Garden Planted for 35 days now. Update 2 weeks later. Post #1

[smokinj]

Got a late start this year...

 

[lukem]

You growing white rock? LOL

 

[Adios Pantalones]

You growing white rock? LOL

Rock is a CASH CROP... you know if it's "rock"

 

[JustWood]

I've been hawgin' on the cukes for 10 days already .This is the earliest I've ever had em ready. I'm guessin tomatoes in 20-30 days.

 

[smokinj]

I've been hawgin' on the cukes for 10 days already .This is the earliest I've ever had em ready. I'm guessin tomatoes in 20-30 days.

Should have fryed green by the weekend there loaded!

 

[smokinj]

You growing white rock? LOL

There some rocks there but what really showing up is where it didnt get watered! With the late start we are running it like a hydroponic system would run until we catch up with everyone. :cheese:

 

[lukem]

My patch of dirt:

 

[smokinj]

My patch of dirt:

Awesome! This is my first Garden in years. Putting in a large compost area next. May have to steal a few Idea from yours.


What you use for ties on your tomatoes?

 

[Thistle]

You growing white rock? LOL

Its a little known fact that southern Indiana is home to one of the world's largest & finest sources of building quality limestone used for structural & architectural uses.For over 180 yrs when the first quarry was opened.Before Portland cement was invented & used on a large scale,Bedford & limestones were used world-wide in building & bridge foundations,piling,sculpture & carving.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Putting in a large compost area next.

Careful what you wish for, I picked 10 gallons of beans tonight after doing the same thing 3 days ago because of compost this spring. Congrats on the garden, looks great.

 

[smokinj]

Putting in a large compost area next.

Careful what you wish for, I picked 10 gallons of beans tonight after doing the same thing 3 days ago because of compost this spring. Congrats on the garden, looks great.

Like to snag a chipper truck load and mulch the whole thing.

 

[SolarAndWood]

We wood mulch everything but the seed beds. Seed beds get grass clippings. Saves a lot of weeding and no standing water regardless of rainfall. Needs to be done every year though and it usually takes me on the order of 20 yards :shut:

 

[smokinj]

We wood mulch everything but the seed beds. Seed beds get grass clippings. Saves a lot of weeding and no standing water regardless of rainfall. Needs to be done every year though and it usually takes me on the order of 20 yards :shut:

How big of a garden?

 

[lukem]

My patch of dirt:

What you use for ties on your tomatoes?

We take old bed sheets or rags...basically whatever we have lying around..and tear them into strips. Once you get a tear started they go into nice even strips. Stakes were milled out of Black Locust on a woodmizer.

 

[lukem]

We wood mulch everything but the seed beds. Seed beds get grass clippings. Saves a lot of weeding and no standing water regardless of rainfall. Needs to be done every year though and it usually takes me on the order of 20 yards :shut:

I'm considering getting one of those yard sweepers to collect grass clippings. I mow about 3-4 acres so I have no shortage...just hard to get it collected.

Do you till everything into the soil in the fall and re-mulch every year, or just replant in the existing mulch?

 

[SolarAndWood]

This is what it looked like before I planted this Spring. I have a light tiller for the tractor that cleans up the surface more than anything. I prep in the Spring and then turn it under in the Fall. Any mulch you put down this year will likely be dirt by next.

I use a sweeper as well but am considering one of these (broken link removed to http://cgi.ebay.com/Grass-Catcher-Bagger-Bag-Scag-Advantage-deck-/320687334906?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aaa7465fa) as the sweeper is a bit of a PIA and doesn't pick up nearly as much as my push bagger does. Garden is 100x100. An acre of lawn doesn't keep up with it but my neighbors help me out.

 

[smokinj]

10,000 square foot a big one.

 

[lukem]

Mine is 48 x 56 fenced. Next year I'll be adding some stuff outside the fence too (pumkins, watermelon, cantelope). Need to get the asparagus bed going this fall too.

 

[f3cbboy]

my whole plot os 100' by 100'.....

