2020 gardens

[hayboy48]

Working that good smelling corn ground. Trying to get rid of maybe 25 in of rain this year, about got it. If every thing works out might get about 1/2 A of open pollinated white field corn in the ground. Can't let the virus fear get us down. GOD BLESS US AND THE USA.

 

[Sonny580]

Kenebeck being a long season, late harvested variety seams to keep longeest for us. Pontiac is a bit shorter season but also keep good. I gotta have my Norlands cause they early!---IF I can get them in early, they are the first to dig, don't make a big plant, and are a nice smooth spud, (shallow eyes like Kens) --- They do wilt in storage quicker because they been dug longer. We only plant a few so we have early eating spuds while waiting for the Kens, and Pontiacs.
In storage, dump from one container to the next every 2 weeks keeps the sprouts confused and takes longer for them to appear. When they do finally show, rub them off.---spuds stay solid a lot longer .

Our life here will go on as usual for us, nothing will/has changed for us,---well cept this cancer thing, but I still gotta have my garden!---just be smaller this year, not the 5 acre thing!

 

[herm0016]

what temp do you keep your seed starts? im trying for around 85 right now. seems to be working.

our onions, sage, yarrow, and some others have sprouted.

 

[jjp8182]

This is making me look forward to next month when I can start planting. I plowed a 50x100 area on part of my property last fall, and then put in a cover crop consisting of winter rye & clover in order to start adding more organic material to the soil at my place. I've dug up some decent sized areas around the property and seeing worms of any kind was pretty rare in most places (though it's been getting better in some).... which leads me to believe I need to add more worm-food type material to the soil in the places I'm not seeing worms.

One of the tings I want to try is a row-planted version of the "Three Sisters" trio with butternut squash planted between rows of corn/pole beans. Also thinking of planting some clover into the garden as a summer cover crop/living mulch after the vegetables have sprouted. Hopefully it'll helping keep weeds down as well as keep the soil/clay protected from the heat/rain as much as possible.

Whether I get good results or not, it should be interesting as it'll be the first time I've done an in-ground garden at my current place (prior years were all done as container/raised-bed - where most of the plants ended up being dying in the August heat 3 of the last 4 years).

 

[DJ54]

I tried the Dutch Clover cover crop between rows 5-6 years ago. I sowed the Clover, then marked out rows, and planted I'm thinking sweet corn in that spot. The National Weather Service predicted a 70% chance of rain that evening, so I figured it'd be a good time. Rain went just to the South of here, with a few sprinkles dotting the dust. Then, no rain for about a week. Apparently enough moisture in the ground to sprout weeds, but not enough for clover or sweet corn. About 10 days, and sweet corn was spiking, and clover just sprouting in the very small 2 leaf stage. By then, the weeds were getting big, so I cultivated,and killed most of the clover.

If I ever try it again, since I now have a Brinly planter, I'll sow the clover 14-20 days ahead of time, then plant whatever into the stand of clover. The reason for sowing the clover was a two-fold plan. A living mulch, and a nurse crop supplying N for the corn Looked good on paper, Mother Nature fooled us again.

 

[jjp8182]

For a while now the running joke around here has been "The mud is starting to dry up, guess we need more rain" .... it's been less lately, but I'm not sure when the last time was that we've had multiple days without at least some precipitation. So at this point I'm just hoping things dry out enough to be able to work the ground and plant within the next month (or even the month after that).

Otherwise I may just end up forgoing the in-ground garden and let the winter rye grow out. In which case I'll probably do a few containers/pots of tomatoes and cayenne peppers as most of what I grow is (currently) more to learn and have things that taste better than what I can buy. Moving from USDA hardiness zone 4 (where I grew up) to zone 7 has meant having to learn (and relearn) a fair amount about how to handle both the climate and soil differences.

 

[DJ54]

The ground here isn't normally ready to be turned over until mid, to late April. And I normally don't plant much of anything until mid May anyway. Warmer temps, lower humidity, and a good breeze can dry things up here in several days. I may start some cabbage around Apr. 1, ought to be big enough to set out, as soon as I get some ground worked up, Beans, I'll probably direct seed in leaf mulch I put down last Fall, I'll just have to pull it back where the rows will be. I may dig out an old Toro self propelled, walk behind leaf vacuum Dad bought years ago, and see if it will pick them up. Thinking of putting a snout on it, to just blow them over out of the way, as close to the row as possible, then pull the leaves back around them, when they pop up. It would save a lot of work, rather than raking them off.

 

[Sonny580]

Seeds in hand, mud in garden! Starting off cold/wet/late again this year just like last year. Onion plants need to be planted and no way to do that right now. Potatoes need in sometime around good friday---or hundredth day date ----anything after that I don't waste the time planting them, ---bugs get them before they even clear the ground around here!
I might not even get my small garden in this year!

