The Endzone Garden Thread

#281
#281
Some of our fruit trees are flowering like crazy now. Starting from left to right there is apricot/peach hybrid, red plum, pear (concorde I think), mcintosh apple, and summer gold yellow peach. I will be picking plums for weeks by the looks of those blossoms.
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#284
#284
VolNExile said:
For anyone here who has been growing veggies for a while: I keep seeing warnings about not planting beans and peppers (both hot and sweet) together, but they never say why. I don’t see why it would be a problem, other than potentially a problem of too much nitrogen from the beans, which can be addressed.

Have any of you had problems planting them in the same area?
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look up companion planting for gardens. I use that as a reference when setting my plants. Like tomatoes away from beans and corn cause they attract same pests. Beans and corn go together. Beans put nitrogen in soil that the corn needs. Plant marigold and basil in with the tomatoes, etc, etc. It also tells what not to plant close together and why.

Companion Planting with Companion Planting Chart (thespruce.com)
 
#285
#285
VolNExile said:
We’ve decided to build the tomato bed with 2x10 lumber for the additional depth. The rest will remain just raised mounds until we’re sure we like this layout.

Those of you with wooden raised beds, did you use pressure treated or no? How long have they been up, and how well are they holding up? I realize that current pressure treated is not as toxic as before, but we’d still prefer to avoid it.

@Orangeslice13, if you were faced with using untreated (kiln-dried) wood in direct contact with damp, rich soil, is there a non-toxic wood sealer you could recommend that might eke out so more time?

Honestly, if these last 5 years, we’d be good. No telling what new entertainment might have arisen by then.
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Dig a pretty deep hole for tomatoes. Enough that you can put a dead fish or a cup of epsom salts in the bottom of each hole. Cover with 2-3 inches soils, then still plant tomato at proper depth. You won't have to do anything else all season but water and wait.
 
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#286
#286
GVF said:
I'm quite intrigued by the cardboard yard concept. Never thought of that myself. Nice job on the raised bed. My brother's whole garden is such. I still do the traditional tilled rectangle. But, I group plant as best as possible.
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We have big plans for raised beds. I have to figure out where I am going to get that much compost and composted "organic" matter from. Going to make them 3 landscaping timbers high and 4 ft. wide to save on the back. Will walk the tiller up into them to turn in fresh composting materials and to break for planting. That's a next year project though.
@volinexile Can you freeze seeds? Should I vacuum seal them first? Planning on buying late season left overs from Tractor Supply and other places and storing for next year.
 
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#287
#287
GVF said:
Dig a pretty deep hole for tomatoes. Enough that you can put a dead fish or a cup of epsom salts in the bottom of each hole. Cover with 2-3 inches soils, then still plant tomato at proper depth. You won't have to do anything else all season but water and wait.
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Yes, ours went berserk last summer!

I’m just started this year’s tomato seeds indoors. Once they’ve each got two sets of true leaves, I’ll start potting them up, planting deeper and deeper each time. And then plant in this bed and another one in late May, partially burying again.
 
#288
#288
GVF said:
I'm quite intrigued by the cardboard yard concept. Never thought of that myself. Nice job on the raised bed. My brother's whole garden is such. I still do the traditional tilled rectangle. But, I group plant as best as possible.
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Yes, the garden was very fertile last year, but there are some perennial weeds in there that just got out of control by August.

We lifted some of the cardboard yesterday, and it had worked well. A ton of baby earthworms underneath, and most of the weeds were seriously weakened, with a few tenacious ones dug out with a drain shovel. We put the cardboard back down, added overlapped builders paper (love that stuff), a couple inches of wheat straw, and then five inches of mixed composted manure and pine fines. I’ll take a pic when I get home. Planting the English peas today, better late than never. The snow peas and sugar snaps are close to emerging in the box bed.

Four flats under lights in the house, three more planted this weekend on heat under humidity lids. Two days into official spring - it’s happening!
 
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#289
#289
PEPPERJAX said:
Some of our fruit trees are flowering like crazy now. Starting from left to right there is apricot/peach hybrid, red plum, pear (concorde I think), mcintosh apple, and summer gold yellow peach. I will be picking plums for weeks by the looks of those blossoms.
View attachment 358607
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Those are so gorgeous! I’m considering planting fruit trees along the street in our side yard. Are yours on dwarf (or semi-dwarf) stock? I have to stay well clear of overhead wires.
 
#290
#290
GVF said:
look up companion planting for gardens. I use that as a reference when setting my plants. Like tomatoes away from beans and corn cause they attract same pests. Beans and corn go together. Beans put nitrogen in soil that the corn needs. Plant marigold and basil in with the tomatoes, etc, etc. It also tells what not to plant close together and why.

Companion Planting with Companion Planting Chart (thespruce.com)
Click to expand...
Yes, I refer to these too, and this one also says to keep beans and peppers separate, but it doesn’t say why! Also, it says to plant beans with tomatoes. What? Tomatoes and peppers are both members of the same family.

And this seems to be a new “thing” if you look at older guides.

I’m starting to think it’s one of those “I read this somewhere” things that spreads like wildfire and never gets untangled.
 
#291
#291
82_VOL_83 said:
We have big plans for raised beds. I have to figure out where I am going to get that much compost and composted "organic" matter from. Going to make them 3 landscaping timbers high and 4 ft. wide to save on the back. Will walk the tiller up into them to turn in fresh composting materials and to break for planting. That's a next year project though.
@volinexile Can you freeze seeds? Should I vacuum seal them first? Planning on buying late season left overs from Tractor Supply and other places and storing for next year.
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I know you can store them, but I can’t remember the details. I’ll check when I get home. I kind of think it’s the “cool and dark” thing...
 
