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donttread
06-02-2017, 07:09 AM
Well the risk of frost is pretty well over so I have begun planting and transplanting seedlings to the main garden. Hopefullyit will be a good year for the garden.

Peter1469
06-02-2017, 04:40 PM
Sounds good. Hopefully in the future I am living somewhere where I can have a large garden.

donttread
06-03-2017, 09:02 AM
Sounds good. Hopefully in the future I am living somewhere where I can have a large garden.


You can do quite a bit with a raised bed garden and "home made" organic soil, similar to "Square foot gardening soil".
I'm pretty sure in the good years I can produce a pound of usable produce per square foot. Partly because I grow tomatoes, squash,egg plants and other bulky vegitables more than I grow greens and herbs.

Peter1469
06-03-2017, 09:05 AM
You can do quite a bit with a raised bed garden and "home made" organic soil, similar to "Square foot gardening soil".
I'm pretty sure in the good years I can produce a pound of usable produce per square foot. Partly because I grow tomatoes, squash,egg plants and other bulky vegitables more than I grow greens and herbs.
Do you do any canning?

donttread
06-03-2017, 12:06 PM
Do you do any canning?


Not much, we've used some alternative freezing methods with tomato sause and the wife makes tons of salsa and we give some stuff away. The produce comes in over a few months , so we don't really need to can. But in a good year it gets close, which is why I've switched to cherry toms of late. Cherry toms and secondary brocchli heads have a way of disppearing when I'm weeding for some reason. The cabbage keep quite a while so lots of boiled dinners in th fall. We probably should can but we work our way around it.

resister
06-03-2017, 12:09 PM
Need to get off my ass and plant one, I have a huge area of yard that gets sun all day, problem is, I would need to import soil. Dig about 6 inches down and hit pure sugar sand, even weeds have a hard time.

donttread
06-03-2017, 12:22 PM
Need to get off my ass and plant one, I have a huge area of yard that gets sun all day, problem is, I would need to import soil. Dig about 6 inches down and hit pure sugar sand, even weeds have a hard time.

Yup, for a brief time when I lived in Florida we didn't even need an extermintor becuase the house we rented was surrounded by that sugar sand. Apparently roaches don't even like to fuck with it. Our neighbor got his truck stuck in the damned stuff too.
You could build a small raised bed garden and "make your own soil" from potting soil, loam, vermiculite compost and manure. You can buy the book "Square Foot Gardening" which even claims you can have a great garden in less than a foot of soil , although I use a little more, I work with my own version of his soil . The peat and vermiculite can be expensive though. But maybe start with 50 square feet. Your growing season is what... 363 days a year? LOL

resister
06-03-2017, 12:28 PM
Yup, for a brief time when I lived in Florida we didn't even need an extermintor becuase the house we rented was surrounded by that sugar sand. Apparently roaches don't even like to fuck with it. Our neighbor got his truck stuck in the damned stuff too.
You could build a small raised bed garden and "make your own soil" from potting soil, loam, vermiculite compost and manure. You can buy the book "Square Foot Gardening" which even claims you can have a great garden in less than a foot of soil , although I use a little more, I work with my own version of his soil . The peat and vermiculite can be expensive though. But maybe start with 50 square feet. Your growing season is what... 363 days a year? LOLWe did not have a freeze once, last year!

donttread
06-03-2017, 12:29 PM
We did not have a freeze once, last year!

How did you survive? LOL Was the freeze over by sun up?

Common
06-03-2017, 12:40 PM
Florida has soil issues in certain areas, too much sand and many things dont grow well.
A good friend has literally dozens of pot plants of various vegetables. WHy pots ? you control the soil and nutrients for each type of veggie.

I am one happy recipient of these veggies and trust me they are better than anything in the store.
He grows various peppers and his wife jars them so we have them all year round.

He tells me its easier than a garden and the pots are reused year to year. In fla you are growing something all year round.

resister
06-03-2017, 12:51 PM
Florida has soil issues in certain areas, too much sand and many things dont grow well.
A good friend has literally dozens of pot plants of various vegetables. WHy pots ? you control the soil and nutrients for each type of veggie.

I am one happy recipient of these veggies and trust me they are better than anything in the store.
He grows various peppers and his wife jars them so we have them all year round.

He tells me its easier than a garden and the pots are reused year to year. In fla you are growing something all year round.
Thankfully, our drought is breaking, the longer it last, the worse the sand gets, we even had sand storm, that stung my skin as I rode down the road at 10 MPH. You can plant in the ground but you got to add soil to the hole.

donttread
06-03-2017, 01:47 PM
Florida has soil issues in certain areas, too much sand and many things dont grow well.
A good friend has literally dozens of pot plants of various vegetables. WHy pots ? you control the soil and nutrients for each type of veggie.

I am one happy recipient of these veggies and trust me they are better than anything in the store.
He grows various peppers and his wife jars them so we have them all year round.

He tells me its easier than a garden and the pots are reused year to year. In fla you are growing something all year round.

I also grow plants in buckets sometimes transplanting them into the main garden as they grow, in fact that's part of what I did today.
However, I would suggest that you don't post that your neighbor has "dozens of pot plants" . LOL

Dr. Who
06-03-2017, 05:47 PM
Thankfully, our drought is breaking, the longer it last, the worse the sand gets, we even had sand storm, that stung my skin as I rode down the road at 10 MPH. You can plant in the ground but you got to add soil to the hole.
IIRC you have said you spend a lot of time around swamps. Bring buckets of that soil home and mix it with the sugar sand. Swamp soil is very fertile. Also keep a composter so that you can make your own soil from discarded vegetable matter. It would help offset the amount of soil that you would have to buy to start a garden. Root vegetables like a sandy soil so without a huge amount of soil amendment you could grow potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips as well as other plants like lettuce, strawberries, peppers, corn, squash, zucchini, collard greens and tomatoes which are grown commercially in sandy soils.

donttread
06-06-2017, 07:10 AM
IIRC you have said you spend a lot of time around swamps. Bring buckets of that soil home and mix it with the sugar sand. Swamp soil is very fertile. Also keep a composter so that you can make your own soil from discarded vegetable matter. It would help offset the amount of soil that you would have to buy to start a garden. Root vegetables like a sandy soil so without a huge amount of soil amendment you could grow potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips as well as other plants like lettuce, strawberries, peppers, corn, squash, zucchini, collard greens and tomatoes which are grown commercially in sandy soils.

