Vegetable Gardens

Bird · Sep 29, 2000

We've discussed a lot of things about our vegetable gardens in the past, but I'm curious about what some of you do with your gardens in the off season. I know some folks who just leave theirs alone until time to plant in the Spring. Of course they usually have a lot of weeds and grass to mow before they plow and/or till. I also know some folks who "bed" their gardens, i.e., with a double buster or bedder to leave it in hills on the theory that water gets down deep better. Since we don't have much freezing weather, and almost NO snow, I've just been running the tiller over mine several times during the Winter to keep the soil loosened up and to keep down any weeds or grass. At least that's all I've been doing the past 4 years, but today I decided to put the turning plow (moldboard) on and plow all the garden just as deep as the plow would go, then went back over it with the tiller to loosen it up a little deeper than I could get with the tiller alone. Any other theories or ideas of the best way to keep it in shape for the next season?

Bird

jyoutz · Sep 30, 2000

Bird, we get cold weather and snow, so I'm not sure if my system will work good for you. I just like to use the turning plow to turn the old garden vegetation under and leave the soil rough. If I till it before winter some of the dry fall or winter cold fronts will cause soil to blow. Then I like to just dump lots of manure and mulch on the rough soil. The open furrows let moisture penetrate deeply and allows frost action to help uncompact the soil. In the spring, I till the manure and mulch under and get ready to plant.

Thomas · Sep 30, 2000

Bird,
Not much we can do up here w/ our gardens durning the winter months. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
After the moose and deer are done picking thru the garden,I set the tiller as low as it can go and chop everything twice than add some fertilizer.
Than about April w/ couple of inches of snow,I spread load of cow fertilzer heavy..boy oh boy do the turkeys and crows like that /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.. and when the ground dry enough I till the grow at least 3 times.

I wish we had a longer growing season like you folks,but between the winter and the mud and bugs no so. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Hope all is well down there and the water table back to normal.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Anonymous Poster · Oct 5, 2000

Bird, In the fall I usually cut it lightly and sow crimson clover and winter rye for a good cover crop. The rye holds the soil and prevents the soluble N from leaching and the clover adds its own nitrogen. In the spring about 3 weeks before planting time I turn it under about 6 inches. This adds organic matter to the soil and improves the soils ability to hold moisture and breathe.
Greg H.

Bird · Oct 5, 2000

Greg, that sounds like a good idea, but does any of the clover or rye re-sprout after you turn it under?

Bird

TWINKLE_TOES · Dec 28, 2000

Bird,
This thread is worth bumping back to the top./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
All that white stuff and -below and wind chill and ice storm stuff is depressing.
I do the same as Greg, but just red clover. Mine dosen't re-sprout, but any that is missed along the edges is one tough plant, roots in all directions. It is a little tough to till in the spring, rolls up in the tines. I till two to three times to get it broken up good. The soil doesn't warm up enough here until the middle of May, planting earlier may work some years but generally not, by that time the clover is near knee deep. I am only 5' 5" so that isn't all that high /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

DFB · Dec 28, 2000

Winter rye is good choice up north gets started and grows well in cool weather. Does anyone use black plastic mulch?

MReeter · Dec 28, 2000

Good sign that spring will get here SOMEDAY,got our first seed catalog in the mail today.

Bird · Dec 28, 2000

Less than 6 weeks until time to start planting here if it isn't too wet to plant. I tilled in the leaves we raked up out of the yard before the last round of rain arrived, and of course, as soon as it's dry enough I'll till it again.

Bird

Kevin_mc · Dec 28, 2000

Bird, I am glad this post surfaced again. The seed catalogs are arriving daily. Here we spend New Years Eve pooring through seed catalogs and planning. It will be time to start lettuce seed in a few more weeks and grow it on the back porch.

