Garden out yet?

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I'm probably one of the early ones being just north of Houston. But still its late for me, most years in by the end of Feb to avoid the hot hot summers.
But this year was still planting last week and last night it got 35, unbelieveable. I hope it didn't damage my tender bush beans that are up.

We did get a rain, most was gentle but some a bit hard, only had the seeds out for 2 days, hoping it didn't beat them down to far so I have to replant.

I have out 30 tomato plants, various varieties, had some cherry tomatoes set on and several were blooming. Cabbage, head lettuce, onions, beans. Then planted couple of weeks later, more cabbage, bibb lettuce, spinach, beets, turnips, carrots, cucumbers, squash, snow peas, bell peppers, yellow, green, and red. Have a half row out to plant yet.

I'm thinking of adding a row on each side and putting out sweet corn, but I can get the mower in there now and mow around the edges, if I go out that far will have to use the push mower and weedeater, lot of extra work. Hubby was going to plow and disc in the back at a rental we have on an acre of land about 10 miles north of us but he said it was to wet. I wanted to plant sweet corn and melons, takes up to much room in my garden, also a couple tomatoe plants and cukes for the tenants to have but not getting it done. He is heading out for another project real soon.

I also have an apple tree, to little to produce yet, maybe next year. 3 grapevines added 3 more, 3rd year no production yet. My orange tree produced year 1 and last year was loaded, its a dwarf tree and looks like its loadd with blooms again this year. Won't get oranges till around September or October. 2 peach trees, the dwarf was loaded last year, went to pick them, from one day to the next the squirrels cleaned off every peach but one, I could have killed them. The cold wealther did my other tree good and its loaded with blooms, if this cold spell doesn't get it. Have to figure out squirrel proofing.

I have a grapefruit tree that I think died and a nectarine, to cold, but the apricot and avocado look good. Need to see how old they need to be to prouce. Also have 3 tiny cherry trees to plant, have to find a spot.

Can't see much yet but my first garden picture of the year.

Even us old ladies can put out a garden. I have a Troy Bilt Pony tiller, I really like it, easy for me to use.

 

[dave1949]

That's nice looking garden spot you have there. Sort of early here, the snow just melted off my strawberries two days ago. My ground is still way to wet to be walking on. I need to cut off last year's asparagus growth, tidy up my compost pile and start some seeds indoors soon.

Hope you have a great garden year.
Dave.

 

[bp fick]

Nice garden spot. Like your rabbit fence too.
Here we don't fear summer, we have to wait for its warmth. We are just now planting seeds indoors in trays. We will set tender things out in late May.

Our snow shoe rabbits are tough, but the deer are worse. They have over run the area. We have to build our fences just a wee bit taller!!!

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

We used to have a lot of deer around and rabbits. To many people out here now, all the lots are fenced, ours at 2 acres is one of the smaller places.

I saw a deer across the road not long ago, but just down the road a bit is the river bottoms and they stay mostly out in there anymore. Before they built the new subdivision across the road there used to be deer hunters that hunted and had deer blinds, is that what you call them? To hunt out there.

No rabbits come in the yard anymore with our dog, he helps keep the squirrels down a tiny bit but we are overrun. He catches one just every so often and eats them, also he digs out moles and catches them, no more issues with them. The chickens, only 3 right now, keep a lot of the bugs cleaned up.

That is some nice fence, a lot neater then mine. Hubby keeps saying when he has time he will fix it and put me up a new chicken fence. He must have a years worth of work to do here. He has been home 5 months and hasn't stopped. But we got a new bath for DD built out, a new walkin closet for me, and half bath in the garage, laundry sink, and the garage insulated and put up finished plywood. We hired a handyman to help do that. Then he tore out the old kitchen and completed all but the trim and back side of the bar. Not sure he has time to finish that before leaving. Waiting on tile for the backsplash and my tile guys to do so I keep him real busy.