Compost is important in the square foot gardening plan as well.

Ethereal
06-10-2017, 02:20 PM
Need to get off my ass and plant one, I have a huge area of yard that gets sun all day, problem is, I would need to import soil. Dig about 6 inches down and hit pure sugar sand, even weeds have a hard time.
Couldn't you just transplant top soil from close by?

donttread
06-14-2017, 07:41 AM
Couldn't you just transplant top soil from close by?

If you know where to find real peat that would be wonderful in the garden and it's a bit expensive to buy, but you can but it at most home and garden centers

resister
06-14-2017, 08:25 AM
IIRC you have said you spend a lot of time around swamps. Bring buckets of that soil home and mix it with the sugar sand. Swamp soil is very fertile. Also keep a composter so that you can make your own soil from discarded vegetable matter. It would help offset the amount of soil that you would have to buy to start a garden. Root vegetables like a sandy soil so without a huge amount of soil amendment you could grow potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips as well as other plants like lettuce, strawberries, peppers, corn, squash, zucchini, collard greens and tomatoes which are grown commercially in sandy soils.That is a good idea, might have to adjust the PH though, I think it is very acidic.

resister
06-14-2017, 08:26 AM
Couldn't you just transplant top soil from close by?
Like from another state? It is all pretty similar.

donttread
06-23-2017, 03:02 PM
We've had some hot days and then some rain and the garden is strting to take off.

Mister D
06-23-2017, 03:08 PM
We've had some hot days and then some rain and the garden is strting to take off.
Mine is too but this is my first year so it's more of an experiment this time around. Learned one lesson so far: I don't need more than 4 or 5 herbs. I planted 5 basil plants, 2 Italian parsley, 1 thyme and 2 oregano. Now I've got too much and I'm trying to figure out different ways of using them. I have 2 jalapeno plants and 2 serrano pepper plants. They are just starting to flower. Looking forward to that harvest. I'm going to make chili for sure. That's it so far but I have another 6 square feet so I may pick up some more seedlings from Ace Hardware tomorrow.

After the peppers are harvested I am going to plant a Fall crop of kale and turnip greens.

donttread
06-23-2017, 03:15 PM
Mine is too but this is my first year so it's more of an experiment this time around. Learned one lesson so far: I don't need more than 4 or 5 herbs. I planted 5 basil plants, 2 Italian parsley, 1 thyme and 2 oregano. Now I've got too much and I'm trying to figure out different ways of using them. I have 2 jalapeno plants and 2 serrano pepper plants. They are just starting to flower. Looking forward to that harvest. I'm going to make chili for sure. That's it so far but I have another 6 square feet so I may pick up some more seedlings from Ace Hardware tomorrow.

After the peppers are harvested I am going to plant a Fall crop of kale and turnip greens.

Yes herbs go a long way. Most of them keep growing leaves and you can use them all year.

donttread
06-23-2017, 03:19 PM
Mine is too but this is my first year so it's more of an experiment this time around. Learned one lesson so far: I don't need more than 4 or 5 herbs. I planted 5 basil plants, 2 Italian parsley, 1 thyme and 2 oregano. Now I've got too much and I'm trying to figure out different ways of using them. I have 2 jalapeno plants and 2 serrano pepper plants. They are just starting to flower. Looking forward to that harvest. I'm going to make chili for sure. That's it so far but I have another 6 square feet so I may pick up some more seedlings from Ace Hardware tomorrow.

After the peppers are harvested I am going to plant a Fall crop of kale and turnip greens.


No tomatoes "D". I love to grow cherry tomatoes and snack on them as I work in the garden

Mister D
06-23-2017, 03:21 PM
No tomatoes "D". I love to grow cherry tomatoes and snack on them as I work in the garden
They grow very well in NJ but I can only really use one plant. I may get that one plant this weekend. The problem is that I just don't like raw tomatoes. I like to add chopped tomato to chili and I could make a sauce from scratch but beyond that I'm stumped. I'd be giving them away.

Mister D
06-23-2017, 03:22 PM
Yes herbs go a long way. Most of them keep growing leaves and you can use them all year.
Yeah, I didn't realize that. They are growing faster than I can consume them. lol

Mister D
06-26-2017, 03:29 PM
SO I'm walking around the nursery trying to figure out what I want to fill up the garden and I settled on cherry tomatoes at your suggestion. Grabbed a bonny bell pepper plant too.

resister
06-26-2017, 05:07 PM
I'm getting ready to put in a 20 foot on each side square, gotta till the "soil" and add dolomite and some other stuff to this good old FL "soil" lol

My Father is going to get me set up, he knows all the math and everything, he even calculates the rate of flow from the hose and knows how long to let it run for the given square Footage. He has a Masters degree in animal science and was a horticulture teacher, among other things. Not sure what we are planting yet, to hot at night for good tomato growth right now. I'm sure beans will be a featured item.

Tahuyaman
05-16-2021, 08:03 PM
We got everything planted now. Peas, beans, carrots, onions, potatoes, corn, radishes, a few tomatoes and beets.
In between the rows, for weed control we put down cardboard and covered it with straw. I’ll just till it in when it decomposes in the late fall.

I tilled in some mushroom compost as soon as we got back from Arizona. I planted onions and potatoes then. They took off like mad. I might harvest them in a month and plant more.

I also mixed artichokes in with landscaping plants in the yard. They look good and they producing dozens of artichokes.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:05 AM
We got everything planted now. Peas, beans, carrots, onions, potatoes, corn, radishes, a few tomatoes and beets.
In between the rows, for weed control we put down cardboard and covered it with straw. I’ll just till it in when it decomposes in the late fall.

