What have you done for garden prep so far?

[user 6493]

well I planted white ,red and yellow onions,,,I may never plant the reds again only 15 are growing out of around 75,the white are doing ok but the yellow planted last weekend all 80 are above ground and looking good,,,,next year I may plant nothing but the yellow

 

[Mountain trapper]

Went to town yesterday to see if I could find some strawberry plants. The grocery store usually has some this time of year but they were out. They did have some tomato plants, but it's still too early to plant tomatoes. Next week I'll make the 250 mile round trip to a nursery and get some more raspberry, grape and blackberry plants as well as strawberry plants.

 

[user 6493]

I checked my string beans around 8:00 am there was nothing,and just now and most have sprouted a good 2 inches above ground,,,,,I will have more than I want

 

[Brent S]

well I planted white ,red and yellow onions,,,I may never plant the reds again only 15 are growing out of around 75,the white are doing ok but the yellow planted last weekend all 80 are above ground and looking good,,,,next year I may plant nothing but the yellow

This whole thing is about learning about what works in your area. Trial and error is the best teacher.

 

[SheilaT.]

Got the shelling beans in the other day, cleared some more space for the winter greens to go oit and the green beans.

 

[SheilaT.]

This whole thing is about learning about what works in your area. Trial and error is the best teacher.

When I was at the allotment yetserday I noticed the onions were looking a bit odd. I had a Googley and they are infested with onion leaf miners. There's no treatment so today I will have to rip them all out and destroy them.
Having done a bit of research, next year I will plant later to miss the time when the adults are active.

 

[Brent S]

I'm so far behind in weeding I'll never get caught up! If I could can and eat them I'd be set thru two winters..... I'm doing two rows this morning before anything else, but that's just scratching the surface.

 

[Brent S]

When I was at the allotment yetserday I noticed the onions were looking a bit odd. I had a Googley and they are infested with onion leaf miners. There's no treatment so today I will have to rip them all out and destroy them.
Having done a bit of research, next year I will plant later to miss the time when the adults are active.

So, even seven dust dosent help? I try not to use chemicals, but will occasionally when I see something out of the ordinary. I used it in the greenhouse a few weeks back on an ant mound, and with one treatment, no more ant mound.

 

[SheilaT.]

So, even seven dust dosent help? I try not to use chemicals, but will occasionally when I see something out of the ordinary. I used it in the greenhouse a few weeks back on an ant mound, and with one treatment, no more ant mound.

Nope, by the time you see the symptoms it's too late and there's no preventative measure exept to cover the onions in fine mesh until the danger period of infestation has passed. The female lays eggs in the leaf and the larvae eat their way to the forming bulb. Some of them have rotted already. I'm going to do more research and see how the farmers protect against this pest.

 

[Dani]

Sally, please share your findings of getting rid of if you find anything. The one leaf miner is a relatively new incest for us. Since they live inside the leaf they are protected from dust and sprays, so very difficult to kill. Only thing that works that I have read is the covers for prevention. Our leaf miners normally just makes our plants look bad except when they get by the fruit, but this other guy bores to the bulbs causing them to rot & not just onions, all the family. UKs first case was 2002 & spread rapidly. . . now looks like it had a boat ride to the US so get ready guys.

 

[SheilaT.]

Apparently it has made it's way to the UK from the EU, Germany more specifically. I'd never heard of it before yesterday and it has competely destroyed my onion crop. A whole year's worth of onions gone!

From what I have read so far the onion leaf miner has 2 hatchings a year. In march/ april, and then a second one october/november. So if you are going to plant any of the onion family at about that time, so far the only things that work irrefutably is to plant after these times or protect the crop with fine mesh or garden fleece.

 

[Brent S]

I ended up doing 4 hours of weeding in the main garden, And mounding some peanut plants. What really sucks is I'm not half done. I was going to keep going some more but got rained out. At least I don't have to water now. I'm kind of thinking it's just cheaper to buy veggies... (not really, but it's close)

 

[Dani]

When we put down new carpet in the rent house I took the old made strips out of it and laid down in walkways. If I notice one that starts getting new grow,just drag one carpet strip to put on top of that walkway. That and mulching the beds really helps cut down on weeds. I just take a how about a couple times a week to keep them at bay. It takes about an hour each time but they get less and less. If they don't drop seeds they will not reappear unless it is underground of coarse. We did get some more iold carpet from the side of the road last week that got cut too. Eventually I nay just have enough to do all the walkways.

