The General Gardening Thread

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Probably a better place to discuss then the General Political Thread.

As the title suggests (calling @ImperfectPixie) others are quite free to join in.

Here is where I'm at:
I've gardened off and on for years, but the latest setup I was not happy with so started again based on a picture I found, mine will look similar to this, but not quite.
CB5C09CB-A8BB-4DB4-A1F0-07FEC9E0B4F5.png
Again note this is not my garden right now, but a direction I'm working towards.

I've been diligently working on hauling out the Western NY clay as it is really poor soil for vegetable gardens. With this in mind I have dug out the spots where I will plant down to a uniform depth of 8-12" (depending on what is going where). Next weekend if all goes well I'll be filling these "boxes" that I have dug out of the ground with dirt/manure/gardening soil.

As a few people know while not quite a doomsday prepper I do plan ahead so this is not entirely frivolous.

Here is what I have going into my roughly 14x16 space:
  1. Corn
  2. Eggplant
  3. Tomato
  4. Squash
  5. Lettuce
  6. Carrots
  7. Beans
  8. Yellow Pear
  9. Tomato- Yellow Pear
  10. Pumpkin
  11. Peppers
  12. Onions
For flowers for pollination I have the following, mainly what I had on hand:
  1. Black Eyes Susan
  2. Marigold
  3. Shasta Daisy
  4. Sunflowers (my favorite)
For herbs I have the following:
  1. Oregano
  2. Chives
  3. Basil
  4. Garlic (transporting from my previous garden)
One question: I did come across these, anyone have an familiarity with them? If they do what the say I can see a row or two of these in farmer Willmark's field:
online-orchards-fruit-trees-ftca001-64_1000.jpg

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Online-...ft-to-3-ft-Tall-2-Years-Old-FTCA001/310612744

Apple trees that at two years old already bearing fruit? Yeas please.

Space is not really an issue as I have a big back yard, no trees where the garden is to block sunlight and relatively flat gorund with a mild slope from north to south. The apple trees are likley to be outside the garden proper as I might add a tradtional pear and apple tree as well.
 
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ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
Probably a better place to discuss then the General Political Thread.

As the title suggests (calling @ImperfectPixie) others are quite free to join in.

Here is where I'm at:
I've gardened off and on for years, but the latest setup I was not happy with so started again based on a picture I found, mine will look similar to this, but not quite.
View attachment 466131
Again note this is not my garden right now, but a direction I'm working towards.

I've been diligently working on hauling out the Western NY clay as it is really poor soil for vegetable gardens. With this in mind I have dug out the spots where I will plant down to a uniform depth of 8-12" (depending on what is going where). Next weekend if all goes well I'll be filling these "boxes" that I have dug out of the ground with dirt/manure/potting soil.

As a few people know while not quite a doomsday prepper I do plan ahead so this is not entirely frivolous.

Here is what I have going into my roughly 14x16 space:
  1. Corn
  2. Eggplant
  3. Tomato
  4. Squash
  5. Lettuce
  6. Carrots
  7. Beans
  8. Yellow Pear
  9. Tomato- Yellow Pear
  10. Pumpkin
  11. Peppers
  12. Onions
For flowers for pollination I have the following, mainly what I had on hand:
  1. Black Eyes Susan
  2. Marigold
  3. Shasta Daisy
  4. Sunflowers (my favorite)
For herbs I have the following:
  1. Oregano
  2. Chives
  3. Basil
  4. Garlic (transporting from my previous garden)
One question: I did come across these, anyone have an familiarity with them? If they do what the say I can see a row or two of these in farmer Willmark's field: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Online-...ft-to-3-ft-Tall-2-Years-Old-FTCA001/310612744

Space is not really an issue as I have a big back yard, no trees where the garden is to block sunlight and relatively flat gorund with a mild slope from north to south. The apple trees are likley to be outside the garden proper as I might add a tradtional pear and apple tree as well.
WOW!!! Color me jealous!

One of the first things I did when we bought our house and then my pick-up, was yank out most of the nasty, neglected evergreen shrubs (you know...the ones contractors put around EVERY house) and replace most of them with flowering shrubs. I've dreamed of having a vegetable garden, but with as much land as we have, the trees are a huge issue as there isn't an area that's out of the way that gets a ton of sun.