I tilled in some mushroom compost as soon as we got back from Arizona. I planted onions and potatoes then. They took off like mad. I might harvest them in a month and plant more.

I also mixed artichokes in with landscaping plants in the yard. They look good and they producing dozens of artichokes.

Oh. We planted cucumbers too to make dill pickles. But only about 20 plants.

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 01:09 AM
Oh. We planted cucumbers too to make dill pickles. But only about 20 plants.
20 plants should = a lot of cucumbers.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:20 AM
20 plants should = a lot of cucumbers.
We’ll see. Last year we didn’t do do well. I had our soil analyzed by the university of Washington and they said it’s fine as is for vegetable gardening.

We only got about 10 quart jars of pickles last year. I’m hoping for three times that this year.

things go in cycles. I think last year war just a bad year

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 01:24 AM
We’ll see. Last year we didn’t do do well. I had our soil analyzed by the university of Washington and they said it’s fine as is for vegetable gardening.

We only got about 10 quart jars of pickles last year. I’m hoping for three times that this year.

things go in cycles. I think last year war just a bad year
We had a fairly small garden growing up. We got more cucumbers than we could use- I don't remember the number of plants, but it was less than 20. We had lots of other things too.

It could be location too. SE Louisiana is good for growing certain things.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:31 AM
We had a fairly small garden growing up. We got more cucumbers than we could use- I don't remember the number of plants, but it was less than 20. We had lots of other things too.

It could be location too. SE Louisiana is good for growing certain things.
We generally can about 50 quart jars of green beans every year and around 20 quart jars of pickles. I can’t get enough.

We give a lot of stuff away to friends.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:34 AM
My wife just told me she planted parsnips in a vacant space. I love raw parsnips.

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 01:40 AM
We generally can about 50 quart jars of green beans every year and around 20 quart jars of pickles. I can’t get enough.

We give a lot of stuff away to friends.
When I retire, hopefully we will move somewhere we can have a house and land so I can get back into gardening. But it will depend on where the wife gets a job after she gets her PhD.

Red Lily
05-17-2021, 01:40 AM
We’ll see. Last year we didn’t do do well. I had our soil analyzed by the university of Washington and they said it’s fine as is for vegetable gardening.

We only got about 10 quart jars of pickles last year. I’m hoping for three times that this year.

things go in cycles. I think last year war just a bad year

Do you rotate your crops?

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:47 AM
When I retire, hopefully we will move somewhere we can have a house and land so I can get back into gardening. But it will depend on where the wife gets a job after she gets her PhD.
I live in a city now. Our garden is a quarter of an acre of land and half of that is fruit trees (apples and cherries) and berry rows. That’s enough. It’s a lot of work.

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 01:48 AM
I live in a city now. Our garden is a quarter of an acre of land. That’s enough. It’s a lot of work.

We live in a condo. We have no land.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:55 AM
Do you rotate your crops?
Yes. I won’t plant the same thing in the same place the next year

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 01:56 AM
We live in a condo. We have no land.
You can plant some vegetables in pots

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 02:08 AM
I need to have a yard and garden to take care of. For whatever reason, I need to dig in the dirt and grow things.

Even when we were wintering in Mexico, i had places I planted various vegetables.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 02:14 AM
When I retire, hopefully we will move somewhere we can have a house and land so I can get back into gardening. But it will depend on where the wife gets a job after she gets her PhD. I need to have a garden.

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 02:15 AM
You can plant some vegetables in pots

My balcony faces west but there is a big tree in front, so I get limited direct sun. I like the privacy, but it makes it hard to grow anything.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 02:25 AM
My balcony faces west but there is a big tree in front, so I get limited direct sun. I like the privacy, but it makes it hard to grow anything.
Then move.

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 02:28 AM
Then move.

With the real estate prices here? I will move after I fully retire.

Tahuyaman
05-17-2021, 02:55 AM
With the real estate prices here? I will move after I fully retire.
What are the prices in the more rural areas?

Peter1469
05-17-2021, 03:05 AM
What are the prices in the more rural areas?

Affordable, but then your commute goes to hell.

Dr. Who
05-17-2021, 05:29 AM
My balcony faces west but there is a big tree in front, so I get limited direct sun. I like the privacy, but it makes it hard to grow anything.
30+ Vegetables That Grow in Shade (growagoodlife.com) (https://growagoodlife.com/vegetables-that-grow-in-shade/#:~:text=%2030%2B%20Vegetables%20That%20Grow%20in% 20Shade%20,of%20Chinese%20cabbage.%20Growing%20bok %20choi...%20More%20)

Tahuyaman
06-17-2021, 11:38 PM
I had to shoo a deer out of my garden this morning. She was eating my raspberries. She jumped the fence into a vacant lot next to me and stood there waiting for me to leave. So I walked away and watched. She jumped over the fence and went back to eating my raspberries. She's persistent. I might have to shoot her in the ass with a pellet gun to keep her away.

Peter1469
06-18-2021, 06:23 AM
I had to shoo a deer out of my garden this morning. She was eating my raspberries. She jumped the fence into a vacant lot next to me and stood there waiting for me to leave. So I walked away and watched. She jumped over the fence and went back to eating my raspberries. She's persistent. I might have to shoot her in the ass with a pellet gun to keep her away.
Got a spare fridge in the garage? To store meat?

Collateral Damage
06-18-2021, 08:57 AM
Got a spare fridge in the garage? To store meat?
Pellets can be rather chewy, just sayin'..... ;)

Tahuyaman
06-18-2021, 06:26 PM
Got a spare fridge in the garage? To store meat?
I don’t want to kill her. Just keep her out of my garden.

Mister D
06-18-2021, 06:54 PM
I don’t want to kill her. Just keep her out of my garden.
No problems for me so far. We'll see what happens when the tomatoes ripen.