 

[smokinj]

Mine is 48 x 56 fenced. Next year I'll be adding some stuff outside the fence too (pumkins, watermelon, cantelope). Need to get the asparagus bed going this fall too.

That fence is cool lost 3 gardens to rabbets. Two strong cats change that game.

 

[lukem]

Mine is 48 x 56 fenced. Next year I'll be adding some stuff outside the fence too (pumkins, watermelon, cantelope). Need to get the asparagus bed going this fall too.

That fence is cool lost 3 gardens to rabbets. Two strong cats change that game.

That fence isn't rabbit-proof, but I don't have a problem with them. The welded wire is to keep the dog out. He ate ALL of my tomatoes and peppers last year. The couple courses of smooth wire are for the deer. Last run is about 6' off the ground. Not 100% deterrent, but I haven't seen a single hoof print yet (knock on wood).

 

[smokinj]

Mine is 48 x 56 fenced. Next year I'll be adding some stuff outside the fence too (pumkins, watermelon, cantelope). Need to get the asparagus bed going this fall too.

That fence is cool lost 3 gardens to rabbets. Two strong cats change that game.

That fence isn't rabbit-proof, but I don't have a problem with them. The welded wire is to keep the dog out. He ate ALL of my tomatoes and peppers last year. The couple courses of smooth wire are for the deer. Last run is about 6' off the ground. Not 100% deterrent, but I haven't seen a single hoof print yet (knock on wood).

Yea I have been study it very nice....Looks Great to. Something happens to one of my Big Cats I will have to do the same. How are the rabbits getting through that fortress?

 

[lukem]

The wire mesh at the bottom is 2x4 weave. I think rabbits can fit thru a hole the size of a dime if they are hungry enough. Just don't have many rabbits around here...i guess the cat and dog are doing their job.

Putting up the fence wasn't cheap, but I wanted something that would look nice and I wouldn't wish I'd done it a little better a couple years later. It has an 8' gate that I can drive into to drop off leaves/straw/mulch or whatever in the off season too.

I bought PT posts, but would have milled them if I had the time and equipment. 6x6 post in the corners and each side of the gate, H brace 8' after the corners, and 4x4 line posts with 12' spacing. 2" pea gravel on the bottom, and a bag of quick set in each post hole, buried about 28". Stretched the fence with an old school 2x4 clamp stretcher and my F-150.

Whatever you do, RENT THE POST DRILLER! Money well spent. I drilled and set all the posts in about 4 or 6 hours.

 

[begreen]

I have been using grass clippings as mulch for years in the garden and flower beds. We have a 3 bucket grass catcher on our lawn mower. It works great as long as you don't put nasties on your lawn. We also have a giant bag that I put on there for picking up leaves. They get shredded by the mower then fill the bag. This becomes my winter mulch that gets worked into the soil in spring. The worms love them.

 

[smokinj]

The wire mesh at the bottom is 2x4 weave. I think rabbits can fit thru a hole the size of a dime if they are hungry enough. Just don't have many rabbits around here...i guess the cat and dog are doing their job.

Putting up the fence wasn't cheap, but I wanted something that would look nice and I wouldn't wish I'd done it a little better a couple years later. It has an 8' gate that I can drive into to drop off leaves/straw/mulch or whatever in the off season too.

I bought PT posts, but would have milled them if I had the time and equipment. 6x6 post in the corners and each side of the gate, H brace 8' after the corners, and 4x4 line posts with 12' spacing. 2" pea gravel on the bottom, and a bag of quick set in each post hole, buried about 28". Stretched the fence with an old school 2x4 clamp stretcher and my F-150.

Whatever you do, RENT THE POST DRILLER! Money well spent. I drilled and set all the posts in about 4 or 6 hours.

I am pretty good with a post hole digger...lol but the water table is very high here. Normally hit water at about 28-30 inchs. My well is only 20 foot deep. As I get some stock for post I will mill them. I am the cheapest guy I know... :cheese:

How much you have in fence and what did you use to tie the tomato's? (Thinking ribbon or wire ties)?