Where's your gardening stand (state of the homestead, perhaps)???

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Freedom! self reliance : One Thread

Well the heirloom plant sales are not exactly booming. Looks like folks around here just want to buy the hooked on steroids plants from Wally World. Oh well. I was really ill the weekend there was an event I wanted tto haul them to in the city, so that failed to happen. Looks like I will have a more than substtantial garden! I have volunteered many of them to the nursing homes to give the residents something good to eat and something pleasant to do as well. If you have something you would like to share with these folks, please don't hesitate- give the activity director a call, they are so pleased to have something different... remember these folks when you can.

Anyway, I have a lot in already and am just tickled to be able to see some things thriving. It's just my favorite time of year bar none, and since it has been really rough on the animal end of things I am more thankful that the garden looks like it will be good! What's up with you?

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 03, 2002

Answers

Now that the folks in Texas have their garden in, I am all the more homesick!! We had icy weather here again yesterday, and it looks like it'll be awhile yet before I can put the garden in. I did go out and till a couple of weeks ago when we had a warm Saturday. Even put in a few tiny seeds--which the chickens ate the next day. lol. We also counted 20 deer in our yard a couple weeks ago, so I'm wondering if it will be worthwhile between the chickens and the deer to try gardening this year!(Of course, you know I WILL plant:)

Glad to say I finally sold the three wethers this week. And the three doelings are spoken for:)

-- mary (mlg@mlg.com), April 03, 2002.


I must confess that any notions of a garden around our place are just that, notions.

We are only a few yards from the South Pacific ocean and the last few days have seen disruptions to regular shipping, waves crashing onto the road and houses being undermined. We are ok on the top of a cliff but the cold salt laden air nips those growing tips like one would not believe! All our manuka (aka tea tree) plants and indeginous hebe have just lost one seasons growth in a few short hours. My little Norfolk Pine tree that I planted twenty years ago is still hanging in there although he has only managed to grow to about 4 foot high in that time, just down the street is another planted at the same time and it is over 20' tall! Do you think I am being cruel by not putting our fellow out of his misery?

Oh, well, when I am free of this wage slavery maybe we will have a few acres inland with some chooks and a jersey cow! :)

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), April 03, 2002.


STILL HAVE SNOW ON THE GROUND

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 04, 2002.

I am hoping that your snow melts soon Stan!

-- Melissa in SE Ohio (me@home.net), April 04, 2002.

I agree! I thought that surely the northern folks would have started some plants for transplant...even that alleviates the long winter doldrums to a degree.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), April 04, 2002.


We're still on the roller coaster ride. I did get potatoes planted, two different methods. The Eliot Coleman way and the almost Ruth Stout sorta way. And 3 kinds of peas. It's down in the 20's at night, and mostly 40's at day 70's two days ago. This Sat. I hope to plant broccoli and cabbage etc. it's supposed to be in the 50's. No rain til Sun evening. That's a switch.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 04, 2002.

We have begun kidding in earnest and will busy for the next few weeks. I am so late this year because of the weird fall we had and my girls didn't come into heat as they usually do. I have been eating some lettuce out of a growbox we have under lights and have started several flats for transplants. Finally DOING, instead of just talking about it. happy homesteading everyone!!! Stan, you STILL have snow??? I heard it was melted up there. You must be farther north than I thought you were.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 04, 2002.

Hello Doreen,

I got part of my garden in as the weather here is still a little cold. I have my tomato and pepper plants germinating in my little greenhouse and they are starting to show signs of life.

I grow everything from seeds as I perfer to know that my garden is completely organnic from start to finish.

Lettuce, spinach, peas, beans, and onions are starting to sprout now. The garlic and strawberries wintered over well and have a nice green to them. Carrots, turnips, and white potatoes were just planted so they are not ready to sprout just yet.

Sincerely, Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), April 04, 2002.


My salad greens I planted last fall are popping back up since the chickens are seriously cooped. I thought they killed the artichokes, but they are growing again, too. Raspberries and blueberries are all in bud.

Yes, I have starts in my south windows. Long, thin spindly tomatoes, melons, cabbages and more artichokes. I still have 2 more fruit trees to put in the ground, then I can start my spring clean up.

We are having beautiful weather right now, perfect for garden work, but I have family activities this week to keep me out of the garden. The beach is beautiful, the skunk cabbage is up, dandylions and daffodils are blooming, God is great and life is good!

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@somewhere.com), April 04, 2002.


Just got 6" of snow on Tuesday ...so I'm way behind you folks. Quit trying to figure out mama nature......take it as it comes along!!

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), April 04, 2002.


I have everything in container or under the portable greenhouse waiting for the frost threats to end.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 04, 2002.

70 56 15 75 20--too many variations in top soil temps for me to waste seed and plants. I need a new tiller-300.00 to 1900.00--guess which one I wanted ? Wife says the 700.00 one is just fine--argghhhh. Maybe next week !

-- Joel Rosen (JoelnBecky@webtv.net), April 04, 2002.

Starting from scratch. Building beds. Got a load of concrete blocks for free and have 3 big beds started. The soil in them is major clay. Added a little peat moss I had to them. Hope it stays dry and I can go get some horse Dookie tomorrow. Huge pile of old stuff. I'll try to get a load for each bed to loosen things up a bit.

It's real frustrating to start from scratch again. This is the worst soil I've ever dealt with. I never knew how good I'd had it before. Things will be going in a little late, but still, it's a start and better than what I had last year.

-- John (jdoofus@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.


so far I have about 120 onions growing in a raised bed near the garden plot, I have about 18 green cabbage plants and nine red cabbage plants which have been in the ground about two weeks, and I have a raised bed ready near the clothesline that I will plant herbs in WHEN the weather is certain there will be no more frost!

My main garden has had it's first plowing but will need to be retilled as I begin planting squash, peas and such in May....

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 05, 2002.


A little support comin' your way, John. Hang in there! At least you know what it's SUPPOSED to look and feel like so you'll be able to recognize when the soil is finally lookin' and feelin' like it should!

We sympathize and empathize as well, since we're also building new raised beds this year to expand the garden. Which naturally leads to putting up more fencing (digging posts, building gates, etc.) and more irrigation hosing....you get my drift.

Our soil is opposite, pure sand with NO nutritive value, so needs every amendment known to the universe. Lots and lots of sheet composting and chicken poop for a whole year before we plant anything!! However, in the "mature" garden, lettuces and greens, onions, peas, potatoes, carrots, garlic, chives, radishes are all growing like crazy. First corn planting went in last week.

I never put my tomatoes, peppers, eggplant in the dirt until April 15 cause we still might get a little chill.

We also planted ten more fruit trees, six blueberry bushes, and two pecan trees.

And that's the state of things here in NE Florida!

Wishing You the Fruits of His Bounty

-- Michaela (flhomestead@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.



We're starting from scratch with that Indiana clay and limstone. Won't be really good this year probably. We did send in a soil sample for testing- 14.95. Since this is our place and not renting we figure we'll do it better. We can get a load of horse manure from the state park horse barn. They'll even load it for you with a days' notice.I here it has lots of grass seeds-anyway, it's free.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), April 09, 2002.

i need to know very soon what the tallest, healthiest tomato plant is. it doesn't necessarily have to have good fruit, just a healthy, easy to grow, and insanely tall plant. we're growing a tomato plant in my biology class, so i wanted the advice of individuals who are truly knowledgable about this topic. any advice would be appreciated. thanks, jordan

-- jordan (brktdndc@yahoo.com), March 10, 2003.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