How's your garden doing?
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myview
Jun 29, 2009, 1:09:13 AM6/29/09
to mpolitics
I counted my 30th tomato coming on so far on my Early girls. I
believe I will have to had some fence stakes to them this year using
nylons to stablize the tops, as they are well over the cages now. Not
thing on the Better Boys yet but they are in full bloom as well as the
Better Boy Bush and cherries. Spotted my first tomato worm of the
year. Squash it's butt with a rock. Treated 4 tomato plants for
aphids with soapy water.
Had my share of problems with squirrels and rabbits. I reseeded the
beans three times to get two full rows. The same with the snap peas.
I decided to try something new and I believe it worked. I took dog
hair and ran it between the rows. This may sound funny but, I believe
that was the trick. I have three dogs and get a canister of hair from
carpet daily. Also had three rows of radishes tops ate off. Lost
several corn plants and the cucumber plants kept disappearing. At
first I thought it was cut worms, till I see the furry little vermits
in action. Since I been adding hair to the rows the plants aren't
disappearing anymore. Someone had to have let these bunnies go, as
they weren't the wild type - one was long haired black and the other
was multicolored. Good thing I alway plant more than I need too.
believe I will have to had some fence stakes to them this year using
nylons to stablize the tops, as they are well over the cages now. Not
thing on the Better Boys yet but they are in full bloom as well as the
Better Boy Bush and cherries. Spotted my first tomato worm of the
year. Squash it's butt with a rock. Treated 4 tomato plants for
aphids with soapy water.
Had my share of problems with squirrels and rabbits. I reseeded the
beans three times to get two full rows. The same with the snap peas.
I decided to try something new and I believe it worked. I took dog
hair and ran it between the rows. This may sound funny but, I believe
that was the trick. I have three dogs and get a canister of hair from
carpet daily. Also had three rows of radishes tops ate off. Lost
several corn plants and the cucumber plants kept disappearing. At
first I thought it was cut worms, till I see the furry little vermits
in action. Since I been adding hair to the rows the plants aren't
disappearing anymore. Someone had to have let these bunnies go, as
they weren't the wild type - one was long haired black and the other
was multicolored. Good thing I alway plant more than I need too.
mdancer
Jun 30, 2009, 12:23:03 AM6/30/09
to mpolitics
Wow, your garden is booming!!
I have 3 tomatoes on my Early Girl, but I only have one plant. My
tomatoes always get to be over 6' and a trick I learned is to fashion
a "super cage" by inserting a narrower cage into a wider cage,
creating a taller cage. Still need to weave stakes into it as the
winds knock it wonky up here by the Puddle.
Great tip with the pup hair and makes sense! I used to use it as a
"neighborcat repellent mulch" in the areas they liked to poop in. Read
in my old Organic Gardening book that hair has a high nitrogen
content, too.
We had a pet rabbit once and I dutifully planted the smelliest
marigolds I could find around the perimeter of the vegetable garden
like the experts say to do. Rosie Rabbit hopped into the garden, ate
the marigolds, and proceeded to the carrot tops :D So much for
marigolds. Maybe you could plant a carrot plot to steer the bunnies
away from the rest of the garden! Found out that rabbits love peanut
butter sandwiches too (thanks to having little kids when we had the
rabbit!)
Daughter chased a deer out of the vegetable garden and that bothers
me! This Winter and Spring, I noticed lots of tracks in the front
yard and later discovered those darned critters ate EVERY tulip in the
front yard bed down to an inch high. Didn't think they'd hop the
fence to explore the backyard, but guess at least one did. No damage
so far.....
Pole beans really took off climbing the twine, peppers are finally
starting to grow, have a couple baby sweet banana peppers and a few
blossoms on the bells (peppers are hit and miss up here, depending on
how hot the summer gets), strawberries are done, the hot weather
finished them off along with the spinach, starting to pick
raspberries. Canteloupe are still just sitting there, but those are
another "hit or miss crop", depending on the heat.
Looking forward to the forecasted rain! I use compost to mulch the
flowerbeds and don't want to mulch until the flowerbeds had a good
soaking (and had to wait for the compost to cure as I used my last
summer's batch in the vegetable garden. Also had to wait for the
perinneal seeds that spread to pop up). When one mulches, bare dirt
looks so sad......
I have 3 tomatoes on my Early Girl, but I only have one plant. My
tomatoes always get to be over 6' and a trick I learned is to fashion
a "super cage" by inserting a narrower cage into a wider cage,
creating a taller cage. Still need to weave stakes into it as the
winds knock it wonky up here by the Puddle.
