It's that time of the year again to plan our gardens. Are you getting ready?

[ladyhk13]

So it's the dead of winter and freezing outside but now is the time to be planning for all of the goodies we want to be filling our tummies and jars with this summer. Have any of you started to put your plan together yet? If so, what are you going to plant? Are you going to do direct sow? Seedlings? How are you going to start your seeds and when? How do you keep your seeds warm? I have been thinking about buying some warming mats but they are kind of expensive so do any of you have some homemade ideas? I would be using my craft/sewing room so space is kind of an issue since it's a shared space. What kind of containers do you use?
Are you doing raised beds, containers, climbing?
Thought it would be good to get ideas and do the planning now before that '10-12 week before last frost' date passes by and I don't have anything started!

[bacpacker]

I sure have been planning for the upcoming season. Most of my stuff will be grown direct sown in a standard type garden. I have been going thru catalogs to try and find any new variteys I want to try. I always grow two or three new types of something each year.

One thing new for the year is a full on Fall garden. That will take plenty of planning and getting started at the correct time.

[helomech]

My aquaponics system is still running. Getting tomatoes every day, Brussels sprouts are growing, sugar cane still going strong. Banana trees hanging in there. Harvested all my cabbage yesterday. Onions I planted the other week is coming up fast, and I planted strawberries yesterday. Planted 40 plants, 10 of each of the 4 varieties our store had. They are doing great.

Other than my wall falling in all is going well.

[4suchatimeasthis]

We have the garden plot picked out, but have yet to disk it. It is fenced in, however, and we just moved the horses out of there last week. They did some "fertilizing" of the soil, and with all the rain, they really turned it to mud, too.

For this spring, we just plan to disk it, till it good, pick rocks (please God, don't let it be as rocky as Pennsylvanian soil) and sod clods, and then plant sweet corn, melons, pumpkins and squash - easy stuff you don't really have to mess with. I have several large patio pots that I usually put tomatoes and peppers in, that's what we had when we lived in town. So, not a lot of ambitious plans this first year, we still have other things are are working on around the place, and we wont have as much time to dedicate to a more varied garden, just yet.

Eventually we will have a few garden plots, at least two large ones that for now are fenced as paddocks. We will likely keep the electric fences in place, and hopefully keep the deer out of them. Someday I would like to try growing potatoes in a barrel, where you can supposedly grow 100lbs of potatoes in a rain barrel. I have also read about palette gardens, where you put plants between the slats, stuffing the palette with soil, and using that as a raised bed, say on straw bales or something. It sounds interesting. I did do a covered garden one year, years ago. It was a smaller plot, probably only 15x25 ft, and we covered it in a thick layer of newspaper once the plants started coming up, being careful to give them a little clearance. It kept the weeds down, and also protected from the heat, held moisture in, it worked out pretty good. At the end of the season we just tilled it all in.

I have started plants early, when I lived up north, we had a large southern facing bay window that got a lot of heat. I've used the regular peat pot starters, years ago. Egg cartons work too. In recent years, when I only had the patio pots to fill, I just picked up baby plants from Rural King. This spring I don't plan on starting anything in the house, but we have talked about putting in a little area for an indoor herb garden where we tore out the breakfast nook/window seat. It would be a great spot for starting plants. Again, more projects, lol.

[mitunnelrat]

I can say both yes, and no. My role in gardening this year is that of apprentice. All I have to do is throw out a reminder to my dad next month, and then be available to brainstorm, develop, refine, and help implement whatever he plans to do.

I like this, it frees me up to concentrate on other areas, and I still get the experience I need with gardening.

[Metrocruiser]

Hi 4such

Are you using the black trays that fit 50 peat pods, if so you can build a box frame out of 2x2s large enough to put 2 or 3 of these back plastic trays on top. About 14 to 16 inches high. Then wire up a 60 watt light bulb inside and cover up the 4 sides with non flammable insulating panels. I built one years ago. It would speed up germination like crazy. 150 pods at a time. Make sure to put a dome on top to keep it humid inside.

[Sniper-T]

I just started reviewing my notes from last year, and will start planning out my garden in the coming month.

I'll probably bring my Greenhouse in and start my tomatoes in Early-mid March

[Taz Baby]

About the most I can do this year is a windowsill garden because of not being at the BOL yet. Apartment life does have it limits when gardening. Don't think the groundskeeper will like me tilling it up to plant a garden. But I can go to the farmers market and get the stuff and then process it.

