How I spent my weekend - putting in a vegetable garden

Sanders · 05-30-2011, 06:39 PM

Here's what I've been doing all weekend:

Sweet corn, radishes, carrots, zucchini, pickling cucumbers, 3 different types of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green chiles, beans (bolleta, green beans, and some other kind), rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, basil, cantaloupe, and marigolds around the perimeter to keep pests down.

I'll be installing a soaker hose in order to keep it all moist after I get everything established by soaking with a sprinkler first.

Hopefully, it will look a lot better in a couple months. If I remember, I'll try to keep this thread with updates.

10 Bears · 05-30-2011, 06:44 PM

Curious, we seem to have the same priorities.
Just slightly different.

I spent today planting a bunch of perennial flowers, with the wife.
She buys 'em, her and I plant, I care for 'em throughout the season.
Getting to where I have really enjoyed flowers.

Couple years ago I took pics of all the flowers on the place.
Seems like someone deleted 'em all from the camera.

Pogo · 05-30-2011, 10:33 PM

Kewl. Nice looking garden. Why do you have the boards around it?

RTO · 05-30-2011, 11:15 PM

Nice garden with a lot of hard work involved. I use soaker hoses in a couple of areas that have plants close to the house.

This past week I've set up two above ground irrigation systems that Home Depot sells under the brand DIG. All they are is half inch vinyl type hose that sprayer or drip attachments are added to the main line. I have covered 1200+ square feet that I was watering by hand with a garden hose for fifty bucks.

I am going to expand it this coming week to cover more area. I have to water everyday varying parts of the yard for two to three hours because of lack of rain this year. This has cut my watering time down an hour or more at the least.

baboon · 05-31-2011, 06:21 AM

I want to put one in, but lack enough sun. Old neighbors had one & by July it generally burned up. The McMansion that sit on their old lot kills all the morning sun. Oak & pecan trees to the west kill all the afternoon sun.

Railbuggy · 05-31-2011, 07:17 AM

My small Victory garden.I feed them with GH nutreants on a loop.Water them
on a timer one minute every fifteen from 06:00 to 20:00.

Sanders · 05-31-2011, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pogo

Kewl. Nice looking garden. Why do you have the boards around it?

Well, the boards were originally because my wife wanted it to be a raised bed garden. But I convinced her, after testing the soil with a home test kit, that the soil was all right, that we just needed to add some supplements to it instead of 13 yards of topsoil I calculated would fill it.

So, I'm going to leave the boards up and use them as the frame to cover the garden in the spring, so we can plant earlier and not worry about the late freezes we've been having the last couple years.

Sanders · 05-31-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTO

Nice garden with a lot of hard work involved. I use soaker hoses in a couple of areas that have plants close to the house.

This past week I've set up two above ground irrigation systems that Home Depot sells under the brand DIG. All they are is half inch vinyl type hose that sprayer or drip attachments are added to the main line. I have covered 1200+ square feet that I was watering by hand with a garden hose for fifty bucks.

I am going to expand it this coming week to cover more area. I have to water everyday varying parts of the yard for two to three hours because of lack of rain this year. This has cut my watering time down an hour or more at the least.

I have that above ground drip system on the trees along my fence line. I'm going to be expanding it to cover the rest of the yard. It sure has allowed me to make sure all my trees get more water, and they've been thriving because of it.

It's a lot harder to grow things here, because it is the high desert -- everything has to be irrigated or it dies.

flopshot · 05-31-2011, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sanders

after testing the soil with a home test kit, that the soil was all right, that we just needed to add some supplements to it instead of 13 yards of topsoil I calculated would fill it.

does your state offer soil testing ? i sent in three blended samples from my three plots and got schooled big time. i won't bother with home test kits for anything other than flower beds in the future. there was no cost other than shipping it in and a month later i had the results with suggested changes based on my chosen crops.

http://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/uyrst.htm

Desert Rat · 05-31-2011, 10:42 PM

Your biggest nemesis is going to be the damn winds snapping the stalks on everything you try to grow.

And Bermuda grass can be pure hell to keep out.

Go to used book store and get copy of "Square Foot Gardening." Best garden I ever had was based on it's techniques.

10 Bears · 05-31-2011, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

Your biggest nemesis is going to be the damn winds snapping the stalks on everything you try to grow.

And Bermuda grass can be pure hell to keep out.

Go to used book store and get copy of "Square Foot Gardening." Best garden I ever had was based on it's techniques.

Do you mean THIS one?
Yep, one heck of a book.
I built so danged many raised beds you wouldn't believe it.
Only one left, it's masonry, 20 feet long and 4 feet wide.
Two feet above ground and two feet below with a poured cement base.
Three inch drain on the sloped down end, in case it was over watered.
Originally loaded it with a mix of goat/cow/horse manure compost and 1/3 soil.
That was a LOT of organic material.
I have "reloaded" it with various manures and other organic material, over the years.
Recently (last year) added another foot of "material" and it's STILL a foot low!

RetVet · 06-01-2011, 07:14 AM

We do square foot gardening.

