Gardening ..again

[Wncman]

25 years ago I bought 7 horse tiller. I could handle it fine, I wasn't quite 50 yet. A few years ago some bearings went out so I just went and bought another to replace my old one. I should have downsized.I'm getting too old for this.

I can relate

 

[Garbear34]

Gardening my addiction besides shooting muzzleloaders. Got my starts started indoors. Be a bit before I transplant anything. Love how veggies taste from the garden

 

[Eutycus]

Eutycus, your South Texas soil looks much nicer than my nasty old red clay up here in the Big Country.
Sometimes I think the previous owner had some dirt brought in from a ditch clean-out instead of top soil. It is loamy but. Just my thoughts but this soil is "weird". It puddles water instead of the water going down.Almost like it may have had oil on it.And I don't see how one little patch of dirt can have so many weeds. But it has been a good garden. I had to downsize for a number of reasons, one being it was just too large.

 

[TDM]

I broke up new ground yesterday here at the house to build new raised beds on. Went to Lowe's and bought a bunch of the slotted concrete blocks and 2"x6"s. Goes together nicely. I'll post some photos when finished. Not sure what I'm going to plant at the camp. Last season was a disaster. Had the largest infestation of tomato horn worms I'd ever seen that destroyed my tomatoes while I was back here for just a few days and the heat and drought destroyed everything else! If I can get my back to feeling better I may put in a corn patch, some okra, and pole beans.

 

[snakebit]

I broke up new ground yesterday here at the house to build new raised beds on. Went to Lowe's and bought a bunch of the slotted concrete blocks and 2"x6"s. Goes together nicely. I'll post some photos when finished. Not sure what I'm going to plant at the camp. Last season was a disaster. Had the largest infestation of tomato horn worms I'd ever seen that destroyed my tomatoes while I was back here for just a few days and the heat and drought destroyed everything else! If I can get my back to feeling better I may put in a corn patch, some okra, and pole beans.

Sorry to read about the worms. Tomatoes were about the only thing besides zucchini and radishes that I got to enjoy. Made the mistake of doing bush beans, bunnies were thankful. Deer got lions share of the peppers. I did have many a breakfast of cherry and grape tomatoes with either salt or Tajin right off the vine.

 

[Jay Templin]

Had the largest infestation of tomato horn worms I'd ever seen that destroyed my tomatoes

Ugh. Hornworms are my nemesis in the tobacco fields. Here’s our solution for keeping worms, slugs, voles, fusarium wilt, mosaic virus, and bunnies out of our tomatoes at home:

Cut the center out of the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, put a tomato seedling in it upside down, fill the bucket 2/3 to 3/4 with soil, and plant a hot pepper or herb on the top. Then hang them up! They require more frequent watering than if they were planted in the ground.
Jay

 

[snakebit]

Ugh. Hornworms are my nemesis in the tobacco fields. Here’s our solution for keeping worms, slugs, voles, fusarium wilt, mosaic virus, and bunnies out of our tomatoes at home:View attachment 298157View attachment 298158View attachment 298159Cut the center out of the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, put a tomato seedling in it upside down, fill the bucket 2/3 to 3/4 with soil, and plant a hot pepper or herb on the top. Then hang them up! They require more frequent watering than if they were planted in the ground.
Jay

That looks like a pretty slick idea Jay. I tried ones (bags) they used to sell on TV. I think where I went wrong was I got knockoffs from the flea market and the sides split open. The bucket is doing double duty.

 

[BillinOregon]

In my experience, dark-colored buckets or planters -- such as the black ones that come from the nurseries, gather and retain heat worse than white and will bake a plant to death in short order if overlooked, so I would go with white ones for this purpose. I am so impressed, Jay!
Do the ripening fruits on the bottom plant want to detach?

 

[Eutycus]

Different project, same category. They kind of put me in charge of the "flower beds" in front of our church. We are doing away with the hedges (froze out, again) and are going to do a rock garden (white rocks). I plan on digging down a few inches then putting down a layer of tar paper. Rocks on top. My nephew wants to put Roundup herbicide under the tar paper. I don't like messing with that stuff.I'm thinking alot of Baking Soda to change the PH factor should keep the grass and weeds from coming through. Then some Epsom Salts, maybe. Any thoughts? I am not a landscape gardener, I do vegetables.I contend Deacon is Latin for groundskeeper.

