I'm getting ready to start working my rows and planting will do green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, tomato, green bell peppers, jalapeno, poblano peppers, watermelon, radish, peanuts, okra and eggplant for spring and summer.

Still early...

I plant one every year.

Or should say me and my dad plant one each year.

It keeps getting bigger and bigger.

He retired last year, so i hoping this year will be the best.

Already have 20# potatoes planted. 5# onions.


It’ll be early mid May before the rest are planted.

“Big garden”
Corn - g90 mad peaches ‘n cream.
Peas - top pick pink eye purple hulls and lady peas.
Okra - crimson spineless and emerald

“Side garden”

Tomatoes - sandwich and canning
Peppers - sweet banana, hot ( jalapeños and habenero) and bell
Squash - white and crook neck
Eggplant
Zucchini
Cucumbers - canning / pickling.


Going to co-op in the morn.

Afraid to see fertilizer price.

Figured I’ll get a couple bags here and there...

I got 4 or 5 unopened bags of triple 13 in the barn, so I shouldn't have to buy any fertilizer this year. Wife says we're going to cut down the size of the garden to about 1/2 acre this year. We'll see!

I grow a big garden every year, plus grow stuff inside a high tunnel. I'm getting ready to plant some potatoes and green peas in the high tunnel this weekend. Traditionally, I have always had a large garden, because I find it just as easy to work a lot as opposed to just a little. I also sell some produce at the local produce auction, although I have cut back on that quite a lot, as it gets harder to gather the produce as I get older. We can and freeze our garden bounty, plus I give a lot of it away as well.

Here is what I usually plant............potatoes, green peas, onions, beets, cabbage, broccoli, sweet corn, green beans, squash, tomatoes, okra, purple-hull peas, green peppers, hot peppers, butter beans, cucumbers, pinto beans, pumpkins and gourds. I also have big strawberry patch, blackberries that I grow for market, raspberries, blueberries, apple trees, a cherry tree, asparagus, and a grapevine from which I have had zero luck getting grapes that are worth a crap.

I probably forgot a veggie or two, but that's what I usually plant each year. I have a granddaughter who takes the veggies and fruit to local fair and always comes home with a bunch of ribbons and money. I am just following what I grew up doing, as my folks always had a large garden.

Sounds good guys, I can't wait to get started it's how i get my exercise and stay active. Plus the rewards of eating fresh vegetables.

Mine has become smaller and smaller.Use to be about 1/2 acre. Now maybe 15x15 feet.Just the two of us don't eat all that much so a lot of it spoiled or left over in the freezer form year to year. It got so I gave away more to the neighbors than we ate. It cost more to pump water out of the ground to water it than what it would cost to go buy it. Another reason was we live at7650 feet,growing season is less than 90 days. I figured we picked a crop one year out of three.The other two it got hailed on or deer got it

I hear ya it's getting pricey to grow a garden, I also give a lot to neighbors and friends but it's my hobby and will do it long as I can. Surprised you can even grow a garden where you live. When we were working Rv Parks we lived 1 summer on 8 mile hill west of canon city and 4 summers west of Gunnison on Blue Mesa really enjoyed the summers in Colorado.

Yep, mostly squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapeños

bb

Now that you are retired you have plenty time to watch it grow and get some needed exercise.

Glad i just do it for a hobby….

13-13-13 is $19/50#.

Last few years been using a Covington planter for the row crops.

Cut down on ferlizer a good bit.

I grow a sizeable garden every year. Amazing that some are already thinking of working the soil. Here in eastern Ontario we are a long ways from that. Last frost around these parts is late May. Despite the late start we can grow an amazing variety of vegetables and with decent yields. I’ve already started the pepper seeds indoors.

Nick

That's getting high,hell I paid close to $14 for 8-8-8 back in August 21. That Covington planter looks nice. My garden is only 20x40 has 7 27' and 4 18' rows 3' apart.

Here in South Louisiana last frost for us is late march but that doesn't happen much lately. I'm wanting to work till the rows this week and start planting mid march. I was still harvesting cabbage, radish, turnip and zucchini in early December.

that aint no joke,

back in Sept when i planted foodplots,

fetilizer was $14/50#.

heard glyphosate is sky high also.

I planted a few potatoes and some green peas in the high tunnel yesterday afternoon. I have never grown potatoes in there, as the high tunnel can get hot, and potatoes generally do not like real hot conditions. I'm going to go ahead and plant some sweet corn this upcoming week in there as well. I did last year, and it turned out pretty good.

As to fertilizer prices, yes they are up big time. I had a bag of triple-19 left from last year, and I've got some chicken litter I will also scatter on the garden, as well as some horse manure. I probably can get by with only buying a few bags of the commercial stuff this year.

.


And shoot squirrels jacking with my tomatoes

Yes I do. Went to boxes two years ago since it was just the wife and I. Better crops, better weed management. The daughter moved back in-state and half of our stores are now gone. Grandkids love potatoes, corn and beans. Widening the garden this year and adding additional rows of potatoes and corn.