[4suchatimeasthis]

Metro, thanks!! Great tip. I tried to "like" it, but it wont let me :(

[ladyhk13]

A neighbor gave me some styrofome trays that are seed starters and you put them in a tray of water and the seeds are supposed to germinate within a couple of days instead of longer as long as they are wet. I haven't tried them yet.

[Evolver]

Well... Our plains to move have been delayed for at least a year due to he fact that we're an estimated $7,000 upside down in our mortgage if we were to sell and don't want our credit dinged so we are going to wait it out and see what happens. So... As for our garden plans... I'll be planting again but I still have a nematode problem that didn't get rectified by the solerization that we did last summer so I'm going to try doing some crop rotation to see if we can get things to grow a full cycle before dieing out. Our tomatoes are peppers are what gets effected by the dreaded todes and everything else seem to do ok so rotation might be the key.

[ladyhk13]

Sorry about your move Evolver. Seems like a trend here doesn't it :( ? Is there something you can treat the soil with that will kill them?

[Sniper-T]

Kill them with fire!!!

http://i893.photobucket.com/albums/ac139/jemima98/tumblr_l4jqvcya4y1qbhtrto1_500.gif

[Onestep]

Sniper could be on to something Evo. The farmer regularly burns his gardens, mainly to ad potash back to the soil but he doens't have the nemotode problem. Mmmmm

As for gardens, we are still harvesting from our fall/winter garden and have planted our spring garden. We are rolling the dice planting this early (usually plant in Feb.) but its been so warm we decided to go for it. Hoping the frost days are over.
In the fall/winter garden, we still have some brocolli, kale, turnips and romain lettuce. Some of the cauliflower have small heads and the collards are getting bigger by the day. Some tomatoes are done and others are are on their last weeks or so. Sweet peas are still young and the onions have a few months to go.

[DarkLight]

We are supposed to be getting a fence put in so the newest member of the family can run a little freer and not have to be walked every time he needs to pee. However, this is the second day that the contractor hasn't shown up. Yesterday it was because he says he had to put his dog to sleep, over the weekend (which if true I can totally feel for him for and I really do feel sorry about) and gave him a pass on. He send me the contract to review last night and said he'd be here first thing in the morning today...it's now 9:20 and he's not here. For a two day job that includes post holes in CLAY and concrete that needs to set, I would think he would want to be here as early possible...apparently not.

I told you that story (rant) so I could tell you this one (thank you Bill Cosby). Once we have the fence we don't have to grovel to the HOA every time we want to turn around in the back yard and dig a hole so we are going to finally do some decent gardening. The dog (Retired Greyhound) isn't a digger so we aren't worried about him getting into it. We're thinking raised bed though since every time I've had to dig a grave for previous pets I've been on Lortab for a week afterwards. Did I mention the clay?

[Kodiak]

I'm planning on my first garden this year, grew up helping/watching Grandpa put 2-3 gardens out every year so hopefully a little of his knowledge seeped into my brain. I'm thinking something along the lines of a 20x20 ft garden to start out with, I have plenty of room to expand it in the future if need be. One question I have is should I disk the plot before tilling it, and if so when should i plan on disking it? Im also planning on getting some horse manure and tilling that up with the soil. As far as plants go its still up in the air.

[DarkLight]

***Update***
:oYaY, the fencing contractor showed up (about 20 minutes after I posted my rant).

:mad:Boo, one of his dogs really did have to get put to sleep on Sunday night.

:oYay, I'm going to be able to put in raised beds all along the east side of my property.

:mad:Boo, my yard isn't as big as I thought it was and I've been mowing my neighbor's lawn for 10 years.

[ladyhk13]

***Update***

:mad:Boo, my yard isn't as big as I thought it was and I've been mowing my neighbor's lawn for 10 years.

hey, isn't there some rule about squatters rights there?

[Katrina]

DH went and got the starter pods and seeds for the garden. As soon as he believes it's time he'll line the bay window area with them to sprout. We 'll have to figure out how to keep the cats away from the plants once they start sprouting, LOL. He's still figuring out the configuration and how much bigger he wants to make the garden.

