CRANS 2013 Island Garden

[Redbaron]

Making me hungry again Crandrew

[GnomeGrown]

Looking good, Crandrew.

[checkerkitty]

Crandew, love the set up! I know we don't live in the same area, but I was hoping you could list where you picked up the redwood boards? Also, exactly what size are the boards? I'm thinking of putting in a couple of raised beds along my fence. I was considering cedar boards but I like the redwood, too. I know they need to be fairly thick to last the longest time possible. Thanks!

Christy

[Crandrew]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Making me hungry again Crandrew

it was quite yummy!

Originally Posted by GnomeGrown

Looking good, Crandrew.

THanks guys. You know how its exciting to try something you've never grown before. No expectations allow for a nice surprise.

Originally Posted by checkerkitty

Crandew, love the set up! I know we don't live in the same area, but I was hoping you could list where you picked up the redwood boards? Also, exactly what size are the boards? I'm thinking of putting in a couple of raised beds along my fence. I was considering cedar boards but I like the redwood, too. I know they need to be fairly thick to last the longest time possible. Thanks!

Christy

Well if you look at the first picture I have two different models of the bed I built. Once cost $75 to build and the other three cost $15 EACH. I feel like the 15 dollar bed will last at minimum 5 seasons, if not more. The $75 would outlast my lifetime, its full 2"x6"x6' boards.

What I do is go to Home Depot and buy Redwood Fence Slats in 6'foot lengths.
They are 11/16in x 5 1/2 in x 6ft redwood common dogeared Picket and cost $2.10 each. Then I cut off the dogeared portion, which is about 1.5in and use the entire lenth as one side. If you buy 6 of those and 1 6ft section of 2x2 (for corner and center supports you can have a 11"Tx3'Wx5'10"L box for under $15 not including any screws. I like how the weather treats the redwood a bit better but both cedar and redwood will do fine in the elements. Sadly I am not able to find any redwood 2x2 at H.D. so I have switched to going to a lumber yard recently since they are more specialized. But I just used cedar for the 2x2 and you dont see the contrast because they are buried.
On a separate noteI have had a very quick germination rate with my turnips. Seeds were bought from Jonny's (first time using that site) and had close to 100% on my indoor seeds. It took 48hrs to sprout the turnips indoors on a heat mat at 75deg, fast!
The peas have slowed their vertical growth a bit but i know that's due to the shock from transplant as well as sending roots everywhere. They have been clinging on and winding themselves around the trellis they can reach, so at least there is growth.

[Crandrew]

Well the turnips began sprouting outdoors, But still just peaking out.
My indoor turnips are in their way
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I employ Craig's dense planting and have fallen in love with the method.

My amish peas have reached the next square, while the English wonder are a wee bit slower.
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And my Japanese climbing cukes just decided to say hello. Now I just need to build a trellis arch for them. Hmm
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[Muslickz]

Love the pics, can't wait to see how those cukes turn out :-)

-Mus

[Crandrew]

Me too man. This is my 3rd year growing and the first year was a fantastic Cuke crop. Last year, the powdery mildew, killed every single cucumber I dropped. I tried many a thing, but I think partly it was the soil in that particular bed. I've found tomatoes very forgiving but cucumbers less so.
And I love cucumbers
My strawberries are setting fruit so hopefully I'll be enjoying some shortly after you.

[efisakov]

Hi, Cran,
Your yard looks so clean. How did you got read of all the grass an so?
I am so not looking forward weeding.
and nice plan

[Crandrew]

my land never had grass and its just the sand. I get some weeds in the area but since it never rains here and I grow in raised beds that are sub-irrigated, using drip, there is rarely enough moisture to grow weeds out there.

Now once I plant the corn, squash, sunflowers and beans, it will change since I will turn the sprinklers on that boarder the north/north east side of the plot.
Thanks for looking.

[Tonio]

Looking good Drew!, those peas should be going gangbusters this weekend!
Next year try sowing in October/November, you wouldda been eating them already
Cukes are difficult for me too- the glooms. Mildew got most of crop last year. This year I'm already starting the pretreat regimen of actinovate and serenade.
Being near the coast my beds are all sand tooI amend 3 times a year, and is getting much better for nutes and water retention.

[Crandrew]

Originally Posted by Tonio

Looking good Drew!, those peas should be going gangbusters this weekend!
Next year try sowing in October/November, you wouldda been eating them already
Cukes are difficult for me too- the glooms. Mildew got most of crop last year. This year I'm already starting the pretreat regimen of actinovate and serenade.
Being near the coast my beds are all sand tooI amend 3 times a year, and is getting much better for nutes and water retention.

Great info Tonio, and thanks for the complements. Sounds like we are in similar micro climates.

I also tried treating with actinovate and Excel LG last year and they couldn't hold on, but perhaps it was too late. I believe those will only help prevent but not treat. I will try the milk spray this year if I continue to have problems. What do you ammend the sand with?

[Tonio]

Drew,


I learned about actinovate and serenade too late last year too. Oddly, the year before I did not apply any prior treatments, but had a decent crop-though I learned about russet mites ugh. Last year must have been a high mildew year?

Amended the 1st year with EB Stone planting compost, peat moss, worm castings and a tad bit of bagged steer manure, green sand, gypsum, bone meal or rock phosphate, kelp meal and other Dr earth ferts. Mulched with more EB Stone. Subsequent years was the same but dropped the manure, and minimum peat moss which was replaced with home made compost, and added green manure cover crop when I can fit it in between rotations of summer/fall/winter crops. Late last year I tried Happy Frog Soil conditioner along with compost. And adding mulch , mulch , mulch every chance I get.

Its made quite a difference.

[Crandrew]

That sounds like a nice mix.


Update for day 6
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[Crandrew]

Got off of work, went to work out and came home to pick some fresh greens. today was a good day

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[efisakov]

Great