New Garden is getting close to being ready

[cmhyland]

Well I was off this week and started prepping for the new garden.



After clearing away sticks and debris I rototilled the area 5 times.



I then added about 15 yards of well composted manure and tilled two more times.




I assembled the new row builder and ran the rows.... Next year I
ll get them a little strighter...




Next weekend will be the fence. I have the posts.... 4X6 by 8ft red oak .. 11 bucks a post a the sawmill... I'll be sealing the bottoms with Thompsons waterseal or something like that.
The wire fence will be 4ft and we'll run a few strands of electric as well.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Gunny]

Looking good! Have you already had the soil tested? I'm still waiting here, we keep getting just enough rain to keep the dirt too wet to work.

 

[cmhyland]

I will be getting a soil test this week.... My local Nursery does them for free.

The row builder was a great investment... 1000 feet of rows in 10 minutes....

Regards.
Chris

 

[jinman]

Nice looking garden spot.:thumbsup: With all that woods around your garden, a fence will be a 'must-have' addition. How far is the garden from a source of water? Having water and electricity nearby to a garden is a real plus. On a new garden where manure is used, weed control will be a big job, but if you stay ahead of the weeds, they will be less each year.

When you build your fence, do you have plans for removable sections so the tractor can maneuver in successive years? You need to leave a large border between the garden and fence or have removable fencing to aid future work with the tractor. I would set that fence back at least 10' and maybe 12' to allow space to work. Even 15' is not too much. You can till parallel to the fence for weed control, but when you are laying out rows, you need to be able to go straight until your plow comes to the edge of the garden. Then, an additional few feet needs to be left for turning and setting up for the next pass. Allowing extra room between the garden soil and fence is just part of good planning that will pay off in convenience.

 

[cmhyland]

Hi Jinman,

I will be running a waterline out to the garden. I wasn't planning to have power out there, should I? This manure is very well composted and all pulled for the bottom of a very large pile.
I don't think weeds will be a big problem.... The heat in that pile when it's working is pretty high. I have used the composed manure in other spots and the weeds were very few.... I hope this works out as well... LOL

I plan on removable panels on the ends. I think that will be a fall project just due to time constraints. I'll fasten the wire fence with some screw on clips for now so that I can remove them easily in the fall and build panels.

Fence is Red Brand 4' 2x4 welded wire. I will run the posts 5' high and do 2 strands of electric on top and one lower down close to the ground. Electric fence charger will be solar....

Regards,
Chris

 

[jinman]

Chris, it sounds like you have good plans for your fence. Just remember, if you don't have livestock, the fence doesn't have to be that strong. I have been extremely successful with that premium plastic deer fencing that's 7' tall and comes in rolls up to 200' long. That stuff has eliminated the deer problem in my garden. It doesn't keep out raccoons or possums, but an electrical wire close to the ground could cure that problem if it is severe. Raccoons and possums seem to do damage to melons and corn. On rare occasions I've seen some damage to tomatoes, but not much. I just think we often build fences from materials that are traditionally meant for livestock because they are so readily available. I admit that my fence is not pretty and won't stop cattle or horses, but it works well and is extremely easy to put up and take down to allow tilling the garden. Just a thought. . .

Having electricity at a garden is handy for that fence charger and any lighting you might have. If you need a view of the garden at night, putting up a automatic floodlight will let you see the area without having to be close-by. That can be useful in seeing what kinds of critters show up to 'inspect' your garden. Lighting and an electric fence charger that doesn't require batteries are two things that easily come to mind. For temporary needs, you can always run extension cords if the garden is within a couple hundred feet from an outlet.

 

[cmhyland]

Thanks Jinman,
The plastic fence sounds interesting... Might be good stuff to grow my pole beans on as wel as cucumbers and tie off tomato's rather than cages....

If you look at the last picture you'll see some stakes beyond the garde.... We plan to put our Blueberry enclosure back there.


Regards,
Chris

 

[clemsonfor]

I use old dog fense type stuff or some i guess call it goat fence??? ITs 5 ft tall, i stake it with T posts and bamboo stakes i cut, i then have the pole beeans grow up that. In the past i have stacked tomatoes to something similar but find that they can get top heavy, and if you dont have enough heavy duty stakes they fall over. But thats probably mosty due to my lazy staking/.

 

[cmhyland]

Hi Clemsonfor,

In my location if I grow the beans on the outside fence I'll end up with no beans.. the deer would clean them out....

Take a look at this video....

Crop Netting and Pole Beans - April 2010 - Growing a Vegetable Garden - YouTube

Regards,
Chris

 

[clemsonfor]

i live in a tiny town and with my lot there is no deer problem, although we have plenty of deer just not in my yard. I am watching the chasing tail show about bow hunters in CT, looks like yall have a few up there with those large lots and rich houses in what ever town the show is filmed in.