So I spent the weekend out in the gardens. It looks like all my fall planted stuff made it. Got all the fruit trees dressed and all the perennial stuff cleaned up. The spinach, peas and carrots are up. The garlic and potato onions are looking great. Planted a bunch more rhubarb and another walnut. I had a couple of packets of old lettuce seed. Some was probably ten years old. Last fall just for the heck of it I threw it into one of the raised beds. Didnt grow at all last fall so I thought it was no good. This spring I have a lot of lettuce coming up. I need to get the fence up as there are plenty of deer tracks through the garden and the woodchuck is back. Also got my first round of poison ivy. Best part is the asparagus is up. Had the first one out of the garden on Sat. I am thinking of doubling the bed next year. It is one of our favorite veggies and an easy one to grow.
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How are the gardens?
- Thread starter coastie
- Start date
My garlic is growing like gang-busters. The strawberries look good too.
Everything frost-prone has to wait until the end of the month to go in.
The seedlings are doing very well tho.
Everything frost-prone has to wait until the end of the month to go in.
The seedlings are doing very well tho.
Knob Creek
NES Member
Just fertilized and mulched the Blueberry bushes and Raspberry and Blackberry beds. Spraying fruit trees and Blue berry bushes to head off the winter moths. Ground to too wet to till the garden.
I've got a question for you gardeners. I've decided that I'm going to plant one this year and will have the spot rototilled this weekend. I couldn't get it in sooner. So, my question is how big are your gardens? The one I'm planning will be about 20' x 40'. I'm planning on planting the rows along the 20 width. So, what would be the most appropriate spacing between rows? As for crops, I'm thinking about the veggies that my wife will be able to can. She's great about that. If it wouldn't be too much of chore, I'd love to know what you all planted and how much of each plant...in otherwords much of a particular row did you plant a certain vegetable? I've got good sun and plan on the basics and would like to include garlic and also herbs. Any info you might be willing to share will be greatly appreciated. I live in Northern CT and the weather here can still produce frost but I know I can get some things started right now before frost is gone completely.
Rome
Rome
Here is a guide that I found a while ago. I dont space as far apart because I dont use a tractor but it gives you an idea of the amount needed to grow. Also make sure that you plant veggies that you like. I know plenty of people that plant all sorts of plants that they dont really like but they plant them because their parents or friends planted them. Get your soil tested!! I cant stress that enough. I screwed around for a few years before I did it and I wish I did it the first year I moved in. My soil is out of whack and it will take me a couple of years to get it all worked out. Most university extensions provide this service for a fee.
http://www.endtimesreport.com/Amount_to_grow.pdf
http://www.endtimesreport.com/Amount_to_grow.pdf
Nice chart. I'll rework the numbers for just the two of us.
Rome
Rome
D
Deleted member 12999
We're planting our first garden this year. It's a learning curve for us right now, but I planted half of our veggies today. I have about 8 more to plant tomorrow, and 5 or so I'm starting indoors. I also have my eye on a couple apple trees, just trying to figure out where I'm going to put them.
Seems like there are a lot of new gardens going up. Reminds me of the 'victory gardens" of the WWII era. With the price and quality of veggies from the markets today, gardens make a lot of sence and canning will be good for the pantry if and when the time comes that there is little on the shelves at the shops for whatever reason. Plus, there's nothing as good as fresh picked radishes or carrots. And I could eat crips cukes all day long.
Rome
Rome
Strawberries are doing well and I added another ~30 plants to the bed. Green onions are up in full force and the rhubarb is going nuts. Netting is down for the tomatoes and peppers. Apple trees and peach trees are in full bloom. Cherry tree is lagging a bit. Sprinklers are half a$$ed in place.
Still deciding on the other ~300 square feet.
Fitz
Still deciding on the other ~300 square feet.
Fitz
bfm
NES Member
Mine is only 10x20 and I end up doing some canning etc as it is.
I limed mine when I turned it under last fall and put fertilizer out a couple weekends ago. Peas, carrots, lettuce, and cucumber are in the ground. Tomatos and peppers are still in the seedling lots but will go in next week.
Was having trouble with the plum tree last year, but it is looking better. We also just started bueberries on the side of the house.
For those who have not gardened before Umass Amherst offer soil testing for short money. Can help you figure out exactly what your garden is in need of nutrient wise instead of just guessing.
Peas,radishes, spinach, chard,lettuces all up. Had a lot of lettuces make it through the winter and harvested enough last night to make a salad for the three of us. Beets are in the ground, onions, carrots planted. Made my first batch of rhubarb sauce last night. Melons, cukes, broccoli, and tomatoes still inside waiting for warmer weather.
speedy
NES Member
Have corn going, have some garlc, chives, and next weekend I'll plant mixed salads, etc. My cherry and Japanese pears are loaded with flowers Should be a good crop as long as it does not rain too much and the weather stays nice for polliation. You know is good weather when you start to see Orioles. I have even seen some female Grosebeaks already. Warm days are around the corner.
My girlfriend has some plants started indoors and I think she was going to get them going outside this weekend. My raspberry plants are growing like wildfires and I am not sure if I want to allow them to expand or not and if I do how much. Since food prices and everything seem to keep going up I think we might look at expanding the garden we have. We also have hop plants coming in that were planted last year. Hopefully we'll be able to harvest some to brew with this year.
Any good resources for garden maintenance? I see people here talking about liming, etc...I currently live in an apartment, but we're actively looking for a house, and I really want a garden. Might get it too late in the summer, but at least I can make plans for next year.
