# 2017 Gardening thread!



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 13, 2017)

Its that time!

I just raked the dead plants off the first bed and cold weather seeds went in.  Peas, kale and radishes... Game on!  

Its early yet, but I'm itching to get a jump on it.

Whatcha puttin in da ground this year?


----------



## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Apr 13, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Its that time!
> 
> I just raked the dead plants off the first bed and cold weather seeds went in.  Peas, kale and radishes... Game on!
> 
> ...


Down here in SE PA, we're overdue to get the cool weather stuff in the ground, and should have started the indoor seeds almost a month ago. I have one tray ready to go, but as usual, I'm way behind. The next three days should be productive, save for Easter dinner, I'm usually late to that because I'm scrambling.


----------



## maverick06 (Apr 14, 2017)

SE Pa here. freezing is over, so I have everything in the ground. Tomatoes and basil were started indoors. Outside I have seeds in the ground for squash potatoes, pole beans, bush beans, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, and for fun, edamamae and peanuts. Pole beans have germinated and already about 2" tall.


----------



## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Apr 14, 2017)

maverick06 said:


> SE Pa here. freezing is over, so I have everything in the ground. Tomatoes and basil were started indoors. Outside I have seeds in the ground for squash potatoes, pole beans, bush beans, lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, and for fun, edamamae and peanuts. Pole beans have germinated and already about 2" tall.


Sounds like you're doing good, but what are squash potatoes?


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 14, 2017)

We might have frost tonight.   I'm hoping not though.  I don't want another year without peaches.


----------



## maverick06 (Apr 14, 2017)

Two plants I didn't separate by a comma haha!

I have summer squash and butternut squash. I have also planted tons of Yukon gold potatoes. Partially because they work well and partially because I had an old vegetable bed I wasn't using, so hope that the potatoes keep the weeds out and yield some food.

Although I am not growing it this year, I have had amazing success with pattypan squash (they look like a UFO). They work great in south east PA. They squash are good eating and local animals seem to leave them alone. But the squash do get hard pretty quick if you aren't careful.


Now this year I will do a better job doing something about chipmunks and squirrels..... have to figure out how to do that...


----------



## Cynnergy (Apr 14, 2017)

I'm in Coastal BC - we've had a super-cold winter and spring so things are behind but so am I so that works!  I have cool weather crops seeded: peas, lettuce, spinach, pak choi; and carrots and parsnips too (I learned last year that my garden next to the ocean is cool and things grow slowly so I'm putting a lot of things in early).  I found some leek starts at our local Seedy Saturday so managed to get those in too (yay not behind on those!).

The birds have eaten my pea seeds twice already but the bird netting seems to have stopped them this time.

Despite the severe winter here this year, my garden next to the sea only got down to min -4C (25f) so some of the overwintered crops are doing well - got a meal of fall broccoli (transplanted Aug 2016) off the 3 fall broccoli plants last week, and the purple-sprouting broccoli is nearly ready.  Garlic & Walla walla onions overwintered fine.  I also have some nettles ready to harvest.  The first asparagus was poking up last week.  My celery overwintered so I am leaving it in to see what it does.

Other crops not overwintered on purpose (I.e. I started them too late) include Brussels sprouts, tiny carrots, parsnips and leeks.  They are mostly still too small to harvest but I am leaving them in to see what they'll do/when they'll bolt.

I love gardening!  Had tons of fun last year with my first real year and learned a lot.  Hopefully will get a bit more production this year with my new-found knowledge.  I am behind on seeding tomatoes etc.  Might just buy starts this year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Montanalocal (Apr 14, 2017)

I am gardening in central Montana at abut 5000 ft. elevation.  We had a little snow last night.

This picture is of my just recently planted onion transplants from Dixondale farms.  I have always experienced transplants as keeping longer that sets.  I like to plant everything in beds instead of rows.  It saves a bunch of space.

