2015 Garden Journal - Page 2

BigVanVader · February 16, 2015

Coffee grounds. There is a little place called Bella Latte I pass everyday so I stopped one morning and ask if I could leave a bucket. They were glad to oblige and now I get two 5 gallon buckets of them per week. They make each cup to order so they look like little coffee biscuits.

Its amazing how much free material one can accumulate with Craigslist, Freecycle, and just asking nicely works to.

gunrunner · February 17, 2015

What type of poles are those in your photo that you are using and where did you find them that long?
Thanks
Mike

BigVanVader · February 17, 2015

20 ft sections of 1\2 inch rebar covered by 3/4 polyethylene pipe (irrigation tubing). I got it all at my local Lowes. It is based off an Elliot Coleman design that I adapted for my needs. My thoughts were it would be more stable with the strong winds we get here than PVC.

gunrunner · February 17, 2015

BigV

Thanks for the come back. I had thought about using irr. tubing but was afraid it would be to flexible. The kind at our Lowes is rolled up, wasn't sure how strong it would be. Looks as though its working well for you.

Mike

gssgarden · February 17, 2015

Urine? Who's urine?

We should be close to same frost date of April 15th. Started my seeds a little over a week ago.

looking great btw!

Greg

BigVanVader · February 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunrunner

BigV

Thanks for the come back. I had thought about using irr. tubing but was afraid it would be to flexible. The kind at our Lowes is rolled up, wasn't sure how strong it would be. Looks as though its working well for you.

Mike

Yes, the rebar gives it all the strength you need, the tubing is more just to protect the plastic from abrasion/off gassing but it does add a little more rigidity to the structure.

BigVanVader · February 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by gssgarden

Urine? Who's urine?

We should be close to same frost date of April 15th. Started my seeds a little over a week ago.

looking great btw!

Greg

Mine of course

Kleebin · February 18, 2015

Urine is sterile and loaded with nitrogen. 10:1 dilution, or 1 cup/gallon fresh is a good way to use it. Just don't let it sit around. You can also buy crystalized urea (46-0-0) off amazon for about $12/5lb. I use it in a dry mix recommended by Praxxus, but I have used my own before. I just wouldn't mention it while giving away produce to people. "Hey! Here's some tomatoes for you.....btw, I peed on them."

BigVanVader · February 18, 2015

Yeah, some people get pretty grossed out by it so I don't advertise it.

BigVanVader · February 22, 2015

I started making my beds this week. I layered them starting newspaper/horse manure/aged hay/coffee grounds/leaves. I will top it with rabbit manure at planting. I got it today from volunteering at a rabbit sanctuary which was kinda fun. I also got some Metro-mix 360 and some fish emulsion with kelp called Dramatic K for my seedlings.

Here are a few pics of the bed making process. These were later covered with 2 mil clear plastic to aid in heating and decomposing the layers into hummus.

EBCIII · March 13, 2015

Your Garden and green House all look Fantastic! Very well done! Beale.

BigVanVader · April 24, 2015

Been awhile but I have taken a few more pics of my progress which I will post soon. I have been very busy with home/work/family things...plus I got married

As of today I have 57 Tomatoes in the dirt. Here is the breakdown.

Row 2:
Ozark Orange-6
JB truffle-6
Glacier-3
Big beef-5

Row 5:
Blueberries-6
Pink BB-6
Sunrise BB-5
Sungold-3

Row 6:
HJ Blues-4
Wes-3
Indian Stripe-3
Isis Candy-2
Submarine Blush-3
Malachite box-1
sugar drop-1

I have room for maybe 6 more tomatoes and I am thinking I will plant Bear Creek in that spot or maybe split it between BC and Neves azorean red. I have Carbon and CP plants that are looking gorgeous but no space for them

BigVanVader · April 24, 2015

20150324_210448_hdr-resized-960-resized-960.jpg
Bell peppers
20150424_122741_hdr-resized-960.jpg
This was the only Brandywine that didn't succumb to root rot and darned if it didn't give me a megablossom. Sometimes the tomatoes trick you into growing them

20150424_184656_hdr-resized-960.jpg
The plants I have left, sold around 250 so far which mostly paid for what I put into the garden this year. Still have alot of blacks which haven't been selling well.
20150424_180759_hdr-resized-960.jpg
This big guy/gal? was hiding in the compost. I told him/her to kill any aphids it sees.
20150424_122841_hdr-resized-960.jpg
Beds halfway through planting.
20150413_162039_hdr-resized-960.jpg
My wife and I at the Angel Oak in Charleston. This tree is incredible!
Well I guess that's all for now. Happy growing!

ginger2778 · April 25, 2015

Do at least plant 1 Carbon. You won't be sorry!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Been awhile but I have taken a few more pics of my progress which I will post soon. I have been very busy with home/work/family things...plus I got married

As of today I have 67 Tomatoes in the dirt. Here is the breakdown.