All I'm growing now is three of these:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/e56a/
and growing is the wrong term, since I think they didn't take [sad2]
All I'm growing now is three of these:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/e56a/
and growing is the wrong term, since I think they didn't take [sad2]
Your best bet is to get a soil sample once you move in and send it off to your local university extension. They will tell you what your soil is lacking and what you need to add to it to improve it. THey will also have good pubs explaining everything. Most are online for free. Here is the extension I used because it close to us.
http://extension.unh.edu/Agric/AGPDTS/SoilTest.htm
Dont mess around with the at home test kits or just guessing what your soil needs. I wish I had done this when we first got serious about a garden instead of screwing around for a few years. Would be that much further ahead.
Expanded the garden by dumping 10 yards of "super soil" - 1/2 loam, 1/2 compost....Lettuce seeds planted 3 weeks ago are coming up quick. Planted seeds last weekend - Beets, Swiss Chard, Spinach, 4 types squash, and rutabaga(turnip). The rutabaga seeds are already popping - the entire 20' row is full of green shoots.
Looking to construct a pvc drip pipe system - found a good link HERE - PVC Drip system
The "permanent row of Garlic, onions, and Asparagus is going good.
This weekend hope to get bean seeds, cucumber, corn seeds,and maybe a row of carrots and more onion seeds. The tomato plants and green peppers are doing well , but still have them in the greenhouse.
Hope to learn to do some canning this year..
Looking to construct a pvc drip pipe system - found a good link HERE - PVC Drip system
The "permanent row of Garlic, onions, and Asparagus is going good.
This weekend hope to get bean seeds, cucumber, corn seeds,and maybe a row of carrots and more onion seeds. The tomato plants and green peppers are doing well , but still have them in the greenhouse.
Hope to learn to do some canning this year..
Tomatoes, chili peppers, bell peppers and cucumbers all started indoors. I got all the soil in the garden turned last weekend, got all the weeds out, and mixed in some compost. I'm hoping to get everything transplanted outside and get the carrots, peas, squash and green beans started next weekend. I tried starting soybeans indoors as well, but their roots grow too deep for the containers I have. I've got a few more seeds to try outside as well. Let's hope for a great harvest this year.
What would you guys do for creating a growing area but all you have to work with is a broken brick 10x10 that a condo association refuses to let you change, is it worthwhile to explore building a trough to hold a foot depth of dirt?
Jamie
NES Member
Slow start this year. Expanded the garden area by a little more than double. It's now about 25' square. Had 2800 pounds of composted cow manure that we bartered for dropped and spread dumped. Hand spread then tilled in. We have a ton of plants started in the house, but nothing in the ground yet. This weekend should be productive.
Jamie
NES Member
Absolutely. You can grow a lot of food in a small area. Just plan ahead and use your space wisely.
Would a foot be deep enough? Or would a higher build make for a better growing situation?
Jamie
NES Member
It depends on the root structure of what you plant. Most veggies root fairly shallow, but if you're going for county fair winning carrots, you'll need more depth.
Yes, as HardJeepGuy said, foot deep is plenty for any vegetable you wish to grow. Many plants (e.g. radishes) will be happy in ½ or even 1/3 that depth. 10 by 10 is actually reasonable amount of space to get some food. Your biggest issue will be working in the middle of that space. You do not want to walk on the dirt, but I do not see how to avoid it. If I were faced with 10x10 concrete slab – here is what I would do. Buy 4 non-treated dimensional lumber boards 2x12x14 and get each cut into 10’ and 3’.9” segments. Then buy 2 non-treated dimensional lumber boards 1x3x16 and get each cut into 4’ segments. Use 3” coated deck screws to build 2 boxes 10x4. Remember to put the 3’.9” boards inside/between 10’ boards. Use 4’ planks to build the bottom. Put 2 on each end of the box and secure to 3 walls (1 wall 3.9 and 2 walls 10) with 2” coated deck screws. Evenly space remaining planks and secure them to 2 walls (obviously the 10 footers). Put each planter inside the 10x10 area with 2 feet between them. Fill the bottom circumference with gravel – about 1” deep. Fill the middle with sand, also about 1” deep. You need this for drainage, which is also the main reason for bottom planks. By using planks you made the planter slightly stronger and raised it 0.5” of the ground. Sand and gravel will allow drainage and will filter the water so neighbors won’t complain. Fill the remainder of each planter with a mix of 25%/25%/50% peat moss/vermiculite/compost. Or just get soilless mix and compost. Mix 50/50. Add few handfuls of greensand to the mix. If you like you can mount vertically in each corner 1”x2”xX’, and put a chicken wire of your choice and height around them to guard against birds/animals/ neighbors. You can even build a trellis for cukes and other vines. If you want these planters to last more than 5 years – paint the outside and cover the inside with a thick layer of cheap vegetable oil.
Good luck,
D
Deleted member 12999
My Radish plants just sprouted today! It's my first plant to grow in my first garden. High fives all around. Just waiting on my indoor stuff to be ready to transplant, get a blueberry bush, and hopefully drop two apple trees in this summer.
RE: Coyote33
Yes, you are correct. Good point. He can even buy self-watering containers, which will eliminate the runoff issues and reduce labor and water use. However, I refuse to grow things inside plastic, thus I was not even thinking of the usual simple solutions.![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
RE: 5-0
Congratulations. You should be ok for your first crop, but watch-out for aphid when you replant in the summer.
Yes, you are correct. Good point. He can even buy self-watering containers, which will eliminate the runoff issues and reduce labor and water use. However, I refuse to grow things inside plastic, thus I was not even thinking of the usual simple solutions.
RE: 5-0
Congratulations. You should be ok for your first crop, but watch-out for aphid when you replant in the summer.
This is my first year gardening. I bought some elevated planters and put 3 of them in my backyard. I planted carrots, peppers, tomatoes, onions, sweet peas, and green beans. I'm anxiously waiting for my first sprout. 