I'll try to remember to ask my mother about those apple trees - bookmarking your post to help me remember it. She worked at a nursery for more than 10 years.
 

ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
Probably a better place to discuss then the General Political Thread.

As the title suggests (calling @ImperfectPixie) others are quite free to join in.

Here is where I'm at:
I've gardened off and on for years, but the latest setup I was not happy with so started again based on a picture I found, mine will look similar to this, but not quite.
View attachment 466131
Again note this is not my garden right now, but a direction I'm working towards.

I've been diligently working on hauling out the Western NY clay as it is really poor soil for vegetable gardens. With this in mind I have dug out the spots where I will plant down to a uniform depth of 8-12" (depending on what is going where). Next weekend if all goes well I'll be filling these "boxes" that I have dug out of the ground with dirt/manure/potting soil.

As a few people know while not quite a doomsday prepper I do plan ahead so this is not entirely frivolous.

Here is what I have going into my roughly 14x16 space:
  1. Corn
  2. Eggplant
  3. Tomato
  4. Squash
  5. Lettuce
  6. Carrots
  7. Beans
  8. Yellow Pear
  9. Tomato- Yellow Pear
  10. Pumpkin
  11. Peppers
  12. Onions
For flowers for pollination I have the following, mainly what I had on hand:
  1. Black Eyes Susan
  2. Marigold
  3. Shasta Daisy
  4. Sunflowers (my favorite)
For herbs I have the following:
  1. Oregano
  2. Chives
  3. Basil
  4. Garlic (transporting from my previous garden)
One question: I did come across these, anyone have an familiarity with them? If they do what the say I can see a row or two of these in farmer Willmark's field:
View attachment 466134

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Online-...ft-to-3-ft-Tall-2-Years-Old-FTCA001/310612744

Apple trees that are two years old alread bearing fruit? Yeas please.

Space is not really an issue as I have a big back yard, no trees where the garden is to block sunlight and relatively flat gorund with a mild slope from north to south. The apple trees are likley to be outside the garden proper as I might add a tradtional pear and apple tree as well.
Okay...called her and asked...she's never heard of them (she's been out of the business for a bit), but she said as long as the root system is strong, and the conditions right, they should do well. She has a few apple trees that she's planted over the years - one that has branches from several varieties grafted onto a single tree.
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Okay...called her and asked...she's never heard of them (she's been out of the business for a bit), but she said as long as the root system is strong, and the conditions right, they should do well. She has a few apple trees that she's planted over the years - one that has branches from several varieties grafted onto a single tree.
Woah fast response, wasn’t expecting that, appreciated.
 

ImperfectPixie

Well-Known Member
Woah fast response, wasn’t expecting that, appreciated.
No problem! The one thing she's always stressed to me in a huge way is to dig holes much wider than you think they need to be and to loosen the root-ball really well before planting. (Apparently even landscapers try to take shortcuts in regards to this.)
 

MinnieM123

Premium Member
Farmer Willmark, hope you don't mind if I tag along here. (Unfortunately, I don't have a garden--no place to even try, as surrounded by concrete outside.)

But I like seeing people's projects, and the "growing" ones are uplifting to see, as they progress along. :)
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Be aware corn takes up a lot of space and you need 3 or 4 rows for it to pollenate. Pumpkin and squash are ones that will spread all over your 12x 16 space. Right now I have tomatoes in the garden with green tomatoes on the plants, wife is still picking kale and will start picking peas soon. Main garden is 50 x 50 and then have 5 raised beds 4 x 12 with spinach and garlic. When i met the wife her grandfather was an organic gardener long before it was the in thing to do got my start from him --been planting a garden for more years than I wish to count.
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Farmer Willmark, hope you don't mind if I tag along here. (Unfortunately, I don't have a garden--no place to even try, as surrounded by concrete outside.)

But I like seeing people's projects, and the "growing" ones are uplifting to see, as they progress along. :)
Feel free @MinnieM123 , that what the thread is for.