[Jimmy24]

Well... Our plains to move have been delayed for at least a year due to he fact that we're an estimated $7,000 upside down in our mortgage if we were to sell and don't want our credit dinged so we are going to wait it out and see what happens. So... As for our garden plans... I'll be planting again but I still have a nematode problem that didn't get rectified by the solerization that we did last summer so I'm going to try doing some crop rotation to see if we can get things to grow a full cycle before dieing out. Our tomatoes are peppers are what gets effected by the dreaded todes and everything else seem to do ok so rotation might be the key.

A mass planting of marigolds now. Marigolds help deter harmful nematodes from attacking tomatoes. The pungent odor can also help confuse other insect pests. To deter nematodes, the best practice is to grow the marigolds, then chop and till them into the soil at the end of the season. Just a suggestion. I use them every year as companion plants and nematodes have left the country...Just an idea for you.

Jimmy

[Evolver]

It seems like the nematodes are only effecting the tomatoes so I'm going to try some crop rotation out to try to live with them rather than fighting them. For four growing seasons I've planted the tomatoes in the same two raised beds so we have two beds that have never had tomatoes in before.

Yesterday we picked up a bunch of starter plant so we don't waste our Heirloom seed (as per Snipers suggestion) so we'll see what happens and if it doesn't work out I'll have time to solarize the soil again in June, July and August.


OS and T I'd try the fire method but... All my hard work would go up in flames. :)

http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss162/xplore2c/DSC02933.jpg

[Sniper-T]

You should just plant even more tomatoes, and grow nematodes. Then sell them:

http://www.gardeninsects.com/beneficialNematodes.asp

although yours are probably not the beneficial kind. lol

On thatthought... could the beneficial ones kill off your bad ones?

[ladyhk13]

Evolver how big are your beds?

[Evolver]

4'x12'x16''deep.

I've got a bunch of photos of the build to show how I built them too.

[ladyhk13]

Mine are the same size but nowhere as deep. I think we only went 12" down. It seems like you plant a lot more stuff than I do! Maybe I'm just chicken to put so much into the space and should put more in them.

[FL-Jeeper]

The winter has been pretty mild up until recently... Anyhow, we've managed to nurse our sweet peppers through the winter and they were blossoming before this latest cold snap.

I cut back the sweet basil bush in hopes it will grow back. They didn't take the cold too well, despite our best efforts.

We've put out strawberries in the raised bed on the south side of the house & picked up lumber for two more raised beds, adjacent to the existing 4'x12' bed, that will have squash & blackberries. The beds will go in this weekend & a nice compost pile I've been brewing will feed them. Plants will go in before April.

I also have a 3 1/2 foot tall Mandarin orange tree in a pot that will get planted in a month or so.

Oh, and we've fertilized the banana trees, so maybe we'll have fruit this year.

[Taz Baby]

Perform your soil test by placing a sample into two separate cups or containers. Add vinegar to one. If it fizzes your soil is alkaline. If not, add some water to the second cup and stir. Add baking soda. If it fizzes you have acidic soil. If neither have a reaction your soil is somewhat pH balanced.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/311783_10151494243377436_800467592_n.png

[bacpacker]

Now thats a quick and easy soil test, if you are way off one way or the other. If not your soil is acceptable for growing most crops.

[Taz Baby]

2013 Best Spring Planting Dates for Seeds

Just a reminder to all. Click link, hover over best days and click "Best planting dates by the Moon", type your zip code in. I always plant this way.

http://www.almanac.com/

[David Armstrong]

Summer plants went in this week. Tomatoes, corn, peppers, and strawberries. Few weeks more and the watermelons go into the ground.

[bacpacker]

Taz I to try and plant by the signs. But sometimes the weather, or work, or life gets in the way and it just don't happen. I do try and hit the moon phase as close as I can and the days if possible. It does make a difference both with planting and harvesting. This year I am attempting to do my pruning that way was well.

But its been so wet here this winter i have not gotten much done with the signs.

[Sniper-T]

just started flipping through some see packets and threads. probably pull the green house in this weeken and get some seeds started

[Taz Baby]

The Old Farmers Almanac
Plant peas when the peepers peep! Don't plant your corn until the oak leaf is as big as a squirrel's ear. Old-timers looked to nature to know when to seed. Learn more in our video--and we'd love to hear examples from your area.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Hg4Ny1lImr4

[bacpacker]

Always plant root crops in the decreasing of the moon (just after the full moon. If crops fruit above ground plant them between the new and full moon.

