The 2013 Garden Thread

[Capt Worley PE]

Our cats took out all eighteen onions, and most of the peppers and cukes not in pots. They thought we made them an awesome litterbox and cat bed,

To be fair, the plants were awful small when we transplanted them. May try to wait a little longer this year.

 

[Ble_PE]

All I've planted so far is some broccoli. I'm not exactly sure what we'll be growing this year, but it will definitely include tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

I'm actually sort of glad the new neighbor bought himself a dog...not sure what it is though. It looks like a shiney short haired lab but the tail is docked and I didn't think labs were a breed for that.

Maybe a weimaraner?

 

[roadwreck]

And for DAY 4 of Envirotex's garden saga...

Mucho Nacho decimated.

Black Cherry tomato chopped down.

The squirrels and I are at war.

>^ one of the main reasons I gave up on the whole garden things...squirrels, rabbits, deer, chimpmunks...

The darn chipmunks even made themselves a burrow under the rose bushes...

I'm actually sort of glad the new neighbor bought himself a dog...not sure what it is though. It looks like a shiney short haired lab but the tail is docked and I didn't think labs were a breed for that.

BB gun? Air rifle?

We have a plot in a community garden which has this type of fencing around it and it seems to do a real good job of keeping most critters (dear, squirrels, rabbits) out.

It's a nylon mesh supported by rebar uprights (probably 8' tall).

 

[snickerd3]

All I've planted so far is some broccoli. I'm not exactly sure what we'll be growing this year, but it will definitely include tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers.

I'm actually sort of glad the new neighbor bought himself a dog...not sure what it is though. It looks like a shiney short haired lab but the tail is docked and I didn't think labs were a breed for that.

Maybe a weimaraner?

YES!! That is the dog..although he is brown not gray...maybe that's why it is an older puppy and not a little puppy...no one wanted him

 

[knight1fox3]

And for DAY 4 of Envirotex's garden saga...

Mucho Nacho decimated.

Black Cherry tomato chopped down.

The squirrels and I are at war.

>^ one of the main reasons I gave up on the whole garden things...squirrels, rabbits, deer, chimpmunks...

The darn chipmunks even made themselves a burrow under the rose bushes...

I'm actually sort of glad the new neighbor bought himself a dog...not sure what it is though. It looks like a shiney short haired lab but the tail is docked and I didn't think labs were a breed for that.

BB gun? Air rifle?

Paintball gun makes it even more fun.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Well, I was going to set up the raised bed garden this weekend, but seeing that Burpee sent me my 25 strawberry plants last week (I know they TRY, but we've had freezes ever since they arrived), and they've been in the plastic bag since then, I guess I better plant them and see how many survived.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Strawberries planted! We'll see how they do.

 

[jeb6294]

Okay, I haven't been following this thread, but now that I'm home I'd like to see about sprucing up the outside of the house a little bit so we aren't "that house" anymore. I figured I'd start small and do the little area out at the end of the driveway around the mailbox. Right now it's got the remnants of a landscaped area but the only thing left is a big unruly tuft of ornamental grass. My first dumb question is, what is the best way to create the edge of my landscaped area? I've tried it before, taking the spade and digging a little trench along the edge, but it never looks right. Is there some trick to it or am I just doing it wrong?

 

[Master slacker]

Everything in the raised bed is still growing. We lost a couple of carrots and some corn, but that's why you plant excess - so you can relocate the crowded survivors into the dead spots. Poor little Japanese eggplant is a magnet for aphids.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Might want to look into this, MS

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/companion-plants-really-keep-aphids-away-roses-31294.html

 

[pbrme]

Okay, I haven't been following this thread, but now that I'm home I'd like to see about sprucing up the outside of the house a little bit so we aren't "that house" anymore. I figured I'd start small and do the little area out at the end of the driveway around the mailbox. Right now it's got the remnants of a landscaped area but the only thing left is a big unruly tuft of ornamental grass. My first dumb question is, what is the best way to create the edge of my landscaped area? I've tried it before, taking the spade and digging a little trench along the edge, but it never looks right. Is there some trick to it or am I just doing it wrong?

I have an attachment on the 4cy craftsman that makes short work. But if you don't have access to one, just use a flat blade shovel. Just stake and string your area, cut the line and remove it with the flat blade.

 

[snickerd3]

we need to recut our lines...with my allergies getting so bad these past couple years and all the remodeling inside the house, the yard has gotten a little rough around the edges. Hopefully the allergy shots will let me work on the yard a bit this summer without too much issue.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

The raised beds went together easy-peasy, but holy carp am I out of shape. Those two cubic foot bags of garden soil just about killed me. Used five of them and four of thiose (seemed like lightweights after the 2 cu footers) 1 cu foot bags of compost.

Now I gotta call Burpee and see if I can get some more strawberries. The ones they sent died waiting for the freezes to pass. Planted them anyway, but no joy.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

YEA! I should have 25 replacement strawberry plants on the 19th!

 

[goodal]

Broke ground for the new garden saturday. I borrowed a friends rear tine and went over the spot about 3 times. The tiller handles vs my poor girly hands blew through the blister and just went straight to the 2nd layer of skin. The garden is about 25'x60', which is a little smaller than the one at the old house, but the wife (the actual gardener in the family) decided against growing corn. It takes so much time, effort and square footage, it just makes sense to go get it from local farmers. Also planted some new apple trees from Lowes and replaced a couple of bushes the previous owners let die. It was a good day.

 

[Lumber Jim]

All the snow finally melted on the garden yesterday but there is a chance for a rain/snow mix all week. I might try to use the new tiller in between the rain/snow anyway even if I scrape up ice chunks...

 

[pbrme]

We broke ground as well last weekend. It's going to be a 12'x14' next to the shed w/ a 3' fence to deter the chickens. I've got a lot of rock removal to do this weekend.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

The neighbors have some beautiful Plymouth Rocks. They are big enough that the cats don't mess with them, just stare at them.

We've gotten some eggs from them and they ain't bad.

 

[pbrme]

We have a garage cat who's tested the birds from time to time. While I was in the shed over the weekend I heard some chicken type commotion, and peered out to see big red cock eye'in the cat. Then all of a sudden she crow hopped at the cat and nipped out a tuft of fur from his scalp. What ever the cat did was paid forward. Fresh eggs are great for sure.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Planted replacement strawberries Thursday. They look really good.

I planted tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, lettuce, , carrots, chives, bush beans, chile peppers, cukes, squash, cantaloupes, and pumpkins on Saturday. Mowed the weeds Sunday.