Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

It's getting time to start gardening again.

This year I am going to be proactive against the tomato mites and I will balance the soil before planting. I have fully composted manure and ashes to add and will add kelp meal for the K (potash) too. We still get frosts here for another month or so.

Anyone else started?

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

While not exactly "garden", my pomegranate trees have leaves on them already and I just looked at my fig tree this morning, it's budding nicely for being a very young tree. Still a few months early for the lemon.

Planted some blackberry plants (one plant each: chester, olallie and triple-crown) a few weeks ago, but being bare root plants, I won't see any fruit off of them for at least another year.

Should probably start getting things in order for tomatoes and peppers.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

We planted tomatoes and peppers yesterday. I hope to get the squash, cukes, and okra in today.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Was at Lowes yesterday and they said we have a couple more weeks before they start getting stuff in.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I am doing probably more than I should this year. I have also changed from a container to in ground garden. If I get anything this year, it will be by luck as I did not prepare the soil much at all. I have growing right now:

5 different melons: Charentais, Boule d Nor, Petit Gris de Rennes, Collective Farm woman, Oranglo watermelon

I also have two different squashes: early prolific and crook neck summer squash

I have some sweet corn and Kentucky wonder pole beans as well.

As for peppers, I got this weird mix of sweet peppers, so who knows what will come of them, and I also am growing California Wonder bells.

I am doing a few containers as well. Those will be Evangeline sweet potato's and Sayasume edamame soy beans.

My carrots are finally growing well, and I may do a some black seeded lettuce when that is done.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Well it is still in the 40's here but I got Snow and snap peas in the ground last weekend. The Garlic is coming up and We also planted beets and north pole lettuce. Gonna get tomatoes started in a week or so...

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

What state you in?

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

mine are mostly under water.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

You in Jersey?

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I've got material for a new raised bed , going to be a long bed for lettuces.

Was just thinking about this thread from last year today. I've got at least two months before I can start putting anything in the ground. Probably start a few peppers in about a month. Lettuces, beans, and cucumbers a few weeks after that. We'll see what else I get an inkling to grow when I get to the seed store.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Ohio, its been very very damp here. Lots of precipitation since the winter started. The river is well above flood stage. :td

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

With two feet of snow on the ground?
Must be some new technique!
:r

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Tennessee

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

This is our first time having a go and we're pretty excited. We bought those planters that have like 50 small cubes of potting soil. We planted zucchini, onions, carrots, lima beans, peas, cantaloupe, and squash.

They are starting to sprout w/ stalks about 4 inches high - will try and post pics soon.

Any advice on the move from the little pods to the ground would be appreciated - thanks for the thread!

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

The biggest thing is to not leave any of the cube above ground level or it dries faster than the soil around it, otherwise they are easy.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Axeman gave good advice. Another thing I would add is to water well once they are planted or water the hole they are going into.

Which of the plants are 4" high already? I can't imagine the onions, carrots or cantaloupe is that high already.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

BTW, I added drip tape irrigation to the entire garden yesterday. It's a nice system but the connections had to be rigged in order to work properly. But it should add some much needed luck to my plans.

I also started a bucket with compost for compost tea. I hope it helps.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Great work there, Wayne!

I have ~100 yellow and white onion sets in the ground (a week now). Have crookneck squash starting indoors. I'll plant the squash, cukes, and pole beans by 3/19 or 3/36. The tomatoes and peppers will go in the week of 4/2 or 4/9.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Do you find it takes a while for the peppers to germinate? Mine have been running at 2 weeks before I see anything. I know it has to do with heat and all, but still 2 weeks seems a long time.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

You're right - they are the slowest to grow, onions and carrots are barely showing. The Zucchini and Lima beans are the allstars - one of the two (can't remember which) already has leaves coming up...

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

IME, onions from seed will take twice as long as the packet says. So if it's 110 days on the packets, you can bet they won't be ready till at least 200 days. It's best to start onions from plants. Also, did you make sure to get the correct day length onions for your zone?

Carrots take a long time as well. Not as long as onions, but they seem to grow quite slow when temps are below 65-70F.

Most likely the limas are showing true (second set) of leaves. Beans (legumes) are fast growers for me and really grow fast until they reach flowering stage. After that it's anybody's guess.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

This has been a blast to watch - our boys have loved it too. No idea if we got the right packet of onions - just whatever Lowe's had. We are in Middle GA...they are still inside but will go outside soon I guess - we've been having weather in the 70s here lately...

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Check out the packet and see if it said what the onions were and I can try and tell ya if they are he correct variety for your area.

I started doing mine last year with my daughter and it's been fun. I have read and read and read a lot too. Asked some veteran gardeners around here their ideas too.

Lettuce with kids is always fun too. It grows very fast and does well in shade.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Knocked down the first layer of weeds. Spread a thin layer of ashes in all the boxes and worked it in. Got the manure in the back there ready to deal with.
http://fracstar.com/pics/garden0314a.jpg

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I got a dozen or so of Lima beans comming up. About 50+ bush green been plants up. A few hundred carrot and oinion seedlings popping up. Got 5 cucumber vines and 4 bush cucumbers comming up. Just planted some asparagus in a new raised bed Tried soy beans this year for the first time; a few of them are sprouting up. I'm growing them to try and make some edamame.
Pics to come soon.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

What variety are you growing?