Great tip with the pup hair and makes sense! I used to use it as a
"neighborcat repellent mulch" in the areas they liked to poop in. Read
in my old Organic Gardening book that hair has a high nitrogen
content, too.
We had a pet rabbit once and I dutifully planted the smelliest
marigolds I could find around the perimeter of the vegetable garden
like the experts say to do. Rosie Rabbit hopped into the garden, ate
the marigolds, and proceeded to the carrot tops :D So much for
marigolds. Maybe you could plant a carrot plot to steer the bunnies
away from the rest of the garden! Found out that rabbits love peanut
butter sandwiches too (thanks to having little kids when we had the
rabbit!)
Daughter chased a deer out of the vegetable garden and that bothers
me! This Winter and Spring, I noticed lots of tracks in the front
yard and later discovered those darned critters ate EVERY tulip in the
front yard bed down to an inch high. Didn't think they'd hop the
fence to explore the backyard, but guess at least one did. No damage
so far.....
Pole beans really took off climbing the twine, peppers are finally
starting to grow, have a couple baby sweet banana peppers and a few
blossoms on the bells (peppers are hit and miss up here, depending on
how hot the summer gets), strawberries are done, the hot weather
finished them off along with the spinach, starting to pick
raspberries. Canteloupe are still just sitting there, but those are
another "hit or miss crop", depending on the heat.
Looking forward to the forecasted rain! I use compost to mulch the
flowerbeds and don't want to mulch until the flowerbeds had a good
soaking (and had to wait for the compost to cure as I used my last
summer's batch in the vegetable garden. Also had to wait for the
perinneal seeds that spread to pop up). When one mulches, bare dirt
looks so sad......
racer1488
Jul 1, 2009, 5:40:29 PM7/1/09
to mpolitics
How can I put this in a nice way without hurting your feelings? Sorry
I won't try...lol. I planted 16 watermelon plants 2 survived. Tomatoes
are about a foot high. As the banana peppers and broccoli.Green
peppers forget about it. This after I spent for black dirt and cow
mature. Figure with the 10 million mosquitoes around the garden when I
water the protein from them would help...lol. My Aunt was a farmer,
guess I'm still a big city guy from Chicago.
Be getting my vegs from Terry on Riley-Thompson Rd again. Was hoping
to grow watermelon because store bought have sucked for years.
Remember when they were long, deep red and sweet? Now small, no taste
and sometimes white and you have to drive back for refund. Say you're
growing watermelon. I'll be right over.
I won't try...lol. I planted 16 watermelon plants 2 survived. Tomatoes
are about a foot high. As the banana peppers and broccoli.Green
peppers forget about it. This after I spent for black dirt and cow
mature. Figure with the 10 million mosquitoes around the garden when I
water the protein from them would help...lol. My Aunt was a farmer,
guess I'm still a big city guy from Chicago.
Be getting my vegs from Terry on Riley-Thompson Rd again. Was hoping
to grow watermelon because store bought have sucked for years.
Remember when they were long, deep red and sweet? Now small, no taste
and sometimes white and you have to drive back for refund. Say you're
growing watermelon. I'll be right over.
mdancer
Jul 2, 2009, 11:50:45 AM7/2/09
to mpolitics
LOL, Racer, I think every gardener feels your pain!!
Tried watermelon once and they flopped. Read that they need hot, hot,
hot weather. Won't get that here by the Puddle. Butttttt.....last
year I had the sweetest canteloupe, another plant that isnt supposed
to grow up here.
Try growing Yellow Bell Peppers. For some reason, they do better than
the green peppers (one year out of frustration, I grew green, yellow,
red and purple peppers-the yellow ones "took" and thats the only type
I plant now). And sweet banana peppers grow well, too. If you don't
count last summer......my pepper crop was a flop.
Adding that blackdirt to counteract the sandbox and manure will
definitely help your garden! Hate to say this, but NEXT year, once
everythings settled and mixed with the sand, your garden will be even
better.
> > was multicolored. Good thing I alway plant more than I need too.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Tried watermelon once and they flopped. Read that they need hot, hot,
hot weather. Won't get that here by the Puddle. Butttttt.....last
year I had the sweetest canteloupe, another plant that isnt supposed
to grow up here.
Try growing Yellow Bell Peppers. For some reason, they do better than
the green peppers (one year out of frustration, I grew green, yellow,
red and purple peppers-the yellow ones "took" and thats the only type
I plant now). And sweet banana peppers grow well, too. If you don't
count last summer......my pepper crop was a flop.
