Gardening 2012

[stig]

The vegetarian seconds that wholeheartedly!


Jay, you were complaining about all the weeding awhile back.
Have you thought about using a groundcover like what I have in the tunnel.
Coarsely woven polyester. Just cut an X where you want a plant to grow, no weeds anywhere and you can just water the whole thing, it'll seep through the cover.

Best part is the price: About 60 cents a square meter.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Stig, I have seen ground cover being sold, and lots of folks use it, the kind that you punch holes in, and some may already have spaced cutouts. I'm not sure I have ever seen the type that water will go through, that seems like the ticket! A neighbor once cautioned me about using a petroleum product plastic thing on the ground around plants, due to possible contamination. It is probably not a consideration, just about every person and their brother uses it here, but the comment from the neighbor sort of messed up my brain.


Barf is right, I plan to open the fish guts can today to stir again.

 

[MasterBlaster]

For a quick burst of vegetative growth, water with a 1 cup urine to 1 gallon water is a great nitrogen fix!

 

[stig]

Jay, I visited a local organic grower to look at their polytunnels, she was the one who showed me the groundcover.
She is completely fanatical about organic growing, so I doubt she would use something that contaminates.

 

[Paul B]

Its strawberry season in my yard! We have been picking a bowl full each couple of days this last week

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's so cool. I'd think the birds would eat them?

 

[stig]

That is what netting is for!

 

[woodworkingboy]

Man, lettuce is a no go this year to a large extent. Something is eating the seedlings, they just disappear with no sign of what is chomping them. I see some big bites out of some other vegee leaves too.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Lilly has been picking them here Paul.. About a small bowl a day. More coming though.. I think she eats hand fulls on her way back to the house Pink lips are a sure give away...

 

[Paul B]

no bird probs here, more like slugs and ants, we pick them just a bit green and they ripen overnight if they make it that long, Bub likes to inhale them directly from the plant when we are outside, I have no issue with that. Waiting on Blueberry plants now, loaded with fruit just need the weather to ripen it up.

 

[sotc]

I have a pretty good crop of blueberries but Orrin discovered them, now as soon as one thinks about getting a blue hue on it, he eats it. I don't think I will get another ripe one this year!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Raspberries should be coming in soon... Kids will be fighting Kat over them

 

[woodworkingboy]

Walked out to my plot behind my shop and saw two partially eaten tomatoes on the ground. Crows! I had heard that they will eat them, but I don't believe I have ever had one touched before. Must be a troublemaker in the area. It is frustrating to have that happen. I can't get a gun, so I'm thinking slingshot at least. I read where an inflatable owl on a stick, sometimes moved around the garden, will keep the crows away. I dunno? My corn is coming into picking time, the first time I have grown it and it has done real well with a lot of care. I'll be pissed if the damn birds get into that.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Do they have pellet guns there?

 

[woodworkingboy]

There is something available that can shoot things like pellets, but I don't know the power or the range. Probably just some plastic pellets or something. They are very paranoid of guns here. Ever since somebody said, "Enough of this crap", and stabbed a politician, getting potential weapons has become increasingly difficult.

 

[Tucker943]

Owls attract crows. Plastic owls have long been used as decoys for crow hunting. Try it if its not expensive as i may be wrong.

 

[Tucker943]

Try hanging some old cd's on a string above the plants in jeopardy. They get freaked out by shiny metallic stuff that moves. Even some shiny sheet metal pieces that will move in the breeze.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I've placed owls and rubber snakes in trees, more than once.

 

[Paul B]

blowgun, poison tipped. VERY ninja like

 

[woodworkingboy]

Famers often string a twisted shiny metallic tape over their crops. The birds seem to get used to it and it doesn't phase them after awhile. Poison tipped blowgun...just have to remember not to inhale. I did read where it said that fake owls are effective, as long as you move them every week or so. They also sell something here that inflates to look like a giant eyeball. I think the word is out amongst the feathered friends that it isn't something that requires worry.

 

[Magnus]

Pellet gun is a debated subject. Unless you are a very good marks man and have a really good gun, chances are you wound it rather than kill.
Lots of birds fly around with lead in them for a long time.
I would try nets if it were me. Cought more crow and ravens in the protective nets than I shot I think.
A tomato or two would not be so bad. I could live with that...

I have a cherry tree that had gave berry the last 8-9 years... I have never tasted them.
Pears, same thing.

 

[Porkbrick]

gardening 2013 anyone? my spring garden is just getting under way. been spending a lot of time prepping raised beds and am looking forward to growing some veggies! a short tour of my garden:
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YcFj7rPjAnQ?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Awesome Jamie.

 

[rumination]

Dude...kale? I really do like all kinds of greens, but come on, kale is just bleagh. Beet greens are my favorite!

Seriously, though, it looks really nice. That's the first I've heard about Hugleculture. I'm going to have to look into that some more.

 

[stig]

We got hit by a small blizzard this week, so it'll be a long while yet, before I get started on the garden, greenhouse and polytunnel.

But I have tomatoes, chilies, eggplants, beans, squash and corn sprouting like mad under my indoors artificial growing light