Posted on 02/10/2017 2:10:25 PM PST by greeneyes
You have my sympathy.
Just remember the rules of horticulture :
(#1)Rotate your crops / keep a garden guide cartoon as reference to where crops were, and next where they should go.
(#2)Be aware of family types in the rotation since repetition breeds disease likelihood or insect pests :
(solanacious plants: includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants,etc.)
(cole crops/Brassicas :Cabbage, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, Bok Choy, etc.)
(#3)Healthy soil generally makes for healthy crops, especially in rotation, maximizing fertility usage.
(#4) A good general use (N/P/K) fertilizer is 15-15-15
If you intend to keep seeds, try to keep 200 yard distance between hybrids and heirlooms , so as to NOT CROSS-POLLINATE ;
bees work flowers without benefit of a compass.
That’s exactly what I do.
Thanks.
(((HUGS)))
Thanks very much !
Just now facing up to and rectifying the catastrophic deep freeze CenTex got a month ago. Everything’s dead. Old, valuable things, all over the area, dead.
Dig a ten dollar hole for a five dollar tree. (Put the topsoil on a tarp)
In the hole mix 15-15-15 into the soil, and form to a triangle or pyramid with some of the topsoil
Spread the roots onto the pyramid so they all point outward an don't cross each other (avoid girdled roots)
Mix the remainder of the topsoil with fertilizer, water well, and compress the soil around the roots to form a shallow dish shape (for water retention).
When ever trimming live growth, or pruning, never remove more than 1/3 of the live growth (avoid plant shock).
Prune while dormant, and apply dormant oil spray in late winter, or early spring (during frost) to kill insect pests.(not necessary in first year transplant)
Look at the new Watercolors rose. Changes colors all day. Mine are doing great, along with my Knockouts. I go with the single-bloom, which is more fragrant, an antique, really, rather than the double rose.
Yeah ! I know , but I am preaching to the choir !
Some folks are just starting out, and looking for just a little assistance
and success breeds more success, or a willingness to experiment
and that success leads to larger gardens and more experimentation on crops with which they are unfamiliar.
My experiment this year is celeriac, salsify and parsnips
as well as the 'Guerilla garden'.
Guerilla garden?
Hadn’t heard of them. MUST investigate. Thanks.
Went to til the soil...not only has the frost line gotten deeper but the tiller is covered with a foot of snow(more if you count the drifting because of the winds....snowy February ....I’ll break ground one of these days....I did buy Plutoniom tipped tiller blades from Alibaba for the tiller , once it gets above 15 degrees I’ll try them out.....the Chinese outfit says it will cut through frosted soil like fresh Kemshi! I wonder why a site like Alibaba is the only site offering the blades?....
Rainfall for the season is 170% of normal and it’s to slippery to walk in the garden. All of our rivers are currently at flood stage but a few days of no rain are forecast. New Strawberry plants are still on the cold frame and are looking very healthy. Lady Bender has all the seed catalogs spread out on the dining room table
That’s really sad to hear. I’m sorry to hear about it. Good luck with working on everything.
Well, maybe just introduce the additional information to say you are expanding on the topic? That way I know that you know that I know the info? LOL
Maybe because it’s made in China? I don’t know, but sounds like an interesting gadget.
You might have to put up some coverings over the garden, and some drainage pipes around them, if that keeps up. Be careful-don’t want any falls.
God Bless you. I’m happy to hear you’ve got a break from winter :)
I’ve got some of my seedlings sprouted nicely which is a major praise report. Last week I was thinking I’d lost them all. They got hot and very dry a couple of weeks ago when I was not able to get up and look after them. For me, that is one of the blessings of my garden, it’s more forgiving than critters in a crisis. I’ve wanted some chickens and a couple of milk goats but those babies would need me to get up and care for them when it’s sometimes not possible. Hence, I love my plants even more :)
Got 3 tomatoes held over from last year that are covered in blooms and I don’t know why but Ive had two pepper plants (one a banana pepper and one bell pepper) that did not seem to take their winter rest. They’ve blessed me with enough so I’ve only purchased 3 bell peppers thru this whole winter. That included enough for ingredients in 10 quarts and 5 pints of canned chili and 14 qts and 20 pints of spaghetti sauce.
I know I’m speaking to people smart enough to know this but with the shortage of veggies we have to stock up on meat as well. Crop shortage problems will make the meat more scarce as well. Always surprises me when folks give me a “deer in the headlights” look when I bring that up in conversation.
Beautiful day here today. Supposed to be in the 80’s later and we have rain in the forecast. My rain barrels are just half full after watering yesterday so I will appreciate some rain.
Thanks a ton! I will do that.
“Hopefully this will be a good garden year for everyone!”
From your mouth to God’s ears. It will be a major blessing to have the bounty and subvert the news of veggie shortage ;)
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