We have a decent sized veggie garden (45x45) but are slowly converting it over more to fruit. Strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, rhubarb, and trying grafting fruit trees this year. We will still plant tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, green beans, potatoes, a few herbs, cabbage, carrots, onions, and some flowers. I also use it as a holding place for propagated shrubs/flowers, etc.

By we I really mean me!

I have some raised beds, 2 weekends ago I rigged up a mini greenhouse over a bed to get some stuff started. I got some scrap clear webbed 6mill plastic and 2x4s from work for the greenhouse. It's working good so far, we are still getting frost at night.

I got about 40 onions going and some artichokes. Hopefully 2022 is a better year for my garden, last you didn't do as good as I would have liked.

Sounds like a good idea on the greenhouse ..I worked (Tilled) my garden Saturday, will start planting in about 2 weeks.

With the rising price of food and everything else having a garden is a wise idea in my opinion, plus eating fresh veggies from your garden is very rewarding.

Hopefully I kill a buck or elk this year so I can fill the freezer with some game.

What kind of squash is everyone growing? I'm a big fan of butternuts and delicata

We plant a garden every year or at least for the last 7-8 seasons. My wife & I are passionate gardeners. We get lots of rain as others out East do too so we raised our beds. Plant what we preserve & stockpile what we can. I do most of the hunting but she fishes here on Champlain. Our freezers are always pretty full. We really love this time of year, starting seeds & growing 4” pots under lights

In the planning stages for this year’s right now, focus is going to be stuff to can.

Yep, started the first summer in the new house, nothing like your own fresh produce !!

Did layer hens, in September of that year too, oh my, the eggs are another bounty !





















So satisfying !!

I may have to build some raised beds like these for tomatoes. We have had so much spring rain here the last few years, plants die.

Sure glad I haven't started planting yet. We have a cold blast 34 this morning looks like 28 tonight that's the first below freezing temperatures since 2013 for March.
Wife decided to start early on her flower plants and we spent over 1 hr covering everything up to avoid loss. One good thing it will be short lived back in the 70's and lows above freezing in a few days. I might plant green beans (pole) and radish next weekend.

I need to get mine tilled up

Thanks to a campfire member, I'm the owner of a sub-soiler. Before I disk the garden, I'm gonna run the sub-soiler and break up the hard pan. From experience doing that to a pasture, it helps 100%.

Gonna have to dry out before anything takes place.

Thats really nice, like it a lot. I’m not quite there with mine but working on it. I’m envious of the water body in the back view.



Last Year

That looks good, neat and laid out nicely.

I always plow my garden in the fall, as that let's it dry better in the spring and I can plant earlier. I rotate my garden spots every few years and when I go to the new spot, I'll use a set of bottom plows to break the ground. After that, I will chisel plow the ground. Chiseling helps break the hard pan some, and doesn't disturb the soil quite as much. If I can ever get to doing it, the ideal thing would be to plant a cover crop every year and turn that under. The problem doing that is that our springs are usually wet, and the soil needs to be dry to be plowed.


I work my gardens with a variety of implements. A 3 bottom plow, a 5 shank chisel plow, a 10 foot disc harrow, a 4 foot 3 point hitch tiller on a small tractor, and a rear tine garden tiller. Each has it's place.

2021

Like your fenced garden, I should do that got hit twice last fall lost damn near all my cabbage plants on one row, the next I lost a bunch of turnip plants.

JamesJr, you've got a lot more equipment than I do and it's too wet and hilly here to leave the ground plowed in the fall. Winter rains would wash your garden away. Until I got the sub soiler, I just disked it a few times, laid out the rows with my cub tractor and planted by hand. Use sweeps on the cub to keep the grass out of the middles.

I also move my garden spot from year to year. I plant on a pipeline and will vary which area I plant. Usually I plant a food plot for the deer and disk it under in the spring for the garden spot. I let the grass grow on the unplanted areas of the pipeline, but keep it bush hogged. About every 3 years, an area gets planted.

Today was a beautiful day planted Green Pole Beans, Zucchini. Radish, Eggplant, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Tomato, Cucumber, Sweet Banana Peppers and watermelon.

Riverc, Yall must not have been getting the rains we have. It's way to wet to even think about breaking up the garden, and they say we're gonna get more rain tonight and tomorrow.

No not getting the rain like y'all getting up north. Get ready looks like another round is coming tomorrow. We might get 1-2 inches here in my area. The farmers down here were working their fields last week.

Yeah, the weather guessers say we might get from 2" - 6" tonight and tomorrow. But, I'd rather it be wet, than dry.

While I'll agree, Sunday was a beautiful day, we did not do any gardening !

Last years.

Would be better to go Ice Fishing.

Believe me, I wanted to go both days !!!

But the slush is terrible at the moment, after a week in + temps.

Almost got stuck 5 times, coming home loaded, the previous Sunday.

My wife's green beans from last summer.

That's a good mess of beans, I planted some seeds Sunday but we had a heavy downpour Tuesday hope none got washed away.

Blowing snow today. Did pick up some certified bean and corn seeds in Daleville, Virginia earlier this week. I haven't seen any local yet and I may not. Seems like the Ferry Morse/Burpee seeds I’ve planted the last two years have to be replanted 2-3 times and I still end up with gaps in the rows.