Abby08
06-19-2021, 10:38 PM
I had to shoo a deer out of my garden this morning. She was eating my raspberries. She jumped the fence into a vacant lot next to me and stood there waiting for me to leave. So I walked away and watched. She jumped over the fence and went back to eating my raspberries. She's persistent. I might have to shoot her in the ass with a pellet gun to keep her away.


I have a recipe for deer deterrent that I got from my father in law , he used it on his roses, it worked, if you'd like I can find it and see if it would be suitable for use on plants used for human consumption.......it doesn't have anything dangerous in it.

I found it.......1 teaspoon dishwashing detergent; 1 egg; 1 quart water......mix together and spray on flowers and shrubs.

Apparently deer don't like the smell.

It says nothing about berries though, you probably wouldn't want to spray food you are going to eat......maybe just spraying the leaves would be enough.

jigglepete
06-24-2021, 04:10 PM
I don’t want to kill her. Just keep her out of my garden.

Collect dog hair (especially hunting breeds) and sprinkle around the plants...there is also a fencing product called Deer-X you might want to look into...

jigglepete
06-24-2021, 04:13 PM
I have a recipe for deer deterrent that I got from my father in law , he used it on his roses, it worked, if you'd like I can find it and see if it would be suitable for use on plants used for human consumption.......it doesn't have anything dangerous in it.

I found it.......1 teaspoon dishwashing detergent; 1 egg; 1 quart water......mix together and spray on flowers and shrubs.

Apparently deer don't like the smell.

It says nothing about berries though, you probably wouldn't want to spray food you are going to eat......maybe just spraying the leaves would be enough.

I could totally see this working, just make sure the detergent is non-antibacterial

donttread
06-25-2021, 03:36 PM
So in general how is everyone's garden going so far? As usual mine will be among the latest to produce because we don't plant unttil around the first of June. I start some seeds in a little greenhouse but it's not the same.
Should have some zuccinni and tomaties soon though.

Mister D
06-25-2021, 04:01 PM
So in general how is everyone's garden going so far? As usual mine will be among the latest to produce because we don't plant unttil around the first of June. I start some seeds in a little greenhouse but it's not the same.
Should have some zuccinni and tomaties soon though.

Very happy with the broccoli harvest. Kale has done well too. I planted curly leaf kale this year. I preferred the dinosaur kale I planted last year but whatever. I eat a lot of greens so I'm getting my money's worth.

Peppers are just maturing. I have a couple jalapenos that are ready to pick but I want to let them ripen. My peppers usually start producing a weekly harvest in early July.

donttread
08-08-2021, 07:07 AM
I don’t want to kill her. Just keep her out of my garden.


I'm in town in the sticks so I have had a number of critters in the garden but not deer. They just don't come into town much although an even smaller village a few miles away they roam around the streets. All 6 or seven streets.
I'm glad because I'd have no way to shut deer out. If they want in they come in

donttread
08-08-2021, 07:09 AM
I have a recipe for deer deterrent that I got from my father in law , he used it on his roses, it worked, if you'd like I can find it and see if it would be suitable for use on plants used for human consumption.......it doesn't have anything dangerous in it.

I found it.......1 teaspoon dishwashing detergent; 1 egg; 1 quart water......mix together and spray on flowers and shrubs.

Apparently deer don't like the smell.

It says nothing about berries though, you probably wouldn't want to spray food you are going to eat......maybe just spraying the leaves would be enough.
I wonder if dog hair might work? They say it does for gophers.

Tahuyaman
08-08-2021, 09:34 AM
I'm in town in the sticks so I have had a number of critters in the garden but not deer. They just don't come into town much although an even smaller village a few miles away they roam around the streets. All 6 or seven streets.
I'm glad because I'd have no way to shut deer out. If they want in they come in

We have a lot of wooded areas in my city. We have more and more deer roaming the area. I went to a local feed store and bought some deer repellant. It works, but I can't tlerate the smell.

Abby08
08-08-2021, 11:00 AM
I wonder if dog hair might work? They say it does for gophers.


Possibly. If the area smells like dog, they might be too scared to come closer.

Spread it around your property perimeters.

I heard, spreading dog feces (after you've cleaned the dog areas) around your perimeters will keep out Mountain Lions.

Tahuyaman
02-20-2022, 01:25 PM
We’ve had a fairly dry winter, so it’s allowed me to get out and get our garden area tilled and ready for spring. I’ve expanded it some this year to increase the number of crops I plant. Plus I’m not going to plant corn this year. Beets, celery, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, potatoes, onions, peas and beans.

It’s been so nice that I was tempted to start planting some things now, but we’re are forecasted to have a week of cold weather and another period of frost.

Tahuyaman
02-26-2022, 07:00 PM
We’ve had a fairly dry winter, so it’s allowed me to get out and get our garden area tilled and ready for spring. I’ve expanded it some this year to increase the number of crops I plant. Plus I’m not going to plant corn this year. Beets, celery, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, potatoes, onions, peas and beans.

It’s been so nice that I was tempted to start planting some things now, but we’re are forecasted to have a week of cold weather and another period of frost.
I’m going to plant a variety of tomatoes too. I might even try parsnips.

montana
02-27-2022, 11:20 AM
Try putting sardines in water (not oil) in each hole. Natural fertilizer.

Tahuyaman
08-20-2022, 03:54 PM
Well the risk of frost is pretty well over so I have begun planting and transplanting seedlings to the main garden. Hopefullyit will be a good year for the garden.
I originally planted back in late April. It remained cooler than normal and then we had several days of frost in May. Just about everything I planted floundered. I replanted in late June and out weather cooperated. Some of my stuff did well and I just replanted a few crops for a late fall harvest. But, overall it was a bad year because of our late arriving spring and summer. M

My beans and beets never did take off. I might plant some more beets this week.

I think this winter I’m going to go to a friends house and get a pickup truck load of composted horse manure and till it into my garden in an attempt to reconstitute my soil. Maybe my garden soil is just depleted.

Mister D
08-20-2022, 04:11 PM
I had a terrible season this year. My Collards and Swiss Chard were fine and I got a good return on those, but the peppers and tomatoes were a dud. It has been very dry here since around July 4th.

