2012 Gardening Thread (Read 1516 times)


Feeling the growl again

    Actually, the state says that there are now bears in every county.  I can't imagine that they are in Hudson and Essex...I mean, where would they be?  That place is one giant mass of humanity, buldings, landfills, concrete and asphalt.

     

    I think you answered your own question.  Smile

     

    Wildlife can thrive in amazing places.  How did a cougar make it all the way into Chicago's south side several years ago before being shot by police, for example.  When I lived in MI we backed up on a section of indeveloped land in the Detroit suburbs.  Though the State denied their existence for many years, I did have a cougar in my backyard one morning. 

    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

     

    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

     

      Landfills...

       

      Ha!  You're probably right.  :-)

      Jeff


      Prince of Fatness

        I think you answered your own question.  Smile

         

        Yep.  Lots of garbage in those urban areas which means lots of food for the bears.  Also you'd be surprised how many wooded areas there are even in Hudson and Essex counties.

        Not at it at all. 

          OK, gotta ask. 

           

          What kind of squash?  Summer?  Winter?  Green?  Yellow?

           

          And, I guess it grows fast, since a frost will be coming sometime in October (well, maybe not this year the way things are going).

           

          I'm interested.  I have extra garden space after ripping up the potatoes....

          Jeff


          Prince of Fatness

            What kind of squash?  Summer?  Winter?  Green?  Yellow?

             

            I just put pumpkins in and it was almost too late, so I would go with summer squash.  Zucchini or yellow squash.  They grow pretty quick and are a bush type plant, not vines.  You may be able to find these plants at an Agway.  That would give you a head start instead of seeds.  As a matter of fact, you are pretty safe with any veggies that they have there.

            Not at it at all. 

              It would have to be seeds at the moment.  But if I can drop seeds in, and have some squash in the October time frame, before a frost, that would be cool.

              Jeff


              Prince of Fatness

                It would have to be seeds at the moment.  But if I can drop seeds in, and have some squash in the October time frame, before a frost, that would be cool.

                 

                Should be OK.  Summer squash grows pretty quick.

                Not at it at all. 

                  So I planted some yellow squash and green (zucchini).  It's come up already.  I have a feeling I'll get inundated, but, I can always give it away.

                   

                  Having an issue with my tomatoes, which haven't really produced all that much yet, I don't know why.  Oh, they're ready, there's lots of green fruit and flowers, but they haven't "gone nuts" yet.

                   

                  Anyway, whatever variety I have selected, this year, they are TALL!  Most of them are at least 6 feet.  And, what's happening is, the plants that are producing fruit up top are higher than the cages, and falling over.  They haven't broken the branches...yet, but, I doubt anything on those tall portions won't produce anymore fruit.

                  Jeff


                  Feeling the growl again

                    The Austrian Crescents yielded well!  These are exactly what I was looking for in fingerlings.

                     

                    This is three plants steamed for dinner:

                    "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                     

                    I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                     


                    Prince of Fatness

                      The Austrian Crescents yielded well!  These are exactly what I was looking for in fingerlings.

                       

                      This is three plants steamed for dinner:

                       

                       

                      Looks like sausage links.  Nice.

                       

                      I dug up my fingerlings this past weekend, they were French Fingerlings.  Yield was OK.  They fried up nicely though.  I have a row of Red Pontiacs yet to dig up.

                       

                      Got a lot of weeding done as well.  My tomatoes are not going nuts as well.  Hardly any.  The deer really did a number on them.  Pumpkins are in, we'll see how they do.  Other than that there is not much going on in the garden.

                       

                      Rainfall has picked up .... I'm cutting the grass more often now than I was a month ago.

                      Not at it at all. 


                      Feeling the growl again

                        Looks like sausage links.  Nice.

                         

                        I dug up my fingerlings this past weekend, they were French Fingerlings.  Yield was OK.  They fried up nicely though.  I have a row of Red Pontiacs yet to dig up.

                         

                        Got a lot of weeding done as well.  My tomatoes are not going nuts as well.  Hardly any.  The deer really did a number on them.  Pumpkins are in, we'll see how they do.  Other than that there is not much going on in the garden.