That was only one batch.

Wife wanted to stop at the nursery and see what they had, we bought 3 eggplants, 3 green bell peppers and 3 watermelon plants. Transplanted them in the garden today.

The seeds you mentioned are hit and miss, the ones i get at the local hardware store seem to be better.

I have noticed a big difference in seeds the past few years, especially bean seed. I have bought seed from several different sources, and have had more problems getting a good results with green beans more than any other kind. Green beans are one vegetable that we probably eat more than any other, and I've always been able to grow good crops of them..........but the past 3 years or so have seen a decline in the quality and production.

Beans and corn have been my only issues the last few years. Everything else always comes in. Beans are the worst though.

The seeds shown below is what I normally buy, but for the last two years the stores around me hasn’t had them. Seen on a website that the ACE in Daleville carried them and I was going to Roanoke anyway for the wife’s Dr appt. so I stopped in to check them out.



Onion sets and potatoes have already been bought.

I grow the White Half Runner green beans, which have to be staked, and Blue Lake, which are a bush bean. I've grown other varieties as well, but those two are my favorites. The Half Runners have strings, and have to be picked before they get too tough, but they are the best bean for canning that we have found.

Normally Blue Lake bush for us. Tried the Slenderettes a few years back and they were delicious, planting them this year again in lieu of the Blue Lakes. Dad always planted Half Runners, I cut a lot of bean poles back then. Might go the Half Runners when I retire in a few years, have more time then to string them and piddle in the garden.

Great looking stuff guy's!



The Raised bed's work great as many good pics in the thread show, from several. Remember to provide good drainage at the bottom, so as not to trap water, also!

I have everything Mounded, and running Vertical with the Land, taking advantage of Natural Drainage as much as possible!

I'm big on natural soil from Compost, in the back woods on soil, from the trees Naturally, and adding fresh natural soil all year long.
The Asparagus will start to show up soon, as last night we did have, a fresh light snow!
We won't put our Garden in for at least another month, as the last frost is usually, around Memorial Day, as a Rule of Thumb!
Our Asparagus is covered with about 12 inches of Mulched Leaf Compost, as it helps insulate the plants over Winter, and it protects it up North Here!
As far as Fertilizer, We don't use any Commercially produced products as everything comes from China, including Bag's of Soil, and I'm just not a Fan!
We use Epsom Salts with Warm Water, as a Natural Fertilizer, and It really Works Well, using Home Made, Sprays to Deter bug's during the season, such as Garlic oil, with,
Vegetable oil, and Dawn dish detergent, and not only is it all natural but it's very economical! Placing a little Epsom Salts in the bottom of the hole of each plant, and a little bit of,
Fresh Composted soil over that, and it really works Well! On the Tomatoes I've experimented with some granular sugar in the bottom of the hole for sweeter tomatoes, and so far no negative,
tests with that as we separate to test, different results! I know it's crazy but Fun! 30 ft. X 40 ft. Garden, is plenty as we do about 50 tomato plants, and about 50 different pepper plants,
Garlic, Onions, and a lot of Shallots for cooking. a couple different kinds of Tomatoes, as the Hybrid seem to do better with less Disease than the Heirlooms!
Although I like to plant a few, Heirlooms, like Cherokee Purple, and Black Krim! Their extremely Tasty, just not very Redish in Color, and eye appealing to most, but great Taste!
We do a lot of Herbs for Cooking, as my Wife is a Fantastic Cook! Basil, Thyme,Cilantro, Parsley, Dill,etc....................
We don't do Corn, as when it's in season, the Farmers around sell it for $ 2-3 bucks a Dozen, so, it's really not worth it, and it not only requires more space and room, but it also shades,
the other plants. I miss doing the Beans, as in a few yrs. I'll probably go back to them. We use to do Broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, and a few other things, but the time commitment is huge and I do like to
keep it neat and clean like many of the rest of your pictures show. That is a nice benefit to the Raised beds! I do use straw as a top compost, mulch, and it helps to keep the weeds down!
In the spring I'll turn the last years straw under, and it really helps to improve the soil, as I test it annually!
The Garden is Fenced in, because there's Deer, Squirrels, Turkey, etc....................
As we live in the Woods, close to Civilization! LOL!!!
Good Luck All!

Well I decided to plant a row of Okra today been a while since I ate okra gumbo and okra stew.

I like okra breaded and deepfried the best, and in vegetable soup. I also like okra and tomatoes, as long as the okra isn't too slimey.

Dad planted Okra, we loved it. I’m jealous of you guys planning now. I’ll be waiting till about mid May. If it warms up more I may get potatoes in the ground the first of May. We’ve had frost here Memorial Day weekend.

Still too wet to plow and it's suppose to rain again Wednesday.

We dry down here worked in garden today sprayed the plants for bugs they already attacking. I also transplanted 2 Poblano Peppers I bought at Walmart.

Y'all getting what we had last spring early summer down here with the rain. Weather man says we may get a round of severe storms again like last week.

Hang in there will be here before you know it. Sounds like y'all have a short growing season How long does it last ??

james rinse the okra well when you pick it to get the slime off

How often do you use the homemade spray for bugs??