Also here is some volunteer spinach that came up last fall and over wintered under the snow, as it always does.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 14, 2017)

I forgot to put in spinach!    You guys saved me "that look" from the wife!   Thankya!  Lol


----------



## Dobish (Apr 14, 2017)

our spinach and kale are making a comeback from last year. I have my potatoes in the ground as well as some onions.  I need to dig up the strawberries from the other house, but they were looking great!

I still need to till the gardens and remove a bunch of pine needles, blend in some more compost and get another load of mulch.  I have a lot of my seedlings started, so when they are ready we will have
- 4 types of tomatoes
- 3 types of peppers
- 3 types of basil
- cilantro
- mint
- oregano
- rosemary
- 3 types of squash
- eggplants
- cucumbers
- mixed greens
- sweet salad mix
- arugula
- strawberries
- beets
- radishes
- sunflowers 
- Calendula


----------



## Dobish (Apr 14, 2017)

maverick06 said:


> Two plants I didn't separate by a comma haha!
> 
> I have summer squash and butternut squash. I have also planted tons of Yukon gold potatoes. Partially because they work well and partially because I had an old vegetable bed I wasn't using, so hope that the potatoes keep the weeds out and yield some food.
> 
> ...



i did patty pan by accident last year,and it was fantastic! Doing it again this year!


----------



## vinny11950 (Apr 14, 2017)

Wow, I feel embarrassed now.  I am only taking care of the perenial flowers this year.  A few weeks ago I put down some compost around the early flowers and cut back the rose bushes.  Cleaned up the yard a bit.  This weekend, if I have time (gotta do some Jeep work), I will put down some mulch before the weeds get going.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 15, 2017)

I've been slowly putting more and more perennial veggies in.  I figure I'm ahead if they take care of themselves and I only have to pick them.  No planting, weeding, seed starting, etc.

I have:
Peach tree
Blueberries (high and lowbush, early and later ripening)
Asparagus
Rhubarb
3 types of raspberries (wild blackcaps, early variety, late variety to spread out ripening again)
Horseradish
Shallots?  Some sort of onion family that my wife trims and applies to food.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 15, 2017)

Oh, I also have mint and Rosemary, but I forgot to water the pot and my 7yo rosemary plant dried out and died this winter.





vinny11950 said:


> Wow, I feel embarrassed now.  I am only taking care of the perenial flowers this year.  A few weeks ago I put down some compost around the early flowers and cut back the rose bushes.  Cleaned up the yard a bit.  This weekend, if I have time (gotta do some Jeep work), I will put down some mulch before the weeds get going.



Last year I didn't have any time and only got tomatoes in.  And I didn't even start them.  I went to Lowes and picked up itty bitty plants.


----------



## Chimney Smoke (Apr 16, 2017)

Nothing planted outside yet here in Maine but lots of seedlings going in the house.  I have broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, many tomatoes, sweet peppers and jalapenos under grow lights.  Today I planted all of my melon and squash seeds.  In the next week to week and a half I'll get some cool weather seeds planted after I add some compost to the beds.  A fw have mentioned patty pan squash - I'm growing it this year for the first time and have a question.  Does it vine or is it a bush like zucchini?


----------



## vinny11950 (Apr 16, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Oh, I also have mint and Rosemary, but I forgot to water the pot and my 7yo rosemary plant dried out and died this winter.
> 
> Last year I didn't have any time and only got tomatoes in.  And I didn't even start them.  I went to Lowes and picked up itty bitty plants.



I have a mint plant outside in a pot that has survived 3 winters already.  And I do nothing to try to protect it from the winter cold.  Makes good Mojitos though.


----------



## vinny11950 (Apr 16, 2017)

I have very sandy soil, so I have to constantly add compost/organic matter around the plants I want to thrive.   I have been using this product called Bio Root to help the new plants develop better root systems.


----------



## BrotherBart (Apr 16, 2017)

Guy on local radio today reminded everybody that is jumping on their gardens because of the oddly hot days that the average last frost here is in May.


