Small Garden Recommendations

[Jim-Satoh]

This is the current pointer...
North Dakota State University

The Eraser I use is used to kill weeds / grass that it touches or is sprayed on directly. It does not effect the soil period. Once the weeds and grass turn brown, I just till it under and plant right behind it, no problem. All of the farmers here in Southwest Arkansas / Nashville area use Eraser and its sold at the local Farm Co-Op.

I do agree with round-up. I do not trust it and it does not last all season as Eraser does. Unless you use compost like manures the weeds and grass will be gone, but manures has seeds in it unless you solorize it. Next season you will have weeds and grass again. Personnally I use a liquid fertilizer. I use lime in the fall. My garden is a two family garden about 1/4 acre. My son and I can handle it very easy.
Many will agree, you have to stay on top of a garden. I check mine every day for signs of grass or weeds that blow or get into the garden thru other means like mowing close to a garden when seeds are present.

Here in my area I plant in May due to the frost that we usually have at the end of April. I live in the foothills of the mountains, so our weather is different.

 

[Jim-Satoh]

You should consider some of the used Japanese tillers. I picked up a Yanmar 4' tiller for $280 !!! It does a great job, and I'm confident that it will be around long enough to till my 12x60' garden longer than I'll be around to plant it. Heck, you can't find walk behinds for that kind of money, and this gives an excuse to use the tractor.

4 Ft. tillers around here are pretty cheap, if you look at the right places. One sold at a auction for 100 bucks, I missed it or I would have got it.
Each to their own when getting a tiller, my 4 ft. Befco seems to be great, it came with the Satoh when I bought it.

 

[Jim-Satoh]

If you are talking small garden, why not just build a few raised bed boxes and use good loam and manure mixture for your small gardening needs. I have several large gardens, but also four raised bed box gardens. Plus is they are close to the backdoor, can hoop enclosed them for early planting, and we grow all of our table lettuce in them. Also so Tomatoes, that will produce early for salad use.

Concentrated gardening is easier to weed as well, Just a thought!

This is the best way to go for a small garden. Landscaping timbers about 2 bucks here. Place them two high and fill with your compost or whatever. Watch for the seeds in manures.

A poster said use a tarp. When I use manures I place it on plastic or a good clean place and cover during the winter, it will kill the seed and man the red worms. Solarize is a great idea also. As the gentleman said cover the entire garden during sunny days if you have a small one.

 

[Jim-Satoh]

It just amazes me why we Canadians keep gardening. You guys down south are eating stuff and we haven't even planted half our crops yet. Just put in my tomatoes this week.

Maybe I can give you an idea on how to get a early start, it works on tobacco plants and other things. Plant your pea,s and under ground things and cover them with plastic.
If you can plan on the last frost its better than you can uncover them when they pop up.
Texas and Arkansas is pretty much the same weather wise, except near the mountains where I live. Small green houses give you a head start also. Just place blocks in a square, plant it and cover with clear plastic top or glass top. I build a frame that fits the square and build a top that fits and cover it with clear plastic.

Place in the sun and away from the North winds. Many ways to get a head start. The richer you are the bigger and better your green house is. My is small

 

[Spudland_Dave]

When we did our garden last spring (first time at the new house) the in laws brought down their Mantis Tiller, they have a JD 5' for his 955 and the Mantis for the smaller stuff...At first I thought it was gonna be a joke of a tool, boy was I wrong...Dont let the size fool you, they work slicker then you know what...We ended up getting our own Mantis shortly thereafter.
Yes it takes a little longer in the spring & fall to till up the garden because its only 12" or so wide...BUT unlike a big tiller we use it ALL THE TIME. Use it all summer long tilling the weeds out of the alley ways. Use in the flower boxes around the house in the spring & fall...etc.
BTW...Our Garden is 25x40.

 

[Jim-Satoh]

When we did our garden last spring (first time at the new house) the in laws brought down their Mantis Tiller, they have a JD 5' for his 955 and the Mantis for the smaller stuff...At first I thought it was gonna be a joke of a tool, boy was I wrong...Dont let the size fool you, they work slicker then you know what...We ended up getting our own Mantis shortly thereafter.
Yes it takes a little longer in the spring & fall to till up the garden because its only 12" or so wide...BUT unlike a big tiller we use it ALL THE TIME. Use it all summer long tilling the weeds out of the alley ways. Use in the flower boxes around the house in the spring & fall...etc.
BTW...Our Garden is 25x40.

I have a Manis also that I use to loosen the soil around the plants, it works better than a hoe and a lot easier. It will get rid of grass also if you have any. The Manis is just a lot better than big tillers in between the rows, but I still think the world of my big rear tine tiller. Tractors and roto tillers are fine starting off, but during the rainy season, mine gets stuck and makes a terrible mess of my garden.

 

[Arkaybee]

I do agree with round-up. I do not trust it and it does not last all season as Eraser does.

Consumer Herbicide Inventory

This site is a U. of Ark. chart of herbicides for the home garden and it lists ERASER as also being GLYPHOSATE, the same as ROUNDUP. GLYPHOSATE is also available as several other proprietary brands. The chemical info listed on the labels is helpful in knowing exactly what we are buying and using.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

For those of you scared of GLYPHOSATE, what do you eat? I mean that in the sense of commercial food products....a VAST majority of the Corn, Soybeans, etc.. grown here are "Round Up Ready" strains....Google it....

 

[ChuckinNH]

I raise as much of my own as I can so I don't have to eat that stuff!

 

[ampsucker]

+1!!

If I was happy with the quality of food and price I can get at the chain store, why would I spend so much energy growing my own??? I like hobbies that are less like work!

amp