flat work? Will the rechargeable jump starter work? In which order should I attempt them?
I hooked up the jump starter and turned the key. The engine immediately cranked, and continued for 15 seconds, while the fuel system refilled its tubing, fuel filter and float bowl. After a 10 second rest, I cranked it once again. The engine did not sputter or give me an occasional pop. It simply began to smoothly purr.
I disconnected the jump starter. Its built-in LED display said it still had 88% charge. Impressive.
I backed the Oh! Deere! out of the shed a short distance. With the engine still running happily, I fixed-a-flat, rushed indoors to wash the the latex goo from my fingers, then hopped onto my trusty tractor. It was dinner time. My plan was to mow just enough of the lawn to fully recharge the lawn tractor battery. But I couldn't help myself. I kept mowing and mowing and mowing—2½ hours worth. I may have heard the celebratory clink of glasses in the houses of my closest neighbors.
This morning, the bunnies are making do with the stubble.
Moral: buy one of these rechargeable jump starters, and keep it in your car trunk. It says it will hold a sufficient charge for up to 8 months, and is capable of jump-starting a vehicle at least 4 times between charges. The lunch-box-size case also comes with a collection of skinny USB cables (USB-A, B, C and omicron variant) for recharging telephones, and has built-in lights and a tiny compass (no radio or alarm clock). Its printed instructions are a bit confusing, but in reality, I just connected the jumpers and started my engine—no button clicks involved.
Bob
Thank you for the suggestion. The battery is healthy. The problem with starting the John Deere for the first time each spring is that it has been sitting about 5 months each winter, without being used. It just needs a little love, for that first start of the year.
Bob
Bob
Of the promised 44 transplants of Corojo 99 planned for today, I still have one more bed (16 plants) to do as soon as the weather allows. I managed to mow the lawn this afternoon (John Deere started fine, thank you.), which I decided would be an excellent idea prior to a weekend of rain. The 16 Corojo 99 I did get into the garden this evening experienced a 90 minute rain delay, which made the soil kind of a mess, though not waterlogged. I completed that bed 30 minutes after the sun set. On the positive side, there will be a lot of cloud cover for the next few days.
Bob
Bob
A lot of raggedy looking tobacco transplants:
Bob
Bob
The final 16 Corojo 99 plants are in. The front thighs of my jeans are still soaked through. But now that I've put on a dry shirt, I can tell the tale.
"Scattered, light rain. 20% probability"
I got that final bed prepped and fertilized this morning. This afternoon, a passing cloud sprinkled a scattered, light rain. Then the sun came out. I waited for the grass to mostly dry, then trundled out to that farthest of beds with my 16 babies in a tray. I could hardly believe how easy and fast the transplants went in, and were watered with their imidacloprid dose.
As I settled down on my kneeling pad to plop in the final four, it began to lightly sprinkle again. I was nearly done. I continued transplanting. Four measly transplants. That took only about two minutes. Then I returned to the house. Fortunately for our overly dry soil conditions, that light rain had abruptly mutated into a brief, heavy downpour, just as I was finishing the last two transplants. The back and sleeves of my cotton shirt and my Whole Leaf Tobacco ballcap were soaked through, as were my jeans—though only the exposed, front of the thighs.
These last two tobacco beds were a lot more work than the others. No-till was a no-go. Both of the beds had entered winter with a lot of mulchy, dried plant material (grass clippings, etc.). When I sprayed those two beds with Roundup (glyphosate) a little over two months ago, the mulch apparently minimized the herbicide exposure of any grass or small weeds that were comfortably over-wintering beneath the mulch layer. When I went to transplant the first of those two beds, much of it was nearly solid, living sod. The second of those beds was not as heavily affected. Both required hand-tilling and weeding. Boo.
I have 4 of each variety left in reserve. I'll wait about a week, to look for field mortality, then pick some of these to go into a few pots, so I can see the from my front porch. They invariably attract hummingbirds when they blossom.
Bob
"Scattered, light rain. 20% probability"
I got that final bed prepped and fertilized this morning. This afternoon, a passing cloud sprinkled a scattered, light rain. Then the sun came out. I waited for the grass to mostly dry, then trundled out to that farthest of beds with my 16 babies in a tray. I could hardly believe how easy and fast the transplants went in, and were watered with their imidacloprid dose.
As I settled down on my kneeling pad to plop in the final four, it began to lightly sprinkle again. I was nearly done. I continued transplanting. Four measly transplants. That took only about two minutes. Then I returned to the house. Fortunately for our overly dry soil conditions, that light rain had abruptly mutated into a brief, heavy downpour, just as I was finishing the last two transplants. The back and sleeves of my cotton shirt and my Whole Leaf Tobacco ballcap were soaked through, as were my jeans—though only the exposed, front of the thighs.
These last two tobacco beds were a lot more work than the others. No-till was a no-go. Both of the beds had entered winter with a lot of mulchy, dried plant material (grass clippings, etc.). When I sprayed those two beds with Roundup (glyphosate) a little over two months ago, the mulch apparently minimized the herbicide exposure of any grass or small weeds that were comfortably over-wintering beneath the mulch layer. When I went to transplant the first of those two beds, much of it was nearly solid, living sod. The second of those beds was not as heavily affected. Both required hand-tilling and weeding. Boo.
I have 4 of each variety left in reserve. I'll wait about a week, to look for field mortality, then pick some of these to go into a few pots, so I can see the from my front porch. They invariably attract hummingbirds when they blossom.
Bob
Epilog:
I decided on something quick and easy for dinner, after a day of exertion. Toaster waffles and thin-sliced, fried spam-ish. I set the toaster 1 notch lower that usual for toaster waffles, so they would be somewhat soft. Now that the A1C gods have blacklisted syrup, I would slop the waffles with butter-ish, and top them with fruit salad. As the meat was happily frying, and the waffles were merrily toasting, the smoke alarm in the kitchen began its 90 dB plaint. I could see no smoke. I waved my hand, and it stopped.
