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=> Off Topic Discussions => Topic started by: Kat on February 09, 2009, 10:02:55 PM
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Well it's time to start thinking about getting the garden ready, if you have not already. Down here in the deep south, I'm able to get started sooner than most. For those who would like to know what you need to do to get started I found a site I really like 'Vegetable Gardening Guru' at this link http://www.vegetablegardeningguru.com/
A couple more good gardening sites.
Gardening articles - http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/VegFruit/vegs.htm
Planting Your First Vegetable Garden - http://www.lifescript.com/Life/Timeout/At-home/Planting_Your_First_Vegetable_Garden.aspx?trans=1&du=1&gclid=COXT6uaVzpgCFQJHxwoddUu41A&ef_id=1350:3:c_718e3e3d0812ae497625c12976f5bc06_2540070725:XN5uzNBkOIYAADFC2MAAAAAX:20090209002215
No-dug Vegetable Garden - http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/build-a-garden.html
Cooperative Extension Service - http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B577.htm
Organic Gardening - http://www.ehow.com/how_4452141_become-organic-gardener.html
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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I wish I could grow my own vegetables. Every year my husband attempts one and every year I tell him he is wasting his time. If the Killer weeds (and I mean giant, thorny killer weeds) don't do the garden in, then the deer, rabbits or gophers will get it. It's just impossible! >:(
I absolutely hate the produce at the grocery store. Half of it is spoiled at the moment of purchase!
Eileen
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Hi Eileen,
You must live out in the country. Well I don't live where wild animals can get at my vegetables, but I have 2 labs that love to dig holes in it. So I'm fencing it in this year, I have one spot already fenced and I will do the other soon. Weeding is a chore, it's something that must be done regularly or it will get out of hand. Can't say I always keep on top of it either.
I hope you don't give up on it, the fresh pesticide free vegetable are so worth it. I look at the work as good exercise, so I don't have to go to a walking track or a gym :)
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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I keep saying every year that I am going to plant a garden! We used to have a garden all the time. My hubby is an excellent gardener, but he just plain got lazy!! I love to garden, but I haven't gotten out to do it in 9 years or better! That's just REALLY sorry! LAZY, LAZY, LAZY!!! I keep saying "well it's about time to plant the taters if I'm gonna make a garden." I saw where DR has a tiller that you can pull behind your riding lawn mower. I told my husband he needs to check it out. Our ground is so hard it's like concrete when it hasn't rained! Tilling would be good for it AND well, durn it all I might even grow me a tater or a squash! Hee hee! Maybe I will do it!! ;D ;D
thanks Kat, I might just do it!
Kathy ;) ;D
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What's a DR? I told my husband we need to till this little piece of land he has tried to grow a garden in before. I think we are going to do it this time. Just gotta figure out a way to keep the critters out!!
Eileen
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DR is just a company that has all kind of yard and garden equipment for home use, they advertise on tv all the time. If you decide to buy a tiller get a rear-tine one the ones with the tines in the front with vibrate you to death!! I saw some at Home Depot the other day the rear tine ones are almost $500.00 but I guess if you use it a lot it would be ok. The front tine ones are a lot cheaper. Those are walk behind tillers, the one I saw on tv you pull behind your garden tractor...I can imagine they are probably $1000.00 how rude! In desperate times I have dug my garden with a shovel..hard work! I had raised beds once they were a lot easier to make in one way and then in another way they are a pain..my husband griped at me for years when I abandoned my back-yard raised beds for a big patch my neighbor disked up with his tractor for me! I didn't really smooth out the beds so my hubby hated mowing over those lumps in the yard!! ;D ;D
Dig, Ya'll!!
Kathy ;)
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I live near Pine Island NY and they have what is called the black dirt region. You should see how dark and rich looking this soil is. They grow mostly onions there but I had sod done in a small section of fenced-in yard and they said it was grown in the black dirt. After they till it, it's just beautiful....ha ha imagine beautiful DIRT.
Eileen
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Are you kidding I LOVE beautiful dirt!! I am not so fond of all the red clay stuff here. My yard has a lot of red clay, but there is some good places in it where it's not so bad. In Hawaii, though...there was red dirt everywhere! You don't wear your shoes into the house there! No carpet can hold up under the red clay!
Rich black dirt would be cool! 8)
Kathy ;)
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Well I think this is a great time to get out there and get your hands dirty :)
It does take work and of course the bigger your garden spot the more work it will be. So go smaller and just make a salad garden or a herb garden, any little bit you get is better than nothing. I think mine will be much better this year, as last year I was kind of getting started.
Eileen I'm putting up a short fence (only 3 ft.) to keep the dogs out, that would work on the little critters for you. But deer are a different story, I found this site where there are a lot of people proven methods, here's the link http://www.carolinacountry.com/StoryPages/howtos/deeroutofgarden.htm
Kathy, I planted taters last year and they didn't do well, so I'm skipping them this year. I don't have a tiller, I don't think I need one for the little spots I'm working up. I don't have rich black dirt, but it's not red clay either. So I'm thinking mulch is a key factor in keeping weeds down and holding moisture in. So I plan to go heavier on the mulch this year.
