Garden

[Vlad G 345]

 

I have heard you also get better drainage with raised beds.

 

You do, but that happens even when you don't want it, such as in hot dry spells where you want the soil to keep every bit of moisture you water in. Adding water holding components to your soil becomes important, things like peat moss or shredded coconut husks. 

[Carcano 14]

You do, but that happens even when you don't want it, such as in hot dry spells where you want the soil to keep every bit of moisture you water in. Adding water holding components to your soil becomes important, things like peat moss or shredded coconut husks. 

 

Thanks for the tip

 

I might build one to experiment with.

[Kevin125 4,772]

Kevin125 - I took out the grass along one side of property line. Like 2-3 wide but 15 feet long where I'll plant food. I have a wider section near the house with flowers and shrubs.

 

You don't need to be fancy. Just dirt, proper sunlight and water.

 

I have an area in mind that has decent soil and gets full sun.  Probably be about the size you described.  I'll do some flower pots as well but I can't leave them on the deck like we did a few times int he past. It's get so damn hot on there I'm pretty sure what ever we plant just cooks.  Our lone tomato plant last year was a sad sight.  Going to try leaving the pots on the ground near the garden.

 

And good fertilizer

 

Right. I have a decent amount of composted leaves as well.

 

While I like the idea of raised beds we have always done without them, good soil with organic fertilizer and I've always had nice yields from my plants.

 

I have heard you also get better drainage with raised beds.

 

Wanted to build one but time is my enemy.  So taking your path for this year I think.  I'm trying to make sure I have time to do this. Even a small construction project probably wouldn't help.

[Vlad G 345]

Building beds is easy, you don't really need corner posts and all that, just some 2x10's or 2x8's cut them to size screw them to each other. 

 

The hard part is filling them as you will likely need to buy dirt, fertilizer, etc and that can get expensive quick. Lets say you want one 4x8 bed. The wood is 3 2x10's at 8 ft each and a handful of screws. The filling at say 8" deep would be 22 cubic feet of dirt/compost/peat/etc  Buy that Home Depot or whatever and expect to end up paying about $100 for the dirt alone. 

 

If you have a different cheaper source of soil thats fine, but "free" soil is often that way for a reason, possibly contaminated, possibly full of herbicides and so on, and often devoid of most nutrients.  

[AS350Driver 56]

Built this a few weeks ago for our garden. It's 4'x4'. We've planted Pablano's, Jalepeno, Tomatos, Bell Peppers, and Cucumbers.

 

[Newtonian 453]

Years ago I used to plant 30 tomatoes, 15 peppers. Now I do a row of mixed lettuce, a row of carrots, half a row of beets, a row of potatoes, 8 or so tomatoes, 3-4 peppers, and miscellaneous stuff. We also have 3 fig trees, one lemon tree, 3 grape vines (jelly), two hardy kiwi bushes, a chokeberry and one other berry (forget) plus a wild blueberry. The asparagus never took. We plant cukes and zucchini in big pots because our soil has some kind of parasite that eats the roots. Plus edible flowers. We'll be picking lettuce in a couple of weeks.

 

I had a garden when I was 6 and lived in Hoboken. I could not imagine not having a garden. It's magic.

[Kevin125 4,772]

I may go with a 4x4 box Vlad. Pretty sure I have the wood. Soil should be a little easier to manage. Mostly I want to see if the box does any better than what I can do with my soil.

 

Nice box AS350. Looks like cedar.

 

Newtonian. That sounds like a decent sized garden. Carrots take some effect from what I recall. I'm thinking of peppers, tomatoes, string beans. And if I have enough space, some zucchini.

[Michael2013 56]

It's my wife's hobby, I'm just a helper...

Tomatoes - nine plants this year, all different.  Last year we had six, and it was way too much.  Still drinking home-made tomato juice.  But in 2013, also six, and not so much.

Spinach is growing from the last year, we can't eat it all   Same with salad and chives.  Garlic - planted in October, will be ready by July.  A "tower" of beans, another one for peas.  It is a little early for pepper, coming soon.  They will be in big buckets.  Cucumbers for sure.  Eggplants almost for sure.  They are quite productive.  A ton of flowers.

Also kohlrabi, turnip, radish, carrots, likely some beets...  I bet I can't recall everything

No trees.

