What's Growing in the Garden

DLJeffs

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That's really cool you guys are growing saguaros.

Jerry, I do the same with cheat grass here. It's a very noxious weed grass that doesn't belong here and nothing eats it. I finally have it pretty much under control around my place but because the golf course doesn't fight it and the same goes for the old leech field out back, it's a constant battle because the seeds spread. The good news is cheat grass root system isn't very deep so if you can grasp the base of the clump you can get 99% of it all, unlike most grasses.
 
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Nubsnstubs

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That's really cool you guys are growing saguaros.

Jerry, I do the same with cheat grass here. It's a very noxious weed grass that doesn't belong here and nothing eats it. I finally have it pretty much under control around my place but because the golf course doesn't fight it and the same goes for the old leech field out back, it's a constant battle because the seeds spread. The good news is cheat grass root system isn't very deep so if you can grasp the base of the clump you can get 99% of it all, unlike most grasses.
Yep, it sounds just like the Buffel grass. Easy to pull if it isn't more that 3-4 years old. I know because I had some growing on my property for about 3-4 years. It was pretty easy to pull, but after 5 years, all you do is get the fresh stuff and the root ball gets bigger. If you have a shovel to dig it out, it is very easy because of the short roots like your grass.

Saguaros are really easy to start and the success is more than 95% in my experience. If you think you'd like to give it a go, I've got plenty of seeds, even some as young as last year, but most are from 2008 and still viable.

The average number of seeds in a pod is 2000. I have the experience to unabashadly say that is a fact. The problem with Saguaros is, if you were one year old and planted some seeds and had 1005 success with them turning into cacti, I don't think you would live long enough to see them grow arms. Usually 75 years, but some on my property blows that bit of information to bits. LIke I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't think one of my natural Saguaros is over 50 years old and has 5 arms that started only a couple years ago.. .......... Jerry (in Tucson)
 

djg

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Almost done with the asparagus bed. Did I say how much I hate to dig? Wish I had a tractor with a bucket. Made two 18' rows with a front tine tiller and took out two lifts of dirt. I'll let it dry out a little tomorrow and remove the rest. Ran into some clay (bottom layer). Some say to amend the soil with sand? Good idea? I'm already planning on 50/50 mix of top soil/compost. I have access to a ton of wood chips that are a year or so old. Is that still too new to use as compost? If it is I'll have to DIG (like mining... good stuff is buried) into a different area of the pile and fill 10 or so 5 gallon buckets. a lot more work.
IMG_1818.JPG

Not as fine of soil as yours.

Next project is Sweet Potatoes. I started slips this year and transplanted them into 2"x2" peat pots. Setting on my porch for a couple of weeks. I'm thinking of planting them in my tote raised beds I made for my strawberries that will be transplanted this Fall.

IMG_1819.JPG They get filled with soil/compost.
 

Alan R McDaniel Jr

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In South Texas Buffel grass is a gift from God... Cattle eat it like candy and we make hay with it and a 1/4" of rain will put on a lot of new growth. The cattle get fat on it because it is so strong. It can dry off down to nothing and come back with a little bit of rain. It will grow on caliche hills. We actively plant it.

Alan
 

trc65

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The best thing for clay is to increase the organic matter. Compost would be best, but make sure the compost is well broken down. I doubt that the wood chips are broken down enough after a year. You can speed up the breakdown of the chips by adding some nitrogen fertilizer.

Topsoil is a good amendment as well, but you want it to be high in organic matter. I don't know what bagged topsoil actually has for OM, but bagged stuff from the store is pretty sterile (literally and figuratively) compared to actual topsoil from a field. With field topsoil you will introduce weed seeds, but IMO the biological activity you get from "real" soil is worth the potential of added weeds.

It's kind of counterintuitive, but sand really doesn't do much if anything to help with clay soils. In fact, adding it can increase compaction.

Best to just add compost/topsoil mixed with the clay.
 

Mr. Peet

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In South Texas Buffel grass is a gift from God... Cattle eat it like candy and we make hay with it and a 1/4" of rain will put on a lot of new growth. The cattle get fat on it because it is so strong. It can dry off down to nothing and come back with a little bit of rain. It will grow on caliche hills. We actively plant it.

