Tricks you can do in the garden

[Onestep]

Old CD's - drill small hole, attach swivel and hang from wire near berry and tomato plants. When they swivel and flash it'll keep the birds away.
Plant in a trough, it'll hold water until the plant gets established. As it grows, add small amount of fertilizer to the dirt on each side and rake dirt up to the plant covering the fertilizer and part of the stem. Water in. Repeat again when taller.
This will feed and support the plant at the same time.
I've used old water bottles, cut in half, for plant starters. Make sure you put some holes in the bottom for drainage.

[bacpacker]

Taz I like that stand. I think I may have to build me one of those this winter. I'm bettin that would make a great stand for some herbs and greens.

OS, I do something very similar with my maters. I'll dig a hole deep about 12" deep and bury the plant up to the top 4 leaves and place a 14" PVC pipe in the hole with the plant. When they need watering, I take a 2L coke bottle full and turn it up in the pipe. It puts the water directly to the roots and there is little to no evaporation. Makes it easy to mix up some liquid fertilizer and apply it to the roots as well.

[Evolver]

One draw back to the stand thing is there won't be much room for a good root system if you make it as per shown in the photo. Maybe use more of the plastic bottle? I like the concept though.

[Onestep]

BC, I've gone to doing it on almost all my plants, not just the maters. I've tried it without the trough/adding dirt and the results are much less. Another trick is when planting seeds, I make a long trough the desired depth, add the seeds and then instead of the existing dirt, I add topsoil/manure in place on it on top the seeds. It seems to help jump start them. I use the $1.00 bags they sell at HD & Lowes down here.

[Jimmy24]

When transplanting, bury all the plant, except the upper leaves. And lay them horizontal. They will make more roots and easier to water and fertilize. You will have a stronger root system.

When planting your taters this late winter, save some ashes from the fireplace. A soon as you cut your eyes, store them in a paper bag with the ashes. It will help the fresh cut eye heal over and adds potash to promote rooting.

I use old newspapers as mulch. After seeds sprout or transplanting new plants, I lay a light layer of newspaper down, surrounding the plants. The newspaper rots by the next year and becomes part of the soil.

Just a few things I do, that some may already do, too.

Jimmy

[Evolver]

I've used surfer on our seed potatoes before but I like this idea, I've read about it but never have known anyone that has done it.

[bacpacker]

Jimmy, Good info on the wood ash. i've never heard of that before and will be trying that here in a couple months. Already have my seed taters.

For mulch I've been using grass clippings layed out in a thin layer. In a couple weeks put out another layer.

[Jimmy24]

Jimmy, Good info on the wood ash. i've never heard of that before and will be trying that here in a couple months. Already have my seed taters.

For mulch I've been using grass clippings layed out in a thin layer. In a couple weeks put out another layer.

That's what I perfer, but I get the old papers for free. I have a very large compost pile, so that puts good stuff in the soil with the paper. I use pine straw on my 'maters...

My grandfather taught me the ash trick....old school....

Jimmy

[bacpacker]

Old School seems to always beat new school. Here is one my grandpa used to do.

As he got older, he wasn't getting around as well and instead of planting his taters in a row, he would cut his eyes and scatter them around in a patch. he then would come behind it with old hay and layer it about 2-3" deep. They usually came up quick and by the end of the season he just pulled the hay back and picked them up off the ground.

One I tried a few years back and will be doing again this coming fall. Best I recall in late Oct/ early Nov I dug a trench maybe 6" deep and layered the bottom up about 3-4" with leaves and then put the cut eyes down the row like normal. Layed about another inch or two of leaves on them the hilled up a little dirt over that. They sat thru the winter then in March the plants came up and performed well. Tater bugs didn't hardly touch them and when we harvested the taters were totally clean. Leaves were still in there, slightly decayed. I only done it once, but will be doing another run this coming year.

[Illini Warrior]

Taz I like that stand. I think I may have to build me one of those this winter. I'm bettin that would make a great stand for some herbs and greens.

OS, I do something very similar with my maters. I'll dig a hole deep about 12" deep and bury the plant up to the top 4 leaves and place a 14" PVC pipe in the hole with the plant. When they need watering, I take a 2L coke bottle full and turn it up in the pipe. It puts the water directly to the roots and there is little to no evaporation. Makes it easy to mix up some liquid fertilizer and apply it to the roots as well.

instead of a PVC pipe along side the plant ..... bury a 4 inch perforated poly drain tube under your lane of tomato and pepper plants .... leave one end of the poly tube open for hose filling .... it promotes the plants to deep root ...... I fill around the pipe with manure and compost to hold the moisture and give extra plant feeding ..... had beautiful tomatoes even with the draught this last year