2021 Garden Thread

[begreen]

What variety of cantaloupes are you growing? I have done best with Sarah's Choice, but it has to be a hot year. So far this year is not hot. It was 45º this morning. My peppers and cukes are asking for sweaters.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Don't know actually, I planted them (from Jung's) and the seed packet is laying in the back of the side by side. I'll have to look at the packet and see what variety I bought.

Jung's shorted us and so far, no reply from them. They did not ship the sweet potato sets we ordered. Too late now, maybe we will get them next spring. Amy and I really like candied Yams.

My hiller-furrower attachment showed up today, need to install it on one of the tillers. Probably put it on the Cub. Been thinking about selling the Troy Bilt Horse, the Cub is much easier to deal with, especially with the counter rotating tines. The Horse tends to want to pull you along, the Cub don't. The Horse is built better overall but in 5 years, I've never had an issue with the Cub.

One thing I did do when I bought it was, I took the cover off the top of the gearbox and exposed the grease fill plug (transmission is grease filled instead of gear oil like the Horse is) and filled the gearbox with high quality synthetic grease. I had read online that there were gearbox failures due to lack of lubricant inside so I fixed that.

Filled it up, literally. So far, so good. Sure cost a lot less than the Troy Bilt Horse did, about 1/2 the price.

Only downside I can find is the transmission has straight cut gears so getting from reverse motion to forward motion entails some fiddling with the gear lever. Not a big thing but synchromesh would have been a plus.

If anyone wants a hiller-furrower (for root crops), I'd suggest getting one direct from Ardisam. They ones on Amazon (which are the same actually), are $120 bucks. Getting it direct from them, it was $89.00 and free shipping too. Quite a savings over Amazon. Came quick too. Ordered it on Friday, showed up this morning.

They fit any rear tine self propelled tiller btw.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Once the corn peeps and the onions start sprouting, I'll side dress them with 46 granulated Urea prills. Same stuff I use on my hay fields so I have plenty as in a couple tons. Fertilizer has went way up this year. Last year it was 9 bucks a 55 pound sack, this year it's 20 bucks a sack.

Had a little weed issue to start out with, last fall I applied quite a bit of cow manure to the garden and got the expected weed issue. I dressed the entire garden with Roundup Max, 3 weeks before planting anything. Half life on Roundup is 2 weeks so that eliminated 90% of the weed issue.

 

[fbelec]

doesn't the roundup affect the good plants?

 

[SidecarFlip]

No, not when applied 2 weeks or more prior to planting. The 'half life' with glyphosate is 2 weeks. I wait 3. You kill the invasive weeds and then plant and all is good. What you do when you farm as well. You spray the fields, and 2-3 weeks later you plant. Sure beats weeding a garden constantly.

 

[begreen]

doesn't the roundup affect the good plants?

One can feed the plants artificially or one can feed the soil organically and let that nurture the plants. Chemical farming is a slippery slope with increased dependency on artificial nutrients and chemical solutions to weeds and pests over time. It depletes the soil if a good carbon source like compost or cover crops are not added. Glyphosate (Roundup) nukes some of the microbiota in the soil and can remain persistent according to the USDA for almost a year in the soil depending on the soil type.

"Glyphosate can also predispose plants to diseases indirectly by reducing the overall growth and vigor of the plants, modifying soil microflora that affects the availability of nutrients required for disease resistance, and altering the physiological efficiency of plants."

Glyphosate: Its Environmental Persistence and Impact on Crop Health and Nutrition

Glyphosate-based herbicide products are the most widely used broad-spectrum herbicides in the world for postemergent weed control. There are ever-increasing concerns that glyphosate, if not used judiciously, may cause adverse nontarget impacts in agroecosystems. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[SidecarFlip]

Never impacted me one iota but then I'm not onto organic farming or gardening and never have been. I hold a Michigan pesticide / herbicide state license and the safest thing I use is Glyphosate. I call it Roundup but I don't use the Monsanto stuff. I use a generic mix. Not gonna pay Monsanto for their trademark product.

