Started the garden

[L1A1Rocker]

Well, I'm running late. Last year it took two days to get all the seeds planted. This year it took a week. It's amazing how much this HOCM has taken out of me.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1765.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1765.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1767.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1767.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1766.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1766.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1769.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1769.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1768.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1768.jpg.html)

I sure hope I'll be able to keep up with the garden this year.

[Polecat]

Looking good I just got mine tilled up today. Planted one row of onions. Plant green beans tomorrow.

[472x1B/A]

^^^ Man, we still have 2 foot of frost in the ground here. Starting a garden is still aways down the road for us. Have fun and good luck.

[texassako]

Weird, cold weather delayed me several weeks, but we have quite a bit coming up. Interesting pots, never thought of cans.

[Marcduper]

Very nice! Can't wait to get going on mine.

Cheers,

Marc

[JeffinNZ]

Excellent work. Mine is coming to an end. Had an amazing bean season. Spuds are just OK. Carrot good. First year I've done well with cabbage and caulis.

[SSGOldfart]

I got potatoes and onions already up and a couple dozen cabbage plants in the garden

[Bad Water Bill]

Last night they said Chiraq ball teams have a serious problem.

Seems the PERMA FROST measures over 30" as of yesterday. No sliding into home base for a few more weeks yet.

Planting is still a loooong way off.:-(

[DHurtig]

I like your use of materials for starting seeds. Here's an idea for you. The cardboard rolls from toilet paper and paper towels can be cut to length and set in a tray. They make dandy little substitutes for peat pots.

I do most of my gardening in big pots and 5 gal buckets. A couple years ago the wife and kids got me a 6' by 8' portable green house. I can get about 35 buckets planted and started in there along with a set of shelves to hold a few trays of seedlings. A milk house heater that I bought at a yard sale for $5 gives all the heat I need in case it gets real nasty. It's pretty slick. The wife and I can set it up in about 30 minutes. I'll have to take some pictures when we set it up in a week or two.

[waksupi]

I just put seeds in dirt yesterday. Still snowing here, and below freezing temps are forecast yet. It is usually Mother's Day weekend before you can plant outside here, and you can still have frost for another month.

[DougGuy]

Nice! I have garlic up in several beds. Music garlic, Vietnamese striped garlic (oh man, this stuff smells up the WHOLE house!! Awesome to cook with!) and some unknown soft neck variety that is hot as jalapeno peppers!

Coming this week, Hatch Green Chile seeds, Purple Bell pepper seeds, Orange Yummy sweet pepper seeds, and Aleppo (a sweet pepper from northern Syria which is all the rage lately, and hard to get because of the war) seeds.

Music garlic:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2014%20Garden/DSC01921pasted_zpsb75c2250.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2014%20Garden/DSC01921pasted_zpsb75c2250.jpg.html)

[Red River Rick]

With the Winter we had, and the lack of Spring to date..............I should have my garden in by September.:-(

RRR

[Jailer]

What's your favorite beer?? :)

I've still got avoer 6 inches of snow on the ground with over a foot in places. No gardening here for a while yet.

[L1A1Rocker]

Thank you all for the compliments. The can idea came about as a cheap way to start seeds. I use a band saw to chop the tops and cut slits in the bottom. Then I use a funnel wrapped inside and out to debur the can tops - just like a deburring tool used on case mouths after trimming.


I like your use of materials for starting seeds. Here's an idea for you. The cardboard rolls from toilet paper and paper towels can be cut to length and set in a tray. They make dandy little substitutes for peat pots.

I do most of my gardening in big pots and 5 gal buckets. A couple years ago the wife and kids got me a 6' by 8' portable green house. I can get about 35 buckets planted and started in there along with a set of shelves to hold a few trays of seedlings. A milk house heater that I bought at a yard sale for $5 gives all the heat I need in case it gets real nasty. It's pretty slick. The wife and I can set it up in about 30 minutes. I'll have to take some pictures when we set it up in a week or two.

That a really good idea! Thanks. Yes, please post pictures. It's always great to see other people's projects.

[L1A1Rocker]

What's your favorite beer?? :)


Cheap!

[L1A1Rocker]

Nice! I have garlic up in several beds. Music garlic, Vietnamese striped garlic (oh man, this stuff smells up the WHOLE house!! Awesome to cook with!) and some unknown soft neck variety that is hot as jalapeno peppers!

Coming this week, Hatch Green Chile seeds, Purple Bell pepper seeds, Orange Yummy sweet pepper seeds, and Aleppo (a sweet pepper from northern Syria which is all the rage lately, and hard to get because of the war) seeds.

Music garlic:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2014%20Garden/DSC01921pasted_zpsb75c2250.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2014%20Garden/DSC01921pasted_zpsb75c2250.jpg.html)


Very cool. What's the purpose of the screen over your bed?

[DougGuy]

Very cool. What's the purpose of the screen over your bed?

We have hordes of squirrels here and the little b*stards dig everywhere. Some of my soil has composted horse manure in it and they will dig and dig and dig looking for one tiny morsel of grain the horse might have passed through.. I educate them with a pellet rifle but I can't be watching the yard the whole time so the netting works very well.