Tahuyaman
08-20-2022, 04:49 PM
I had a terrible season this year. My Collards and Swiss Chard were fine and I got a good return on those, but the peppers and tomatoes were a dud. It has been very dry here since around July 4th.
My wife also planted collards and Swiss chard. They did great. Still going strong. Peppers don’t de well here. I wish they did

My tomatoes started off slow, but now they are taking off. My wife just bitched at me about the water bill. I shrugged her off. I can’t tolerate a burnt up yard.

Mister D
08-20-2022, 04:54 PM
My wife also planted collards and Swiss chard. They did great. Still going strong.

My tomatoes started off slow, but now they are taking off. My wife just $#@!ed at me about the water bill. I shrugged her off. I can’t tolerate a burnt up yard.
We had a voluntary water restriction in place for the last 6-7 weeks. I still watered the garden but it just wasn't enough. The ground was baked. The water table must be very low right now.

Tahuyaman
08-20-2022, 05:05 PM
We had a voluntary water restriction in place for the last 6-7 weeks. I still watered the garden but it just wasn't enough. The ground was baked. The water table must be very low right now.

We don’t have a water shortage. We have a billing problem because of the incompetence of local government several years ago when they built a sewage treatment facility which was all effed up and the taxpayers had to bail out the city on a massive class action lawsuit.

donttread
08-22-2022, 09:40 AM
I had a terrible season this year. My Collards and Swiss Chard were fine and I got a good return on those, but the peppers and tomatoes were a dud. It has been very dry here since around July 4th.
I have been gardening for about 12 years. This was ( because it's almost done) year I have ever had by far. 2019 was the best and it has fallen off since then, but nothing like this.
The garden is in shade much of the day and the tree creating that shade gets bushier every year. I may have it taken down this fall because the roots are also straying towards the leach field and growing above ground making a tripping hazard for the small grandkids and well their old grandparents

Mister D
08-22-2022, 10:17 AM
I have been gardening for about 12 years. This was ( because it's almost done) year I have ever had by far. 2019 was the best and it has fallen off since then, but nothing like this.
The garden is in shade much of the day and the tree creating that shade gets bushier every year. I may have it taken down this fall because the roots are also straying towards the leach field and growing above ground making a tripping hazard for the small grandkids and well their old grandparents
I'm disappointed but there's always next year.

Collateral Damage
08-22-2022, 11:03 AM
I have been gardening for about 12 years. This was ( because it's almost done) year I have ever had by far. 2019 was the best and it has fallen off since then, but nothing like this.
The garden is in shade much of the day and the tree creating that shade gets bushier every year. I may have it taken down this fall because the roots are also straying towards the leach field and growing above ground making a tripping hazard for the small grandkids and well their old grandparents
If the crops aren't getting at least 6-8 hours of sunlight, and it sounds like they aren't, plus the tree leaching nutrients, you need to decide what to do. Move the garden, or remove the tree.

We've removed a number of trees that were reducing sunlight for the flower beds, and when we relocated the veggie garden, we also took down a number of trees. Fortunately, they were all those stinky Bradford pears (since label noxious invasive) so no loss there. One that still will likely have to come down is a really big poplar, with a YUGE wrap of poison ivy. That's gonna be messy and needing some engineering to take down so it doesn't damage anything else in the yard or the house.

Fortunately, we can mill the poplar at about 1/3 the cost of retail. Just don't know how to dispose of the poison ivy, can't burn it, can't bury it.

Dr. Who
08-22-2022, 11:25 AM
If the crops aren't getting at least 6-8 hours of sunlight, and it sounds like they aren't, plus the tree leaching nutrients, you need to decide what to do. Move the garden, or remove the tree.

We've removed a number of trees that were reducing sunlight for the flower beds, and when we relocated the veggie garden, we also took down a number of trees. Fortunately, they were all those stinky Bradford pears (since label noxious invasive) so no loss there. One that still will likely have to come down is a really big poplar, with a YUGE wrap of poison ivy. That's gonna be messy and needing some engineering to take down so it doesn't damage anything else in the yard or the house.

Fortunately, we can mill the poplar at about 1/3 the cost of retail. Just don't know how to dispose of the poison ivy, can't burn it, can't bury it.
According to the experts, you should bag and seal the poison ivy and either bury it or take it to a disposal site. If you bury it, you have to leave it until it completely decomposes.

Collateral Damage
08-22-2022, 12:27 PM
According to the experts, you should bag and seal the poison ivy and either bury it or take it to a disposal site. If you bury it, you have to leave it until it completely decomposes.
The trunk of the poison ivy is about 8" in diameter, and goes WAY up the 30' tree. May have to use a disposable chainsaw and a haz-mat suit to remove it from the tree once it's on the ground.

Burying it, I would guess you would have to go at least 12" down, or it may sprout. That would be a wicked trench.

Dr. Who
08-22-2022, 01:15 PM
The trunk of the poison ivy is about 8" in diameter, and goes WAY up the 30' tree. May have to use a disposable chainsaw and a haz-mat suit to remove it from the tree once it's on the ground.

Burying it, I would guess you would have to go at least 12" down, or it may sprout. That would be a wicked trench.
You also need to seal it in a plastic bag, so that will prevent any growth.

FindersKeepers
08-22-2022, 01:37 PM
According to the experts, you should bag and seal the poison ivy and either bury it or take it to a disposal site. If you bury it, you have to leave it until it completely decomposes.

We have so much poison ivy this year. Well, we have a lot all years because we're out in the country, but this year it seems especially bad.

If we mow too close to the brush or treeline, we end up disturbing it up and even if we shower immediately afterward, we seem to have some itches.

One of our problems this year is that we let it get away from us--so we have massive amounts to steer clear of. In the past, we've treated around trees and in the more remote areas with 2-4D early in the spring when the plants were still tiny and tender. We didn't get around to it this spring so it's out of control now. Everyone's on Benadryl--including the dogs--and we're having to avoid a good deal of our acreage.

