# The 2018 Garden Thread



## Supe (May 14, 2018)

Time for the 2018 garden thread.  Post 'em up.

This year's pepper spread:

-Dragon Cayenne (potted, 2x)

-Cowhorn

-Garden Salsa

-Mammoth Jalapeno

-Jalapeno

-Habanero (2x)

-Carolina Reaper (potted, 2x)

For tomatoes, I've got two big designated pots: German Johnson and Beefmaster (heh)


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## leggo PE (May 14, 2018)

We don't have a garden, but we did just get two new plants yesterday. The cat already took a liking to one! It is now more strategically placed. Hopefully it works.


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## Supe (May 14, 2018)

I've already had to yell at my dogs to stay out of the planter boxes.  They dug the shit out of them this winter.


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## mudpuppy (May 14, 2018)

Hopefully we've had our last freeze.  We have a few plants started in a small greenhouse and plan to get the garden going in earnest in a week or two.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 14, 2018)

We don't have a vegetable garden this year, way too many deer and not enough sun. And not enough space to put an enclosure in to keep deer out.


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## Road Guy (May 14, 2018)

last year we planted on mothers day weekend and it snowed the following weekend so this year going to wait till the weekend after that!


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (May 14, 2018)

Supe said:


> Time for the 2018 garden thread.  Post 'em up.
> 
> This year's pepper spread:
> 
> ...


I just germinated my Anaheim and Birdseye peppers! I hope these little guys make it.


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## knight1fox3 (May 14, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> We don't have a vegetable garden this year, way too many deer and not enough sun *guns*.


Fixt. Likely the reason for too many deer. :thumbs:


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## mudpuppy (May 15, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> We don't have a vegetable garden this year, way too many deer and not enough sun. And not enough space to put an enclosure in to keep deer out.


We have deer in our yard on a daily basis.  I put a 5' fence around our garden.  The deer could jump it if they really wanted, but so far they haven't.  I just used welded wire and t-posts, which don't really take up any space.  Unless you have a postage stamp yard.


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## Supe (May 15, 2018)

mudpuppy said:


> We have deer in our yard on a daily basis.  I put a 5' fence around our garden.  The deer could jump it if they really wanted, but so far they haven't.


I can send you a few Reaper seedlings.  Once they eat one of those peppers, they'll never come back.  They may just die on the spot, and would be pre-seasoned if you wanted to keep the meat.


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## Supe (May 15, 2018)

Thankfully, my greyhounds do a pretty good job of rabbit population control in my yard.


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## knight1fox3 (May 15, 2018)

mudpuppy said:


> We have deer in our yard on a daily basis.  I put a 5' fence around our garden.  The deer could jump it if they really wanted, but so far they haven't.  I just used welded wire and t-posts, which don't really take up any space.  Unless you have a postage stamp yard.


I have a portable deer hunting ladder stand. How's the projection beyond your garden for say the trajectory of aa 30-06 bullet? Asking for a friend.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 15, 2018)

mudpuppy said:


> We have deer in our yard on a daily basis.  I put a 5' fence around our garden.  The deer could jump it if they really wanted, but so far they haven't.  I just used welded wire and t-posts, which don't really take up any space.  Unless you have a postage stamp yard.


We have no back yard, it is all wooded.  And such structures are not allowed in the part of our yard that actually gets sunlight.  I'm ok with not growing things, we have a great farmers market where I can get all sorts of tasty things.



knight1fox3 said:


> I have a portable deer hunting ladder stand. How's the projection beyond your garden for say the trajectory of aa 30-06 bullet? Asking for a friend.


Bow hunting only in our neck of the woods.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 15, 2018)

Supe said:


> Thankfully, my greyhounds do a pretty good job of rabbit population control in my yard.


I have never seen a rabbit in our yard.  We have too many owls I think.  We do have a ton of squirrels and chipmunks. And groundhogs. And possum. And raccoons.


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## knight1fox3 (May 15, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> Bow hunting only in our neck of the woods.


So you're suggesting the use of a silencer then. Or a crossbow. Got it. :thumbs:


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 15, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> So you're suggesting the use of a silencer then. Or a crossbow. Got it. :thumbs:


As long as you don't hit any neighbor kids (ok, ok, or mine either)


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## mudpuppy (May 15, 2018)

knight1fox3 said:


> I have a portable deer hunting ladder stand. How's the projection beyond your garden for say the trajectory of aa 30-06 bullet? Asking for a friend.


Our backyard slopes down, so it's a pretty good trajectory.  Unfortunately in my part of the state 30-06 aren't allowed for deer hunting.  Shotgun, handgun, muzzle loader or larger caliber (.35+) with straight walled rounds.