Alan
What kind of cattle?
 

Alan R McDaniel Jr

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I won't say all, or even most, but the majority of cattle in South Texas are a Herford/Brahma cross of various percentages. Of course there are lots of other breeds but most of the commercial cow/calf guys run the H/B F1 cross. Lots of Beefmaster (herford/brahma/shorthorn cross) and Santa Gertrudis (Brahma/shorthorn cross). But, most of the cattle in South Texas are of a mixture that is impossible to determine.

Alan
 

Mike Hill

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I won't say all, or even most, but the majority of cattle in South Texas are a Herford/Brahma cross of various percentages. Of course there are lots of other breeds but most of the commercial cow/calf guys run the H/B F1 cross. Lots of Beefmaster (herford/brahma/shorthorn cross) and Santa Gertrudis (Brahma/shorthorn cross). But, most of the cattle in South Texas are of a mixture that is impossible to determine.

Alan
I usually refer to the South Texas Cattle as "they make Lil Mikey jump tall fences in a single bound!" type.
 

djg

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Finished the trenches. Wouldn't include another pic of the trenches, but this is a better view. 8" to 10" deep.

IMG_1822.JPG

I had barrels of wood chips buried down in the tree line for years.

IMG_1825.JPG

Though it would be good compost. Dragged them out with my PU and found only one had usable compost in it. Other two were mud. Guess I'll 'mine' for black gold (compost) tomorrow and start prepping the beds, then plant on Sunday.

IMG_1826.JPG
 

djg

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Sorry, I re-read my posts about this little project and I over-posted a little bit. Just meant to show final product and not bore you with the individual steps. I'll be more careful in the future.

Anyway, I have several volunteer trees that I cut down and need to kill off. a Walnut sapling can be seen in the pic. I have other Hawthorn that I need to kill off, too. I was thinking of spraying the growth with 10% Glyphosate and then treating the cut branches with a stump killer. Once dead, I want to pull the stumps out. Any suggestions?

Thanks again.
 
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trc65

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Don't worry about over sharing. Gives us all something to look through and comment on. It's not like any of us has any limits on how many posts we make.

Glyphosate is usually not great on trees. I use triclopyr to paint fresh cut stumps and spray difficult to kill perennials (poison ivy). Be aware it will kill most broadleaf plants. Commonly sold as poison ivy killer, brush killer, or even wild violet killer. To brush on stumps I mix it 50:50 with water.
 
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Nubsnstubs

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Sorry, I re-read my posts about this little project and I over-posted a little bit. Just meant to show final product and not bore you with the individual steps. I'll be more careful in the future.

Anyway, I have several volunteer trees that I cut down and need to kill off. a Walnut sapling can be seen in the pic. I have other Hawthorn that I need to kill off, too. I was thinking of spraying the growth with 10% Glyphosate and then treating the cut branches with a stump killer. Once dead, I want to pull the stumps out. Any suggestions?

Thanks again.
Dan, you don't know what over posting and boring is until you delve into my posts. When I start on the key board, can't type worth a crap, but it will start a hurricane force winds before I'm done.

Thanks for sharing what you are doing....... Jerry (in Tucson)
 

djg

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OK, got my my compost from the 'mine' today and am soaking the crowns in warm water (counter top) overnight to plant tomorrow. Some say after making the mound, lay the crowns out like a squid head to tail in the row. Others say spread the roots like a spider and place on the mound. Which is better? I can provide links if I'm not being clear.
Thanks
 

trc65

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I spread mine like a spider. That's what I've always read and those were the instructions from Jung Seed.
 

djg

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I've had pole beans before and never noticed any bug problems. Beans this year are just coming up and I've noticed holes in the leaves. Not a lot but I want to give the plants as much a chance as possible. Sprinkle with Seven or don't worry about them? I'm trying Sprucegum's method and I'd like to get as thick a crop as he had.
IMG_1835.JPG
 

trc65

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That hole was formed when the leaf was very small and is just growing with the leaf. If you don't see anymore holes appearing you should be fine. Keep on the look out for flea beetles ( look like specks of black dirt that jump when you touch them) and leafhoppers.
 
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