What did you do in the garden today?

[oldhen2345]

The snow is melting here, but still cold outside. The chickens are out and about in the yard, the dogs are curled up on the couch. I am here trying to figure out my garden this year. I would like an herb garden as well as tomatoes, zucchini , carrots, onions, black eye peas and maybe watermelon. I have never had good luck with greens but will try celery and spinach.

 

[ackie]

pics of the corkboard plan?

the right side shows the garden plots I have to work with. the big 4 are 3.5ft by 9ft I think, not a raised bed but they are edged in with a 2x4 frame. the two skinnier ones are actually wider IRL and not squared in. about 5 ft wide, sloped. pretty veggie pics for inspo. and of course chicken plans on the left!

 

[oldhen2345]

the right side shows the garden plots I have to work with. the big 4 are 3.5ft by 9ft I think, not a raised bed but they are edged in with a 2x4 frame. the two skinnier ones are actually wider IRL and not squared in. about 5 ft wide, sloped. pretty veggie pics for inspo. and of course chicken plans on the left!View attachment 2484881
View attachment 2484884

Wow, impressive. I usually just try to figure in my head and try to make that work. I'm gonna have to up my game.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

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

Oh yes, I decided to go for it after I had some VERY strong secondary growth and when I was done, I could have planted a whole other FIELD of late tomatoes! Alas, I just didn't have the space. I should have put them in five-gallon buckets and offered them out for free on our town's Facebook group, but didn't think about it. I hope to keep up with the pruning from day one this year and hopefully won't have that problem. Threw away a lot of wasted energy and nutrients. You live and learn, I guess.

I do have to admit, the tomato plants *look* much less satisfying when they're pruned hard and strung up in this production method. I'm glad I had some wild volunteers growing elsewhere in the yard that I let go as they wished. I ordered lots of dwarf and patio varieties this year so I could have some pretty tomato foliage on the porch to enjoy. (Surely I'm not the only one that finds the tomato plant in its natural state a supreme thing of beauty!)

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

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.

If you're in the south, I bet you're not too far from someone that has a bamboo problem. You could easily tie together bamboo trellises similar to the cattle panels. This is why I went with the string method, no contact with the metal. HOWEVER, if you're in a high wind area this can be a little rough on the plants. We only had one wind day, but it nearly ended us last spring with the string-tying. Would have been nice to have a little more support for them.

 

[ackie]

Wow, impressive. I usually just try to figure in my head and try to make that work. I'm gonna have to up my game.

this is my first year actually starting ahead of time. last year I put tomato seeds in the ground so late that only one of them gave me tomatoes and it was only like 2 or 3. I ended up getting transplants from home depot and/or lowes so I'd actually have something growing haha.

I commend you for doing this in your head! I dont have that kind of mental spacial awareness. everyone organizes things differently & I'm just a very "on paper" kind of person, but that doesnt make your way any less awesone than my way. I actually started with sticky notes so I could move things around as I read more information. it's funny because I am trying to cram everything I want into this square footage not because I dont have more, but because my brain cant handle the idea of planning more. I have to limit myself or itll just be too big and wont happen at all.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Looks like we may be getting some snow today. I just checked the weather reports and supposedly about 20-30 miles northeast of here has 2 inches of snow on the ground! That may not be a lot to some but it’s enough to shut everything down for about a week here.

 

[ackie]

I never considered metal burning the plants! wow. its probably hot enough here that I should be concerned. a previous tenant put in metal poles to use as bean poles and they are deeply set. she said they need twine or some natural facing because the bean tendrils cant actually grip the metal (which she realized after the fact) ... so I'd planned for that but never thought about the metal being a heat problem.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

If you're in the south, I bet you're not too far from someone that has a bamboo problem. You could easily tie together bamboo trellises similar to the cattle panels. This is why I went with the string method, no contact with the metal. HOWEVER, if you're in a high wind area this can be a little rough on the plants. We only had one wind day, but it nearly ended us last spring with the string-tying. Would have been nice to have a little more support for them.

I use string too. And yes I definitely could find some bamboo. I’ve used it before. Our property borders the river and the neighbor on the other side has a stand. I usually pick up whatever washes up on our bank. And have cut some to as it is beginning to spread to our side of the river. Actually thank you for reminding me to go check and see if any has come up. If I don’t keep an eye on it I’ll have my own bamboo problem

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Does anyo

I use string too. And yes I definitely could find some bamboo. I’ve used it before. Our property borders the river and the neighbor on the other side has a stand. I usually pick up whatever washes up on our bank. And have cut some to as it is beginning to spread to our side of the river. Actually thank you for reminding me to go check and see if any has come up. If I don’t keep an eye on it I’ll have my own bamboo problem

Ah! Lucky! What river do you live on? I am obsessed with finding a waterfront property of some type. MUST be something bigger than a pond! I lived on the cliffs above the Pacific for six months in Mexico and haven't been 100% happy with life since, hahaha. Something about seeing and hearing water constantly just makes me feel... more grounded. (No pun intended!)