We have so many things he wants to do, I love how neat your area is. I am slower at keeping it all cleaned up, but I will get it done. It's just lot of yardwork for me to do here and at the rentals, and I think I might be getting old! Wonder how that happened.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

The last 2 years it has been so dry here the only way I can have a good garden is to irrigate. Last summer was over 100 for almost 2 months. Hubby was going to help fix me up something better, but now won't happen. I have drip hoses that I put out and hook to a manifold and stagger watering the rows. We have well water so don't want to burn up the pump. It's worked really well the last 2 years. It's kind of a pain when tilling, have to unhook at the end of the rows to keep from running through them, but it works. He wants to run me underground piping to my garden. We are thinking of drilling another well near it. Texas is getting big in this area about using surface water so we think maybe we need to do this before our old well goes bad and before more regulations kick in, but that's $10k, ouchie. Lined casing, cemented top and all that stuff.

I also found out what is supposed to prevent blossom end rot. I had beautiful tomatoes and then the end would be rotten, I read its lack of calcium in the soil. I read to put a raw egg in an uncracked shell in the bottom of each hole before putting in your tomato plant. I add fish emulsion before covering and bury a lot of the stem, makes for a stronger plant. Right now my plants are dark green.

 

[Thomas]

Frost still in the ground here,around first part of May before mixing up the soil..maybe sooner do to warm spring so far.

 

[WayneB]

Most of the frost is out of the ground around here, but way too wet to be on the ground. I did get time this weekend to put my new cultivator/hiller together and tied it out just to see how it was going to work. We will need to adjust it to the planting area before using, but I pretty sure it will do the job in my potato patch!

 

[jeffinsgf]

I planted a couple hundred onions a couple weeks ago. My garlic and shallots planted last fall are all looking good. Strawberries are waking up, but I think the deer are eating the new leaves. Planted a few potatoes on St. Paddy's day. I've got more to go out when I'm a little more certain of the weather. Head lettuce (both red and green), arugula, endive and escarole are looking good, even in the snow. Spinach is planted, but hasn't shown any signs of germination yet.

Taking out a few trees to expand the garden. Had a good start on it, then the ice and snow came in. Beautiful today, though.

Tomatoes and peppers are growing away under the lights in the sun room.

 

[jinman]

Carolyn, I have tomatoes and peppers ready to set out, but I had to hold off because we just had a snow storm in N. Texas. Yesterday morning I had almost 2" of snow on the ground. Luckily, it all melted off and today it's supposed to be up around 60 degrees. I've found I need to wait until the last week in March or 1st week of April to be sure all freezing has past in this area. Last week I set out cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower and about 200 onions. I also planted snow peas, sweet peas, purple hull peas, and bush beans. Since we got 1/2" of rain and then the snow, my garden has standing water between the hills and I'll have to wait until next weekend to get in to finish planting.

BP- I love your fence. I have a much larger area to fence in and I hope to use a similar design. One side of my fence runs by my driveway and behind a long flowerbed, so I want it to be a bit more decorative. A local sawmill cuts creosote posts and sells 1/4-rounds for fence building. I think I'll use those next to my driveway for a rail fence look and then fill in between rounds with chicken wire as you've done. Even if I did it just like your fence, it would look plenty good. Yours is very neat and well done.

Wayne- That looks like really serious plow. Are you sure you will be able to pull it with the industrial tires on your Kubota? I think your tractor has plenty of power, but if your industrials are like mine, they just don't have the pull traction of Ag tires.

 

[forgeblast]

I was out turning over some beds and noticed i have a bad vole problem

 

[WayneB]

Carolyn, I have tomatoes and peppers ready to set out, but I had to hold off because we just had a snow storm in N. Texas. Yesterday morning I had almost 2" of snow on the ground. Luckily, it all melted off and today it's supposed to be up around 60 degrees. I've found I need to wait until the last week in March or 1st week of April to be sure all freezing has past in this area. Last week I set out cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower and about 200 onions. I also planted snow peas, sweet peas, purple hull peas, and bush beans. Since we got 1/2" of rain and then the snow, my garden has standing water between the hills and I'll have to wait until next weekend to get in to finish planting.

Wayne- That looks like really serious plow. Are you sure you will be able to pull it with the industrial tires on your Kubota? I think your tractor has plenty of power, but if your industrials are like mine, they just don't have the pull traction of Ag tires.