----------



## maverick06 (Apr 17, 2017)

the pattypan do not vine, but they still take up a lot of space, like any other squash. just pick them before they get too hard and you will be fine!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 17, 2017)

I usually get everything but tomatoes in in April. The official frost free day is memorial day here.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 17, 2017)

I usually get everything but tomatoes in in April. The official frost free day is memorial day here.


----------



## Easy Livin’ 3000 (Apr 17, 2017)

Every year, I try to enjoy my gardening more, and fret less.  Same with the woodpile. I guess I'm making slight improvement each year, but I'd like to get the ratio to 95 to 5  (pleasure to stress).  Just enough to remain motivated, fed, and warmed.

The biggest deterance this year was all the wood that turned up in the last 6 months.  Some wood came from five trees were shading the garden, so should be a good year in the garden, but still so much wood to process, and get stored. Wonderful problems to have- and two more neighbors just informed me that they have tree work scheduled in the near future. Just need more time and energy...


----------



## Dobish (Apr 17, 2017)

I just planted my cherry tree, my apricot tree, and my peach tree!  i picked up a couple of brackets to hang some planter boxes on the edge of the deck for some of the herbs and maybe some of the lettuces or onions.

I was thinking about string beans or pole beans, but not sure if that is going to happen this year....

here is a picture of my peach and apricot tree   can you spot them?


----------



## Ashful (Apr 17, 2017)

maverick06 said:


> Now this year I will do a better job doing something about chipmunks and squirrels..... have to figure out how to do that...


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 17, 2017)

Dobish said:


> View attachment 197017
> 
> 
> 
> ...





You bought them already cut and stacked?


----------



## begreen (Apr 19, 2017)

This year is starting out cold and damp. Last year at this time we were setting records with temps in the 90s! By this time last year my greenhouse cukes were growing strong with several 3" cukes on the vine. This year our baby cukes are still in the starter flat and haven't developed true leaves yet. Big difference. We have spinach, lettuce, carrots, broccoli and peas in the ground. All need protection from the birds at this stage. All are growing slowly due to cool feet.


----------



## maverick06 (Apr 21, 2017)

Well, *apparently* in the state of Pennsylvania, you are not allowed to dispatch any game or pests with a pellet gun. *apparently*. Good thing mine stays locked up all the time........

regardless, a trap can do the work when I am not paying attention to the garden. You cant be sitting at the window like lee Harvey Oswald all day...


----------



## Ashful (Apr 21, 2017)

maverick06 said:


> Well, *apparently* in the state of Pennsylvania, you are not allowed to dispatch any game or pests with a pellet gun. *apparently*. Good thing mine stays locked up all the time........
> 
> regardless, a trap can do the work when I am not paying attention to the garden. You cant be sitting at the window like lee Harvey Oswald all day...


I use a Have-a-heart trap, paired with great-grandpa's old .22 rolling block "Boy's Rifle", for dispatching any destructive groundhogs.  Catch 'em overnight in the trap, quietly snuff them out in the morning with the rifle.  I can't use any kill traps, since I have pets.


----------



## ZZ Tom (Apr 23, 2017)

I started my tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, summer squash, winter squash, cucumbers and eggplant the last week of February. This past week I've been getting them into the ground with wall o water plant protectors. Pole beans are up for seeding this week.

Seven varieties of tomato, six kinds of peppers, four summer squash, three winter squash and three kinds of cucumbers.

Seeded my cool weather crops about a month ago. I've got peas about 2 inches tall, onions, beets, spinach, lettuce, kale, radish, broccoli and cauliflower all poking through.

I think I may have lost my apricots and peaches to frost. It warmed up real nice in February and all the trees started blooming and then got frosty cold a couple nights at the end of March.

We've got peaches, apricots, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, goji berries and artichokes for perennials.

