What's Growing in the Garden

[trc65]

We do 2-3 years max, then rotate. Fixed trellis gets peas one year, beans next year or two then climbing cherry tomatoes or one of the quashes. We just mix it up. If we have a bad year garden wide, we don't plant anything the next in that spot. We focus on landscape bed gardening that year. A year of rest does wonders. I might drop some compost, manure or even ash in the idle garden, or not.

A fallow year is a great strategy and can work wonders on soil health.

It also reminded me a another option, using green manure crops. Many organic growers utilize green manures to help a variety of problems. While some will use a non crop year as Mark described, many will use that year and plant a green manure crop. Basically, plant a crop to produce lots of biomass, then plow it under/ incorporate all of that plant material into the soil. The key to getting all the benefits is plowing/tilling in green tissue. You can of course cut it, let it dry and then till, but the real biological benefits come from the breakdown of the green tissue in the soil.

If a fallow year doesn't fit your needs, you can still use green manures. I'm specifically thinking of things you can do with a permanent legume trellis. Peas and beans are only about 60 day crops (longer with climbers), but if planted in spring, that leaves a lot of time for a second green manure crop - depending of course on the length of the growing season you have.

Get your crop of peas/beans, till the remains under and remove vines, then plant some rapeseed. Let it grow until after it finishes flowering, and then till it in while it is still green, before it sets seed. As a green manure, rapeseed is one of the best crops for reducing soil borne plant pathogens, it may also reduce weed pressure.

There are many other green manure crops that are used, but rapeseed is the best for modifying the soil without a fallow year.

 

[Nature Man]

Since we are on the topic of soil enhancement, and the fact we are woodworkers, should we be incorporating sawdust into the soil in our garden? Chuck

 

[trc65]

Since we are on the topic of soil enhancement, and the fact we are woodworkers, should we be incorporating sawdust into the soil in our garden? Chuck

No.

If you want to do something with sawdust for the garden, it needs to be composted first to break it down. Mix it with fresh grass clippings, turn it periodically and wait.

Sawdust has high carbon content and if added straight to soil will tie up a majority (all) the nitrogen in the soil.

To compost, you need about 3:1 browns (sawdust) to greens (grass clippings). That ratio is a rough estimate to get you started. If your mix is wet, sloppy and dripping add more browns. If it is dry and not heating up in the middle add more greens.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

I have chickens. They produce nitrogen rich waste. Many of us live near a stable that would be willing to give you their nitrogen rich waste. The sawdust is a great modifier for those waste products.

 

[DLJeffs]

I've always heard chicken manure was the best but you had to be careful because it could burn plants.

 

[2feathers Creative Making]

I've always heard chicken manure was the best but you had to be careful because it could burn plants.

I compost for at least a year before applying to a garden.

 

[trc65]

I've always heard chicken manure was the best but you had to be careful because it could burn plants.

The best is whatever you can get free! Chicken is often called best as there is little chance of weed seeds being in it. Cattle manure also has a lower chance of spreading weed seeds because of their digestive system. Although anybody who has seen cow pies after they have been eating locust pods would dispute that.

Regardless, all manures should be composted (or at a minimum, aged) before use. They all have high ammonia content which will burn plants. Additionally, pathogens and weed seeds can be eliminated through composting.

 

[trc65]

Got the trellis moved. A lot easier this time than it was initially. The garlic in the foreground is doing well.

 

[Mike Hill]

Ok, I've held off asking this. I'm not Italian , but I am a garlic whore. Heavy use in just about anything and everything! With the quantity I consume, I've wanted to grow my supply, thinking I can save a big amount of money - and have with a modicum of success. However, now wit what little sun I have in my yard, I really don't want to put into garlic, and Mrs. Lil Mikey says I cannot dig up grass to plant things. She has this thing about grass lawns! So I will never have a big bunch growing. Anyhows, I salivate at the descriptions of the different types of garlic that are available to buy for planting (Keenes, Baker Creek, Gurneys, etc..). But doing the math, it does not make economic sense (i.e. - for instance, even though I don't use it, I can buy a bulb of Elephant Garlic at Gurneys for $13 plus shipping, but can buy one to eat at WallyWorld for less than $4). Now, I know that that one bulb from Gurneys can make like 6 bulbs - so a little over $2 (plus incidentals) for something I can buy for less than $4. So the questions are - what variety and where do you get it - and - is it demonstrably better tasting than what I can buy at the grocers? I've tried growing from grocery store bulbs in the past. Most often, it grows, but at times it doesn't - must have been sprayed with some sort of anti-sprouting juice.

 

[DLJeffs]

I hate it when I get my anti-sprouting juice mixed up with my grow like a weed juice.

 

[Mike Hill]

I hate it when I get my anti-sprouting juice mixed up with my grow like a weed juice.

Ohhhh.....Ohhhhh......ooooohhhhhh...... I want to make a comment, but I won't. I don't want to embarrass your wife!