Key thing is it will be used just for cultivating and hilling of potatoes so I think it will be okay. Also the wheels only let it dig to a certain depth, which will help. Without the wheels though it would dig deep enough to cause the wheels to spin and zero traction.

 

[quackaddict]

I'm a little North of Houston(just outside Bryan/College Station) and mine first plants will be going in this weekend. This is my first year in Texas, so hopefully everything will go alright. Here's my list.
Corn
'Maters
Sweet Taters
Jalapenos
Bell Peppers
Broccolli
Basil
Cilantro
carrotts
Squash
Zucchinni
Okra
Sugar Babies
and more stuff that I can't remember right now... Wish me luck

 

[jinman]

...Here's my list.
Corn
'Maters
Sweet Taters
Jalapenos
Bell Peppers
Broccolli
Basil
Cilantro
carrotts
Squash
Zucchinni
Okra
Sugar Babies
and more stuff that I can't remember right now... Wish me luck

Sounds like a good list. Last year I found out that one basil plant would have been more than enough. Also, plant only a small amount of cilantro and then plan on replanting a month later so you have two crops. Cilantro goes to seed really quickly and you can grow several crops per year. You can also trim it back and it will delay its going to seed somewhat. Last year we planted thyme and dried and ground it. It is my favorite spice to sprinkle over italian dishes. Sweet basil is excellent sprinkled on tomato soup too.

I tried carrots one year and got only a few little knotty roots. I won't try them again. Also, when I grow corn, I'm just feeding 'coons. I love fresh sweet corn, but the 'coons will wipe out my crop.

I'm surprised you aren't growing some type of peas or beans.

 

[Nissan197]

The 8" of snow we got this past weekend is melting. Once it dries out my garden will be going in. Bought seed potatoes and onions last week when it was 60 degrees out.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

You mean mole problem? Need to borrow my dog, he digs those little buggers out and kills them. We no longer have that issue.

 

[forgeblast]

You mean mole problem? Need to borrow my dog, he digs those little buggers out and kills them. We no longer have that issue.

nope a vole---nasty litte thing like a mouse girdles trees, or will tunnel and eat its roots, kills the majority of things around our property. they can reproduce fast too, 5 litters a year with up to 15 pups in a litter.

wish i could sic the dogs on them, my basenji/mix is a natural hunter anything in the fenced in area is hers, she has chased down squirrls, rabbits, a possum, and voles/mice.
but her problem is she will run for 12 hours at a time and we are having an issue with one of our neighbors and his two crazy sheppards. so i would like to keep them in the fenced in area which means anything out side that area is fair game.
Now for the first time i have heard owls in the woods near our house, hopefully the are eating them up.

 

[955er]

Find the main tunnel, dig into it, drop a 1" chlorine tab (for the pool) in the hole, stand way back, pour a little ammonia in the hole, and cover it up quick.

It will kill all the moles/voles. Be careful not to breath. It can kill you too.

My grandfather taught me this one. Gasses everything in the tunnel. Dig the tablet out 2 weeks later.

Again, be careful. It is mustard gas, after all.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I never heard of those before, voles, interesting.

I got seed potatoes yesterday, may add another row. I've never planted them down here before, never saw them. I got the Yukon Golds, don't know if they will grow here but they are selling them. Probably should have gone with the russets. Dad used to plant Irish Cobblers way back when.

 

[jinman]

I've never planted them down here before, never saw them. I got the Yukon Golds, don't know if they will grow here but they are selling them.

Carolyn, I think potatoes will grow easily in your sandy soil. What will be the biggest problem is bugs eating at them just about the time they start to bloom and grubs going after your spuds. I had to really fight potato beetles and grubworms when I grew potatoes up here in Wise County.

 

[Western]

I have got most of mine planted yesterday, a little earlier than normal for me. I guess you could say I am "flipping a coin" this year.


I haven't planted potatoes, I have before and had better luck when living further North. i like Jinman, found I was at war with the bugs more than I had time to fight' em.

I generally try to plant what we eat the most and that cost the most at the store versus home grown.