BYC gardening thread!!

[marktoo]

Now, that's creative cold framing! I scored 2 tempered glass aluminum framed windows this week, each 30" x 74", which is perfect for the interior of my hay bale cold frames. The second layer of protection will increase the microclimate of the frames from my Zone 4B-5A to Zone 7B-8A. Obviously, you have much different climate. What's that growing behind the cold frame? I'm seeing some hay in the foreground. Do you use mulch in your gardening? I keep a constant mulch on my garden and wouldn't garden any other way. As soon as the ground freezes, I go through garden withdrawal. So, am hoping to experiment with aquaponics on a VERY small scale this winter.

I really don't have room for anything permanent, so this works out well for me. My wife is talking about replacing the shower doors in the main bath with curtains. Don't know why she'd want to do that but I do know what to do with the doors.

These pics are from a few years back, probably around Februaryish. Those are Fava beans mostly but I'm not sure what would be climbing the trellis that time of year as I generally don't plant peas. I grow cover crops in the winter, in about half of the garden which I use as mulch. I also try to keep my soil covered in some fashion as much as possible. I would be interested in knowing how the aquaponics works out for you.

Awesome cold frames!

Farmtex sells replacement mini greenhouse covers

kind of expensive though. I've wondered if one could sew it out of heavy duty plastic.

Been thinking about growing tomato seedlings, herb starts, etc and selling them for a few bucks each next spring.

Thanks!

Selling seedlings would be a nice way to make a few bucks if there's a market. Would you be able to set up a stand in front of your house or would you have to drag everything to a flea market?

 

[dalmation1080]

Im planning my garden for next year. Ive been trading and getting some free seeds. I cant WAIT to start planting next year!

 

[marktoo]

Im planning my garden for next year. Ive been trading and getting some free seeds. I cant WAIT to start planting next year!

I'm always thinking about things to do in next years garden to improve it while working on the current year.....too bad I'm too lazy to keep a log & if I did keep a log I probably wouldn't refer back to it. I'm always hopeful that the following year will be more productive, the weather will cooperate, fewer weeds & bugs, etc, etc. & I'm able to garden year round. Seed catalogs will be arriving soon, we can thumb through those & dream.

 

[SunnySkies]

I'm looking at new equipment...like I'd love a seed planter like an Earthway and a broadfork and a cultivator. LOL I got a hold of a Jonny's Seeds catalog, and while I'm not terribly interested in hybrids, they do have some interesting seeds and definitely have great equipment and sprays. I went no spray this year, other than some foliage feeding, and that was a mistake. I am planning to order some of their organic-compatible pesticides for next year. Anxiously awaiting seed catalogs. My favorite is Baker Creek's. I read last year's almost to death. Calculating when to make starts, planning what to try for making the starts, what to try for mulch. The planning part is my favorite part, lol.

I was thinking of putting a little ad on CL, actually, and letting my friends know I have plants to sell, assuming they grow well. Many of them garden, or if they don't, they know someone who does. Since I work weekends, hauling everything to a flea market won't work. The real job pays for everything else, lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

You might want to check out Fedco Seeds. Lots of the same great varieties that Johnnies carries, also a local Maine company. Much better pricing. They also carry trees and bulbs/tubers.

 

[marktoo]

I'm looking at new equipment...like I'd love a seed planter like an Earthway and a broadfork and a cultivator. LOL I got a hold of a Jonny's Seeds catalog, and while I'm not terribly interested in hybrids, they do have some interesting seeds and definitely have great equipment and sprays. I went no spray this year, other than some foliage feeding, and that was a mistake. I am planning to order some of their organic-compatible pesticides for next year. Anxiously awaiting seed catalogs. My favorite is Baker Creek's. I read last year's almost to death. Calculating when to make starts, planning what to try for making the starts, what to try for mulch. The planning part is my favorite part, lol.

I was thinking of putting a little ad on CL, actually, and letting my friends know I have plants to sell, assuming they grow well. Many of them garden, or if they don't, they know someone who does. Since I work weekends, hauling everything to a flea market won't work. The real job pays for everything else, lol.

I lucked out, I found a compost tumbler at a garage sale over the weekend for 25 dollars. I had planned to make one but I think it would have cost me more than that to build. I got it full of coop bedding, veggie peelings & such, so hopefully it will turn out some compost in short order.