Row 2:
Ozark Orange-6
JB truffle-6
Glacier-3
Big beef-5

Row 5:
Blueberries-6
Pink BB-6
Sunrise BB-5
Sungold-3

Row 6:
HJ Blues-4
Wes-3
Indian Stripe-3
Isis Candy-2
Submarine Blush-3
Malachite box-1
sugar drop-1

I have room for maybe 6 more tomatoes and I am thinking I will plant Bear Creek in that spot or maybe split it between BC and Neves azorean red. I have Carbon and CP plants that are looking gorgeous but no space for them

BigVanVader · April 25, 2015

I highly respect your opinion on these matters/maters so when it dries out I will stick 2 Carbon in the dirt. The varieties I have to choose from are Vorlon, Carbon, Absinthe, NA red, Stump OTW, CP, Prudens purple and Wapsipinicon peach. Suggestions?

February 17, 2015	#17
gunrunner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: memphis tn Posts: 81	hoop house What type of poles are those in your photo that you are using and where did you find them that long? Thanks Mike

February 17, 2015	#19
gunrunner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: memphis tn Posts: 81	Irragation tubing BigV Thanks for the come back. I had thought about using irr. tubing but was afraid it would be to flexible. The kind at our Lowes is rolled up, wasn't sure how strong it would be. Looks as though its working well for you. Mike

April 24, 2015	#27
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Been awhile but I have taken a few more pics of my progress which I will post soon. I have been very busy with home/work/family things...plus I got married As of today I have 57 Tomatoes in the dirt. Here is the breakdown. Row 2: Ozark Orange-6 JB truffle-6 Glacier-3 Big beef-5 Row 5: Blueberries-6 Pink BB-6 Sunrise BB-5 Sungold-3 Row 6: HJ Blues-4 Wes-3 Indian Stripe-3 Isis Candy-2 Submarine Blush-3 Malachite box-1 sugar drop-1 I have room for maybe 6 more tomatoes and I am thinking I will plant Bear Creek in that spot or maybe split it between BC and Neves azorean red. I have Carbon and CP plants that are looking gorgeous but no space for them Last edited by BigVanVader; April 25, 2015 at 09:21 AM.

February 16, 2015	#16
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Coffee grounds. There is a little place called Bella Latte I pass everyday so I stopped one morning and ask if I could leave a bucket. They were glad to oblige and now I get two 5 gallon buckets of them per week. They make each cup to order so they look like little coffee biscuits. Its amazing how much free material one can accumulate with Craigslist, Freecycle, and just asking nicely works to.

February 17, 2015	#20
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	Urine? Who's urine? We should be close to same frost date of April 15th. Started my seeds a little over a week ago. looking great btw! Greg

February 18, 2015	#23
Kleebin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Asheville Posts: 5	Urine is sterile and loaded with nitrogen. 10:1 dilution, or 1 cup/gallon fresh is a good way to use it. Just don't let it sit around. You can also buy crystalized urea (46-0-0) off amazon for about $12/5lb. I use it in a dry mix recommended by Praxxus, but I have used my own before. I just wouldn't mention it while giving away produce to people. "Hey! Here's some tomatoes for you.....btw, I peed on them."

March 13, 2015	#26
EBCIII Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: South East Va Zone 7A Posts: 306	Your Garden and green House all look Fantastic! Very well done! Beale.

April 25, 2015	#30
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	I highly respect your opinion on these matters/maters so when it dries out I will stick 2 Carbon in the dirt. The varieties I have to choose from are Vorlon, Carbon, Absinthe, NA red, Stump OTW, CP, Prudens purple and Wapsipinicon peach. Suggestions?