Here's a pic of the larger enclosed beds, we grow tomatoes and strawberries in the raised beds in the netting, keeps the squirrels and birds off them too. The long bed in the front, hard to see but there is about a foot and a half of thin black 1/2" wildlife netting strung up loosely around the garlic, if it's loose and feels kinda rickety they won't climb on it.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2013%20Garden/20130509_192036_zps590feb1c.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2013%20Garden/20130509_192036_zps590feb1c.jpg.html)

Black raspberries, blackberries, blueberries? Yup, they get a net enclosure built around them too, if you don't you won't get ONE single berry because of the birds.. No net = 100% predation.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2013%20Garden/20130509_192236_zpsc45a1112.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2013%20Garden/20130509_192236_zpsc45a1112.jpg.html)

[TXGunNut]

May have to steal your netting idea to deal with grasshoppers. What they didn't eat last year they defecated on. Due to that and medical issues I abandoned my garden last year, haven't decided about this year yet. This thread is helping me get interested, tho. Thanks!

[DougGuy]

Go for it! That stuff I got at Lowe's, it comes in a roll 8' x 50' I think and it's easy to work with and strong. I used salt treated 2x2 for framing, and a stapler to attach the netting, then came back and screwed salt treated 1x2 to the 2x2 to sandwich and contain the netting. It's been up 3yrs now, and made it through snow, ice, high winds, it needs tightening up some but it has served quite well. Squirrels will decimate a good tomato crop, and when it gets hot and dry, they will bite a quarter sized piece out of every green tomato you have. The enclosure stops them, stops the birds, still lets the bees in, breaks up the heaviest rains...

Apologies to L1A1Rocker, didn't mean to steer your thread..

[L1A1Rocker]

No apologies needed. This is good information. Here's my "cage" wrapped in 8' of welded wire and encased in bird netting. Great minds must think alike. I've got one section that's 12' tall.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1470.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1470.jpg.html)

You can see, some of the plants get pretty close to the ceiling.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1475.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1475.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1479.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1479.jpg.html)

I cannot find the pics of the tomato plants over 10' high. But they do get there. Oh there's one. Last pic, just to the left of the bean trelis. That's a tomato plant. Further over to the left are some tomato cage extensions that the plants have not grown over yet - but they do.

[Sweetpea]

Hmmm...

My new greenhouse has quite a bit going in it right now, and I'm going to have to try the trick with the T.P. rollers!

L1A1, if you're going to drink CHEAP beer, at least it could be a DECENT CHEAP beer...[smilie=l:

[Jailer]

Sweetpea it's actually not too bad with a little lime.

We've got netting over a small strawberry patch but luckily there are so many wild raspberries around that the birds can't keep up with them.

The rest we just plant enough to cover the wildlife needs plus ours so we get what we want out of it.

[waksupi]

I'd like to get some of your hot garlic to set this fall. The garlic I have is rather mild. Not much local selection unfortunately.

[Bad Water Bill]

If you feed them right tomato plants WILL grow quite tall.

I have been composting for over 40 years now and when I put in my 6" tomato plants in their basket with a 10' thinwall tubing for support neighbors USED TO shake their heads.

It has been a loooong time since ,at the end of season that my plants were less than 10' tall.

MM MM Good

One year I had a HUGH crop of cherry tomatoes. I harvested 400 (didn't put a dent in the bushes) and took them to the range for a graphic shoot for the kids with 22LRs.

Yes it did waste some food but the resulting splatter was something that brought a smile to the kidds faces when they were not munching some.:D

[DougGuy]

I'd like to get some of your hot garlic to set this fall. The garlic I have is rather mild. Not much local selection unfortunately.

Waksupi, I have 20 plants of that hot stuff, I'm sure there will be a little bit to share for seed.

Bill, a neighbor here gets composted leaf mulch from the city, they dump a load from one of their compactor trucks, and that's all he grows in. He keeps just adding more to his rows every year, and it keeps just breaking down more and more, he uses a little 10-10-10 (which you can get the same out of chicken manure if you want to stay organic) and man, you should SEE the tomatoes that come out of that leaf mulch! Unbelievable yields, 5' tall plants..

[L1A1Rocker]

If you feed them right tomato plants WILL grow quite tall.

I have been composting for over 40 years now and when I put in my 6" tomato plants in their basket with a 10' thinwall tubing for support neighbors USED TO shake their heads.

It has been a loooong time since ,at the end of season that my plants were less than 10' tall.

MM MM Good

One year I had a HUGH crop of cherry tomatoes. I harvested 400 (didn't put a dent in the bushes) and took them to the range for a graphic shoot for the kids with 22LRs.

Yes it did waste some food but the resulting splatter was something that brought a smile to the kidds faces when they were not munching some.:D

I know what you mean about the head shaking. When folks see how tall the maters get the number one question "Is that some kind of special genetically modified tomato plant?" Nope, just near perfect growing conditions.

[waksupi]

I keep a barrel of compost tea going all summer. When I clean fish, all the guts, heads and bones go in the barrel. The tomatoes love it!

[Outer Rondacker]

I still have four foot of snow on the ground. I found starting in the house is hard up here. It takes so much time to harden them. But its worth it. Love the pics guys.

[L1A1Rocker]

I still have four foot of snow on the ground. I found starting in the house is hard up here. It takes so much time to harden them. But its worth it. Love the pics guys.

Agreed! Love to see pics of other's garden setups. Anybody wanting to show us yours, please feel free to.

