Gardens 2020

[RonThomle]

Ok, I have to ask. What's with the bags? Are you catching those little black bug that are in my grapes?
I've been spraying with sevin(?), but would rather not. So am curious a bout the bags, thanks in advance

 

[mgwin]

Ron,
Japanese beetles in them bags! They are not black until they start to rot after about two days. LOL! And yes, they love grape vines! Look up Spectracide bag a bug traps and you will see what I use. They work really well. Just make sure you get some extra bags, you are going to need them!

 

[John DeBree]

Are those Japanese Beetles?!? I thought I had it bad, picking about 50 a day off of my roses.

I know my garden needs lime. Our soil is very acid in general. It's hard to really treat my garden, as parts of it are in use year-round. The garlic goes in in the fall, and we harvest collards all winter. I've been liming my small 'project' field twice a year, and the effects are amazing.

 

[tritter]

What’s in the bag?

 

[tritter]

Never mind. Got it.

 

[dschwandt]

Modify a bread sack to use as well.
Trace the outline on it, then cut in as far as the hourglass part, fold to shape and tape the corners.
Here's one I made yesterday and seems to be working OK. Already has about 2" worth in 24 hrs
The bag's you buy get pricy after a few.

I have had better luck with the Bonfide traps, (hard to find though) they have a loop on the top that makes it super easy to hang like on a Sheppard's hook
The Spectricide traps, you have to mess around with a twist tie to hang them with.
I have also found that if they get wet the bugs will really stink after a while and then attract flies.
That seems to keep the bugs away, so often change of bags seems important.

 

[john.knutson]

My wife and I are looking to get a garden going on our property next spring. This year was pretty busy getting moved in, selling our old house, and tackling some other things around the house. I think I have the area picked out, and am searching for some implements to help prepare the land. So far I've got a lead on a cultivator and possibly a plow from another member (see my post in the wanted section).

This is my current plan, mostly formulated from anecdotal information that I've gathered from this forum, as well as some YouTube farmers that I follow. Maybe some folks here can help me poke holes in or provide additional advice with regards to my approach:

1. Clear current grass/weeds/debris from area
2. Plow land to turn soil
3. Cultivate/Disc to even soil
4. Plant cover crop, thinking Winter Rye

I have a Viking roller/spreader that can help with some evening out of the soil, as well as drop-seed. Unfortunately I do not have the scarifier/aerator attachments for it.

I've already started clearing weeds and tall grass out of the area that I have in mind, I'll see about getting some pics of it as well. I am not certain how much sun it will get, there are some trees near it. I think I will setup my GoPro on a time lapse to get an idea of sun throughout the day.

 

[kmcconaughey]

John, after you till it and clear it of grass and weeds. Cover the area with clear plastic and seal around the edges with soil and or 2x4s then leave it in place for a couple of weeks. This should kill a bunch of weed seeds and diseases that might be lurking in the soil. Do a google (or use your favorite search engine) search for 'Soil Solarization" here's one search result:

Soil Solarization

Alternately, you can let the weeds germinate then till them in. Repeat as necessary to reduce the weed seeds.

 

[kmcconaughey]

John, one word of caution regarding tilling weeds, if you have common purslane growing, be aware that it readily propagates vegetatively, meaning if a tiller cuts it up into pieces, each piece will grow as a separate plant. On the plus side it is edible, though I've never tried it. After I till my garden I use a garden rake to rake out as many of the weeds as I can and toss them on the compost pile or just toss them out in the field that's adjacent to my garden.

 

[dschwandt]

Yeah, this stuff

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/pl...lear uncultivated or recently cultivated soil.

 

[john.knutson]

Thanks for the advice! I had heard of 'Soil Solarization' but had not looked into it. Seems easy enough to do, and valuable.

I don't recall seeing anything that looks like Common Purslane, but I will definitely keep an eye out for it.

 

[BPR]

I eat the purslane that volunteers I’m my garden. It is high in omega-3s. Many of what’s considered a”weed” like plantain, dandelion, ground ivy are edible. These plants were brought to North America by europeans for there Nutritional and medicinal value. If you do decide to eat plants like these Be sure to correctly identify them before doing so.

 

[mwmacdonald]

Rhy grass 8s bad to grow vegetative too. You chop the rhizomes up and they can spread. A lot of weeds do very poorly if you bury them in mulch (5to 6 inches of grass clippings). Only problem is you don't need a tractor, that's no fun. You could mulch around your plants when they grow, then plow everything under in the fall. Thick mulch might attract slugs though so weigh the pros and cons

 

[dschwandt]

Not exactly garden but I found time last week to tidy up the yard some by edging the sidewalks at my rental place, formerly my home place.

The 149/DanCo combo came in handy once again and saved a bunch of wheelbarrow time moving 3 big buckets full of stuff from there and also at home.

 

[john.knutson]

Not exactly garden but I found time last week to tidy up the yard some by edging the sidewalks at my rental place, formerly my home place.

The 149/DanCo combo came in handy once again and saved a bunch of wheelbarrow time moving 3 big buckets full of stuff from there and also at home.

View attachment 139476View attachment 139477

Looks great!

I am guessing you used the flat/square shovel to do the actual edging? I've been tempted to get an edging tool, either powered or manual. I might need to give the shovel a try first, save a couple bucks.

 

[dschwandt]

BINGO, John!!
I have an edger but if you don't use it often, say every 3-4 weeks or so and if there is the least bit of moisture present it will constantly plug up and burn the belt to quick ruination!!

I usually do this once a year when it is really dry like it has been these past 10 days or so. A good sharp square nosed shovel will do a nice job if you are careful and keep making even cuts. Kinda hard on the shoe and the heel from stomping on it and sometimes you have to use 1/2 width cuts.

Main reason I use the shovel is to make snow removal a little easier in this case plus the lawn edge is somewhat higher in some areas than is the concrete so I angle the cuts a more than the 15* the edger provides to 30* or so in some spots.

 

[John DeBree]

We pulled out the last of the green beans and zucchini on Saturday. I'm going to get that space ready for collards, which go in mid-August here. They last all winter here, until it gets hot in the spring. Might throw a couple broccoli plants in, too, just to see what they do. Our soil is terrible, so we experiment, and go with what survives. We're flooded with okra right now, and will be until frost. Okra is probably our most successful crop.

 

[PACub100]

Mom's greenhouse...tomatoes to the left, peppers in the center, black raspberries to the right...

 

[dschwandt]

That time of year again to start putting the garden to bed for another season.
We still have beans and tomatoes yet.
Here's the 882 seeing how much it can lift and still steer w/o any weight on front.

 

[John DeBree]

Our summer garden is winding down, but the winter garden is booming. Collards, broccoli, spinach, and kohlrabi. The collards will produce all winter long here in SC. We'll have fresh greens until April. I'm also going to put in some garlic just to see what happens. We're having a rather cool September this year. Last year, we were in a drought and hit 90 up until Oct. 5.