I have been thinking about getting a second broadfork, was looking at the 16" Meadow creature. Kinda on the fence, be nice to have but don't really need it. A seeder has never crossed my mind, my garden is much to small to make it worth my while but I can see where it would be helpful to you. Bakers creek has a special edition catalog out in addition to their regular one. Don't know what's so special about it, my wife ordered one at the Heirloom Seed Festival, so we shall see.

I was thinking that if you were going to be renting a stall at a flea market, it would be cutting into some pretty small profit margins, at least at first. What you are planning will be better. Hope that goes well for you.

 

[SunnySkies]

My dad has that type of composter, and he says it works well. What a steal!

I'd heard of Fedco, but had kind of forgotten about them. I'll look at them again.

Ordered a grab bag of seeds from Annie's Heirloom seeds last week. A nice deal and got quite a nice selection. Between what I have in the freezer and what I got, I should not need to order seeds....but you know how that goes, lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

I helped my son and DIL start a garden a few years ago. When I pulled out my box of seeds, her jaw scraped the ground. Now, I'll admit, some of them are a bit... old, but the potential is still there! Any how, she stated that I had a serious problem, and perhaps an intervention was in order! And you should see my kitchen when the garden is winding down. I have seeds drying everywhere. My hubby doesn't bother to complain any more, when I've told him that the seed companies charge $2 for 10 pelleted petunia seeds. I can dead head a few plants, and end up with over 500 seeds for free. Any other readers guilty of rummaging through the pots of beautiful flowers planted in front of stores in the summer?? For the most part, my little addiction doesn't bother anyone!

 

[marktoo]

We have quite a collection of seeds also. The veggie, herb & flower seeds are in a large wooden box, cover crop seed is in a couple of very large cookie tins. I don't refrigerate or freeze any seed, no room, but they still seem to keep well.

Not much into seed saving. We'll replant beans that we didn't eat from the previous year but we don't really go out of our way to save seed. I know some of this stuff will cross pollinate & may become some hideously mutated thing the following year. Do you hand pollinate a flower or two & then cover it till it begins to fruit? Otherwise you need to keep great distances between varieties. Right? Probably something I need to try but over the years there have been so few varieties that I've been sold on. Just when I find something that I like & produces well, It fails me & I replace it. Sooo many varieties & not enough space or time to plant them all.

Oh, speaking of collecting things, I have 3 rhubarb plants that I've been thinking about taking out cause we just don't use it that much. Don't want to grow it if we're not gonna use it, so I was looking for recipes online. Found this video on youtube that was rather amusing, google Rhubarb Lady to view it Don't View this with the LittleOnes around, as this is the most foul mouth person I have ever seen. Perhaps she was just having a bad day. Can't believe anyone could be this nasty on a daily basis.

 

[lazy gardener]

Some seeds are super easy to save, and they don't readily hybridize. You need to start with open pollinated seed. I have an absolute favorite pole bean called Fortex. It's very hard to get the seed from seed companies, so I've been saving my seed for over 10 years. Squash and cucumbers are real easy to work with. Then if you're not terribly concerned, just save the seed from your best fruit/plants. If you're a purist, all you have to do is wait for a female flower to open, pollinate it with a male flower of the same species, then cover it with a bag to keep the bees from visiting it. Label that resulting fruit, and it'll be pure. Tomatoes are very easy. They generally self pollinate. Lettuce is super easy. Let your first planting go to seed, then harvest the seeds, or just pull the plant up and lay it where you want the next crop. I save flower seeds, and am not too proud to scavange them from public plantings. With all of the GMO stuff going on, I think it's a good idea to be able to at least provide some of my own seed, as well as having some to share with neighbors. I saved seed from a neighbor's squash last year. I bought the biggest butter cup squash he had, and saved all the seed. This year, I grew 185# of squash from a single hill. Ironically, the squash he had out for sale this year was tiny compared to mine!

I'll pass on the rhubarb lady! Don't need a potty mouth cluttering up my brain! I had a hawk try to take one of my chickens today. It had actually landed on the ground behind my coop! One of the girls didn't stop growling for a half hour!

Congrats on the composter. I have one, have a love/hate relationship with it, but if I found an other one for $25, I'd buy it. Broadfork is on my wish list, I've actually been toying with the idea of what it would take to make one.