Gardens 2020

[Danil54grl]

I use powdered milk. I also use Epsom Salt.

Epson salt is great in the garden. I like to put it in the holes along with egg shells when transplanting my tomatoes.

 

[KateMTx]

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.

Where I live there aren't pine trees so I would have to try something else (that's just what I am familiar with to use as mulch because it's what we had). I may try the leaves option.

 

[Danil54grl]

Where I live there aren't pine trees so I would have to try something else (that's just what I am familiar with to use as mulch because it's what we had). I may try the leaves option.

The most beautiful spot in my yard is filled with pine trees. Sad thing is the pigs get to enjoy that spot. . . It's in the middle pasture. When we first moved out here, there was a trail winding thru all the trees where the previous owners had cut. To see that blanket of pine needles was just amazing to me. It was so nice with all the BlackBerry bushes.

 

[Danil54grl]

I struggle with sweet pepper seeds. They don't always grow well up here because we don't get the heat up here that you do in the valley. They are a heat loving plant. They also don't want to germinate. Pepper seeds are notorious for only keeping for 1 year also. I have started just ordering them every year fresh and I don't even try to save them. The best crop I ever had here I just bought one in the grocery store cut it open and planted the seeds green. Had a bumper crop that year along with a hot dry season.

I don't even try sweet peppers any more and just end up buying 6 packs of them. Never had any luck with them myself. Guess I can add in that I will dig up my plants and put them in the greenhouse to over winter though. I enjoyed jalapenos during the winter months, but they didn't produce a whole lot. I haven't tried over wintering the sweet peppers.

 

[DirtDiva]

Pepper is another one of those night shade vegetables. I can grow hot peppers without problem, but sweet bell peppers are different. They are always small and deformed.

Yep same here. I made a plastic tent over mine to help hold off some of the rain and retain more heat. That helps drastically just have to be careful they don't get too hot. For me tomatoes can be a challenge some cool wet years as well.

 

[Brent S]

I don't even try sweet peppers any more and just end up buying 6 packs of them. Never had any luck with them myself.

I have grown the sweet peppers in the greenhouse and done really well. I usually keep the sides open and just have the roof cover keeping them from cooking in the summer. Try tenting with a piece of white or opaque plastic sheeting maybe.

 

[Brent S]

Yep same here. I made a plastic tent over mine to help hold off some of the rain and retain more heat. That helps drastically just have to be careful they don't get too hot. For me tomatoes can be a challenge some cool wet years as well.

I was typing my response at the same time apparently! Great minds....

 

[grayghost668]

I may get lucky here,they are getting ready to pave 1,5 miles of dirt road 3 miles from my house,,,,they are going to strip the topsoil off I am going to try and get 2 loads,,it will have some rocks in it but I can filter them out,,,,,,I like free

 

[grayghost668]

this project will take all summer for this old fart to complete,,,,first the dirt then the sawdust some rabbit turds and at the end of the season,depending on price,,,a bunch of bags of black cow or topsoil from wally world,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,if nothing else I should have a first rate worm bed

 

[Danil54grl]

I may get lucky here,they are getting ready to pave 1,5 miles of dirt road 3 miles from my house,,,,they are going to strip the topsoil off I am going to try and get 2 loads,,it will have some rocks in it but I can filter them out,,,,,,I like free

Always nice to get some great top soil added into the garden.

 

[Brent S]

One of our guys wanted hours today and with us being slow he was eager to weed the blueberries and till the garden. Bad ankle or not the garden is getting planted tomorrow! Yay! The greenhouse is mostly sprouted now. I need to go ahead and put the new cover on it as soon as my ankle is better too. I’m allready thinking of other projects for him....

 

[Danil54grl]

Today I was able to mulch 4 rows that I have completed to keep weeds down on the rows planted. I don't know what is different with the mulch this go around but think it looks like there is more dirt added in, but I am having issues getting a good bite with my shovel for the most part. Normally once I get a dent in my pile it is no problem. Then I did a bunch of tilling and ended up planting a couple more beds at granddaughters request for watermelon, cantaloupe, crowder beans and a couple different varieties of purple hulls.

 

[DirtDiva]

My husband and I worked on the property all day. Mowing, weedeating and weeding. Planted out in beds cabbage plants and will plant more beets and onion sets tomorrow. The green onions, greens and peas are all up that I planted last week and looking good. Got more herb seeds started also. Supposed to be almost 80 tomorrow so another day of yard and outside work while the weather is cooperating.

 

[Brent S]

Bad ankle be damned, I got into the garden and made row mounds with the hoe, leveled them and planted most of it! Hot as can be here but hey, it wasn’t raining at least.... also got a good watering in everything. I have about 15’ on the end of two rows I can still plant so amthingking about trying egg plant again. I’ve planted it about six times now and have never gotten a single one! Still hopeful.....

 

[DrHenley]

I have about 15’ on the end of two rows I can still plant so amthingking about trying egg plant again. I’ve planted it about six times now and have never gotten a single one! Still hopeful.....

It is a tropical plant so you might be a bit too far north.

 

[Brent S]

It is a tropical plant so you might be a bit too far north.

I’ve spoken with others here that say they have grown them. I’m thinking it one of those things like corn. It grows well here, just not for me. After at least ten times I’ve about given up. The few ears I got were mushy or bland. Mostly I just waste effort on it. Luckily after several years now I know what does grow well and I like to eat so I focus on those.

 

[DirtDiva]

Bad ankle be damned, I got into the garden and made row mounds with the hoe, leveled them and planted most of it! Hot as can be here but hey, it wasn’t raining at least.... also got a good watering in everything. I have about 15’ on the end of two rows I can still plant so amthingking about trying egg plant again. I’ve planted it about six times now and have never gotten a single one! Still hopeful.....

I love eggplant but hate fighting the flea beetles that always hit it hard.

 

[Brent S]

I love eggplant but hate fighting the flea beetles that always hit it hard.

I just got in from planting the. Last two row ends. I ended up putting in some eggplant and zucchini in the other row end. Feels really good to get it all in! It’s going to be dry and warm, in the 80’s, for the next three days. Great start for germination. I I’ll keep it watered till the rain on Tuesday.

 

[DirtDiva]

mushy or bland

Brent mushy and bland sounds like a variety issue.Have you tried one of the sugar enhanced new "supersweet" varieties? Also corn is a huge nitrogen hog. They take lots of fertilizer.

 

[Brent S]

Brent mushy and bland sounds like a variety issue.Have you tried one of the sugar enhanced new "supersweet" varieties? Also corn is a huge nitrogen hog. They take lots of fertilizer.

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.