Gardens for 2021 season

[Sonny580]

Anybody thinking about this garden season? What are your plans?

 

[oldballs]

Hi Sonny......The garden was plowed.....then tilled in the fall leaves......it is ready.. Now I just gotta decide what I'm able to garden from start to finish....
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Rowdy Redneck]

Will grow pumpkins and melons in the small field. Going to try straw bale gardening for carrots, beets, peppers, eggplant, okra, and cauliflower. Will grow sweet potatoes in raised beds. I want to grow heirloom and unique varieties that aren't easily or cheaply found at the store.

My big challenge will be keeping the deer out.

 

[DJ54]

I think I may try the Burpee Hasta La Pasta spaghetti squash as another low carb. alternative to pasta. Received an email yesterday with this exclusive squash, apparently only available through their catalog, not sold in stores. Apparently being a new hybrid, only 5 reviews, but much higher reviews than their other spaghetti squash. It says they are very prolific, so may only plant 4-5 plants. Since squash seedviability is 4years, if it's a winner, I'll be set for a few years.

Biggest problem will be battling the squash bugs. I'll be planting the Daikon radishes in row, and either side as a trap plant to attract the white butterflies, plus some spray.

I left the electric fence up over the winter to keep the Deer out. Between that,and cutting bars of Irish Spring bath soap into quarters, and zip tying them to fence posts, it kept the Deer out last year. Not sure if it was the Doe that raided the garden in the past, but one got hit on the road, right by the garden late last Fall.

And, will probably be starting some onion seed in a tray in the next week or so, to transplant for green onions. I'll be using seeds from 5-6 seed heads I harvested last Fall, from bunching onion plants I got from a buddy last year.

I had a few Yellow Stuttgarger onions I'd brought in the house I've been using off of. Was going to dehydrate some, but weather hasn't been suitable to do that outside, and they started to sprout. Got a few days of nice weather in the 40's, so dug a trench in my small patch for growing onion seeds, and starting Asparagus,and Rhubarb plants from seed. Covered with dirt, then 6" or so of leaves to protect them. Was amazed how dry the dirt was to work with in January. Guess I'll see what survives come April/May. Making seed for next year.

 

[3Ts]

I have plans for a garden. I've already bought seeds and the order is in for asparagrus and thornless blackberry roots, I have a pile of compost ready to go, but the soil is to wet to work, and the forecast is for more rain every day for the next week. It will take 2 weeks of dry weather for the soil to dry enough to till it. Seeds may get in a little late this year at the way things are going.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I disked the flower garden about 3 weeks ago. We have a 1/2+ acre flower garden every year for the bees and butterflies. It's still far too wet right now to till before seed planting. I suspect we'll also need al couple of weeks of 'no rain' before we can have it ready to till and seed for Spring planting.

We've delayed buying seed this year, waiting until we know we have fresh seed to plant. In the past we've gotten stuck with tons of Cosmos flowers, which in stand alone areas they're pretty, but not exactly the look of flowing fields bluebonnets and Indian paint brushes that we had back in Texas that we want. Fortunately we're not in the position that we'll want nor need a vegetable garden this year.

Planting clover seed over a couple of acres for the deer has also been delayed but that will be ordered today. That area will simply be raked and seeded, i.e. no disking nor tilling needed.

 

[Sonny580]

We have a few seeds on order,--most that we plant is our own saved seed. Neighbor gets sweetcorn seed from his farm seed dealer and gives it to us to plant so we all have sweetcorn from that.
This year we want to start our own tomato, cabbage, brocolli,cauliflower and sweet potato plants.
Plan on making the hotbed bigger so we can have more room to start more plants.
Usually have 600 tomato plants of different kinds. Also like to have different maturity cabbage so they all dont get ready at same time.
He also helps us get horse manure and we have several places now to pick up from. He wants to take his Bobcat to load with and has me drive his big dump truck hauling it home----we are able to move a lot of chit in a day as a team! lol!
Last fall we had over 20 loads we hauled in, spread, and plowed under plus my pile that I composted down to use for potting soil.
I got the ground sub-soiled 36" deep and plowed about 16" deep so it is ready for the big tiller and plant right behind it. I like fall plowing better since the ground mellows out better here. Tried spring plowing and it dont work here---might in other areas--just not here so its fall for us.
Had big ice storm a couple weeks ago--power off for 3 days, trees damaged severly so now we have a mess to clean up. I have a Vermeer 1600-A brush chipper so will chip the brush with it. Most of our big pine trees are damaged to the point that they may have to be cut down,--dont know yet still trying to drag hanging limbs down out of the trees and thats a big job.
The pine chips will go in a pile in the back corner of the garden to lay til we decide what to do with them. Probably end up burning them later.

 

[MoKelly]

We had a raised garden last fall for the first time. Raised broccoli and lettuce that worked out well. We also had lots of cabbage but, most of it got Infested with bugs. See picture below.

Anyone know what these bugs are and how to prevent next season?

MoKelly

 

[Bearsixty7]

TOMATOES! Nothing like a vine ripened tomato! I hate what we get in the stores or in restaurants. I have determined that most people don't know what a tomato should taste like or they wouldn't eat or more importantly buy these tasteless things. Maybe then the grower/grocer/supplier pipeline might start producing worthwhile tomatoes!

We will use raised beds we made last year out of left over cedar pickets. In NTX the afternoon sun is too much so we have a box on the east side of the house under the eave. It gets morning to noon sun and it's close to the back door so easy to grab one to eat anytime.

 

[Gem99ultra]

We have a few seeds on order,--most that we plant is our own saved seed. Neighbor gets sweetcorn seed from his farm seed dealer and gives it to us to plant so we all have sweetcorn from that.
This year we want to start our own tomato, cabbage, brocolli,cauliflower and sweet potato plants.
Plan on making the hotbed bigger so we can have more room to start more plants.
Usually have 600 tomato plants of different kinds. Also like to have different maturity cabbage so they all dont get ready at same time.
He also helps us get horse manure and we have several places now to pick up from. He wants to take his Bobcat to load with and has me drive his big dump truck hauling it home----we are able to move a lot of chit in a day as a team! lol!
Last fall we had over 20 loads we hauled in, spread, and plowed under plus my pile that I composted down to use for potting soil.
I got the ground sub-soiled 36" deep and plowed about 16" deep so it is ready for the big tiller and plant right behind it. I like fall plowing better since the ground mellows out better here. Tried spring plowing and it dont work here---might in other areas--just not here so its fall for us.
Had big ice storm a couple weeks ago--power off for 3 days, trees damaged severly so now we have a mess to clean up. I have a Vermeer 1600-A brush chipper so will chip the brush with it. Most of our big pine trees are damaged to the point that they may have to be cut down,--dont know yet still trying to drag hanging limbs down out of the trees and thats a big job.
The pine chips will go in a pile in the back corner of the garden to lay til we decide what to do with them. Probably end up burning them later.

======================
Not only do you have an aggressive plan for your crops, but a terrible mess to clean up before you can even get started. What a work load ahead. My condolences to you.