I need to get busy, get mine in.

Paul, if you want some dry fertilizer, just say so!

I’ll be putting beans and corn in the ground first week of June at this elevation. Plants the same week. It all depends on if the weather stays warm, trying not to do it too early and having to replant.

Digging potatoes around the middle of September, picking corn mid August. Canning beans end of July or first of August. Tomatoes/Squash/Peppers July-September.

I been using Fish Emulsion Fertilizer and MorBloom on my vegetables plants with good results anybody use it?

I also spray my vegetable plants with Southern Ag Triple Action Neem Oil with good results anybody use it?

I’ve used the fish emulsion on my tomato plants, nasty smelling stuff. I’ve never used the Neem oil. Normally I don’t have an issue with insect pest unless they are japanese beetles. Last year my neighbor finally sprayed his rose plants so I didn’t have but a few beetles on my corn and I crushed them there. I have used Sevin Dust.

I have to spray multiple times a year to control insects. Of course, I have a large garden, plus a lot of other host plants. The potato beetles are usually hardest to control, along with the squash bugs. I also have to spray beans, corn, tomatoes, and sometimes the strawberries. I use Sevin, Captain Jack's, Colorado Potato Beetle Beater, some organic stuff on occasion, and I have been known to use some off label chemicals made for use on agricultural crops.

Garden is in, everything planted. Probably going to be working a lot the next few weeks so I got it done this evening. Hope it’s not to early for the beans.

My garden really looks good, but does need a rain. I'm through planting except for some late sweet corn and green beans.

Mines later than usual just planted beans and corn but the taters are doing great

Everything is looking good did some weeding this morning also picked Green Beans, Cucumber, Zucchini, Jalapeño and Sweet Banana Pepper. Will be picking Okra soon. Potatoes, Watermelon, Bell Pepper and Tomatoes looking good.

Grilled some fresh picked Zucchini with Olive Oil , Tony's Creole Seasoning and Shredded Cheese yummy.

Picked some Okra yesterday and made a Okra stew with shrimp was good got leftovers for a couple days.

Getting lots of tomatoes, so are the squirrels, but I’m working on them.

I've had broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and green peas out of mine. I have some potatoes that I need to dig around and get some small ones out to eat on. Green beans are blooming, and so are the tomatoes. Some of the tomatoes have little ones, but it's going to be awhile.

What little bit that I had, went tits up the other day. Six inches of rain on top of saturated ground, and then sunshine near 100 degrees scalded everything. miles

I've had tobacco do that. Sometimes it would come out, most of the times it didn't.

Picked my first sugar baby watermelon today will chill it before eating. Have 14 more to harvest when ready, love watermelon when it's hot outside.

Picked my first eggplant yesterday sliced ìt and grilled it with olive oil, Tony's creole. and melted some shredded cheese on top very good.

Nope.

Had a small-ish plot fenced in and grew some stuff. Got tired of fighting the weeds. Planted the whole bed in asparagus and done.

Getting lots of tomatoes now, they be done by July 4

Finally planted ours on the weekend - had frost 3 mornings, the first week of the month !

Been canning something every day. Need to plant my third go around on this moon and call it quits till fall.

Picking a bunch of cucumbers and jalapeños

Wondering where in heck the majority of my carrots are.

Same here we picking more cucumbers than we need giving a bunch to family and friends. Picking a lot of jalapeños grilled a bunch the other day. We also picking a bunch of sweet banana peppers and okra.

This hot dry weather is starting to be hard on the garden. Have to use tap water more than the well needed rainwater. Okra, cucumbers, eggplants and poblano, jalapeno and sweet banana peppers still doing ok all other are slowing down. I picked 14 sugar baby watermelons today gonna give a few to family, friends and eat melon everyday till gone.

I'm starting to think about what I wanna plant this fall for sure cabbage, radish, cucumber, zucchini turnip probably plant September and some in October. We really like to make zucchini bread in the fall like it with a bowl of oatmeal with a banana for breakfast.

After a short break it's time to start getting ready for our fall garden. Got most of the weeding done all looking good. We going to plant Cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, radish, potatoes, turnip and carrots. Wife also wants to do green onion, garlic and maybe broccoli will wait till 1st week of September on into October. Looking forward for some zucchini bread and fresh vegetables.

Power company sprayed my raised beds last week 300 ft from the power line on a windy day🙄 after a phone call a check is on the way

Bummer how hard was the fight to get that check for damage??

My neighbor rents my crop land, and he is always very good about watching the wind direction when he sprays the fields around my house, and garden. I have blackberry and blueberry bushes, fruit tress, grapes, as well as a large vegetable garden, and also a high tunnel full of vegetables. It would be very easy to cause damage, and thankfully he is careful and usually calls me before he sprays asking if I think it's okay.

Last year, he got busy and hired a local farm supply business to spray his corn, including what was growing next to my house and gardens. The wind was blowing hard that day..........in the wrong direction. Stuff got burnt, some worse than others, including some hanging ferns my wife had just bought. The green beans in the garden also took a hit, although it took a while to show up. To make a long story short, they came out and looked at it and agreed it was their fault, and offered to pay whatever damages I thought it was worth. I told them they could replace the ferns, and we'd keep an eye on the other things. I'm pretty sure it kept the green beans from making a good crop, because they were not good at all. The other things got leaf burn, but not any lasting damage that I could tell.

