Dawg’s Gardening Thread!!!

[aynesidea]

I'll join and see if your seeds germinate. I've started a few things last week. Not much. I used to garden like crazy but now I'm a leisurely gardener. Preferring to find the easiest way possible.

Going to try no-dig gardening this year, have plenty of cardboard and compost, when it warms up here at end of wk plan to let biddies out to help me clean present garden.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Going to try no-dig gardening this year, have plenty of cardboard and compost, when it warms up here at end of wk plan to let biddies out to help me clean present garden.

Oops, edit because I read no till, not no dig. Got too excited.

I did that for many years in my garden. I formed raised beds out of the soil, and added grass clipping and leaves yearly to the top, and walking paths. It was a wonderful way to garden.

I had to get my knees replaced, so we build raised garden boxes and filled them with all that wonderful soil the worms helped me create.

I always say take care of the worms and they will take care of your plants. Tilling destroys the soil, which is like a living organism, tilling kills the biodiversity that's in your gardens and it needs to rebuild itself after a tilling. Worms are the workhorse of a garden. They aerate, and fertilize plants. Take care of the worms.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Going to try no-dig gardening this year, have plenty of cardboard and compost, when it warms up here at end of wk plan to let biddies out to help me clean present garden.

I did the no dig too. It took a long time for the cardboard to breakdown, but when it did and I have some nice garden beds that were easy to create.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Oops, edit because I read no till, not no dig. Got too excited.

I did that for many years in my garden. I formed raised beds out of the soil, and added grass clipping and leaves yearly to the top, and walking paths. It was a wonderful way to garden.

I had to get my knees replaced, so we build raised garden boxes and filled them with all that wonderful soil the worms helped me create.

I always say take care of the worms and they will take care of your plants. Tilling destroys the soil, which is like a living organism, tilling kills the biodiversity that's in your gardens and it needs to rebuild itself after a tilling. Worms are the workhorse of a garden. They aerate, and fertilize plants. Take care of the worms.

Whoops

 

[ShrekDawg]

Is that a Toppl I see between the beds? Is Brew helping?

Turns out it is a Toppl lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

Finished tilling!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Don’t know whether to sow the squash and cucumbers directly in the ground when I can or start them early or ???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Don’t know whether to sow the squash and cucumbers directly in the ground when I can or start them early or ???

Either will work. You shouldn't sow any warm season crops until all danger of frost has passed. Here our frost date is May 15, but generally we can get frost until the end of May.

Those both can be started 4-8 weeks before planting out. Bigger isn't always better as it can take some plants some time to adjust to transplanting especially if the roots are bound. I generally start them about 3-4 weeks before to get a jump on our short growing season here.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Either will work. You shouldn't sow any warm season crops until all danger of frost has passed. Here our frost date is May 15, but generally we can get frost until the end of May.

Those both can be started 4-8 weeks before planting out. Bigger isn't always better as it can take some plants some time to adjust to transplanting especially if the roots are bound. I generally start them about 3-4 weeks before to get a jump on our short growing season here.

Thanks! This is very helpful. I just looked and I think our official frost date is like April 21st but tbh I think it will be earlier than that since it’s been sooooo mild this year hahah I’ll probably wait a little bit and start them. Or maybe start now since that’s pretty soon. Idk.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks! This is very helpful. I just looked and I think our official frost date is like April 21st but tbh I think it will be earlier than that since it’s been sooooo mild this year hahah I’ll probably wait a little bit and start them. Or maybe start now since that’s pretty soon. Idk.

As long as you can cover your plants if the temperatures drop too low it should be okay. The soil temperatures have to be warmer too for the warm season crops, or they will rot.

Cold season crops can take light frosts, and snows. I plant those as soon as I can work the soil. Lettuce, spinach, radish, carrots, peas, and any other crops are cold season. They will be done when it warms up too much and will go to seed.