The good thing is that the plant seems more poisonous in the spring and early summer. It's starting to wear down a bit. Still, it's a huge pain. My sister is allergic to it so she has to be very careful. A tiny itch in one spot on her can turn into huge welts and skin that gets hard in just a day.

I'm still trying to figure out what benefit poison ivy offers the planet...

FindersKeepers
08-22-2022, 01:40 PM
The trunk of the poison ivy is about 8" in diameter, and goes WAY up the 30' tree. May have to use a disposable chainsaw and a haz-mat suit to remove it from the tree once it's on the ground.

Burying it, I would guess you would have to go at least 12" down, or it may sprout. That would be a wicked trench.

Yeah, that's the kind we have, too.

We've used chainsaws in the past to cut through the bases. The upper portion will die once it's severed and we then put Tordon on the lower cut part of the trunk, which will kill it completely. Still, what a pain in the butt.

Abby08
08-22-2022, 02:10 PM
Is Poison Ivy really that hazardous, that it requires such great lengths to get rid of?

Really? I had no idea, I thought you could just chop it down, burn it with the rest of the yard/tree trimmings....etc.....

Collateral Damage
08-22-2022, 02:41 PM
Is Poison Ivy really that hazardous, that it requires such great lengths to get rid of?

Really? I had no idea, I thought you could just chop it down, burn it with the rest of the yard/tree trimmings....etc.....

With all due respect you do NOT burn poison ivy. The smoke gets into someone's lungs who is even the slightest bit allergic.... I don't even want to think about it.

Collateral Damage
08-22-2022, 02:42 PM
You also need to seal it in a plastic bag, so that will prevent any growth.
Do you, by any chance, have a bag that will fit a 8" by 20' long vine? :)

Collateral Damage
08-22-2022, 02:45 PM
Yeah, that's the kind we have, too.

We've used chainsaws in the past to cut through the bases. The upper portion will die once it's severed and we then put Tordon on the lower cut part of the trunk, which will kill it completely. Still, what a pain in the butt.
As I said, cutting the base will require a haz-mat suit. ANY spatter could have some serious repercussions for me or mine.

I'll look into Tordon. I don't use Round Up or indiscriminate systemic 'weed' killers, that is some seriously nasty stuff IMO.

Dr. Who
08-22-2022, 03:12 PM
Do you, by any chance, have a bag that will fit a 8" by 20' long vine? :)
Maybe a few bags and I'd take them to the dump.

Abby08
08-22-2022, 03:33 PM
With all due respect you do NOT burn poison ivy. The smoke gets into someone's lungs who is even the slightest bit allergic.... I don't even want to think about it.


I really had no idea, I knew, of course, it caused reactions of varying degrees, when it came into contact with the skin ......but I just never realized the enormity of it.

donttread
08-22-2022, 03:35 PM
If the crops aren't getting at least 6-8 hours of sunlight, and it sounds like they aren't, plus the tree leaching nutrients, you need to decide what to do. Move the garden, or remove the tree.

We've removed a number of trees that were reducing sunlight for the flower beds, and when we relocated the veggie garden, we also took down a number of trees. Fortunately, they were all those stinky Bradford pears (since label noxious invasive) so no loss there. One that still will likely have to come down is a really big poplar, with a YUGE wrap of poison ivy. That's gonna be messy and needing some engineering to take down so it doesn't damage anything else in the yard or the house.

Fortunately, we can mill the poplar at about 1/3 the cost of retail. Just don't know how to dispose of the poison ivy, can't burn it, can't bury it.

Mine's a nice striped maple, but it's in town so no one will want to take it for lumbar to offset the cost of having it taken down. Sigh.

donttread
08-22-2022, 03:41 PM
Is Poison Ivy really that hazardous, that it requires such great lengths to get rid of?

Really? I had no idea, I thought you could just chop it down, burn it with the rest of the yard/tree trimmings....etc.....

Me either. I knew not to burn it, but chain saws and suits. I had no idea. We don't have a great deal of it so my experience with it is limited although my father was very allergic to it. I would have thought that a good pair of gloves and then toss it in the woods. I guess it's a good thing we don't have much of it. LOL

FindersKeepers
08-23-2022, 07:07 AM
As I said, cutting the base will require a haz-mat suit. ANY spatter could have some serious repercussions for me or mine.

I'll look into Tordon. I don't use Round Up or indiscriminate systemic 'weed' killers, that is some seriously nasty stuff IMO.


It is systematic but it's not indiscriminate because it's painted or drizzled on the cadmium layer of the stump of a newly cut vine, brush, or tree.

For us, it's a lesser of two evils--while we've used it for those large poison ivy stumps, we mostly use it to keep the hay field cleared of volunteer elms.

For broadleaf weeds, we do use 2-4D, which is selective in that it doesn't kill most grassy type plants. But, right now, the poison ivy has spread out of control, so we'll have to wait until next spring when the new shoots appear to use 2-4D.

We've never had much luck with the natural types of weed killers--solutions of salt, industrial-strength vinegar, lemon juice, etc.

We just got lazy this past spring and summer and now we'll have to wait until next year, I'm afraid.

FindersKeepers
08-23-2022, 07:12 AM
Me either. I knew not to burn it, but chain saws and suits. I had no idea. We don't have a great deal of it so my experience with it is limited although my father was very allergic to it. I would have thought that a good pair of gloves and then toss it in the woods. I guess it's a good thing we don't have much of it. LOL

Yeah, I knew not to burn it. But, while it's annoying, neither my husband nor I are allergic to it, as my sister is, so we haven't suffered too much when clearing it out.

A cup of bleach in a tempid bath helps, as does carefully rubbing it with salt, rinsing it and then sprinkling a little baking soda on.

Plus, shower right after cutting it down and wash your clothes. The best soap for poison ivy I've ever had came from a guy from Oklahoma who made it from infused jewelweed. He used to come up to a mountain man festival and I'd buy a few bars every year, but I haven't seen him in five years or so.

