farmerfred.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

The impact of governmental decrees and cutbacks is adversely effecting America’s farmers in a variety of ways: open.substack.com/pub/farmerge...

submitted 11 days ago • 0 comments

California, requires home owners in high-fire-risk areas to create 100 feet of defensible space around structures. A requirement to create a zone free from flammables such as plants, garden sheds & propane grills within five feet of homes haven’t been written. www.washingtonpost.com/weather/inte...

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

Saw this pea plant support at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, using items near and dear to my heart. You can see one little pea plant that has already germinated on the right. The tennis balls are placed on top of the support poles to protect the Master Gardeners and visitors from getting poked.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

The L.A. fires: which trees and shrubs survived? Which ones didn’t? www.latimes.com/lifestyle/ne...

submitted 27 days ago • 2 comments

Available wherever you get your podcasts. Or, from our home page, GardenBasics.net

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

Good tip when planning a fire-smart landscape for a slope leading up to a home: build a concrete wall. Plus, good plant choices for many areas of California: marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/FIRES...

submitted 50 days ago • 0 comments

Want to speed up pepper seed germination? Some tips. open.substack.com/pub/gardenba...

submitted 54 days ago • 0 comments

It’s that time of year…

submitted 55 days ago • 0 comments

The plucky sunflower volunteer plant of winter is alive and well, wishing you a Happy New Year! #MotherNatureBatsLast

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments

Whenever I think about Jimmy Carter, I think about this 1979 measuring cup. Although Ford signed the metric conversion act, Carter had to implement it. This cup was an early attempt to get us to use metrics. Note that for right handed people, it’s the metric numbers that are in front of their eyes.

submitted 61 days ago • 1 comment

Dec. 27. Sunflower-1, Winter weather-0. But it’s still early in the game.

submitted 63 days ago • 0 comments

From the University of Florida: Cool Season plants to grow for long lasting cut flowers: gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdo...

submitted 67 days ago • 0 comments

Pictured: America’s second favorite homegrown garden vegetable. What’s number one? We have tips for the Top 10 garden vegetables in Ep. 371 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast! gardenbasics.net/episodes/371...

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

A Christmas tree…in the South Pacific. Norfolk Island pine, which is really an ancient, majestic conifer. #Araucaria

submitted 73 days ago • 0 comments

Despite its intricacies, this is just one leaf from a jacaranda tree. Good job, Mother Nature. #BipinnatelyCompound

submitted 74 days ago • 0 comments

Learn to talk flower.

submitted 76 days ago • 0 comments

Looking for a repeat-blooming miniature rose that also is a long-lasting cut rose? It’s hard to beat the “Joy” rose. #gardening #roses #GardenBasics

submitted 78 days ago • 0 comments

If you have citrus trees, remove any branches that touch the ground, also known as the “Ants/Rats/Snails Freeway”.

submitted 79 days ago • 0 comments

When trimming tree branches that are an inch or more in diameter, use the 3-cut method to avoid stripping the bark (and more) below the branch. farmerfredrant.blogspot.com/2019/12/fall...

submitted 80 days ago • 0 comments

When choosing a poinsettia plant, opt for the ones with closed cyathia, not the open ones. Cyathia are the yellow flowers in the middle of the colored bracts, aka the modified leaves. Also, make sure the smaller bracts closest to the cyathia are fully colored. If they're faded, the plant is fading.

submitted 81 days ago • 0 comments

My Oregon II sugar pod peas are happy right now, no need for questions. Just planted more peas yesterday of a new variety (to me), "Snak Hero", a 2020 All-America Selections winner. all-americaselections.org/product/pea-... #gardening

submitted 82 days ago • 0 comments

In Ep. 369 of the Garden Basics podcast, Container Food Gardening Basics, I chat with Pam Farley of BrownThumbMama.com and author of the book, "The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening." Lots of great tips! Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at our home page, gardenbasics.net .

submitted 83 days ago • 0 comments

#gardening reality

submitted 83 days ago • 0 comments

Here’s the chart I was looking for:

submitted 84 days ago • 0 comments

Doing a photo search in my library for a tomato at breaker stage of coloration (just beyond full green, a sign that it will ripen indoors). Came up with this. A careful search unveiled the culprit.

submitted 84 days ago • 0 comments

‘Tis the season…

submitted 86 days ago • 0 comments

“Local stores next to the protected bike-lane have seen a 49% increase in sales, compared to an average of 3% for Manhattan as a whole.” (Among MANY other public benefits.) Want To Make Money? Build A Business On A Bike Lane. #CityMakingMath @fastcompany.com www.fastcompany.com/90182112/wan...

submitted 90 days ago • 15 comments

On the latest Garden Basics episode, we delve into the growth of a garden bad guy that is expanding its tree-killing reach from Southern Cal to Northern Cal: the invasive shot hole borer, which is found around the world. Its at the podcast service of your choice or at gardenbasics.net #gardening

submitted 90 days ago • 0 comments

The local Lowe’s told me they removed the seed rack because seeds are not in season. That’s news to me!

submitted 90 days ago • 0 comments

A personal favorite. The older I get, the more poignant it becomes...

submitted 90 days ago • 408 comments

“I hope you know if you’ve ever felt unworthy, unbeautiful, unheard or unseen that you’re a light for someone else. A beacon of hope and of kindness. I hope you know that there’s still love to be shared, sunlight and music and even some dancing.” Good morning, loves.

submitted 90 days ago • 77 comments

The latest Garden Basics podcast (Ep. 367), features the secrets of successful (and happy) Master Gardeners. We talk about improving your soil health, practicing BISS (?), why you should water with two hands, and a lot more. Available wherever you get your podcasts, including GardenBasics.net

submitted 98 days ago • 0 comments

Putting a small bag of dried fruit in your jersey is a good idea for a bicyclist: “if you need a quick burst of energy — such as to fuel a hard hike, a day spent skiing, or a long bike ride — dried fruit can be a delicious source of easily portable energy.” www.health.harvard.edu/digital_firs...

submitted 99 days ago • 1 comment

Turn Your Automatic Sprinklers Off! Lots of rain for the Sac. Valley Nov. 21-24, says the NWS: "Rain amounts of 1-5" in the Valley with 3-12" in the foothills are forecast thru Sat. morning, with an additional 0.25-2" from Sat. into Sun. as the system moves inland." Your soil will thank you.

submitted 99 days ago • 1 comment

To me, this is a giant whitefish slamming its nose into Portland. To meteorologists, this is 3-6 inches of rain north of I-80, an atmospheric river storm, Tuesday night to Friday morning. We will find out just how clean (or not!) our rain gutters really are. forecast.weather.gov/product.php?...

submitted 102 days ago • 1 comment

THREAD The 25 best GT stages of 2015-2019. It's the offseason and you're stuck on your rollers or just need something to get you through the winter? Do not fear, let me take you back to real ciclismo

submitted 103 days ago • 16 comments

Gee, I sure liked my Schwinn bicycle! This 1988 Voyageur was my constant companion, skinny tires and all, in the six and a half weeks it took to ride that year from Seattle to Atlantic City (3400+ miles) as part of a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. #bicycling #cycling

submitted 105 days ago • 0 comments