Here's hoping we all have success in the up coming gardening season :D
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Hey Kat, mulch is definitely the answer to the soil problem! Yeah, I guess I'd better start with just a little spot myself! Something that I can do alone! I have thought about doing planters, too. Some tomatoes grow well in containers. I have seen people grow some kind of strawberries in pots, too. Maybe I will check that out, too. I go to dig me a little patch o' dirt! Oh, I just remembered I have a little area on the south side of my house that would be a good place to start! :D I'd probably have to fence it a little to keep the wandering dogs out of it! People just let their dogs ramble around at night. I lock my dogs up tight at night so they don't bark at the roamers! I can't understand why people let their dogs run all over the countryside! We have always kept our dogs fenced in the yard, what is so hard about that? (that's for another subject though!!) ;D
Kathy :)
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UMMMMMMMM!!! The georgia boy loves Taters and Maters. ;D
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Gardening! Yay!
As far as keeping out the deer, on any given evening I can count as many as 30 of the pesky garden wreckers lounging around the fields near my home. Up until last year, they destroyed my garden, eating my green beans and every green tomato I had. But, after my dear Mom gave me a roll of "ribbon" to put up around my garden, not one deer print was found in the garden. It works! The ribbon is about a half inch wide, and has a shinny red side and the other side is aluminum in color. I strung it up from post to post at about chest high. I catches the wind, no matter how slight and shimmers and moves, which keeps the deer away. In a high wind it actually makes a loud whirring sound. You can probably find it at any farm and garden place. Mom got it from the local state horticultural rep.
Try it, it worked for me!
Joe in West Virginia
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I got back onto gardening last year and love it. I started planting edible landscape everywhere I could. I plan to expand this year even more. I am composting and organic so far. Here is a link to a ton of pic's from last years progress.
http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm296/roycoates/Garden/
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ferget veggies.....arrrrrgg
how in Pleasantville do you keep a yard green is what i want to KNOW.
That lush thick yard bekons me, instead i grow something compare to a bad toupee. :(
Aside from water it with green dye all has failed.
Farmer Brown down
Rodger
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Thanks for those Links Kat, I learned allot from the thread you started last year...
Well Living in Florida I've already started my Tomatoes, Cukes & Scallions for Veggies. For Fruit we have Banannas, Papaya, Mango, Orange, Lemon, Lime and Avacado which wasn't produced yet.
I wanted to share about "trees" that we have started planting on our property with my neighbors.
We make ice tea out of the leaves, and put it in our salads...it is just amazing and easy to grow...
Check out the info on the nutrition here...(it even has flowers)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera
Let's Get Dirty!
Brenda
;D
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ferget veggies.....arrrrrgg
how in Pleasantville do you keep a yard green is what i want to KNOW.
That lush thick yard bekons me, instead i grow something compare to a bad toupee. :(
Aside from water it with green dye all has failed.
Farmer Brown down
Rodger
Try watering it with green dye:) here is a company in Arizona http://www.turfpainters.com/
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Hi Roy,
I'd say seeing your pictures, you've got growing veggies going on :)
Brenda, I'm going to try to get one of those Moringa trees. I'm on the Miss Gulf coast and my 3 year old orange tree really producted nicely this year. I also have 3 blueberry bushes that are good producers. I've already got strawberries to set out too. I think it usually just takes a little practice... sorry about the lawn Rodger. Mybe you should try the green dye ;D
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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ifen i go dye , i will go for the Star Spangeled Banner motiff
;D
Rodger
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Oh cool, Rodger! A Big Flag on your lawn? ;D that would be very interesting!
Kathy ;)
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Oh cool, Rodger! A Big Flag on your lawn? ;D that would be very interesting!
Kathy ;)
Hoping the HOA will garde on a curve for artistry and not for lacking a green thumb ;D
Rodger
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Forget the dyes and all chemicals including chem. fertilizers.Your ground is probably micro organism inactive.
Aireate the ground and apply molasses.This will stimulate any micro organisms.Get away from from all that unnatural stuff.It kills the ground.
Roy Martin
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George, clover took over our yard and I let it. It is so green and doesn't grow high. I could care less about the lawn but this is quite nice now and I don't care that people say, CLOVER? oh, heck, it's GREEN!! Judy
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I read a story some years ago about a man that lived in a upper crust neighborhood. His yard was overgrown with weeds.The neighbors complain to the city,the city tells him to mow his yard but he refuses.He ends up in court w/o a lawyer. He ask the court to prove that a weed was not a flower.As most of us know that most weeds have flowers.Well the court couldnt prove him wrong so he gets to keep his weeds.
Roy Martin
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I have found that carrots, silver beet and lettuces are the most worthwhile vegetables to grow in your own garden.
