Early spring.......my granddaughter Lilli is inspecting my fence. ;) I have two kinds of potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, pumpkin, corn, onions, pole beans. And I planted only open pollinated seeds. :) .....How's it look for my very first year gardening???
This one was taken last week. My potatoes are browning and falling over. I dug up one plant and found the most beautiful large potatoes!!! All my produce is coming along nicely! ......And between the straw mulch, and landscaping fabric walkways, can you believe that I never had to weed my garden once this year!!! Low maintenance gardening! Love it! :-D
Those of you who have been helping me with my tomato problem - browning - you can see that some of the leaves have the brown spots on them, but the plants are still alive and still producing new leaves and tomatoes. About half of my tomatoes are fine, and I have noticed that many of the OK tomatoes are 'cat faced'. .....Go figure???
PS: My tomatoes grew to 5 feet tall!! I had no idea they could get big!
You didn't start small!
I don't have a clue what I'm doing.....other than learning as I go. I didn't know what constituted a large garden; I just planted what I like to eat. Good thing I didn't have to weed at all!! Whew, that would have been a job!
Now, some of you might laugh at me, but in honor of my grandparents, I planted "by the moon" as they always did - got the dates from the Old Farmers' Alminac. The results, I must say, are impressive. My garden looks like "honey I shrunk the kids" and the produce is coming along very nicely!! I did nothing to my garden before planting - no fertilizers, herbicides, manure, etc., and my garden plants are almost twice as big as my neighbors' garden plants, and they have been gardening for years! Matter of fact, my one neighbor, who we bought our farm from, told me in the spring, not to plant my garden where I did because he tried that spot and could never get anything to grow there. ...I'm sold on gardening by the moon!! :) I sure wish my Grannies and Papaws were here to see my garden!
You must be proud fit to bust! That's impressive by any standard. Maybe I'll go buy my first Old Farmer's Almanac. You did a great job and I sincerely hope the frost holds off so you can enjoy the full benefits.
WOW - that is great looking garden and you should be VERY proud of it. everything looks great.
Glenda, very nice! I've got no photos to post as the screen on my usual laptop fried. Luckily no hard drive was damaged! I'm just getting my veg garden ready for this fall and next spring. I'm cutting it out of a Bahia Hay field so I'm using rototiller, lasagne method, and landscape fabric to get an edge on regrowth of the Bahia. So far I've got (2) 5 ft x 12 ft beds "baking". I started a couple of things without the lasagne beds and just got over run =(. No big deal with the zucchini though, hehe.
Where did you get your ladscape fabric from? I'm going to need a lot!
PS. Love that fence inspector!
Glenda, your garden is really nice. We also plant by the moon.
Thanks everyone for your kind words! My reason for growing a garden was two-fold; the obvious one - to raised food, and to raised veggies for seed. I planted all open-pollinated seeds because I want to build my own seed-bank, which is going well with the help of the book, "Seed to Seed". My grandmothers saved their own seeds and it's my hope that by doing this, I won't have to buy any more seeds for the varieties I have. :) ....It's neat to see it come full circle.....I put the seed the ground, the plant grows, yields its produce, which provides more seeds. Simple but cool!
Terri, I purchased my commercial grade landscaping fabric from a local nursery, Arrowhead Alpines, http://www.arrowheadalpines.com/ . I don't know if it is listed in their online catalog, but it's the same landscaping fabric they have all over their nursery. They've had theirs down for 10 years and it still looks great! You might have to call them to get prices. It comes in different widths. Make sure you order the staples they used too. You place them about every foot or two, but where there is a seam that you walk on, you'll want to put the staples every 6 inches. I am sooo glad I put it down. I told my DH that if we ever move, I'm taking all that fabric with me!! Hope this helps. :)
Thank you very much, Glenda_Michigan.
Glenda, Wonderful garden, would have thought you had been gardening all your life. You should be very proud. Congratulations.
Donna
Glenda, what a beautiful, neat garden. You should pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
terri - here's a place online where you can purchase ground cover fabric. Although I have not purchased this particular item from B & T - I have purchased many other items from them over the years with never a problem.
http://www.growersupply.com/grouncovfab.html
Glenda, your garden is beautiful! You have every right to be extremely proud!