I'm thinking of putting in a plum and a pluot tree this year. We scored some pluots at the farmer market last summer/fall and they were off the hook delicious.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 24, 2017)

I awoke to peach blossums!  There will be peaches this year!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 25, 2017)

On my way home today something told me to stop in to the local garden center. I turned in and walked out back. I was shocked to see tomatoes being offered! I grabbed a 6 pack for $1.99.

On another table I noticed a guy stacking trays of planters. I asked what was going on.

A woodchuck had nibbled on a ton of their plants! They were throwing lots of trays out!


I offered to tell them how to catch the woodchuck if I could have the plants. They agreed!

I walked away with

8 trays of cauliflower 
4 trays of broccoli 
1.5 trays of kale
A 6 pack of celery
And my 6 pack of Roma tomatoes

I've been calling coworkers and friends asking if they like cauliflower.  They immediately become guarded and ask if it's a joke.  LOL.


----------



## Dobish (Apr 25, 2017)

i am now without sunflowers... i managed to kill those   My peonies are coming up nicely though!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Apr 25, 2017)

I remember peonies growing here when I was little.  They must not have made it as they weren't here when I moved in.


----------



## vinny11950 (Apr 28, 2017)

This year I am relocating a few rose plants that I planted I few years ago and are struggling.  I am thinking a change will do them good.  I moved another one early last year and it went crazy with growth and flowers.  Sometimes they just need the right spot.


----------



## Cynnergy (Apr 30, 2017)

Battling the wildlife and cold wet late spring so far...

Found a slug eating my new rhubarb plant last night - I thought nothing ate rhubarb except for people lol.

Have also had lots of problems with mice digging up the peas.  Took a while (3 plantings and a lot of netting!) to figure out the culprits - I thought it was jays until I found a little pile of pea skins in the corner of one bed.  Bought some 1/4" wire mesh to cover the 4th planting and got out the bucket traps - 25 mice caught in one weekend!  Yikes not sure if I'll get peas this year.

I have been continuing to harvest overwintered fall broccoli and the sprouting broccoli is ready too.  Had some stinging nettles with bacon and tomato alongside poached eggs for breakfast - yum.  The nettles taste a lot like spinach and are perennial which is awesome.  I do have to fence them in a bit better this year as they tend to flop out of the bed  and sting if you're not paying attention once they get a bit taller.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## begreen (Apr 30, 2017)

We are still having a slow, chilly start to spring. 2 yrs. ago we picked our first cucumber from the greenhouse. This year our cuke plants there are only about 4" tall. I have a row cover over one bed to protect the crops there from birds and to keep that bed a bit warmer. Spinach, lettuce are looking good and may be ready for first picking in a week or two. Carrots in that bed are just poking up out of the ground.


----------



## Cynnergy (Apr 30, 2017)

The anti-mouse defenses seem to be working.  I think (?) the peas will be able to grow through it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dobish (May 1, 2017)

we just got a foot + of snow, so i got to have the fire going, and i'm glad i didn't put anything else in the ground.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 1, 2017)

Ouch!   Hope it doesn't stick around for long!


----------



## Dobish (May 1, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Ouch!   Hope it doesn't stick around for long!


its back to 70 today, and its all melted... the new gazebo did not fare very well though... I am a little worried about the fruit trees, but we shall see.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 1, 2017)

I didn't have any blossoms last year.  I didn't trim as hard this year.  I'll fertilize the smack out of it and see what the tree can push.  There should be a lot of energy in that tree. I was cutting 6 foot long year old suckers this spring .



I picked up another yard of manure this evening because I was afraid of the weight of it after the rain storm were supposed to get.  I think they gave me way more than a yard.  After I pushed it level to go under the tonneau it filled 95% of the bed.  The truck is squatting like I've never seen it!  

I won't be moving it again until the weight is lowered.


----------



## semipro (May 1, 2017)

I've been trying to go no-till and it seems to be working well.  Just before winter we add a lot of grass clippings and shredded leaves to the beds.  In early spring I turn them into the soil with a fork and then plant when it warms.  Having done this about 4 years now I was impressed how easy it was to turn the beds and plant and at how many earthworms there are.