To get really good big carrots, thin them as small as you can and continue to keep the weeds pulled out from around them. water them regularly so that the water sinks down deep. By doing this you should get great big carrots ;D
Well at least I do.
David.
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Yum! David I LOVE big sweet carrots! I'll remember that! Yeah, you can EASILY grow your own salad!! ;)
Kathy :)
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I am going to do some vertical gardening,
http://www.hangingtomato.com/
Be sure and click the "see it work" button. :)
If only it were that easy!
I've been thinking real serious about a garden; the heat and critters are a really BIG concern. You need a Ft. Knox to protect the garden. Attack can come from above as well as below, and all sides. If only people would stop trapping the ground squirrels and dropping them off in our area! >:(
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I love garndening, before Katrina I had beautifull produce. I grew okra, peas, toms, banana pepers, bell pepers, then I started growing my own spices. I loved it. I have put it off far too long. I wanted to start this yr. but I am not sure if I will be moving again or not. I will know in the next week or so. If it is not too late I will start to plant. First I will till the soil, the old fasion way. with a shovel. Turning over patches of grass and then removing the grass untill there is nothing but soil left. Then I will mix in some furtilizer and some miracle grow then plant. I miss it. well see what happens.
Darren
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Hey some good ideas guys! I was all set to do me some planting, then we found out my grandson has to have surgery again, so that will have to wait! Judy I wish my yard would grow clover we do have a lot but nasty old grass and weeds that you have to mow grows too! :P I try to let the clover grow as much as possible for the bees. I am concerned about the honey bees so I leave the clover when I can!
Kathy :)
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Hi Darren,
Oh it's still early in the season, even for the deep south, you've got time. I'm like you, i do gardening the old fashion way with a shovel, I think it's good exercise. I'm planting about the same as you, but throwing in some peas and beans.
Kathy I'm praying that your grandson's surgery will go well.
It's still early to set out a lot of things, so I've started some seeds in pots to get a head start. I've noticed all the trees are starting to bloom too, spring is in the air :)
mercy, peace and love
kat
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If you can't dig, plan
by Sandy Hodson on January 22, 2009
It's a good thing the Master Gardener class began in the winter. By this time in the year I'm usually re-reading old gardening magazines, drooling over the plant catalogs and ordering too much.
But after classes this week, I vow to start gardening smarter. The most important tools in the gardening war chest are pen and paper, so say the masters, Richmond County Extension Agent Sid Mullis and retired Agent Clyde Lester.
Flowers, well ornamentals, and vegetables were the subjects this week. Since I love flowers and long to grow my own tomatoes, I was thrilled with this week's lessons.
Back to the subject. Pen and paper makes you think out a plan of action. You want to plant plants in the right place because 80 percent of the gardening problems are caused by a plant's inability to tolerate or adapt to the place you put it.
This is a perfect time of year to figure out what you are going to do when the weather can no longer hold you back. Start by taking a good look around your yard and do a rough sketch. Make notes of the conditions _ where are the shady areas, where does the sun beat down for hours every day, which way is northwest (where cold winds come from), note the traffic areas, and determine soil conditions.
That last item, soil condition, is very important. If yours suffer from the curses of Augusta _ sand or its opposite and just as annoying clay _ you can improve it by adding compost and soil conditioners. And get that soil tested. Ornamentals love pH of 5.2 to 6.5.
Mulch is a best friend, but don't go nuts and don't let it build up year after year. Mulching the vegetable garden should be delayed until whenever it heats up. That's because you want the ground to warm up around the new vegetable plants. Mulch can keep the ground cool and slow plant growth.
Plan your vegetable garden, too. Know how much area you have. Then you can decide how many plants can fit and which ones you will grow. Rows should go east and west, and the taller plants should be on north and west sides. Your site must have at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. You will need medium texture soil that is cultivated to a 12-inch depth. Vegetables prefer a pH of 6 to 6.5.
If you don't have the space for rows of plants, like me, you can square-foot garden. That means doing a square with each plant getting one square foot. Letting plants grow vertically (staking) makes good use of small spaces. Use containers, that are weighed down to decrease knock over, or make a raised bed.
http://blogs.augusta.com/thegardengnome
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Greetings Kat:
I see where you said you want to grow you own toms. I must tell you what happen to me a few yrs. back. I planted around 12 tom plants. Some little boys, some tall boys, some creole and about 4 cherry toms. Well the reg. toms grew fine and produce a descent v=batch of toms. But the cherry toms. produce hundreds and hundreds of little bitty cherry toms. I had so many I just could not give them away fast enough. It took quite awhile for them to start producing. I thought my cherry tom plants were no good. Then ,like I said BAM!! all 4 plants started producing at one time. When a batch would produce I would have a hundred or so (all 4 plants), then once I picked them it would take a couple of weeks and BAM!! all 4 would produce at one time. This happen all through the summer. I got so tired of toms and cherry toms. Its funny now that I think about it, but at the time it was hardly funny. So be carefull on which kinds of toms you plant. make sure you read up on how many toms one plant will produce through the summer. Anyway, good luck and good gardening.
