Higgy's 2011 Garden

Higgy · 04-25-11, 12:47 PM

I purchased some new seeds this year from a local grower. They specialize in keeping old heirloom variety's alive and kicking. I purchased a few different kinds and got a free packet of Georgia Altai's as well (tomato's). I got some tomatoes, pees, peppers, carrot's, beets, spinach, lettuce, cantelope, watermelon, cucumbers and beans. And I'll use some of the other veggies I bought before to finish off my garden. I'm hoping to take these and harvest the seeds in them afterwards, which will mean that I need to leave the carrots and beets over winter and covered really well as they only seed the next year, so I've read.

So I've got about 6 Brandywine and 5 Georgia Altai's up (tomato's) and my father in law will be giving me some Roma's as well. The tomatoes are about 5 inches high now. I've got 3 peppers up as well that are about 2 inches. I can't remember which ones they are...either Doe Hill or King of the North. I also just planted my watermelon (Will's Sugar) and cantelope (can't remember the name). Most of the rest I'll plant in the garden in May. I'll try and put up some pictures when I can.

Also, if we don't move to a new house, I'm adding onto my garden so that I have some more space in the sunlight.

Daox · 05-03-11, 11:51 AM

Where are the pics?

faq · 05-04-11, 11:56 PM

cool! I want to have my own garden too but i was wondering if it will take a lot of time? Will you be able to juggle a garden and work?

strider3700 · 05-05-11, 01:03 AM

depends on the size of the garden and what you're doing.

I at the moment work full time during the day do an hour or two at night and have two kids under 3. I also have 1000 sqft of vegetables and probably a couple hundred more of flowers as well as 12 fruit trees. Right now each weekend it takes a few hours to keep up with the weeding and new planting but really the real work will be this summer with the watering. I intend to use timers and drip irrigation to get that mostly automated. When Summer finally gets here I'll need to spend 30 minutes to an hour every day just looking things over. I've been doing this for a few years though so if you're new at it it will take a lot more time.

Creating new beds takes a bunch of time and the initial weeding on them is hellish. I made a small one 2'x5' with bricks for a border and a fruit tree in the middle. Due to it having 5 stumps in the same space(old hedge) it took 3 hours to put the bricks in and remove the grass.

Start small. 10x10 gives you tons of space to figure things out in without taking all of your free time. 4x4 anyone can keep up with.

faq · 05-05-11, 02:08 AM

Yah, I think I should start off small. 10'X10' seems like a good size to start with, do you think some fruits and vegetables will be a good place to start? I'm sure some plants are harder to maintain, are there any that you would recommend? Will fertilizer be required? I have two dogs, how do you think I will be able to keep them from the garden?

RobertSmalls · 05-05-11, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faq

cool! I want to have my own garden too but i was wondering if it will take a lot of time? Will you be able to juggle a garden and work?

I read this and was sure you were a spambot. Then I read your next post. I'm now less than 100% sure.

You should view dogs as fertilizer dispensers. The approach for keeping a dog out of the garden, if required, is the same as keeping him off the couch: Establish yourself as the pack leader, then declare the zone off-limits.

faq · 05-05-11, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

I read this and was sure you were a spambot. Then I read your next post. I'm now less than 100% sure.

You should view dogs as fertilizer dispensers. The approach for keeping a dog out of the garden, if required, is the same as keeping him off the couch: Establish yourself as the pack leader, then declare the zone off-limits.

I've thought about using my dogs as fertilizer dispensers but is it more complicated than just mixing with the soil? In a way, it seems kind of weird?

strider3700 · 05-05-11, 11:34 PM

dog crap can carry bad things that won't breakdown unless in a very hot composter or left for a long long time. I don't put it in my garden or compost pile.

Higgy · 05-06-11, 09:40 AM

DANG...I forgot to take pictures again. I swear I'm gonna write it on my forehead.

Yeah faq, mine is 12x25 ish, and I have a 3 and a 5 year old, I work full time, I take them to swimming, I try and workout twice a week...it's not that hard really if you just keep up with it.

faq · 05-09-11, 02:35 AM

Yah I guess I'll just need to get a routine down and add it into my schedule. I'm hoping to start this coming weekend!

04-25-11, 12:47 PM	#1
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Higgy's 2011 Garden I purchased some new seeds this year from a local grower. They specialize in keeping old heirloom variety's alive and kicking. I purchased a few different kinds and got a free packet of Georgia Altai's as well (tomato's). I got some tomatoes, pees, peppers, carrot's, beets, spinach, lettuce, cantelope, watermelon, cucumbers and beans. And I'll use some of the other veggies I bought before to finish off my garden. I'm hoping to take these and harvest the seeds in them afterwards, which will mean that I need to leave the carrots and beets over winter and covered really well as they only seed the next year, so I've read. So I've got about 6 Brandywine and 5 Georgia Altai's up (tomato's) and my father in law will be giving me some Roma's as well. The tomatoes are about 5 inches high now. I've got 3 peppers up as well that are about 2 inches. I can't remember which ones they are...either Doe Hill or King of the North. I also just planted my watermelon (Will's Sugar) and cantelope (can't remember the name). Most of the rest I'll plant in the garden in May. I'll try and put up some pictures when I can. Also, if we don't move to a new house, I'm adding onto my garden so that I have some more space in the sunlight.

05-03-11, 11:51 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Where are the pics? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-04-11, 11:56 PM	#3
faq Green Enthusiast Join Date: May 2011 Location: California Posts: 13 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cool cool! I want to have my own garden too but i was wondering if it will take a lot of time? Will you be able to juggle a garden and work?

05-05-11, 01:03 AM	#4
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	depends on the size of the garden and what you're doing. I at the moment work full time during the day do an hour or two at night and have two kids under 3. I also have 1000 sqft of vegetables and probably a couple hundred more of flowers as well as 12 fruit trees. Right now each weekend it takes a few hours to keep up with the weeding and new planting but really the real work will be this summer with the watering. I intend to use timers and drip irrigation to get that mostly automated. When Summer finally gets here I'll need to spend 30 minutes to an hour every day just looking things over. I've been doing this for a few years though so if you're new at it it will take a lot more time. Creating new beds takes a bunch of time and the initial weeding on them is hellish. I made a small one 2'x5' with bricks for a border and a fruit tree in the middle. Due to it having 5 stumps in the same space(old hedge) it took 3 hours to put the bricks in and remove the grass. Start small. 10x10 gives you tons of space to figure things out in without taking all of your free time. 4x4 anyone can keep up with.

05-05-11, 02:08 AM	#5
faq Green Enthusiast Join Date: May 2011 Location: California Posts: 13 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yah, I think I should start off small. 10'X10' seems like a good size to start with, do you think some fruits and vegetables will be a good place to start? I'm sure some plants are harder to maintain, are there any that you would recommend? Will fertilizer be required? I have two dogs, how do you think I will be able to keep them from the garden?

05-05-11, 11:34 PM	#8
strider3700 Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 745 Thanks: 23 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	dog crap can carry bad things that won't breakdown unless in a very hot composter or left for a long long time. I don't put it in my garden or compost pile.

05-06-11, 09:40 AM	#9
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	DANG...I forgot to take pictures again. I swear I'm gonna write it on my forehead. Yeah faq, mine is 12x25 ish, and I have a 3 and a 5 year old, I work full time, I take them to swimming, I try and workout twice a week...it's not that hard really if you just keep up with it.

05-09-11, 02:35 AM	#10
faq Green Enthusiast Join Date: May 2011 Location: California Posts: 13 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Yah I guess I'll just need to get a routine down and add it into my schedule. I'm hoping to start this coming weekend!