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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Sep 25, 2012 - 07:57pm PT
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Weird garden year here in NH.
I experimented a little last fall and turned in a bunch of compost, covered by cardboard. This spring I turned in organic soil and organic fertilizer.
My plants took off!!! The squashes quickly outgrew the critter fence and things were looking awesome!
Then, late July hit. Something started getting into my lettuce, then my squash leaves. I built a trap, the only way in was thought the trap if it was a rodent of some sort. This mostly worked, but the damage was done.
The lettuce tried to come back, but just went to seed instead of producing. Half the squash plants survived, and white blight (or mold, whatever it's called), took most of the rest.
The cukes were the most hardy, they looked stunted for a while, then started producing like crazy.
Tomato worms suck. I hate them.
The big experiment of the year was the peppers though. I planted half in the garden and potted the other half in pricy farm store bagged organic soil. The garden peppers did nothing all summer, hardly even grew. The potted peppers, which I kept outdoors in full sun did incredible. My yield was off the charts, both in quantity and hotness. Jalapeņos and Cayenne, they're both still giving me more than I can use. I've gotta pawn them off on friends.
I think next year I'm going to shift more to potted veggies even though I live in a fertile neck of the woods. It's just so much easier to cater to each plants individual requirements.
Viva la finca!!
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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Sep 25, 2012 - 10:01pm PT
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Brandon, check out backtoedenfilm.com , ignore the religious stuff. Some really good info on no till, deep mulch gardening.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Sep 26, 2012 - 12:06am PT
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We moved to a new house to late last year to do much in the way of planting, but we got a few things in this spring, including these hops, which I just harvested last week.
We also got a good tomato crop, which is unusual for Seattle, and the few herbs and peppers we managed to get into the ground are doing really well. I think it helps to have a yard that actually gets some sunlight.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jan 14, 2013 - 01:19am PT
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We'll see this week if I can produce an avocado crop this year, or not. It's been pretty damn cold here for a few nights now, with a couple more cold nights to come.
Good thing I held off expansion until later this year! It'd be discouraging to watch a bunch of small trees freeze.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Jan 14, 2013 - 03:32am PT
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Our "weed-like" but tasty Arugula, lasted into late December this year through temps into the teens F.
Once Choss Creek Temps went to near 0 F----The Arugula "froze-down."
Arugula on Dec 6th, loving it!
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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We're well into Spring. Anybody but Fritz got anything going this year?
I finally created enough sunshine to grow some vegetables in my own yard. ( I had to cut down seven good sized shade trees to do it ).
It's a Salsa/Pickle/Stir-Fry/Spaghetti patch. ( it was going to be a Guacamole patch, too, but that was before the Great Freeze Of '013 killed all of my Avocados )
I put up the Deer Fence in February. The deer around here are the size of Pygmy Goats and Cottontail Bunnies, so the deer fence only needs to be two or three feet tall. Chicken wire mesh, but heavily reinforced ( with scrap lumber ) because the Goat will test any fence she sees, espeially if there's something to eat on the other side of it. She's tested this one, and so far it's held up.
The pots were planted last month with Bell Peppers, Hatch Chiles, Poblano Chiles, Jalapenos, Haberneros, tomatoes ( Romas and cherries ), and Italian herbs. So far, so good. Nothing's died.
I got the cucumber trellis framework up last month. Four 12' rows of pickling cucumbers should give me enough to do whatever I feel like doing with them. If the Goat gets lucky, there'll be a surplus. She LOVES cucumbers. Once they get going, I'll be hanging concrete reinforcing wire on the A-frames to give the vines something to climb. If everything works as planned, I'll install a wire "roof" betwen the two A-frames, and create a tunnel of cucumbers.
I'm using weed cloth this year. Never used it before. It can't hurt. Maybe it'll cut down on the ammount of water needed.
( this evening, about 6:00 pm ) ( I used a kite to fly the camera )
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Had Asparagus from the Obamagarden tonight.
The cool spring so far has been good for the tomatoes, but bad for the Satsuma sweet potatoes.
I'll probably plant sweet corn and green beans this weekend.
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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I guess we need to try planting bananas in Idaho.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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I'm tired of paying a DOLLAR for a shrivelled Bell Pepper with a dried-up stem, or a DOLLAR for a little Zuchini that's only about the size of my own ... well, not very big. Used to be, the time of year when your garden was cranking out the produce, the prices at the market went DOWN, but not anymore. So it makes more sense than ever to plant today.
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Captain...or Skully
climber
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I dig my little garden. Put in seeds, some compost, & a bit of Love and VOILA!!!!
Big results. Like free, but better.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2013 - 08:09am PT
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Had Asparagus from the Obamagarden tonight.
Awesome. Your bitterfruit should be coming along nicely as well!
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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It was sweet!
I get the Bitter Mellon from the Viet next door neighbor.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Bugs are under control, so far.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Not doing too badly here in LaLa Land.
About 7" diameter...(jess sayin') ;-)
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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DIY Scarecrow
Dog-resistant beverage holder
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Michelle
Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
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Apr 22, 2013 - 04:59pm PT
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So this year I will be experimenting with a mostly container garden. I have a little strip of soul on my patio as well that is currently overgrown grass. Any suggestions on how best to prep the soil for food crops? Unknown origin or previous treatment. I was thinking I might just haul most of it out, line it and plop some good soil in. I'm sick of food costs and love gardening.
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WyoRockMan
climber
Flank of the Bighorns
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Apr 22, 2013 - 05:02pm PT
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My garden was looking great. Now I can't find it.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Apr 22, 2013 - 06:39pm PT
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Any grass buried deep enough will die,
Unless it's Bermuda Grass
Then get out the Roundup.
Repeatedly.
Check and see if your state has an agricultural extension program, or check with a local, small nursery / garden shop.
Soils and requirements can vary widely and if the area you want to plant is right up next to the house there's a good chance that construction leftovers have changed the soil composition radicaly from what's just a few weet away.
Just don't get suckered into buying sacks of "garden soil"
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Apr 22, 2013 - 10:11pm PT
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Khanom knows his shit!
This is what I'm working off this year.
Mostly donkey manure, with whatever else I raked up off the yard layered together. I stir it up with the Mantis, and it makes for a real earthy mix.
I miss that donkey, and I'll miss her even more when my manure mulch piles run out.
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