I apply all kinds of herbicides and pesticides including 2-4-D (B) which is a hybrid Paraquat that don't cause die back with alfalfa. One thing to remember when using any of it is PPE. When spraying using the tractor, I keep the cab doors closed and my air filtration is through a special activated carbon cab filter designed just for spraying. If I spot spay with the side by side, I'm always suited up in a chemical resistant suit and wearing neoprene disposable gloves.

If you only knew what the stuff you buy at the grocery was treated with, you'd probably quit eating.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I don't as a rule, buy into the hype that abounds concerning pesticide-herbicide application. Everything in life has it's positives and negatives including burning wood for heat and released particulates and how they impact the enviroment. I do what I have to using the chemicals provided for a certain task.

I do know we need some rain soon. A nice 1/2" would be wonderful.

 

[begreen]

If you only knew what the stuff you buy at the grocery was treated with, you'd probably quit eating.

This is why we grow so much of what we eat and support local farmers. We buy almost no prepared foods anymore. There is a reason diseases like autism, asthma, cancer, diabetes, etc. are on the rise. And why American soils are disappearing at an alarming rate. Continuous cover crop, no till and regenerative farming are trends being supported by the USDA now in order to save and restore our soils.

I do know we need some rain soon. A nice 1/2" would be wonderful.

Here too. WA state is now the 4th driest spring on record since 1894. Locally, in our little microclimate it is even worse.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

We got a nice 13/16th inch of rain yesterday. It’s been a nice May for the garden in our part of Texas. I found my first blushing cherry tomato (Sweet Million) on Friday morning and the first baby Rattlesnake Pole Beans. I have a pack of mixed sunflowers and planted only one seed this year. I tucked the plant in the corner of my asparagus bed where there was a little room, and I find the result very cheerful.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

@begreen, have you ever heard of or read The Time it Never Rained by Elmer Kelton? It’s historical fiction set in the ranch land of West Texas. I’ve talked to people in the area who remember years in the fifties when it really never did rain. The book was a tough read in many ways, but it struck me as surprisingly current in political and environmental issues for a novel written before I was born. (I don’t remember the seventies, of course, so it may all have been current then, too.) I read it last summer when I was beginning to wonder if it was possible that it wouldn’t rain again on my garden. I’m delighted at the moment that our drought level has been downgraded from severe to moderate, and I’ve got three thousand gallons in our rain tanks.

 

[clancey]

You have four beautiful little tomatoes too...They are cute and going to be so good too...We have water problems here in CO and early this morning we got a drenching--so good...clancey

 

[begreen]

@begreen, have you ever heard of or read The Time it Never Rained by Elmer Kelton? It’s historical fiction set in the ranch land of West Texas. I’ve talked to people in the area who remember years in the fifties when it really never did rain. The book was a tough read in many ways, but it struck me as surprisingly current in political and environmental issues for a novel written before I was born. (I don’t remember the seventies, of course, so it may all have been current then, too.) I read it last summer when I was beginning to wonder if it was possible that it wouldn’t rain again on my garden. I’m delighted at the moment that our drought level has been downgraded from severe to moderate, and I’ve got three thousand gallons in our rain tanks.

I haven't read that one. Our library system has it listed, but no copies. Without water, survival is impossible. This sometimes can be reversed if one works with nature instead of against it, even in Texas.

Meet the Visionary Who Restored 5,500 Acres of Wrecked Texas Land to Paradise

Fifty years ago, the wildly inspiring David Bamberger bought the worst land he could find with the aim of bringing it back to thriving life.

www.treehugger.com

We "may" get some rain this week, right when we are having some painting done. Go figure. The rain is more important, painting can wait if need be.

Your plants look great. We have flowers on our sweet millions and sungolds but we are a few weeks behind you. especially for the heat these plants love.

