what do you do in your garden that's different?

[Doug9345]

One thing I do different from anybody I know personally is that I don't plant row crops like beans, and beets in rows. I plant them in beds 24" or so wide. I figure it uses growing and walking space better.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

One thing I do different from anybody I know personally is that I don't plant row crops like beans, and beets in rows. I plant them in beds 24" or so wide. I figure it uses growing and walking space better.

Wide row planting can be VERY effective for sure!

[Claudia]

I have started to throw dry grass cuttings in my garden and flower beds.

[RobinB]

This year, at the suggestion of a local Master Gardener, I am leaving the Walls O'Water on my plants all season. I usually pull them off in mid-June once the nighttime temps seem "safe." So far, I think it helped in the extreme heat that we experienced. I know that they helped as a physical barrier to the quail which just love to nibble on lower leaves. Some late season varieties started producing fruit down inside the WOWs much earlier than I anticipated. I can't really say what those same plants would have done in a different year under different circumstances, though. All in all, it's been a good experience so far. I just hope that the extra time the WOWs spend out in the sun doesn't significantly decrease their useful life.

[tomatoguy]

Hmm. Wonder where I can find a 7 foot tall WOW.

mater

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by tomatoguy

Hmm. Wonder where I can find a 7 foot tall WOW.

mater

A bit pricey but includes cages and trellising on top A couple rows of these should do the trick! Pool

[Mojave]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

A bit pricey but includes cages and trellising on top A couple rows of these should do the trick! Pool

Hey, it even includes a little tethered gardener to keep the critters away!

[peppero]

Originally Posted by bluehrs

I grow my peppers and tomatoes in pots but make them look like raised beds.

Brandon
www.squarefootgardener.com

Looks great.

jon

[peppero]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Wide row planting can be VERY effective for sure!

I find this practice works well for me and all my beds are permanenetly mulched. this is different in my area and i also have several beds lined with standard concrete blocks fill with good soil. i plant onions and garlic in the holes.

my mother said I was different from a young age.

jon

[Alfredo]

Hmmm....the only thing different that I do in my garden to other gardeners I know personally in my area, would have to be using all the leftover debris that was cleaned out of the rainwater gutter pipes on the roof of my house as the initial layers for a hilled row of vegetables . This natural "debris" consists of A LOT of very wet leaves/twigs from the various big deciduous trees (oaks, maples, etc) I have around the property. So I apply it as a soil amendment for one of the areas of my garden that gets blaring sun all day.

I wanted to add this to help hold in more moisture when I watered it in the morning and to add some minerals/nutrients that the leaves would have from the trees. It seems to work pretty well, my squash grows vigorously and my eggplant plants/fruit grow pretty big, more bigger in that area than in other areas of my garden without that soil amendment.

I also use my daily leftover black coffee, diluted, and apply it to some of my roses/shrubs every now and then.

~Alfredo

[newatthiskat]

I unfortunately tend to plant and forget. Except to pick tomatoes. Sometimes I remember to fertilize. I usually do not spray for anything. It looks a mess actually. I just looked out in the jungle and decided to weed. I was afraid I would get a snake bite. That is the bad thing about working nights and very long hours. for some reason I think I need sleep. Come to think of it...I need sleep

[beeman]

A few years ago I got fed up with all the weeds and soil bugs I had to deal with, I had just read an article on soil solarization using clear plastic so decided to try it.
Spread the plastic and waited. Weeds grew like the was no tomorrow, not satisfactory.

So determined to win, decided black plastic would be better. Sure enough, the heat sprouted the seed, but lack of light prevented it growing. Success.

Now I remove the final crops, add compost etc, till and water, then cover with black plastic sheet, tight and weighted down round the edges. It stays like that all winter, in the spring I peel back the plastic and plant.

Advantages. No weeds, even till late in the season. No compaction from snow or rain, and in spite of what has been written healthy soil and plants. We do not suffer with Potato beetles, only if we don't black plastic the area where the plants are growing this year.

[Crissyb]

I have a messy vegetable garden. I think I am the only one in my township that does that, everybody else has neat manicured, bare rows. I live in the country so I think it is ok. I can not kill a sunflower without feeling guilty, therefore I have too many growing next to my tomatoes. This summer I have about 3 10+ foot sunflowers in the middle of my garden. I think it's kind of neat looking
But, my stuff ends up being smooshed too close together. I don't use pesticides and I really don't fertilize that much either. I also have a catnip infestation in my garden and for some reason can't pull up the 3 foot tall flowering herbs scattered in my rows. Very embarrassing

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by Darren Abbey

This year I planted radishes all around underneath my tomatoes. The notion was the radishes would leaf out early and low, helping to keep grass/weeds under control without shading over the young tomato plants.

Since I've never grown radishes before, I seeded out a mixture of varieties. Not all of them worked out, so it was a good strategy. "Icicle" in particular has been consistently bolting without producing a usable root. (I mostly blame the odd weather in MN this year and may try it again later.)

The trick seems to be working. (I have much less unwanted weeds around the tomatoes/radishes than I do in the adjacent carrot patch.) I also have fresh radishes routinely. I expect I will do this again in the future.

I am not sure about radishes, pulling them routinely disturbs the roots of your tomatoes.

I am adding to a tomato beds natural plant food: eggshells, coffee, shrimp/crab/lobster shells, fish head and all other parts that are discarded otherwise. I use marigolds as a companion plant. When they get to big, I just chop the top off and leave it right there to cover the soil.
I use soapy water to spray as well, just add to it backing soda and Epsom salt.

[Tom A To]

I like dill to grow everywhere in my garden. i like to catch a whiff when i brush past it. I planted some years ago and have had many many volunteers ever since. When it goes to seed, I whack the top with the back of my hand to spread the seeds.

I also like Society Garlic to grow everywhere. I like that smell to waft thru the garden as well, plus the flowers on it are very nice.

Lastly, I plant Four O'Clocks all around the garden. To me, those flowers have the best smell of any plant, period. They also come back year after year.