Some plants and trees are very susceptible to chemical damage, while others aren't. But, it all depends on what the chemical is.

I just called the power company they directed me to the spraying contractor direct #

We’ve been canning beans and the wife has put several bags of chopped green and sweet peppers in the freezer. We are doing tomatoes now as they ripen, slow process this year. Corn is turning and we are planning on canning that. Squash plant from hell is producing 5-6 squash every other day and has been for the last two weeks. Cucumbers are playing out. Getting 3 boxes ready to plant fall kale. Potatoes vines are dying so I’ll be digging those in a couple of weeks.

Been a wet spring and summer so far, had a lot of beans mold on the vines.

Having a heck of a time getting tomatoes to turn! Been this way for 12 days now

My Mr. Stripeys are the same way. Took me all this week to get 14 pints of juice. Vines are full, just getting 1-2 tomatoes every 3 days. Would like to get 24 more pints from these.

Had a friend drop of a bunch of Brandywines, got 26 pints out of those.

Ended up with 95 pints of green beans before I pulled the vines. Getting ready to plant kale in those boxes.

The one squash plant is still giving us 5-6 per day, it now consumes a whole box and half of another. Cukes have died out. Corn is starting to get that dark brown look and the potato vines are dying. Peppers are still producing too.

It’s been a good year for us, God has blessed us. Pantry if filling up.

Tomatoes like Sunshine, Heat, Humidity, natural Water,(Rain).
Each different Tomatoes, depending on the Many Different Varieties, take different lengths of time to mature, albeit averaging 60 days or so.
Sometimes when the weather is cooler, and not Hot and Steamy, as Tomatoes Love, I will water with Warm Water, and a Little bit of Epsom Salts to up the Magnesium!

Works Wonders, and will kick them off! Natural fertilizer, instead of Mira cal grow, or man made, possibly harmful, fertilizers.

Yep, just starting to get 2-4 tomatoes a day, lettuce almost done, Beans coming in strong now, taters later !









While the tomatoes are slow, they are so worth it !

What variety green beans do you grow up there in the North Country?

Not actually sure James !

I know both varieties are referred to as bush beans (non climbing) that we started from seeds.

Beans slowing down, but tomatoes coming home strong !!

Might need you to ship some of those tomatoes to me. Ours are just about finished. I just have a few more Beefsteaks on the vines and that will be it.

Wife is looking for a reason to pick the last of the peppers. Kale is coming on strong.

Winding down here, still a few cucumbers, sweet onions, tomatoes (brought in to ripen), boysenberries (just about done) and some cabbage. Already have big plans for next year including some more fruit tree grafting!
Late and cool spring slowed things down this year, and a couple rabbits created some issues too!

These 2 goofballs, found the mater patch & destroyed a bunch.

Decided to pick the rest green, before we lost them !

The nearly everyday rain is backing off, was finally able to do some transplanting today did zucchini, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage and 2-tomato plants. Also thinking about rutabaga, turnip, carrot and radish may plant something tomorrow if I get time.

My garden is pretty much done. I do have some cabbage and broccoli planted in the high tunnel, and they'll last on into late fall and early winter. I planted some greens, but I guess that either the dry weather or low seed germination caused a poor stand, and I have some late green beans that are ready. Also, still getting tomatoes and will until frost.

Well today we planted rutabaga, turnip, carrots and green onion. Will most likely plant radish Friday.
Weather has sure been nice this week low humidity mid 80's hardly broke a sweat feels much better working outdoors.

Gardening is becoming fun again with cooler temperatures. My fall garden is coming alive cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, turnip, radish and rutabaga looking good. Won't be long we'll be making zucchini bread & muffins yummy.

I have some cabbage, broccoli, and some mustard greens growing. Also, we're still picking the butterpeas, which are like a baby lima.

Starting to prep the garden and get the greenhouse ready. Plan to plant some turnip & Radish mid Feb. buy some seeds, cups & planting soil for cucumber, zucchini, tomato, peppers, okra, watermelon and whatever wife wants, will transplant some first week of April & May. Can't wait to get some fresh vegetables from the garden getting tired buying from the grocery stores pricey and not very fresh. Anybody else thinking about a spring & summer garden?

Hard to think about it with the weather being what it is here. But........I have planted peas, potatoes, and cabbage in late February. I have a high tunnel, and could plant some early things in there, but I'm having problems with getting most vegetables to grow right in there. Probably because the soil changes after a few years under cover.

Gonna be time to plant before long

Going to plant my Yucon Gold as soon as it dries out a bit. Corn and snap beans next month.

We have at least 3months before we can plant here at 7650 feet elevation. Except for a few things, anything planted before Memorial day will be frozen out.

We are in a hail zone and get a lot of it. My garden has shrunk considerably in size. I get crop about once every three years. One year it gets hailed on, one year deer get it, and one year I might get to harvest.

With the drought we have been having for several years, the cost to pump water for it makes it unprofitable to grow.

