What did you do in the garden today?

[BReeder!]

Last year was my first year trying hard pruning and WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It felt painful at first to be pinching off so much healthy growth (especially if I got behind and had good-sized branches to prune off,) but the plants were SO much healthier and productive. The increased airflow and zero contact between leaves and dirt really diminishes opportunities for problems.

I also trellised on just string like they do in greenhouses for the first time, even though mine were outside. I had EMT poles running along the tops of 6' tall t-posts and ran string between that and stakes in the ground, clipping the tomatoes to it as they grew. Loved it!

I was thinking about using either conduit like that or rebar. Glad to hear it worked out well. Pruning sounds like a good idea too, it's finding the time to prune that's the real hurdle.

 

[chickengr]

Last year was my first year trying hard pruning and WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It felt painful at first to be pinching off so much healthy growth (especially if I got behind and had good-sized branches to prune off,) but the plants were SO much healthier and productive. The increased airflow and zero contact between leaves and dirt really diminishes opportunities for problems.

I also trellised on just string like they do in greenhouses for the first time, even though mine were outside. I had EMT poles running along the tops of 6' tall t-posts and ran string between that and stakes in the ground, clipping the tomatoes to it as they grew. Loved it!

when I prune tomatoes I put bigger branches in water till they root and plant them as well.

 

[chickengr]

I was thinking about using either conduit like that or rebar. Glad to hear it worked out well. Pruning sounds like a good idea too, it's finding the time to prune that's the real hurdle.

iron in summer would burn plants here. we have a lot of some kind of giant reeds, I use them.

 

[ackie]

I've been planning my garden out on a corkboard. So excited.
Today I'm doing soil tests on a couple areas.

 

[BReeder!]

I've been planning my garden out on a corkboard. So excited.
Today I'm doing soil tests on a couple areas.

pics of the corkboard plan?

 

[littledog]

Ahh talk to your town oe don't.. They seem to believe they own the rain water

Shhhhh....not gonna do that! Wouldn't be prudent...

LOL, I honestly don't know if collecting rainwater in our town is legal or not, but I know a lot of people who do it. Seems ridiculous to water the garden with city water that will eventually wash directly into the river, bypassing the storm drain, but they will charge us as if we sent it through the sewer or storm drain into the wastewater treatment plant. Isn't that what they're trying to prevent, city water bypassing the sewer or storm drain system?

This way, non-city rainwater that would end up directly in the river, I'm just re-routing it through the garden or chickens, on its way to its normal destination. I don't use substances in the garden that would harm the river environment - even if I did, it would make no difference whether that water came from city wells or rain.

I guess I can understand the logic of some cases where it shouldn't be legal - like large industries that use a lot of water capturing rainwater instead and then sending the waste through the sewer or storm drains, to get out of paying their fair share for wastewater treatment.

 

[littledog]

I ordered native plum trees from Gurneys. You get two for qty 1. They have coupons where you get $25 off of a $50 order. I think the plum trees were $19.99 for a pair. So you could get those and probably an apricot or apple for $25 plus shipping (like $10 or so).

Wow, Thank you! Those are more the prices I'd like to pay - I'll definitely check them out!
The weeping Willow I got from Nature Hills was really healthy, pruned to a nice symmetrical shape, and the packaging was exemplary, not too moist or dry, to give it a good start. And it took off as soon as we planted it, probably doubled its height and grew lots of new branches in its first season. But the price, yikes - it was worth it just this once as a gift for Mr. Dog, and I have no doubt we'd be happy ordering from them again, but what they're charging for the fruit trees we'd like would break the bank. I'll look into Gurney's for sure - appreciate your recommendation.

It's likely because the water table in those areas is extremely low. Areas like parts of Colorado and California are at risk of or already suffering extreme drought. Collecting rainwater and preventing it from replenishing the water table can speed up the problem. That said, you would think that collecting rainwater in closed vessels prevents evaporation loss and it would add to the water table once it's used. The problem there is much of it could go down drains from home use or get contaminated with pesticides and other chemical agents from the way it's used before entering the water table. With a low water table, contaminants would have a larger impact. The theory then is let nature take its course and stay out of its way.

Thanks, that makes sense and it's good information. It's logical that places with a threatened water table would need to preserve the most direct, uncontaminated, uninterrupted source of water (rain) to replenish it. But where the rain falls and where it goes afterwards makes more of a difference, at least in my opinion - rain falls on chemical-enhanced residential lawns, on dirty vehicles and dirty roads, on raw-manure retention ponds from feedlots - and all of it goes into the groundwater, either directly or through the local wastewater treatment plant.
It would make more sense (again, just an opinion) to limit certain chemicals across the board rather than banning using rainwater.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Wow, those are some winners! Hope you saved plenty of seed! Heck, I'd buy a few from you if you're interested in parting with a few, even though I'm in NW Mississippi. I have a bit of a tomato obsession and can't help myself. Are they an open-pollinated variety, or a hybrid?

They're an OP heirloom variety developed in Ukraine I believe. I still have a big pack. I got mine as a free seed pack from baker creek. They still sell them but I think you can only get the vernissage collection all together. But I've seen them for sale on lots of websites so you shouldn't have trouble finding them. They're a keeper for sure. They're were a lovely color as well. Nice and dark. I can't find the picture but I made a pizza with them and they were truly almost black looking.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

iron in summer would burn plants here. we have a lot of some kind of giant reeds, I use them.

Anything metal burns our plants to that’s why I can’t use cattle panels. Or wire for trellises. I usually cut privet branches for stakes.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I was thinking about using either conduit like that or rebar. Glad to hear it worked out well. Pruning sounds like a good idea too, it's finding the time to prune that's the real hurdle.

I saw a YouTube Gardener who used the wire mesh that is put into concrete to reinforce it. To me, it looks a lot like cow panels.... Since it can be quite expensive to purchase that mesh in rolls, he suggested reaching out to concrete installers and asking if you can take their scraps. Supposedly those wire rolls last FOREVER and are very sturdy. I haven't tried this though....but I've thought about it.