Hummingbird cake http://www.myrecipes.com/recip... Happy hunting.

This could be really interesting Farmerdill. I have actually made that cake.

Was it good Karen? I'm one of those annoying people who check calories. That cake has 642 for 1/16th piece. That's a sliver!!!!

When I make a cake for someone, I usually bake just a wee bit of the batter in a little dish so I can see what it's like. It isn't my favorite but it's very rich and moist. There are also many variations on the recipe, so it's a matter of finding your favorite. It is a favorite for weddings where all you get is a sliver, lol. The calories come from all the carrots and fruit, so how could it be bad for you!!

Thanks for talking about your drip system, MaryE. Those fascinate me.

Did you need to get a pressure regulator for the drip-tape? The cheapest I know are these, around $8:
http://www.dripworks.com/produ...

Here is a $15 wind-up timer that might not water for you when on vacation, but does let you water your yard with one twist, and then you can never forget to turn it off.
http://www.dripworks.com/produ...

I wish I had used more of these "EZ-Loc connectors" and two-valve-Ys instead of compression Tee fittings: the valves let you turn branches and zones and hose-end-sprayers on and off. The hose threaded Ys let you re-rout your system very freely.

Once I had hose thread connectors scattered around my yard, I cut up one old, leaky hose into short lengths with "hose menders" on each end. Now every bed has its own hand sprayer on a SHORT hose that never gets dragged, and an on-off-valve right there.
http://garden.org/ideas/view/R...

However, with the sprayers and drip-line, I only hand-water when I feel like it.

I do like gadgets!

Mainline END (compression fitting 3/4" to Male garden hose thread)
+ 2-Valve Pot-Metal Y (with unused valve capped)
+ cut garden hose with brass Female hose end & hose clamp



Closeup of Compression Tee with Male hose thread
+ Brass 2-Valve Y ($10)
+ EZ-Loc connector (Female garden hose thread to ½" mainline)
+ cut garden hose with brass Female Hose End from Home Depot


You mentioned keeping seed beds moist ... I like mini-jet sprayers for that instead of drippers. One sprayer will mist a big area, whereas in fast soils, a dripper will only water a narrow cone right below itself, and never moisten the surface at all.
http://www.dripworks.com/categ...

(Home Depot usually has an irrigation section. If you look past the turf-watering systems, they should have a good variety of mini-sprayers and stakes, if you want stakes.)


Almost any jet sprayer is effectively a mister when the water pressure is high (over 30 PSO).

I don't think I've had any sprayer ever disturb the seed bed soil, but I have not tried that with vermiculite yet.

Don't confuse spinners with sprayers! Spinners will throw big blobs of water fast, that look to my like they would disturb a fine seedbed.

Here's a picture of my tomato patch as of today. They're coming along fine, I have a couple of Pea sized green tomatoes on my Celebrity. Peppers are on the far side of the tomatoes.

They're all looking good and your garden is so neat! Great job.

tveguy3 said:Here's a picture of my tomato patch as of today. They're coming along fine, I have a couple of Pea sized green tomatoes on my Celebrity. Peppers are on the far side of the tomatoes.

I just want to drool when I see the size of your garden in full sun. No wonder you get such great production from your plants. It looks fabulous!!!

Nice bushy plants Tom! They look 3x the size of mine.

Tom - totally jealous. I don't think I'll have a decent tomato year - too rainy and cloudy.
Does anyone in the Great Lakes area do fall vegetable gardening? I want to take a stab at it - mostly greens, maybe daikon radish. I checked out the ATP planting guide but was hoping for some insider tips for my area.

Rick, your system is much more sophisticated than mine. I have used a pressure regulator, but also those Y things with the little shutoff valves can be used instead. I just turn it on a little, and go to the end of the last drip line. If it is dripping and nothing in between has popped loose, it works. We are on a well, with water pressure at 40 psi, according to the gauge by the pressure tank. I watch it for about 15 minutes, giving the pump time to come on, and if all is well it will take care of itself. The amount of water coming out of the hose does fluxuate a bit, and that is what has me confused.

Newyorkrita said:

I just want to drool when I see the size of your garden in full sun. No wonder you get such great production from your plants. It looks fabulous!!!

Notice there are only 10 plants! That's about 5 more then I really needed, but each one is a different variety, and one is an unknown volunteer that I rescuted hoping it's a San Marzano Redorta.

We had the San Marzano last year and really liked them.

I have a San Marzano this year too, but that's a different one from the San Marzano Redorta. I hadn't tried the San Marzano's yet, so I can compare them.

I am now a total convert to planting seeds rather than trying to keep seedlings alive in the garage. The seeds I planted outside totally outstripped the seedlings started in the garage for health and robustness. Will actually surpass them. Beans, brocs, carrots and lettuce all doing well. Planted a second swath of squash just to see how well it does in our length summer. Potatoes in raised beds are going nuts as are the peas.

I planted one tomato (my annual effort) in regular pot then upended a round tri-stake plant thingy (drat, can't think what to call it) so the circular wire top is sitting in the port and the three prongs usually in the earth are on top. Then I wrapped some semi-clear poly around it. A little greenhouse. and son of a gun it seems to be working. The plant was struggling and now it is growing modestly and has two blooms on it. I need to fertilize it soon.

Went into the pond to clean out algae and trim up water plants. Put on my bathing suit. The fish swam to me as they are terribly curious creatures. It was fun as the water is very warm now.

tveguy3 said:

Notice there are only 10 plants! That's about 5 more then I really needed, but each one is a different variety, and one is an unknown volunteer that I rescuted hoping it's a San Marzano Redorta.

Yeah, I noticed there were only ten plants. If I only grew ten plants I would not even have enough tomatoes to feed myself.

I can fill a 5 gallon pail off each plant in the peak of the season, and do that every few days.

I edited my post above concerning the water pressure.

This morning I have been weeding beside my drip lines (while they are dripping), watering new seed beds with a hand sprinkler, hoeing weeds in the pathways, and collecting squash bugs. Each cucumber and squash plant has a little depression around it (a mini pond) that I fill with water. I also rinse the undersides of the leaves. The squash bugs come crawling out and then I toss them into the water jug. So far I don't see any egg masses on the undersides of the leaves. So far. I've lost 2 plants, not sure what ate them. I never plant just one of anything for that reason. After spending about an hour on my knees with the ants, earwigs and spiders, I feel crawly!

tveguy3 said:I can fill a 5 gallon pail off each plant in the peak of the season, and do that every few days.

Your plants are incredibly productive.