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## blybrook PE (May 15, 2018)

@mrs blybrook is responsible for the garden.  It's been too cold to really get started until this past weekend.  I know she's getting ready to get started.  There are tomatoes and strawberries in the house waiting to go outside.


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## blybrook PE (May 15, 2018)

vhab49_PE said:


> We don't have a vegetable garden this year, way too many deer and not enough sun. And not enough space to put an enclosure in to keep deer out.


Use an electric fence.  I put in a 6' tall, multi strand fence a few years ago.  Works great for the moose (until they break through it while getting chased by dogs).  It's fun to watch the newborns try to lick it, once...


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## mrs blybrook (May 15, 2018)

blybrook PE said:


> @mrs blybrook is responsible for the garden.  It's been too cold to really get started until this past weekend.  I know she's getting ready to get started.  There are tomatoes and strawberries in the house waiting to go outside.


Yep, it's been hard to call this weather "spring" here, but I have started weeding and digging in the beds and prepping the soil. This year there will be lots of onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, squash, zucchini (I need this for zucchini bread!), tomatoes (if it warms up enough), strawberries, cucumbers, snap peas, green beans, and I am going to try growing butternut and winter squash this year. Alaska is such a picky b*tch when it comes to weather so sometimes we have a great harvest, and other years only the cold weather veggies are successful. We will also have the usual containers full of flowers surrounding our deck and I might plant a bed with some wildflowers for the bees. I like to roll around in my awesome hammock on the deck, surrounded by flowers, and read a good book...summer....where are you? Heck, where is spring???


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## FLBuff PE (May 15, 2018)

We are currently in the process of improving the soil in our 12' x 10' garden. Digging up about 6-8 inches of existing soil, laying down new weed barrier, sifting the existing soil, laying down said sifted soil, adding more "planting soil" from Costco, adding some of our compost that we have been creating over the years, going to add some manure, and then plant. We have about a third of it done. PITA, but hopefully we get better production out of the garden this year.


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## knight1fox3 (May 15, 2018)

FLBuff PE said:


> laying down new weed


Must be a CO thing....


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## Supe (May 16, 2018)

FLBuff PE said:


> We are currently in the process of improving the soil in our 12' x 10' garden. Digging up about 6-8 inches of existing soil, laying down new weed barrier, sifting the existing soil, laying down said sifted soil, adding more "planting soil" from Costco, adding some of our compost that we have been creating over the years, going to add some manure, and then plant. We have about a third of it done. PITA, but hopefully we get better production out of the garden this year.


After loosening up what was there (which was some decent screened topsoil from the previous year), I added a bit of potting mix and a manure-based compost mix to the raised bed planters this year.  I'll be curious to see if it helps production at all.  I did not see a real benefit to miracle grow use last year.


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## mudpuppy (May 16, 2018)

Spent a couple hours roto-tilling last night, until one of the tires decided to spin on the rim and rip the valve stem off the tube.  Definitely sore today, but I'm going to try to fix the tire tonight and get back at it.

We're going to try the mulch over landscape fabric method this year.  Last year was the first year we put in the garden, and it being grass prior, it was almost impossible to keep the grass down in the garden.  We're getting 12 cubic yards of mulch delivered today, which should be enough for the vegetable garden as well as topping off some of the other landscape mulch around the house.


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## Supe (May 17, 2018)

Landscape fabric did the trick for the first two years (put over healthy grass), but we started getting weeds/grass at year three.  Still manageable though.


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## ktulu (May 17, 2018)

I started all my seeds in mid February, so my garden is coming along. Not exactly where is should be, but I had my grow lights in the garage, so temperature control was an issue. 

So, my list includes:

Tomatoes - Sun Gold and Atkinson. Will start Celebrity and one other I cannot remember soon. 

Peppers - Green Bell, Jalepenos, Purple Bell, Lunchbox Orange, and one other

Squash, Zucchini - growing these under a low tunnel to prevent the squash vine borer from winning this year. Will hand pollinate. 

Cucumbers - Bush, Pickling and Straight 8's

Okra

Basil, Cilantro

Broccoli, Cauliflower - these haven't started producing heads yet, and with the heat now, they may not. If that's the case, we will harvest and eat the leaves.


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## Supe (May 17, 2018)

ktulu said:


> Basil, Cilantro


I think I'm going to end up doing some herbs in a hanging planter box.  We usually do a pot of mint for mojitos, but I'd like to do these also.  Basil is easy, but do you usually have good luck with cilantro?  It's my understanding its not especially heat tolerant.


