Baymule's 2016 Garden

[Denim Deb]

We've finally warmed up. I was getting tired of making a fire.

 

[baymule]

@Mini Horses I just use a disc. I am going toward a no-till garden. I have a lot of pine shavings from a local horse event center piled in the garden. I had pigs in it all winter and they rooted big holes, so I dragged the disc around and around to smooth it out. I will just keep adding more mulch and compost on top. Over several years, the soil gets so deep and loose that you don't need to till. Save your money. LOL

I just use a garden rake to make my rows, pretty much flat. Those big piled up rows just shed water, it all runs off and the plants stay dry.

I planted my tomatoes into cardboard. I set up cow panels 18" apart and planted tomatoes in between. I laid down cardboard to keep the weeds down. I used to garden in beds at our old house and I opened up paper feed sacks, weighed them down with bricks, cut holes in the paper and inserted the plants.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep -- saving my $$$. those darn tillers are $1500-2000 generally. Found one at Agri Supply $1100. But my disc does a great job, especially since the soil is pretty good already. This was a P-nut farm before I bought it. My pigs & ckns have been working this garden area. Plus I do have a lot of mulch, barn stall cleanings, etc. Not hard dirt at all and lots of amenities. If I need any "small till" area, I'll use my pull tiller or the walk behind....can we say "too many" tillers.

Also noticed that my little, rarely used disc costs $875+ now. So my $250 buy from a guy was a great deal! Been few years but, in great shape. Probably not more than 20-25 hrs on that rascal and in great soil. Discs will cut you if you aren't careful.

 

[baymule]

Crows pulled up every single corn sprout and ate the kernel off. Needless to say, all the corn died. I replanted and my husband helped me make heavy wire hoops. I placed them over the corn rows and covered with bird netting, held on place by clothes pins. The Painted Mountain corn is about 5" tall now. It is a meal corn, I really want a big batch of cornbread. In a few weeks, I will plant Anasazi Sweet Corn, so they don't cross pollinate.

I have yellow crook neck squash putting on 2nd and 3rd leaves. I have yellow patty pan squash and zucchini coming up. I planted calico peas and pink eye purple hulls, they are starting to come up. I planted melons, watermelons, green cotton, banana peppers and beets.

I spread compost, laid out cardboard and pounded in T-posts. My husband helped me set cow panels 18" apart and clipped them to the T-posts. I cut holes in the cardboard and planted tomatoes.

I hope I have better success with this year's garden. Starting from raw land is a lot of work! I have 55 baby chicks right now in a brooder. I am saving the papers from the poop trays, going to compost them with horse manure. I'll let it cook all summer, it ought to be ready for the fall garden.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

And goats ate the tops of my corn....ugh! Thankfully, with a little TLC, they seem to be surviving - can't say thriving - just surviving. That seems to be a common theme in my garden this year.

 

[baymule]

After a year and half with NO garden, I just want SOMETHING from my garden to eat!

 

[sumi]

I hope it will go well now, @baymule! Goodness, you've got a lot done and planted over there.

 

[Denim Deb]

I want to get mine planted! But it looks like it's finally going to be warmer and dryer this weekend, so I should finally be able to get out there and do something.

 

[baymule]

Happy Dance!!

I have 14 little green marbles that will grow up to be tomatoes!!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Woo hoo - congrats! I've been lucky this year - no stink bugs! I wonder if they can swim...most likely not because summpin' killed them!