Garden Thread 2024

[Archeryrob]

Damn, went to spray the house and garage with termite killer and the backpack spray broke also. Wouldn't spray, leaking down my azz. Lost all the chemical and needed a shower.

Now on compost piles as blacksmith posted, How are y'all managing them? You got sides? I've been looking for free 2x12's or cinder blocks, but nothing turning up yet. Tried pallets and two years and they are falling over. Mine is just a big loose pile now fermenting my buck heads. Now that the pallets failed and needed to be burnt.

 

[GregS]

Now on compost piles as blacksmith posted, How are y'all managing them?

I made a 2 barrel compost system a couple of years ago. I wish I could tell you that I'm religiously out there turning it every day, but I'm not. It does seem to turn to compost much quicker, but there's never any worms in it and really not all that much insect life. There could be lots of microbe life in there, but I've never looked.

 

[Blacksmith101]

I made a 2 barrel compost system a couple of years ago. I wish I could tell you that I'm religiously out there turning it every day, but I'm not. It does seem to turn to compost much quicker, but there's never any worms in it and really not all that much insect life. There could be lots of microbe life in there, but I've never looked.
View attachment 468484

Turning Compost by Temperature - Rodale Institute

Composting research at Rodale Institute is geared towards developing methods that will produce quality compost and clarify some of the best practices

rodaleinstitute.org

Vermicomposting for Beginners - Rodale Institute

Vermicomposting, or worm composting, produces a rich organic soil amendment containing a diversity of plant nutrients and beneficial microorganisms.

rodaleinstitute.org

 

[Archeryrob]

Corn it planted. Let’s see what heritage versions work any better. Ordered some yellow dent corn to try growing cranberry beans on also

 

[capinyoass]

Befor next season contact Seedway and order a variety called “Kate”.

Your welcome.

 

[Sundazes]

Is silver queen still a thing? That was THEE best corn on the face of this earth.

 

[Archeryrob]

I am trying to stay heritage. My main test this year is growing to really feed us, not supplement. Trying corn with beans growing on them to see if the production is better. I get crap corn without fertilizer.

Trying yellow dent also as field corn seems to be more stable and stronger stalked. Want to see if the sweet corn falls over supporting beans and yellow dent does good. I got a mixture of rows and hills to compare

I grew silver queen last year and it lacked flavor. Assuming nutrient deficient. But my Daughter said NEVER grow it again! Incredible variety had awesome flavor, but lacked in production, as all corn has. I may try it again unless one of the impress me.

 

[adit]

The reason SQ went away was it's lack of bug resistance, smaller kernels, 40 extra days to grow, shelf life of 2-3 days before going bland, and other corns being sweeter.

 

[Archeryrob]

Put in three long rows of yellow dent heritage corn. Supposed to be stronger stalk to see if beans grow better on it. The garden is so wet the dirt even clumped my my hillbilly shoes

 

[Archeryrob]

People say online seed potatoes shouldn’t be smaller than 2” and preferably bigger. These are 3/4” and aren’t even golf ball size. Cleaning and cultivating weeds and found them and dug and relocated to see how they produce. Small ones seed just fine

 

[Archeryrob]

Planted 57 Kale plants tonight. At 1' apart the don't take up a lot of room and will grow until December. Grew them in a flat and trays since last month.
Potato rows 1 and 2 are taking off on the front end where they were chitted up good. Back end is slower and one or two popping bu they hardly chitted. Rows 3 and 4 store potatoes as seeds and not up yet because no chits on store potatoes. .
Corn is just starting to pop through the ground.
Put in a cattle panel and 20' florida weed of 6.5' stakes with pinto beans.
Corns will get navy, cranberry and pinto beans on it once 6" tall and squash around them to try the three sister approach. See if it growns better with the nitrogen from the beans. Or the beans pull them over in the wind.
Probably plant Okra soon for the retired neighbors. They love it, I ain't found the "right" way to make it it seems. She's going to teach me. Or so I was told.