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## mudpuppy (May 17, 2018)

Cilantro grows like crazy here!  But I wouldn't know if it's heat tolerant.


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## wilheldp_PE (May 17, 2018)

Supe said:


> I think I'm going to end up doing some herbs in a hanging planter box.


I wanna grow some herb too, but alas, it's not legal in Kentucky yet.


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## ruggercsc (May 17, 2018)

We planted about a month ago.  A small garden patch and a bunch of pots.

SUCCESS SO FAR:


Tomato's - All varieties (Big Boy, Arkansas Traveler, cherry, grape)- all are already 2.5' to 3' feet tall.

Pumpkin or squash - I did not plant any, but it it has started growing.  Last Halloween's Pumpkin or last years squash plant that has been revived?

Cilantro in a pot - about 18 tall" and already used in Tuesday's recipe

Basil

Peppermint

Spicy Oregano

OK BUT NOT GREAT

All peppers.  Not sure what happened, but it looks like something has been eating the leaves.  I have sprayed organic insecticide on them and that has helped a little.  We are starting to get new growth or leaves so that is a plus.

NOT GOING TO MAKE IT


Okra - tried for first time.

Cucumber - Failure two years in a row.

Eggplant - moderate success last year.  This year looks like a bust.

Edamame - Looks like a bust.

Plum trees that were planted is about four or five years ago is about a 1.5 stories and have lots of small fruit on them.

I also received a letter from the HOA about my garden.  A past HOA president does not like me (I hired an attorney and prevailed with more reasonable board members before going to court) and called the Management Company on me (unsightly condition, which was never clarified.  They sent me picture of empty pots and an unplanted garden bed).  The current president can't stand the past president and is a friend of mine.  They rescinded the Management Company letter and sent me an apology.


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## Master slacker (May 18, 2018)

We HAD a small garden.  The chickens had other plans.  They've eaten the flowers and leaves and converted the bed into their dirt bath area.  That's ok, I guess, because they poop out a couple eggs each day for us.


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## ktulu (May 18, 2018)

Supe said:


> I think I'm going to end up doing some herbs in a hanging planter box.  We usually do a pot of mint for mojitos, but I'd like to do these also.  Basil is easy, but do you usually have good luck with cilantro?  It's my understanding its not especially heat tolerant.


No, it is not extremely heat tolerant, so it did not produce as well as I had hoped. Flowers too quickly in the heat. I planted in both pots and my raised bed, and the raised bed version did better than the potted version. About to pull it from the pots, and get a last cutting from the raised bed plant. 

I was just glad that I succeeded in starting them from seed (always heard it was difficult). I may do another planting in the fall when it's cooler.


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## ktulu (May 18, 2018)

Master slacker said:


> We HAD a small garden.  The chickens had other plans.  They've eaten the flowers and leaves and converted the bed into their dirt bath area.  That's ok, I guess, because they poop out a couple eggs each day for us.


A coworker's father has a garden and chickens. He has his chickens on one end of the garden while planting on the other end. Then he swaps when the growing season changes. He's had pretty good success with this.


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## Supe (May 21, 2018)

Garden is doing OK.  The tomato plants have taken off with all this rain - they have more than doubled in size already.  Jalapenos are on their way, and the thai chiles are already fruiting.  Habaneros and reapers have been slow growing, though the reapers are notoriously slow anyways.  They had something trying to eat their leaves, so I sprinkled some pesticide on there and am hoping for the best.


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## mudpuppy (May 21, 2018)

Anyone deal with japanese beetles?  We had them devouring everything in sight last year, including a lot of the trees near the edge of our yard.

I bought some grub control to apply to the lawn, and I plan to use it in the areas I suspect have the worst amount of grubs, but it would cost a fortune to treat all of the 3.5 acres of yard.


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## Road Guy (May 21, 2018)

not personally but I see those bags that catch beetles always full of them..


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## Supe (May 22, 2018)

The alleged problem with the bags is that they catch about 50% of the beetles that go to them, but attract something like 400% more beetles to the area. 

I think there are some species of plants/shrubs that are a natural deterrent.  Maybe plant some of those around the property?  Or just give a bunch of those bags to your neighbors and let the beetles f*ck up their yard.


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## ruggercsc (May 22, 2018)

I actually have tomato's on the vine now.  Not bad when last frost was about 4 1/2 weeks ago.


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## mudpuppy (May 22, 2018)

Supe said:


> The alleged problem with the bags is that they catch about 50% of the beetles that go to them, but attract something like 400% more beetles to the area.
> 
> I think there are some species of plants/shrubs that are a natural deterrent.  Maybe plant some of those around the property?  Or just give a bunch of those bags to your neighbors and let the beetles f*ck up their yard.