 

[Gem99ultra]

I planted a half acre of wildflowers this year and a very small crop of lettuce. Both are up to about 1" now. We might be a bit warmer here than you are, i.e. 86* yesterday.

 

[jjp8182]

Managed to get in the garden and disc the winter rye into the ground yesterday.. need to go take a look this morning as we got a relatively short hard rain last night.

 

[herm0016]

Red kuri squash just sprouted, only waiting on the litchi tomatoes now. More seeds will be planted soon. Need to separate the other squashes. Do you separate your onions and shallots?

 

[DJ54]

Latest shop build, tail wheel for the rear tine tiller. Being I plant in leaf mulch from previous years, and also mulch around new plants, had problems with grass/Foxtail sprouting up in the leaves, with all of the rain the past 2 years. Using the tiller, with the depth bar, it drags leaves along, leaving bare spots, and gobs of leaves when you stop to clean it. Decided last year, maybe a tail wheel would be better. Really wanted a larger wheel (6"-8" like off a Woods mower deck, but saw this one at an auction last Fall, and got it for cheap. It works much better than anticipated..!!

Finished it last evening, and decided to take it out for a test run, before painting it. It has 5 depth adjustment holes, and this is in the middle hole. Did a great job of just skimming about 2" deep in the compost, flipping out chickweed that starting, and small clumps of grass that had started last Fall. Beats grubbing it out with a hoe, of chemicals. Setting the wheel an inch or two deeper, should justflip the deeper leaves enough, to get an weeds grass that may start on top of the leaves, and fluffing them up.

 

[Sonny580]

Might want to add a scraper to keep the mud from sticking to the wheel. ----The wheel would then roll better. Otherwise it should work.

I never grew onions from seed in pots, so I cant answer your question on re-planting them. --- If it were me I would leave them til removed and planted in the garden. I like to have my onion plants in the ground here by Mar 15! ----Got screwed up this year by the weather and just got them in last night. ----Probably won't make anything this year, but they are in the ground!

 

[herm0016]

Might want to add a scraper to keep the mud from sticking to the wheel. ----The wheel would then roll better. Otherwise it should work.

I never grew onions from seed in pots, so I cant answer your question on re-planting them. --- If it were me I would leave them til removed and planted in the garden. I like to have my onion plants in the ground here by Mar 15! ----Got screwed up this year by the weather and just got them in last night. ----Probably won't make anything this year, but they are in the ground!

we really cant plant outside many things till mothers day. i'll get my tators going this week

 

[Sonny580]

Part of my onion row,---now I was handed another 3 bunches to plant,--so tomorrow its back to planting.
Tatoes can wait a while yet but onion plants should have been in the ground here by Mar. 15'th.

 

[DJ54]

**Might want to add a scraper to keep the mud from sticking to the wheel. ----The wheel would then roll better. Otherwise it should work.**

I intentionally let the mud build up, to see if it would stop the wheel, but it didn't. It was way wetter than when I should be using it. I figured if it will work in these conditions, it ought to work anytime.

Got a couple coats of paint on it today. Also started another build, for a hiller behind the little Sears tractor. That 3 pt. hitch will spoil a person..!!

 

[oldballs]

Sonny,
Do you plant those onions on your hands and knees? I just planted mine a couple days ago....that way. And today planted about 75 Kennebec seed...hands and knees......Lots of brakes sitting in lawn chair.....but got 'er done. ...was finally dry enough to get in the garden.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Sonny580]

I usually use one of my creepers, but was in a hurry so I did it bending over this time. --got kinda ruff on the ole back, but got them in. 250 feet of them this year in 1 row. usually plant 7 rows like this but not this year.
Onion planting was 15 days late this year, so will see if they still make onions or not!
Would like to plant the potatoes around the 10"th of this month so will see what the weather does. Still need to till up the rest of the little garden to plant part of them in there then the rest over where no potatoes have been grown for 4 years. ---trying to duck the bugs!
Neighbor says I can use his utility tractor on my big tiller if I want to, but I kinda hate using somebody elses tractors! ---Will probably attempt it with my own. It runs too fast for tiller use but I got by last year with it.-----will see later how it goes.
Not sure how much will get planted this year. Sis wants to go all out, BUT planting is not the problem! All them acres have to be weeded/cultivated and I can't do it.--- Don't need that much produce for us and I am not worried about doing give-a-ways this year so don't need much planted.

 

[Sonny580]

Yesterday I got the potatoes planted. Possible rain heading this way,--ground was ready to plant, so we did it!

 

[herm0016]

we got a few inches of snow over night. i'm so ready to get stuff planted! the low was 18 degrees.