Garden reports where you at and whats next?

[1750]

We need to start a "favorite recipes for rabbit" thread.

 

[Woodman37]

Just getting the ground tilled up, ran outta room real fast last year so I'm expanding the garden this year. Gonna make my first attempt at green beans and planning more spices. I live in east central ohio and my grandfather always told me never put your plants in the ground until you see the locust trees bloom. So far he has been right. My 4 yr old daughter has informed me that she is going to live on a farm when she grows up so she wants to help daddy put the garden in. However last week she was going to be an animal doctor before that a mail lady. So cute.

 

[firebroad]

Everything is in here, but many seeds haven't germinated yet. The bunnies pretty much murdered a couple blueberry bushes. Maybe the few buds that are left will be enough to keep the plant alive.

You have GOT to get this product called, "I Must Garden", it is a natural spray that doesn't stink, lasts a whole month whether it rains or not, and keeps the critters off. They make different formulas for rabbits, deer, etc. If the garden centers don't carry it, Amazon has it. It is a bit pricey, but considering the other "stinky" repellents that have to be sprayed every week or more if it rains, I found it to be economical in the long run.
http://www.amazon.com/Must-Garden-Rabbit-Repellent-Trigger/dp/B000OM6EE0

 

[begreen]

The only thing that works against the local deer are a good fence or a gun. Well, ok a crossbow too.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I'll be fencing them in with half inch hardware cloth. I had previously used deer netting, but it was a pain. I had planned to build a frame around them this year and I think the bunnies got to them while they could.

 

[begreen]

I suspect our seedling starts were eaten by birds or slugs. No deer or rabbits in our garden. Hopefully the row cover and some slug bait will end this.

 

[firebroad]

That reminds me, I just put in tomatoes, peppers and basil just before it rained here. Have to get out there and put paper collars on before cutworms show up.

 

[BrotherBart]

The walls of the grocery store keep most of those things out of my garden. The produce department.

 

[begreen]

Often one can't buy veggies and fruit of the quality and flavor that one can at grow at home. It's also nice to know that their will not be salmonella, eColi, pesticides and herbicides on what we eat. Besides, it's good exercise and one of the few that is enjoyable.

 

[BrotherBart]

People actually eat veggies?

 

[begreen]

Yep, even broccoli.

 

[DevilsBrew]

I've got strawberries from last year's runners I am going to work on compiling the "wild ones", container, and a couple I purchased into either a mound or row today.

 

[begreen]

This may be painful, but you should pinch off the first buds from the young plants so that it puts more energy into strong roots and leaves. Then let it flower. You'll get a better berry crop.

 

[DevilsBrew]

Will do. Thanks.

 

[begreen]

I just went out and pinched off the bud stalks off of about 20 new plants. They need more growth time to be able to support a crop of berries.

 

[1750]

This is always tough for me to do (just like not letting fruit form on grape vines the first year), but my head tells me in the long run its the right call.

 

[valley ranch]

Hi, Just started bringing in the greens, Mustard, lettuce, and spinach. Nice. Moved a few things into the greenhouse that we've been keeping in the house. Added a new 30' X 40' growing area.
I've waited all year for this.

Richard

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Asparagus is about done. Most of the patch was put in last year so I don't want to stress the plants too much. One rhubarb patch is ready to go. The other will be ready in a week or so. Radishes are also about ready. I'll at least thin them for a nice salad. Oddly, the spinach really hasn't made a run yet.

 

[jharkin]

After last summers complete lost of the harvest to deer, my wife wanted to put up a good fence this time around. Ideally she wanted a nice wooden fence like split rail or such with wire mesh backing... but that wasnt int the budget... not to mention I dont know how Id sink the posts with all the boulders in this area.

So instead, for < $100 and an hours labor I put up some inexpensive wire/plastic mesh. So many boulders just under the surface I couldnt even sink all the poles properly... Here's hoping it gets the job done and we actually can eat the vegetables this year ...

 

[Cynnergy]

I am still trying to mark out all of the bulbs in my neglected-for-at-least-a-decade garden and no time to fence or plant, but I thought this might be useful to some (courtesy of Modern Farmer - sorry for giant size, can't get it smaller without it becoming unreadable):

 

[1750]

We are still so late here. And it froze again last week. My peas are just coming up, as are the radishes. I haven't seen anything of all the spinach and kale I planted, which is odd. I'm not sure what's going to happen here. Usually we are eating the thinnings from these already. They should be coming up just when it usually gets hot and they start to bolt.

The rhubarb is going great blazes, and the grapevines are really starting to take off. My blueberries have a few leaves, but the bloom buds are very sparse thanks to the rabbits. I'm hoping they have enough leaves on them to survive the summer. #%&! rabbits.

 

[begreen]

I am still trying to mark out all of the bulbs in my neglected-for-at-least-a-decade garden and no time to fence or plant, but I thought this might be useful to some (courtesy of Modern Farmer - sorry for giant size, can't get it smaller without it becoming unreadable):

View attachment 133297

Click on the thumbnail image to enlarge.

 

[valley ranch]

jharkin, Electric fence will keep deer out. Some people hang a piece of aluminum foil over the hot wire with peanut butter on it to teach the deer.
We use them for bear, deer other problems.

Richard

 

[begreen]

Our gardens are now almost fully planted. Tomatoes are about 18" tall and happy, though we are fighting flea beetles. And we have our first strawberry almost ready to pick!

 

[1750]

Your garden looks great!

Your raised beds look like they are faced with pebbled patio tiles? What is your system for keeping them vertical and in place?

Also, I'm impressed with your restraint.
At our house if I'd pick that strawberry. If I didn't, it's for certain a chipmunk would think it was ripe exactly one day before I did.