A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Boy, my garden will be ready!

I can't wait!
Next year, my veggie garden will be the best! I leveled it off[the landscaping], I increased the overall size[by a few square feet], I added tons of compost, and in the spring, I will be adding gypsum to increase the drainage!

How's yours doing?


--Mark--

Nuhuh! My garden will be the best!

Christina

I'm trying to do all the major landscaping preparations now, as last year, I was a bit delayed in getting my garden ready...
I'll be sure to take pics!

I wanted to have all my landscaping preps done too but I've just been to darn lazy! Wish I had your energy!

I'll be expanding as well and adding more raised beds for my mators.
I still have no idea what varieties of tomatoes I'm going to grow. I'll have that figured out before spring though!

I have no idea what I'm growing either... I have to figure it out.... I need more veggie seeds... I want to have a mix of a lot of different things, eggplant, tomato, peppers, cucumber, lettuce, peas, carrots, and lots more!
I already have bell peppers[from Tammy], peas[from njoynit], and possbily radishes[from bestofour]!

Mark, I have TONS of veggie seeds! I'll send u whatever you want if you like.

I'll be growing mostly veggies that I can freeze for the winter. Lots of broc, cauli, brussel sprouts, beans, etc. And I need A LOT more tomato plants next year...I can live off tomatoes!! No joke!

Christina,

you would do that for me!

We can work out a trade!


--Mark[is happy]--

I have been adding LOTS of Cow Manure to mine, You can check with your local StockYard, I am sure they have lots to get rid of.

I also have located a LARGE supply of composted Wood Chips free for the taking. The city has a piece of ground were they dump all their wood chips, and I was told if I want any just let them know. I am taking about TONS of it, most of it is already broken down.

Mark...I have cucumber, Jalapeno, sugarbaby watermelon, Brandywine Tomato & Okra seeds if you want any of those to get started, Let me know by PM.

My garden is not anywhere near being ready, but I do have a good excuse, I have hurt my back again and have a bulging disk, so did not want to do anything to injury my back more. Will be starting treatments in a few weeks at a pain clinic, which should help me get back in shape and get everything finished just in time. Or if all else fails, I'll have to ask someone to come and finish up things for me, Because I will be planting and growing a garden, with or without back problems. And I also want to enlarge my garden by 15' ...making it 50'x65'

Heck I haven't even finished clearin' mine all up..
I am hoping that Jan. will still be mild enough
and I can finally get out there *after mother leaves* and get out and finish cleaning it up...
*Keeping finger's crossed...*

Hey Comfrey,
You snuck in on me while I was typin'...

I would think twice about this...

article

If you want to improve your soil's structure and drainage, add more compost....not gypsum. Good luck.

I'm a compost fan myself too...
Can't beat it, and it's Mother Nature's own....


Does increase the fertility of soils,
and drainage, and gives pockets of nutrients
to soil animals and aerates the soil, and, and, and...
Did I mention, that I like COMPOST?

A good portion of the WoodChips the city has are already broken down. I will have to find a good spot to load from.

I have been out to where they dump the chips, and some of them have been their for years, so it should be some good stuff.

Amgatec-- that's very interesting

John-- Thanks for the article- I just read it... it does prove a good point.

--Mark--

COMPOSTTTTTTTTTT!!!!! COMPOSTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!

For some reason, I don't know where from, I get the urge and insistance that I use compost in my garden next year...



--Mark--

Just wnated to show you pics of my veggie garden.. or at least where it will be...
[notice the pumpkins strewn all about randomly, carelessly, for compost ]
It's hard to show the entire area by pics...



to the left of that is this:


Admire my woodwork for seperating the levels[the area was orginally on a slight slope, and there the roots for the tree nearby were to thinck to pull out--the wood will keep the soil for the higher level flowing to the lower level]:

Okay, question and statement..

First..
Questions..
Do you have access to a rototiller?
Or any straw?
Or heavy cardboard?

if you do to the first one, have someone 'till it up just abit..if you don't.. then throw on a layer of straw or wet cardboard..
*idealistically, you want to leave the straw out to weather over *IN BAIL FORM* outside, to kill weed seeds*

but the heavy cardboard, kept wet, will attract worms to your area...
*and keeps weed seeds off the barren soil surface*
and pre~pares it for the next coming season..

The Statement is...
Try to keep your garden, away from the back of the fence area.. you don't want to have toooooo nice of soil by where the base of the fence goes into the ground..and too much foliage by the fence can keep in moisture next to the fence you many not want on that..

I have access to cardboard... and lots of it...
I will go out and put that there today..

Near the fence, in the corner of the yeard, was the only place available for my veggie garden... it gets the most light over there, and everywhere else I'm either not allowed to use, or doesn't get enough light or something else..

**I always loosen up the soil really really good come spring, if you were wondering... I've mentioned that I just leveled the area, so I kept it pretty compact for that**

Thanks, weezie!

--Mark--

Mine is ready also now. I had already lightly tilled the 6" of mulch from last season in. I was able to get the manure added and tilled in lightly finishing today just before moisture started again. Scattered some vetch seed I had on hand on before tilling. Would of been better earlier but hoping maybe I'll get some up early and it will have time to grow some before I kill it. We'll see. Now mine is ready except for maybe another spring tilling on some of it. But all the main work is done and when onions arrive in mid March should be ready to plant!!!!

Mine didn't even hardly get cleaned up...
Tooooooo busy with stuff!!!
If we are still mild enough,
*cause we haven't had hardly any snow*
***Of course now, I just jinxed myself by saying that***
but I'll get out there after my mom leaves for Fla.. and get some cleaning done..

Elkwc36, Have you ever planted as a cover crop any other type of seeds????
Very curious???

Weezie,
I would but I'm snowed in. It rained 1 3/4" here after I got done with the Garden Thursday. Then snowed around 8" with winds up to 45 mph. West of here the blizzard was really bad. We were without power for about 36 hours. Some will be out for a lot longer I hear. Hope you get yours worked before any bad weather. All the moisture should really be good on mine.
This is the first time I've ever even tried hairy vetch. Have used wheat, barley and winter rye as green manure crops before. Wanted to use a legume. It is supposed to add nitrogen to the soil. I probably should of waited to sow the seeds but with the way our winter is going wasn't sure if I would be able too later. It is just an experiment.
Happy New Year everyone. Jay

Mine is still not ready, with no possibility of it getting ready anytime soon. My ground is way to wet & muddy, I don't think it has been dried out since late fall. So until it dries out it can't be tilled or even planted, it has me a little worried. Always in early spring we have a 3 week period of rain, in order to get stuff planted you have to get it into the ground before the rain starts or plant late. Last year half of my potatoes rotted in the ground before they could even sprout from all the rain. I just can't believe this weather...too warm and rainy here!