I've heard the same about the traps.  I bought one and am going to try it, but put it about 100 yards from the garden.

There are some plants that supposedly deter them and we're going to plant some of those around the garden.  Things like onions and marigolds.


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## Supe (Aug 7, 2018)

Oregano totally dead - rotted out after heavy rain.  Mint is 50/50.

One of the two tomato plants is finally fruiting, the other still stagnant.  Both are over 6' tall now and need additional support.

Most of the peppers are doing well.  Plenty of jalapenos, just froze my first crop of Carolina Reapers (about a dozen).  Garden Salsa peppers are HOT AS F*CK.  Made a mistake of eating one grilled.  Cowhorn is meh, just getting onesie-twosie peppers, plant never really took off.  Habanero plant just coming into its own, peppers are much bigger than last year.  Thai hots still producing a ton, just pickled a small mason jar worth of shishitos.  3 of the 12 seem to be struggling to grow, just can't figure out why.


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## Road Guy (Aug 7, 2018)

I also am not sure if I bought different jalapenos this year or what but ours too are hot as F!

We ended up doing containers for our maters. some hippy lady at a local gardening shop sold me on these $60 container systems - they have been out of this world spot on for the year, have more maters than I ever have here &amp; getting them mid July - usually mine wouldn't be edible till August - its been a mater sandwich couple of weeks!

Also I have a ton of apples on an apple tree that I didn't know I had (which is odd since I have a 1/4 acre lot) not quite ready to eat yet but if the worms don't find them we may very seriously have a couple bushels of apples in a month or so


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## Supe (Aug 7, 2018)

Any details on the mater-tainers?


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## Road Guy (Aug 7, 2018)

Similar to this

Each one holds two plants


https://www.hsn.com/products/earthbox-container-garden-kit/8627983?sz=6704&amp;sf=HO0277&amp;ac=&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=shopping%20engine&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_campaign=GShopping%7CL%7CBrandProduct%7CHome&amp;utm_content=56366492540_450754215559_8627986&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwhqXbBRAREiwAucoo-1ib422dyxneDYHw8uoROpz3gkh67e-Soa13TXhuo6btXC0-evsIXhoCQqcQAvD_BwE&amp;akamai-feo=off


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## mudpuppy (Aug 7, 2018)

We've been harvesting green/wax/purple beans like crazy.  Every day there's another harvest to blanch &amp; freeze.  Tomatoes are about ready to explode and we'll probably be canning those next week.  We've had a few jalepenos, but otherwise we're doing something wrong as far as peppers go.  Similar bad results with corn.  And our celery didn't grow at all.

We have more cucumbers than we know what to do with, but we made too many pickles last year so may not be canning more.

Last year the okra did great and this year it did not.  Not sure what changed there.

Zucchini and squash are doing well (no surprise) and it looks like we're going to have some big-ass pumpkins.  Also lots of onions ready to harvest.  Probably will have some cauliflower soon as well.

Almost ready to plant our second batch of peas, and our collards got eaten up so we might go for a second round of those as well.  And our strawberries are blooming again--I had no idea they would do a second crop.


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## Road Guy (Aug 7, 2018)

What’s weird is something ate our cucumber plants down to the nub (damn dog is going blind) assume its either rabbits or squirrels but they leave the green peppers and hot peppers alone for some reason ☹


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## Supe (Aug 7, 2018)

Road Guy said:


> Similar to this
> 
> Each one holds two plants
> 
> ...


Interesting - looks like it's self watering with some sort of air gap?


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## Road Guy (Aug 7, 2018)

The pipe you see is where you add water –

The container set up leaves the bottom couple of inches open, then a geogrid type plastic where you add the soil and fertilizer, once you plant the maters you cut holes and pull the black cove over it – I assume this makes like a greenhouse effect, but it also causes the need to fill up the container every 2-3 days.

I ran a line from our sprinkler into the pipe so it was always getting some water daily

Ill grab a pic when I get home of our set up.


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## ktulu (Aug 8, 2018)

Overall, our garden had mixed results. Cukes were disappointing, but I just sowed a second planting so maybe a little better weather consistency will help. One type tomato exploded, but a second type did not. Squash and zukes were so/so, but I also just planted a second crop. Peppers were crowded by the cukes, so since I removed the cukes, the peppers have taken off. I had extra peppers and tomato transplants, so I threw them in my neighbor's garden - they are taking off. 

Thinking of starting some broccoli and cauliflower seedlings to plant in about a month. Lettuce and spinach when temps fall a bit.


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