Gardening Q's and A's

[Evie.Lou]

Gardening Q's and A's

Well............I got Dendrobium Orchids for Easter instead of an Easter Lily.. Will post pics, if i don't kill them first.......LOL

Wouldn"t pics of our garden seem like a fun thing to do...anyone interested ???

[greeneyes]

Gardening Q's and A's

DG what about mushroom compost? That's supposed to be really good.

[Doggygirl]

Gardening Q's and A's

greeneyes;591232 wrote: DG what about mushroom compost? That's supposed to be really good.

Greenie, I am so glad you brought up mushroom compost. Is that the same thing as "mushroom dirt?" Back when I quit smoking, I joined Quitnet for support. I hung with a group called the 40+ Quitters (mis-named - we were obviously the 29 year old quitters but that's beside the point....) On a thread similar to this one, we had a lively conversation about "Mushroom Dirt" mainly to determine exactly what the sam hill it is. I believe we determined it was basically horse poo.

So...do you think if I got some compost from Mom and Dad, which is basically miniature horse poo, that all my veggies will be miniature sort of like cherry tomatoes? Or does size not matter when it comes to compost?

Astute gardeners want to know.

DG

[Doggygirl]

Gardening Q's and A's

My Day of Gardening - A Pictorial

Hi all! Here is how my first day of gardening went.

First, I sent Mr. Doggy outside with the mission of tilling up a plot for the garden. Upon further consideration, I ran outside and suggested that maybe instead of just tilling up the grass which would make for a messy weed patch down the road for me, maybe "we" should first use the sod cutter gizmo to remove the layer of grass from the top, and THEN till up the plot.

Mr. Doggy thought that was a really good idea and got right to work on it. Well, first he had to do some repair work to the sod cutter but finally it started running, and THEN he was able to REALLY get the gardening work under way.

After reading this thread some about gardening, I decided to go out and help. I mean, it is my project after all, right? So I grabbed the camera and out doors I went. Boy, gardening can be a LOT of WORK!



It's especially hard work if the 4 wheeler gets stuck when you are going to dump the sod down by the creek.



WHEW! Crisis averted and "we" got the 4-wheeler and little red wagon back to the garden site. While Mr. Doggy finished picking up the sod pieces, I caught up on some much needed photography around the yard.



After that, I got back to the garden plot just in time to see Mr. Doggy finishing off with the tiller.



Whew! What a day! Does anybody know why Mr. Doggy got a really really funny look on his face when I declared "WOW HONEY!!! THIS GARDENING STUFF IS REALLY REALLY FUN!!!!!"



DG

[rubywillow]

Gardening Q's and A's

I LOVE working with a strong partner, don't you, Doggy? LOL

[hulagirl]

Gardening Q's and A's

Wow DG! I am sore and sunburned just from reading your pictorial. Can't wait until the hard stuff is over so I can sit back and enjoy the fruits of Mr. D's labor.

[Doggygirl]

Gardening Q's and A's

Hee hee. I love Mr. Doggy. He also set up a bench and some grow lights in the basement last night after I was asleep so I can start a few seeds in doors.

According to my "Month by Month Garndening in Illiniois" book that I drug out of a dusty corner somewhere, I should have started tomato seeds a month ago. Yikes. I still might try to start a few just to learn how to do that. What other types of seeds would be good to start indoors at this time in whatever zone this is? (I am west of Chicago)

Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Also, I was checking out that A-Frame gizmo that someone (Sunbeam?) linked earlier in this thread for cukes and squashes and such. Mr. D checked out the picture and says he's got PVC pipe here and can make me one. So now I just need to either find that mesh stuff locally if I can (we try to support the local economy) and if not, order some. I'm going to get a roll of that velcro tie stuff too - that stuff looks HANDY!!

For tomatos I'm going to do what the CSA lady does which is put fence posts in the ground (the kind of posts with all the holes and hooks in them) and string wire at 3 or 4 different heights. This turns out similar to a grape arbor. The CSA lady said it works WAY better than the cages or anything else she has tried. That works out good too as we have some of those posts here already, so will only need to come up with the wire.

Now if I can just get something to stay alive.

DG

[LVT25]

Gardening Q's and A's

DG--I'm not the expert here, but you will want to work your compost in with your soil. Horse poo will be great, I assume you have pretty heavy soil where you live. I'm not sure the ration, I usually just spread some on and till it in. There are lots of websites helpful for gardening--better homes and gardens has some good tips. I build my own tomato cages out of concrete reinforcement wire-which works the best IMO. Your fence post deal will work great also.

I love the look of your garden plot, and even though it was a lot of work for Mr DG, you will be glad you got the grass off I think.

I might take a few before, during and after pictures once I get started also.

Good luck!

[rubywillow]

Gardening Q's and A's

Yes. Doggy, that plot is a thing of beauty. One year, Hubs really got into the garden, and after we tilled and established the plot, we covered the whole thing in black plastic. Then we made holes in each place for the plants, staked some, and we had the most bodacious garden, earlier than anyone else. I was giving away vegs when everyone else was coaxing there's to produce. My next big effort will be a raised garden and a vineyard at our place in the mountains. I've heard of a commercial fertilizer that repels deer, so I'm going to research it and think about usuing it!

[Evie.Lou]

Gardening Q's and A's

We are up and growing Hydroponically this year..............No tilling, no weeding only keeping the water PH and level up.Pray this works...almost tooo good to be true.

[rubywillow]

Gardening Q's and A's

Evie, if for nothing else (and that's a lie!) I'm coming to see that garden. I'm inviting Hubs, and if he doesn't want to come, I'll be there alone! Be prepared for a million questions, and pictures. Sounds wonderful. I had some hydroponic butter lettuce last week, and it was divine!

[Sunbeam]

Gardening Q's and A's

DoggyGirl,
I'm sorry I missed all of this yesterday.
Compost is the best thing for improving your soil. Anything with animal manure is best, any kind of compost is better than none. The best soil is on top, so I would have saved that sod, laid it roots up on top of the tilled garden. Too late, I suppose. If your compost has fresh manure in it, you should wait probably a couple of months to plant anything. Fresh manure will burn and kill the plants.
Tomatoes are very easy to start indoors. It may not be too late, especially if you protect the plants from any early frosts, but you will get earlier and more tomatoes if you purchase plants at this late date. I believe you are in my same garden hardiness zone. Those hoop supports sold for tomatoes aren't often strong enough. I prefer support systems like cages that are anchored in the ground at more than one spot, but whatever your CSA lady is doing I'm sure also works. After all, she is making a living at this while the rest of us are working hard for fun.
Mr. Doggy could definitely make the PVC pipe support. You can find netting with smaller holes at WalMart or just about any garden center. If you walk close to your garden every day, and make sure nothing is getting out of control, your plants will live. You have way more time now to do this, with alcohol out of the picture.

[CaptJBean]

Gardening Q's and A's

ok I love this...

[rubywillow]

Gardening Q's and A's

My bones tell me I can safely put out my tender plants now. The super stores, etc., have had everything available for a month, but folks don't realize when we CAN have a late snow or freeze in my corner of the world. I still religiously read, if not always follow, the farmers almanac. So, tomorrow, after the rain, is diggin' day! I can't wait for my first tomatoes and banana peppers. Lordy, Lordy, that's Southern heaven with a vegetable meal and cornbread (cooked in my iron skillet, of course! LOL)

[Sunbeam]

Gardening Q's and A's

Ruby,
I'm on my way to your house!