Collateral Damage
08-23-2022, 07:23 AM
Yeah, I knew not to burn it. But, while it's annoying, neither my husband nor I are allergic to it, as my sister is, so we haven't suffered too much when clearing it out.
A cup of bleach in a tempid bath helps, as does carefully rubbing it with salt, rinsing it and then sprinkling a little baking soda on.

Plus, shower right after cutting it down and wash your clothes. The best soap for poison ivy I've ever had came from a guy from Oklahoma who made it from infused jewelweed. He used to come up to a mountain man festival and I'd buy a few bars every year, but I haven't seen him in five years or so.
No matter if I've touched the stuff or not, if I've been close to it I wash my arms & neck with Dawn dish detergent and cool water, followed with a wipe down of antiseptic lotion. The spouse uses bleach.

Among all my other trials and tribulations, I am contact sensitive, bizarrely enough, to bean plants (but can eat beans), squash and zucchini plants (but can eat both) and tomato plants (I have to avoid higher acid tomatoes). Major skin rash on the arms and hands from contact. In recent years my reaction to poison ivy has intensified.

FindersKeepers
08-23-2022, 07:32 AM
No matter if I've touched the stuff or not, if I've been close to it I wash my arms & neck with Dawn dish detergent and cool water, followed with a wipe down of antiseptic lotion. The spouse uses bleach.

Among all my other trials and tribulations, I am contact sensitive, bizarrely enough, to bean plants (but can eat beans), squash and zucchini plants (but can eat both) and tomato plants (I have to avoid higher acid tomatoes). Major skin rash on the arms and hands from contact. In recent years my reaction to poison ivy has intensified.

You're only the second person I've known with sensitivity to those. My mother is sensitive as well. She wasn't always, but for the past 10 years or so, she'd get awful welts from her zucchini plants. I'm not sure what causes that, but something is triggering some contact dermatitis.

I, too, kind of wonder if sensitivity doesn't increase over time. I don't remember my sister being allergic to poison ivy when we were kids, but we lived in town so maybe that's why. But now, it's a real problem. Now, she has to go in asap and get steroids, which she hates. But, it spreads through her so fast. I really fear it could be fatal if she doesn't get treatment once it starts.

Collateral Damage
08-23-2022, 08:26 AM
You're only the second person I've known with sensitivity to those. My mother is sensitive as well. She wasn't always, but for the past 10 years or so, she'd get awful welts from her zucchini plants. I'm not sure what causes that, but something is triggering some contact dermatitis.
I, too, kind of wonder if sensitivity doesn't increase over time. I don't remember my sister being allergic to poison ivy when we were kids, but we lived in town so maybe that's why. But now, it's a real problem. Now, she has to go in asap and get steroids, which she hates. But, it spreads through her so fast. I really fear it could be fatal if she doesn't get treatment once it starts.

Our body chemistry supposedly changes about every 7 years.

I used to use black pepper like everybody else on my food, no problems. Then, in my early 20s, I started reacting, like I had used too much, then the itchy mouth, then swollen tongue, over the span of about a year or so, I couldn't eat it at all. My sister would laugh at me, since it was a rather unusual allergy. 10 or so years later, she called me up and said 'Guess what? I'm allergic to black pepper'. It is a very unusual allergy, and for both of us to end up with it says something about familial body chemistry.

I didn't used to be that contact sensitive, but over the last 5 or 6 years, it has gotten worse.

mamooth
08-23-2022, 06:57 PM
Today's gardening news:

Yellow jackets make nests underground, with burrows to the surface, and they get really upset if you run a lawnmower over the burrow entrance.

No, I didn't know the hive was there. I learned about it the painful way. Now I seek revenge.

I know how to deal with such nests. I've done it before. It doesn't involve gasoline, parking a running lawnmower over it, flooding it, or any other "hold my beer" style attacks. Keep it simple and safe.

Go to the hardware/garden store and buy a container of powdered insecticide.

A few hours after sunset, well after the yellowjackets have gone to bed, go out and pour powdered insecticide into the burrow entrance. Fill it completely, and then some.

And you're done. The yellowjackets will try to burrow back out through the insecticide, and that will kill them.

donttread
08-24-2022, 07:39 PM
No matter if I've touched the stuff or not, if I've been close to it I wash my arms & neck with Dawn dish detergent and cool water, followed with a wipe down of antiseptic lotion. The spouse uses bleach.

Among all my other trials and tribulations, I am contact sensitive, bizarrely enough, to bean plants (but can eat beans), squash and zucchini plants (but can eat both) and tomato plants (I have to avoid higher acid tomatoes). Major skin rash on the arms and hands from contact. In recent years my reaction to poison ivy has intensified.

Squash plants cause a very minor issue for me and if I feel it on a given day, i wash the area with rubbing alcohol. Until now I thought maybe it was caused by something else. LOL

jigglepete
10-14-2022, 01:52 PM
Poison Ivy you say?

This would be my go(at) to all natural solution...

https://www.goatstogo.farm/in-the-news/local-farm-has-goats-to-cure-baaaad-poison-ivy/#:~:text=Unlike%20sheep%2C%20which%20eat%20grass,i n%20addition%20to%20poison%20ivy.

jigglepete
10-14-2022, 02:29 PM
With all due respect you do NOT burn poison ivy. The smoke gets into someone's lungs who is even the slightest bit allergic.... I don't even want to think about it.

Been there done that (mid 1970's)...not recommended!

Collateral Damage
10-14-2022, 02:31 PM
Poison Ivy you say?

This would be my go(at) to all natural solution...

https://www.goatstogo.farm/in-the-news/local-farm-has-goats-to-cure-baaaad-poison-ivy/#:~:text=Unlike sheep%2C which eat grass,in addition to poison ivy.

LOL, a local group thought they had the fix for some serious kudzu growth.... goats. The goats pretty much demolished the kudzu.... until they started pooping seeds and parts of the vines.....

jigglepete
10-14-2022, 02:36 PM
LOL, a local group thought they had the fix for some serious kudzu growth.... goats. The goats pretty much demolished the kudzu.... until they started pooping seeds and parts of the vines.....

