Sign In Join 



Gardening

129 messages,  Last post on Aug 01, 2009 at 8:46 PM

You are in the Off Topic Chatter Forum. Your Host is KarenS


Messages Page 2 of 14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
...
14
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion

#7 of 129
Prepping the Garden by ateixeira
Mar 15, 2007 (11:05 am)
Reply
Ok, I usually till the soil and add some compost and peat moss, but should I try something different? I feel like I've been doing the same process for the past 8 years and I should try something new to improve the soil.
 
Any suggestions?
 
It's a 16' by 6' plot, partial sun, in the Mid Atlantic. I usually do 'maters, cuces, green beans, etc.
#8 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [ateixeira] by pf_flyer HOST
Mar 15, 2007 (11:19 am)
Reply

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 15, 2007 11:05 am)

16'x 6'... heh...that's roughly the size of one of the beds in my patch. Overall about 30'x 40' graded into three tiers with stone walls to keep the water evenly distributed on each level. (Did that after visiting Monticello and seeing Jefferson's gardens) Also have a double bin composter right next to the garden with side by side 4'x8' bins about 5' deep. Anything and everything that will breakdown goes into one side,then I turn one bin into the other, take the really good stuff out of the bottom and dump it into the beds that need it, then start dumping everything in the other bin.
 
If you've been taking care of the soil for 8 years, it's probably a nice consistency now. Maybe work in a little fetilizer to boost nutrient levels?
 
Might also want to take a sample to your cooperative extension office and have them do an analysis for you and see if you're lacking anything specific.
#9 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [pf_flyer] by ateixeira
Mar 15, 2007 (11:32 am)
Reply

Replying to: pf_flyer (Mar 15, 2007 11:19 am)

You have a lot of space, I'm envious!
 
Yeah, I visited Monticello a couple of years ago and also checked out the gardens there. The green beans were in season. It was a HOT day in August, too hot!
 
The top layer is good, but the soil is all clay underneath. You dig more than 4" and that's all you get.
 
I've had great years but the last couple were only so-so. Of course we only got rain late, and then it was too much of it.
 
-juice
#10 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [ateixeira] by pf_flyer HOST
Mar 15, 2007 (11:41 am)
Reply

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 15, 2007 11:32 am)

I have that clay problem in my front yard, but fortunately not in the garden. I guess you could chip away at the clay a little bit each year to increase the depth of the good garden soil over time. Slow and steady wins the race!
 
Maybe you could even use the clay underneath tocreate sort of an underground "pot" to help hold moisture in the bed. Sort of scoop out the clay deeper in the center and leave a "lip" around the edge to keep the water around the roots of your plants. I know that leveling out my tiers made a HUGE difference in runoff. The downhill plants were always better watered and larger than those uphill.
 
I'll have to cogitate on that one some more
#11 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [pf_flyer] by ateixeira
Mar 15, 2007 (11:52 am)
Reply

Replying to: pf_flyer (Mar 15, 2007 11:41 am)

I should try to level it. Right now the water pools on the back of one side.
#12 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [pf_flyer] by steve_ HOST
Mar 15, 2007 (2:06 pm)
Reply

Replying to: pf_flyer (Mar 15, 2007 11:19 am)

after visiting Monticello and seeing Jefferson's gardens
 
We have a short ha-ha in our front yard. Never get cows in the yard either (although the llama's across the street showed up once).
#13 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [steve_] by ateixeira
Mar 16, 2007 (12:30 pm)
Reply

Replying to: steve_ (Mar 15, 2007 2:06 pm)

All sort of animals around me. Let's see:
 
* whitetail deer
* fox
* coyote (!)
* tons of squirrels
* chip munks
* rats
 
That's just off the top of my head.
#14 of 129
Re: Prepping the Garden [ateixeira] by steve_ HOST
Mar 16, 2007 (5:06 pm)
Reply

Replying to: ateixeira (Mar 16, 2007 12:30 pm)

Fun bunch of critters. Except for the rats.
 
We get a few mule deer browsing the rose bushes on their way to the neighbor's pond. But we have no big trees in our yard so we have few squirrels visiting and no chipmunks show up to eat my Subaru wiring (hopefully!).
#15 of 129
Critter control by pf_flyer HOST
Mar 16, 2007 (5:10 pm)
Reply
We have rabbits up the wazzoo...
 
But when you have rat snakes your rodent problems are minimized
#16 of 129
Re: Critter control [pf_flyer] by ateixeira
Mar 19, 2007 (9:05 am)
Reply

Replying to: pf_flyer (Mar 16, 2007 5:10 pm)

I see rabbits, too. Forgot to list them.

Messages Page 2 of 14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
...
14
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion
To POST a message, please Sign In.

New? Join Now!

Forum Tools

Please sign in.
Email Address:

Password:

Forgot Password?

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s)

Advanced Search

Browse by Vehicle



View All Vehicles
Advertisement
Ask the Community
See What People Are Asking

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic


View All Topics

Today's Chats

Advertisement