What did you do in the garden today?

[Bine]

@NanaKat , Give Fava Beans a try as early spring veg. Nothing better than Fava and Bacon. Oh, and be careful with the spacing. Some varieties grow really big.

 

[politicalcenter]

Bee, in my experience, potatoes sprawl so much that there would be very little that would grow if planted in the "hill". I have a hard time growing carrots b/c of heavy soil, and I tend to plant too thickly, and don't get back to thin them enough. I've had a few good crops, but they are not consistent.

I had a real good experience with carrots last fall. I had some rotten hay from the large rolls of hay we use to feed the animals and I grew them in a raised bed on top of the rock we call soil. I made seed mats with Elmer's glue and paper towels. I just glued the seed to the paper towel and buried it. I fertilized once with miracle grow and they did fine. But i did get manure in the hay.

 

[lazy gardener]

So, are you saying that you grew them in a RB made from rotten hay, with a top dressing of manure? I have a bunch of bales sitting around that will be 2 years old this summer. I may just have to do that with some of them. Oh, spring, where fore art thou???? Not here. That's for sure!

 

[politicalcenter]

So, are you saying that you grew them in a RB made from rotten hay, with a top dressing of manure? I have a bunch of bales sitting around that will be 2 years old this summer. I may just have to do that with some of them. Oh, spring, where fore art thou???? Not here. That's for sure!

The manure (goat) was mixed in with the rotten hay. It was solid black. I used it because of rocky soil. The carrots were Danvers 129. I didn't thin them and we had a few small ones but all in all a very good harvest in a small space. I got busy doing other things and forgot them. The bed was a little deeper than I though the carrots would grow. I did top dress with some sifted soil that was mostly peat.

I am in the process of digging out the old pig pen for some raised beds for flowers. Since I am planning on selling plants this year I need a good display. Pig dirt grows plants very well.

 

[Beekissed]

I was figuring to use my tater hill like a raised bed situation for some carrots....it's about 2 ft. deep and I'll keep adding to that as the hill composts downward. If I use the side of the hill, it's likely the carrots won't be feeding at the same level as the potatoes but will still benefit from the nutrition in those mounds. I'll be planting most of the carrots there in March for a crop in May/June, right when the potatoes are starting to gain some size, and again in August, right when the potatoes are starting to finish up, for a winter crop of carrots.

I'll give it a try and see what happens....one never knows until they try.

 

[lazy gardener]

I was figuring to use my tater hill like a raised bed situation for some carrots....it's about 2 ft. deep and I'll keep adding to that as the hill composts downward. If I use the side of the hill, it's likely the carrots won't be feeding at the same level as the potatoes but will still benefit from the nutrition in those mounds. I'll be planting most of the carrots there in March for a crop in May/June, right when the potatoes are starting to gain some size, and again in August, right when the potatoes are starting to finish up, for a winter crop of carrots.

I'll give it a try and see what happens....one never knows until they try.

Perzactly.

 

[LindaB220]

...

The manure (goat) was mixed in with the rotten hay. It was solid black. I used it because of rocky soil. The carrots were Danvers 129. I didn't thin them and we had a few small ones but all in all a very good harvest in a small space. I got busy doing other things and forgot them. The bed was a little deeper than I though the carrots would grow.  I did top dress with some sifted soil that was mostly peat.

  I am in the process of digging out the old pig pen for some raised beds for flowers. Since I am planning on selling plants this year I need a good display. Pig dirt grows plants very well.
[/quote

Oh man, what an opportunity!

 

[politicalcenter]

Quote:
If it ever quits raining! I am also going to gather some flat rocks off the mountain to make the beds if I can summon the energy.

I made a bed with pig dirt in the fall and got some compliments on the bed. I grew Collards, Swiss Chard, and Broccoli and I still have Collards left. We ate the broccoli and fed the greens to the chickens and pigs.

I have bulbs coming up!!!

 

[Guvnah]

Bee, in my experience, potatoes sprawl so much that there would be very little that would grow if planted in the "hill". I have a hard time growing carrots b/c of heavy soil, and I tend to plant too thickly, and don't get back to thin them enough. I've had a few good crops, but they are not consistent.

My secret for starting carrots:

Carpet.

Carrots are hard to start around here because the surface soil dries out so quickly, and carrots are planted so shallow.

So I prepare my bed by turning the area, then raking very smooth. Then I lay my soaker hose down, and tamp them in a little with the back of a shovel. Then wet it down.

Next, take your whole packet of seeds and dump them into a cup or other small container. However big the volume of seed is, mix about 5x that volume of sand with the seeds. Mix well. Then lightly scatter the mixture over the bed. the sand helps you see where you have scattered. Evenly distribute over the area. This gives you a distribution that will not require thinning.

Note: I put the soaker hoses down first so that the seeds will not end up under the hose. Any seeds that hit the hose usually bounce to the side of the hose when you are distributing the seed sand mixture. No wasted seeds that way.

Then cover the whole area with about a quarter inch of loose soil. Pat the whole area lightly with the back of your shovel. Spray and soak well.
If you have any grass clippings handy, a light coating (one or two grass blades deep! So very light) is beneficial.

And now the secret. Cover the whole area with a strip of old carpeting. Soak the carpeting. Weigh down the edges with stones or boards. (A stiff breeze can lift it off.)

Now you wait. Carrots can take 2-3 weeks to germinate, but the carpet keeps the underlying soil evenly moist. Start checking at 10 days. Check every day. One day you'll see a bunch of tiny carrot sprouts. Take the carpet off.

Carrots quickly put down a deep root. Once they've established, it's hard to mess them up.

 

[lazy gardener]

My secret for starting carrots:

Carpet.

Carrots are hard to start around here because the surface soil dries out so quickly, and carrots are planted so shallow.

So I prepare my bed by turning the area, then raking very smooth. Then I lay my soaker hose down, and tamp them in a little with the back of a shovel. Then wet it down.

Next, take your whole packet of seeds and dump them into a cup or other small container. However big the volume of seed is, mix about 5x that volume of sand with the seeds. Mix well. Then lightly scatter the mixture over the bed. the sand helps you see where you have scattered. Evenly distribute over the area. This gives you a distribution that will not require thinning.

Note: I put the soaker hoses down first so that the seeds will not end up under the hose. Any seeds that hit the hose usually bounce to the side of the hose when you are distributing the seed sand mixture. No wasted seeds that way.

Then cover the whole area with about a quarter inch of loose soil. Pat the whole area lightly with the back of your shovel. Spray and soak well.
If you have any grass clippings handy, a light coating (one or two grass blades deep! So very light) is beneficial.

And now the secret. Cover the whole area with a strip of old carpeting. Soak the carpeting. Weigh down the edges with stones or boards. (A stiff breeze can lift it off.)

Now you wait. Carrots can take 2-3 weeks to germinate, but the carpet keeps the underlying soil evenly moist. Start checking at 10 days. Check every day. One day you'll see a bunch of tiny carrot sprouts. Take the carpet off.

Carrots quickly put down a deep root. Once they've established, it's hard to mess them up.

I remember your post from last season. i believe you had some awesome pics to go with it. I could only hope to get a stand of carrots as nice as the ones you had! Will try the sand this year, If i can remember!.