We just had a big storm with lots of high winds blow thru. Had 1 bed of corn which was about 4 1/2 ft tall get blown over so will need to get those stood back up and hope for the best. The other 5 beds did fine.

 

[Brent S]

When we put down new carpet in the rent house I took the old made strips out of it and laid down in walkways. If I notice one that starts getting new grow,just drag one carpet strip to put on top of that walkway. That and mulching the beds really helps cut down on weeds. I just take a how about a couple times a week to keep them at bay. It takes about an hour each time but they get less and less. If they don't drop seeds they will not reappear unless it is underground of coarse. We did get some more iold carpet from the side of the road last week that got cut too. Eventually I nay just have enough to do all the walkways.

We just had a big storm with lots of high winds blow thru. Had 1 bed of corn which was about 4 1/2 ft tall get blown over so will need to get those stood back up and hope for the best. The other 5 beds did fine.

I know that keeping up with it is key. I was really busy with work, which is good for making money but bad for gardening. I am about to bring in some semi composted mulch, when I get time. I may put some cardboard beneath it too. Well, the upside is I saw many tiny cucumbers today. Also a lot of tomatoes, with a couple just about to start turning red. I also have loads of carrots and onions ready, and the potatoes are almost ready too. The blueberries are so heavy with huge berries this year I'm almost afraid they will break limbs off! Grapes are going wild with all this rain, as well as the blackberries. Peaches and apples got hit with a freeze while in bloom, but will still get a decent crop of apples at least. Even with the upkeep and work, it is still one of the most rewarding things to me to watch all this grow and then get to eat it. I may like to whine a little now and then, but I really do love it.

 

[user 6493]

I don't know what to think here I have 8 tomato plants blooms come and go but so far I have only 2 tomato's on the vine

 

[Mountain trapper]

Finally got one of the raised beds ready to plant strawberries in. I think I'll wait until this evening when it cools down to plant. It's starting to get hot now, may get up to 72 today.
Two of the cherry trees I planted last spring have bloomed and are now getting little cherries. Fortunately we didn't get any high winds this spring to damage the blossoms.
Next week we should be safe from frost to start planting the vegetables. This year we'll just use raised beds. The garden area is freshly cleared and has lots of roots left. Next year I'll have a tiller for the tractor that should chop up the roots.

 

[Dani]

I don't know what to think here I have 8 tomato plants blooms come and go but so far I have only 2 tomato's on the vine

My first thought would be pollination issuers. Have you seen any bees around them doing what they need to be doing? And second would be how much water are they getting? Tomatoes need plenty for a good production.

 

[user 6493]

My first thought would be pollination issuers. Have you seen any bees around them doing what they need to be doing? And second would be how much water are they getting? Tomatoes need plenty for a good production.

I have never noticed a lack of bees in this area and it has been a wet spring,I am more inclined to think it is something missing from the soil

 

[Dani]

I have never noticed a lack of bees in this area and it has been a wet spring,I am more inclined to think it is something missing from the soil

If they have good foliage you got enough nitrogen so maybe a lack of phosphorus? Put in a good fertilizer. . a fish bone meal would be a good option for you. They also have a rock phosphate, but I have never used it but it has almost twice the levels.

 

[Brent S]

I have never noticed a lack of bees in this area and it has been a wet spring,I am more inclined to think it is something missing from the soil

Grind up eggshells and use 1 teaspoon of epsom salt on each plant. The bone meal Danlgrl mentioned is good too. Tomatoes are greedy plants that need lots of food and water to produce well.

 

[user 6493]

If they have good foliage you got enough nitrogen so maybe a lack of phosphorus? Put in a good fertilizer. . a fish bone meal would be a good option for you. They also have a rock phosphate, but I have never used it but it has almost twice the levels.

that is just it the foliage is not good

 

[Dani]

You can get an all purpose fertilizer to add in then cause it sounds like you need both. Even a good 13-13-13 lawn fertilizer would be good since you have enough rain & don't need the extra moisture from a liquid. I get it from Tractor Supply in 40 lb bags when needed and it is around $20 bucks. 2 lbs per 100 square ft. If you haven't already started a compost pile, go ahead and get it started now so you can use it next season. Grass clippings are great along with all you kitchen scraps. Remember if it had breath at one time, it can be added. Kitchen scrapes, meat, bones, leaves, fish scraps, etc. That will be the best fertilizer that you can add in. If your local dump passes out mulch, grab it and start from there with adding in. You can actually just add it into the garden dirt too so it can break down there. But for the quick fix, I'd add in the fertilizer.