I just picked up a bunch of horse manure mixed with wood chips and plan to compost for later use.  I'm a bit hesitant as I've read that some herbicides (e.g. Grazon) are persistent enough to stunt vegetable crops where the manure is applied.

Edit: I planted a full month ahead of traditional last frost dates last year without a problem.  I planted even earlier this year and it seems I could have pushed it even further.


----------



## semipro (May 1, 2017)

Cynnergy said:


> Found a slug eating my new rhubarb plant last night - I thought nothing ate rhubarb except for people lol


I had a bad experience with rhubarb.  I planted some about 4 years ago and I'm still trying to rid my garden of it.  Along with mint I'll only plant the stuff in areas where it can be contained underground.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 2, 2017)

Mint can take over a place!

I like no till, but I'm not convinced I'm not attracted to it out of sheer laziness.  Its less work for me ifi only have to touch what I use.


----------



## Dobish (May 2, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Mint can take over a place!
> 
> I like no till, but I'm not convinced I'm not attracted to it out of sheer laziness.  Its less work for me ifi only have to touch what I use.


i am the only person i know that cannot keep mint alive!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 2, 2017)

Try planting it by something that it can't grow towards.  Maybe something delicate or fragile.  It's guaranteed to take over then.


----------



## Ashful (May 2, 2017)

Dobish said:


> i am the only person i know that cannot keep mint alive!


You need mint, because basil juleps taste awful.


----------



## Dobish (May 2, 2017)

Ashful said:


> You need mint, because basil juleps taste awful.


I know!  I love mint... especially with mojitos... and on chicken... it just doesn't survive...


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 2, 2017)

Ashful said:


> You need mint, because basil juleps taste awful.





Hey, how'd you end up with your large garden?   Did you decide on your till method?


----------



## Ashful (May 2, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Hey, how'd you end up with your large garden?   Did you decide on your till method?



Thanks for asking.  My wife pleaded with me to not start another project, among our slew of perpetual renovations to this very old house, and too-many other activities.  I couldn't really argue with that, so I dropped it... for now.  When the kids are a bit older, and all of our free time is not spent on helping them thru the more remedial parts of life, I can revisit the idea.  For now, we're surrounded by farms, and I'll settle for shopping the farm stands.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 2, 2017)

Maybe she has more sense than the rest of us!


----------



## Dobish (May 2, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Maybe she has more sense than the rest of us!



when you tend to go as big as Ashful, she's probably right... I keep just slipping projects in and hope they go unnoticed....


----------



## semipro (May 2, 2017)

Ashful said:


> My wife pleaded with me to not start another project,


I hear that a lot.
Also an option is a farm share program (aka CSA).  We joined one last winter and were pleased with what we got.  We also got to try some things we haven't tried before.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 3, 2017)

I made a new frame for a raised bed that was rotting out and filled it with manure.  I'll let it rain Friday, then sink tomatoes in it.  I've read that tomatoes don't like a bed of manure, but thankfully, nobody told the tomatoes that.  They produce like mad in it.

I need too replace another bed that rotted out.  I'd love to find a replacement for the lowly 2x frame, but fear of chemicals, or price keeps me using them.


----------



## Cynnergy (May 4, 2017)

The anti-mouse defenses look promising...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## begreen (May 4, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> I need too replace another bed that rotted out. I'd love to find a replacement for the lowly 2x frame, but fear of chemicals, or price keeps me using them.


I finally gave up on rotting wood frames for raised beds. We put in these cement beds for less than it would have cost for cedar boards. No rot for us anymore.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 4, 2017)

Oh, I like that!  Were they poured in place?    Is that EPDM on the ground?  I've been heaping mulch, but need a better solution.


----------



## Montanalocal (May 4, 2017)

We have been using Douglas Fir (not hem-fir) in our community gardens.  Very rot resistant at a much lower cost than cedar.