Oh my!

donttread
10-15-2022, 08:33 AM
LOL, a local group thought they had the fix for some serious kudzu growth.... goats. The goats pretty much demolished the kudzu.... until they started pooping seeds and parts of the vines.....

That shit is hard to kill!

Tahuyaman
01-20-2023, 08:04 PM
It was dry and sunny today, so I got out in my garden and tilled up about 1/4th of the area. I’m tilling in some of the wood ash I clean out of my fireplaces. Plus I tilled in a bunch of compost I’ve had ready for the last year. Hopefully by mid April I’ll have everything ready to go.

donttread
01-24-2023, 07:56 PM
It was dry and sunny today, so I got out in my garden and tilled up about 1/4th of the area. I’m tilling in some of the wood ash I clean out of my fireplaces. Plus I tilled in a bunch of compost I’ve had ready for the last year. Hopefully by mid April I’ll have everything ready to go.
Sounds like a plan

carolina73
01-24-2023, 08:44 PM
It was dry and sunny today, so I got out in my garden and tilled up about 1/4th of the area. I’m tilling in some of the wood ash I clean out of my fireplaces. Plus I tilled in a bunch of compost I’ve had ready for the last year. Hopefully by mid April I’ll have everything ready to go.

Thanks for the reminder. I only have a couple weeks to get spinach and some lettuces in the ground plus I can start the herbs. Every year I am a little too late on the spinach and the heat comes so fast that it shoots right up and flowers.

jigglepete
01-28-2023, 03:08 PM
Thanks for the reminder. I only have a couple weeks to get spinach and some lettuces in the ground plus I can start the herbs. Every year I am a little too late on the spinach and the heat comes so fast that it shoots right up and flowers.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/spinach/growing-spinach-in-summer.htm#:~:text=Growers%20attempting%20to%20gro w%20during,increase%20the%20chance%20of%20success.

Tahuyaman
06-11-2023, 10:48 PM
All my radishes bolted and wen to seed almost overnight. Every single one. We’ve had a mixture of hot and cool weather with just a couple of days of rain. I’m just wondering if it was the seeds I planted.

donttread
06-12-2023, 07:48 AM
All my radishes bolted and wen to seed almost overnight. Every single one. We’ve had a mixture of hot and cool weather with just a couple of days of rain. I’m just wondering if it was the seeds I planted.
I've never heard of that. How long had they been in?

Tahuyaman
06-12-2023, 10:09 AM
I've never heard of that. How long had they been in?
I planted them in late April.

donttread
06-26-2023, 06:57 PM
I planted them in late April.

So are the bulbs no good once they bolt? Radishes grow quickly here but when I have them I pick them as they mature
Honestly d

Tahuyaman
06-26-2023, 07:35 PM
So are the bulbs no good once they bolt? Radishes grow quickly here but when I have them I pick them as they mature
Honestly d
Radishes don’t grow from bulbs. They are started from seed.

Tahuyaman
07-18-2023, 12:35 PM
Now I have a family of deer grazing in my garden. I chase them out and they go over to the neighbor’s yard and sit there watching me until I leave. Then they return. They seem to be living in my neighbor’s yard and feeding in mine.

donttread
07-18-2023, 07:05 PM
Radishes don’t grow from bulbs. They are started from seed.


Misspoke. Meant Tubers

Tahuyaman
07-18-2023, 07:07 PM
Misspoke. Meant Tubers

Radishes aren’t tubers either. You start them from seed. You can’t start a radish by planting another radish as you would a potato.

Tahuyaman
07-18-2023, 07:26 PM
This deer has been waiting for his opportunity all day.

59435

Abby08
07-18-2023, 10:52 PM
This deer has been waiting for his opportunity all day.

59435


If he's not careful, he'll end up in the pot with the carrots and potatoes?

Tahuyaman
07-18-2023, 11:03 PM
If he's not careful, he'll end up in the pot with the carrots and potatoes?
No one is going to kill him inside the city limits.

Abby08
07-19-2023, 11:37 AM
No one is going to kill him inside the city limits.


I was kinda kidding.....

Tahuyaman
02-11-2024, 01:13 AM
It’s the time now that on the days it’s not raining I have to start getting ready for spring planting.

Last year I had a deer problem. A family of deer showed up and ate everything just as it was coming up. I had to start over and it set everything back. After that I put up deer fencing and it worked.

I’m not sure what I’m going to plant this year other than beans and peas. I’ll probably plant beets, onions and potatoes. No tomatoes, radishes or carrots this year.

donttread
02-12-2024, 05:58 PM
It’s the time now that on the days it’s not raining I have to start getting ready for spring planting.

Last year I had a deer problem. A family of deer showed up and ate everything just as it was coming up. I had to start over and it set everything back. After that I put up deer fencing and it worked.

I’m not sure what I’m going to plant this year other than beans and peas. I’ll probably plant beets, onions and potatoes. No tomatoes, radishes or carrots this year.

When is your safe plant day?

Tahuyaman
02-12-2024, 06:11 PM
When is your safe plant day?

I’d have to recheck that, but I think it’s in mid to late April. Some people wait until Mothers Day.

drifter106
02-12-2024, 09:16 PM
It’s the time now that on the days it’s not raining I have to start getting ready for spring planting.

Last year I had a deer problem. A family of deer showed up and ate everything just as it was coming up. I had to start over and it set everything back. After that I put up deer fencing and it worked.

I’m not sure what I’m going to plant this year other than beans and peas. I’ll probably plant beets, onions and potatoes. No tomatoes, radishes or carrots this year.Sweet Corn?????

carolina73
02-12-2024, 09:26 PM
Sweet Corn?????

Dang squirrels. They eat the sweetcorn up on top the fence and then throw the cobs back in the yard.

Tahuyaman
02-13-2024, 02:29 AM
Sweet Corn?????

I’m done planting corn.

NoisyBoy
02-13-2024, 05:10 AM
I planted egg plant a couple of years back...very slow growing.