[Frank46]

Douguy, I like the height of your planters. especially the one with the onions in them. Wife is closer to the ground so she only wants 12" high. Spent the day getting rid of a lot of wood by burning. My brother in law made her some planters but they rotted out, pounded out the nails with my shiny eastwing hammer and then burned it. Gotta get me a good gas polesaw. With the new tractor it sits way higher than the old one. And getting smacked in the head with branches isn't much fun. Bought a new Kubota L3800 with front end loader and 5' woods bush hog. Eats up the back section fast. Frank

[snuffy]

You southern boys give me a pain a pill can't reach! I'll remember this when I'm outside in 75 degrees with a dew point of 60 when you're sweltering in 95 degrees and a dew point of 77.:kidding:

I have plants started inside, peppers and tomatoes, will start some Kohlrabi and pumpkins about late April so they're just emerging in time for a May 10th planting in the garden. Some cucumbers as well.

Back when Mom was gardening, we always considered May tenth to be when we could safely put fragile tomato plants out, kind of the last frost day. This winter has been so bad, I think the spring will be delayed as well.

I use a lot of 5 gallon plastic pails for my tiny lot here in trailer park heaven. I also use planters called grow box, currently I have 7 of them;

http://www.agardenpatch.com/?gclid=CP_TpY3tqL0CFchQ7AodlQoAtA

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/general/websize/garden%202012%20007.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/general/websize/garden%202012%20009.jpg

The park also has some ground that they call a garden. They simply dumped some good black soil on top of some grass, about 6-8 inches thick, walla---a garden! Last year 2/3 of it was unused.

I had some tomato plants there as well as onions, green beans, and cucumbers. If nobody else uses the remainder, I'll plant some stuff for those that can't. There's a lot of elderly living here,,,---besides me!

[DougGuy]

Douguy, I like the height of your planters. especially the one with the onions in them. Wife is closer to the ground so she only wants 12" high. Spent the day getting rid of a lot of wood by burning. My brother in law made her some planters but they rotted out...
Frank

I try for 16" and time it settles I have 12" of dirt. I started compacting it a bit when I mix in leaf mulch so maybe it won't settle so bad now. The soil in my garlic beds was settling and this was leaving the bulbs really close to the surface.

The wood we use is recycled industrial pallets when we can get them, it's mostly #2 pine, but I treat them with Eco Wood Treatment which keeps the bugs down and slows the rot. I know they are going to rot, I will probably put new wood up on the outside and let the rot break down into the soil.

This stuff works: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eco-Woods-EWT5-5-Gallon-Eco-Wood-Treatment-Silvery-patina-/321266291279?pt=Planters_Pots&hash=item4accf6924f

[Reg]

And snuffy said--- " There's a lot of elderly living here ,,,--- besides me !

Point well made. How many, when putting in a garden plant extra for the elderly ?
We put in quite a large garden, 50 tomato plants or so, up to 75 peppers of various types etc, etc. far more than we could ever use. What I do is at least once and sometimes twice a week load up all the extra and take it into town. We have a small HUD housing and it is filled with seniors. Some of those older gals are trying to get by on as little as $600.00 a month. There is a common room there where most of them get together every morning for coffee and that's where I try to be and drop off all that extra produce. Sure put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces. The administrator has told me that generally the fresh produce I bring in is sometimes all a few of those people get, They simply do not have the money. Also have a cousin who puts in even a bigger garden than we do, have been getting with her and taking in her extra as well.
If you have the extra produce, keep the elderly in mind. We all are getting there ourselfs, faster than most of us want to admit.

[9w1911]

spend the money on Heineken or another non GMO beer, unless you like genetically mutated corn and corn syrup in your beers

[Outer Rondacker]

I have been gardening for a few years now. I was wondering if anyone had any family heirlooom seeds they keep passing down they would like to part with a few so my wife and I can get our family away from the genetically altered stuff. I guess you can call this begging but I like to call it reaching out. If you can that would be great.

[oneokie]

I have been gardening for a few years now. I was wondering if anyone had any family heirlooom seeds they keep passing down they would like to part with a few so my wife and I can get our family away from the genetically altered stuff. I guess you can call this begging but I like to call it reaching out. If you can that would be great.
Knowing the length of your growing season would be a big help in knowing which plants have enough time to make a crop.

[snuffy]

Thanks Reg. Here's my ground garden from last year. (I couldn't get the upload to work to my attachments).

100320

100319

I put a table on the end of my driveway with excess produce for anyone to take as much as they want.

When I had a bigger community garden, I planted some pumpkins, when they were ready, I put them out for people to take some. A young man with his 5 Y.O. daughter came by when I was outside. He let her pick a pumpkin for carving. He was profuse with thanks, I just said you just made it all worth the effort!:bigsmyl2: The big smile on her face was priceless! Funny how giving is a lot of times better than receiving!? :cool:

Starting seeds this time of year is a darn good way of breaking cabin fever.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have been gardening for a few years now. I was wondering if anyone had any family heirlooom seeds they keep passing down they would like to part with a few so my wife and I can get our family away from the genetically altered stuff. I guess you can call this begging but I like to call it reaching out. If you can that would be great.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?175391-Castboolit-Gardeners-!!!-any-interest-in-a-seed-exchange&highlight=

[DHurtig]

Here is a photo of my kitchen garden.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/c_latrans/kitchengarden3.jpg (http://s37.photobucket.com/user/c_latrans/media/kitchengarden3.jpg.html)

The pots in the foreground are from left to right. Genovese basil by the antler, purple basil center and Thai basil on the right. To the left of the purple basil is chives and sage behind the purple basil. The purple flowers left of the sage are echinacea or purple cone flower. High and right of the sage is oregano and in the corner by the drier vent is tarragon.