 

[Jay Templin]

In my experience, dark-colored buckets or planters -- such as the black ones that come from the nurseries, gather and retain heat worse than white and will bake a plant to death in short order if overlooked, so I would go with white ones for this purpose. I am so impressed, Jay!
Do the ripening fruits on the bottom plant want to detach?

We pull them when they’re ready just like any other tomato- they don’t seem to fall off any more than is usual for tomatoes.
Planting something else on top helps shade the soil so it doesn’t dry out as fast. We like to plant hot peppers up there. It’s like a bucket of salsa!
Jay

 

[BillinOregon]

Eutycus, I would scatter some Preen weed emergence preventer on the soil, then apply the tar paper -- or better a high quality weed barrier that will permit moisture to soak deep into the ground, then your rocks.

 

[Eutycus]

Eutycus, I would scatter some Preen weed emergence preventer on the soil, then apply the tar paper -- or better a high quality weed barrier that will permit moisture to soak deep into the ground, then your rocks.

Our church does have almost a full roll of tar paper left over from a roofing job a few years ago.I do intend to use it. As for this Preen, I am not familiar with that particular product. Is it a grass or a weed deterrent? Or both maybe? I notice you said "scatter", is it in pebble form?

 

[Eutycus]

Now for another question. Someone out there is bound to know. I bought a Craftsman tiller several years ago and my 7 horse Craftsman resembles the Troybilt pony.Only the paint job seems to differ. I do know the Craftsman line was bought out by Lowes.Are Craftsman and Troybilt both made in the same factory?

 

[Billy Boy]

Well I got the tiller started though I had to deal with a flat tire.Still cant get used to a "small" garden. Dang bermuda grass took over most of it.Now let the sun do its thing on them weeds and it'll be ready for those tomato transplants next week
View attachment 297812

We will have to look at your garden picture for about 2 months with visions od radishes, rutabagas, and potatoes dancing in our heads…

 

[Shiloh]

My motivation for doing a vegetable garden. She wants to grow food. Can say no to that. And plus children need to learn how to survive.

Good for you.

 

[Tankerchief]

For the last 5 or 6 years , I've been telling myself that I'm going raised bed maybe next year. I haven't yet. But "Someday".

Trust me. It's worth initial cost output and grunt work of building them. Saves on the back and wedding; and is a hell of a lot easier to turn in the spring.

 

[LonestarShootR]

We went to our daughter's house yesterday. She has a fairly large raised bed garden and has things growing 365 days a year. She's into non GMO and heritage vegetables. She starts seeds inside under grow lights constantly.
We came home with a couple cabbages, broccoli, radishes , arugala, kale different lettuces and fresh eggs. I wish I would have taken pictures.

 

[Eutycus]

Trust me. It's worth initial cost output and grunt work of building them. Saves on the back and wedding; and is a hell of a lot easier to turn in the spring.

I know you're right and I really do need to just do it and I will "someday". I just can't seem to let go of the thought of that plot of ground that I call my own. I was raised on a farm and gardening a piece of ground was more than just a tradition.Raised beds seems like something "city folks" ought to be doing. But the way my back has been lately, it is going to happen and probably sooner than I think. Maybe next year ,huh?

 

[sportster73hp]

I know you're right and I really do need to just do it and I will "someday". I just can't seem to let go of the thought of that plot of ground that I call my own. I was raised on a farm and gardening a piece of ground was more than just a tradition.Raised beds seems like something "city folks" ought to be doing. But the way my back has been lately, it is going to happen and probably sooner than I think. Maybe next year ,huh?

My father had almost an acre of dirt the family planted every year. Now i have a 30x40 patch i have been killing plants on. No amount of additive work. Literally tons of compost , manure and mushroom compost. My dirt is all clay so the raised beds were my only choice. Started with three , added two more , now will start another this year. Start by putting rotted fire wood , and anything that bio degrades. Later use it as a compost bin until full. Just remember to balance your green and brown materials.
I still have an area to plant directly in the ground.

 

[TDM]

I know you're right and I really do need to just do it and I will "someday". I just can't seem to let go of the thought of that plot of ground that I call my own. I was raised on a farm and gardening a piece of ground was more than just a tradition.Raised beds seems like something "city folks" ought to be doing. But the way my back has been lately, it is going to happen and probably sooner than I think. Maybe next year ,huh?

You’ll be very pleasantly surprised by how productive raised beds are.