Gardens 2020

[DirtDiva]

Weeded strawberries and fertilized today. Raked up 6 - 5 gallon buckets of acorns and started burning them so we can finish mowing. Already had to replace 1 window from an acorn thrown through window by a lawnmower. Boy we had a heck of a crop last year of those things.

Husband did more weed eating and hauled compost to top of some of the beds. Rain moving in tomorrow night.

We are both so sore. Tonight is definitely one of those you rub Bengay on my back and I'll rub Bengay on yours and his and her heating pad nights.

 

[Brent S]

Weeded strawberries and fertilized today. Raked up 6 - 5 gallon buckets of acorns and started burning them so we can finish mowing. Already had to replace 1 window from an acorn thrown through window by a lawnmower. Boy we had a heck of a crop last year of those things.

Husband did more weed eating and hauled compost to top of some of the beds. Rain moving in tomorrow night.

We are both so sore. Tonight is definitely one of those you rub Bengay on my back and I'll rub Bengay on yours and his and her heating pad nights.

I’m in the hot tub right now! It helps keep the old age at bay....

 

[Brent S]

Glass of wine too.

 

[DirtDiva]

I didn’t use the nitrogen at first so that was some of the trouble. Bugs got in it a lot too. At least a couple try’s were the sweet varieties but there’s a nack to it that I just don’t have! I will probably try again later on but have enough to weed right now.

Bacillus Thuringiensis ( Bt ) is a must for me with corn. Both corn ear worms and borers are a problem here.

 

[Brent S]

Bacillus Thuringiensis ( Bt ) is a must for me with corn. Both corn ear worms and borers are a problem here.

There is a plot not far from here that a guy plants every year. It’s the most beautiful looking corn I’ve ever seen. There is definitely some skill involved with it.

 

[Robinjopo1]

I tilled my 3 gardens 3 rounds each. My back says ouch.

 

[Robinjopo1]

I use pine mulch for my walkways. Just go out into my woods and take up by the trailor load. Only problem is that it can make your soil have too much acid in the ph level, but for the most part I have alkaline soil where my walkways are so I really don't worry about it much. For my raised beds I use mulch from the county dump made from tree branch's picked up in the city.

I wouldn't think you would have too many problems with a small amount in pots. I would give it a try if that was all I had. But if you could find some dead leaves I think that would work better for you.

I had tons of dead leaves and spent yesterday mulching my blackberries with it.

 

[Danil54grl]

I ended up solving my mulch problem by breaking out the hay pitcher. Works great now. . . Then hunny reminded me that is what I did last year. . . Heck my mind is already going. . . Have almost 19 beds totally munched but had to quit early since I got a texted asking me to work tonight. I love the look of my garden once it is done with the brown beds with little plants emerging and the red pine needle wallways. I scrounge the woods for long enough tree branches to use as my tomato braces. I found I like them better than the cages. It's just easier to weed around.

@robinjopo I did find some Kentucky Wonder pole beans at the feed store last time I was there. Wanted to go ahead and try them out to see how they go. Plan is to find long branches and make a tepee for them to climb up on.

 

[Brent S]

I ended up solving my mulch problem by breaking out the hay pitcher. Works great now. . . Then hunny reminded me that is what I did last year. . . Heck my mind is already going. . . Have almost 19 beds totally munched but had to quit early since I got a texted asking me to work tonight. I love the look of my garden once it is done with the brown beds with little plants emerging and the red pine needle wallways. I scrounge the woods for long enough tree branches to use as my tomato braces. I found I like them better than the cages. It's just easier to weed around.

@robinjopo I did find some Kentucky Wonder pole beans at the feed store last time I was there. Wanted to go ahead and try them out to see how they go. Plan is to find long branches and make a tepee for them to climb up on.