There is also salvia, thyme and Missouri evening primrose in this bed. Space in between the perennials if filled with pots containing parsley marigolds and peppers.

Man do I have the bug for spring!

[Outer Rondacker]

Im in zone 5.

Thank you JonB.

[DougGuy]

Genovese basil by the antler, purple basil center and Thai basil on the right.

If you like basil, like I like basil, find some African Blue Basil. I think it is not a true basil but it rocks! Usually you have to get it from a cutting from someone who winters it over in a greenhouse.

It doesn't get bitter if you let it go to flower and the bees absolutely go nuts over it, it will stay flowering until near Christmas and they are very glad because it's usually the last flowering plant they have to go to.

We use it for BBQ here, dry it and crush it and sprinkle it on ribs and chicken, then put the rub on it. It keeps it's basilly flavor through smoke, rub, and BBQ sauce, great stuff.

For my rib rub, after the African Blue, I only use an even part mix of cinnamon, curry powder, and cayenne. I finish with Sweet Baby Ray's sauce. Makes dynamite sweet spicy sticky ribs.

[Reg]

Ahhh, you said it again, starting seeds. A few years ago we built a small 10 x 14 green house on the south end of the old wash house out back. For heat on the cold nights I grabbed a couple of those halogen work lights and they seemed to work well. Bedding plants at the time were still affordable so we just did it mostly to see if we could get a bit more variety.
Here in the last year or so bedding plants, at least around here, have gone through the roof. Single plants often going for 3 and 4 dollars or more. One doesn't have to know too much math to realize that at that price a garden just doesn't pay.
Found a commercial seed suppler in Fort Morgan that sells various seeds in bulk to the local truck farmers and they gladly sell small amounts to anyone coming through the door. Far less than paying 4 and 5 dollars for some of the sample size seed packets sold by the seed suppliers.
Have now double decked the shelf's in the green house and am now giving away tomato and pepper plants and think we will also go into cabbage and a few others .
Am thinking a new trading commodity might be trading plants for chocolate chip cookies.


Thanks Reg. Here's my ground garden from last year. (I couldn't get the upload to work to my attachments).

100320

100319

I put a table on the end of my driveway with excess produce for anyone to take as much as they want.

When I had a bigger community garden, I planted some pumpkins, when they were ready, I put them out for people to take some. A young man with his 5 Y.O. daughter came by when I was outside. He let her pick a pumpkin for carving. He was profuse with thanks, I just said you just made it all worth the effort!:bigsmyl2: The big smile on her face was priceless! Funny how giving is a lot of times better than receiving!? :cool:

Starting seeds this time of year is a darn good way of breaking cabin fever.

[Pb2au]

If the rain goes away, I should be prepping the garden bed tomorrow. I have winters worth of compost to turn in.
I got the peach tree trimmed up some time ago so it is ready. I decommissioned my old grape vine as it is in the way of a new project.
This year the focus is on root vegetables. Specifically carrots, and potatoes. I've never really monkeyed around with growing carrots and need to.

[waksupi]

I looked at the garden yesterday, what I could see under the remaining snow. I looked at my apple tree, and the rabbits have completely girdled it. So, no apples this year. I planted a few more two years ago, so I'm down the road probably 3-4 years yet before I can hope for another crop. I may try a bridge graft, but don't have a lot of hope for it.

[Nicholas]

I looked at the garden yesterday, what I could see under the remaining snow. I looked at my apple tree, and the rabbits have completely girdled it. So, no apples this year. I planted a few more two years ago, so I'm down the road probably 3-4 years yet before I can hope for another crop. I may try a bridge graft, but don't have a lot of hope for it.

tough situation. It might be worth while to try the bridge graph, but I have little idea as to the difficulty or recovery time, if successful. One pic I saw of this showed impressive wrist thick bridges around the trunk, but no info on age of graph.

BTW, a dwarf Jonared that I bought from Starks came into bearing quickly, but not at significant production levels.

[Iowa Fox]

My wife and I are hard core gardeners from the time we were both kids at home on the farm. We do a lot of caning, sauerkraut, home made ketsup, potatoes, sweet corn, winter squash, and much more. Its hard to eat boughten stuff after you have had your own. Animals are our biggest challenge these days, we have a 8' fence around the whole garden and they still get in. We only plant from seeds, some saved some new so we can try new things. Its been our experience its hard to find good old time seeds but they are out there and they make all the difference in the world. We also have our own fruit trees, talk about a place for trophy bucks in the fall. The ground is still frozen here but our seedlings are looking good.

[SciFiJim]

Nice! I have garlic up in several beds. Music garlic, Vietnamese striped garlic (oh man, this stuff smells up the WHOLE house!! Awesome to cook with!) and some unknown soft neck variety that is hot as jalapeno peppers!

