Garden thread.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

What's DMSO?  Haven't heard of that one I don't think.  I have a little arthritis in my right hand and wrist, and I've found that one of the things that helps (though it burns like crazy and can irritate my skin, which is another issue) is making kimchee.  When I knead the red chilies into the cabbage or radishes, it begins to burn, but I've quit wearing gloves to do it because it makes my wrist and hand feel great afterwards, even if I do have a little bit of a chemical burn from it.   Another thing that has helped a lot is getting out of Wisconsin... something about the weather there (even though the weather is just as erratic here) really aggravated it.    My mom swears by the nutra-joint and move free stuff, but I've never tried it, and don't really need it now that we've moved back here. 

Speaking of natural remedies, etc., I have to say something about how the gestational diabetes has actually benefitted me...  With both of my girls, I had typical pregnancy symptoms.  With my first DD, I was swollen up like crazy.  You could push on my ankles and the dents would take a while to go away.  I had HORRIBLE heartburn, plus all the typical issues of pregnancy, like varicose veins, etc.  Well, this time around, I have had virtually NO swelling (especially since altering my diet for the diabetes), no heartburn (since the diet change, though I had it somewhat in early pregnancy), no aching legs and leg cramps, no digestive issues, etc.  Not only that, if I do experience a little heartburn, 9 times out of 10, my sugar is higher than it should be... as long as I stay in range, I don't have heartburn at all.  With both of the girls, I couldn't wear my wedding ring and had to buy a cheapy "fat ring" to wear instead.  This time, not only am i wearing my wedding ring, but it is getting loose and spins around to the palm side of my hand.  If I lose the average 12 lbs when the baby is born (I lost over 30# with DD #1 at birth) I will have a net weight loss during the pregnancy.  I have only gained a net of 11 lbs.  And I feel good.  The two different things I have done with this pregnancy are:
1. I didn't take prescription vitamins from the doctor.  Instead, I bought perfect prenatal from the health food store.  They are the best vitamins I've ever taken, even though you have to take three a day instead of just one... they've made a difference from day 1, and I figure they're worth it even though they cost a little more than the usual pre-natals which just tear up your stomach.

2. Eating like a diabetic.  I am eating more protein and more fiber than ever, even though I always ate what was considered "healthy".  Getting rid of the sugar and carbs has made a tremendous difference in the way I feel... I haven't had varicose vein issues at all, no swelling, no constipation, no heartburn, and I'm not overly tired like I was toward the end of the pregnancies in the past.  For breakfast, I typically have either nuts or eggs and veggies, and a small glass of milk.  Lunch is similar.  Supper is a colorful salad and some grilled meat or fish.  I also eat some cheeses and occasionally a banana (the only fruit I seem to be able to eat without my sugar going crazy).  I get a little bored with it sometimes and would love to be able to eat stuff I love like tabouleh and grains and fruit, but at the same time, I like the way I feel, and I'll probably be able to re-incorporate those foods after the baby is born, but in moderation. 

I know that is completely thread drift, but still.... I've been amazed at the food working better than medicines.  (I was allergic to the medicine originally prescribed so that I could eat what I want and still control my sugar... now I'm glad.  It probably wasn't nearly as good for me as the diet.)

[Sassy]

That's great, HG!  That type of diet is supposed to be much better, you'll have an easier time after the baby is born, keeping on it pretty much now that you've had to be so strict for so long!  I know we have doctors advising patients to follow that type of diet - it is amazing to me that the American Diabetes Assoc (ADA) still pushes the high whole grains diet...  the exact opposite of what they should be pushing!  I guess it keeps the doctors busy & the pharmaceutical companies raking in the $$$...  I wish I could discipline myself better    Lower carbs & sugars in the diet are supposed to help with arthritis, also.  I never had the swelling at all or morning sickness with my kids - just had terrible headaches the 1st 3 mo's & heartburn the last couple... 

The hot peppers are a great help in decreasing arthritic pain - you & your family eat so much of them, they're supposed to be good for a lot of other things.  They have the capsacian cream you can buy - just be careful that you don't put it on too thick!  The 1st time I used it, I put in on & went to bed - didn't think it was helping me so put another layer on, still wasn't helping so put it on again...  a couple hours later I woke up on fire - just thought the cream was causing a "burning" sensation...  when I got up to looked in the mirror, my skin was beet red!  I didn't think it would actually cause a chemical burn     So I always warn patients - I knew the directions stated to put on sparingly but you know me...   

I've used that flex joint stuff for years - chondroitin/glucosamine - never noticed it helping.  MSM is supposed to help, but it caused me to have hives...  Glenn's mom swears by it.  I can use the DMSO - dimethyl sulfoxide I think - even though it has the sulfa in it like the MSM, it doesn't bother me like the other, probably because it's topical - although it can be irritating on the skin, also. 

So, back to the garden thread    hot peppers, artichokes are supposed to lower blood pressure & stabilize blood sugars, avocados help with diabetes, lowers blood pressure, blueberries stabilize blood sugars, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc fight cancer - there's tons more that our garden veggies & fruits do - lots of websites that list them...
  how's that for bringing it back on topic?   

Woops, now how did that  get in there?  probably like your icon (can't remember which one it was...)