[Taz Baby]

Testing Old Seed for Viability
http://learningandyearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/P1100054.jpg

http://learningandyearning.com/testing-seed-for-viability

[Tealcat95]

Since moving to the BOL I now have LOTS of room to plant. However, I am far from being a gardener/farmer. I have a variety of things in the ground to try my hand at. Tomato's, onions, garlic, summer squash, cucumbers, pole beans, cantalope and watermelon will be my first attempts. Many of them have sprouted and seem to be doing well so far! Will keep ya'll posted on their progress as the weeks go by.:)

[Taz Baby]

When you get ready to start using bell Peppers keep this in mind.


How To Identify The Use of A Bell Pepper...

While terming this to be "gender" is not accurate, as bell pepper plants are hermaphroditic, this does appear to be a method used to identify which type of bell pepper is best for each purpose - either cooking, eating raw or for seed collection. There is a simple method for identifying which bell pepper has the traits you desire. Look on the underside of the pepper, the ones with four bumps are "female" and those with three bumps are "male". The ones termed "female" peppers, or those with more bumps, contain more seeds and will be used largely for collection of seeds and replanting (hence "female"), but are also sweeter and better for eating raw. The ones with three or fewer bumps are better for cooking and contain fewer seeds. However, bell peppers are hermaphroditic, so any reference to gender is for a helpful memory aid only.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/536742_10151523209667436_844011340_n.jpg

[Tealcat95]

Nice way to remember! Thanks for the tip!

[bacpacker]

Thanks TAZ!

[Katrina]

DH finally got out to measure the garden area for the raised beds . Looks like we'll have three 10 foot long 2 foot wide boxes in the one area and three smaller ones next to the walkway to the covered deck plus my potato bags. I'm going to see if I can grow sweet taters like you can white ones in the black garbage bags. the seeds in the bay window have sprouted and are about two inches in height. So far cats have left them alone but Ms Chloe has been eyeing them lately when she gets up on the back of the couch to sun herself (and yell at the birds)

[Taz Baby]

Well this is something I never knew. But I don't think I would like smelling a rotten tomato.


What to do with your Rotten Tomatoes
Published by Hammer
October 13, 2012 at 09:05
http://www.mizozo.com/images/item_images/56000/55018_gallery.jpg
It turns out that not all tomatoes actually rot, some sprout baby tomato plants. One redditor, Serena_Altschul, discovered just that. Inadvertently leaving a tomato plant on his counter for over a month, he noticed that instead of becoming a soggy, rotting mess, the seeds within the tomato actually sprouted to become plants feeding off the tasty tomato interior.

Turns out that our redditor accidentally left the tomato in some nook on his counter. He claims that his vegetables are in a basket on the counter, but this one somehow managed to escape the basket, finding a spot on the counter rarely visited (a month without notice, it seems). When he finally noticed it, he decided to make a BLT, but then saw the tiny sprouts. What to do?



http://www.mizozo.com/weird/10/2012/13/what-to-do-with-your-rotten-tomatoes.html

[Sniper-T]

I cannot say I have EVER seen a tomato sprout like that. plant it?

I planted about 150 beets on the weekend, and started a couple dozen things in the greenhouses. (peas, beans, okra, and some melons)

Basically some of everything I got on the seed swap, other than the insano peppers, because I have yet to find them since I've been home.

[mitunnelrat]

We still haven't gotten anything planted, but we got our garden grid fully laid out and all of the boxes/ stands we've built in place. That's where I've been hiding the past few days.

I'd try to describe it, but I'd end up writing a book and still not do it justice, so pics will come soon. Its funny, we've had more than one car come to a dead stop while gawking at it.

[LUNCHBOX]

I got my little garden in....12 buckets in all. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers was my choice.

[ladyhk13]

I have a bunch of seedlings going but not put into their pots yet. BWRR was supposed to dig up the garden for me but between the trip, trying to find a new car, appointments, and crazy life in general right now (not to mention all the rain) they are still in their little Dixie cups...really going to have to get them in pots and forget the garden this year.