 

[clancey]

Look what I got today for I was thinking of your pretty gardens so I wanted a plant...clancey

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Excellent! Pretty soon you're going to have less grass to mow!

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I have most of my tomatoes in. I still have some held back to plug spaces if some don't make the transplant.

 

[clancey]

My little tomato plant I had to put back into the container because it flew out in a car accident but I am thinking of filling that big container today next to it with miracle grow soil and would that be okay if i put it in a sunny area on top of a table with a cage around--you think this would be okay---if it survives after flying through the air but it actually looks okay today...i never planted anything in my life and certainly know "nothing" about plants especially baby tomato plants...lol Love to see your gardens they are all so pretty..c

 

[SidecarFlip]

I don't grow tomatoes. One, I'm allergic to the plants and two I don't care for them...and I can get all I want down the road anyway. This is tomato country, lots of truck farms here.

Starting to water the garden today (well), this evening. Still need to erect a greenhouse, maybe someday.

Brought down 8K pounds of no germ corn Saturday, all on pallets in 50 pound sacks. Think I have about 13K on hand right now and 4 skids of pellets. A ton per pallet, about all I like to haul down the road on the tractor forks.

 

[clancey]

Your like me Sidecar for I am not oriented to be a garden person but sure appreciate the hard work they do and eating everything--but I thought maybe just one little tomato plant would not hurt--"outside it will be outside"--lol lol If it makes it...My late husband came from Michigan and those tomato's were wonderful...These garden people on here sure have some nice looking gardens but with just one plant I can watch it all summer...Make it like company for me...thanks c

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Your tomato plant will be fine. You can remove some of the lower leaves and bury it deeper. Tomatoes will root out higher and the plant will be thrilled.

The important thing is to have fun!

 

[clancey]

Thanks I am fixing its little bed now and will take a picture of it later--thanks for the information and I will do that,,,c

 

[begreen]

Make sure the pot has a drain hole at the bottom. Put about 1" of gravel at the bottom to facilitate drainage and to prevent the potting soil from clogging the drain hole.

What type of tomato is this?

 

[clancey]

Its a celebrity hybrid tomato and I put some gravel and p rock in the bottom and filled it up with miracle grow soil for outside and gave it some shells on top in case it needs calcium and to let it think its in Michigan. Plus I put a cage like thing to keep animals out and a bamboon type of box on top to give it some shade--its just a baby--also I took off the bottom leaves and planted it deep..Here is a picture of it now since it is in where it will be...c

 

[SidecarFlip]

Your like me Sidecar for I am not oriented to be a garden person but sure appreciate the hard work they do and eating everything--but I thought maybe just one little tomato plant would not hurt--"outside it will be outside"--lol lol If it makes it...My late husband came from Michigan and those tomato's were wonderful...These garden people on here sure have some nice looking gardens but with just one plant I can watch it all summer...Make it like company for me...thanks c

Well, I am (orientated to be a gardener sort of. More like a farmer with a 1 acre patch 'garden', I just see no reason in fooling with tomatoes when all I need to do is go down the road and get all I want. Like I said, I'm allergic to the vines and leaves and tomatoes do bad things to me internally anyway. You see, Tomatoes and Nightshade are related and I'm also allergic to Nightshade even though it's the best deterrent to poison Ivy there is. (Crushed Nightshade berries spread on poison ivy kills it instantly).

All I want applies to cabbage too. This year is Kraut year. Probably ferment 30 gallons.

Nothing beats home made kraut with Italian sausage in the winter.

Need to put the furrow-holler attachment on the tiller and hill the potatoes, maybe tomorrow after everything gets watered this evening.

 

[Montanalocal]

We had a 1 ft heavy snow about May 21. I had the cole crops planted out. May 25 pics show the snow melting, they look like they will make it. I will take follow-up pics later to let you know. First pic is Brussels Sprouts, second is Broccoli.