How about walking us through the process of getting your garden started. DId you till the whole garden and then lay the landscaping fabric, or work your row/bed space after the fabric was down. How did you prepare the soil? Inquiring minds want to know....
Oh msrobin, you're about to find out [how] little I know about gardening!!! lol Here is what I did....over the course of WEEKS.
1. I paid a nice neighbor to drive his tractor with a rototiller attachment down to my house and turn over an area in my yard, about 35 feet x 50 feet. NO.....I didn't have enough sense to clear or kill the sod first! He turned it all over - weeds, grass, rhizomes, and all! :-S (Note: Don't do that! Remove the sod first or at least kill everything.)
2. I didn't have a heavy "roller thing" to smash down the bumps and hills in the dirt so I drove my golf cart all around it until every spot was smashed down and the area was smooth. .....Creative thinking huh?? ;)
3. Several days later.....you guessed it.....the grass and weeds had started to grow....again. At this point, I had drawn out the floor plan of my garden to scale on graph paper and knew exactly how big every spot and walkway would be. So I installed my fence around the garden and laid out my fabric walkways and hammered in the staples. At this point, except for all the new grass and weeds laughing at me, I was pretty pleased with the results thus far.
4. It was about at this time that I realized that I would have to make an attempt to REMOVE as many weeds, clumps, and grass rhizomes as possible....by hand. I didn't want to use RoundUp, so I got to work. You would not believe how many wheelbarrows of weeds, grass clumps, and rhizomes I pulled up!!! It was a nightmare!!! :-[ I got the smaller beds cleared and ready for seed, but by the time that was all done, the patch where I planted my corn was out of control and being 52 and out of shape, by body was going on strike at that point and had no interest in trying to clear the corn plot by hand. So my sweet, sweet husband rented a rototiller and turned over the corn plot for me. I took a rake to the newly turned over corn plot, got as many clumps and rhizomes out as I could and called it "good". The next day I planted my corn and the pumpkins among them. .....It was then that my garden was "done". I had planted pole beans, onions, tomatoes, corn, Big Max pumpkins, watermelon, and 2 kinds of potatoes.
5. So, all the seed was planted, tomato plants planted, and onion sets put in the ground.......and I was happy with the results of all that hard work. :) That's when my sweet husband came out from the barn and said, "What kind of garden gate would you like?" I showed him a photo of one and he reproduced it and hung it, so it was then I planted my morning glory seeds - heirloom Clark's Heavenly Blue. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=7008927
6. I had seen how well the fabric controlled weeds at Alpine Nursery, but I knew that I was still in for a battle with the weeds, grass, and rhizomes left in the open planting beds so once the seeds broke through the ground and grew a few inches, I very carefully started putting straw mulch down on the beds, and added to it as the plants grew taller. Regarding my potato patches, I followed Hoosier Green's instructions, and emailed back and forth with HG, and planted my potatoes in STRAW, which ended up being a huge success! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/937306/ I NEVER had to weed or water my potato beds and harvesting the potatoes were so easy my 5 grandsons (all 8 yrs old and younger) did all the harvesting. :) They thought it was a treasure hunt!!! ;) I ended up with about 20-24" of straw on my potatoes and never ever had to "hoe a row"!! Yeah!!!
7. Japanese beetles and potato bugs were removed by hand - with my grandsons' help.....which was a daily job, but we must have done a good enough job because my green beans and potatoes did fine. I saved used Aquafina bottles, filled them halfway with water, and put enough dish soap in the water to make foam when shaken. The bugs fell into the water and couldn't find their way out through the foam. Once I was done collecting bugs for the day, I put the lid on it and tossed it, and all the dead bugs, into the garbage. :)
8. For the record...... It's important to note three things. I only planted open pollinated seeds because I wanted to grow half of each crop for seed and the other half to eat. I didn't know enough to "prepare" the soil before planting so there were no fertilizers, manure, RoundUp, etc., used. Also.... My grandparents were from Eastern Kentucky (Johnson County) and they lived back in the hills during the early 1900's and until their deaths in the 70's and 80's. They literally lived off the land and planted their fields by the signs of the moon - using the planting charts found in the Farmers Almanac. In honor of them, I planted my very first garden by the "signs of the moon". .....And wouldn't you know it, my garden grew like a weed!!! I only watered my garden once or twice after I planted it, and from then on.....I didn't do [anything] to it! I live out in the country and my neighbors next to us, and across the road, are seasoned gardeners - my garden plants were twice as big and lush as theirs! I was shocked! My plants yielded vegetables that were huge, plentiful, and delicious - all in soil that had had grass on it for decades and didn't have a thing added to it!!
