Experimental Garden. Will Anything Grow?

[akroberts1085]

I want to plow mine up but I have to wait for the pumpkins to finish because they did good this year but everything else was so so or just yuck and a total bummer.

 

[StarOnFire59]

I want to plow mine up but I have to wait for the pumpkins to finish because they did good this year but everything else was so so or just yuck and a total bummer.

I know what you're saying on the not so good harvest this year. Since I have limited garden space there are some things I'm not going to try to grow again. Complete failures! Other things did pretty good so I will do more of those items.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I know what you're saying on the not so good harvest this year. Since I have limited garden space there are some things I'm not going to try to grow again. Complete failures! Other things did pretty good so I will do more of those items.

Same! *cough*kale*cough* I’m planning to give the melons and squash another shot in a year or two though, I think those just did poorly due to the weather.

 

[akroberts1085]

Same! *cough*kale*cough* I’m planning to give the melons and squash another shot in a year or two though, I think those just did poorly due to the weather.

I read a article about not using manure from big companies because some of the people that they get it from spray the pastures with a fertilizer that kills broadleaf vegetables. I heard another thing on the post, what did you do in the garden today, that you should check the soil for the larvae from the click beetle. They eat the roots of the vegetables.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

I read a article about not using manure from big companies because some of the people that they get it from spray the pastures with a fertilizer that kills broadleaf vegetables. I heard another thing on the post, what did you do in the garden today, that you should check the soil for the larvae from the click beetle. They eat the roots of the vegetables.

I don’t think herbicides were the problem; the kale leaves seemed to be munched on by every bug in a mile radius. They look more like lace than leafy greens. I’ve never had that problem with any of my lettuce, spinach and arugula have done fine, the swiss chard I grew for the first time did really well - just the kale. Add to that it turns out I’m kind of ambivalent about kale as a foodstuff and it isn’t worth the trouble to grow it again.

 

[akroberts1085]

I don’t think herbicides were the problem; the kale leaves seemed to be munched on by every bug in a mile radius. They look more like lace than leafy greens. I’ve never had that problem with any of my lettuce, spinach and arugula have done fine, the swiss chard I grew for the first time did really well - just the kale. Add to that it turns out I’m kind of ambivalent about kale as a foodstuff and it isn’t worth the trouble to grow it again.

When I planted Swiss Chard last year I had a great harvest from it. I didn't get it planted again this year but I am going to get some more to plant next year. I'm just going to have to get a lot of work done on the ground before I start any seeds. I will build more raised beds and hopefully it will be the best garden ever for me. I'm going to try tilling the garden and letting the chickens have fun digging in for the bugs and grubs. When the weather warms up the soil I'm going to till it again and let the chickens have fun and then flood it and let the ducks have fun. Eventually everything will work out for the better.

 

[StarOnFire59]

I don’t think herbicides were the problem; the kale leaves seemed to be munched on by every bug in a mile radius. They look more like lace than leafy greens. I’ve never had that problem with any of my lettuce, spinach and arugula have done fine, the swiss chard I grew for the first time did really well - just the kale. Add to that it turns out I’m kind of ambivalent about kale as a foodstuff and it isn’t worth the trouble to grow it again.

This year was heavy on the bugs. We had a lot of potato bugs and white moths. Nibble, nibble, nibble...

 

[LaurenRitz]

The problem for me this year was too much water (Kansas). I do landrace gardening in clay soil under woodchip mulch. Everything grew late, produced late. I don’t care so much if plants don't do well. It just means those not adapted won't be in my population following years.

The goal is adaptation to my conditions rather than trying to change the environment to accommodate plants that are broken for my area. It takes time, and this is only my 2nd real garden here. Watermelons have thrived each year.

This year I got cucumbers and melons for the first time in this area. Moschatas grew ok, but late in the season. Corn was fine, both sweet snd popcorn. Got about 20 plants of each to produce, probably planted around 100 seeds. Again, loss of seeds is ok because only the strongest/best adapted will survive. Next year will be better, the following year will be amazing.

Tomatoes didn't start to ripen until late September, likely because of the saturated soil.