Ready to garden?

[theOEGBman]

Im ready, but Im not getting any catalogs yet! Its horrible either way!

 

[ghillie]

I will be starting my garden next week. We have two grow light carts that we start the seeds in. We will have grown plants to put out at last frost date. About the only ones we dont start indoors are the potatoes, beans, carrots & corn.....

 

[Wifezilla]

Hey neighbor, do you have a pic of your grow setup?

 

[crazyhen]

I saw a seed rack today and bought loads. Yeh I know they might not sprout. But they might. Now is time to plant larkspurs, memorial day poppies and lettuce poppies. they say if it snows on them they do even better at coming up. I wonder when I can plant some spinach. I am in the mtns of NC. Come on spring. I usually plant a big garden and can, can, can all summer. Everything from cherry trees, black berries raspberries, and blueberries. And don't forget strawberries also. My garden has all kinds of veg.
I love flowers of all kinds too. its almost time for my helleborus to bloom. I already has violas blooming. If the rabbits will leave them alone. that reminds me I have got to put out some moth balls. My chicks do not have access to my flower beds. Jean

 

[setter4]

Seed catalogs started coming last week. I am READY! I just have to control myself. I want 25 kinds of lettuce and tomatoes. lol
Making the garden twice as big this year but still not THAT big.
My DH is restoring a 1929 model A truck and I told him to make it a hukster truck so DGD and I can drive around selling eggs and veggies!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Our season is short, too. For peppers and tomatoes here, you really need to buy plants or start your own indoors, to set out when it warms. I think they're not only sensitive to frost, they can be stunted by weather that's below 55 degrees. So, I bring the pots back inside on cooler nights, until it warms up enough. I don't think I grow anything else that has that issue. I'm always so happy when it warms up enough to just plant everything!

 

[FrChuckW]

You can make a simple cold frame to start seeds in. Make sure it faces south when you place it. You want the back higher than the front and you can make a simple top with an old window or make the frame for the lid and attach heavy duty clear plastic over it.

For Squash, cucumbers, tomatoes you can also grow them in containers. For vining type plants you can make a tepee trellis for them to climb up on. If you Tomatoe plants get to big, cut them back a bit and they will bush out. Also when transplanting tomato seedlings you want to bury them between half way and 3/4 way up. This will encourage deep rooting and make the plant stronger.

For those in dryer climates, or have hot spells, try taking 1 gallon milk jugs punch several holes in the bottom and lower sides, bury it next to the plants that need a lot of moisture, leaving the just the top part above ground. Fill it with water, this will also encourage deep rooting of the plants.

When you look for seeds for containers, look for ones marked "patio" also you want to pick determinant types. They will specify the size a plant will grow to and start producing.

For those with poor soil in the gardens try building some raised beds about 1 1/2' to two feet high. Dig out about a foot below ground put in some gravel, about 2-4 inches worth, lay some fabric cloth down over the gravel to prevent the dirt from clogging it. Fill with a good mixture of compost & soil. You can make hoop frames for the beds by using some PVC pipes or just get some of those Hula Hoops and cut them in half and cover with the clear plastic.

If you already have raised beds, you can cover them with black plastic over the winter. This will help heat them up earlier and help sterilize the soil.

For problems with rabbits, take blood meal and human hair and place it around your plants. The combination of the smell from the human hair and the blood meal will keep them away.

The only thing I can recommend at the moment for the tree rats is either a good dog or a 22 caliber bullet. Besides they make good eating!

 

[mizauntcathy'shenhouse]

Started prepping the ground today...mulching, etc. Can't wait to get started. Onions and potatoes will be going in no later than the end of Jan.

 

[kbarrett]

I've been pouring over the seed magazines too.

I want to expand the strawberry patch and if I can figure out a way to make a raised bed over grass without digging it up at all I would expand the whole garden! There's just a small electrical line buried right in my way

I'm also considering investing in some blueberry & raspberry plants.
I can't wait for spring!

 

[FrChuckW]

Quote:
You can do it, just make the walls of the raised bed higher. make sure to put a layer of gravel in the bottom and cover with lanscape cloth before putting in the soil. This will prevent the grass from growing up into your garden and also allow for drainage. We made some raised beds for seniors and made the walls 30" tall. Saved their backs from bending over to far.