[Michael2013 56]

I have a question for those with gardens.  Do you use beds like these? or just prep flat ground?  The bed this guy is preparing seems somewhat hard core.  Landscape mat, about 12" of vertical board and some critter fence.  But this guy probably doesn't have deer since those arborvitae haven't been touched.  I'm thinking about just planting a few things in the hopes I can get the kids to help out a bit.  But I don't want to build these sorts of beds if I don't have to.

 

Not exactly but close enough. We have smaller, about 3x8 feet, 12" tall. And a few smaller ones,

We started from pots on the porch many years ago. Next year, moved to the ground, flat, no raised beds. Third year and forward - raised beds,

[Oakridgefirearms 224]

http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-new-jersey-last-frost-date-map.php

I don't know where they got that information from, but historically May 10 was considered the last frost date for north central NJ. I've seen it even later than that. That map also is showing parts of West Milford in a warmer zone than areas just west of Newark and Elizabeth - not very realistic........

[Carcano 14]

I don't know where they got that information from, but historically May 10 was considered the last frost date for north central NJ. I've seen it even later than that. That map also is showing parts of West Milford in a warmer zone than areas just west of Newark and Elizabeth - not very realistic........

 

You are right, here is a link to NOAA:

 

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20supp1/states/NJ.pdf

[Michael2013 56]

I don't know where they got that information from, but historically May 10 was considered the last frost date for north central NJ. I've seen it even later than that. That map also is showing parts of West Milford in a warmer zone than areas just west of Newark and Elizabeth - not very realistic........

From my experience, May 10 is the last day of the below 50F nights for many recent years. This is a risk for tomatoes. This year we ignored the risk and planted the first tomatoes on April 29. Doing very well so far. Peppers and eggplants need a warmer soil, still waiting.

[ogfarmer 138]

I do just a little gardening....lol this is some of this years stuff, 3 kinds of cucumbers, 2 types of beets, red and green cabbage, zucchini, habaneros, eggplants, fennel, yellow squash, collards and Boston and green leaf lettuce .

 

[Carcano 14]

From my experience, May 10 is the last day of the below 50F nights for many recent years. This is a risk for tomatoes. This year we ignored the risk and planted the first tomatoes on April 29. Doing very well so far. Peppers and eggplants need a warmer soil, still waiting.

 

I'm taking my chances and planted early like you did and my plants have also been doing fine, temp hasn't fallen below 50F in SJ and I hope it stays that way.

[Carcano 14]

I do just a little gardening....lol this is some of this years stuff, 3 kinds of cucumbers, 2 types of beets, red and green cabbage, zucchini, habaneros, eggplants, fennel, yellow squash, collards and Boston and green leaf lettuce .

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135791.609107.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135805.458712.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135819.275431.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135830.994844.jpg

 

Wow! nice

[Michael2013 56]

I do just a little gardening....lol this is some of this years stuff, 3 kinds of cucumbers, 2 types of beets, red and green cabbage, zucchini, habaneros, eggplants, fennel, yellow squash, collards and Boston and green leaf lettuce .

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135791.609107.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135805.458712.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135819.275431.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1431135830.994844.jpg

Well, you can't expect less from ogFARMER.

[Vlad G 345]

ogfarmer, how do you deal with vine borers in squash at the scale you do things at?

[buell508 6]

ogfarmer, how do you deal with vine borers in squash at the scale you do things at?

I can't grow anything with a vine, the squash bugs have been killing me for about 8yr, i hate spraying, but have, i just don'grow squash,pumpkins,anymore.

[werder 0]

I also have a concord grape vine in the back that is at least 50 years old and still producing, I'm thinking about making some cuttings eventually.

 

Those scotch bonets are great peppers if you like heat but still want flavor

We have the same grapes. They make for an awesome preserve. (Jam)

[Golf battery 1,223]

Use sevin for squash bugs or cucumber beetles. Organically theyre hard to control. Im always collecting preying mantis cocoons and put them all over my nursery Its amazing to see the hundreds of miniature mantis that come out. If you want to screw with someone. Take a mantis cocoon and hide it in their house. A couple weeks later. Hundreds of them all over. I accidentally did it in my own house and in my truck once.

