2022 gardening thread.

[Saltwater60]

Something leveled my shishito pepper plants. Was going to Star harvesting them and found the peppers, leaves & stems were completely eaten.

I’m truly sorry to hear this. I struggle greatly with animals getting at my fruit trees and berries. So frustrating. I’m going to take action for next year.

 

[Saltwater60]

What do you all think did this? It appears there is a nest in the top of the arborvitae. I’m thinking it was a squirrel. Super pissed they did this. They also chew the branches off my apple and peach trees to drop the fruit. This was perfectly lush and filled in yesterday afternoon.

 

[99cummins]

Our cukes were a complete loss. Just too dry this year. I need to up my irrigation game. Time to go on a search for more rain barrels.

We were struggling to keep our gardens watered enough early the season. Bought a t-post mounted sprinkler and a water timer and the garden took off after that. Programmed the timer to water for 1 hour every night at 1am.

 

[camper4lyfe]

We were struggling to keep our gardens watered enough early the season. Bought a t-post mounted sprinkler and a water timer and the garden took off after that. Programmed the timer to water for 1 hour every night at 1am.

I only have rain barrels to water my garden, but I'm also only collecting the water off half of my shed. 1-2 more 55 gallon drums plus gutters on the rest of my shed are top of the list right now. I also plan to add a 12V transfer pump so we don't have to fart around with watering cans anymore.

 

[99cummins]

I only have rain barrels to water my garden, but I'm also only collecting the water off half of my shed. 1-2 more 55 gallon drums plus gutters on the rest of my shed are top of the list right now. I also plan to add a 12V transfer pump so we don't have to fart around with watering cans anymore.

We are lucky to have water fairly close to the garden. About 75ft to a yard hydrant in one of the barns. And a well that has yet to ever give us problems.

 

[Saltwater60]

I only have rain barrels to water my garden, but I'm also only collecting the water off half of my shed. 1-2 more 55 gallon drums plus gutters on the rest of my shed are top of the list right now. I also plan to add a 12V transfer pump so we don't have to fart around with watering cans anymore.

We have had essentially zero rain by me in July and August. We’ve had one storm worth anything that would produce any volume of rain. Other than that nothing.

 

[camper4lyfe]

We have had essentially zero rain by me in July and August. We’ve had one storm worth anything that would produce any volume of rain. Other than that nothing.

Amazingly, both of my barrels are completely full. I was amazed when I saw that the other day. Until that, they lived around 50% capacity most of the summer. I was really late getting them hooked up, so I definitely missed the Spring rain. If I can get 2 more barrels, and get them hooked up early enough, I should be good for a while.

 

[Saltwater60]

Amazingly, both of my barrels are completely full. I was amazed when I saw that the other day. Until that, they lived around 50% capacity most of the summer. I was really late getting them hooked up, so I definitely missed the Spring rain. If I can get 2 more barrels, and get them hooked up early enough, I should be good for a while.

Man I’m watering everyday twice per day. I’m starting to get sick of it honestly. I’m going to run a soaker hose to the larger of my two veggie patches since the hose bib is right there.

 

[masterswimmer]

Man I’m watering everyday twice per day. I’m starting to get sick of it honestly. I’m going to run a soaker hose to the larger of my two veggie patches since the hose bib is right there.

Soaker hose along with a timer is what I use. It's an awesome time-saver.

Melnor Hose Timer

 

[Saltwater60]

Soaker hose along with a timer is what I use. It's an awesome time-saver.

Melnor Hose Timer

I’ll be doing that next season. I have to get a few things set up first. There’s a patch of grass between my house and my neighbors I will eventually turn into all garden beds and I’ll do the same there. I’m now set to soaker hose my veggie patch but I’m doing a major expansion next season so I will wait for that. I will also line the bed with cardboard then to keep water in and keep weeds down.

 

[S&W Fan]

Getting some really nice green and cubanelle peppers in. I just picked these to stuff with homemade Spanish rice and toss on the grill to char.

 

[S&W Fan]

I’ll be picking a ton of hot peppers tomorrow to can and to make a big batch of hot sauce. The jalapeño and Portuguese hots are coming in like gang busters.

