How does your garden grow?

Jstpssng · May 10, 2014

Western said:
So far the hay has been great, I have even used oat and wheat hay with no issues. Seeds may sprout in the fall, but that is more biomass tilled in later. All the weeds I deal with now, are the same I'd be dealing with anyway.

Straw is good, but the coastal is easier to work with, much finer grass. I have never "inherited" weeds from using hay, especially if its a high quality horse type hay. I usually will try to get the second cutting or later if I can (less chance of weeds), but it usually fetches a higher premium. I bought a 600# round last year for $30 that was 2 year old wheat straw, even better now on the bottom.

That's good to know. I have so many weeds anyhow that I don't know why I worry about a few more!

whynot162 · May 10, 2014

I know carrots are slow, but last year I had to plant 2X and at least they finally came up. some years I will not get much if any. I use drip, every 6" but so far the rain has been taking care of the watering. I am in Western Washington about 1 hr. north of Portland Oregon.

Western · May 10, 2014

whynot162 said:
I have planted a few things, but I struggle every year getting the carrots up, grow good when finally up. Plant them really shallow. Any idea what I am doing wrong?

I plant mine a couple weeks later than recommended, seem to germinate and do better, but it's a crap shoot in our heat.

randy41 · May 10, 2014

carrots are tough to get going. you can't let the seed dry out at all and you have to be careful not to wash the seed away. my last planting seems to be working ok, not perfect. i direct seeded into a clean bed and then laid a piece of agribon on the ground on top of the seed and fastened it down with sod staples. then the row cover keeps the ground from drying out quickly. it still takes a couple of weeks for the seeds to wake up.

Western · May 10, 2014

lakngulf said:
Great looking garden there Western. Looks like your plants are enjoying the soil and hay very well. Is that black Preen cloth down some rows? I have used that on occasion with mixed results. Seems to always collect dirt, and slippery when wet. One year I was trying to do something in the garden, hit a slick spot, and zap I was broadside in a hurry. Tougher on the 60s body.

This stuff doesn't seem to slippery. I found it at TSC sold as str8 up landscape fabric, 4'x200' roll is $29 and a 3'x50' roll was like $7 and comes with a 15 year guarantee! I am using it for the vining (sp) plants, melons and such, more complete coverage, so will see how it does this year. The 3' I used for the Okra, figure black will keep the ground warm and okra loves the heat:thumbsup:

TomSeller said:
I use soaker hoses a lot. I have an artesian well that puts out about 5 to 10 psi which is perfect for soaker hoes with a long cycle time on the timer. I have it come on every few days during the night so there is plenty of time for the water to soak the roots.

I had not seen Spinosad before, that sounds like a great product. It looks like a good combination with soaker hoses not washing it off the plant.

That is a perfect well for the hose, I just use the well that supply's the house. Great thing about hay, it's fairly cheap, builds the soil and conserves water by stretching out the evaporation, we use far less water then we did years ago using a sprinkler type set-up. Hay is cheap mulch.

That Spinosad is great stuff, Google it and see what you think. 2 weeks ago, we where killing 30-50 green cuc beetles a day, from 6 rows of beans!. I sprayed one evening and the next day we only found 8, day after that only 2.

The thrips on the roses where gone in 24 hrs, same for the leaf hoppers and little grass hoppers. There are limits to how often you use it and it has to be reapplied after a rain or when in wears out. I sprayed everything in my garden, but the onions and used only a 3 gal mixture (took 45 minutes). Also did my fruit trees and the stuff so far has been majic...and it wont kill your kids!!:laughing: YUP, I'm a "fanboy" now

TomSeller · May 11, 2014

Western said:
That is a perfect well for the hose, I just use the well that supply's the house. Great thing about hay, it's fairly cheap, builds the soil and conserves water by stretching out the evaporation, we use far less water then we did years ago using a sprinkler type set-up. Hay is cheap mulch.

That Spinosad is great stuff, Google it and see what you think. 2 weeks ago, we where killing 30-50 green cuc beetles a day, from 6 rows of beans!. I sprayed one evening and the next day we only found 8, day after that only 2.