[Redoverfarm]

HT I can't tell you what is in it DMSO but it was used quite frequently around the race tracks for linoment on horses.  Then someone tried it on themselves and it apparently worked better than the OTC stuff and has been used ever since.  I guess it is only apprioate as we have stolen the horse and mane shampoo for humans as well.

[glenn kangiser]

Dimethylsulfoxide I think - a by product of the paper manufacturing process. 

The feed store here says they sell a lot of it (and they think some people may use it on - gasp---- themselves.)

[glenn kangiser]

Since we were talking about them I thought I would get some pix of the artichokes.  Note the common pink garden pest behind them.





and some of the flowers in the garden on top of the house.

[Redoverfarm]

Careful Glenn , Sassy will not pick the aphids off your articokes.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Argh!!!  I started to pick some basil to go in dinner and there were aphids on it.

[PEG688]

  Looks good Sassy , is that liftmore 4000 one of Glenn's toys , or do you need it to pick artichokes ?? 

Home's think of them as "added protein" Maybe not  ,,,  I'll  now 



OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Glenn I see that one now , 

And to think I all MOST wrote , bigger traps     But I'm to smart fer that

 

[benevolance]

well my peppers are up and the tomatoes are going crazy... no potatoes yet I planted sweet and idahos

The garden is starting to look like a garden... but all my flowers are dead...I do not know what I did wrong Squash are going strong...Of all that has been planted the Okra is growing the best....by a wide margin... my soil must be natural for okra...I did not do a ph test... just mixed compost and potting soil in with the natural sand and once a week I water with a diluted solution or miracle grow

[Sassy]

  Looks good Sassy , is that liftmore 4000 one of Glenn's toys , or do you need it to pick artichokes ?? 

Home's think of them as "added protein" Maybe not  ,,,  I'll  now 



OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Glenn I see that one now , 

And to think I all MOST wrote , bigger traps     But I'm to smart fer that

 

You're lucky, PEG, that my eyes aren't that good!     And Red, you're right, although, I think I've let Glenn eat a few aphids before...   

[PEG688]

You're lucky, PEG, that my eyes aren't that good!    

I was counting on that 

[glenn kangiser]

I think she feeds me aphids when I'm not looking.

PEG, I don't think they make a trap tough enough to control that one.

[benevolance]

everything in the garden is up... except the sweet potatoes...I have them growing in a mixture of old composted leaves and pine needles...

I wonder how long before they come up? and should I dig one of them up to see if it is doing anything or if it has died?

[glenn kangiser]

Maybe just scratch around a bit and look.  They start sweet potatoes from slips out here. Start it growing - cut and plant the runners.

[benevolance]

dunno what a slip is... I went to the farmers market bought a couple huge sweet potatoes that had sprouts on them 2-3 inches long... Cut off some leaving a inch of potato for each sprout and chucked it in the ground and covered it with a couple inches of leaves and pine needles.

[glenn kangiser]

That's it.

[benevolance]

okay I will check them out in the morning and we will see why they have not come up out of the ground..I may need to go buy some more sweet potatoes at the farmers market this week-end

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

I bet they're fine... somtimes it just takes a while for them to come up.  Ours are just now sprouting.  (I just chunked some sprouted taters in the ground, though, instead of bothering to cut the slips off.)  All my outside plants look great, but the basil growing in our kitchen window has aphids on it!

[benevolance]

dunno if I have aphids or not...have not seen any.... have to do a google on them to see what they look like exactly

[benevolance]

dug up the sweet potatoe slips.... all dead

Had a couple new ones to chuck into the ground....So they are in there now

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Our sweet potatoes are up now if they don't cook in the ground before they have a chance to produce.  The kids planted some spaghetti squash in the back yard that has come up.  The bell peppers are looking really nice... they're setting fruit, as are the tomatoes.  The one out front probably has 10-12 tomatoes all on one plant (not cherry tomatoes, either) and they are growing like crazy.  I used some organic fish fertilizer on them, and that's all.  They are the healthiest looking tomatoes I've ever seen.  Can't wait until they start getting ripe.  The cucumbers in the knock off earth box also seem to be doing well, though they got a late start.  They're the asian type cukes, which I really like.  Got the seeds from the Korean grocery a few years back.  Also, have one watermelon growing in there, so we will see how it does...

[benevolance]

one of the new sweet potatoe slips is up...Looks great... the squash and the peppers are growing like mad as are the tomatoes...

In the main garden the cukes are struggling....Might have something to do with the soil type here? the okra and corn are growing fantastic...So who knows?

You are correct the Sweet potatoe plant is gorgeous!...I hope they all come up

[glenn kangiser]

Needed a place to plant some corn - expand the garden a bit.  This was the only place that would allow the Bobcat enough room to get in the yard for emergency work.



another view



I built the new rock retaining wall today - a nice new place for the corn etc.  We were doing good until I noticed a bit of gold in one of the rocks and had to check it out. 

Here is a cool tool I bought at a yard sale for $15.  It will till - mix soil - dig holes etc all on A/C - just plug it in and go.



No longer made I found out...but cool.

[glenn kangiser]

Illegal gardens in LA -- cities could use more.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/los_angeles_metro/la-hm-guerrilla29-2008may29%2C0%2C3470087.story?track=rss

[Daddymem]

There are numerous discussions on guerrilla gardening in this forum if you found that story interesting:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/smallspaces/
Seed bomb anyone?