#292
#292
VolNExile said:
Those are so gorgeous! I’m considering planting fruit trees along the street in our side yard. Are yours on dwarf (or semi-dwarf) stock? I have to stay well clear of overhead wires.
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The pear and plum are not. Probably 18-22 feet at highest point. The Mcintosh apple is semi dwarf while the peach trees are intermediate height. I planted them years ago and most have reached maturity. There are more trees I haven’t posted pics of yet on the opposite side of our property like the nectarine, pecan, persimmon, cherry, Asian pear, and other apples trees. The fruit provided by these trees are rewarding but there is a lot of work involved. If I were you, I would plant nectarines, plums, and peaches especially if you want a faster yield. All of them are classified under prunus genus of trees. The coolest aspect is that the trees cross pollinate. The plums taste a little like nectarines & peach and vice versa. They also need less maintenance and don’t get shocked by the refreeze like pear or apple.
 
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#293
#293
PEPPERJAX said:
The pear and plum are not. Probably 18-22 feet at highest point. The Mcintosh apple is semi dwarf while the peach trees are intermediate height. I planted them years ago and most have reached maturity. There are more trees I haven’t posted pics of yet on the opposite side of our property like the nectarine, pecan, persimmon, cherry, Asian pear, and other apples trees. The fruit provided by these trees are rewarding but there is a lot of work involved. If I were you, I would plant nectarines, plums, and peaches especially if you want a faster yield. All of them are classified under prunus genus of trees. The coolest aspect is that the trees cross pollinate. The plums taste a little like nectarines & peach and vice versa. They also need less maintenance and don’t get shocked by the refreeze like pear or apple.
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Do you lose a lot to birds? I’m actually inclined to just plant 2 or 3 for shade and for the wildlife to use. I don’t want to get into all the spraying and stuff that seems to be involved with trying to get actual crops from fruit trees.
 
#294
#294
VolNExile said:
Do you lose a lot to birds? I’m actually inclined to just plant 2 or 3 for shade and for the wildlife to use. I don’t want to get into all the spraying and stuff that seems to be involved with trying to get actual crops from fruit trees.
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Not really. They will get some but there are so many to go around.
 
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#295
#295
82_VOL_83 said:
We have big plans for raised beds. I have to figure out where I am going to get that much compost and composted "organic" matter from. Going to make them 3 landscaping timbers high and 4 ft. wide to save on the back. Will walk the tiller up into them to turn in fresh composting materials and to break for planting. That's a next year project though.
@volinexile Can you freeze seeds? Should I vacuum seal them first? Planning on buying late season left overs from Tractor Supply and other places and storing for next year.
Click to expand...

There's so many ways to make them. From basic material to cedar planks. My brother used left over 6" hardi-plank from residing his house. With Support stakes. Won't rot out on ya and 3rd season coming up they look like they just went in. And with the costs of lumber right now, an option to look at. My gramps used to do his tomato beds with railroad ties. and he'd have the mushroom plant down John Sevier deliver a load of mushroom soil to fill them up each year, or when needed. That stuff grows fantastic tasting tomatoes. Deepest red Better Boys I ever saw. there's a place here that sells worm dirt. But, it's like $95 a bucket. Can't afford that even tilling it in, but I'd love to see the tomatoes that grow in it.
 
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#296
#296
VolNExile said:
Yes, I refer to these too, and this one also says to keep beans and peppers separate, but it doesn’t say why! Also, it says to plant beans with tomatoes. What? Tomatoes and peppers are both members of the same family.

And this seems to be a new “thing” if you look at older guides.

I’m starting to think it’s one of those “I read this somewhere” things that spreads like wildfire and never gets untangled.
Click to expand...
Must be which ever one you look at. Mine puts beans corn and squash together, but tomatoes away from the corn and bean. The corn stalks are the bean poles and feed off the nitrogen the beans return to the soil. I get that being dad was a plant scientist and all, but I tried that last year and the beans eventually weighed the corn over. It was a cool idea, but better plant some stout corn. These sweet varieties of corn don't grow tall enough or strong enough to be bean poles as well. And forget coons. All my corn was stripped by squirrels. Lil' Bast*****.

And I learned one thing. If you are not crazy about spaghetti squash, don't plant it. I like it quite well. I've used it in place of pasta and it's great. Takes a little prep effort to separate it, but worth it to me. I planted 3 plants and they went crazy more than anything else I planted. Vines halfway down the garden. I got probably 20 squash off of them or more.
 
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#299
#299
malinoisvol said:
Never seent that one^^^^ before.
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I saw the seed packets at Tractor Supply yesterday and couldn't resist. I never have much luck growing regular cukes. So. I'm gonna try this one for fresh eating, and boston pickling to to the bread and butter pickles with.

I found a new use for yellow squash. Besides canning and saute, I ran across a recipe last season for yellow summer squash relish. I shredded in some zucchini for visual appeal and added a little dice red bell for same. That stuf is awesome. I put in on various beans and hot dogs. also use sweet red pepper relish for butter peas, with a small drop of Duke's Mayo.
 
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#300
#300
My garden list for this season:
Corn
Green Beans (We have our own seed that's been around our little area for many moons. no one knows the real name, but it is the best I've ever ate. Allen's Kentucky Wonder store bean is the only thing close in look or flavor, but still a different bean. We've been rolling the seed forward long as I can remember.)
Okra
Tomatoes
Baby Limas
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Lemon Cuke
Boston Pickling Cuke
Watermelon
Canteloupe
Basil and Marigolds around the tomatoes for protection.
 
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