I am late with my garden but I do plan to use Spinosad for sure this year. So far I just have onions, peas, cabbage, brussels sprouts and radishio growing. Shortly I should have kale, celery, fennel, kohlrabi, radish, corn, pumpkins and squash going. Aphid have been a problem.

One hobby I have is saving antique apple varieties. I grow root stock from seed and graft old time varieties onto them. I have a problem with caterpillars and aphid on the young trees. I see where Spinosad works on both so I am extra exited to potentially not have to deal with tanglefoot on the trunks (actually all over my hands and clothes).

Western · May 11, 2014

Tom, I was about to make some cuc beetle traps using tanglefoot and glove oil, but decided to try the Spinosad since I had it. I read many threads where some said it would work on them and some claimed it did not, well it does. I have seen them eating the plants, so at the "re breeding" stage at least, it runs them off.

Most of the plants you listed are in or near the same family and really liked by the Harlequin stink bug and other stink bugs. We had went out one afternoon before I was to go out of town and found 100s of them on the short row of broccoli. I used my little propane torch again and it does the trick! Most sprays just roll of those plants unless you mix in some neem oil or cheaper garden insect soap. Since they pierce and suck the plant, Spinosad isn't as effective as it is on chewing bugs, but I can tell it helps keep the numbers low. Hit them with the Spinosad and it will get them though. torch is just fast and "funner"

BTW, last year worms, grasshoppers and aphids did a number on my 2-3 year old S dwarf fruit trees, this year hardly a bite since applying the spinosad. Fingers crossed.

TomSeller · May 11, 2014

Western said:
Tom, I was about to make some cuc beetle traps using tanglefoot and glove oil, but decided to try the Spinosad since I had it. I read many threads where some said it would work on them and some claimed it did not, well it does. I have seen them eating the plants, so at the "re breeding" stage at least, it runs them off.

BTW, last year worms, grasshoppers and aphids did a number on my 2-3 year old S dwarf fruit trees, this year hardly a bite since applying the spinosad. Fingers crossed.

Very good to hear. I go to a lot of work to grow a tree from seed, then graft scion, nurse the tree for two years only to have it get attacked by aphids and caterpillars before it is large enough to withstand it. I am growing full sized trees so they will be able to tolerate them as they get larger, but when there are only a few shoots it is tough. How often do you re-apply the Spinosad?

Western · May 11, 2014

I have only had to spray once so far this year. About 2 weeks ago is when when have had the largest amount of caterpillars, not sure exactly what kind , but presume it's moths. They are hard on any vegetation around here. I sprayed, (should say "drenched") my trees top to bottom about 20 minutes until dark and will reapply next week after a projected rain storm blows through.

Last year I mixed it at 1/2 extra strength, bad idea, had leaf burn on many plants. This year stuck with the "rules" at 2 tbsp per gallon and just amazed. Late evening for me is best, it's cooler on the plants and less beneficial's like bees are out. They will die if they are sprayed directly, but after it drys, beneficial s are mostly safe.

BTW, My bottle says you can also "soak the ground" around the fruit trees to thwart crawling insects, and helps keep ants from tending the aphids:thumbsup: I haven't done it though, but did get allot of "drip" when spraying the whole tree.

Your going to love this stuff for your trees IMO, it is such a broad spectrum,natural fermented insecticide and bugs haven't built up an immunity to it like some of the other widely used insecticides.

If I put as much detail into my fruit trees as you do, they'd be sitting in my living room for my piece of mind!:laughing:

Western · May 11, 2014

This is exactly what I bought at a feed store, I paid $15.95 for the 16oz bottle of concentrate. Mixed 2 tsp per gallon.

Home Depot - 16 oz. Lawn and Garden Spray with Spinosad customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

More info
Green Light Lawn & Garden Spray with Spinosad

Jstpssng · May 11, 2014

Pretty good stuff for an organism found in an abandoned rum factory.

I used Captain Jack for a couple of years... it meant death to most bugs but I found it didn't work on whatever was eating my cole products.
For the past several years all that I've sprayed with is permethrin and sulfur.
So far it's worked well, but there are no other gardens within 1/2 mile; and if I plant my main potato crop after July 4th the potato beetles leave me alone.