I got lazy and used every cage I had for all the stuff in the main garden. That and I planted along the fence too. I have a lot of the t posts and usually install some field fencing in a couple rows. The cages are just kind of an experiment. I am hurting on mulch though. I guess I need to mow the leaves and blow them into strips to pu for the garden. Maybe tomorrow. I was a bum most of today so guess I should be productive tomorrow

 

[Robinjopo1]

I ended up solving my mulch problem by breaking out the hay pitcher. Works great now. . . Then hunny reminded me that is what I did last year. . . Heck my mind is already going. . . Have almost 19 beds totally munched but had to quit early since I got a texted asking me to work tonight. I love the look of my garden once it is done with the brown beds with little plants emerging and the red pine needle wallways. I scrounge the woods for long enough tree branches to use as my tomato braces. I found I like them better than the cages. It's just easier to weed around.

@robinjopo I did find some Kentucky Wonder pole beans at the feed store last time I was there. Wanted to go ahead and try them out to see how they go. Plan is to find long branches and make a tepee for them to climb up on.

They will go as high as your poles. I have some rebar that is ten ft tall and they dangle from the top. The rebar is thin enough to bend for picking. I pick about every third day for the entire season.

 

[GaRp58]

Our potted tomatoes are coming up slowly. The potatoes are not sprouting above the ground yet, but the whole level of dirt in the box says that they are growing underground. All the spices are up and the garlic is breaking surface. Just don't have enough space for what I want and the wife needs space on the balcony to smoke...GP

 

[Brent S]

I wish I had a chipper. I’ve been burning loads of clippings and stuff from clearing areas. Just think of all that mulch I wasted!

 

[DirtDiva]

I wish I had a chipper. I’ve been burning loads of clippings and stuff from clearing areas. Just think of all that mulch I wasted!

Horticultural wood chips make the best mulch. I used to be able to get them by the dump truck full from the power company and tree trimmers. Now everyone wants them and they are harder to come by. Especially after the "Back to Eden" film came out where he gardened exclusively in those chips.

 

[Brent S]

Horticultural wood chips make the best mulch. I used to be able to get them by the dump truck full from the power company and tree trimmers. Now everyone wants them and they are harder to come by. Especially after the "Back to Eden" film came out where he gardened exclusively in those chips.

I make muscadine wine and have loads of it. When the tree guys were trimming the lines here they said they had a waiting list for the chips. When I offered then a bottle of wine for each of them they brought me two loads within a short time! A little honey catches flies.

 

[GaRp58]

I watched a video where someone buried a batch of planting potatoes under a pile of mulched wood chips and straw. They grew just fine and were very easy to harvest, just pull the straw away with a light leaf rake and pick them up. Spread the potatoes out about a foot apart and just cover them up. Water them normally or let the rain do its job.

 

[Brent S]

I watched a video where someone buried a batch of planting potatoes under a pile of mulched wood chips and straw. They grew just fine and were very easy to harvest, just pull the straw away with a light leaf rake and pick them up. Spread the potatoes out about a foot apart and just cover them up. Water them normally or let the rain do its job.

I have a hill of sandy soil and the potatoes do well there. As they grow I hoe dirt from the higher side of the hill to the plant letting gravity help. There is still digging involved at the end of the season though. I’m somewhat allergic to the straw and hay or I’d try that in a heartbeat.

 

[GaRp58]

TOOOOO bad. Dragging the wife into the barn and having a tumble in the hay is a lovely end to a summer day!!!!!! GP

 

[Brent S]

TOOOOO bad. Dragging the wife into the barn and having a tumble in the hay is a lovely end to a summer day!!!!!! GP

Lol, that’s making me itch just thinking about it!

 

[Robinjopo1]

My potatoes are growing. More have broken through the soul than I expected. These were just food potatoes that had sprouted in the pantry.

They probably won't produce much because of the walnut poisoning though.

It will be fun to watch. Hey Brent, I could measure them daily and post like you are doing your alerts. We can start a separate thread for our results.

 

[Brent S]

My potatoes are growing. More have broken through the soul than I expected. These were just food potatoes that had sprouted in the pantry.

They probably won't produce much because of the walnut poisoning though.

It will be fun to watch. Hey Brent, I could measure them daily and post like you are doing your alerts. We can start a separate thread for our results.

My first time growing potatoes was fantastic. I did both red and white and they were beautiful. The second year they all had spots on them. Pretty common condition with potatoes but was distressing even if not harmful. I haven’t grown any in two years so am hoping this year will be blight free.