 

[user 6493]

You can get an all purpose fertilizer to add in then cause it sounds like you need both. Even a good 13-13-13 lawn fertilizer would be good since you have enough rain & don't need the extra moisture from a liquid. I get it from Tractor Supply in 40 lb bags when needed and it is around $20 bucks. 2 lbs per 100 square ft. If you haven't already started a compost pile, go ahead and get it started now so you can use it next season. Grass clippings are great along with all you kitchen scraps. Remember if it had breath at one time, it can be added. Kitchen scrapes, meat, bones, leaves, fish scraps, etc. That will be the best fertilizer that you can add in. If your local dump passes out mulch, grab it and start from there with adding in. You can actually just add it into the garden dirt too so it can break down there. But for the quick fix, I'd add in the fertilizer.

I will get some fertilizer this coming weekend,,,,when this garden is done I will add a till in a few bails of straw
and maybe some old sawdust from the local mill,,,,I always have potash in fact right now I have around 3 5 gallon buckets of it sitting around,,,I don't think it will hurt anything,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Mountain trapper]

Planted some corn today. Some of the sunflowers I planted last week are coming up now. Fertilized the grapes, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries a couple days ago. They are all really taking off. Need to string some wire on the trellis posts so they have something to climb on.

 

[Dani]

If you know

I will get some fertilizer this coming weekend,,,,when this garden is done I will add a till in a few bails of straw
and maybe some old sawdust from the local mill,,,,I always have potash in fact right now I have around 3 5 gallon buckets of it sitting around,,,I don't think it will hurt anything,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Anyone with cattle. . . when they clean out there old hay is a good time to offer to haul it away. That is some good stuff to add. Lay it down, wait a couple days so it dries out (it will be very wet on the underside) then till it in. Attracts earthworms too. You have black clay, right? I may be thinking about someone else. I don't know if maybe you have rice mills there, but the hulls are a good way to break up that hard clay.. Whatever you can find to help break it up at the end of your growing season I would & add in continuously, especially if you can find a free source. . . if not, it will just go back into being mud or whatever you original soil is. My mind is going to clay cause that is normally nutrient deprived, which is what I started with.

 

[WGregMiller]

We used to get cotton gin dirt for free here. A little cotton, cotton seed, stalks, hulls, etc from a cotton gin. After it composts at the gin a couple years, great amendment for our clay. High in nitrogen.

Now they're busy converting cotton fields into subdivisions, plus the price of cotton has been low, so they grow other crops.

 

[user 6493]

If you know

Anyone with cattle. . . when they clean out there old hay is a good time to offer to haul it away. That is some good stuff to add. Lay it down, wait a couple days so it dries out (it will be very wet on the underside) then till it in. Attracts earthworms too. You have black clay, right? I may be thinking about someone else. I don't know if maybe you have rice mills there, but the hulls are a good way to break up that hard clay.. Whatever you can find to help break it up at the end of your growing season I would & add in continuously, especially if you can find a free source. . . if not, it will just go back into being mud or whatever you original soil is. My mind is going to clay cause that is normally nutrient deprived, which is what I started with.

lots of cattle around here getting old hay should not be a problem,I have chicken house right up the road from me and I know the man pretty well

 

[Dani]

Added bonus fertilizer included!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Added bonus fertilizer included!

That's why I built the pig pen, corral and chicken coop next to the garden and orchard. This fall I'll build a rabbit barn across from the garden. Should be plenty of free fertilizer.

 

[Brent S]

Well, I'm up to about two thirds of the garden weeded! Most of the peanuts have dirt mounded around them now too. The potato plants are dying off now and should be ready to harvest in a couple weeks, and I started harvesting carrots and onions. I don't seem to have enough free time for the gardening, but am trying when I can.