What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[turbo]

My onions are going moldy in the ground from all the rain we've had. I'll be lucky to get half what I planted at this point.

I have managed to avoid rot/mold even when we're getting monsoon weather. The trick is to add light amendments like peat and composted manure so that the soil won't compact, and add enough sand to that the soil drains easily. Then, make sure to hill up the rows so that water won't settle around the plants' roots. This is especially important for root crops, IMO. I can't afford to lose my garlic crop because I use so much of it for making pickles, salsas, chili relishes, etc, and need to have enough extra to replant this coming winter.

 

[Evo]

I have managed to avoid rot/mold even when we're getting monsoon weather. The trick is to add light amendments like peat and composted manure so that the soil won't compact, and add enough sand to that the soil drains easily. Then, make sure to hill up the rows so that water won't settle around the plants' roots. This is especially important for root crops, IMO. I can't afford to lose my garlic crop because I use so much of it for making pickles, salsas, chili relishes, etc, and need to have enough extra to replant this coming winter.

Yeah, raised beds with sandy soil for wet conditions, but then if you have a drought, you're going to be watering night and day.

 

[turbo]

Yeah, raised beds with sandy soil for wet conditions, but then if you have a drought, you're going to be watering night and day.

I have a fairly large pond in my backyard. It's the most conservative approach I could think of. I can put water into the soil, but there is no way to take it out of there is too much, thus the raised beds and drainage.

 

[Evo]

Turbo, how's your garden holding out in this heat? I guess the same question goes to astronuc.

DL, I hope you've installed A/C for Roger.

 

[Astronuc]

Turbo, how's your garden holding out in this heat? I guess the same question goes to astronuc.

DL, I hope you've installed A/C for Roger.

Our garden is suffering. We watered some yesterday, and today we're water some more.

The blackberries are most affected since they aren't so dense - so I am watering them now. The raspberries are dense so the ground stays moist, and they are doing fine. The blueberries are now mostly ripe. They are by the northeast corner of the house to they get some shade. I'll be watering them later this evening.

We have lots of coriander seed.

Basically the season went from wet and cool to hot and dry in about two weeks, and now we are in the second week of hot and no rain. We did have rain drops this morning, and some place a few miles east got a pretty good downpour.

We're supposed to get thundershowers this afternoon or evening - but then it's only about 20% chance.

 

[Evo]

Our garden is suffering. We watered some yesterday, and today we're water some more.

The blackberries are most affected since they aren't so dense - so I am watering them now. The raspberries are dense so the ground stays moist, and they are doing fine. The blueberries are now mostly ripe. They are by the northeast corner of the house to they get some shade. I'll be watering them later this evening.

We have lots of coriander seed.

Basically the season went from wet and cool to hot and dry in about two weeks, and now we are in the second week of hot and no rain. We did have rain drops this morning, and some place a few miles east got a pretty good downpour.

We're supposed to get thundershowers this afternoon or evening - but then it's only about 20% chance.

Did you see the 8 inches of rain Chicago got last night?

 

[turbo]

The garden is actually doing well. I'm watering periodically. My wife and I spent over an hour shelling peas this morning, and the string beans and cukes are starting to come in steadily. My buttercup squash plants are a bit scrawny, though.

 

[turbo]

Raspberries are going well. Blackberries have a lot of fruit, BUT the unseasonably dry and hot weather is holding them back, so the berries are not filling out properly.

 

[NeoDevin]

Wish I could send some of our rain your way, Astro. We've gotten nothing but rain this year.

 

[Astronuc]

Did you see the 8 inches of rain Chicago got last night?

Wow - I'd love to take an inch or two, but over a day, not in one or two hours.

Maybe we'll get some rain tonight.

 

[dlgoff]

Turbo, how's your garden holding out in this heat? I guess the same question goes to astronuc.

DL, I hope you've installed A/C for Roger.

I've had a fan in their window running 24/7. I also have a water hose (~150ft) running to their coop and every day when it's the hottest, I stray down the roof, their outside cage, and refresh their water. Today I remembered a "personal hose mister" I had bought years ago.

I set it outside the window and the fan pulls the mist inside.

 

[rhody]

I've had a fan in their window running 24/7. I also have a water hose (~150ft) running to their coop and every day when it's the hottest, I stray down the roof, their outside cage, and refresh their water. Today I remembered a "personal hose mister" I had bought years ago.

I set it outside the window and the fan pulls the mist inside.

So are the chicken's showing signs of stress, Don ?

Rhody...

 

[dlgoff]

So are the chicken's showing signs of stress, Don ?

Rhody...

Some. Before I cool them off by watering down things, they hold their wings out a little and will have their beaks open a little. Today after I watered down the pen, they came out, scratched up the ground, laid down while kicking up cool dirt under their wings. It didn't take them too long cool down.

When my uncle raised chicks to friers by the 10s of thousands in each house, he would often loose many in weather like this. Even with the gigantic fans and ceiling misters.

 

[rhody]

Don,

Here you go...

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7458/chickenspool.jpg

Rhody... literally cool...

 

[Ms Music]

I love it, Rhody! Those are some happy girls!

I had no idea chickens could float. I would have never tried it. Especially after nearly drowning my rat as a child. I thought rats could swim? Mine couldn't.

 

[turbo]

The heavy thunderstorm last night tore many pea plants from their fence and flattened them into a tangled mess, so it was hard to pick peas today. I'm sure I missed a lot because the plants weren't standing up to the fence. We had gusty winds, heavy rain, and hail. I managed to pick a fair amount of raspberries, though Duke was having a blast charging through the canes and eating berries that had been knocked onto the ground last night.

 

[Evo]

The heavy thunderstorm last night tore many pea plants from their fence and flattened them into a tangled mess, so it was hard to pick peas today. I'm sure I missed a lot because the plants weren't standing up to the fence. We had gusty winds, heavy rain, and hail. I managed to pick a fair amount of raspberries, though Duke was having a blast charging through the canes and eating berries that had been knocked onto the ground last night.

Oh dear, how is the rest of the garden?

 

[turbo]

Oh dear, how is the rest of the garden?

Most everything seems to have survived OK. The pea-plants are a tangled mess, but they were slowing down in production anyway, so I may pull them this weekend and re-plant. I have never tried to plant and germinate peas in the heat of summer (spring crop only) so this will be an experiment. I expect that I'll have to water more than normal, so that they'll sprout.

 

[Evo]

DL, have you named Roger's sisters yet? If not, I'd like to suggest Henrietta and Guinevere.

 

[dlgoff]

DL, have you named Roger's sisters yet? If not, I'd like to suggest Henrietta and Guinevere.

Done. But you'll have to remember for me.

 

[Evo]

Done. But you'll have to remember for me.

I love you! :!) This is so awesome! I thought of the names last night while I was walking the Fruitbat. Roger, Henrietta, and Guinevere.

 

[Ouabache]

DL, have you named Roger's sisters yet?

I hope Roger is a cockerel, else the poor hen will have to explain about her name.

Our peas are pretty much done. We have runner beans along the same double row to replace the senescent peas.
Our first Russian garlic bed has also gone brown so I harvested them and allowing to cure. I hope it wasn't too early. (it is my first year for garlic). Astronuc, I remember you mentioning about Kale overwintering. I allowed last years Kale to continue growing this season and they are doing quite well. A healthy row of dark curly leaves.

 

[turbo]

If the garlic tops are brown, it's the right time to pull them. I always leave the fronds on during curing, with the expectation that and remaining nutrients in the tops will migrate to the bulbs. I bundle them with string and hang them in bunches from nails in my detached garage. That allows them to dry pretty quickly and keeps them out of the sun.

 

[Insanity]

The heavy thunderstorm last night tore many pea plants from their fence and flattened them into a tangled mess, so it was hard to pick peas today. I'm sure I missed a lot because the plants weren't standing up to the fence. We had gusty winds, heavy rain, and hail. I managed to pick a fair amount of raspberries, though Duke was having a blast charging through the canes and eating berries that had been knocked onto the ground last night.

My in-laws had a mini schnauzer that would wander into the garden and eat the ripe tomatoes off the plants. She would then come back inside with a red, wet beard. She almost taught that to the younger one we had too.

 

[dlgoff]

I love you! :!) This is so awesome! I thought of the names last night while I was walking the Fruitbat. Roger, Henrietta, and Guinevere.

The pleasure is mine. BTW I've got tomatoes running out of my ears. I just took a peck to the neighbors.

 

[dlgoff]

I've got tomatoes running out of my ears.

After todays lunch and dinner, they'll be running out of my... But oh so good.

 

[rhody]

My pepper plants have a bunch of little white flowers and are exposed to the wind, I don't need to shake them to make them produce peppers, right Evo ? I will take a pic this weekend. The miracle grow perked them up quite a bit, that combined with the recent heat wave did the trick.

Rhody...

 

[Ouabache]

If the garlic tops are brown, it's the right time to pull them. I always leave the fronds on during curing, with the expectation that and remaining nutrients in the tops will migrate to the bulbs. I bundle them with string and hang them in bunches from nails in my detached garage. That allows them to dry pretty quickly and keeps them out of the sun.

Thanks for tips on harvest and curing. I left the fronds on my pulled garlic.. I will take your advice and keep them out of sun till dry. I'd like to hang them in our shed, but with the lawn tractor exhaust fumes (driving in and out of there) and stored containers of petrol, I can only imagine what kind of flavors/(carcinogens) they may impart to curing garlic.

My pepper plants have a bunch of little white flowers and are exposed to the wind, I don't need to shake them to make them produce peppers, right Evo ? I will take a pic this weekend. The miracle grow perked them up quite a bit, that combined with the recent heat wave did the trick.

Sounds like your peppers are doing great! To improve fruit production,
I believe the technique is to vibrate the plants.
But you're right, if your plants are outside, the bees & wind will move the pollen around.

 

[Ms Music]

Evo, they look great!

Do you have any specific tips for starting from seed? I have been having fun with this jalapeno (its blooming for the 2nd time, and has many marble sized peppers) so I may save one pepper next time I go to the asian market. I don't use them often (only in the few asian recipes I cook), but something clicked inside my brain and said must... have...MORE pepper plants! And now I want a serrano, since that is what I make my tom kha gai with. Maybe a birds eye, also, because they look cool.

Geez, for a girl that rarely uses peppers, three plants sounds like too many. D'ya think? ... NAH!

 

[turbo]

Ms Music, you should consider getting a couple of Hungarian wax chili plants, too. These are the chilies that are used to make paprika. They are a little spicy, but not real hot, and they are large enough to stuff with hamburg, rice, sauce, cheese, etc. A real fan-favorite for back-deck BBQs.