 

[Nature Man]

Fresh is almost guaranteed to be better. Garlic doesn't take up too much growing space. Think you should give it a go! Chuck

 

[trc65]

Ok, I've held off asking this. I'm not Italian , but I am a garlic whore. Heavy use in just about anything and everything! With the quantity I consume, I've wanted to grow my supply, thinking I can save a big amount of money - and have with a modicum of success. However, now wit what little sun I have in my yard, I really don't want to put into garlic, and Mrs. Lil Mikey says I cannot dig up grass to plant things. She has this thing about grass lawns! So I will never have a big bunch growing. Anyhows, I salivate at the descriptions of the different types of garlic that are available to buy for planting (Keenes, Baker Creek, Gurneys, etc..). But doing the math, it does not make economic sense (i.e. - for instance, even though I don't use it, I can buy a bulb of Elephant Garlic at Gurneys for $13 plus shipping, but can buy one to eat at WallyWorld for less than $4). Now, I know that that one bulb from Gurneys can make like 6 bulbs - so a little over $2 (plus incidentals) for something I can buy for less than $4. So the questions are - what variety and where do you get it - and - is it demonstrably better tasting than what I can buy at the grocers? I've tried growing from grocery store bulbs in the past. Most often, it grows, but at times it doesn't - must have been sprayed with some sort of anti-sprouting juice.

Ok, short answers now, better explanation later.

Grocery store = soft neck variety, mild flavor, bred for storability, not flavor. Fresh soft neck bulbs are slightly better than jarlic, but not a lot.

Farmers market or grow your own= ability to grow hard neck varieties, many, many different types and flavor profiles. However, they won't store as long as softneck varieties. I only grow hard neck and still have a few good bulbs left from last year.

Anything bought from a big box store probably has a sprout inhibitor used on it.

I don't buy bulbs from the big seed companies, but rather straight from garlic farms out west who sell certified "seed". They are cheaper and have a better selection.

My advice is to go to a farmers market and find someone who has a bunch of hard neck varieties and has them labeled. Try a few types, prepared a couple different ways and your mind will be blown.

About 30 years ago, I did just that and never looked back.

I'll post some more on varieties and sources later.

 

[trc65]

All the fruit trees are starting to bloom.

Only one or two apple blossoms are open, but they are close. Cherry are starting to.


Apple:







Peach:


And little species tulip are blooming.

 

[trc65]

@Mike Hill

Here is a link I found that has pretty good descriptions of the various hard neck garlics. https://www.groeat.com/garlicvarieties

In short, there are 5 classes of hard neck varieties. Porcelain, Rocambole, Purple Stripe, Marbled purple stripe and Glazed purple stripe.

I grow 4 varieties; 2 Porcelain, Armenian and Carpathian; 1 Rocambole, Spanish Roja; and one Purple Stripe, Chesnok Red. When talking about flavor, everyone's opinion varies, but I think Chesnok Red has the best overall flavor, Spanish Roja is very hot raw, but is great cooked. The porcelains have good flavor, but are a little milder compared to the other two.

I'm not a garlic geek that chooses a different variety based on what I'm cooking, they all get used interchangeably. The large size of the Porcelain varieties is nice though when I'm roasting large batches for freezing as it's less work extracting the cloves.

If you are mincing and using raw for salad dressings or marinated veggies I stay away from the Spanish Roja, it's just to "hot". The other three are good raw with the Chesnok Red having a more robust flavor.

If you can't find somebody selling some of these, remind me and I'll send you a sample pack after mine are harvested and cured sometime in July.

 

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

If I kept a ledger of my gardening, including labor (plus time), seed, fertilizer, water, materials, equipment (tractor, tillers, wagons, shovels, rakes, hoes, etc…), aggravation, pesticides, etc…. I would likely let the whole place go to seed… I don’t grow onions every year but I was given two bundles of sets so I stuck them in the ground… They’re growing and bulbing out… I grew some about five years ago but the next years were a bust. I planted some sweet corn this year. I grew a few stalks in our first garden 49 years ago but the few little ears were hardly worth the space they took up, and space was at a premium since I was digging everything with a spade fork.. Most years it’s green beans, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, turnips, okra, squash, Purplehull peas and lately potatoes that are the mainstays. My plots are apprx 60’x60' and 15’x60’. I do the bulk tilling with the tractor and also spreading compost. I use the little tiller for row work and a small tiller cultivator for weeds.

I spray when I see bugs or damage but I try to keep it to a minimum. The garden and associated tasks takes up a lot of my day, every day. We eat it almost as fast as it comes off the vines and give away a lot. We put up very little except for the Purple hulls, which we freeze.

As much as I work at it and as successful as it is most years, I don’t grow near as much as it would take to feed us full time and as I said at the beginning of this post, breaking even is a very unrealistic goal… I am in no way what could be called a “Master Gardener” even though I’ve been practicing for these 49 years… I rely a lot on luck and what I learned in Ag Science at Texas A&I. But I’m learning all the time.