----------



## begreen (May 4, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> Oh, I like that!  Were they poured in place?    Is that EPDM on the ground?  I've been heaping mulch, but need a better solution.


The ground cover is heavy commercial landscape fabric. It's is the kind that nurseries use. The concrete beds are modular L-shaped 16" blocks put together to form the sides and there are 2 sided L shaped blocks for the corners. The design is originally German but these were made by a local contractor.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 7, 2017)

So you had the concrete panels made on site?


----------



## begreen (May 7, 2017)

Not quite, they were made at the local contractor's property and then brought to our site where I assembled them into beds, then lined with landscape fabric and filled with soil.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 8, 2017)

I was thinking about how to accomplish this all night.   How are the slabs joined together?


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 10, 2017)

Tomatoes, some more kale, and zucchini went in the ground!


----------



## Dobish (May 12, 2017)

i'm glad I didn't have anything in the ground... we had a massive hail event here the other day and it shredded trees, cars, etc.  Ole' Rusty has some more speed dimples now... 

This weekend everything is going in!


----------



## begreen (May 12, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> I was thinking about how to accomplish this all night.   How are the slabs joined together?


They are not, just set side by side. The landscape fabric acts as soil barrier between blocks. Here are a couple shots of them going into the greenhouse before soil was added. In this location the corner block is radiused and I opted for some decorative faces on a few of them.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 15, 2017)

What holds the weight of the soil from tipping the blocks over?

I finally found my San Marzano tomato plantlets.  They have proven hard to find this year.   They'll be going in as soon as I'm sure they are hardened off.   Were supposed to hit almost 90 this week!


----------



## Dobish (May 15, 2017)

Finally got most things in the ground over the weekend... I ended up doing window boxes for the herbs, which allowed me to have a bit more growing room for the veggies. I convinced the wife that I need to build a few more raised beds for the beets and radishes, and probably one more for the lettuces...


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 15, 2017)

I love raised beds.  I had to play a bit to figure out the right size for them though.   For me, I like them 2 feet wide.   3 feet wide is doable, but can be a pain reaching in for stuff like bush beans.   It doesn't make as much of a difference for larger plants like eggplant or tomatoes.


----------



## Dobish (May 16, 2017)

well its supposed to snow again on thursday, so i guess I get to go out and cover the garden and the new veggies!


----------



## begreen (May 16, 2017)

EatenByLimestone said:


> What holds the weight of the soil from tipping the blocks over?
> 
> I finally found my San Marzano tomato plantlets.  They have proven hard to find this year.   They'll be going in as soon as I'm sure they are hardened off.   Were supposed to hit almost 90 this week!


The blocks are L shaped. The weight of the soil on the block's foot keeps them firmly in place. The only downside so far has been frost heaving of the ground beneath the outdoor beds. It looks like I am going to have to reset one corner this spring. Frost moved it 2"! Fortunately this is only one corner of one bed. First time in 7 yrs. that this has happened.

I'm trying Jersey Devil tomatoes this year in addition to San Marzanos. We'll see which works better this season.


----------



## Ashful (May 16, 2017)

Giant concrete book ends!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 16, 2017)

Dobish said:


> well its supposed to snow again on thursday, so i guess I get to go out and cover the garden and the new veggies!
> 
> View attachment 197511



We're supposed to have 90s on Thursday!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 16, 2017)

begreen said:


> The blocks are L shaped. The weight of the soil on the block's foot keeps them firmly in place. The only downside so far has been frost heaving of the ground beneath the outdoor beds. It looks like I am going to have to reset one corner this spring. Frost moved it 2"! Fortunately this is only one corner of one bed. First time in 7 yrs. that this has happened.
> 
> I'm trying Jersey Devil tomatoes this year in addition to San Marzanos. We'll see which works better this season.




That makes sense.   

I've never tried jersey devils.  We love San Marzanos.


