Let's see those '11 gardens!

[OLS]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

Yep, that's next.

Best thing about the elctric fence is it has so many uses, well, all of them are teaching dogs a hard
lesson, but the wire is so cheap you can run that shizzle everywhere you want to control behavior
and man, does it work. Done training the garden gnomes, string some up off the fence line. The one
lesson I need to teach right now is the pond is not a pool for dogs OR a drinking fountain.

[Mr B]

Originally Posted by shilala

I tore apart another big shelf and got me another two frames for the garden. If I get moving, I'll have a couple more. I'll have a nice little terraced thing going on. I'm stoked.

[thebayratt]

Originally Posted by jjirons69

Beautiful carrots, Shawn!

Wayne, planted Kentucky Blue pole and Blue Lake bush several times. Both produced very well, especially the pole. I planted a small, new row every 2-3 weeks and they keep putting out all season. Quite delicious and almost more than our family could keep up with. Shared them with the neighbors. Japanese beetles love them, too.

Thanks

I like the idea of spreading out the planting a few weeks. I will try that next year or maybe this year if I get enough time for a second run of plants.


I myself had to put up fencing. Last year, I used wood 2x2s for posts but they rotted and the termites ate them. So I went with a metal t-post. They are more sturdier and I can use them over and over. I got a 25' roll of chicken wire that I strung out as tight as I could to keep the dogs out. The back part of the garden is bordered by chainlink, so that saved me some fence/cash.

[shilala]

I managed to turn up some dirt alongside the house for a garden. I'll turn up the whole side eventually and use some treated lumber to hold back the dirt.
I improved the dirt with composted poop and SAP, so it should grow stuff well. I'm excited to see how it goes.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by shilala

I managed to turn up some dirt alongside the house for a garden. I'll turn up the whole side eventually and use some treated lumber to hold back the dirt.
I improved the dirt with composted poop and SAP, so it should grow stuff well. I'm excited to see how it goes.

Put a barrier between the treated lumber and the garden soil. Some treated lumber has some really nasty chemicals that will leach into the soil. Just suggesting

[shilala]

I just dragged home 40 more bags of composted poop. I gotta go work.
Sville, I'm just using 2x4's and they'll be lower than the dirt. It's hard to explain how it's laid up, so I won't bore you guys. anyways, if the chemicals can defy gravity, they can have me.

[jjirons69]

Think I'm going to plant some peanuts this weekend where my onions are now growing. Think the kids will like to see the process.

We're getting March weather in May.
I decided not to garden.

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

We're getting March weather in May.
I decided not to garden.

Good for you, Lance!

[shilala]

If anyone would like to take a go at growing tobacco, I have tons of open-pollinated seed from last year.
There were three starting varieties, Havanah 2000, San Andres MX, and Perique. The Havanah did real well, the Perique was small, and the San Andres was very susceptible to sucking insects and scale.
A couple more generations and selection of this new outcross should yield an excellent northern variety. Select it where you live and you have a nice southern variety. Point being, the genetic diversity is there in these seeds, and that's what you want if you're gonna start and perfect your own cultivar. It's why I outcrossed and saved the seed.
Regardless of whether or not you want to use the tobacco, they are a GORGEOUS plant, take zero attention, and show tons of beautiful, fragrant flowers.
All plant magazine advertising aside, it's basically a weed, and it grows as easy and fast as a weed. Shade or full sun, it doesn't care. It's very tolerant of wet feet, but it likes dry, rock hard unamended soil best.
It's super easy to start, super easy to grow, and it's just plain fun. It's a very forgiving weed, for sure.

If any of you guys want some seed, just post here and send me a pm with your address. I can send seed in a little ziplock inside a regular envelope, it's no biggie at all. And it would be my pleasure.

[Fordman4ever]

I'm down to try it. I don't really know anything about growing tobacco or what to do with it when its done. I'll probably have lots of questions. First one being, is Nebraska a good place to grow tobacco?

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Fordman4ever

I'm down to try it. I don't really know anything about growing tobacco or what to do with it when its done. I'll probably have lots of questions. First one being, is Nebraska a good place to grow tobacco?

I chop it down and compost it when it's done. I save some seed, too. If you wanna cure it, it's a royal pita, and takes a lot of work.
Nebraska is as good as anyplace, I suppose.
You can start the seeds right in the dirt or start them indoors. They're easier than growing tomatoes and grow a lot faster.

[Fordman4ever]

Originally Posted by shilala

They're easier than growing tomatoes and grow a lot faster.

My tomato aint doing to well. I think i got a diseased one from Ace Hardware. Guess thats what I get for buying a tomato plant at a hardware store.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Fordman4ever

My tomato aint doing to well. I think i got a diseased one from Ace Hardware. Guess thats what I get for buying a tomato plant at a hardware store.

I think it's more to do with the large amount of roots that a tomato plant has and it's water requirements. Your setup doesn't look to provide the needed requirements. Not to mention it's growing upside down with other plants.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by shilala

I chop it down and compost it when it's done. I save some seed, too. If you wanna cure it, it's a royal pita, and takes a lot of work.
Nebraska is as good as anyplace, I suppose.
You can start the seeds right in the dirt or start them indoors. They're easier than growing tomatoes and grow a lot faster.

Curing isn't all that difficult. There are a few good write-ups on it. Some people even use large foam coolers and wood dowels.

Here is one such article: http://www.victoryseeds.com/tobacco/...ltivation.html

If you didn't want to make cigars from it, you could chop it up and grind it fine to make cigarette, snus, chew, etc.

[shilala]

Cliff and Earl, your tobacco seed is on the way.

[Fordman4ever]

awesome, thanks again

[Fordman4ever]

Originally Posted by wayner123

I think it's more to do with the large amount of roots that a tomato plant has and it's water requirements. Your setup doesn't look to provide the needed requirements. Not to mention it's growing upside down with other plants.

I did the same thing last year and the plant grew all the way to the ground and produced lots of tomatoes. I even had more herbs in the top last year. although, the plant from last year was much bigger when i planted it and already had a pretty healthy root system.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by Fordman4ever

I did the same thing last year and the plant grew all the way to the ground and produced lots of tomatoes. I even had more herbs in the top last year. although, the plant from last year was much bigger when i planted it and already had a pretty healthy root system.

Was it the same variety of tomato?

[Fordman4ever]

I don't think so. this one came with some tomatoes already growing on it and it was pretty much all Ace Hardware had left. It looked kinda sickly when i bought it too.