Darren
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Mind if I give a little gardening advice? Its too late now but this coming fall after all the leafs are down,till your garden in, add 6-12 inches of leafs over the entire garden. Spray all of the leafs with phosphoric acid,cover with black plastic until February or until your ready to plant.Remove plastic, add blood meal and bone meal and dried molasses, till it all in good and you will have super thriving soil that will grow anything.
The acid speeds up the decomposing of the leaves and increases phosphorus, it will also lower pH slightly.Do a pH test to be sure. Most people ignore pH testing.Its very important I assure you.
I have done many side by side studies and have found that high phosphorus will give you smaller plants but larger yields. High nitrogen will give larger plants with more foliage but less yield.
Follow the instructions above and you will be quite pleased.
Roy
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Gardeners,
Now here is a practical opportunity to learn what God has planned for our future.
Growing vegies is a great way to learn and to benefit.
The extra work is all worth while and the fruit is our reward.
Bob
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Mulching is indeed very good but avoid the hard wood mulches for vegetable gardens. Definitely do not use pine or cedar, they are over acidic. Have you ever noticed that almost nothing will grow under cedar or pine trees? Most hardwood mulches are bagged too soon. Open a bag and see how hot it is in the middle. This stuff is Ok for shrubs. Im a landscaper and see other landscapers put this stuff on pansies and other young flowers but the outcome is too obvious to me.
Cotton bur compost is good for mulching but not straight out of the bag. Empty it out on a grass free area and let it set a few weeks or a month with some watering. Some of my customers have listened to me and let me remove all of the existing h/w mulches and now their gardens are beautiful. It took a season to see the difference but worth the wait.
There is much to be said about mulching but I kept it short.
Roy
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Hi Roy,
Thanks for all the advice. I'm already getting started this year and the mulch info is greatly appreciated. Not sure what I will be able to find to mulch with, but at least now I know what to look for :)
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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When my brother mows his lawn, he takes the grass clippings and puts them around the plants in the garden. He has a beautiful garden every year and his plants produce lots of vegetables.
Iris
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Grass clippings are great as long as their not full of seeds. Its all about natural stuff that God provides.
Peace
Roy
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I shred our junk mail and paper instead of throwing it out. I mix the shredded paper with my grass clippings, kitchen scraps and a little water, cover it with a tarp. 4 days later I mix it with the Mantis tiller and cove it back up for another 10 days. It is now rich compost mulch and I use it to keep weeds down and fertilize the soil around my established plants. Works great. I have pick in my photo bucket link in a previous post of the compost project, with temps to show how hot and fast this process really is. You only need a small 3x3 spot to do it. I keep 2 or 3 piles going through the season. I even take my neighbors grass clippings. I don't use any pesticides or weed n feed on the lawn cause that may cause some issues in the garden and produce
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Hey! You Roys have some good ideas! I hope I can do some planting this year! It's going to be 80 degrees for the next couple of days!
Kathy ;D
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Hey, aren't you worried about the ink in the junk mail paper, Roy ::)
I haven't put any lime in my veggie garden for years. Blood and bone, or some other nitrogen fertilizer makes my veggies grow big. My short sightedness has improved ::) :o since I've increased my carrot consumption ;D
David.
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Hey Roy, nice to meet you.
We too put all kitchen scraps in the compost pile. Its fun for us to see whats going to come up who knows where. We will have potatoes pop up in the flower beds from the peelings, tomatoes here and there, a huge pumpkin plant once. Onions too. I noticed some cabbage at the edge of the pile the other day. Anyway, its fun stuff that doesn't cost anything. :D
I just thought of something else about pineapples. Cut the green top off the pineapple,peel back several layers of leafs from the bottom until you have enough stalk to put in soil. Use a good potting mix. Put it in a pot and a few weeks it will take root. Re pot as it grows. One plant produces several pineapples. Its a beautiful plant. Eat one of these vine ripened baby's and you will never buy another store bought one. I start mine in the winter and place it by a window. They make beautiful house plants too.
Roy
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Saladking, I read quite a bit about the ink. From what I understand is that any thing that might be a problem is destroyed in the heat. The compost pile as I described reaches 105-120 f. The whole process is basically bio breakdown caused by bacteria on a micro scale. Kind of like a cow eats grass then leaves a cow pie that we use for compost. Small micro organisms eat the material in the pile and leave micro cow pies. Arsenic in the ground water here is more of a concern.
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Roy M,
Nice to meet you too. I am going to plant me a pinapple and see what happens. Even if the only work out this year as houseplant cause this is a late start. I had never thought of even trying that here in Michigan
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Hey Roy, check out this tractor,
For the Tractor lovers amongst us
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,213971.0/topicseen.html
Roy
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Roy, the reason for keeping the pineapple in a pot is it might take a couple of years for it to bear fruit.Just take it in for the winter and place by a window but not where it will be cold below 65 degrees or it will stop growing. Its a beautiful plant to watch grow.