----------



## semipro (May 16, 2017)

Mostly planted, occasional watering, lots of watching.  
I walk the garden every night when I get home to see how things are progressing.
I'm find unusual pleasure watching a seed placed in soil and fed sunlight and water growing into plant.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 17, 2017)

It's amazing watching the process unfold, isn't it?   Walks through the woods with a child is fun too.  Especially if you can get them to flip over rocks and logs.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 17, 2017)

I just looked at the tree as the bloom is done. Lots of little peaches! Woohoo!

I fertilized yesterday. Well, I did a little. When you look at the fertilization programs that are recommended they say to pour it on! Like 10 lbs of fertilizer a year! I maybe put a pound or 2 out. I should bring my ground probe back from camp and make cores to fill with fertilizer.

The wife wants to can them vs freezing. I'm not sure if she realizes the difference in work load. We'll see. Come fall, there might be a lot going on!


----------



## Dobish (May 18, 2017)

this was last night's project.  Of course this morning I woke up to 3" of snow, and it is still coming down. I had to go out and rework with some extra pieces of plywood to keep the weight off, and I may have lost a pepper plant.

I wasn't able to cover my cherry tree, apricot stick, or peach tree, so we will see what happens with those... I also have a truck full of compost that is getting very heavy right now too!


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 18, 2017)

Ouch.   That's rough weather!    

I picked up a roll of landscape fabric so I can copy begreen.  It just looks so clean and low maintenance.


----------



## Dobish (May 24, 2017)

so we got snow!



It looks like everything made it but maybe the eggplant and one of the basil plants.  One of the planter boxes collapsed off the side of the deck yesterday, but I was able to salvage the rosemary and the oregano I think.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (May 24, 2017)

Holy crap!


----------



## Dobish (May 24, 2017)

that was before it snowed all day!


----------



## begreen (May 24, 2017)

Looks like a greenhouse with some strong snow shedding ability is needed for such fickle weather.


----------



## Dobish (May 30, 2017)

I have some good news.... the cinnamon basil I thought I lost has a few leaves coming off of it!  Also, my Apricot tree that i was pretty sure was dead has a few more leaves sticking up!  

I need to get a few more pictures of the flowers now that they are starting to come out... hopefully tonight i can build the rest of the raised beds so i can get the beets, carrots, and the rest of the lettuces in there....


----------



## begreen (Jun 2, 2017)

Got green beans in today, the gardens are finally fully planted. It's been a late start this year. Cukes are just forming and corn is only a few inches tall. The tomatoes look happy and have their first flowers.


----------



## Montanalocal (Jun 13, 2017)

A double whammy.

Sat a frost, then last night a hail storm.  Looks like a trip to the nursery.


----------



## begreen (Jun 13, 2017)

Aw, that's so sad.


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Jun 13, 2017)

We had a hail storm a couple weeks ago.  The plants were beaten up, but survived.

Almost got done in by a woodchuck with a taste for broccoli too.   

It's been a tough year for gardens.


----------



## semipro (Jun 14, 2017)

I picked up a load of horse manure mixed with wood shavings to use in the garden but held short after reading about herbicide residuals impacting garden production.
http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/killer-compost-it-happened-to-us/ 
Now I'm wondering what to do with all this manure.  I thought of extended composting or doing some test plantings.  

I had a similar experience using wood chips as mulch in my garden one year.  After ,mulch application, many of my plants were stunted or died.  I later traced the problem to lots of Black Walnut content in the mulch.  The Juglans (see reference below) content in Blackwalnut acts as a herbicide and apparently also impacts woodworkers exposed to sawdust. 
_http://hort.uwex.edu/articles/black-walnut-toxicity/ _


----------



## Montanalocal (Jun 14, 2017)

You can do a bioassay.  Take some very sensitive crops, such as tomatoes or beans, and plant them into pots of your manure.  If they do not show signs of damage, such as curling leaves, then you probably will be OK.


