# The SDMB 2013 Gardening Thread (Yes, Very Early This Year) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513 "2013-02-16T16:29:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/261 "2013-08-06T23:49:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > IF - and I emphasis that I am in no way qualified to diagnose anything, much less over the internet - IF your problem is contact dermatitis it’s the steroids that are helping it heal up. Assuming it’s not infected, that should mean you can drop all the other stuff and, as a nurse, you know why dropping meds you don’t need is a good thing. I also needn’t caution you about use/over-use of steroids, but I’m throwing it in for anyone else reading this. That really is something that needs a doctor’s supervision. > > Last time I had it I covered the affected areas with a gauze dressing, then cut the toe out of an old (but clean!) sock and pulled it over the area both to keep the dressing in place and to provide extra protection. As I was working out of doors doing things like landscaping and roofing the “extra protection” was sort of important. It prevented infection during healing despite my dirty work conditions, but also allowed me to wear t-shirts to allow for maximum cooling. I don’t know if a variation of the “sock trick” would work for you or not. > > I’ve also been known to use a sock tube along with gloves while gardening which, again, allows me to wear t-shirts and light, loose clothing otherwise. That way only the vulnerable hands and forearms are wrapped up in the heat. Thanks- sock idea stolen! Plus I can get a couple of pairs and wash them. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/262 "2013-08-08T11:40:33Z")
Well, bit the bullet last night and actually _bought_ lettuce at the store - what the rabbit left has been eaten. _\>sigh\<_ I’d been hoping for garden lettuce all summer. Might pull the ragged remains and replant - think there’s time for a fall crop if I get it started this week. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/263 "2013-08-08T13:50:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Well, bit the bullet last night and actually _bought_ lettuce at the store - what the rabbit left has been eaten. _\>sigh\<_ I’d been hoping for garden lettuce all summer. He was hopping for garden lettuce all Summer. Will cheap black pepper sprinkled around the plants keep them off? It kept cats off Mama Plant’s car. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/264 "2013-08-09T00:28:25Z")
I use coyote urine. It’s kept him from doing further damage, but most of the lettuce was just too damaged and it’s dying now. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/265 "2013-08-09T01:51:49Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I use coyote urine. It’s kept him from doing further damage, but most of the lettuce was just too damaged and it’s dying now. Growing in coyote urine will do that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/266 "2013-08-09T10:11:09Z")
It’s not like I poured _buckets_ of the stuff over it - just sprinkle enough to get the smell, and I usually do it between the rows. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/267 "2013-08-09T13:09:55Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > It’s not like I poured _buckets_ of the stuff over it - just sprinkle enough to get the smell, and I usually do it between the rows. I was just yanking your chain. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/268 "2013-08-13T13:33:25Z")
We were away on holiday for a month and then the monsoon hit. A friend of ours was housesitting but she doesn’t know anything about plants and I didn’t want to stress her out too much with complicated instructions. When we got back, the basil and the parsley had bolted, so I threw them out. Now we’re having a stretch of disgusting heat and humidity. My begonia looks pretty dead. My succulents look questionable. My herbs need bigger pots but I just can’t summon up the energy to do any kind of outdoor activities during the day. Woe is me. [/whine] On the bright side, my rosemary and thyme are doing fine. Definitely going to need bigger pots though. And my peperomia looks like it’s on steroids. Somehow my cyclamen is still alive but no flowers. Once the weather cools down I’ll try some kale again. This time I’m getting a screen covering for those effing caterpillars. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/269 "2013-08-24T20:39:47Z")
After a long wait, we went out and harvested our lone shinseki Asian pear tree (they’re self-pollinating). Last year we got eleven pears. This year, with half the tree dead, we got somewhere between 80 and 100 _pounds_ of pears. A lot of neighbors are going to find gifts on their doorsteps after we can what we need. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513/270 "2013-08-25T02:20:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > After a long wait, we went out and harvested our lone shinseki Asian pear tree (they’re self-pollinating). Last year we got eleven pears. This year, with half the tree dead, we got somewhere between 80 and 100 _pounds_ of pears. A lot of neighbors are going to find gifts on their doorsteps after we can what we need. Wow! That’s a lot of pears! Wish I was your neighbor. I spent most of the day digging up parts of my garden that are done with spring/summer harvest and replanting them for fall/winter veggies. My pumpkins are nearly done, as are my butternut squashes. Green beans, strawberries and peppers are still going strong. Planted beets, parsnips, carrots and 3 kinds of lettuce. Also started indoors: cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. I still have peas, potatoes and possibly kale to plant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sdmb-2013-gardening-thread-yes-very-early-this-year/650513.md?page=13)