OT: What are you planning to grow in the garden this year?

[pittbb80]

Yeah my soil is heavy clay. Got a new roto tiller last year, will add more compost and fresh top soil. The clay when it gets warm and dry compacts like concrete then the rain just runs away. Was thinking of even adding some sand.

The key is adding organic matter. One of the best amendments you can buy is mushroom manure.

You also need to add soil microbes to enhance the growth of good fungi that aid in root development

Adding BioChars is also important as it serves as an active site for microbial growth

Another good sources of organic matter is chicken feed believe it or not Of course you can add leaves in the fall or gras clippings and fill them in well (as long as your not putting insecticides and weed killers on the lawn )

Overall thought the key is organic matter, soil microbes and BioChar.

 

[vantheman1976]

My garden season is coming to a close. Did pretty well with a pantry stocked with jars full of tomatoes and pickled jalapenos, some dried chili peppers and about a kilo of hops. Carrots, greens and beets did well too. Can't wait for next summer.
What do you grow, and are you successful at it?

No vegetables....just ganja....and I'm hoping for a bumper crop. I hope the deer nibble on it and then go next door and slaughter my neighbor's garden because of the munchies. They never share their bounty....so screw them. Also hoping to plant some in my gutters which are packed with leaves and crap. I'll ask my other neighbor to climb a ladder to harvest it. He has bad knees....so should be fun to see if he can get up and down the ladder without falling!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

The key is adding organic matter. One of the best amendments you can buy is mushroom manure.

You also need to add soil microbes to enhance the growth of good fungi that aid in root development

Adding BioChars is also important as it serves as an active site for microbial growth

Another good sources of organic matter is chicken feed believe it or not Of course you can add leaves in the fall or gras clippings and fill them in well (as long as your not putting insecticides and weed killers on the lawn )

Overall thought the key is organic matter, soil microbes and BioChar.

I got to be careful though, if I add too many things like that, my dogs think it is a meal for them.

 

[ShipofFools]

The early planting has begun. Cold weather tolerable peas, spinach, and lettuce. Added mushroom compost to refresh the soils.

Beans, onions, eggplant , tomatoes next month. She will be trying to grow potatoes for the first time. Russet and red ones in 5 gallon buckets. My neighbor does that and told me about it.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

I have already had some asparagus shoots for several weeks, now. I planted those roots last spring.

My question is, I read that it shouldn’t be harvested for three years, in order to produce a good root system. So, does that mean last year was year one (with no spears produced), or is this year one?

I have to confess that I did eat the first couple of spears a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t resist eating them raw.

 

[USN_Panther]

I have already had some asparagus shoots for several weeks, now. I planted those roots last spring.

My question is, I read that it shouldn’t be harvested for three years, in order to produce a good root system. So, does that mean last year was year one (with no spears produced), or is this year one?

I have to confess that I did eat the first couple of spears a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t resist eating them raw.

My garden book says not to harvest for 2 years. If they set good roots, you will get asparagus for 20 years off of them.

 

[USN_Panther]

The early planting has begun. Cold weather tolerable peas, spinach, and lettuce. Added mushroom compost to refresh the soils.

Beans, onions, eggplant , tomatoes next month. She will be trying to grow potatoes for the first time. Russet and red ones in 5 gallon buckets. My neighbor does that and told me about it.

Potatoes are super easy. You can get two plantings in. My second set is nearing completion. The beauty of that is can just leave them in the ground through winter and dig them up as needed.
Potatoes can also be grown in bags. I haven't done that but saw the bags at the garden centre.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

My garden book says not to harvest for 2 years. If they set good roots, you will get asparagus for 20 years off of them.

Is year one when they are planted, or the next year when they start producing?

 

[USN_Panther]

Is year one when they are planted, or the next year when they start producing?

My understanding was you treated it like a child's birthday.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

My understanding was you treated it like a child's birthday.

Thanks.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

My garden book says not to harvest for 2 years. If they set good roots, you will get asparagus for 20 years off of them.

Within that 20 years, if production slows down, stop harvesting for a season, and it’s supposed to rejuvenate the roots.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

The early planting has begun. Cold weather tolerable peas, spinach, and lettuce. Added mushroom compost to refresh the soils.

Beans, onions, eggplant , tomatoes next month. She will be trying to grow potatoes for the first time. Russet and red ones in 5 gallon buckets. My neighbor does that and told me about it.

I started snow peas. They should be coming up over the next few days with this warm spell.

 

[solomongffox]

I have to say, I'm impressed by how much effort you're putting into improving your soil. Clay soil can be a real challenge, but it sounds like you have a good plan in place. As for me, I'm planning to grow some vegetables this year. I have a small raised bed and I'm going to plant some tomatoes, peppers, and maybe some herbs. I'm also considering adding a few fruit trees to my yard if I can find some good deals. On a side note, I recently came across scottsofthrapston.co.uk, and I have to say, they have some beautiful ex-display summerhouses and garden rooms. I've been considering adding one to my yard for some extra space to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I started snow peas. They should be coming up over the next few days with this warm spell.

Snowpeas are the bomb. I grow them and I like just picking one off the plant and eating right there.

 

[pittdan77]

I still stand by my "just buy it off the Mennonite's" strategy.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Snowpeas are the bomb. I grow them and I like just picking one off the plant and eating right there.

I agree. Unfortunately they came up and started well, but haven't done squat with this horrible weather. They're still only like 5-6 inches tall.

 

[PITT 76]

My garden book says spraying the pepper plants with water can be a solution for aphids. I did that and it didn't seem to work. I was reluctant to leave them wet but it didn't harm them I tried a vinegar spray and a soap spray and that didn't work either. Two applications of pyrethrin insect spray and aphids were gone.
I grew scarlet runner beans in the tunnel house and they were a big disappointment. Vines grew massive and set heaps of blossoms, but very few beans. I think the soil may be too nitrogen rich for them. I didn't over fertilize them, and everything else in there thrived and produced.

One year I bought ladybugs. That was very successful for handling aphids.

 

[upj87]

I agree. Unfortunately they came up and started well, but haven't done squat with this horrible weather. They're still only like 5-6 inches tall.

I've dealt with a stagnant 5-6 inch issue most of my life...

 

[Dan1911]

Cannabis.

Signed,
jivecat's Amazon driver.

 

[USN_Panther]

Cannabis.

Signed,
jivecat's Amazon driver.

I'm at a conference today. I had a photo on my phone of a surgical device to show a colleague. Scrolling through my photos, I had a picture of my hops harvest. She gasped and asked what I was growing, thinking it was marijuana. I'm not sure I was able to convince her they were actually Orange Sunrise hops.