[bacpacker]

I finally got in the bulk of our stuff tomatos, melons, okra, cucumbers, corn. My peppers are still too small to put out yet. I will get my squash and cantaloupes in next week.

[Taz Baby]

just planted garlic, plum trees, hazel nut trees, mulberry trees, and everything is growing on schedule so far.

[ladyhk13]

Just transplanted some Chinese peppers, garlic, and one artichoke, planted lettuce, pulled out all of my pots to see how much more soil I'm going to need (lots). I dumped some greek oregano into an area around a tree that BWRR just put some fencing around so the dogs can't get into. Had it in a pot but since I already have some in a pot and some out in the garden I really didn't need anymore so I figure I'll let it grow wild.
Can't do much else until I get more dirt but BWRR has been working on the stupid mower for 2+ days now and I have no idea when we will be going back into town.

[4suchatimeasthis]

We got most of the garden put in this week....better late than never! Lets see....sweet corn, okra, tomatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, butternut squash, watermelon, strawberries, peppers, onions....I am forgetting something. Crap. And sunflowers, but there is something else too, and it escapes me at the moment. Oh well.

Plus the apple, peach and pear trees are doing very well, and we are loaded in blackberry blossoms, everywhere. It's going to be a crying shame how much of this I don't have time to process this year. Sucks for me, but my local friends and church family will be making out like bandits, lol.

[David Armstrong]

Goota love the deep South. I figure I'll be picking tomatoes in about a week, the corn is putting out tassles, the peppers are making, and we've been picking strawberries off and on for a couple of weeks.

[helomech]

We have been getting some tomatoes for a couple weeks now, corn is getting big, blue berries are delicious. Peaches are almost ready, celery is getting picked tomorrow. Grapes are getting close, I can't wait for that. Squash are full of flowers and little squash. Just now getting the first watermelon flowers. Getting a few strawberries every now and then.

[mitunnelrat]

And we're still just building our boxes/ stands! Lol. Well, I shouldn't say that. We put a water feature in the center yesterday and got a more appropriate pump for it today. From the road:
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00744-20130518-1352_zps16684641.jpg?t=1368909217
We're nowhere near done, but that should give an indication of the width and depth. I can't remember if I said here or not, but the end boxes up front are 4'x4'x4', and the boxes next to them are 4'x8', as is the bunker at the rear. The stands are also 8'. long, and the strawberry hills are the cut off ends of 55 gallon drums. Some more pics.
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00740-20130517-1041_zps040fac03.jpg?t=1368909388
Each 4x8 box took 60 shovels of stone to fill 2" on the bottom
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00741-20130517-1043_zpsffa0661c.jpg?t=1368909292
The dirt in them is our own mix run through a sifter on the work bench at the front row's center. I lost track of how much, exactly, but its a lot
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG00742-20130517-1043_zps0b6f4b71.jpg?t=1368909267
I'd show my pic of the work bench with the sifting screen showing and the cart under it, but I can't get it to transfer atm.

One cool note is this is a very "green" project, which is keeping the cost down. I've personally only had to buy mulch so far. 90% of our materials are salvaged from a pool we tore down last year (you can see where in the first pic). All of the wood, all of the sand, the stone in the strawberry barrels. The stone in the 4x8's came from another landscape feature in the yard. The little pond was on hand...

The biggest expenses so far have been screws, the water pump, and the sifting screen. I'm loving how this is coming together, especially with the amount of sweat equity I have in it.

[mitunnelrat]

The work bench
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05082013-001_zps06381d5e.jpg?t=1368914320
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05082013-002_zps2be406fe.jpg?t=1368914150

That was my first time laying patio block, so I learned a little bit about not digging too deep next time... Lol. At least I got some good topsoil from it to start filling a box

[ladyhk13]

Finally got tomato, Chinese pepper, ghost pepper (thank you Evolver - 2 germinated and are doing well), pepperoncini in pots, transplanted a few garlic to see how they will do (in new pots), planted lettuce (2 kinds), lemon balm, cumin (or whatever that stuff is) catnip, dill and fennel seed all in pots. I know I'm forgetting stuff but that's the majority of it. It's all out on the back porch.
BWRR dug out the garden but left the greek oregano, strawberries that came back from last year and asparagus. I'm going to plant a couple kinds of potatoes creatively, I've started sweet potato slips which should take about 2 days to get leaves, then I'll get cukes and squash in. Finally on our way. Oh, and we have about 20 pumpkin plants growing in the yard where BWRR threw my Halloween pumpkin in a hole after it rotted and the seeds germinated so I guess he's going to have to mow around it and will probably get pretty darn big!

