2016 Garden Pics

[catman529]

Decided to branch off my original thread from when I started the pepper seeds in February.

I am late to get most things in the ground, mainly due to turkey hunting.

Today I got all the maters and peppers in the ground, and yesterday planted seeds for bushmaster cucumbers, gurneys giant cantaloupe, okra and sunflowers.

The tomato varieties in the ground are Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Green, Amish Paste, NAR, Black Cherry, Supersweet 100, and Sungold. I have a couple others to put in big pots as well.

Peppers are jalapeño, cayenne, bell, giant Bhut Jolokia and Carolina Reaper.

the seedlings looked better a few weeks ago - they sat in the cups for too long. But they will take off in a week or two.

The side garden just outside my door is doing well with a Sungold tomato, basil, oregano, Carolina reaper, eggplant and kale. Also got rosemary and sage plants to plant somewhere.

The garden was just mowed grass until last summer when I broke the ground. So the Bermuda is thick, and although it's been tilled multiple times, I have resorted to spacing the plants far enough to get a weedeater in there and keep the grass and weeds mowed to the ground.

(Before planting)

Weed eating around cantaloupe and cucumbers will be tough and I'll have to pull some by hand, but most of the garden I can keep up with the weeds by knocking them back to the ground.

To be continued...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[eightpointer]

Looks great.

 

[Wobblyshot1]

Looks like that will do.
I didn't get mine in till this past Monday.

 

[huntinkev]

Looks good. I still haven't gotten mine in. Hopefully Saturday I can do it

 

[catman529]

In the past couple days I've started some seeds in the new patch behind the pond, and planted some pots to use up a few of my extra seedlings.

The back patch has Atlantic giant pumpkin, Carolina cross watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe. I will plant the rest of the pumpkins next month so they ripen in October.

The front door patch looks healthy. Eventually I will pull the kale out. Might let a few bolt so I can save seeds for a fall planting.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rstodd]

Looking good

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[DaveB]

That pond patch ought to be a beauty, looks super.

 

[BamaProud]

Looks great....and BIG.

 

[catman529]

Garden is growing, have to weedeat the Bermuda grass which is pretty bad in the main plot. Already have a coulee small tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.

Pumpkin patch is growing and has proven easier to knock back the weeds. Most of the pumpkins won't be planted for a couple more weeks, but the melons and Atlantic giants look good.

Also I added a new section next to the pumpkin patch. For sweet corn - going to plant some Peaches n Cream

Looks like it will probably be no-till this year. I think the corn will do fine as long as I keep the weeds down.

Side patch is growing fast. Going to let some of the kale bolt and save seeds for the fall. Then tear up the kale and plant something else. I have harvested a bunch of leaves off the kale but gave them to the family, I don't care much for it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DaveB]

You are sure correct on the weedeating.

Based on what the pictures show us, I think I would start now on next years plots. Kill all green, lime, fertilizer,turn turn turn, cover in clear plastic, every 3 months turn turn turn re-cover. Every 6 months lime fertilizer. I'd come help ya but you live a fair piece away.

 

[ImThere]

Looks awesome

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

 

[catman529]

You are sure correct on the weedeating.

Based on what the pictures show us, I think I would start now on next years plots. Kill all green, lime, fertilizer,turn turn turn, cover in clear plastic, every 3 months turn turn turn re-cover. Every 6 months lime fertilizer. I'd come help ya but you live a fair piece away.

I use a little 10-10-10 but otherwise leave the soil alone, it is good soil on its own. I agree it needs the plastic but I can't start a whole new set of plots just to put plastic over. I'm trying to avoid using roundup or spray like that, to keep the stuff I pick all natural.

I might want to rent a rear tine tiller at some point to turn it up real good. I used a front time on the main plot but that's where the Bermuda is worst - was just mowed grass before I started it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ImThere]

You are sure correct on the weedeating.

Based on what the pictures show us, I think I would start now on next years plots. Kill all green, lime, fertilizer,turn turn turn, cover in clear plastic, every 3 months turn turn turn re-cover. Every 6 months lime fertilizer. I'd come help ya but you live a fair piece away.

I use a little 10-10-10 but otherwise leave the soil alone, it is good soil on its own. I agree it needs the plastic but I can't start a whole new set of plots just to put plastic over. I'm trying to avoid using roundup or spray like that, to keep the stuff I pick all natural.

I might want to rent a rear tine tiller at some point to turn it up real good. I used a front time on the main plot but that's where the Bermuda is worst - was just mowed grass before I started it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cat,
I have a rear tine tiller you can borrow I just need to get belts put on it.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

 

[catman529]

You are sure correct on the weedeating.

Based on what the pictures show us, I think I would start now on next years plots. Kill all green, lime, fertilizer,turn turn turn, cover in clear plastic, every 3 months turn turn turn re-cover. Every 6 months lime fertilizer. I'd come help ya but you live a fair piece away.

I use a little 10-10-10 but otherwise leave the soil alone, it is good soil on its own. I agree it needs the plastic but I can't start a whole new set of plots just to put plastic over. I'm trying to avoid using roundup or spray like that, to keep the stuff I pick all natural.