The spam-ish was smoke-alarm well done, and the toaster waffles were smoke-alarm brown. Hard to tell which did the deed. But...they all taste mighty good right now.
Bob
I decided on something quick and easy for dinner, after a day of exertion. Toaster waffles and thin-sliced, fried spam-ish. I set the toaster 1 notch lower that usual for toaster waffles, so they would be somewhat soft. Now that the A1C gods have blacklisted syrup, I would slop the waffles with butter-ish, and top them with fruit salad. As the meat was happily frying, and the waffles were merrily toasting, the smoke alarm in the kitchen began its 90 dB plaint. I could see no smoke. I waved my hand, and it stopped.
The spam-ish was smoke-alarm well done, and the toaster waffles were smoke-alarm brown. Hard to tell which did the deed. But...they all taste mighty good right now.
Bob
BarG
Founding Member
Always add stabill to your gas for lawn equipment. Or use it till it's dry. The carb will gum up or freeze your jets if you don't . The 10 % corn will kill your engine. One man's opinion .
I wish My house looked that pretty.
I wish My house looked that pretty.
I'm planning to submit my transplant watering cup (a 1-quart plastic measuring cup that is always suspended upright by its handle, on the rim of a 5-gallon bucket outside my curing shed) for sainthood. The local weather forecast said 0" of rain for yesterday. The weather service logged 0.2" of rain. Yet by a miraculous transformation, the watering cup contained 1¾" of water this morning.
Also on the miracle front, the three Ping Tung eggplants that I raised from seed, starting at the end of February, and transplanted to a garden bed a week ago, have ascended into eggplant heaven, completely. This morning, there was no hint that they had ever existed. And the labeled 6" craft stick that had accompanied them lay forlornly cast aside, flat on the bare dirt.
Bob
Also on the miracle front, the three Ping Tung eggplants that I raised from seed, starting at the end of February, and transplanted to a garden bed a week ago, have ascended into eggplant heaven, completely. This morning, there was no hint that they had ever existed. And the labeled 6" craft stick that had accompanied them lay forlornly cast aside, flat on the bare dirt.
Bob
Lunar Eclipse
The totality of tonight's lunar eclipse was set to begin around 11:30 pm here. From my study, I glanced out the window toward where the Moon should be. There it was! I trudged out to my front porch, and could see stars. The Moon would be on the other side of the house. So, with trekking pole in hand for stability in the darkness, I walked out to my garden for a clear view. No Moon. It was too cloudy. Disappointed, I returned to my study, and glanced out the window again. There it was!
This time, however, I noticed a string dangling from its side. I was seeing a ghostly reflection of my study's pull-chain ceiling light in the storm window glass.
If I happen to awaken in an hour or two, I'll peek out my bedroom window.
Bob
The totality of tonight's lunar eclipse was set to begin around 11:30 pm here. From my study, I glanced out the window toward where the Moon should be. There it was! I trudged out to my front porch, and could see stars. The Moon would be on the other side of the house. So, with trekking pole in hand for stability in the darkness, I walked out to my garden for a clear view. No Moon. It was too cloudy. Disappointed, I returned to my study, and glanced out the window again. There it was!
This time, however, I noticed a string dangling from its side. I was seeing a ghostly reflection of my study's pull-chain ceiling light in the storm window glass.
If I happen to awaken in an hour or two, I'll peek out my bedroom window.
Bob
So far, I have only one tobacco transplant MIA. One of the Ainaro, transplanted 4 days ago, is gone. I have extras. I'll wait a few more days. The snail damage in that long bed against the house is always problematic. This year I did not prep the bed with Sluggo.
I'm also noticing more snail damage in the other beds that have dead willow tree mulch, compared to previous years, or compared to beds without the mulch. I think that the snails enjoy spending the day beneath those larger chunks, and having only a short commute to reach dinner when darkness falls.
Bob
I'm also noticing more snail damage in the other beds that have dead willow tree mulch, compared to previous years, or compared to beds without the mulch. I think that the snails enjoy spending the day beneath those larger chunks, and having only a short commute to reach dinner when darkness falls.
Bob
Bob
I brought in some wild southwest Virginia chickens, to take care of my snail problem. But they refused to eat the snails, unless I killed them first. Here, they have gathered in a street protest right out in front of my home.
They even got a possum to play possum on the street.
Bob
They even got a possum to play possum on the street.
Bob
The Virginia state bird. Ours is a woodpecker.I brought in some wild southwest Virginia chickens, to take care of my snail problem. But they refused to eat the snails, unless I killed them first. Here, they have gathered in a street protest right out in front of my home.
They even got a possum to play possum on the street.
Bob
skychaser
Well-Known Member
Oh man, you are making me hungry! Now I have a craving for some chicken fried possum.I brought in some wild southwest Virginia chickens, to take care of my snail problem. But they refused to eat the snails, unless I killed them first. Here, they have gathered in a street protest right out in front of my home.
They even got a possum to play possum on the street.
Bob
Tobaccofieldsforever
Well-Known Member
Or use ethanol free gas. There is still a gas station in my area that sells it. All my mowers and tractors start right up after sitting all winter with ethanol free gas remaining in the tank.
Tobaccofieldsforever
Well-Known Member
I am envious. When I’m not at work, there are thunderstorms in the forecast. I can just now barely get into one of my potential planting areas without sinking in mud…7 of the next 9 days have rain and thunderstorms in the forecast. I am considering just planting and going with it but we had a very heavy thunderstorm a week ago that surely would’ve buried/blown any fresh transplants over so I am hesitant. I guess I will just wait longer…