Czubek · 06-01-2011, 08:19 AM

I tried to grow square feet, but wasn't too successful.

Brian

Desert Rat · 06-01-2011, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czubek

I tried to grow square feet, but wasn't too successful.

Brian

It was best, most productive garden I ever had but you gotta think it out and put in good soil mix. Shitty soil = shitty results.

And of course a guy doesn't want tall plants on sunny side or it will block the rest.

Personally, I don't think corn does well in very small gardens. Poor pollination.

flopshot · 06-02-2011, 09:29 AM

working three plots this year.
the oldest, lettuce, spinach and broc early on then over to peppers. habeneros in the containers, cukes behind them.

fenced in plot has about 40 tomato plants and the rest is in blue lake green beans. a row of cabbage for the chickens. went to overhead watering here this year but the other two are soaker hose fed.

this is new this year in a place i used to have about 18 containers. they were a pain in the ass to keep watered. this is planted in corn, cantaloupe, zucchini and yellow straight neck squash. more habeneros in the containers.

05-30-2011, 06:39 PM	#1
Sanders Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 66,460	How I spent my weekend - putting in a vegetable garden Here's what I've been doing all weekend: Sweet corn, radishes, carrots, zucchini, pickling cucumbers, 3 different types of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, green chiles, beans (bolleta, green beans, and some other kind), rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, onions, basil, cantaloupe, and marigolds around the perimeter to keep pests down. I'll be installing a soaker hose in order to keep it all moist after I get everything established by soaking with a sprinkler first. Hopefully, it will look a lot better in a couple months. If I remember, I'll try to keep this thread with updates. __________________ "The truly dangerous man dresses inconspicuously and is soft- spoken. He walks away from most confrontations. The only time you learn that the truly dangerous man is mad at you is a split second before you die, for he never fights. He only kills. The truly dangerous man knows that fighting is what children do and killing is what men do." - Charley Reese 1986 3

05-30-2011, 10:33 PM	#3
Pogo Mystic Knight of the Sea Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Great Swamp Posts: 81,969	Kewl. Nice looking garden. Why do you have the boards around it? __________________ .................................................. ....................................… *We have met the enemy, and he is us!*

05-30-2011, 11:15 PM	#4
RTO Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Flarda Posts: 29,564	Nice garden with a lot of hard work involved. I use soaker hoses in a couple of areas that have plants close to the house. This past week I've set up two above ground irrigation systems that Home Depot sells under the brand DIG. All they are is half inch vinyl type hose that sprayer or drip attachments are added to the main line. I have covered 1200+ square feet that I was watering by hand with a garden hose for fifty bucks. I am going to expand it this coming week to cover more area. I have to water everyday varying parts of the yard for two to three hours because of lack of rain this year. This has cut my watering time down an hour or more at the least. __________________ 3 Make America Like Florida

05-31-2011, 07:17 AM	#6
Railbuggy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Taylor Creek,Ohio Posts: 7,279	My small Victory garden.I feed them with GH nutreants on a loop.Water them on a timer one minute every fifteen from 06:00 to 20:00. __________________ Im not a wannabe,Im a has-been. We already lost the war. You are the resistance.

06-01-2011, 07:14 AM	#12
RetVet Statistical Error Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Homeless Posts: 43,653	We do square foot gardening. __________________ ^^^ For entertainment purposes. Use only as directed. ^^^ III

05-30-2011, 06:44 PM	#2
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	Curious, we seem to have the same priorities. Just slightly different. I spent today planting a bunch of perennial flowers, with the wife. She buys 'em, her and I plant, I care for 'em throughout the season. Getting to where I have really enjoyed flowers. Couple years ago I took pics of all the flowers on the place. Seems like someone deleted 'em all from the camera.

05-31-2011, 06:21 AM	#5
baboon slug Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Out by the lake in central Texas Posts: 18,306	I want to put one in, but lack enough sun. Old neighbors had one & by July it generally burned up. The McMansion that sit on their old lot kills all the morning sun. Oak & pecan trees to the west kill all the afternoon sun.

05-31-2011, 10:42 PM	#10
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Your biggest nemesis is going to be the damn winds snapping the stalks on everything you try to grow. And Bermuda grass can be pure hell to keep out. Go to used book store and get copy of "Square Foot Gardening." Best garden I ever had was based on it's techniques.

06-01-2011, 08:19 AM	#13
Czubek slug Join Date: May 2007 Location: Stover, Missouri Posts: 33,622	I tried to grow square feet, but wasn't too successful. Brian __________________ 3 Here at the Dirty Dozen's Bunker, we have no problems, only solutions.

06-02-2011, 09:29 AM	#15
flopshot Constitutional bigot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,812	working three plots this year. the oldest, lettuce, spinach and broc early on then over to peppers. habeneros in the containers, cukes behind them. fenced in plot has about 40 tomato plants and the rest is in blue lake green beans. a row of cabbage for the chickens. went to overhead watering here this year but the other two are soaker hose fed. this is new this year in a place i used to have about 18 containers. they were a pain in the ass to keep watered. this is planted in corn, cantaloupe, zucchini and yellow straight neck squash. more habeneros in the containers.