Roy
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Hi Roy,
Did you get the right link, I didn't see a tractor at the link you provided.
I bought some bags of organic eucalyptus mulch yesterday. What do you know anything about that? Since it's not pine, which I had been using, I'm hoping it will do better for the veg. garden. I also saw mashroom mulch, have you heard of that stuff.
I think I will try to start a pineapple plant too :)
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Kat, I corrected the tractor link. It should work for you now.
Mushroom mulch is exceptional. Its more expensive than others but my opinion is, well worth it.
This stuff is a tremendous soil builder, makes mic/org. do a dance. 100% organic, no chemicals, no bad side effects, just good stuff. It works on soil improvement almost immediately. It also improves structure of clay soils. Cant go wrong with this stuff at all. A wise choice.
Eucalyptus mulch, what can I say? Its still just chipped or shredded wood. It takes a long time for it to decompose to be any value to soil. It will however reduce weeds and help with moisture evaporation. I prefer it to pine or cedar. Is what you have real woody or still slightly green? There have been concerns about Euc. oil drenching into the soil causing water absorption. Bugs don't care for it.
I'm sorry Kat, I just don't like tree mulches unless it has fully decomposed. Its okay for shrubs and trees but I wouldn't use it on veggies.
I often use a commercial mulch not bagged. I buy it by the yard.Its much cheaper that way and it has other organic material in it. Most nursery's have it in their wholesale department. Its something you have to ask for because its usually not on display. Its good stuff too.
Hope this has been helpful to you.
By the way,next to talking about God, I love gardening talk as you can see. All of my info comes from experience and years of experiments and study. Been there, done it all, but there is always new things to learn.
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Okay Roy I think I've got it, NO hard wood mulch. I'll keep that away from my veggies and I'm going to get some bags of the mushroom mulch, since you gave that a big thumbs up. I think you have got me going in the right direction now. Your comments and advice is much appreciated :)
mercy, peace and love
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Kat, the pleasure is mine.
Roy
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Roy M. Now that is a neat idea for a snow machine, I am afraid we just don't get enough snow in my area.
Kat don't mulch your plants to soon, mulch will keep the soil from warming up and harder to deep water the young plants. Once they become established then mulch away, that will reduce the weeds and water evaporation. Hmm did Roy M already say this? I probably read it and know I think I know some thing. Getting old. Any Who if Roy M. gave this advice I second it
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Check out some of my work.
http://s599.photobucket.com/albums/tt79/roydmartin/?action=view¤t=c8d7a6e2.pbw
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Very cool Roy M. Is that lady in the picture your wife? She's very pretty. I love your work you need to come to my house and get started!! Good work!
Kathy :D
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Nice work Roy M. and a beautiful couple you guys make
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Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm well on my way now. Roy M. I'm setting your gardening as my standard to reach for ;)
Okay we just got about 5 inches of rain already this weekend. Our average last frost date for this area is 3-18, so I'm going to start putting stuff in the ground soon, well when it dries out a little bit. I've started working on the spots I've got picked out. Here is a 'before' shot of 2 gardens spots. I hope to have 'after' shots too, as soon as things start growing.
(http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5159/963711r1010a.th.jpg) (http://img239.imageshack.us/my.php?image=963711r1010a.jpg) (http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/7469/963711r10000a.th.jpg) (http://img407.imageshack.us/my.php?image=963711r10000a.jpg)
And here are the spouts I'm going to be planting in the garden in the next few weeks.
(http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4471/963711r1032a.th.jpg) (http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=963711r1032a.jpg)
So I'm off and running and loving the challenge, which it definitely is for me.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Kat I'm flattered by your compliment.
Your spots look very nice and organized. Your soil looks good and fluffy from what I can see. It wont be long that you'll start to see that dark rich color that comes from proper composting and mulching.
Last year I had 2 spots about the size of yours and grew a lot of stuff all summer into fall. I harvested turnip greens all winter, even in freezing temps. Yea thats right, you can grow turnip greens during winter. Snow and freeze didnt even slow them down. They kept producing until I pulled up the turnips of which I didnt want, just the greens.
I look forward to the updates on your garden.
If you have any other areas that you need help in designing, send pictures of the area and Ill import them into my landscape design software and design it for you. Its a neat program. It will show the growth pattern from beginning to maturity.Lots of cool stuff I can do with it.
Im here if you need me. Happy Gardening.
Roy
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Wow! Kat! Very impressive! I hope to be able to at least grow some things in containers. If I get ambitious, I'd better get there pretty soon, we are getting some pretty warm temps. I've been looking at some things, my husband saw something at Sam's Club that he said he could build for me, it was a container type gardening area. We'll see if HE gets ambitious! ;)
Kathy :D
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Oh Roy, I'm with you on the winter greens. Down here we can grow quite a few things in the winter.
Here is another spot that I had some mustard greens, lettuce and broccoli planted.
(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5269/963711r10911a.jpg) (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=963711r10911a.jpg)
This is one purple colored mustard that really got large and it was tasty too.
