Gardens/plots for 2018

[Billy Bee]

Billy Bee - there must be something organic that you can mix up and spray on the ground and lower on the corn stalks. I sure would not give up on corn if ants are your only problem. When I had a garden - either the coons or deer had to designate a member for traffic control. It would get so bad in the early evening you could hear the high speed collisions and see the survivors staggering off. The grunts, squeals, snorts and growls were the participants attempting to move part of the "players" to other areas of the garden.

They had absolutely no manners and took no hostages...........

I'm not giving up on corn,even if a have to buy an aardvark. I have plenty of deer and coons around here. I put 3-4 rows of caution tape around the garden, keeps the deer out. As for the coons,I live trap them but for some reason they don't survive it. I start trapping in the spring, I call it a preemptive strike. When the corn gets close to ready,I have 3 traps in the garden. I also plant a "sacrificial" garden with left over seeds. It's about 100 yards from my "good" garden. I don't take care of the sacrificial garden and let them eat the he!! out of it. Seems to work. I agree with the no manners, so I'm takin' no hostages
Bill

 

[oosik]

Back in the day when I had a garden - both the neighbor and I burned our garbage in 55 gallon burn barrels. One summer I almost had a "woops" but was just able to stop things before we had a major forest fire. The neighbor and I quit burning about the same time - had our garbage collected by a private collector.

After we quit burning and had garbage collection - we never again saw hide nor hair of any skunks or coons. The deer, pocket gophers, chipmunks and squirrels picked up the slack. I "trapped" quite a few skunks and coons, in the day, with my 12 gauge. Coyotes loved them.

 

[Sonny580]

Well,---I had major coyote problem in last years corn!! Destroyed at least 75% of the crop, BUT we still had more than we could use/give away.
I know the ants you talk about but never found any in our corn, YET!! LOL!!!---Coons/skunks/etc. didn't bother last year, but have in past years.--live traps and 12 ga. 3" magnum shells do a fair job!!

I put extra fert. on with the poo to help make up for anything lacking! thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

some of my garden equipment;
Potato digger


couple pix. of the first creepers




AC 917-H plowing


This don't scratch the surface of all the "stuff" I have/use/made or modified for garden use.

Will be starting seed flats in a week or so.--Peppers should probably be started about now, due to the long germination time needed! thanks; sonny580

 

[TnAndy]

Sonny,

Is the potato digger under construction ? Seems like the digging part is missing. More photos please !

 

[Sonny580]

The pix are from the day I finished it!--several years ago!
rod cleaning section.

The nose/business end!

another side view


I wanted to put in a drag chain, but haven't got around to it yet.--To use, just crank the nose down to whatever depth you need then drive forward until bed is full, then go back and start raking the spuds out of the loose dirt.--beats digging them out of the hard ground!---I have videos on U-Tube of the garden equipment, 50 or so in all! thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

This is a video of the first year that we used it. My wife took all these videos of the equipment for me. thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

Today we re-planted some of the winter-killed strawberry patch.--A very cold job! thanks; sonny580

 

[oldballs]

I just plowed/tilled my three year old strawberry bed under. It needed a total overhaul anyway. The white grubs have taken about 35% of the plants. The Beneficial Nematode treatments didn't seem to do much good that I could tell. And, "Yes", it was cold working outside this morning.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[TnAndy]

Sonny,

Is the potato digger under construction ? Seems like the digging part is missing. More photos please !

OK...got it now...thanks !

 

[Sonny580]

Middle pic. is the nose!---There are several layers of steel under the nose.--very heavy, rocks don't hurt it! lol!!!
Hat to start new berry patches, but will try to keep a small one.
Mike! Nice unit you have there!! does excellent job lol!!!

 

[Sonny580]

The onion plants are here!! Now I need a bit better weather to till and plant! thanks ; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

Today we got all the onion plants in the ground.--this kicks off our garden season here in central Il.
Next up will be tater plantin'---I kinda like to get them around the "hundredth day" if possible. Good Friday is also good time.
The fall plowed ground did till up good and planting went well!--Cold harsh wind, but we made it!! LOL!!! thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

Here is a pic of the 7 rows of onion plants!! Really,-- they are out there!-- someplace !!!

LOL

Was greeted to this and 35 mph winds today! thanks; sonny580

 

[TnAndy]

We've got peas up about 6" in the hoop house.

 

[oldballs]

Hi Gardeners,

90 Red Viking potato seed planted....same with the white and yellow onion sets....12 foot row of Sugar Snap Peas in the ground...yesterday.

Could have planted some other early crops today...............................but too tired. Deer and and small varmint fence replaced. Have to take one end down to get Kubota in for plowing or tilling........then cultivation is done either with a hoe or a walk behind rototiller.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Billy Bee]

Here is a pic of the 7 rows of onion plants!! Really,-- they are out there!-- someplace !!!

LOLView attachment 545461

Was greeted to this and 35 mph winds today! thanks; sonny580

Wow! what nasty weather. I live quite a ways north of you, and we got the wind but no snow. I hope that doesn't kill your onion crop. I started a bunch of seeds yesterday in egg cartons. Red and green cabbage,brussels sprouts and jalapeno peppers. Never tried starting peppers before,always bought plants, but not much invested,see how it goes. You and TNAndy are the Garden Gods,and I follow your posts with interest and learn a lot. Thank you both for your pictures and expertise.
Bill

 

[Sonny580]

Indoor plant growing is good! --a few seeds, a flat/pot/can/etc. to put everything in and stick the seeds in and water/wait! I still need to get some cabbage plants going here, too! Been a busy winter around here for us, so we got a bit behind!
The outdoor cold frame will be started later to get some tomato plants and other stuff going! A bit too cold out there yet to do it now!
The onion plants will be fine under the snow! LOL!!!-- some years back the best onions we ever grew were covered by a foot of snow for a week or more!
We also planted some peas, carrots radishes, parsnips, red beets, and our sugar beets, the same day as the onions!
The weather has been very cold/windy/miserable for a quite a while! Winter just won't let go, YET!! LOL!!!! ---When it does let go,----look out!! thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

Right now we have 28* and heavy snow again! Onion plants still look good! hope they hang in there! thanks; sonny580

 

[Sonny580]

At 3am this morning the temp was 9* , and a couple inches of snow.--onion plants should be ok. Winter is about to get me down!---Gonna be a late/cold/wet planting spring again, then dry growing season. thanks; sonny580