For ground covers you may want to refer to the Peaceful Valley Seed catalog. They have an excellent section on ground covers, the benefits and the contents of the seed mixtures. They also have a web page http://www.groworganic.com/

jimmoore · Dec 28, 2000

Well folks, I am going to sell my disc and moldboard and pick my produce from the veggie department at the IGA this year!! When I plant a garden every 6 legged creature with mouth parts descend on my garden. Plus squirrels, coons and ground hogs & birds and the dry weather that we have been having the last two years, it'S NO LONGER WORTH THE EFFORT. Squirrels and birds also eat all my peaches and figs. After these 2 ice storms that we have had, I will most likely have to cut the peach and fig trees down. All the time and money spent plowing and tilling plus the seed cost, makes me think that it is cheaper to buy the veggies!! jim

jyoutz · Dec 28, 2000

Bird, what I do would probably also work good for you even if you don't get snow and freezing ground. I turn the old plants under each fall with a moldboard plow. Then I cover the garden with a couple inches of manure, leaves and any other organic matter. I let it set this way all winter (in your case you may get some weed growth but that's okay). Then I use my tiller in the spring to prepare the planting bed. Leaving the deep furrows open all winter lets moisture soak deep into the soil and also allows the organic compounds to leach into the soil. If you till the soil real fine prior to winter moisture, then your ground will just compact down by spring. Leave the field open and rough. This will also prevent wind erosion of the soil, which might occur during a dry period if the soil is tilled too smooth.

Kevin_mc · Dec 28, 2000

Jim, Try planting more so there is enough for you and the critters /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif.

Kevin Mc

jimmoore · Dec 29, 2000

KEVIN, Maybe I should plant GARLIC? I could then smell them coming. jim

Thomas · Dec 29, 2000

DFB,
Have you tried some of that Highway Mix?

It contains rye..clover..grass..etc.
I tried some seem to work well.

The storm getting closer. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird · Dec 29, 2000

Jim, I'll have to admit it would probably be cheaper, and a lot less work, to just buy our produce if it were just for my wife and me, but I do like Kevin said; I plant enough for us, the critters, and lots of other family members and neighbors (even been known to sell just a little bit each year).

jyoutz, I could spread a lot of organic matter on the garden and leave it for the winter, if I had the different kinds of organic matter handy. But I can't spread leaves without plowing them in or they'd just all blow away. My garden's on flat ground, out in the open. One material that I haven't used myself, but some others in the area use, is to plow truckloads of cotton hulls into the garden in the Fall, and leave it plowed, not tilled, until Spring.

All things considered though, I'm inclined to think what I'm doing works best in my area. If it were just tilled and left for the winter it would compact all right, but I don't leave it very long at a time. I just run the tiller over it again after every rain as soon as it gets dry enough so I don't give it a chance to get compacted very hard. I'm sure that wouldn't be best in the north, but down here it doesn't take me long to till it and the weather is usually suitable for doing that.

Bird

Thomas · Dec 29, 2000

MReeter,
I think Bird got the jump there,for he wrote in a couple of months about preping and planting while its still snowing up north.

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

DFB · Dec 29, 2000

Thomas, haven't used that. I try to stay away from adding clover, too invasive for me. Mostly red clover and timothy mix here. Used straw for mulch around my tomatoes last year. Really expensive if you have to buy it. I like to get a mulch layer. See the attachment. I haven't found out if its possible to use one with my 4100. I think the wheelbase is to narrow.plasticulture

Kevin_mc · Dec 29, 2000

You jest, but garlic is not only my commercial crop it is also the best weapon I have in organic pest control. I plant wide rows of garlic in raised beds leaving 10 foot of space between each row. I plant my garden vegetables between the garlic beds. Once I harvest the garlic in late June and early July I leave the tops lay in the beds to continue it's efforts against bugs and critters. Just don't plant the garlic the same place two years in a row.

If you don't want all the garlic try putting some garlic powder in water and spray it on the ground around your garden or at least the crops which are ready to harvest.

Then chant any of your favorite songs backward while standing on one leg under a full moon. Between the garlic and you acting like a fool in the garden all night at least the critters will leave you alone./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Kevin Mc

Thomas · Dec 29, 2000

jimmoore,
Than what are you going to do with all that free time. /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif
How about a smaller scale garden,as they say its in your blood. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Thomas..NH /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif