Gardening 2021

How about a more relaxed topic - Gardening!

Yes I have already started!
I have so many seeds and just topped off what I am missing.
I started some outside in jugs already and will start some others inside under lights.

My biggest tip is to get everything early, early early!
Where I live is a huge agricultural area and we were out of a lot, including
tomato cages. What I found was funny is that new gardeners didn't know that you
can make cages, you don't have to buy them.

If you need to buy soil or compost get that early too. I think there is going to be a huge demand.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I'm composting at the moment and enjoying what's left in my mini greenhouse. I'll also be building a enclosure to keep the mf'ing squirrels out next year.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'm composting at the moment and enjoying what's left in my mini greenhouse. I'll also be building a enclosure to keep the mf'ing squirrels out next year.

We have a rabbit problem.. The rabbit spray didn't work one bit...

I have a list of seeds I need to buy on the table. I should go out and buy some, Menards has a fifteen percent off sale going on right now and seeds are cheap there all the time. I just need small packs, usually under a buck or buck fifty for a pack. I usually get carrot, cucumber, green bean, wax bean, tomato seeds, Parsley, and radish seeds every year. We have topsoil for starting what we need and also the containers to start them in which we use year after year. I used to always use egg shells and egg cartons, but have not used those in years, I think I had better starting of plants when we used those egg shells.

Putting 2021 in a thread title is just tempting fate, just saying...


2020 reloaded
2020s "this time it's war"
2020 2 "Judgement Day"

2021, the official sequel to 2020 with even more "ughs" and "oh no"s

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'm composting at the moment and enjoying what's left in my mini greenhouse. I'll also be building a enclosure to keep the mf'ing squirrels out next year.

We have a rabbit problem.. The rabbit spray didn't work one bit...

Talk to the rabbits, tell them that you really like rabbit stew but you will not shoot them as long as they stay out of the garden. Toss the tops of the carrots out on side of the garden.

Sounds strange, but my ex-wife's grandfather told me that is what he does and it worked. We have rabbits and I have warned them and they never go into the garden.....I have no comprehension on how it works, but I have rabbits out in the yard and they eat the peelings we toss out for the animals but never have gone in our garden. They like potato peels, and carrot peels, same as the deer. We feed the rabbits stuff in the summer and they are out in our yard, but we never see them bother our garden. They never bother my brothers few plants either, but do eat the bark off the apple tree in the winter so he has to spray the tree trunk with repellent. Set the rules, rabbits are better at following rules than liberals.

My GF has 1/4 acre in nothing but asparagus. Everything else we grow in pots...to keep the squirrel s and rabbits from eating it. The 1/4 acre is surrounded by a 4ft chicken wire fence and still they get in. Drip irrigation and green house to get a jump on spring. South facing windows are filled with racks of plants, mostly aloe and other medicinal herbs. Even in the mile high Rockies, high desert we have a nice long growing season and we take full advantage of it. We have one helper to keep the Asparagus garden producing and packaging. We have leased another acre, perhaps a vineyard.

a reply to: olaru12

My GF has 1/4 acre in nothing but asparagus.

Does she sell it at a farmers market?
That is a lot of asparagus! I need to get a patch started I know it takes a few years.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: olaru12

My GF has 1/4 acre in nothing but asparagus.

Does she sell it at a farmers market?
That is a lot of asparagus! I need to get a patch started I know it takes a few years.

You can get 2 year old "Crowns" that only take 7 mo's. We will be at the farmers markets now that all the yuppie upscale restaurants are only at 25% capacity. Wholesale is easier but the markets will be a fun weekend to visit with all the other growers. They are a mini festival with arts and crafts, live music and multiple food trucks. We are the only volume fresh asparagus growers in a 2 county area.

Do you think strawberries would be more profitable than a vineyard for the other acre?

I don't think I'm allowed to talk much about my garden here, even though it is legal where I am...

But my seeds have all sprouted and they are currently under a new plant light growing like, well, like weeds.

originally posted by: wheresthebody
I don't think I'm allowed to talk much about my garden here, even though it is legal where I am...

But my seeds have all sprouted and they are currently under a new plant light growing like, well, like weeds.

Ever start from clones? In the greenhouse for a month and wow!

a reply to: olaru12

Picking strawberries is highly labor intensive.

I used to work at "The Berry Farm" in southbury Connecticut, and I can tell you from experience I'd rather hoe endless rows clean of weeds then pick them..

Asparagus while it takes a while to get going is really low maintenance and a hell of a lot easier to harvest.

Kudos to you for your success, my asparagus has not done well at all up here on the mountain.



Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: wheresthebody

Legal here too, but still a bit taboo here..
Do yourself a favor and clone your best specimen,

As Olaru mentions it is one hell of a head start, and having an exact replica of genetics is nice for a number of reasons, including height management.



Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: Mike Stivic

I've heard from so many people that working picking fruit/vegetables was the hardest job they ever had.

a reply to: JAGStorm

There is a reason we had 20 or so "migrant workers"
That worked in the deep fields..

they tended to put us kids(30 some odd years ago)
Up front near the "pick your own patches" , couldn't have those rich housewives from Rowayton or Greenwich seeing a bunch of non English speaking columbians, let alone interact with them.

But yeah , it is hard work, honest work.



Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: olaru12

Wow, a quarter acre of asparagus. That is a lot of antiepileptic medication, I get drunk feeling if I eat too much asparagus,

www.sciencedirect.com...

originally posted by: rickymouse
a reply to: olaru12

Wow, a quarter acre of asparagus. That is a lot of antiepileptic medication, I get drunk feeling if I eat too much asparagus,

www.sciencedirect.com...

That’s a lot of money too. Asparagus is getting pricey at the store and they always look terrible. I hate the ones that are so large and overgrown. I’m going to start some this year.

Even though I haven't been wildly successful with my garden (lol), every Spring I cant wait to try again!
This year I am trying an heirloom watermelon species. So excited!! Also cantaloupes, cukes, few different kinds of tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, celery-maybe and corn. Fingers crossed!

a reply to: olaru12

Depends on time ya got. Wine grapes take 4 years to grow