But, just like a lot of my other hobbies, I’m not in it for the money… I do enjoy the food though… Nothing like fresh vegetables for a meal…. and now with the greenhouse I can add a little during the winter as well… and now I’m wondering where I could make a dedicated garlic bed…. I never ends...

Alan

 

[trc65]

If I kept a ledger of my gardening, including labor (plus time), seed, fertilizer, water, materials, equipment (tractor, tillers, wagons, shovels, rakes, hoes, etc…), aggravation, pesticides, etc…. I would likely let the whole place go to seed… I don’t grow onions every year but I was given two bundles of sets so I stuck them in the ground… They’re growing and bulbing out… I grew some about five years ago but the next years were a bust. I planted some sweet corn this year. I grew a few stalks in our first garden 49 years ago but the few little ears were hardly worth the space they took up, and space was at a premium since I was digging everything with a spade fork.. Most years it’s green beans, greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, turnips, okra, squash, Purplehull peas and lately potatoes that are the mainstays. My plots are apprx 60’x60' and 15’x60’. I do the bulk tilling with the tractor and also spreading compost. I use the little tiller for row work and a small tiller cultivator for weeds.

I spray when I see bugs or damage but I try to keep it to a minimum. The garden and associated tasks takes up a lot of my day, every day. We eat it almost as fast as it comes off the vines and give away a lot. We put up very little except for the Purple hulls, which we freeze.

As much as I work at it and as successful as it is most years, I don’t grow near as much as it would take to feed us full time and as I said at the beginning of this post, breaking even is a very unrealistic goal… I am in no way what could be called a “Master Gardener” even though I’ve been practicing for these 49 years… I rely a lot on luck and what I learned in Ag Science at Texas A&I. But I’m learning all the time.

But, just like a lot of my other hobbies, I’m not in it for the money… I do enjoy the food though… Nothing like fresh vegetables for a meal…. and now with the greenhouse I can add a little during the winter as well… and now I’m wondering where I could make a dedicated garlic bed…. I never ends...

Alan

Yeah, I try not to think about the costs, it wouldn't pencil out, but having fresh produce all summer is priceless.

We also can, freeze, dehydrate and store everything we are able to. About the only produce we buy during the year is carrots and occasionally lettuce.

My problem is not wanting to expand the garden, but rather keeping myself from expanding the orchard. Every winter I dream of buying another half dozen trees, but manage to talk myself out of it by the time to order in spring. I'd really like another couple each of apple, pear, cherry and peach trees and add a couple pawpaw, plum and a couple varieties of grape. Don't know if I'd even like pawpaw, but have never seen one so I want to try growing them.

 

[Mike Hill]

PawPaw, I just recently grew to really like. Up till then, just curious about it - and when I tried it, was not impressed. Anywho, I planted two in my backyard. Mostly because they are an understory tree and are shade-tolerant. If the tree rats leave me some, I wait until they fall off the tree. If you eat them, then they are better than if you picked them off the tree. But even then, they are just ok. Allow them to blet for a while in the refrigerator and get really ugly, and they are sublime.

We must have a Johhny PawPawSeed working his way around the state park I walk at. Ten years ago, I don't think I ever encountered a PawPaw tree. Now, in some areas, it's like someone broadcast the seed. Last year, I started finding a few fruits on the ground and took them home.

Speaking of bletting - I also want to grow a Medlar, but have not pulled the plug and bought a tree yet.

I planted a couple of grapes on old clothesline poles I wrapped in welded wire mesh so they can climb. Rabbits took them down last year, but it looks like they have survived and have sprouted again. They've got rabbit fencing around them this year! I know that I probably won't ever be allowed a harvest by the varmints, but I can at least say I grow grapes!

I've been fascinated with gooseberries and currants for years. Because of the White Pine Rust scare, I have never tried them. Mrs. Lil Mikey had our pine tree cut down a couple of years ago, and there isn't another one anywhere close. Now, we are likely too hot a climate for them to thrive - for instance, rhubarb is a really short-lived plant for me. Bought a couple of varieties of currants last year and even got a few fruits. The gooseberries, I did not get planted, and they look like they died over the winter. I'll try again.

Also planted asparagus last year for the first time in many decades. Had a small bed 40 years ago, but it had to be done away with as it was in the way of something Mrs. Lil Mikey wanted built. We had hard conditions last year at my microclimate - it seemed like it rained everywhere but in my neighborhood. And water costs too much now to water as much as I should have. About half appear not to have survived. Have bought replacement roots and will probably plant them this weekend.

 

[trc65]

Speaking of gooseberries, we have so many wild gooseberries I've never wanted to try any domesticated varieties. As a kid, I'd pick them and make myself mini pies. Just never found them to be great- maybe because there were so many.

Mowing around fruit trees today and the strawberries are starting to bloom!

 

[trc65]

Just some flowers.

This is the last bed of daffodils to bloom, but I've got them in a spot so the bluebells always bloom at the same time.



Also have some nice yellow Apeldorn tulips





And some parrot tulips