Western · May 11, 2014

I have some Permethrin and a bag of Sulfur, but haven't used the Sulfur yet been 2 years since I used the Permethrin. I am trying to go as chem free as possible. BUT if I get a major out of control invasion, I will pull out the big guns!!:laughing:

Jstpssng · May 11, 2014

I just walked up to my old Troy-Bilt for the first time since last fall... oil level good; fuel tank- oops, guess I failed to empty it last fall.

That's OK, just need to drain the tank. OOPS! *4... I neglected to run it dry.

Yet it started on the first pull... :thumbsup:

Gotta love those old B&S engines!

Western · May 11, 2014

Jstpssng said:
I just walked up to my old Troy-Bilt for the first time since last fall... oil level good; fuel tank- oops, guess I failed to empty it last fall. That's OK, just need to drain the tank. OOPS! *4... I neglected to run it dry.

Yet it started on the first pull... :thumbsup:

Gotta love those old B&S engines!

I'd sure run some strong Seafoam through it just the same. Got to love the old TB's. Couldn't give one since MTD took over.

Jstpssng · May 11, 2014

Western said:
I'd sure run some strong Seafoam through it just the same. Got to love the old TB's. Couldn't give one since MTD took over.

That's a good idea... big difference between running, and running well.

I did end up changing the gas... instead of last year's chain saw gas I'm now running this years premix.(I've never found a little oil in the gas hurt a small engine; and it helps keep my saw gas fresh.)

This thread as been a good read, especially for those of us who are "weather challenged" and can't plant as soon as some of you.

Today I was finally able to get my hands dirty and got my peas, onions, and early potatoes in the ground.

Then I ran out of daylight/energy... I'm still lobbying for a 2 day work week, and a 5 day weekend. :thumbsup:

Larro Darro · May 11, 2014

Jstpssng said:
Then I ran out of daylight/energy... I'm still lobbying for a 2 day work week, and a 5 day weekend. :thumbsup:

My garden and yard would sure look better if we could do that. I just came in from moving the sprinkler for the last time for the night, at 2200. I did drag out my soaker hoses after supper tonight, but I wasn't happy with my placement of them, so I'll take it all up in the morning and start over. I was getting a little more help with the soaker hoses than I wanted.

Larro

HarringtonFarms · May 11, 2014

I'm a new member and this Re:" How does your garden grow?" gave me the immediate chuckles when I read it, because naturally the first thing that came to mind was " From the ground up". Unfortunately mine is not growing yet cause before it can I have to get it into the ground.

TomSeller · May 12, 2014

HarringtonFarms said:
naturally the first thing that came to mind was " From the ground up". .

But root crops grow down.

Western · May 12, 2014

Larro Darro said:
My garden and yard would sure look better if we could do that. I just came in from moving the sprinkler for the last time for the night, at 2200. I did drag out my soaker hoses after supper tonight, but I wasn't happy with my placement of them, so I'll take it all up in the morning and start over. I was getting a little more help with the soaker hoses than I wanted.

Larro

View attachment 374771

Well, at least you had supervision! I on the other hand, put mine back out, turned on the water and 30 minutes later noticed I had'nt re-tightened the end caps!:confused3:

HarringtonFarms said:
I'm a new member and this Re:" How does your garden grow?" gave me the immediate chuckles when I read it, because naturally the first thing that came to mind was " From the ground up". Unfortunately mine is not growing yet cause before it can I have to get it into the ground.

Unless it's one of those upside down porch tomatoes "as seen on TV":laughing: Louisiana!! you better get to plant'n! Should be warm enough across the state line where y'all are?

Larro Darro · May 12, 2014

I got the pink eyed purple hulls and black eyed peas worked, side dressed and plowed. Even got most of last year's soaker hoses out and soaking. I do need to pick up some inline valves tomorrow to regulate flow better. I'll probably pick up a couple more soaker hoses too. But just heard my BIL has been cleared by his knee doctor to go back to work. He isn't scheduled for tomorrow, so I may wait for that, so I can get my discount. Everything is growing good, except one small plot of sweet corn. It is looking stunted, but I put the sprinkler on it last night. That can't hurt.

Larro