What have you done for garden prep so far?

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Brent S said:
So, the plan is to pull the trees (big weeds) out of the garden and greenhouse tomorrow, mow, till and water in everything. The kids are eating healthy now and buying organics, so they both volunteered to help. I will take it when and however I get it!
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Weather here says to expect 7 or 8 inches of fain in the next week. Since I know about where you are, good luck....
 
robinjopo said:
Pollination would be the draw back. Paint brushes can be used to transfer pollen. People do it for squash.
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If I’m wanting to save seeds, but if I can grow 20 or 30 plants and have fans going the corn will pollinate especially if I have other plant growing for cross pollination instead inbreeding then I can save seeds.

Right now I’m looking to grow corn just for the corn and not seeds, our grow season is already short but from the looks of it, it’s going to be shorter than normal.
 
Maverick said:
If I’m wanting to save seeds, but if I can grow 20 or 30 plants and have fans going the corn will pollinate especially if I have other plant growing for cross pollination instead inbreeding then I can save seeds.

Right now I’m looking to grow corn just for the corn and not seeds, our grow season is already short but from the looks of it, it’s going to be shorter than normal.
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I try every year, but my soil will not grow corn.
 
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robinjopo said:
I try every year, but my soul will not grow corn.
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I’ve managed to grow some finally after multiple attempts but it was kind of mushy and not really good. Looked pretty anyways. There is a field in a low spot near heat that a guy plants it every year in that is the most beautiful corn I’ve ever seen. I need to track him down and learn his secrets.
 
I lounged around this morning, with a well deserved rest. It is the most perfect day I’ve seen in ages here. Must be 70degs and a mostly clear sky. The rain is coming this late afternoon though. I guess I have to go out and start the garden now. Also still have 9 more trees to cut up for next years heat. I will be lucky to get them cut and stacked in the next month.
 
Brent S said:
I lounged around this morning, with a well deserved rest. It is the most perfect day I’ve seen in ages here. Must be 70degs and a mostly clear sky. The rain is coming this late afternoon though. I guess I have to go out and start the garden now. Also still have 9 more trees to cut up for next years heat. I will be lucky to get them cut and stacked in the next month.
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Rub it in Brent. It's 23 and snowing this morning. We still have 6+ feet of snow covering the garden.
 
This year, I'll sow a few annuals that will provide food without hindering future plans: dwarf and climbing french beans, beetroot, spinach, green kuri squash, courgette, lettuce and corn salad, red and green kale, radishes and so on. The new garden is mostly lawn and the late winter skeletons of decorative shrubs right now. I need to see what comes up, and whether the extant gooseberries, blackcurrants and rhubarb are a) worth keeping and b) in the right places. Once I've mapped the garden, I'll start planning the best layout for infrastructure, growing beds, etc.

Initial ideas (not all happening this year!):
  • asparagus and artichokes on the south boundary wall; trellis on the north boundary wall for brambles and other long-cane soft fruit, with soft fruit, tender stone fruit and herbs beneath where they'll get bags of sun and warmth from the stone - I'm determined to grow apricots
  • top fruit orchard: apples, pears, damsons, cherries, maybe even a quince
  • investigate really worthwhile perennial veg that will get on alright in odd corners without much attention
  • return part of the sunken garden to a pond and make the rest more of a wildlife haven, and dig a smaller pond at the top of the garden - this is slug territory, so I'll need all the help I can get from hedgehogs, toads and frogs!
  • construct raised beds for veg and strawberries to run N-S across the garden; lay weed-suppressing membrane and woodchip along the paths
  • scrub the greenhouse and perhaps install another, so that I can go daft with early peas as well as tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, grapes, peppers
  • get chillis and a lime tree going in the conservatory
  • contact local stables to see about getting a big pile of good horse manure delivered to rot down over the autumn/winter
  • re-roof the old shed for use as a fuel-wood store, then get the thing filled
  • build at least 3 or 4 large bays for compost; leaf-mould will probably go in bags behind the conservatory
  • construct trough planters with anti-slug legs for salad leaves
  • investigate where to site animals: perhaps bees on the far side of the burn; hens might work in the orchard, as long as I can protect them from raptors
  • install water butts on the house, garage and shed downpipes
  • and on and on and on...
This will be a hell of a year :D
 
Arcticdude said:
Rub it in Brent. It's 23 and snowing this morning. We still have 6+ feet of snow covering the garden.
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Ouch! The downside to this perfect sunny day is the plum trees are all blossoming allready. They are certain to freeze before long. The seasons are a lot different than they used to be here.
On the upside though, we got the garden 1/2 tilled and the greenhouse is completely tilled, raked out and watered in good. Having the kids help was a huge difference! They have piddled in the garden some before but not really been a lot of help. Now that they are on a health kick and only eating organic the garden holds a new interest for them, and welcomed help for me. We even got the trunk of one of the oak trees cut up today. It’s still on the ground but is one step closer to being in the firewood bins. After all that though I’m relaxing in the hot tub right now with a glass of muscadine wine. The lower back just isn’t what it used to be... the rain is moving in shortly and expected to fall all night and all tomorrow so some relaxing is in order for a bit.
 
Brent S said:
Ouch! The downside to this perfect sunny day is the plum trees are all blossoming allready. They are certain to freeze before long. The seasons are a lot different than they used to be here.
On the upside though, we got the garden 1/2 tilled and the greenhouse is completely tilled, raked out and watered in good. Having the kids help was a huge difference! They have piddled in the garden some before but not really been a lot of help. Now that they are on a health kick and only eating organic the garden holds a new interest for them, and welcomed help for me. We even got the trunk of one of the oak trees cut up today. It’s still on the ground but is one step closer to being in the firewood bins. After all that though I’m relaxing in the hot tub right now with a glass of muscadine wine. The lower back just isn’t what it used to be... the rain is moving in shortly and expected to fall all night and all tomorrow so some relaxing is in order for a bit.
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Brent, my plum trees have buds. Not good.
 
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