(http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/280/963711r11214a.jpg) (http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=963711r11214a.jpg)
Hey Kathy you can do a lot in containers from what I've seen on some sites. I think you should definitely give it a try.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Kat, You have a love for gardening. I cant keep from thinking that its part of our design. Its kind of sad that so many people miss out on it.
When I'm gardening or taking notice to flowers and trees, all plants for that matter; it reminds me of our heavenly father. Gardening is so healthy for us physically and emotionally. I would be lost if I couldn't garden and plant things. No doubt that God loves a beautiful garden. He is the master gardener, don't you think?
Ill present some pictures soon of my garden spot; before & after.
I really like working the little areas like you have yours though. It is easier to maintain, and it just seems to be more informal.
Kathy, you would be surprised at how much you can grow in containers. Its really very simple and easy to maintain by using micro irrigation since most peoples problems are from too much or not enough watering. Automate it and no worries. Watering with a hose or by pouring it in on the pot causes soil compaction and then water just runs down the sides rather than reaching the center of the plant. For house plants, I water with soapy water every month or so, liquid dish soap, Joy. It acts as a wetting agent and also improves aeration.
OK I'm getting carried away. If I don't stop myself I would be writing a book here.
Happy gardening everyone.
Oh and by the way; I specialize in hydroponics if anyone needs help with that.Ive been designing systems for 30 years.
Peace
Roy M
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Hi Roy,
I do love gardening and chatting about it has been a delight. I do think that God uses His creation to teach us about Himself in so many ways. For me nature gives peace to my soul and I have a passion to be close to it.
I had a large veg. garden years ago, but it was so much work and veggies were not so expensive back then. So I've been working in the yard in flower beds and trying to landscape since then. A couple of years ago it just hit me that I should start up a veg. garden, so I got one spot started, not so big and not too much work. But I really liked it, so I started another small spot and then another. So I'm pretty happy with what I've got going now and it's plenty big enough to keep me busy and supply some nice veggies.
You keep coming up with those helpful hints, For house plants, I water with soapy water every month or so. Okay I'm going to try that one too, so do keep'um coming :)
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Kat, you can count on me to keep em coming since you asked. As Jimmy Durante use to say," I got a million of em". Also, don't hold back on asking questions. It is a delight for me as well, and a blessing also.
Oh and by the way; Silvia has registered today with the forum. I guess Ill have to get another computer.
Ill be back with some stuff as it comes to me. Talk to ya later.
Roy M
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So cool Roy I second Kat, tell us a lot!! I'm going this next weekend to get started on what I want to plant I'll come back with questions, too! Oh and yes I'm going to do the soapy water thing too!
Kathy
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Molasses
Sweet syrup that is a carbohydrate used as a soil amendment to feed and stimulate microorganisms. Contains sulfur, potash, and many trace minerals. Approximate analysis is 1-0-5. Molasses provides food for microorganisms and is a source of carbon, sulfur, and potash. It is a good, quick source of energy for the soil life and microbes in a compost pile, and will chase fire ants away. It is a carbon source and feeds beneficial microbes creating greater nature fertility. Liquid molasses is used in sprays and dry molasses is used as an ingredient in organic fertilizers. It contains sulfur, potash, and other trace minerals. Excellent foliar feeding material and can be mixed with other organic liquids. Use at 2-4 quarts/acre for soil application. For foliar application on broadleaf plants use 1 pint per acre. For grasses and grains still use 1 quart per acre. Blackstrap molasses is the best choice because it contains the sulfur and iron of the original material.
Dry molasses isn’t really straight dried molasses. It’s molasses sprayed on a grain residue carrier. It’s an excellent carbon source that stimulates beneficial microorganisms. And, it repels fire ants.
Molasses is the best sugar for horticultural use because of its trace minerals. Blackstrap is hard to find but is the best molasses because of the sulfur and iron, but any kind will work. Molasses is a carbon source and feeds the beneficial microbes creating greater natural plant fertility. Molasses also has a nice side benefit. When used with compost tea and orange oil, it kills fire ants and other insect pests. By itself, molasses repels fire ants effectively.
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Who would have known that Molasses would repel FIRE ANTS!! Where do you get the molasses? Is it at the farm store? Can you get it in any garden center? wow!
Bummer I didn't get to go out and get stuff to plant this weekend! I've been so busy! definitely planning it by next weekend!
Kathy :D
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I get it at the nursery & garden center. Feed stores might have it, but I think you'll find it at any garden center. It has ran all the fire ants from my yard. I apply it everywhere and it works. It takes a couple of weeks to see the fire ants start thinning out. Its a competition thing. Fire ants hate it.
Roy
7
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Roy, I am baffled by this, sorry! It is funny I have been a country girl all my life how did I miss such a simple thing as this ??? I can't wait to get started getting rid of the fire ants AND Terminix who sprays my yard every 3 months I hate having those chemicals all over my yard! So do you dilute it in a sprayer? How do you apply it? I mean on the ant beds or around them? Does it keep the bees away? I have some clover in and around my yard and I don't want to do anything to discourage the bees especially the honey bees. I don't like wasps but I don't mind other bees as long as they mind their manners! :D
Kathy :)
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Oh, sorry Roy I just reread your post where you said how to apply it!