Coming this week, Hatch Green Chile seeds, Purple Bell pepper seeds, Orange Yummy sweet pepper seeds, and Aleppo (a sweet pepper from northern Syria which is all the rage lately, and hard to get because of the war) seeds.


I checked on those aleppo seeds and you are correct. The retailers are very proud of them to the tune of 60¢ each for 10. If you have any seed at the end of the season, I would love to try some.

[SciFiJim]

The yellow buckets are tomatoes. The white buckets on the right are cukes. All the way to the right on the "T" cross is Thompson seedless grapes. There is a small lemon tree between the rows of tomatoes.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/tomatoesSmall_zps50411301.jpg (http://s596.photobucket.com/user/SciFiJim_photobucket/media/tomatoesSmall_zps50411301.jpg.html)

From left to right, plum, necterine, peach, apricot.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/treesSmall_zps77074574.jpg (http://s596.photobucket.com/user/SciFiJim_photobucket/media/treesSmall_zps77074574.jpg.html)

On the left is Naval orange. On the right is black plum.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/trees1Small_zpsca09df7e.jpg (http://s596.photobucket.com/user/SciFiJim_photobucket/media/trees1Small_zpsca09df7e.jpg.html)

[MaryB]

I can't imagine your watering bill there in CA with the drought...

[SciFiJim]

I can't imagine your watering bill there in CA with the drought...

It is all on drip irrigation. However, the plum, peach, nectarine and apricot trees each get 50 gallons a day during prime growing season in May and June.

The water bill hasn't risen because of the drought yet. I use city water and the water part of my bill is usually under $20 a month. During May and June, it will get closer to $40 a month.

[bearcove]

I have carrots and kale sprouted

[bearcove]

Why you grow in buckets Jim?

[SciFiJim]

Why you grow in buckets Jim?


The two rows of yellow or gray buckets have tomatoes (5 varieties). The two buckets on the right side of the picture have cucumbers.

[DougGuy]

I used to grow in containers but tomatoes in late summer have so much greenery, water evaporates through the leaves as fast as you can pour it in the buckets!

Jim I would be all over some raised beds if I had that back yard and all that sun..

[SciFiJim]

I used to grow in containers but tomatoes in late summer have so much greenery, water evaporates through the leaves as fast as you can pour it in the buckets!

Jim I would be all over some raised beds if I had that back yard and all that sun..

I thought of expanding the garden area, but still want to leave room for the dogs to have a yard to run in. The evaporation problem I take care of with drip irrigation on timers. The plants get watered twice a day. It's already hard enough to find time to keep the garden picked during the season. I usually only have an hour or so of daylight when I get home from work and still need to get other things done when it is light.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/001-42.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/001-42.jpg.html)
A Spring morning,1st April 2014,0700 hours.A damp misty morning showing the spring flowers.I. live in the Derby Nottingham area.Not much to show in the Veg Garden yet but seedlings are showing in the greenhouse.Jalapenos,Habaneros,Cayenne,Birds Eye,Fresno,Red Cherry,all hot things.I will be potting on my Tomatoes into 3" pots this week.Courgettes (Zuccini)are just showing.In the ground I have Lettuce ,Spring Onions,Radishes,Beetroot,Dutch Onion sets and Garlic,non of those are showing yet but will soon.I dug in plenty of own made compost.Lots of work to do battling the weeds that are always successful.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/002-29.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/002-29.jpg.html)
Early days.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/003-11.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/003-11.jpg.html)
Ditto.

[texassako]

Our veggie garden was coming along nicely, and I doubled its' size this year, until this today:

101330

Golf ball sized hail is never good, but at least it was not the baseball size a little further East.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/001-43.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/001-43.jpg.html)
getting there slowly.still need the heater on at night.Date 4th April 2014.

[DHurtig]

Well today's project came off without a hitch. Wife was busy in the house so I put it up by myself today. Only took about an hour. Family bought it for me about 3 years ago. I think they paid about $200 for it at Lowe's.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/c_latrans/Picture396_zps559461a6.jpg (http://s37.photobucket.com/user/c_latrans/media/Picture396_zps559461a6.jpg.html)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/c_latrans/Picture397_zps84c94109.jpg (http://s37.photobucket.com/user/c_latrans/media/Picture397_zps84c94109.jpg.html)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/c_latrans/Picture398_zpsa8756805.jpg (http://s37.photobucket.com/user/c_latrans/media/Picture398_zpsa8756805.jpg.html)

Let the gardening begin.

[Polecat]

Well I and my wife finished the garden planting yesterday101605 101606101607101608

[L1A1Rocker]

First, sorry I "abandoned" the thread I started. Now then WOW! there are some great garden setups out there from the great members of Castboolits. It's amazing how often gun enthusiasts are often home gardeners as well. I suspect it falls into the self reliance trait that runs through us.

Now on to some more pictures of how things are going with me. Looks like time to do some planting. . .

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1777.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1777.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1778.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1778.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1779.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1779.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1780.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1780.jpg.html)

I tell you, this heart condition I've been diagnosed with really SUCKS! What should have only taken a day for me to plant has taken four. Man this has really slowed me down.