It finally dried up enough to work a section of garden. Planted carrot, turnip & radish. In a couple weeks (weather permitting) will work the main section of garden we have plants growing and looking good in greenhouse, going to a plant show in the morning will most likely buy some, spring is almost here the trees are getting green and grass cutting has begun. Just dread what's coming soon summer too damn hot down here.

I plowed my garden spot last fall, and was able to work a little of it up a few days ago. I planted some green peas, beets, and a few red potatoes. I don't expect the potatoes to do much, because the didn't have time to scab over properly after I cut them up and planted them. But, I couldn't help it, it was just too pretty not to try and plant some garden.

I have a 30X96 foot high tunnel that I usually plant, but it's been in production too long, and it's getting hard to get things to grow in it. I'll go buy some cabbage and broccoli plants in a few days and put them in there, as they'll be okay.

Been Enjoying Asparagus for about a good month now. Planted the root about 7-12 yrs ago and it comes up early spring every year. In the fall I put about a foot of chopped up leaves on top to keep the winters snow damage to a minimum and it helps in the Spring as they pop up through the leaves. Here in Northern Ohio we're in zone 6 but not far from the bottom of zone 5 which I found to be important information if your into Gardening in this Area. Memorial Day is our Rule of thumb for planting in our area as we did have a heavy frost last week and the asparagus doesn't seem to mind it as it's hardy enough to withstand it. My neighbor started a bunch of plants indoors over the winter a couple months ago as did my wife and we get together and share with each other and make it a fun time! So he came over yesterday with his four wheeler and his flat bed bed snowmobile trailer with a mix of composted soil and sand ans some home made topsoil from the woods as we live in what's categorized as "Country Living" yet close to two major cities in Ohio between Cleveland and Akron, Ohio as we have enjoyed this place for well over the past 40 years finding some acreage and building our own place the way we liked it and I mean pounding almost every nail ourselves! Getting close to retirement with a year left to go and always enjoying the time spent outdoors I do feel myself slowing down. I put some heavy black plastic down in the garden about a month ago as the weeds we're starting to get out of control and yesterday started to plant on the already made hilly rows from the past several years. The soil is ready to go as last fall I did add some more leaf compost to the soil and mix it in. Been doing it this way for the past several years and it really produces some nice produce. The old Farmer around the Corner taught me years ago to lay the tomato plants sideways in the planting hole and cover with fresh soil gently bending the plant upwards slightly and covering with fresh planting soil. I mix some fresh compost, sand, Epsom salts, and food grade,(Harris),Diatomaceous Earth,(crawling bugs hate this), and this is what I use as my planting soil and it really works well as I try to keep it as all natural as I can. In the past we've had 8-9 foot tall tomato plants with a ton of fruit on each plant and always trimming as much as possible to keep from getting too tall as this really isn't the goal. Watering with the home made watering sprinkler hose about a foot under the plants helps during the hot summers. The soil is dark and rich as even my friend always notices as I only disturb a small cut in the plastic to make a planting hole in the coffee ground like soil.The leaf compost from the woods works wonders with all the right natural ingredients. As I get older the weeds kick me and my Wife's butt so I'm always trying to improve and slowly downsize our surroundings including the Garden. Gonna head out and possibly finish planting or at least get close to the end of it planted.
HS 58

Good luck with your garden HunterShooter5.

Thanks River!
Got all the peppers in yesterday and the rest of the Garden prepped for the additional Tomato plants,(my Favorite), and some Eggplant my Buddy dropped of. I like to call it a Community Garden as We do Share a lot because we do share a lot between Family, Friends and Neighbors. That Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth Really works out well. Seams to have eliminated the small Ant problem that was taking advantage of optimal Conditions.
Happy Memorial Day to ALL!

HS 58

Picked over the weekend[img]http://[img]https://i.postimg.cc/1nNGLLZx/beans.jpg[/img][/img]

Very nice!

I already noticed a small leaf virus of some kind so I've had good luck in the past with warm water ans a teaspoon of baking soda ans a drop of Dawn dish washing liquid shaken and sprayed on the plants before dark. Never in the sunlight, naturally.

Got more to plant as the grass needed mowed.

HS 58

Got almost everything in as I plan on finishing up today possibly.
Another friend dropped off some more plants donated to the cause and as my wife likes to plant her herbs
he also donated some more of those to her for her patio plants. Being closer to the kitchen and more Convenient.
The heat is backing down from mid to high 80's to mid 70's so it'll be a lot friendlier working in the garden conditions.

HS 58

Got everything in as I came in to get cleaned up and my Bride had a wonderful lunch waiting.
Got a few plants left over that I'll give to another neighbor that dabbles in gardening a tad.
Gorgeous weather as mid 70's sunny and breezy.
Gotta enjoy it while we can and Give Thanks!

HS 58

My tomatoes got too much rain, pulled them up, squash got squashed by big rain we had Saturday. My cucumbers and jalapeño’s are doing great.

Mine is really good this year. We've already had beets, broccoli, cabbage, red potatoes, and green peas. Squash and green beans are almost in.

My zucchini, squash have struggled just not producing. Cucumbers ,peppers, okra, peas all good. Corn doing good if I can keep the coons out they raided it a few nights ago.