----------



## begreen (Jun 14, 2017)

The horse manure should be composted or aged at least a year so that it doesn't burn plants. The main herbicide that has shown up in horse manure is clopyralid. This is used to kill the canadian thistle in "weed free" timothy and hay" crops. If you want to test the manure, use beans or peas. They grow quickly and are very sensitive to this herbicide. Clopyralid soil will not grow beans well for 3-5 yrs. where this toxin is present.

We found this out the hard way in the late 90's and had to put up with poisoned beds for years in that area. Now it is banned in western WA, but unfortunately not in eastern WA where most of our hay comes from. Now, in spite of a glut of free horse manure available, we no longer use it. Bummer. If you know the horse(s) have only been fed local pasture grown hay then it might be ok. 
http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/...Beware-of-herbicide-laced-compost-1076881.php

Unfortunately, chem companies took the ban as a challenge and came up with new formulations with a slightly different name that wasn't banned (aminopyralid). They sold it to farmers in the Skagit Valley as a great new herbicide. The farmers used it to clear fields for their corn crops. Silage was fed to cows, cow manure was spread then next year. Guess what happened? An absolutely lousy corn crop followed that nearly wrecked some farms. Other crops that used cow manure were also decimated.
http://www.goskagit.com/news/whatco...cle_3c1c04e6-ec95-57c1-8682-82a9b7b7e8cb.html


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Jun 14, 2017)

I've been reading about this too.  I'm thinking of using my lawn clippings as mulch for the garden.  There's nothing in it that I didn't apply.


----------



## semipro (Jun 14, 2017)

I've used grass clippings as mulch and like them.  I just don't like much collecting grass.  
We don't apply anything to our lawn but my big butt on a mower so we're not to worried about contamination.  

Around here farmers raise hay on their own land and the property of others for free or at some lease rate.  Its a little scary though to think that the farmers could be applying persistent herbicides to someone's land without the owner's awareness. Its interesting too that stable owners spread the manure on their own hay fields, perhaps overloading the crop and soil with the herbicides if they're also sprayed.


----------



## begreen (Jun 14, 2017)

Yes, we use our lawn clippings for mulch and compost. We have a bagger on the mower that makes collecting clippings easy. It's good for leaf pickup in the fall too.


----------



## semipro (Jun 14, 2017)

Flea beetles made a mess of our eggplant.  I applied some diatomaceous earth and that seems to control them but you have to reapply after rain or watering.


----------



## begreen (Jun 14, 2017)

We had a lot of them the last two seasons, but so far not too bad this year. I squish as many as I can catch. Spraying them with a safer soap solution is effective at holding them down too.


----------



## vikaspaul (Jun 19, 2017)

Dobish said:


> View attachment 197555
> 
> this was last night's project.  Of course this morning I woke up to 3" of snow, and it is still coming down. I had to go out and rework with some extra pieces of plywood to keep the weight off, and I may have lost a pepper plant.
> 
> I wasn't able to cover my cherry tree, apricot stick, or peach tree, so we will see what happens with those... I also have a truck full of compost that is getting very heavy right now too!


The beauty of nature is that you can rework on it as many times as you can. Mother earth never say no. Best of luck for your endeavor.


----------



## vikaspaul (Jun 19, 2017)

It's quiet frustrating


----------



## Dobish (Jun 20, 2017)

well, things are coming along nicely! my lettuces are starting to come up, and I don't know what is happening with my chard. I might have to replant. I haven't gotten around to getting new beds built, that might be next year's project. I did get a new hose spigot run, so I can actually water effectively now!

I did find this guy when I was walking around the other day.... 


I think its some type of oak, but can't really tell...


----------



## begreen (Jun 20, 2017)

We've just harvested our first cucumber in the greenhouse and small tomatoes are starting to show. Spinach is about done and corn is about 12-18" high.  Lost two beds of strawberries due to raiding raccoons. First time that has happened in 23 yrs.. Needless to say my wife is not happy.


----------