Ok, and to the good stuff. 50 purple hull peas planted, and apx 40 purple okra. If you hadn't done the purple okra I do recommend it. The purple color really makes it easy to find them.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1781.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1781.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1783.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1783.jpg.html)

I did make one minor mistake. I thought I was to put 8 green bean plants in my Earth-tainer, but it's really 10 - that's the reason for the blank spots. I've started a couple more plants to put in there later.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1782.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1782.jpg.html)

If anyone's interested, this is what I'm revitalizing my garden with this year, along with a bit of organic fertilizer.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1784.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1784.jpg.html)

I'm still waiting on Seymour to get big enough to pick. My first attempt at growing cabbage.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1785.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1785.jpg.html)

Here's a few Early Girls I picked up at the local plant house I put in one of my tree beds.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/Garden/HPIM1788.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/Garden/HPIM1788.jpg.html)

Oops! Max pictures reached. Watch for next post. . .

[L1A1Rocker]

And my rotten apples. They sure did make it hard on me planting the Early Girls. They kept getting into the bed to "play" in all the fresh dirt.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/chickens/HPIM1787.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/chickens/HPIM1787.jpg.html)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/chickens/HPIM1789.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/chickens/HPIM1789.jpg.html)

And their ring leader.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j154/L1A1Rocker/chickens/HPIM1790.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/user/L1A1Rocker/media/chickens/HPIM1790.jpg.html)

Well, that's where I'm at now. I'm waiting on the tomato, and pepper plants to get big enough to put out in the garden. Hope ya'll are doing well. Please keep the pictures and stories coming.

[Reg]

Waiting out a snow coming in on Sat. night through Sunday but planting parsnips and turnips just the same. Onions came through the last snow just fine same with the garlic.
Wish I could figure out how in the heck to simply resize pictures, would post a few.

[L1A1Rocker]

Wish I could figure out how in the heck to simply resize pictures, would post a few.

I have a free account at photobucket. It resizes your pictures as you upload them.

[DougGuy]

Wow Rocker you got it goin' on man! Niiiice!

GF wants to raise quail so if I get to build a house we can get some.

I had to do 35rads and 3 nasty chemos last year, all summer was shot, had to abandon the garden but now I am taking it back, cutting branches and bushes that shaded the yard, pulling weeds one by one, digging chickweed out by the wheelbarrow load, ugh! I declared WAR on the neighbors danged bushes overhanging the fence, and man I laid waste to them SO BAD... She was maddern a hornet in a mule's ear but she can just get over it..

Getting my strength back and it's GOOD to feel like my usual self again, getting ready to go get a small trailer of composted leaf mulch to dig back in where I lost topsoil getting the chickweed out. To that, I will mix some black cow composted cow manure, and some black hen, composted chicken manure, and I think we have just made a good connection for some fresh rabbit poo. Pix coming at some point..

[Reg]

102487102488


First , looks like I may have finally got it figured out to reduce pictures but more important, things are cooking in the green house.
We are still a few weeks off before we dare put anything outside yet.

[clodhopper]

I planted some onion sets, carrots, and peas. didn't water them. Down to 14 degress the next night.
Oh well seeds are cheap!
Our moto here is: If you tomatoes freeze off after the fourth of July don't waste time replanting them.

[SeabeeMan]

Weve got about 80 tomato, tomatillo and peppers out of seed starters and into 4" peat pots. The round today was some replacement pineapple tomatillos and peppers that didn't survive, along with the first of bi-weekly peas & beans that will gon on until they are in the ground in June. We just got a foot of snow today with another foot possible tonight...it will be a while before we are breaking ground.

[dragon813gt]

Tilled under the winter rye on Monday. I will till on come compost in two weeks. And then plant come mid May, hopefully. Last year I couldn't plant until Memorial Day weekend.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/001-45.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/001-45.jpg.html)
Guess the Tune.

[Col4570]

Alright its" I Am A Lonely Little Petunia In An Onion Patch".

[dragon813gt]

Mine was completely planted by the eighth. Supposed to be in the eighties all this week so I'm glad it's all done.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Last saturday, I finally got some seeds in the ground. We've had rain off and on since...that's some good timing...although I usually get spinach, beets, peas, radishes in the ground lots earlier...but it's just been too cold,the ground is too cold. I also got in some beans I got in a trade here on the seed swaping thread...My first time growing Beans, one is "Rouge et Noir" and the other is "White Half Runners".

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/rasiedrowsseeded_zps684de75f.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/rasiedrowsseeded_zps684de75f.jpg.html)


The Garlic was planted last Oct. Looks pretty good today.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/GarlicMay12_zpsce6b71b8.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/GarlicMay12_zpsce6b71b8.jpg.html)

The Hops bines are up 10" or so...they'll grow another AMAZING 25 feet, by the 4th of July.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/HopsMay12_zpse5b4b137.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/HopsMay12_zpse5b4b137.jpg.html)

I got my fountain setup, the birds (and Cats) love that.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/fountain_zps9e52d222.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/fountain_zps9e52d222.jpg.html)

Now, I have a question to you all.
I like to watch things decay...I put these 5 short 'half rotted' logs on the corner of my house as a display...be honest, I can take it, Is this an eyesore to the neighbors? I half questioned myself when I had this idea...but I went ahead and did it anyway :)
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/logsinhousecorner_zpsec20a9fc.jpg (http://s640.photobucket.com/user/JonB_in_Glencoe/media/logsinhousecorner_zpsec20a9fc.jpg.html)

[Col4570]

The Logs are cut nice and square,they would make good rustic stands for Pots of Geraniums,Petunias etc.