 

[99cummins]

Anyone grow any winter crops? Wife bought a small greenhouse and I’ve heard you can grow some lettuce and some root crops through winter in our zone. Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[Saltwater60]

I’ve

Anyone grow any winter crops? Wife bought a small greenhouse and I’ve heard you can grow some lettuce and some root crops through winter in our zone. Anyone have any experience with it?

I’ve known people that have done this. February can get tough if it’s cold and not sunny. My science teacher in 6th grade overwintered geraniums a few years with plastic alone and the dryer vent going into the plastic. I guess it worked well and I’ve seen the results personally.

 

[GTN]

y potato plants were dying off so I harvested them and I got enough for a meal out of a few plants. A couple produced almost nothing and the few looked great and produced a good bit.

My 10 5gal buckets of potatoes are not doing so good this year.
1 bucket died off with no spuds. 2nd one produced a bunch of marbles.
Next one was enough for a meal for 4.
I’m letting the next 7cook some more but the tops are dying off

 

[GTN]

Amazingly, both of my barrels are completely full. I was amazed when I saw that the other day. Until that, they lived around 50% capacity most of the summer. I was really late getting them hooked up, so I definitely missed the Spring rain. If I can get 2 more barrels, and get them hooked up early enough, I should be good for a while.

I’m 2 miles north of you and I doubt I could have filled a 5 gal bucket

 

[camper4lyfe]

I’m 2 miles north of you and I doubt I could have filled a 5 gal bucket

It amazes me how localized the rain has been lately. My parents are a couple miles west of you and they don’t get rain that we do, or they get rain we don’t.

 

[Saltwater60]

My 10 5gal buckets of potatoes are not doing so good this year.
1 bucket died off with no spuds. 2nd one produced a bunch of marbles.
Next one was enough for a meal for 4.
I’m letting the next 7cook some more but the tops are dying off

I just drove by an entire potato field this weekend in my area and they looked like shit too. All wilting and yellowing leaves like mine. I got a meal for 4 out of maybe 8-9 plants. First time growing and next year I’ll be amending the soil better and lose ing it better. I mixed in pear moss but the soil was still really hard for whatever reason.

 

[GTN]

I just drove by an entire potato field this weekend in my area and they looked like shit too. All wilting and yellowing leaves like mine. I got a meal for 4 out of maybe 8-9 plants. First time growing and next year I’ll be amending the soil better and lose ing it better. I mixed in pear moss but the soil was still really hard for whatever reason.

Past three years I’ve had good yields from 5 buckets. I used crappy dirt from a pile out back and watered every day. This year I bought good new dirt but watered a little less. My fault on the watering. But I had good loose dirt.
everything else (beets, pepper, lettuce, broccoli) is doing like crap except for cherry tomatoes. I’m probably close to 400 picked so far from 5 plants. Big tomato plants (2) are huge and have 30-40 green tomatoes on them but nothing is ripening yet

 

[Saltwater60]

Past three years I’ve had good yields from 5 buckets. I used crappy dirt from a pile out back and watered every day. This year I bought good new dirt but watered a little less. My fault on the watering. But I had good loose dirt.
everything else (beets, pepper, lettuce, broccoli) is doing like crap except for cherry tomatoes. I’m probably close to 400 picked so far from 5 plants. Big tomato plants (2) are huge and have 30-40 green tomatoes on them but nothing is ripening yet

I’m having the same issue with the larger tomatoes and I have read of it’s over 85 they will not ripen. Mine is on a raised box on my driveway so I’m assuming that’s my issue.
As for tomatoes they tell you to plant them on a three year rotation so it’s hilarious they didn’t grow well for you when you replaced the soil. It’s ridiculous isn’t it?
I care for my fruit trees, prune them proper, water them proper, feed them proper and I get very little fruit some are young and most times it’s weather or pest related but there is this guy I work for and he does nothing to his fruit trees, they are shaded by a large maple tree, they are planted too close to each other and he gets tons of fruit. I don’t get it and it pisses me off. He has a pear, an apple, and a plum and they are just loaded with fruit.

 

[Tintalieau]

With some things starting to come in and the zucchini producing for a while, i always run out of ideas to use all the zucchini. My neighbor told me about a couple recipes for baked goods using it. It was a game changer, my wife hates cooked apples, so the zucchini worked out better. Its really amazing, you would swear it was apples, slightly firmer and not mealy-which is what my wife hates.

Mock Apple Crumb Pie (Made with Zucchini)

No-Apple (Zucchini) Crisp

 

[camper4lyfe]

Anyone have any suggestions for weed control? My garden is completely overrun by them this year, to the point that you can't even see dirt. I'm wondering about a pre-emergent to get ahead of the game, but need to keep it food safe for obvious reasons.

 

[Saltwater60]

Weeds

Anyone have any suggestions for weed control? My garden is completely overrun by them this year, to the point that you can't even see dirt. I'm wondering about a pre-emergent to get ahead of the game, but need to keep it food safe for obvious reasons.

Weeds are terrible this year. Best is to put cardboard over the garden for the winter then just till it in. If it’s still a problem cardboard between the rows and just leave dirt exposed where plants are growing.

 

[camper4lyfe]

Weeds

Weeds are terrible this year. Best is to put cardboard over the garden for the winter then just till it in. If it’s still a problem cardboard between the rows and just leave dirt exposed where plants are growing.

I was also thinking about landscape fabric around the plants next year.

 

[Saltwater60]

I was also thinking about landscape fabric around the plants next year.

That fabric sucks imo. Weeds grow on top of it and through it. When you pull them the fabric lifts and causes a mess. Animals dig through it and under it. I had a woodchuck rip mine up for my flagstone patio bad. Also it’s more breathable so weed don’t die.

 

[camper4lyfe]

That fabric sucks imo. Weeds grow on top of it and through it. When you pull them the fabric lifts and causes a mess. Animals dig through it and under it. I had a woodchuck rip mine up for my flagstone patio bad. Also it’s more breathable so weed don’t die.

Since I till my garden every year, the fabric would only be temporary each year. I'll look into cardboard, though. With how much my wife buys on Amazon, there's no shortage of it in our house. My sister-in-law's husband keeps offering me black plastic, but that seems like it would make watering (and rain) a huge issue.

 

[Saltwater60]

Since I till my garden every year, the fabric would only be temporary each year. I'll look into cardboard, though. With how much my wife buys on Amazon, there's no shortage of it in our house. My sister-in-law's husband keeps offering me black plastic, but that seems like it would make watering (and rain) a huge issue.

Plastic will make what you said a PIA unless you irrigate under it.
If you till your garden in the fall, add a double layer of cardboard in the fall after tilling, then till agin in the spring it will cut the weeds down dramatically. Keep the cardboard wet until it conforms to the soil contours or it will blow away. Then in spring just till the cardboard into the soil. You can cardboard in between the rows of it’s a problem during the growing season. It will keep things cleaner anyway.
madding and removing the fabric will be a pain. You’ll need to staple it or weight it down and moving all that stuff is a pain.

 

[Saltwater60]

Finally some rain. 2” this week.

 

[S&W Fan]

Plastic will make what you said a PIA unless you irrigate under it.
If you till your garden in the fall, add a double layer of cardboard in the fall after tilling, then till agin in the spring it will cut the weeds down dramatically. Keep the cardboard wet until it conforms to the soil contours or it will blow away. Then in spring just till the cardboard into the soil. You can cardboard in between the rows of it’s a problem during the growing season. It will keep things cleaner anyway.
madding and removing the fabric will be a pain. You’ll need to staple it or weight it down and moving all that stuff is a pain.

Yup cardboard is the ticket. Best part, it’s free and works well. Once my plants come up I’l usually mulch as heavy as possible with chopped straw . It keeps the weeds down pretty well and helps to keep the soil moist between waterings.

 

[Saltwater60]

Finally with the past few cooler days some of my tomatoes are turning red. Some have been green and on the vine for almost two months now.