@John park hopper- thanks for the advice. I’ve planted corn in the past and this time around I’ve got about 12x4 set aside currently. I can easily dig out the west side of the garden to add more space if needed. In the picture above the corn is at the top, from there to my fence line I’ve got 60 feet at least ;)

ETA: I also have space behind where the fence will go for even more, ie where the previous garden was should I need it.
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As noted folks I’m still in the construction phase, not ready to plant. It’s been unseasonably cold all month. So this year I’m contenting myself with one planting, maybe some short 40 day stuff for fall harvest, we’ll see.
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
As noted folks I’m still in the construction phase, not ready to plant. It’s been unseasonably cold all month. So this year I’m contenting myself with one planting, maybe some short 40 day stuff for fall harvest, we’ll see.
I'm here in coastal SC so we can do planting in the spring and then again in the fall, where are you located? A lot of the tomatoes in the stores here are from Canada grown in greenhouses
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm here in coastal SC so we can do planting in the spring and then again in the fall, where are you located? A lot of the tomatoes in the stores here are from Canada grown in greenhouses
Western N.Y, about 70 miles from Niagara Falls and 2.5 miles south of Lake Ontario. Where I live used to be an Apple Orchard (rode my dirt bike through here numerous times in my youth); fortunately when the track was built they scrapped out all the top soil that could have had arsenic from said apples. Downside the aforementioned clay. Western NY clay is really, really heavy and sticky, it’s a pain to move.

I do however have a good plan to get around it this time. I only have a few more areas to dig out before I fill with suitable soil.

Also never considered “Toad Abodes” before. I’ll make a few as I have a creek nearby as in within 15 feet. Makes sense and they cutting down on mosquitoes alone is well worth it.

What are your soil conditions there?
 
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John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Western N.Y, about 70 miles from Niagara Falls and 2.5 miles south of Lake Ontario. Where I live used to be an Apple Orchard (rode my dirt bike through here numerous times in my youth); fortunately when the track was built they scrapped out all the top soil that could have had arsenic from said apples. Downside the aforementioned clay. Western NY clay is really, really heavy and sticky, it’s a pain to move.

I do however have a good plain to get around it this time. I only have a few more areas to dig out before I fill with suitable soil.

Also never considered “Toad Abodes” before. I’ll make a few as I have a creek nearby as in within 15 feet. Makes sense and they cutting down on mosquitoes alone is well worth it.

What are your soil conditions there?
My soil conditions are sandy low organic matter, no clay. When we moved into our current house 25 years ago started the garden. We compost all the house scrapes --in the fall I grind up all the leaves and till them into the soil, after the fall garden is finished plant rye grass as a cover crop and till in the spring. Do a lot of fishing so all the fish scrapes get buried under the tomatoes and other plants. What was once sand is now full of organic matter. Where there were no earthworms the worms are everywhere. I love to garden wife keeps saying its only the 2 of us we don't need all you plant so i give it to the neighbors
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
No problem! The one thing she's always stressed to me in a huge way is to dig holes much wider than you think they need to be and to loosen the root-ball really well before planting. (Apparently even landscapers try to take shortcuts in regards to this.)
Also got confirmation from someone else in the know, these trees are the real deal. Two years old and they are producing fruit. Mrs Willmark loves to bake so I see a lot of pies in the Fall. We're also going to start canning.
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We are at the mercy of the weather, it gives you unique perspective into what farmers have to contend with year after year.
Indeed.

I took your advice and widened the area I'm using: I dug out five more beds today and have two large ones left to go. When its all said and done the total area will be 20 feet wide by 30 feet in length. The fruit trees will be on the perimeter so even more space in actuality.
 
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John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Indeed.

I took your advice and widened the area I'm using: I dug out five more beds today and have two large ones left to go. When its all said and done the total area will be 20 feet wide by 30 feet in length. The fruit trees will be on the perimeter so even more space in actuality.
I envy you that you can grow fruit trees in NY. I have tried apples, peaches, plums, apricots just don't have enough chill hours and the bugs that attack them I gave up. I can grow blueberries
 

Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I envy you that you can grow fruit trees in NY. I have tried apples, peaches, plums, apricots just don't have enough chill hours and the bugs that attack them I gave up. I can grow blueberries
But at least you have the climate (or possibility) of it grow citrus. Zero chance of that here.
 
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Willmark

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So the "interior of the garden beds will be a bit smaller and not as square based on the way I dug it out. Its like that because I made the outer beds larger. Also, since I don't know the scale of the picture I'm working from I'm not too concerned as it is a guide, not a on-to-one representation.

ETA- I also dug out two more (roughly) 5x5 beds tonight. Only two smaller ones to go and its time to start with some initial planting and filling of the beds. The ornamentation and the rocks will come later.
 
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