Veg Garden Preparation

[RalphVa]

If you're interested in making raised rows and/or ripping up the rows, the only tool I've seen available is from Agri Supply called the Keulavator. On the Keulavator frame, you can mount disc hillers to make raised rows or cultivator tines to rip up the rows.

I've my rows made and have plastic laid between the rows; so, I can't run the tractor over the plastic (messes it up). I plant buckwheat on rows not producing (like after potatoes/beans are finished) to shade weeds. Frost kills the buckwheat. It won't biodegrade but is easily pulled up and raked to get rid of. Run it through your shredder and throw it onto the rows as compost. (Soil erosion "fencing" is ideal to lay between rows to keep weeds from growing there.)

Putting mulch onto the rows is the main thing that I do to ****** weeds, keep moisture in and to add nutrients. I use virtually no fertilizer. My cabinet maker calls me to come get 2 to 4 barrels of sawdust about every 2 to 4 months. I put some high N organic fert (e.g. Espoma "lawn food") on the sawdust to bring the C:N ratio down to about 30:1. That stuff mixed into the sawdust and thus into the rest of my mulch pile is the only fert that my garden gets.

Ralph

 

[Allan_Cen_Ont]

You WILL get good potatoes that first year! This is IF the natural pH of your soil is a little acidic. The lime you put down for other veggie crops likely won't fully work in to adversely affect the potatoes that first year.

The bugs will start coming about your 3rd year: Colorado potato beetles (new organic Colorado Potato Bug stuff available now that works better and safer than Rotenone), squash beetles and vine borers (again use the Colorado Potato Bug stuff or the older BT on small plants to get rid of the beetle and on running vines later to slow down the squash borer) and Mexican bean beetles (again, the Colorado Potato Bug stuff is supposed to work on them as well as Neem oil in cooler times).

Plant corn about a 1/2 row every 10 days to spread out your harvest. Same for bush beans, but I LOVE the taste and huge harvest of Asparagus Beans (long beans apparently only available from Burpee). Just put up a fence section for them to climb on. Think next year I'll put up 2 fence sections and skip the bush beans.

Ralph

Ralph if ya don't want to contend with potato bugs get some Diametis(sp) earth and sprinkle a good sized handfull on the see potatoes when you plant them. This is supposed to keep the bugs away as they don't like the earth. The only thing is it comes in big 50 lb bags so it will last a while. You can get the earth at your local feed store or where ever you would get supplies for calves as you give this earth to calves to stop scours.This earth is a white chalk like texture and will stick to anything ya get it on also .

 

[Egon]

[ Diametis/QUOTE]

Diatomic??

 

[AKfish]

Diatomaceous earth (pronounced /ˌdaɪətəˈmeɪʃəs ˈɝθ/), also known as DE, TSS, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur or celite) is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of diatomaceous earth is 86% silica, 5% sodium, 3% magnesium and 2% iron.

IMO - a rototiller is one of the best weed killers (chemical free) available to the small farmer/gardener. I think the results with a tiller are better than either a disc or a plow.

Used with a ground cover - tyepar, black plastic, old carpet, or the commercial garden matting; you can knock the snot out of weeds! And if you don't want/need production right away - leave the plot covered over for a whole season and let 'er cook.

AKfish

 

[RalphVa]

Thanks, Allen,

I'll have to remember that DE trick. Might keep down the wire worm damage. I had about a 1/2 row about 1/2 eaten by a vole this year; first time. Sprinkled some poisoned peanuts into some holes where he came up at various spots. May plant some "dog tick" seeds (forgotten the real name for them; they grow as stalks and produce seeds that are poisonous); have some among my seed supply.

Ralph

 

[dawoodwa]

Currently working on a 3 acre garden now, converting an old pasture. I have access to an unlimited amount of chicken litter and I have about 20tons piled. I am mixing this with mulch from our county landfill and will let this compost over the winter before spreading it and tilling it in this spring.