[Newtonian 453]

I would if I didn't have a Hurd of 10-15 deer living in my yard, from the depths of hell that destroy anything I try to grow. they have no idea who they're messing with! I have Basil, Italian parsley, oragano, and chives, growing on my deck in one of those hanging railing boxes. That's about the only place I can get anything to survive the night. I have a shit ton of Mint all over my yard I planted as a kid, from one plant I took home from my grandmother's house. Deer hate mint.

1. We never had deer until 3-4 years ago. People would say "I'd have a garden but the deer eat everything" and I'd tell them they were crazy. "You're just too damn lazy!" I'd say. Then the dear came. And more, and more. Last year the deer ate everything. And I live technically "in town."

 

2. You call yourself deerslayer. Slay the pathetic mo-fos!! Run out there naked in the middle of the night armed with nothing but a sharpened stone!

[Newtonian 453]

I can't grow anything with a vine, the squash bugs have been killing me for about 8yr, i hate spraying, but have, i just don'grow squash,pumpkins,anymore.

I read it's something in the soil, some kind of parasite. We successfully grow both zukes and cukes in large pots on our patio. We use fresh soil every year, recycle the old stuff for flower pots. 

[DeerSlayer 241]

1. We never had deer until 3-4 years ago. People would say "I'd have a garden but the deer eat everything" and I'd tell them they were crazy. "You're just too damn lazy!" I'd say. Then the dear came. And more, and more. Last year the deer ate everything. And I live technically "in town."

 

2. You call yourself deerslayer. Slay the pathetic mo-fos!! Run out there naked in the middle of the night armed with nothing but a sharpened stone!

Mrs deerslayer isn't down with me killing the yard deer. She names them when they're fawns. She has no problem with me killing "strange deer" though lol. Otherwise they would all be in my freezer.

[Newtonian 453]

My wife is just the opposite. She sees a buck on a truck with a tag on it and says, "awwww!" When they eat our lettuce she says ISN"T THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO KILL THOSE CREATURES!!!!???

 

She hates guns, she hates deer. She's conflicted.

[Carcano 14]

My wife is just the opposite. She sees a buck on a truck with a tag on it and says, "awwww!" When they eat our lettuce she says ISN"T THERE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO TO KILL THOSE CREATURES!!!!???

 

She hates guns, she hates deer. She's conflicted.

 

Is she OK with loud noises?

 

[Newtonian 453]

Is she OK with loud noises?

 

I shot a bunch of the two on the left. What are they called? Right is a cherry bomb correct? 

 

The guy who sold them to me is now fire chief at a major NJ city. You'll have to put one into my ass and light it to drag it out of me. 

[Carcano 14]

I shot a bunch of the two on the left. What are they called? Right is a cherry bomb correct? 

 

The guy who sold them to me is now fire chief at a major NJ city. You'll have to put one into my ass and light it to drag it out of me. 

 

M-80 Salutes, Silver Salutes, Cherry Bombs ...they actually marketed them for pest control/agricultural use at one point, you would use a slow burning nitrate soaked rope and it would keep just about any 2 or 4 legged animal away

 

....Anyway, I just got more peppers plants in today...have them in 3" pots and they held up nice in shipping. Would have started these from seed but way too late

[mipafox 438]

Years ago I used to plant 30 tomatoes, 15 peppers. Now I do a row of mixed lettuce, a row of carrots, half a row of beets, a row of potatoes, 8 or so tomatoes, 3-4 peppers, and miscellaneous stuff. We also have 3 fig trees, one lemon tree, 3 grape vines (jelly), two hardy kiwi bushes, a chokeberry and one other berry (forget) plus a wild blueberry. The asparagus never took. We plant cukes and zucchini in big pots because our soil has some kind of parasite that eats the roots. Plus edible flowers. We'll be picking lettuce in a couple of weeks.

 

I had a garden when I was 6 and lived in Hoboken. I could not imagine not having a garden. It's magic.

I want to walk through it you big, beefy Italian.

 

 

 

[Oakridgefirearms 224]

I'm taking my chances and planted early like you did and my plants have also been doing fine, temp hasn't fallen below 50F in SJ and I hope it stays that way.

Looks like you'll be OK, nothing cold coming anytime soon.

[Carcano 14]

Looks like you'll be OK, nothing cold coming anytime soon.

 

Yep and this is the first year I cheated and bought most of my plants, I like starting from seed but this year I couldn't.