                         

                        Rainfall has picked up .... I'm cutting the grass more often now than I was a month ago.

                         

                        We got 5 inches of rain across 3 storms in 2 weeks.  Stuff is actually green again, and I am more sane not having to water 24/7.

                         

                        I'm waiting to dig more of the Frenchies, so far I'm not impressed with them and won't grow again unless things change.  Two fingerling varieties untried yet, as are the Purple Majesty.  

                         

                        Now we are eating as much sweetcorn fresh as we acn stomach, and freezing 3 quarts per night.  Should be gone by the weekend.  

                         

                        Only one pumpkin plant, a mini pumpkin one, survived.  We should get about a dozen off it but it too is looking sick.  I think I need to use pesticide on all my gourds next year.  Next year I will also know to order more squash seed ahead of time, and save for late planting.

                         

                        I now need to mow the lawn (such a foreign concept after 2 months of brown lawn) and focus on getting things ready to make white wine on Saturday!!!  Big grin

                        "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                         

                        I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                         

                          Planning for next year...

                           

                          My current garden(s) are both raised, one is 4 x 8 and the other is 4 x 5.  If I take down the old play house (my youngest kid is now 14, so it's not a problem), and my neighbor and more importantly, my wife don't mind, I figure I'll make 3 4x8 raised gardens (the one where it is now, the second, expanding and moving, and the third will be new).

                           

                          How much space should I leave in between them to walk comfortably, get the mower through, etc.  If I go close, I might even be able to make it 4 gardens.

                           

                          Also, would one guy, with a pretty time consuming job and all sorts of other activities, be able to handle all this...I mean, I wouldn't want it to cut into my running.  :-)

                          Jeff


                          Prince of Fatness

                            How much space should I leave in between them to walk comfortably, get the mower through, etc.  If I go close, I might even be able to make it 4 gardens.

                             

                            Not sure I would worry about mowing.  You could always put something down to keep grass and weeds at bay.  I never had raised beds.  The idea is to not walk in them, correct?  In that case you need room to kneel.  You need room possibly for baskets, garden tools, anything else you would use to work down there.  Three feet?

                             

                            Also, would one guy, with a pretty time consuming job and all sorts of other activities, be able to handle all this...I mean, I wouldn't want it to cut into my running.  :-)

                             

                            The nice thing about gardening is that it is a pretty cheap hobby.  Seeds and plants are cheap.  If you get busy and things get away from you it's not a big deal.  Chances are you'll still get enough to make it worth your while.

                             

                            For me the hardest thing to keep up with is the weeding.  I would think that would be easier with the loose soil in the raised beds.  You said you have kids.  Have them weed once a week for a couple of bucks (first show them what plants are not weeds).

                            Not at it at all. 


                            Feeling the growl again

                              Planning for next year...

                               

                              My current garden(s) are both raised, one is 4 x 8 and the other is 4 x 5.  If I take down the old play house (my youngest kid is now 14, so it's not a problem), and my neighbor and more importantly, my wife don't mind, I figure I'll make 3 4x8 raised gardens (the one where it is now, the second, expanding and moving, and the third will be new).

                               

                              How much space should I leave in between them to walk comfortably, get the mower through, etc.  If I go close, I might even be able to make it 4 gardens.

                               

                              Also, would one guy, with a pretty time consuming job and all sorts of other activities, be able to handle all this...I mean, I wouldn't want it to cut into my running.  :-)

                               

                              Well the real answer would to be in measuring the width of you mower, would it not?  I mean, I have a 54" deck with a 12" side chute but you probably have a much smaller width to deal with.

                               

                              As to whether it is too much.....hahahahahahahaha!

                               

                               

                              I have TWO this size....maybe 15yds X 10 yds or 20 yds X 15 yds..plus two rows of black raspberries you can just see on the right side of the frame, plus the 68 grape vines in the background, plus the ~25 tree orchard you can see 1 tree of in the far top right...plus a row or red raspberries and blackberries...

                               

                              Plus this...

                               

                              Granted, I am an idiot.  But, my point is, I would not get too worried about the time committment to a few small raised beds.  If it consumed your life you're doing it wrong.

                              "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                               

                              I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                               

                                I wish I had this much land.

                                Jeff