I might want to rent a rear tine tiller at some point to turn it up real good. I used a front time on the main plot but that's where the Bermuda is worst - was just mowed grass before I started it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cat,
I have a rear tine tiller you can borrow I just need to get belts put on it.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

thanks Ricky I appreciate it. I might use it for the fall planting this year if nothing else. Will probably have my corn planted before you can get belts on it - plan on sowing it this week


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[edtcase]

That looks awesome.

 

[ImThere]

You are sure correct on the weedeating.

Based on what the pictures show us, I think I would start now on next years plots. Kill all green, lime, fertilizer,turn turn turn, cover in clear plastic, every 3 months turn turn turn re-cover. Every 6 months lime fertilizer. I'd come help ya but you live a fair piece away.

I use a little 10-10-10 but otherwise leave the soil alone, it is good soil on its own. I agree it needs the plastic but I can't start a whole new set of plots just to put plastic over. I'm trying to avoid using roundup or spray like that, to keep the stuff I pick all natural.

I might want to rent a rear tine tiller at some point to turn it up real good. I used a front time on the main plot but that's where the Bermuda is worst - was just mowed grass before I started it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cat,
I have a rear tine tiller you can borrow I just need to get belts put on it.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

thanks Ricky I appreciate it. I might use it for the fall planting this year if nothing else. Will probably have my corn planted before you can get belts on it - plan on sowing it this week


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your right we are in Gatlinburg until next Tuesday

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

 

[MickThompson]

Catman, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of perennial grasses with tillage alone. You will need to till continuously, and still spot spray on top of it. Continuous tillage will deplete the organic matter and soil structure, decreasing its ability to store water and nutrients for when your crop needs it (the whole advantage of no-till gardening). I didn't want to spray at all either, but realized I would be fighting fescue and bermuda for all eternity otherwise. My topsoil is decent, but it's in a creek bottom and there is ample gravel about 8" down and every time I tilled I drug up more rocks. I had to try something else.

When I started no-till gardening, I sprayed the turf grasses out the fall (August) before, then cover cropped over the winter. The cover crop builds organic matter and can add soil N if legumes are used. All I do to plant is stretch a string for my rows, scalp with a weedeater, then plant my seed by poking a hole with a machete and closing the slit. I mow between rows once a week when I mow the rest of the yard to prevent new perennial weeds from establishing, and so far the only issue I have had is white clover coming in super thick in places, and I'm okay with that once my crop gets ahead of the clover.

I do the same for my winter covers, except I simply topsow the seed and mow over it. I would imagine it would work equally well for any other small-seeded planting such as carrots, turnips, greens, etc.

 

[WTM]

you can get rid of the bermuda but you have to deep till it once and rake all of the roots out there and dispose of them without using roundup.(one spray of roundup after summer crops then plant winter cover cops work best) another thing i do to combat the bermuda and weeds is after plants come up light till or hoe the weeds and remove. then lay down 3-6 inches of wheat straw. it takes a bale/1000 sq ft or so. wheat straw doesnt rob nitrogen like other mulches and it is a good clay soil fixer when till under after harvest.

the bad thing about bermuda is that you will have to hoe or use roundup around the edges to keep the runners out. the only way to keep bermuda out from the edges is to lay a border 8inches deep around the perimeter such as pavers.

the bad thing about mowing and weed eating the rows is that you will never get rid of the weeds and bermuda with that method and the weeds will still rob your veg plants of nitrogen and other needed nutrients.

 

[DaveB]

Hey Catman-

100 pound pumkins for sure?

 

[catman529]

Catman, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is difficult, if not impossible, to get rid of perennial grasses with tillage alone. You will need to till continuously, and still spot spray on top of it. Continuous tillage will deplete the organic matter and soil structure, decreasing its ability to store water and nutrients for when your crop needs it (the whole advantage of no-till gardening). I didn't want to spray at all either, but realized I would be fighting fescue and bermuda for all eternity otherwise. My topsoil is decent, but it's in a creek bottom and there is ample gravel about 8" down and every time I tilled I drug up more rocks. I had to try something else.

When I started no-till gardening, I sprayed the turf grasses out the fall (August) before, then cover cropped over the winter. The cover crop builds organic matter and can add soil N if legumes are used. All I do to plant is stretch a string for my rows, scalp with a weedeater, then plant my seed by poking a hole with a machete and closing the slit. I mow between rows once a week when I mow the rest of the yard to prevent new perennial weeds from establishing, and so far the only issue I have had is white clover coming in super thick in places, and I'm okay with that once my crop gets ahead of the clover.

I do the same for my winter covers, except I simply topsow the seed and mow over it. I would imagine it would work equally well for any other small-seeded planting such as carrots, turnips, greens, etc.

oh yes I know that tilling alone doesn't get rid of the grass. The pumpkin and corn patches are no-till this year. I'm doing just what you do, bare it down with weedeater and plant. I bought a new (better) weedeater this year just to keep the weeds down between rows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk