[carbking]

I retired from gardening after last season; even put the John Deere up for sale.

And then the virus hit.

Decided since the John Deere had not sold, I could "unretire" and do a garden this year.

Typically, order seeds online (used the same company for at leas 60 years), and acquire plants locally. Used to grow plants from seeds, and then set them out, but a lot of trouble, and I am lazy

So got the seeds with no problem. About 3 weeks ago, went to buy seed potatoes, and these were available only in a sealed 5 pound bag (grrrrr). Well, bought the bag, took it home and opened. What a disappointment. Worse seed potatoes I had seen in 70 plus years of gardening. But I cut them, allowed them to seal, and then put them in the ground. Should be up (if they come up) next week.

Have done the first planting of seeds (do about 4 plantings a couple of weeks apart, to space out the harvest).

Too early to set out plants, but today decided to buy them early. So went looking for plants. I think at least half of Miller County beat me to the plant suppliers. Not a single eggplant in our town. The small flats of tomatoes, peppers, and tomatoes were virtually gone. The larger plants that were left, were not marked as to the company; but probably came from the "James, Starr, and Younger Plant Company"! Tomato plants $4.00 each! (normally 4 for $1.79). Pepper plants $3.75 each (normally 4 for $1.59). Cabbage plants $2.00 each (if you watch the sale ads, you can buy nice heads of cabbage for $1.75)!!!

Finally ended up at the Amish store, and found some decent tomatoes and cabbage at normal prices. The Amish had one flat of bell peppers left, which I purchased; but it is a variety I had never heard of.

OK, the picked over plants is on me; I should have gone sooner. But the prices????? Am not used to these in the baja boondocks of central Missouri. One would think we were in Daytona, and the Daytona 500 was tomorrow!

Lesson learned. I still have all my seed starting stuff left. If I do this next year, I will order my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed online, and raise my own plants.

So, end of rant. Now to hook up the electronic whizbang that is supposed to keep the deer, rabbits, etc. out of the garden. If it doesn't work as advertised, I may raise hasenfpeffer and venison in the garden!

Jon.

[bob d]

CARB KING. Thanks for the heads up I live in upstate N.Y. it's still snowing up here. As soon as the green houses start to open up I'll get over there fast as my GTO will get me there. Bob.

[dataway]

Bob, you gotta be close to me ... was snowing at my house this morning. I'm in the Saratoga area.

We are planning on buying three livestock troughs, cutting them in half height wise and using them for raised gardens this year. Going to mount them on skids so I can tow them wherever we want with the tractors ... and more importantly to tow them out of sight when the wife gets tired of gardening ... which will be about two months after she starts

[77 TRASHCAN]

Thanks for the "feel good" rant. At least a feel fgood to me. I grew up in Iowa, we always had a garden, myself and 3 brothers were always a part of it. I live in a small house, with not room for a garden...A good memory. Post up some pictures, show us your produce!!!
THanks
Jeff

[vertigto]

I feel bad for you NYers dealing with snow this late. Originally from Clifton Park and family still in Latham and wife's family near Schenectady. Odd time for everything it seems...

[bob d]

Hey dataway. I live near Utica. How's the wind blowing it blew my hat of then I went to the store. All this with everything else that is going on. Bob. Your garden idea sounds good so you can move around into the sun.

[carbking]

Jeff - as requested.

This is the second picking of part of the green bean crop a couple of years ago. For second picking, easier to pull the vines, and sit under a shade tree to pick the beans than to bend over and pick them on the ground. From memory, we canned close to 100 quarts of beans that year!

Jon.

[242177P]

Originally Posted by carbking

... easier to pull the vines, and sit under a shade tree to pick the beans than to bend over and pick them on the ground.

Working smarter always beats working harder.

[TAKerry]

Nice Gator, I have always wanted one, no reason to have one just wanted one, LOL. I dont garden and never have, we didn't have a garden growing up, dad was too busy working. My neighbor on the other had one to be reckoned with. It was the width of his 1/4 acre lot. Every row was perfect, never a weed one. He spent just about every available minute working in it.

[carbking]

Since my parents have passed, we no longer do a huge garden, this year's edition is approximately 50 x 100. Used to do 50 x 125.

Gator was acquired by being on Ebay at the right time! Sometimes it happens, more often it happens to someone else!

Jon.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Picked up the first of my tomato plants last week. Nine Cherokee Purples. As soon as my German Queens arrive I’ll be ready.

[JC455]

I'm trying something new this year- Growing the pole beans and cucumbers up a trellis- my wife showed me a video where these folks were getting fantastic results, so we decided to try it out.

I have been unable to find seed potatoes locally, so I'm thinking I might just sprout some and go from there- done it before, and we got got potatoes from them.

Corn was the hardest seed for me to find after searching 3 or so Wallyworlds and Home Depots, I finally found a few packets, so they are planted... already have about 30 stalks that're 2-3" out of the soil.

I was buying plants at HD last month and was amazed at the number of people who were gonna grow a garden- I mean, good for them, but it was just more panic buying... people grabbing things, damaging other plants, and just being jerks about how they conducted themselves... makes ya sad.

[Firedup6975]

Originally Posted by carbking

I retired from gardening after last season; even put the John Deere up for sale.

And then the virus hit.

Decided since the John Deere had not sold, I could "unretire" and do a garden this year.

Typically, order seeds online (used the same company for at leas 60 years), and acquire plants locally. Used to grow plants from seeds, and then set them out, but a lot of trouble, and I am lazy

So got the seeds with no problem. About 3 weeks ago, went to buy seed potatoes, and these were available only in a sealed 5 pound bag (grrrrr). Well, bought the bag, took it home and opened. What a disappointment. Worse seed potatoes I had seen in 70 plus years of gardening. But I cut them, allowed them to seal, and then put them in the ground. Should be up (if they come up) next week.

Have done the first planting of seeds (do about 4 plantings a couple of weeks apart, to space out the harvest).

Too early to set out plants, but today decided to buy them early. So went looking for plants. I think at least half of Miller County beat me to the plant suppliers. Not a single eggplant in our town. The small flats of tomatoes, peppers, and tomatoes were virtually gone. The larger plants that were left, were not marked as to the company; but probably came from the "James, Starr, and Younger Plant Company"! Tomato plants $4.00 each! (normally 4 for $1.79). Pepper plants $3.75 each (normally 4 for $1.59). Cabbage plants $2.00 each (if you watch the sale ads, you can buy nice heads of cabbage for $1.75)!!!

Finally ended up at the Amish store, and found some decent tomatoes and cabbage at normal prices. The Amish had one flat of bell peppers left, which I purchased; but it is a variety I had never heard of.

OK, the picked over plants is on me; I should have gone sooner. But the prices????? Am not used to these in the baja boondocks of central Missouri. One would think we were in Daytona, and the Daytona 500 was tomorrow!

Lesson learned. I still have all my seed starting stuff left. If I do this next year, I will order my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed online, and raise my o wn plants.

So, end of rant. Now to hook up the electronic whizbang that is supposed to keep the deer, rabbits, etc. out of the garden. If it doesn't work as advertised, I may raise hasenfpeffer and venison in the garden!

Jon.

Huh did you say John Deere? You just got my attention. We are a John Deere family too. We have a 47 and a 48 unstyled. The cars are mostly my hobby the tractors are Mikes. He has a few others too. Ferguson we have a Gravely rototiller but this year we’re doing box beds and only planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and egg plant.

[dataway]

Gotta love the tractors ... wife I just today spent a couple of hours hand mounting a 11.2 x 24 R1 Ag tire on the rim. Fought with it for an hour, then I got out the porta-power and stretched that baby right on to the rim

[carbking]

Update - this year was particularly challenging with the garden. The afore-mentioned plant shortage was just the beginning. Then the weather was just plain weird! Cold, then hot, then wet, then cold, then hot again. Replanted the zucchini three times, the beans twice, and the cucumbers once.

But starting to see positive results. Swiss chard is really nice. Turnips are coming in. First planting of beets will be ready for canning next week. The rest of the garden really looks nice. Hope that statement doesn't jinx me. We haven't had the obligatory 4th of July storm yet.

Oh, and the electronic whizbang that is supposed to keep the animals out of the garden. Is just about as reliable as one of the electronic whizbangs sold to the car hobby! Watch the squirrels dance to the beat of the ultrasonic pulses. A real P.T. Barnum item. I guess I joined the club of "true believers"!

Jon.

[dataway]

Our garden came in great the first couple of weeks ... now it's not looking so good. We had a couple of nights in the high 30's, and less than half our normal rain. Same thing here, just weird weather.

[SRR]

Originally Posted by carbking

Update - this year was particularly challenging with the garden. The afore-mentioned plant shortage was just the beginning. Then the weather was just plain weird! Cold, then hot, then wet, then cold, then hot again. Replanted the zucchini three times, the beans twice, and the cucumbers once.

But starting to see positive results. Swiss chard is really nice. Turnips are coming in. First planting of beets will be ready for canning next week. The rest of the garden really looks nice. Hope that statement doesn't jinx me. We haven't had the obligatory 4th of July storm yet.

Oh, and the electronic whizbang that is supposed to keep the animals out of the garden. Is just about as reliable as one of the electronic whizbangs sold to the car hobby! Watch the squirrels dance to the beat of the ultrasonic pulses. A real P.T. Barnum item. I guess I joined the club of "true believers"!

Jon.

I was planting sunflowers and when the shoots would get about 3" tall they would disappear...darn Rabbits were eating them. So now I grow them in pots and transplant when they get about a foot tall. I wouldn't harvest the seeds. It was cool to see what birds would show up to eat them.

[carbking]

I made "cages" from 1/2 inch hardware cloth that are roughly 12 inches tall by 6 inch diameter. I place these around all of the plants (tomato, cabbage, pepper, eggplant) that we set out, and leave them until the plants are well started. Protects against birds, rabbits, and WIND.

As for the rabbits: if you have a strong arm, you can use the dial-type inline fuel pressure regulators to throw at the rabbits. Best use I have found for them

And I seem to remember Bugs Bunny gave Elmer fits with the carrots. But Missouri bunnies prefer beet tops. A couple of rabbits can clean a 50 foot row of beets in a couple of nights.

Jon.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Drought seems to have hit the past 3- weeks. As of today:
Lettuce is good
Arugula bolted, and should go back to doing good.
Tomatoes showing flowers.
Peppers plants still small.
Fig trees 4 for 4 doing good.
Onions good for Aug-Sept.
Beans and Peas looking okay.
Basil promising.

Chestnut tree neede water!
Corn about 3-10" tall
Hops 1 for 4
Sunflowers ZERO of 50.
Cana bulbs ZERO of ~50.
Rosemary Zero of 4
Other herbs are small.

Need water & organic stuff in the soil.

[bob d]

I bought from the Farmers Almanac site Dr. Jim Z fertilizer called Chicken Soup and Tomatoe Secret. Put up a full fence. Great results from the fertilizers. Best garden I have ever had. Worth a look. Thanks Bob.