Kathy :)
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Roy Martin,
I need you....First of all, we want to have a vegetable garden and my husband has tried every year to no avail. We get these thorny weeds that grow waist high!!! He keeps trying to plant in this one area that he has always thrown the grass clippings. The problem is, we live on an acre of land and the "grass" is green but it's mostly weeds (those dandelion ones) and it's to much land to maintain a nice lawn. He just mows and then throws the clippings in this one area and I keep telling him year after year that these clippings are probably loaded with weed seeds and he will never have a weedless garden this way. He has tried tilling but I think he is just churning the weeds and their seeds. Any suggestions?
Secondly, a couple of years ago we had our pool are landscaped. Again, we always have weeds so we had them put down sod in a couple of small areas but most of the area surrounding the pool is big rocks atop a weed barrier. However, the weeds are poking through and pulling them is tedious and overwhelming because they seem to pop up as soon as you pick them. Who has time to constantly pull weeds from rocks? Any advise you can give me would be much appreciated.
Eileen
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Eileen,
Corn gluten meal is a natural weed and feed fertilizer. It should be broadcast in the spring around February 15-March 15 to prevent grassburs, crabgrass, and other annual weeds that germinate from seed. These dates are for the North Texas areas. Your dates will depend on location. The key is to broadcast the material before the the weed seed germinate.
For the cool season or winter weeds, broadcast sometime between September 15 and October 15 at 15-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet for the control of henbit, dandelions, annual bluegrass and other winter weeds. It also serves as a powerful organic fertilizer having about 9-10 percent nitrogen.
Corn gluten meal can be used when overseeding ryegrass or other cool season crops but only with care. You must wait until the grass, vetch or clover has germinated and started to grow before putting the corn gluten meal down or the seed germination will be hurt. Do not use prior to planting anything from seed.
Corn gluten meal replaces the need for other fertilization for that period.
In the early 1990s Dr. Nick Christians and his research students at Iowa State discovered that corn gluten meal, a product of the wet milling process, works as a pre-emergent weed and feed. It inhibits weed root formation during germination. With a nitrogen content of about 10 percent, it is also a powerful fertilizer. It is available in the natural powdered form or in a granulated form. Powdered products are more effective and cheaper but the granulated products are much less dusty and messy.
Apply about 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet just like a fertilizer application. In North Texas, do it about March 1 and again about June 1 for even greater control. Unlike chemical herbicides, corn gluten meal replaces the need to buy additional fertilizer. Warning: Do not allow a bag of corn gluten meal to get wet. The resultant odor can be overwhelming.
P.S. Cornmeal only works in an organic program. When toxic chemical products are used, the effect of the cornmeal will be lost.
What type of soil is in the garden area? Have you done a soil test? In most states you can have your soil tested at the county extension for free. This will let you know everything that your soil needs.
I'm very familiar with the conditions of your garden area. There might be hope. Apply blood and bone meal and dried molasses to the garden and till it in. Get a soil test. Its my guess that PH is off and M/Org. inactive. We can fix this I think. Adjusting PH is easy but we have to know what it is.
If the hay isn't avail. can you find shredded peanut hulls?
Vinegar Herbicide Formula:
1 gallon of 10% vinegar
Add 1 ounce orange oil or d-limonene
1 teaspoon liquid soap or other surfactant (Plant Wash)
Add molasses at 1 tablespoon per gallon to the vinegar formula
Do not add water
Apply on a hot sunny day.
Molasses is harmless to everything. It doesn't kill the ants, it re-establishes mic/orgs. so abundantly that it creates competition for the ants, and fire ants hate competition. They just move out of the area.
Get back to me
Roy
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Thank you Roy. I hope I can find these things (the ingredients for the vinegar formula).
I ordered the corn gluten meal online because I doubt I would be able to find it near me.
Look out weeds, I am armed and dangerous!!
Eileen
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The vinegar is for small applications. Some times it works and sometimes not. One of those home remedy things.
Have a great day. :D
Roy
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Hi Roy M
I hate to bother you again, my corn gluten meal should be here Monday. However, I am already picking weeds. Does this mean it's too late or is it possible to still prevent more weeds from sprouting? I live in the northeast and the weather has been mostly in the forties with a few warmer days. It's supposed to be in the fifties (during the day) this week.
One other thing, is it safe to eat onion grass? I saw this tall grass in a corner of the yard and I pulled it up and it had tiny little bulbs on the end and smelled like onion.
Eileen
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Eileen, please don't ever think you are bothering me. The pleasure is mine to be of some help.