My earliest sweet corn is a couple of weeks away from being ready, and I've had coon traps out all year, because they get into it if I don't. Caught two this week, only 50 yards from the garden. Hopefully, that will put a dent in them.

My earliest sweet corn is a couple of weeks away from being ready, and I've had coon traps out all year, because they get into it if I don't. Caught two this week, only 50 yards from the garden. Hopefully, that will put a dent in them.[/quote
]I made a batch of Tabasco and Cayenne Pepper & castile Soap sprayed throughout the corn every couple of days no coons yet hope this works. I'm almost done with corn picked some yesterday was good eating.

Caught another coon last night, makes 3 in the last 5 days. I hope their numbers are dwindling.

Good they pretty but can become a pain in the butt.You releasing them are gonna eat them?

I release them after I put them to sleep, permanent like, with a 22 to the head. Then they become buzzard feed.

You guys are lucky !!

Just put ours in Saturday & Sunday.

Early, mid & late taters, grape & beefsteak toms, cucumbers, green & yellow bush beans, brussel sprouts, iceberg & bib lettuce.

Hot dry winds of may/June are hard on plants in far southeastern Arizona. Last 5 or 6 years I wait till 1st of July to plant. Have had the highest yield and good plant health than I had ever experienced in the past.

I hear ya monsoon rains should help that time of year (July)




























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The new strawberry bed.

Garden is in and doing pretty well all in all. Lost a few small pepper plants to an early leaf fungus and some Eggplant leaves we're treated and are doing better.
I noticed a brown spot lawn fungus in the yard the past week I've been treating and possibly carried onto the near by garden leaves. Always something but such is life.
We had some well needed rains this past week and it has cooled things down. The 9 different variety of tomatoes are doing extremely well! Heading out to do a little weeding and watering.

HS 58

Due to knee replacement, I did not plan one this year.
Left fallow, allowed for some tall grass and weeds.
Could not stand it and went to the COOP and bought some SPINDLY tomato plants Saturday,
went to plant them that afternoon and first thing I find is a VERY newly born fawn in one of the beds.

Planted the tomatoes at the other end and left with the fawn still pretending to be hidden.

Hope it survives this coyote that leaves his marker in the driveway every once in a while and the bobcat that lives next door!

My wife is the gardener, when it cools off she''ll till, spread Preen, and water.
The strawberry bed.

Closer.

After a half hour of hail and 2"of rain, I have no vegetable garden. The hail broke or smashed down any protection I had put up for it

We are on vacation for a week, unless I get lucky with some rain, mine will be dead when I get home.

Sorry to hear about the hail storm. That's a bummer.
Any time I take off I have a few neighbors not too far away that'll water for me and likewise.
We help each other out like that as we share the Bounty also.
HS 58

We have a You Pick It Veg Farm about 3 miles away. Our veggies do not do well, deer eat everything in one night. So After four tries, I just stopped messing with it. The state and their idea about game management is no management at all. They have many zones and yet the F & G state board still treats the entire state as one plot of land.

I made a irrigation system with pvc pipe & soaker hoses set up a auto-timer to water garden.

That's a bummer sorry to hear that.

Been getting some nice slow on and off again warm rainy days this past few days and along with some humidity the 8-12 inch tomato plants that were donated are 3-4 feet tall after one month on average and some of the later varieties we planted as donors are about 2 feet tall. As it dries out in the next few days to a week I'll get in there and do some weeding and trimming and keeping everything manageable. Don't need out of control plants just productive growing plants.
HS 58

With an all night soaker Rain and the rain that was due today I'll get into the garden and do a little weeding and trimming any leaves that might have a few spots on them from any existing leaf fungus as Ive been spraying some baking soda and water on them and it's been working as the effected pepper plants and Eggplants are doing better! More trimming is needed on the Tomato plants as their going Hog Wild!

HS 58

So far strawberries (done now), raspberries are just starting, rhubarb (second batch) and fresh peas. Tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, carrots, sweet onion, beans are probably a month out yet. Also got cabbage (Savoy) I am trying this year, basil, and a decent crop of boysenberries coming! Love boysenberry pie and/or crisp!

That Boysenberry sounds pretty good along with the rest of your plantings. Got some weeding and some more plant trimming as we've been getting some nice rains for the past few day's along with some normal humid weather this time of year as it's pretty common for summer heat and humidity to sen the garden into super grow mode as we just have to stay on top of the leaf viruses and I sprayed a little baking soda in some cool water on all the plants last night before dark as it rained again last night so it'll need it again later or tomorrow. All the Herbs are doing well, and we're starting to see some peppers and tomatoes on the vine as we're right on schedule from a Memorial Day planting.

HS 58

What varieties are you having success with?

I'm having success with a couple of cherry tomatoes and one regular tomato; the cherry tomatoes are Sun Sugar and Super Sweet 100 and the regular tomato is Lemon Boy. Everything else looks to be growing well and throwing fruit, but none of it is ripe yet. The other varieties that I'm growing are Better Boy, Black Cherry, Patio, Repunzel, and Yellow Pear.

