2020 gardens

[Sawyer Rob]

I always cover all of my gardens with mulch, every year, sweet corn and all,

SR

 

[DJ54]

I have been mulching around my set plants for 5-6 years now, since my neighbor who runs a lawn service, for upscale neighborhoods in Columbus started bringing me leaves. It saved him driving an extra 30 miles a day to dispose of them at a compost facility, on the SW corner of the city. Last year was the first time I had enough to do the whole garden. It took 24 loads like on my little dump truck pictured to do that. I added mulch as the planting progressed, and grew over a period of 2-3 weeks, so it wasn't too bad of a chore.

The 3rd year, he was so impressed with how well it worked, he brought his wife up to have a look, as she grows a garden for selling like a CSA to his customers. She prints up a list of what will be ready the following week, customers check off what they would like, and he delivers the produce the following week. So what she was using, cut down on theamount I ended up getting. If Momma' is happy, Everyone is happy, at least at his house.

Last Fall,between what he took home, and weather conditions (high winds blew many away) I didn't get nearly as many for this year. I did get enough between him, and what I vacuumed off the neighbors lawns to mulch around set plants, but not enough to cover between the rows. I also use grass I've mowed of my lawn to mulch with. But, with the dry spell we had in latter June, and up through now, lawn growth has been minimal. So, the next option was to use the corn gluten again. I tried it 6-8 years ago, after reading a story about how Organic Preen came to be. If you read the active ingriedients on a container of Organic Preen, it states, "100% Corn Gluten". I knew corn gluten pellets is used in cattle feed as a protein source, so found that a local feed mill stocks it, for making cattle feed. I have them run it through the hammer mill, and grind into meal, then spread it with a small yard drop spreader,and work it in. There is an additional plus to using it, as it has a content of 10% N, that gives plantsa little kick, when young.

Cost of the Organic Preen is $16.99 for 5 lbs., making it $3.40 per lb. Cost of buying the pellets, and having it ground is around 12 cents per lb. It will keep weeds down for about 6-8 weeks. A win-win in my book. I'd much rather use the leaves, as it adds organic matter to the garden. It will break down later in thesummer, and over the winter, end up as a fine compost by Spring. Some I turn over with the plow, and one spot, I just added more, after setting plants. After doing that for 3 years, I tilled it in, and planted potatoes. I must say, they are doing very well. We'll see how well thay've done, when I dig them next month.

 

[herm0016]

we are mulching with alphlpa this year. seems to be working well. 4 bales used so far.

 

[oldballs]

Sawyer Rob,
Is that mulch "wood chips" ? What do you do with it at the end of the season.

I use wheat straw in my small garden. It is either raked up and hauled off or burned on site at the end of the season....along with the tomato vines. Today, I just burned (burn pile) last years half rotten vines/straw.

Will be getting that potato plow out pretty soon.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

It's all grass hay, although I do put some chips from the dust collector in my wood shop, in one of the gardens. Anyway, I cut my own mulch with this,

and move it to the gardens,

It's much easier to spread if it's NOT baled, and once on the gardens, there's NO WEEDING!

When the gardens are done, I till it all under to feed next years plants.

BTW, you have to add some N if you want wood chips and/or leaves to break down with any speed as they are carbon...

SR

 

[oldballs]

Yeah, I have a Cyclone Rake Leaf collector and spread the leaves over the 50 x 100 garden........then plow it under in early winter. Then till the garden in the spring.....probably should put down some 12-12-12 before plowing....but I'm still learning...see uns that I grew up in the inner city before moving out here.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[ovrszd]

Mike's mental awareness always amazes me. He's a young 88.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Once I learned to properly use my Howard Rotovator (tiller) I no longer had use for a plow, and haven't used one in many years.. It does a great job on it's own,

I always saved the leaves to put/mulch between the rows of my plants for weed suppression, then tilled them down in the fall...

SR

 

[Sonny580]

a few garden pix.

yellow summer squash harvest about to start.


2 long rows of summer squash, 3 kinds, green, white, and yellow.


first sweetcorn getting there.


tomato acre --- over 400 plants this year.


cabbage head starting to form.

 

[DJ54]

I picked around 20 lbs of green beans Sat. morning, along with 4 zukes & numerous cukes. Ended up with 19 pints, and 1 quart of beans canned up. 5 Zukes were cut about 3" long, then ran through a fry cutter with a 1/4" cutter. Put them in the dehydrator, and ended up with 2 cups dried down. Vacuum sealed them, and added an oxygen absorber pkt. We'll see how they do. I'll have to prepare some this week, and see what amount they re-hydrate to.

We got 3/10's of an inch of rain last evening. Could use more, but happy to get that. More predicted later in the week. Both garden and hay/pasture will appreciate it..!!