No, its not too late as there are many weed seed waiting to sprout as it gets warmer. Unfortunately, you will probably still have to do some weed pulling. Getting rid of weeds and unwanted grasses usually takes a season, but come next spring you will see the difference. When Silvia and I got married 3 years ago, the yard was full of weeds, but healthy grass. I sowed rye grass very heavy in the fall. When spring came, the yard had just a few dandelions. I did the same thing the following year, but now the yard is beautiful and green and weed free.
If you still have problems after applying the C/g/m, let me know.
What you have found is most likely wild onion or garlic. Yes you can eat it, but might be a little strong. Break the flower off if you want it to mature. Once flowering starts, production to the root zone slows down to focus on the flower,or just pull the whole thing out of the ground. I think you will see its onion. There are several plants that smell like onion and are onion or garlic related, just not that desirable to eat.
Feel free to ask me any more questions. I hope I have been helpful. Remember, weeds don't just disappear over night. Time and patience and a little work.
Peace
Roy
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(http://i599.photobucket.com/albums/tt79/roydmartin/P1030735.jpg)
Ive added pictures of my new garden spot. I ran out of leaf mulch. This soil is a gardeners dream. Everything is planted. Blood meal, bone meal, molasses,3 inches decomposed leaf mulch. Ill do more mulching as seeds sprout and grow a little. Ill never have to pull one weed from it. Its not too pretty right now, but its the first time in this area of the yard. A month from now, well you will see.
Ive planted potatoes, onions, squashes, every color of bell pepper, several variety of tomatoes, purple hull peas, green beans, sugar snap peas, okra, lots of hot peppers, and corn, Chinese cabbage.
The corn and okra is in another spot.
I'm excited and happy. My work is done.. Good and healthy food on the way.
The green stuff in the right bottom is grass where I just mowed and it blew into the garden where I ran out of mulch.
Happy Gardening
Roy
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Hi Roy,
I can see you've got it together on this gardening thing. I've been listening to all your advice and applying what I can. The gardening is on hold right now, as we got a lot of rain over the weekend and now we are getting more today.
I just ordered some beneficial insects, a Praying Mantis egg case, Lacewing eggs on a card, beneficial nematodes, and Mealy Bug Destroyer (I have a orange tree that keep getting these mealy bugs). I like to watch those praying mantis seek their prey.
I sprinkled corn meal around the gardens, because I read that it was a good fungus inhibitor or did you already mention that :)
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Kat, it sounds like you got it going on too. Bug against bug. Let the best bug finish last. ;D
Mealy bugs are tough because they have a waxy type of coating that protects them from most sprays.
I use to spray them with a mixture of soap and alcohol. The alcohol breaks down their coating, but it sounds like you have it under control. Another good all purpose home remedy is;
1 cup chamomile tea
1 tsp. soap
half tsp. veg. oil
half tsp. peppermint oil
C/g/m is also good for keeping algae from developing in water ponds.
Roy
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Roy and Ninny (Kathy),
Interesting that you should mention the benefits of Molasses to natural growth.
Did you know that molasses will also aid in the break down and conversion of TNT to its natural components when applied to contaminated soil? It is a natural process that has been substituted for expensive soil removal and or incineration of the contaminated soil to prevent contamination of the water supply in areas that have been turned back over to private use by the U. S. government.
When I worked on this project from 1990 until 1998 I used to pick up 55 gallon drums of molasses at a depot in LaSalle, Illinois to transport them to the work site near Burlington, Iowa. Those drums were HEAVY.
Indiana Bob
Molasses
Sweet syrup that is a carbohydrate used as a soil amendment to feed and stimulate microorganisms. Contains sulfur, potash, and many trace minerals. Approximate analysis is 1-0-5. Molasses provides food for microorganisms and is a source of carbon, sulfur, and potash. It is a good, quick source of energy for the soil life and microbes in a compost pile, and will chase fire ants away. It is a carbon source and feeds beneficial microbes creating greater nature fertility. Liquid molasses is used in sprays and dry molasses is used as an ingredient in organic fertilizers. It contains sulfur, potash, and other trace minerals. Excellent foliar feeding material and can be mixed with other organic liquids. Use at 2-4 quarts/acre for soil application. For foliar application on broadleaf plants use 1 pint per acre. For grasses and grains still use 1 quart per acre. Blackstrap molasses is the best choice because it contains the sulfur and iron of the original material.
Dry molasses isn’t really straight dried molasses. It’s molasses sprayed on a grain residue carrier. It’s an excellent carbon source that stimulates beneficial microorganisms. And, it repels fire ants.
Molasses is the best sugar for horticultural use because of its trace minerals. Blackstrap is hard to find but is the best molasses because of the sulfur and iron, but any kind will work. Molasses is a carbon source and feeds the beneficial microbes creating greater natural plant fertility. Molasses also has a nice side benefit. When used with compost tea and orange oil, it kills fire ants and other insect pests. By itself, molasses repels fire ants effectively.
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Wow! who knew! I guess SOMEONE did, huh? heehee! You never get too old to learn something NEW! Ha! It isn't even new, just new to ME!!! :o
Interesting! 8)
Kathy ;)