Good lettuce is Bibb and Little Caesar, okay lettuce is Black Seed Simpson, and poor lettuce is Buttercrunch and Four Seasons.

Good spinach is Double Choice Hybrid and Salad Sensation, poor spinach is Giant Noble.

Bell pepper are like most of the tomatoes, growing well and throwing fruit, but none of it is ripe yet.

All herb are doing well, already drying a couple of varieties of basil.

I plant lettuce and spinach every two weeks so that I will have a steady supply all season long.

Remguy,
That's sounding pretty darn good to me! Same here nothing ripe yet as it's early for us. Asparagus is about done as we enjoyed about 20 lbs. for the last two months and now we let it grow out and fern to a bush and in late fall oct.-nov. we'll cut it down to ground level and cover with leaf compost and it'll come up early next spring. Lots of Tomato plants doing really well as we have hot,humid weather with some rain on and off and keeping up with them is a chore. Their about 4-5 ft tall and bushy as all get out. 9 varieties as big boy, better boy, yellow pear, cherry, black cherry, san marzano, roma, black Krim, cherokee purple. All donated from friends who started from seed and given to us about 10-12 inches tall. Several bell peppers, sweet banana peppers, hot jalapeno peppers, and eggplant. We used to do a lot of other different vegetables but we've cut back. A lot of fruit is starting to show up so we're pleased with that and maybe about another month we'll start to have more tomatoes than we'll know what to do with. lol Not really as we have a lot of Family members that wait for it, along with friend who just love the Variety! A lot of Basil as we use it in everything. Garlic is thriving along with a patch of shallots my wife uses for cooking.
HS 58

Our pea patch this year is Miss. pink-eye purplehulls. Picked a little over 1 1/2 bushels Monday, about the same Wed., and a little over 2 bushels today. This coming Monday should be the best yet.

I usually plant pinkeye purplehulls, but we still have quite a few in the freezer from last year, so I planted some of the Zipper peas this year. Can't wait to see of they will be as easy to shell as advertised.

I'm planting 3 more rows of pinkeye purple hull next week they good eating.

Yep, we have a garden. It's nice to watch the veggies grow. 100'x100' is a challenge to keep up with. Just don't look to closely, a bit behind with weeding.

Picked 6 bushels of Miss. pinkeye purple hulls yesterday. Got them all in the freezer and I'm thru with the pea patch for this year. Already given several older neighbors peas and got a neighbor coming to pick tomorrow. After that, if nobody wants to come pick, I'll take the fence down and let the deer have them.




Sheller ready to go



I got a video of how the sheller works, but I dont know how to post it. Yeah, I'm dumb!

Canned 21 pints of raspberries yesterday and 30+ pints of raspberry jam a week ago. Definitely past the halfway mark on the raspberry crop. Boysenberries starting to colour up, probably 10-14 days out from that crop.
Rhubarb still producing, peas about done, green bush beans a couple weeks off, tomatoes not showing any colour yet and zucchini/cucumbers a ways out yet. Overwintered sweet onions putting some more size on them too!
Apple trees I grafted onto rootstock are putting some good growth on this year, they will get moved out of the nursery bed this coming spring.

Sounds like you staying busy.

Pickin lots of tomatoes and enjoying them besides giving away to family and friends. Eggplant made into a few favorite recipes besides parm.

HS 58

^^^^It's winding down for me tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers are done. Peas & okra still doing ok. The heat and drought is not helping that's for sure. Starting to get things ready for fall will be planting cabbage, turnip rutabagas and whatever wife wants to add.

Picked about 30 lbs of boysenberries, slowing down now for them. Tomatoes starting to ripen, along with cucumbers, zucchini and the second planting of green beans. Trying some savoy cabbage this year, heads are just starting to form now.

Sheesh, only grape tomatoes & lettuce, for us so far !!

Everything is growing well, just a late start, due to frosts.

Paul, I have some general purpose fertilizer, I should give you some.

Deer, coons and squirrels in abundence. Neighbor has a small garden, looks like a prison yard, two layers of hight fence and an electric fence...
3 miles down the road is a "you pick it" farm so I just stop by and pick up what I need. Found the convienence out weighs the previous wars with the critters over "their" food. Deer will eat an entire garden in one night, right down to the dirt

Yep the critters can be a problem.

Dug the taters, on Sunday.

Every other day

Remind me Paul, I'll give you some fertilizer.

1 row dug 😰3 more to go

Good harvest earlybrd. My turnip, rutabaga about 1-2" tall and cabbage are transplants with the cooler weather they should take off if we could just get some needed rain.

Red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions , garlic and peppers were stellar this year. Everything has been harvested with the exception of a few Cherry peppers, basil and Italian parsley. Next years garlic will be in the ground in a week or two.

Still have carrots and Savoy cabbage in the garden. Picked a couple cabbage last night for some coleslaw at the family gathering today!
Surprise producers this year was boysenberry plants and Borghese tomatoes. Transplanted (gently) all but one boysenberry plant in early spring and they still produced decently with maybe 30 lbs in the freezer. Borghese tomatoes (roma type) were outstanding in taste and early production, about 3 weeks ahead of the traditional Roma plants.

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