[Katrina]

DH is getting load of composted top soil delivered tomorrow and will fill the raised boxes Then my plants will go in, IF they don't freeze tonight. It's dropping like a stone tonight. Weather man is saying mid 30's tonight, possibly waking up to frost tomorrow. I thought winter was done and gone:(

[ak474u]

Still trying to figure out what to plant... We won't actually own the house till next week, then the real work begins. Want tomatoes, so if we can find some large ones locally, it may not be too late to get some, but I'm gonna have to go to the nursery and make a list next week. Already got the planter boxes planned out, they're gonna be redwood, and my mom is giving me her compost tumbler so we can get a good amount started for next year. Definitely gonna do herbs, wife wants to grow snap peas, but not sure if there is time this year.

[bacpacker]

Ak snap peas like cooler weather and I assume its pretty hot where you are. You should able to plant them late summer and get a nice fall crop. Most peas take about two months from see to harvest. YMMV. I will try and find a planting guide that shows timing and temps for various plants and post it up.

[vukic]

Potatoes! Direct in the soil.. All I've had time to do this year.. :-(

[Vodin]

Got some plants and used some seed. Planted Roma variety tomatoes to make tomato sauce and salsa and can. Planted in the dirt bags with lil straw, compost and bout 7" of dirt potato. Did chilies, onion, Basil, Dill and Cilantro plants in the garden beds, pots and pallet. Planted bean, cucumber, lettuce, pumpkin and melons. Took us about 3 hrs but all plants are well and seeds haven't sprouted yet.

Working the indoor plants and systems so hopefully we will have a lot to can this year.

[bacpacker]

Went thru the garden last night. Cabbage and cauliflor is heading up. Leeks are big enough I think it's time to start pulling dirt up around them to start blanching them. Onions are ready to start pulling for green onions. Corn, melons, cukes, & okra are all up, in right at 1 week. Tomatos are growing well and the two yellow pears I planted early have small maters on them. Finally got my peppers transplanted. They will go in the ground sometime in June.

We should start picking some cherries and blueberries within two weeks or less.

[Evolver]

The work bench
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05082013-001_zps06381d5e.jpg?t=1368914320
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05082013-002_zps2be406fe.jpg?t=1368914150

That was my first time laying patio block, so I learned a little bit about not digging too deep next time... Lol. At least I got some good topsoil from it to start filling a box

Nice build and layout man and I love your work/sifting bench! Good Job.

- - - Updated - - -


Finally got tomato, Chinese pepper, ghost pepper (thank you Evolver - 2 germinated and are doing well), pepperoncini in pots, transplanted a few garlic to see how they will do (in new pots), planted lettuce (2 kinds), lemon balm, cumin (or whatever that stuff is) catnip, dill and fennel seed all in pots. I know I'm forgetting stuff but that's the majority of it. It's all out on the back porch.
BWRR dug out the garden but left the greek oregano, strawberries that came back from last year and asparagus. I'm going to plant a couple kinds of potatoes creatively, I've started sweet potato slips which should take about 2 days to get leaves, then I'll get cukes and squash in. Finally on our way. Oh, and we have about 20 pumpkin plants growing in the yard where BWRR threw my Halloween pumpkin in a hole after it rotted and the seeds germinated so I guess he's going to have to mow around it and will probably get pretty darn big!
Your welcome Lady,

[Grumpy Old Man]

Finally got tomato, Chinese pepper, ghost pepper (thank you Evolver - 2 germinated and are doing well), pepperoncini in pots, transplanted a few garlic to see how they will do (in new pots), planted lettuce (2 kinds), lemon balm, cumin (or whatever that stuff is) catnip, dill and fennel seed all in pots. I know I'm forgetting stuff but that's the majority of it. It's all out on the back porch.
BWRR dug out the garden but left the greek oregano, strawberries that came back from last year and asparagus. I'm going to plant a couple kinds of potatoes creatively, I've started sweet potato slips which should take about 2 days to get leaves, then I'll get cukes and squash in. Finally on our way. Oh, and we have about 20 pumpkin plants growing in the yard where BWRR threw my Halloween pumpkin in a hole after it rotted and the seeds germinated so I guess he's going to have to mow around it and will probably get pretty darn big!

