Posted on 05/07/2010 6:30:17 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning gardeners! If you are a gardener or you are just starting out and are in need of advice or just encouragement please feel free to join in and enjoy the friendly discussion. There are many Freepers from all over the Good Ol’ USA that are willing and eager to help.
I thought a little primer on fertilizers might come in handy this time of year especially to those of you just starting out.
What do the numbers mean?
Every bag or container of commercial fertilizer has a three number code that tells you the percentage that that particular fertilizer has of the "Big Three" nutrients used by plants.
The big three nutrients are, in the order listed on the container:
A bag of fertilizer labeled as 13-13-13 will have equal percentages of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium for a total of 39%; the rest is filler.
Ideally a soil test is needed to determine how much of these nutriments your soil needs.
Also the type of vegetables or plants you are growing may require different percentages of these nutriments to grow or produce successfully. Know your plants needs.
And remember small amounts will go a long way. Don't over fertilize. Too much at one time or too often can overwhelm plant systems and cause problems.
I grew up in SA and my mom used to make green papaya pie! Yummy!
For me that would be Red Payapas! They are sooooooo good! Oh please don’t tease me with guavas! When we lived in Hawaii they sold guava juice in quart containers (like milk cartons) I could drink that stuff all day, so round an mellow on the tongue!
‘Bout time you got here!! :)
I am on the Alabama gulf coast, so we know hot and humid. I learned at an early age the benefit of 100% cotton clothes in the summertime. Around here my wife is through with flower gardening by the end of June, and the local U-Pic farms close so that nobdy has a heat stroke while picking.
I simply hammer the rebar stakes into the ground next to the plant and tie the plant as it grows. If you drive the rebar pretty deep, it never fails. Here in Louisiana we have tropical storms and hurricanes and I've never had a tomatoe stake blow down.
My husband rigged up a thingee that pulls the stakes up at the end of the year ... mostly unbent. If a rebar stake does get bent, I put it in the vice on the workbench and unbend it.
Wow, that’s an impressive list — especially the butterbeans.
I guess you can what you dont eat or do you give away/sell off your surplus?
You have a nice spread. Is your soil sandy or clay? It looks on the sandy side
Then you shall acclimatize readily, I should think.
Besides! You’re a guy and nobody minds when they see a guy with sweat pouring down his face. However, it does interfere with the “look” and a woman’s makeup! LOL.
I have a dumb gardening question.
Why are pumpkins and squash, etc. supposed to be planted in mounds? What is the purpose of a mound?
Just something I always wondered about.
Mornin', Tube. I don't go to the farmer's market. Last year the excess produce that I sold was right there at my little garden shed. We actually eat and can most of what I grow, but this year I will be trying to have a little produce stand here at the shed.
The Algoflash fertilizer—
I suppose one could consider that a shameless plug- but I consider it telling me something I want to know.
I planted the two grape vines I bought from Jungs, yesterday. I am looking forward to their producing in a few years.
Incidently- I see alot of garden catalogs and it is hard to find grapes that like my growing zone. I had several choices from Jung.
I have bought guava juice at my local walmart. Its by the OJ, in cartons. Its close to the real thing.
My wife is from southern Mississippi. There the women dont sweat, they glisten in the sunshine!
In years past I've given excess away, except for cukes, which I can sell to a guy who peddles them. Last year I sold some extra stuff and some purple hulled peas that we planted to sell. I really enjoyed it and the money is good, so this year I'm going to try selling a variety of things.
Here at the house, we are on the Macon Ridge, which is prime sandy soil ... very rich and well drained. On the other side of the bayou that divides our property the soil is a heavy black clay that has been deposited by the Mississippi River since forever.
It is odd to have such different soils within 100 feet of each other.
Are you growing pumpkins and watermelons this year?
Excellent ... that's exactly why I post photos to share my brainstorms.
Ever tried a pawpaw, Red? It has a similar taste to mango or so i am told.
this weekend we are going to plant our veggies. all the usual suspects in 3 5X20 raised beds. looking over the thread i see others who used cement blocks and are planting the “cubbie holes”. i intend to put some marigolds in the cubbies of my garden blocks. note i said “intend”. it remains to be seen whether that actually happens or not. i intended to do that last year and only wound up growing weeds in the darn things.
have a great day, folks!
Glad to have a little time today ;-)
Your garden spot is gorgeous! So fine it looks like rich, black flour.
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