Gardens anyone?

[Mac Attack]

Just covered the veggie garden with 6 mil black plastic this past Thursday.

No garden this summer because of all the other extra curricular activities we assumed this year.
So it was decided to cover it and kill the weeds that had started, turning it all to compost for 2018.

I won't bore you with the activities.

 

[rgfixit]

What a great day to spend in the garden. I started at 7 am or so and just finished up.

Pulled the spinach. It was starting to bolt. Planted sugar snap peas that I had started in some containers and some more beans. Had an idea for a trellis that worked out for the pickles and peas. Stuff should climb the strings and be supported by the lath strips. Anyway, they look kind of cool


The asparagus forest is thriving and sending up new shoots. Peppers and cukes are growing very well.



Added a couple feet of fencing to the top to give my Morning Glories a place to climb.
[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/brfixit/media/IMG_1625_zps971xtvss.jpg.html]

Strawberries are flowering and sending out runners and the radishes are about ready to pull.


Strung up my beans.


Tomatoes are growing fast and flowering.


Added some fencing to the bottom of the big flower towers. Stupid squirrels were digging around I think. Might have been a possum or skunk though.


They're really starting to climb now.


The volunteer sunflowers under the bird feeder are showing signs of flowers.


And....I have to say, my potting bench is one of the best things I've built myself in many years.


If you don't have one, you should

Time for a Zwiegles on the Weber and a cocktail.

Rg

[drowndin dots]

  Awesome RG, you really put some thought into your garden I love the trellis idea! Way to use space smartly 

[rgfixit]

Thanks! Just trying to make the most of what's available.

Keeps my blood pressure down too

Rg

[drowndin dots]

Thanks! Just trying to make the most of what's available.

Keeps my blood pressure down too

Rg

So you had me at the green house today looking at my options for trellis. Found a few promising things, but want to shop around a bit first. Did pull the trigger on 6 pounds of pickling cukes because I can wait no more for my pickles If you ever make it to the Cuse you need to check out Hafners in North Syracuse, just an awesome well run store! 

[rgfixit]

Ha! I was looking at my tomatoes this morning. I'll have to do something with them pretty soon too. I'm thinking a couple more of the poles I used for the flower towers with wires and string. Don't want to block off our dining room windowtoo much. We like to watch the birds.

The way they're growing, they're gonna be 6' tall in no time at all.

Mmmmm....pickles!
I'm down to my last 2 pints of pickles. Time to make a trip to the farmers markets. There's a nice one on Tuesday afternoon here in town, but the good one is in Fairport on Saturday morning. My plants are loaded with cukes and pickles but it'll be a while till harvest.

Besides, you can never have enough pickles in the pantry

Rg

[ActiveTrapChecker]

Thank you RG, Boondox, DD and Attack. I appreciate the insight on the weed guard (and all the garden pics posted). Looking forward to putting the guard down next year. Do you typically use the guard annually or is it one and done.

I built a trellis for my beans this weekend. Used 7' bamboo sticks laced with twine. The beans are already enjoying it!

[rgfixit]

I only get a year out of the stuff I use. But it's relatively cheap and goes a long way.

Rg

[drowndin dots]

  I get one year as well, but have found other uses for the left over stuff. And the roll I buy lasts 2 years with my garden 12 x 30. So I figure my time not spent weeding is well worth the price, and I have had little to no Blight on my Tomatoes since going to the fabric, and that's after failing to get a decent harvest the first 3 years here due to blight.

[rgfixit]

Interesting, DD. I always use the fabric and mulch on my tomatoes at the back of my house. It's also part of my Bride's flower gardens so I mostly do it to keep it looking nice. But, I've never had any blight or other problems with my tomatoes.
Makes me think.

Rg

[zwiggles]

DD, We have wicked problems with blight here in southern NH. A professor I once had told me to prevent the soil from coming in contact with the leaves with paper, or mulch to help combat the blight. It has worked OK for me. My uncle out in WA says his customers grow there tomatoes under an overhang to prevent the rain from getting on them. I believe they have the same issue with the soil getting on the leaves via rain drops.

The best solution I have found is to use SmartPots, and use new soil each year. It takes a lot more time watering, and expense but the best tomatoes plants I have seen outside of a greenhouse we're in SmartPots. They're a neat product if you haven't heard of them before.

[drowndin dots]

  It seems to stop the spores from popping up when it rains. You still have to be vigilant, and prune the bottom branches.

[rgfixit]

Do you guys prune the sucker stems? I always have. I don't  know how much it helps, but the fruits are always good.

Rg

[O]

One part of my "gardens".  Most of my herbs are in pots, it just makes it easier and I can move them indoors for the late fall and early winter before they die off.  I have three pepper plants in my flower garden too because I like the way the peppers look like flowers.



 

[fishin4eyes]

If you have a slug problem cut the top off a soda jug and fill half way with beer. It will be full of slugs over night