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Looking good, Lance!

In my garden: The soil is ready, but only the strawberry plants are growing (they survived the winter).

I will be planting soon!:tu

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Nice pics Lance. Jealous of the size of your garden space!
My back is not looking forward to working in the amendments.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

You should look into compost/worm tea. I don't have experience with it yet, but from what I have read, it should do wonders for less than stellar soils. It's much easier as well, until you can get your soil where you want it.

Here is a video on the comparison of tomatoes grown in "trash" soil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fol5i..._order&list=UL

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Got my yellow squash, okra, and cukes in the ground. I put up an 18 inch chicken wire fence around the garden this year. We are letting our chickens free range a lot more know and they would love to eat these seedlings!! We went a little over board on the tomatoes this year. I may be canning lots of salsa and spaghetti sauce.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Soybean Early Hakucho
Glycine max Early Hakucho

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Left row is carrots. Back row is Lima beans. Rows 2-4 are green bush beans. The rest is soy beans.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6204164_n.jpg

Fist half is vibe cucumbers. Trying out a new trellis idea also. The back half is bush style cucumbers. The 1st half is for the family, the last half is for me (to pickle).

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3188771_n.jpg

Asparagus plot. New this year, was unaware it grows for about 10+ years, and you not supposed to harvest the first year.

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4902811_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7748263_n.jpg

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I got my seeds, but my light stand is in a pile in the basement. I don't have a garden yet, and I can't get it laid out until I move the shed down to the bottom of the back yard.
Quite honestly, if I get a garden in this year, it'll be a miracle.
If I don't, it'll be the first time in 24 years. I'm sure we'll figure something out. I need to get a move-on.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Thanks for the link. I was following the Compost Tea posts form Richard (Tzaddi) last season. Will have to look into that.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Scott, as a little encouragement, I missed a year of veggie garden 1 time in the 19 years I have been growing. It was the loneliest season my back yard has ever had lol.
I missed it so much. Try to get it going brother. You wont be sorry.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Here is my effort so far this year. I just built the trellis today.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_7441.jpg

L to R:

First row: Orangeglo watermelon, Boule D'Nor, Collective Farm Woman
Second row: Charentais, Petit Gris de Rennes
Third row: Kentucky Wonder pole beans
Fourth row: early and crookneck squash, sweet corn
Fifth row: Sweet peppers, California wonder bell peppers



Here are my containers:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_7433.jpg

The grey and both pink/purple totes hold Evangeline sweet potato's.

The grey SWC (self watering container) in front holds my carrots. Which are taking FOREVER to grow. And the blue/tan SWC in the back are the Sayamusume soy beans.



Here is something I am very proud I even got to this stage:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i1...n/IMG_7453.jpg

Natasha Poppies

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Plants are comming up quite nicely!



Cucumbers:
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2494446_n.jpg

Beans:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7824647_n.jpg

Carrots, Beans, SoyBeans, Limas on back row
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4679461_n.jpg

Asparagus:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6284312_n.jpg

The whole deal:
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2269674_n.jpg

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

:tu

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

We still might freeze this week.


The compost pile:
http://fracstar.com/pics/20110404a.jpg



I'm hauling it two 5gal buckets at a time to top dress the boxes. I've already put ashes and 7-3-5 organic fertilizer in the boxes and raked it in.
http://fracstar.com/pics/20110404c.jpg



Look! An artichoke!
http://fracstar.com/pics/20110404b.jpg
It's about 1 1/2" around.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Looking great fellas! :banger

Unfortunately I've decided to skip a garden this year but I will be watching ya'lls closely on here! :tu

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I would be happy to share what I know regarding Actively Aerated Compost Tea. Clean de-chlorinated water, a healthy and diverse set of microbes contained in some quality compost, plenty of air, (2 lpm per gallon= aerobic) and a microbe (activator) food recipe)

I recently completed the design and construction of my first 30 gallon Brewer.
http://gallery.me.com/tzaddi/100913/...13013567430001

Here is a link to additional construction photos.
http://gallery.me.com/tzaddi#100913

As well a link to my friend and mentors page, containing links and information about said Tea.
http://reddingcomposttea.com/

With the new place here in Redding I have been moving slowly, having yet to establish my garden area.

It has been a while since I have participated fully but I will try and keep up. Fell free to contact me directly. :)

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Awesome Richard.

Great to see you posting again. Good luck w/ the new place.

I enjoyed one of your well-aged, Handrolled beauties a few weeks back. Simply awesome! Thanks again.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

The Compost Tea seams like a great idea!

