What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

[Homerr]

Thought I'd toss this post out, as most of on the West coast is finally getting the garden season underway.<br /><br />Anyone have some tips/tricks to a great veggie garden? Mine hasn't been doing all that great the past few years.<br />I have that clay type soil, and typically add a few bags of manure (pppeeeuuuwww!) and some granual-type fertilizer.<br /><br />What's the secret to the giant size veggies!<br /><br />H.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

I used to have a nice veggie garden back a few years ago. When my son was a little guy and we went fishing he would always want to bring the fish home to show mom, no matter if they were sunnys, bluegills, carp etc.etc. After mom gave her thumbs up on the fish I would go bury them in the garden. I tell ya I think I had the best tomatos around. Also used to get some mushroom soil and till it in.

 

[dkondelik]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

OH ,... HORSE CRAP!<br />plenty-O-organics mixed into the soil. we use aged horse-crap. it's wonderful stuiff. looks like hi-grade potting soil. we know some folks with horses who are thrilled that we take it.<br />'bout the only draw back is, weeds. when a horse passes his business, a lot of weed seeds pass with it.<br />some of my neighbors have mentioned that they can tell when a radish was grown in horse-crap soil because it seems to have a bit more of a zing in it then radishes grown without horse crap.<br /><br />at this point, above is nuthin' but words. with all of the rain we've had since April, our garden isn't even in yet. MAYBE,.... MAYBE today or tomorrow. our garden is in a clearing, in the "flats" at the bottom of a "holler". gets plenty-o-sun BUT,... takes FOREVER to dry out (due to convergence of surrounding terrain). last year we planted in April. By early May, it looked like a rice paddy. we had to replant,......about this time, when it finally dried out abit.<br /><br />don't forget to turn the soil at the end of the season. it will make spring plowing (tilling) much easier AND it'll work all of the residual plant organics into the soil.<br /><br />Good Luck<br />HAVE FUN!

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

Only plant what you normally eat. <br />Unless you're canning or have a large family, a few plants will keep you in veggies. The larger the garden the more waste and work. <br /><br />I've got clay soil also and klondike hit the nail perfectly, you can't add enough organics to the soil. Leaves (not Oak or Pine needles), grass clippings, Horse manure is the best.<br /><br />I've had 1 acre gardens that were perfect and formal. These days I have 6 above ground 4x8 foot boxes made from 2x8 pressure treated planks. This has cut down on the work to almost nothing. Boxes cut down on weeding, pests and concentrate soil improvement and watering. The soil in them is far from clay at this point.

 

[NathanY]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

Here the soil is very rocky. When I planted my tomatos this spring, I dug a square hole about 8 inches deep, and filled it with one part top soil and on part sheep sh*t. My tomato plants are about 3ft tall after 1 month, and starting to put out already. Got 8 pea sized tomatos already. My peppers are putting out too, have 3 little peppers already. Miracle gro for tomatos help also.

 

[Homerr]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

Oops! forgot to ask...<br /><br />How do you water your garden? <br /><br />* Over the top (rainbird etc..)?<br />* By hand?<br />* Soaker?<br />* Good 'ol fashioned sprinkler?<br /><br />I don't like to waste water, and my 'over-the-top' method doesn't seem to work very well.<br /><br />Ideas?<br /><br />Also, how often do you water your tomatoes? <br />Half as much as the rest of the garden or?<br /><br />My Dad always planted the tomatoes separately and had them on a different watering schedule.<br /><br />H.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

Well the way I do it here in Kentucky is pick out a real good spot and wait for everything to get grown and then one night real late after everyone has gone to bed and the dogs are put up, I have my veggie garden. <br /><br />Could not pass that up.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

My personal veggie miracle is something local called "The Farmers Market". You can " reap what you did not sow."

 

[NathanY]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

With all the rain, I havent watered my tomatos one time. But when I do, I use a water ring. Pretty cool thing, a friend of my grandfather invented it, so I get them free. Check it out here<br /><br /> http://composters.com/docs/water.html

 

[dkondelik]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

gee, never really thought about watering. where our garden is, too much water is a bigger concern.

 

[roscoe]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

2 inches of real manure, not the bagged stuff.<br />2 inches of fine sand.<br />2 inches of leaves/grass.<br />4 inches of good top soil.<br /><br />Till it all together. This should hold a decent amount of moisture, prevent soil compacting, and will also raise up your garden area, providing good drainage.<br /><br />Don't use wood chips as mulch, it robs the soil of its nitrogen.

 

[miloman]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

I had an elevated garden fro years about 20X15 and the last comment was exactly what I did never failed to add I planted always on a hill and water the valley seems to get the most water to the root Now I buy all the veggies from a local organic farmer I support him and put a hottub with a chimina where the garden was now the only thing growing there is my electricity bill

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

lived in Long Beach CA for many years and the<br />clay soil was aweful! I added lots of sand for <br />drainage and my own compost. in that heat, the<br />grass clipping and other stuff in the pile turned<br />into rich black compost really fast!<br />older and wiser now and agree it's much easier<br />to do as suggested and put in raised beds.<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

Rabbits more specifically what they produce so to speak. I also mixed a load of topsoil and some aged horse stall leavings into the garden area a couple years back. But I have to say in making my rows liberally adding bunny beans is the thing to do.

 

[gonfishn]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

I've tried it all. Someone needs to come up with a anti critter veggie. It seems each year I plant a few more and each year they seem to get more than their fair share....<br /><br />"A company has a name but its people give it meaning"

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: What's your secret to a vegatable garden?

The weather has really begun to warm up here.<br />Planted my tomatoes this weekend, Hope we dont <br />get any frost. Its not a good idea to plant around<br />here before June 1st but it looks like I may get<br />away with it this year. I like to mix sheep <br />droppings in my soil seems, to do the garden well.