I learned a lot with my first garden......things to do and not do again. All in all, I LOVED gardening and can't wait to get started in the spring! ....I must tell you though, that I would not have been as successful as I was without the help of all our Dave's Garden friends who helped me tremendously and answered all my "green-horn" questions!!! They saved and guided me many, many times! They were, and are, all angels, and I owe them big time! ;)
....Well, that's probably more than you wanted to know, but that's what I did with my first garden. I can tell you that I will always plant my potatoes in straw in the future, and I will always plant by the "signs of the moon"! .....My Grannies and Papaws would be proud! ;) ......If you have any questions, feel free to send them my way!
:) Glenda
Glenda, love your garden gate! And no, it wasn't more than I wanted to know. Your post was perfect.
My original garden, which is now all perrenials (asparagus, strawberries, herbs, etc.) was a bear to get to a point where the weeds aren't so bad. Took me about 3 years. Our property was a hayfield previously and when DH mows, I use the bagged clippings on my rows and use the weedeater down the walkways. Works well, IF I am here to tend to it. I don't use the clippings from the first mowing for fear of introducing too many weed seeds back into the garden. When we returned this past June from working out of state, the garden was terrible with 5'-6' Johnson Grass and another weed. Had to dig most of those out with a shovel. By the time I got it cleaned out, it was too late to plant.
Anyway, trying to figure out how to get the new additional garden space prepped without doing me in. LOL!
Thanks Msrobin! .....I like your "plan"! If you manage to pull it off, make sure you tell me how you did it!!!! :-D Good luck! .....I can't wait till spring!
Rich grass sod probably has enough fertility to do splendidly for a few years with little fertilization. I remember the first year after a permament pasture was turned into row crops. After that it would be downhill without fertility measures.
Fantastic! Your first timer results are wonderful. The garden looks great. It's been a long time since I have a real serious veggie garden but someday I intend to own and operate a CSA farm. I will get my share then wont I!
I just love it when beginners have such success. Now you're hooked and there's no going back. You did great.
Thanks everyone! Yep, I'm hooked!! I need to start thinking about which seeds I'll start indoors and come up with a game plan. ......Spring will be here before we know it.........right???? lol I say that but it's 8 degrees outside and feels like minus 2 degrees!!! Brrrrrrr..... Think spring, think spring, think spring........
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride... and it would be spring.
Yep...right around the corner! LOL! 14* this morning, 22* this afternoon.
I'm going to order that landscaping fabric and a load of straw bales in a couple of weeks, so I can at least get my new garden space laid out. Luckily, we usually have a few days off and on during the winter where the temps will get into the upper 40's and 50's. Greenhouse is set up and ready to go, and already have the row plans drawn on graph paper, but waiting on seed catalogs, so I can order my seeds. Hurry up spring!
Well, Twiggy...don't sugar coat it on our account. :)
glenda - i just ran across this andf i must say that the pictuers of your garden are very impressive. i have friends that live in jupper michigan i forget thename of he town, and they also have big garden but most of their stuff is the early ripening kind. is that what you have.
Herbie43, thanks, I appreciate your kind words. :) No, I did not plant the "early ripening" kind. I live far enough south, in another zone, and don't need to do that. Northern Michigan and the upper peninsula have a whole different climate. We have a cottage 3 hours north of us, in the upper lower peninsula, and winter lasts until May and doesn't really warm up until well into June. In August the leaves start changing colors and there is usually snow in October. The summer season is SO short, and the winters so long. One year, on May 5th at the cottage, we got a blizzard that dumped 4 feet of snow, and it is normal that by February, I cannot wade thru the snow and go to the lake's edge because the snow is up to my waste. We even had one year that the snow was so deep, it was EVEN with the eves of the cottage's roof!!! Had to dig a tunnel through the snow just to get to the door - driving down the road was like driving in a white maze!!! ......Yeah, northern Michigan is a winter wonderland with all its BIG snow! I would imagine it makes for really tough gardening!! .....That's not for me! lol I'm a Dixie girl and can barely stand living as far north as I do! ;)
my friends have a huge garden and they grow raspberries, blue andblck berries, tomatoes, cabbzge, cukes and just about everyuthing
That's awesome!! After a long cold winter, I bet they're itching to get outside and work in their garden!
