Author Topic: This years garden.  (Read 430 times)

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Offline Elijah Gunn

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This years garden.
« on: September 17, 2009, 12:48:21 AM »
My garden is mostly done for this year, and I thought I'd tell about it some. This is the 2nd yr. I've seriously tried to garden.

Corn.  Most of my garden was corn this year. I planted it in 2 blocks,but it ended up becoming 3 because half of the 2nd block became so heavily weeded that I had to till it under and replant. Each block was planted about 1 and a half weeks after each other. Each block looks stronger than the previous one. The corn in the 3rd block is ready to be picked now .
I planted so much corn because I expected the deer to take a lot of it, however God really blessed in that the deer barely touched it this year. I used Irish spring soap,human hair,and even hung up a sweaty t shirt of mine to dissuade the pesky critters. I also planted a bunch of marigolds, but I don't know if those helped repel the deer.
I have also canned some of the corn. Saw a corn cutter in the Lehmans catalog. Looks like a handy thing to speed up the canning process. I also saw a "high wheel cultivator" it seems like it would help make weeding quicker, and easier. Anyone use one of those?

Green beans. I had lots of them this year, and canned about 20 qts, and 7 pints. It took the plants a long time to get started, but once they got going they did well. We had a lot of cool wet weather this year, especially in the spring. It slowed up the whole garden.

Tomatoes.  I planted Beefsteaks, and Roma. I got maybe 10 % of the Beefsteaks,and the rest just couldn't get ripe because of the weather. They were rotting on the vine. The Roma tomatoes are having the same problem,but if I can get a few more days of temps in the 80s I know that a bunch more will finish out. I was able to can some sauce from the Romas, and I still have a bunch in the freezer to make more.

Cucumbers. I expected to get more of them than what I ended up with, but it was enough to make about 18 qts. of dill pickles. I usually cut them into spears,or chips.

There's more , but I'll have to come back later.
What will you say on Judgement Day?

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When gardening for food is outlawed, I'll BE an outlaw.

Offline Graybeard

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Re: This years garden.
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2009, 12:22:29 PM »
Quote
Tomatoes.  I planted Beefsteaks, and Roma. I got maybe 10 % of the Beefsteaks,and the rest just couldn't get ripe because of the weather. They were rotting on the vine. The Roma tomatoes are having the same problem,but if I can get a few more days of temps in the 80s I know that a bunch more will finish out. I was able to can some sauce from the Romas, and I still have a bunch in the freezer to make more.

Generally a lack of calcium in the soil. Add lime and/or Tums. Lots of it and hopefully next year you'll not have a repeat. They say two tums per plant when watering. I did that in my containers but limed as well and the blossum end rot stopped.


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Offline Elijah Gunn

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Re: This years garden.
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2009, 02:13:31 AM »
Thanks for the advice Graybeard. I thought it was blossom end rot. I'd much rather lime than try to solve it with chemicals. I'm trying to stay as organic as I can.
What will you say on Judgement Day?

The BANKERS win every war.

When gardening for food is outlawed, I'll BE an outlaw.

Offline buckey

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Re: This years garden.
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2009, 02:48:32 PM »
Here in Mid- Michigan, WE had the best garden we've had in 15years, sweet corn was the best we've ever had, tomatoes were coming out of our ears (been canning for 4 weeks) potatoes did well as did the beens