I got a new composter I made up with a load in there. Maybe I'll try to make some tea with it when its done.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

4 each of Big Boy, Better Boy and Rutger's Tomatoes planted. Looking for Roma plants. Not sure about peppers this year, lots left in the freezer from last year. A double row of Rattlesnake green beans. half a dozen rows of butterpeas. Two short rows of Okra (yes, it's really too early, but they will grow anyway). Eight rows of sweet corn. Two mounds each of straight-neck squash, zucchini and cucumbers (for pickling). Five long rows of purple-hull peas. Four rows of new potatoes, three rows of sweet Texas yellow onions. I have enough space left for the Roma tomatoes, half a dozen pepper plants if I change my mind, and sweet potatoes. I found some romaine lettuce seeds I didn't know I had, so I've planted twelve starter pods, will see what comes up, and if they will have time to mature before it gets too hot. Pictures would be pretty useless right now, just a big plowed patch is all it looks like! I did notice today that the new potatoes are starting to peak above the dirt!

Does the two blueberry plants I planted today qualify?

I'm strongly considering this fall making a raised bed area for asparagus, plus a raised bed for a herb garden. I've had a herb garden in the past, but the oregano eventually took everything over, and I had to kill it all off.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Well, yesterday I moved stuff in the basement and packed lots away in bins. It's looking good to set up my light stand and start my plants. :tu
I put some nice chemical fertilizer on the lawn the day before yesterday. Yesterday I beat plant feeder stakes in around the tree and our shrubs.
I have day-neutral strawberries growing here beside my desk, I'm going to pick up some composted cow poops today and I already dug out some SAP. I mix that stuff up to amend the holes, I wish I had some rhizomatic bacteria because this dirt is deader than dead. (New house, all the topsoil is actually the basement dirt, except for the stuff Lisa had them bring in, which is equally devoid of life.) I'll be planting these strawberry plants on the hot side of the house, against the foundation. I'm not sure if they'll make it. Time will tell.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Today was a good day in the garden:
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/3354/009vai.jpg

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Great pic Darrell.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

I have decided to go true Square Foot Gardening style this year. I have way too much garden for just us if it is as productive as they say, but I will make up for that by growing the space killing stuff like corn, squash and potatoes. I just have to get my wife into it. She likes to plant all the corn and lettuce and other timed harvest plants at once, so the all are ripening at the same time. 20 pounds of radishes, etc. The trick is to space the plantings out a couple of weeks at a time on those plants. She hates thinning, too. So I have to sneak out there with scissors and do the dirty work of killing innocent baby plants. I have her reading the SFG book now so maybe she'll come around. I haven't done true SFG at his house yet but that is what I planned when I built the boxes. I saw no reason to put in 4x4 boxes since I had the room. This should be interesting as a first attempt here.

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Planted the garden the first or second weekend in March and I have already got a 1gal jug of green beans!

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2597261_n.jpg

A good front came through and the wind did some damage on the beans. Lost two plants. Then two more plants were so top heavy, the stems broke off. But still doing good. I have Soy Beans now and probably pick them in a week or so.

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...1_858088_n.jpg


The Cucumbers are taking off up the trellis and the bush type cukes are doing ok.. not as "bushy" as I thought they'd be though.
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...3_306369_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2085525_n.jpg


The asparagus is comming along ok also.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3594707_n.jpg

Re: Let's see those '11 gardens!
 

Sorry, Wayne, never checked back to the thread. It does take peppers quite a long time. Two weeks is not unusual. The warmer you can keep them, the better (75-80F). By now, you should have plenty of peppers...hopefully.

Planted everything on 4/9. Here's the list:

4 - Celebrity tomatoes (2 to the hill)
4 - Better Boy tomatoes (2 to the hill)
1 - Sweet 100 cherry tomato
4 - crooked neck squash (3 to the hill)
100s of yellow and white onions
1 - monster jalapeno (5+")
3 - jalapeno (2 to the hill)
2 - California bell peppers (2 to the hill)
trellised Marketmore cukes (30-40)
trellised 2-3' asian cukes (15-20)
1 - volunteer cannonball pumpkin from compost this winter

Thanks to Shiala's post a couple years ago, I've quit tilling. I put all my lawnmower clippings and fall leaf grindings in the garden. Have been doing this for 2 years now. The mulch is 3" deep in areas. Keeps the plants moist, the heat down, keeps the walking areas free of mud, and contributes to tons of earthworms. It's also a breeze to weed, when one can manage to poke through all the mulch. Planting is a cinch, as the soil is always moist, dark, and rich. Now I just loan out my tiller.

Also have a 4'x4' compost bin (2' deep in mature compost) that has 10-15 grown potato plants. I tossed old Irish potatoes in it this winter and they've thrived into mature plants. They should be ready to harvest in about a month. Novel idea I'll do again next year!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...den042411a.jpg

Onions have the mulch cleared back to prevent rot:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...den042411b.jpg

My mint and leeks garden:

Spearmint
Kentucky mint
Chocolate mint
Curly Mint

Love those mojitos!

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...den042411c.jpg

Varmint guard dog and obsessive fetcher - Fritz

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...den042411d.jpg