Glenda_Michigan, I thought I would let you know that I bought a big roll of weed block (from someplace closer to me) and tried it out on a lasagna bed I was starting in mid fall. Planted garlic and Egytian onions in that bed with some bare root roses I needed to heel in for spring planting. Yep, worked good! No weeding! The garlic looks good so far, the E onions might not make it due to extended freezing (but I'll just try again in the spring). The roses look awesome. And no weeds! But you are right...a large area like a sweet corn patch needs to have the sod killed off before planting. DH has one of those Dragon thingies (I call it the flame thrower) that he uses to gry weeds in the fence rows. So this spring I'm going to try cremating the sod and digging it out. Maybe that will be easier.
Wow, what an amazing first time garden. It would be amazing if you had been doing it for years and years. Just gorgeous.
I did the straw potatoes a couple years and it was easy but did not get a huge crop and the taters were small.
How do you manage to not water?
My sentiments exactly Gwendalou. It puts my garden to shame for looks.
Terri, a flame thrower is a GREAT idea for keeping the weeds in the rows of corn under control!! I need to get me one of those!! :-D
Gwendalou, I don't know....I just didn't water them. And my garden is on the side of a slight hill so water runs off. They did fine and my potatoes were the same sizes that you find in the grocery store. :- / Go figure?
Thanks Twiggybuds - you all are sweet. ......You all can laugh at me if you want; it's ok. ;) But I'm sold on planting by the moon! I already have my 2010 Farmers Almanac and will be charting the different planting days on my calendar!! :) We'll see if I have good luck planting by the moon this year. I'll keep you all posted!
Glenda, you had made reference before about gardening by the moon and I wanted to ask you what source you used. I've been researching online and there's quite a bit of info, but all seems to be slightly different.
Msrobin - I use, and according to my parents, my grandparents also used “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” – the original one by Robert B. Thomas, founded in 1792. It can be easily found it bookstores, some drugstores, etc. In the 2010 edition of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac”, the “Planting by the Moon’s Phase” chart is found on page 232. …..If you plant by the moon this year, please let me know how your garden does! I'll do the same! :)
Gwendalou, one summer in Virginia there was a terrible drought. People's wells were going dry. I was visiting my folks, and found Daddy totally bemused, standing near a big oak tree, beside a big pile of leaves that'd been there since the fall before. Things like this happen on a 200 acre farm.
Anyway, as dry as it was, Daddy was amazed, saying, " LOOK at this!!!" the bottom of the leaf pile wasn't damp, it was soggy dripping! And as he drew back some leaves, huge earthworms crawled away.
Mulch is amazing, ground water always comes to the surface, and mulch keeps it in. Only way to garden, if you ask me. Enriches, too.
And, edited to say: Gardening by the Moon is also the only way to go. I won't even get started on stories about Moon signs and gardening.
See books by Ruth Stout.
Cheers,
Melissa
This message was edited Jan 11, 2010 12:43 PM
The only place on my 2 acres to find really decent soil and lots of worms is under the oaks where many decades of falling leaves have made their contributions. I've noticed that a pile of raked leaves will practically never dry out enough to burn until you scatter and stir them several times. I don't burn leaves nowadays by the way.
Molamola, I went to Amazon.com and looked at the books by Ruth Stout but didn't see any about gardening by the moon. Could you please post a link for the book you're thinking about for me?? Thanks a bunch!! :-D
Oh! I see, I didn't make Ruth enough different than gardening by the Moon. She's the original Mulch Gardener.
Amazon: search: gardening by the moon.
I prefer LLewellen, and Rodale's, and am looking at the results page right now, hummmm a number of good books, I can't really make one recommendation. They do go back several years, so be sure to get a 2010 book/calendar.
sorry for the confusion!
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Gardening+and+Planting+by+t
And we have a fairly new forum here on Dave's, "Gardening by the Moon"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/lunarmania/all/
No problem Molamola! Thanks for the help and clarification! ;)