Adding that blackdirt to counteract the sandbox and manure will
definitely help your garden! Hate to say this, but NEXT year, once
everythings settled and mixed with the sand, your garden will be even
better.
>
> - Show quoted text -
myview
Jul 3, 2009, 2:33:30 AM7/3/09
to mpolitics
Pretty early to call it done on. Not even into the major growing
season. No feeling hurts on my end. Make sure you water as you will
get tomotaes and banana peppers. Sorry I can't believe your giving up
as this is only July.
season. No feeling hurts on my end. Make sure you water as you will
get tomotaes and banana peppers. Sorry I can't believe your giving up
as this is only July.
racer1488
Jul 4, 2009, 3:14:07 AM7/4/09
to mpolitics
I'm not giving in, but all that money and work for dead plants.
Tilled the garden today and the onions are popping up. I did plant
"colored" peppers. They were growing better in the house when I
planted them with seeds. They're all gone except like 3 of them.
Still have like 12 tomatoes plants to transplant from seeds. Do I
fall under Gov't help for farmers? Get like $100,000 for bad crop this
year and $250,000 for not planting next year....lol? Daughter went up
to Pentwater for the day and bought me 2 watermelons. The long ones
with seeds. Forgot how many seeds were in those suckers since I've
been buying seedless. Savings seeds for next year. Planting 100
plants...lol.
Tilled the garden today and the onions are popping up. I did plant
"colored" peppers. They were growing better in the house when I
planted them with seeds. They're all gone except like 3 of them.
Still have like 12 tomatoes plants to transplant from seeds. Do I
fall under Gov't help for farmers? Get like $100,000 for bad crop this
year and $250,000 for not planting next year....lol? Daughter went up
to Pentwater for the day and bought me 2 watermelons. The long ones
with seeds. Forgot how many seeds were in those suckers since I've
been buying seedless. Savings seeds for next year. Planting 100
plants...lol.
myview
Jul 5, 2009, 2:35:02 AM7/5/09
to mpolitics
Racer, Glad to hear you haven't given in. On peppers and tomato
plants I put collars around because of cut worms. If you go to the
garden and see the tops of the plants on the ground its because of
cutworms. I use either the empty paper towel roll or toilet paper
roll to fashion them out. Out of a toilet paper roll you can get
three collards. Simple cut in thirds and cut down the one side of the
ring to open so you can wrap it. Plant your plant wrap one around the
stem and firm the dirt on the outside to keep in place. I also have
used the rolls from wrapping paper and foil. You can also use those
disposable coffee cups for, I done that in a pinch. Just cut the
bottom off and slit one side so you can place around the plant.
On my plants I dig the hole extra deep with a garden spade; filling in
most of the hole with cow compost usual about the amount that would
fill one of those ice cream buckets and soak with water. Your going
to want to have plastic dish gloves for planting this way as you will
be planting in poop. Just heads up on. LOL! Once the water is
drained, make a hole in the center big enough for the plant. Firm cow
compost around and cover the last two to three inches with the soil,
add a little water and place collars around tomato plants and
peppers.
If the tomato plants are extra tall, plant them deep. Just take of the
leaves that will be below the soil. What this does is give them a
stronger root system, roots will form along the stem that is below the
soil and will produce more tomatoes during the season than if you
don't. My Early Girls were three feet tall prior to planting. After
planting about a foot tall at the most.
After the plants start blooming I use water soluble Tomato plant food
by Miracle Gro to increase production of veggies. This is safe to use
on all veggie and runs about $9.00 at Lowes. Although the box saids
every two weeks I only do one treatment per year as thats all I need.
One box works for my plants for three years when I use the water can
to do, so its cost effective.
If you have maple trees, you can mulch the leaves into your garden
area to improve the soil in the fall. Just rake the leaves next to
the garden area and run the lawn mower over a few times. In the
spring just till in. If you have oak trees don't do as this will soar
the ground and you will have to add lime to balance the ph.
Question - when you tilled did you note any night crawler worms? I
know your probably thinking why. The more fertile the soil the more
worms you will see. This is a good thing. The more worms you have the
better your soil gets.
I was raised on a farm and learn at a early age how to garden from my
mother. Her garden was huge and not something a walk behind tiller
would do. With 120 cattle we had plenty of fertilizer. One major
thing she taught me was to have flowers to attract the bees to
pollinate your veggies. One flower that draws the most bees and most
think as unwanted weed is milkweed. My yard has many.
> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
plants I put collars around because of cut worms. If you go to the
garden and see the tops of the plants on the ground its because of
cutworms. I use either the empty paper towel roll or toilet paper
roll to fashion them out. Out of a toilet paper roll you can get
three collards. Simple cut in thirds and cut down the one side of the
ring to open so you can wrap it. Plant your plant wrap one around the
stem and firm the dirt on the outside to keep in place. I also have
used the rolls from wrapping paper and foil. You can also use those
disposable coffee cups for, I done that in a pinch. Just cut the
bottom off and slit one side so you can place around the plant.
On my plants I dig the hole extra deep with a garden spade; filling in
most of the hole with cow compost usual about the amount that would
fill one of those ice cream buckets and soak with water. Your going
to want to have plastic dish gloves for planting this way as you will
be planting in poop. Just heads up on. LOL! Once the water is
drained, make a hole in the center big enough for the plant. Firm cow
compost around and cover the last two to three inches with the soil,
add a little water and place collars around tomato plants and
peppers.
If the tomato plants are extra tall, plant them deep. Just take of the
leaves that will be below the soil. What this does is give them a
stronger root system, roots will form along the stem that is below the
soil and will produce more tomatoes during the season than if you
don't. My Early Girls were three feet tall prior to planting. After
planting about a foot tall at the most.
After the plants start blooming I use water soluble Tomato plant food
by Miracle Gro to increase production of veggies. This is safe to use
on all veggie and runs about $9.00 at Lowes. Although the box saids
every two weeks I only do one treatment per year as thats all I need.
One box works for my plants for three years when I use the water can
to do, so its cost effective.
If you have maple trees, you can mulch the leaves into your garden
area to improve the soil in the fall. Just rake the leaves next to
the garden area and run the lawn mower over a few times. In the
spring just till in. If you have oak trees don't do as this will soar
the ground and you will have to add lime to balance the ph.
Question - when you tilled did you note any night crawler worms? I
know your probably thinking why. The more fertile the soil the more
worms you will see. This is a good thing. The more worms you have the
better your soil gets.
I was raised on a farm and learn at a early age how to garden from my
mother. Her garden was huge and not something a walk behind tiller
would do. With 120 cattle we had plenty of fertilizer. One major
thing she taught me was to have flowers to attract the bees to
pollinate your veggies. One flower that draws the most bees and most
think as unwanted weed is milkweed. My yard has many.
racer1488
Jul 5, 2009, 11:12:08 PM7/5/09
to mpolitics
Thanks for the tips. Was wondering if "true" gardeners use Miracle
Gro? My ex co-worker had a pig and her plants seemed to grow to be 12
feet high.
Gro? My ex co-worker had a pig and her plants seemed to grow to be 12
feet high.
myview
Jul 6, 2009, 1:17:04 AM7/6/09
to mpolitics
mdancer
Thanks for the tip on adding another cage. I got ten done so far. I
was going to wire together till I came across the packet of zip ties
in the shed. Worked out swell. :D
I had 40 cages that I did supersize with wire fencing added to the
top. Last winter a large branch fell in the area I store them. Talk
about flat as a pancake. LOL! So I had to start new this year. Boy
cages are getting pricy. :( Okay if you only doing a few but 40 adds
up.
I dealt with my share of critters over the years. I believe my biggest
scare was that darn blow snake which, is sometime call a hognose
snake. Talk about heart pounding. Looks like a rattle snake without
the rattles. Their harmless! I was out of the garden in a second
flat and yell at my dad to get out. He was laughing so, hard he had
tears coming down his cheeks. The snake was a regular for several
years in the garden.
Thanks for the tip on adding another cage. I got ten done so far. I
was going to wire together till I came across the packet of zip ties
in the shed. Worked out swell. :D
I had 40 cages that I did supersize with wire fencing added to the
top. Last winter a large branch fell in the area I store them. Talk
about flat as a pancake. LOL! So I had to start new this year. Boy
cages are getting pricy. :( Okay if you only doing a few but 40 adds
up.
I dealt with my share of critters over the years. I believe my biggest
scare was that darn blow snake which, is sometime call a hognose
snake. Talk about heart pounding. Looks like a rattle snake without
the rattles. Their harmless! I was out of the garden in a second
flat and yell at my dad to get out. He was laughing so, hard he had
tears coming down his cheeks. The snake was a regular for several
years in the garden.
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