Best lay in a supply of ice cream for when the ghost peppers are ready, just sayin".

[ladyhk13]

I'm happy to just have them. When we got back from the Bahamas they were all but dead but I brought them back to life. Can't wait to see how they turn out. Bought a couple of hot banana pepper plants today, some sweet yellow, red and green peppers, black zucchini, mosquito plant and some stevia plants. My potatoes are ready to go in, we are going to put them in a pallet and some in apple crates using straw and just a bit of dirt on the bottom. The sweet potatoes are ready to go in, still haven't done anything with cukes or yellow squash. Kind of behind the 8 ball but guess I'll do the best I can.

[mitunnelrat]

Nice build and layout man and I love your work/sifting bench! Good Job.


Thank you. Most of this isn't me though, its my dad's brainchild. I introduced him to the concept of stand up gardening and he ran with it, so I'll pass the kudos on to him.

He builds, I labor, and in between that we drink beer and toss ideas back and forth. I've really been enjoying this project.

[Metrocruiser]

Hi everyone,

We started a Bunch of peas, cherry tomatoes and beets. The darn crows ripped up all the peas. My neighbor had an awful hobby of feeding them. He passed away and now the crows still come here everyday looking for food. Any suggestions.

[ak474u]

Hi everyone,

We started a Bunch of peas, cherry tomatoes and beets. The darn crows ripped up all the peas. My neighbor had an awful hobby of feeding them. He passed away and now the crows still come here everyday looking for food. Any suggestions.

My grandfather used those disposable foil pie plates hanging from trees and bushes, and of course, a scarecrow, but you'll need to move it frequently or they'll know its fake. He had a scarecrow he bought somewhere that had arms, that moved in the wind, and would turn on a pivot like a windmill, that seemed to work well.

[bacpacker]

Shotgun! My dad has a problem with them to. He uses pie tins, and those little flashy spinner things kids play with. Cd's work too. Most anything that will move with the slightest breeze.

[ladyhk13]

Shotgun was my first thought. We had them in the yard right outside of our bedroom window every morning and it would drive BWRR crazy. So he started sneaking around the house and nailing them...took a few days and now they never come near the house.

Got the sweet potatoes planted today. Tomorrow will be working on the regular potatoes and building the structure for them and also a trellis for some zucchini out of pallets.

[mitunnelrat]

We've got some potato sprouts breaking through now. Four at last count. We also made some more progress on the build itself. Our entire back row is in: Two 4x4 boxes, the 4x8 bunker, and two smaller bunkers.

Excepting soil and seed, one of our strawberry hills is also done, as is the centerpiece. I gained some newfound appreciation for T's pond working on those.
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05272013-003_zpsbfc5750a.jpg?t=1369861097
http://emob304.photobucket.com/albums/nn165/mitunnelrat/Mobile%20Uploads/Pic-05272013-001_zpscf38c6bc.jpg?t=1369861211

Dad laid out the bulk of the stone on the water feature. I stayed busy on the trench and the post hole for the underground electric line to It - between getting loads of stone for him. I think he likes having me around for the heavy work! Lol

[ladyhk13]

Just a couple of pics of some things I've gown from seed this year in pots. The planter with only 2 plants in it are both the ghost peppers that Evo sent me. The pics were taken less than a month apart and you can see how much they have grown. My friend almost killed them and I actually wasn't sure I was going to be able to bring them back but they are doing great and as of today they are even bigger than in the pic!!!! Yeah ME! I can't wait to try them!
The other pic has mostly tomatoes, artichokes, hot banana peppers, yellow peppers, salsa peppers, peppericini, just a mish mash of stuff (the big thing on top is my hazelnut tree that was supposed to be planted out on the property already but just didn't happen so the poor thing is still in the pot). Almost all the trees you see in the background are apple for as far as you can see in any direction.

http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/46/1026278.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/46/1026278.jpg/)

[ladyhk13]

The ghost peppers:

http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/20/1026266.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/1026266.jpg/)
http://imageshack.us/scaled/medium/811/1026279.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/1026279.jpg/)