Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the middle of a Wisconsin winter

[politicalcenter]

Sometimes I get busted peat bails at half price.

 

[limited25]

It is real simple. I buy bulk peat moss in the big bails and put it in my wheelbarrow. I then add some course sand for drainage. It comes to about a shovel full of sand or so per batch. Just use enough for drainage. I then add about a cup of lime and if I have it some dry manure or compost. Mix it well before you add water. If you don't have manure or compost mix some miracle grow ..,.very weak...with your water. Here is the trick....add some cheap dish washing detergent to your water so the peat moss will wet. Pour the water over the mix in the wheelbarrow and let it sit a few minutes before mixing. Mix like brick mortar and add more soapy water as needed. You want the mix to drain ....in a pot I like the water to go out the bottom just about as fast as you pour it in. The soap doesn,t hurt anything.

OK, manure is sold in 40 lb. bags here, so how much of that should I add (half a bag, full bag?) Guess I should go buy bulk peat moss, lime and dry manure tomorrow and see how much my wheelbarrow will hold. Mix it until it drains well, and then I can plant in it? Or do I need to let it sit X amount of days first? Appreciate your help.

 

[limited25]

If you receive too much rain during the growing season it can wash out nutrients, especially for tomatoes.

I put grass clippings in a light layer over my garden as a mulch and worm food during the growing season.

The leaves get mowed over than put on the garden in the fall, it takes half the growing season for them to be broken down, it's done mostly by worms, so if you till your soil there won't be much life in it.

I am not familiar with those trees.

Hot composting can be a bit of work and science, I cold compost and am not in a hurry to have it get done anyways.

I will try the grass clippings on the garden, but probably will have to burn the leaves to get rid of them. Don't plan on using the tiller since the raised beds are not real big, and will plant tomatoes in some of those, and some in pots and hopefully it will work better this year. Plan to make the dirt with the recipe from politicalcenter. Thanks for help.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Clippings shouldn't be put down too thick at a time or else they will mold, about an inch at a time reapply as they dry out and thin, about every week or two.

 

[Huntress78]

Been following this thread for a while and had to smile at the comment about using red Solo cups because that's what I use....yellow ones too!


I cut way back on 'starts' this year so I hope they all make it. This summer/fall/next spring I'd like to start some flower gardens. I've only ever done veggies so this will be something new to me. Love the flower pics here so maybe you all can give me some pointers.

Anyway here's the garden this morning. I had to laugh yesterday when the mail carrier dropped off my bare root order...what am I going to do with those??

 

[politicalcenter]

OK, manure is sold in 40 lb. bags here, so how much of that should I add (half a bag, full bag?)  Guess I should go buy bulk peat moss, lime and dry manure tomorrow and see how much my wheelbarrow will hold.  Mix it until it drains well, and then I can plant in it?   Or do I need to let it sit X amount of days first?  Appreciate your help.

I use mine right away. Manure is much less expensive if you buy it in bulk. Do you have a livestock sale nearby or a stockyard? Sometimes you can get it for free. Just mix one part soil, one part peat, and one part sand for your raised beds. For your pots mix one part peat, one part manure,and a little sand and a cup of lime. It isn't rocket science just be sure the mix is light and fluffy. The main thing for potting soil is that is should drain well and not be too heavy.

 

[politicalcenter]

If you are going

to raise tomatoes in pots make sure the soil in the pot doesn't get too warm. Hot summer sun on a black pot can be murder. I make my raised beds from old tires.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Been following this thread for a while and had to smile at the comment about using red Solo cups because that's what I use....yellow ones too! I cut way back on 'starts' this year so I hope they all make it. This summer/fall/next spring I'd like to start some flower gardens. I've only ever done veggies so this will be something new to me. Love the flower pics here so maybe you all can give me some pointers. Anyway here's the garden this morning. I had to laugh yesterday when the mail carrier dropped off my bare root order...what am I going to do with those??

My garden looks like that too, I had seeded some lettuce, radish, and spinach, I was about to put in my onions, will do when the snow melts, my garlic is coming up so it's time to plant the cold crop. I see crates in your seed starting operations, any reason for them, I get excited when I see crates, I always wonder what gets put into them.

 

[Huntress78]

I have a zillion of those crates. Every time I see one at a rummage sale for $5 I have to buy it...I just can't help myself. I used to sell chicks and started pullets at the swaps so I used the crates for transport. Right now they are my redneck light holders. The light is screwed to the 2x4 and it sets on the crates. As the plants get bigger I'll put something under each end of the 2x4 to raise it up. Sorry to disappoint but today they are empty.

Hard to see but there are a dozen raised beds under the snow in that pic. I checked yesterday before the storm and the garlic wasn't up yet. The only green I saw was some spinach coming back from last falls planting and the rhubarb is just peeking through.
What kind of onions are you putting in and where did you get them? I haven't even bought any sets yet because I was so disappointed in my crop last year. Two years ago I got some from a garden center in Marinette, they were called Candy 'something' or maybe just plain Candy, I can't remember but they were pretty tasty.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You have a crate fetish too. That's a good use for them. I enjoy red neck technology.

I usually plant yellow onion sets because they store well through the winter, this year I grabbed a mix, white, yellow and red. Last year I tried the red and they rotted really easy. I have raised beds too, but we got too much rain in spring. They need enough rain but not too much. I just grab a bag of them wherever I see them first, this year it was Wal-Mart, last year it was from fleet farm. I used to get them at jungs, but they never did any better.

The candy onions must of been a sweet onion, they don't store well.

I was going to ask where you were from until I read Marinette, you are zone 3?