[nagantguy]

Great pics lots of good ideas and use of space. My seedlings are doing well in the home made green house, by home made everything that its made of is pulled out of a trash pile. Been real cold still here In Mi ground real cold still gonna be a late start. So started some of the late blommong type plants earlier than normal and used the heater an grow light also trying some new verities of stuff with a shorter till mature time. Reply itching to get some dirt under my nails and make a batch of fresh salsa.

[reloader28]

I've got mine all tilled in with goat manure this year.
Aint planted anything yet, but gonna try and start in the next few days.
We really dont like to plant til after Memorial Day, but we push it sometimes.
It was snowing on us today and the nights are mid 30's.
We're still burning the wood stove.

[MaryB]

So wet and cold here that I don't know if I will get even the lettuce and spinach in until Memorial weekend.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/13052014001.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/13052014001.jpg.html)
Getting there slowly,13th May.I can now start transferring some stuff into the garden from the Green house.The Hot Peppers and Tomatoes will stay in the Green house.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/13052014002.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/13052014002.jpg.html)
When everything is moved I can set out the Toms and Pepps to their growing positions.I have loads of good healthy Tomato Plants to spare I will canvas the neighbours this weekend.Looking forward to the Jalapenos,Fresnos,Cayenne,Red Cherry and Habaneros.They should bare fruit about late August.Fingers crossed.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/FromtheBackDoor130514001.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/FromtheBackDoor130514001.jpg.html)
From the Backdoor,showing my small kitchen Garden where I pack as much as I can into the small area.We have had lots of Rain during the last few days,in fact as I edit this note it is Raining again.Some Rain some Sun,it should be good growing weather.I was going to cut the Grass today,oh well another day.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Col4570,
I love the photos...looks beautiful.
I jealous :)
Jon

[.45Cole]

WOW, you really represent English gardening well. Are the stones/stonework very old? Also, what is the beautiful purple tree in the background? The place looks very well maintained, and I love the hedges, but no roses?

Jon_B, how about some mushroom spawn? Some oysters would love the stumps. Do you brew?

[reloader28]

Very nice looking yard. I'm starting to get some green in mine.
There was ice in the water buckets this morning here so hopefully that didnt hurt the buds that were starting to bloom.:-(

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/ViewfromthefrontBedroom0600hours14thMay2014001.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/ViewfromthefrontBedroom0600hours14thMay2014001.jpg .html)
Spring has sprung,0600 hours may 14th,a view from the front bedroom,the patches in the middle ground are Cows lazing around.

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/008-2.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/008-2.jpg.html)
This is a contrasting view from the winter through the front downstairs Window with Lulu the Cat silhouetted.Anyway back to gardening it still gets fairly cool at night and I see that some of my veg have been nipped by the frost,in fact the Climbing Beans may not survive but luckily I took the precaution of sowing some in a pot in the green house so I have a backup.

[Col4570]

.45Cole,the stone is Derbyshire Sandstone I bought a load in the 70s just after I came back from working in the USA for 6 months.The Purple tree is a Lilac.Yes I like Roses and will probably get some.we had some but one year we had a blight that effected Roses so I dug them up and burned them,I suspect that I did,nt look after them and left them to their own resources,I have more time now but when I worked gardening was a chore but now is a pleasure.The pots are Concrete made by a local bloke and quite reasonably priced,after a couple of years they start to look aged.
JohnB,at my age I have to keep on top of it otherwise the jungle takes over.Thanks for the comments.
reloader28,yes those cold nights can soon nip early buds off.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

WOW, you really represent English gardening well. Are the stones/stonework very old? Also, what is the beautiful purple tree in the background? The place looks very well maintained, and I love the hedges, but no roses?

Jon_B, how about some mushroom spawn? Some oysters would love the stumps. Do you brew?
Yes I do brew. I have posted one or two beer recipes in the recipe sub-forum.
I'd love to grow mushrooms. These stumps are on the south side of the house,,,Hot and dry...bad place for schrooms. Besides they are Ash stumps. I could get some Elm stumps from the same place as I got these. I was just out there yesterday looking for Morels...none yet :(

[David2011]

Waiting out a snow coming in on Sat. night through Sunday but planting parsnips and turnips just the same. Onions came through the last snow just fine same with the garlic.
Wish I could figure out how in the heck to simply resize pictures, would post a few.

You can get a nice photo viewer and manipulator at www.irfanview.com. I've used it for 16 years.

David

[SciFiJim]

Why you grow in buckets Jim?

I jut reread your question. I use buckets to help keep down the weeds. My garden would be overgrown with johnson grass if I planted in the ground. I can keep it mowed down in the rest of the yard, but don't have enough time or energy to keep the garden hoed by hand. This way I can spray roundup at a low level on anything that sprouts from the ground around the buckets.

[SciFiJim]

Waiting out a snow coming in on Sat. night through Sunday but planting parsnips and turnips just the same. Onions came through the last snow just fine same with the garlic.
Wish I could figure out how in the heck to simply resize pictures, would post a few.


Image Resizer for Windows (https://imageresizer.codeplex.com/) works great if you are using Windows. Right click the image file with your mouse and select the size you want.

[Frank46]

Just finished digging out my 8x8 foot garden with the el cheapo lowes organic soil. Had 5 yds of what they call sugar dirt delivered and another full truck load due tomorrow. This is the jet black stuff that is left over from refining sugar cane and a lot of folks down here really like it as it grows stuff like you wouldn't believe. I bought a kubota L3800 last year and today it got a workout using the front end loader. Used to drive a payloader years ago when I worked for a living. So got the 8x8 garden filled and will have to till it slightly. The wife has my day tomorrow all planned out. Last year we had a huge water oak taken down as it had been zapped by lightening and the whole area will be full of flowers and stuff when we get done. So far will be planting radish, bush beans, peppers, egg plants and cucumbers. Nothing like home grown veggies. Frank

[Col4570]

Frank46,that sugar dirt sounds interesting,most of our Sugar over here is made from Sugar Beet so we probably can,t get it here.I do compost all of my weeds and grass cuttings mixed with Wood Ash from the winter fires.I can read you know a lot about putting fibre into the ground,good luck with your Veg.Where in the USA are you located,here in the UK we are about level with New York for temperature and have to be carefull with Tomatoes and Peppers and usualy grow them in the Green house.

[Iowa Fox]

Yes I do brew. I have posted one or two beer recipes in the recipe sub-forum.
I'd love to grow mushrooms. These stumps are on the south side of the house,,,Hot and dry...bad place for schrooms. Besides they are Ash stumps. I could get some Elm stumps from the same place as I got these. I was just out there yesterday looking for Morels...none yet :(

Speaking of morels, I went out for about 20 minutes and found 3 grocery sacks full. Talked to my daughter and her boss went this afternoon and had the same kind of luck. Looks like a good season all over around here. Your probably a week behind us up your way.

http://i59.tinypic.com/ev17h2.jpg

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Speaking of morels, I went out for about 20 minutes and found 3 grocery sacks full. Talked to my daughter and her boss went this afternoon and had the same kind of luck. Looks like a good season all over around here. Your probably a week behind us up your way.

http://i59.tinypic.com/ev17h2.jpg

I'm SUPER jealous !!!

[Iowa Fox]

http://i57.tinypic.com/dmz9l3.jpg

Wife is frying them right now as I'm typing. 3 1/2 hours from the timber to the skillet, they are exceptionally tasty this year.

[Frank46]

Col4570, I used to have a 300 square foot garden. Grew 3 rows of corn, two rows of bush beans, one row each pepper and egg plant and radish's, potatoes, and some carrots. Eventually got too much for me. Had a sears 6.5 hp tiller and each spring tilled the whole lot. Used ammonium nitrate and potassium to fertilize and each year dumped a lot of peat moss in as well. The sugar dirt is what is left from the sugar cane growing and processing. Almost pure black in color and rich in just about everything. I now have a huge pile on the front lawn waiting for the wife to tell me where she wants it. We had a huge water oak taken down so we have an area of about 25' in diameter now to play with. Costs about $145 for a dump truck load. At least 10 yards worth. With the new tractor and the front end loader beats shoveling all that. Gonna look for a mini tiller to do the 8x8 vegie garden but still have the rake I bought for the John Deere tractor I just sold. So spreading it out is way easier. Frank

[Col4570]

The same view from the Back door a few weeks on.The lilac blossom has gone,the Rodohdendron are fading, the Lupins,Delphiniums.Arctic Poppies are in full bloom.Today is 4th of June and it is raining like billy ho.In the greenhouse the Tomatoes and Peppers are progressing.Unfortunately the weeds like this warm wet weather so it is a constant battle against them.In the hedges the birds are at the end of the spring hatching,the dawn chorus from them is fantastic,Constantly replenishing the Bird Table and Bird bath with seeds and kitchen scraps.http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/001-47.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/001-47.jpg.html)

[Col4570]

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/s452/livebattery/002-31.jpg (http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/livebattery/media/002-31.jpg.html)
The Bird Table you can perhaps just see a Woodpidgeon eating all the food I put out for the song birds.anyway live and let live they are entitled to as much as any bird but they do eat a lot.Got to go and Cast some bullets for this sunday.45.70s and 580s.Both Black Powder.

[Bulldogger]

Col4570, lovely pictures of a right proper and tidy garden/yard. Thanks for sharing.
BDGR

[Col4570]

BDGR,I worked around VA in 1974 for 6 months.The views along Skyline Drive are breath taking.Unfortunately I was working so I did,nt get much time to see as much as I would like.Hopewell,Waynesboro,Front Royal.Started down in Baton Rouge but most of the time up north.

[.45Cole]

Nice morels. The weather up here in Co is super unpredictable, and the morels are very hard to find, and small. Found a stinkhorn last year, and that was it!

[Artful]

Arizona is a little south Daytime temps finally below 90's and nights in 50's ...
- so today planted Tomato, Mint, Yukon Potato's, snow peas
Need to think about planting Artichokes, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, and radishes.

Trying some of those hanging bucket things to see how that does.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

40º for a high today in MN.
Still some Cabbages and Beets in the garden.
6" of snow is expected tomorrow night.
I'm about through the first 1/3 cord of firewood.
(my firewood is stacked in nine 1/3 cord stacks under a tarp car port, in a normal winter, I burn about eight.)

Artful, I have no idea how you handle that AZ Heat.
Jon