# Sticky  Your best Garden Tip....Do's and Don'ts



## tallpines

Give us your tips-----practical and humorous........

If you learned it the "hard way" be sure to share your story.

(This thread suggested by Ardie.)


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## Gayle in KY

If someone tells you the best way to get rid of the weeds in the asparagus bed is to pour salt on them, don't believe them. The salt doesn't know that asparagus is not a weed.


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## Ardie/WI

When we gardened big time, I kept a looseleaf folder. Every year, I'd file our seed list(s) noting the variety and where we bought the seed. I also kept receipts for everything we bought for gardening. I even drew out the garden, noting what was planted where and the spacing. During the growing season, I'd jot down notes on what grew well and any problems we had like bugs and disease. When clean up time came and we put the garden to bed for the winter, I noted what I felt we could improve on next year. Then, during Winter, I wrote out my notes and filed them along with the old seed catalogs.

With this information plus all the new catalogs, I was able to plan our garden for the coming year without trying to remember what worked and what didn't.


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## mzzlisa

Use chemicals as a last resort. I had some tomato hornworms. I personally don't believe in chemicals so I decided to watch them. Yes, they ate a few tomatoes, but then the parasitic wasps took over just as they were supposed to do. 
Sometimes letting nature do the work for you is the best choice. It can and usually will take longer than a chemical, but its certainly more interesting!


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## Steph in MT

I was over-run by flea beetles so strung some of those really sticky pull-out fly strips over the plants they seemed to like the most and within two days they were entirely covered with flea beetles. Worked better than I had even hoped


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## Barb

Like Ardie kept, I keep a gardening notebook. I didn't used to - I just knew for years what worked but now that we moved a gardening book is a great help. 

Plan your next garden now with this years plants still in. Were the plants too close? Could you have planted closer? Make yourself a planting stick with the distance you need between plant rows marked. You won't remember like you think you will in the spring.

Popcicle sticks make great labels when starting your seeds and in the garden. Use permanent markers though or the writing will wash out.


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## Leah IL

Know the history of your land. We chose the perfect spot for our garden and began enthusiastically to clear it out. We were noticing quite a few stones, but we decided to remove them because the spot was just right otherwise. The more we cleared, the more stones we found, especially on the east side. We spent hours and hours removing stones. Turns out the farmer that used to own our place had a bunch of dairy cows. The cows would travel from the barn, through our garden site and then across a creek to their pasture. They'd always get stuck in the mud, so the farmer built a stone road for them to walk on. Clearing land for a new garden is one thing, excavation is entirely another!!


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## Marcia in MT

Mulch EVERYTHING! Not only does this conserve water, but it will suppress all but the coarsest weeds and keep the covered soil from becoming so compacted. Organic-origin mulch will eventually break down, feeding soil life and improving the tilth of the garden. Just till it in -- no stuff to pull out and throw away.

I have never had grass clippings heat up and kill my plants -- in fact, I'll pull them out of plastic bags too hot to handle, and once they're spread, they cool off just fine.


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## Ardie/WI

We use an old blender and make smoothies instead of composting stuff like peelings, skins and all fruit and veggie odds and ends. WE DON'T DRINK THIS!!!!! We pour it on our raspberry patch, rhubarb plants and shrubs.
Just put the stuff in, add water and blend.

Now, this can be hard on a blender so we check thrift shops and rummage sales and buy them cheap. They don't have to be fancy for this.

Also, it makes the job easier if the pieces of potential compost are smallish. (We haven't done this with pumpkin shells, but cut up watermelon rinds did well.


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## suelandress

Start SMALL. Think you can handle a 50x50 plot? CUT THAT IN HALF for your first year. It's so much easier to add on then to restore a garden that has turned into a jungle because you couldn't keep up.

No fence keeps out everything. Plant a few extra for the wildlife.

Avoid tilling....you'll just dig up new weed seed. Mulch, mulch, mulch.


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## mrglock27

Hi, I haven't done this yet but I got a weird idea. I was gonna rip up a 20 by 30 foot area with my spiked tractor blade and then take a few thousand of my old seeds(carrots corn pumpkins spinich peppers tomatoes beans peas and abunch of other stuff) and scater them all over the place and then cover with about a quarter inch of dirt and then water, next spring. has anyone done this before? I think it'll be kinda fun. If it turns out crappy I'll just let the deer eat it I guess.


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## Ardie/WI

From what I've been told, my exhusbands grandfather did this and it was a gigantic mess. I suspect that he was senile.......


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## SquashNut

I know a guy that uses his old veggie seeds to grow a green manure by just scattering them like that. I do the same thing with cross bred extra seeds that I have saved from my own garden. But there might not be enough air circulation to allow the plants to mature.


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## Topaz Farm

mrglock27 said:


> Hi, I haven't done this yet but I got a weird idea. I was gonna rip up a 20 by 30 foot area with my spiked tractor blade and then take a few thousand of my old seeds(carrots corn pumpkins spinich peppers tomatoes beans peas and abunch of other stuff) and scater them all over the place and then cover with about a quarter inch of dirt and then water, next spring. has anyone done this before? I think it'll be kinda fun. If it turns out crappy I'll just let the deer eat it I guess.


hahaha, yes I did. My DH laughed and laughed when he found out what I did. We got okra, some squash (drat) can't remember what else.


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## Charleen

We kep pretty detailed notes about the vegetable garden. If we try a new seed variety, it get 2 years to be successful, we don't give up after the first year incase of poor weather.

We mulch the heck out of our garden with goat manure.

Keep crops rotated.


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## CoonXpress

Plant marigolds among your tomato plants. Helps to keep bugs off the tomatos, stronger tomato plants and the marigolds kill nemotodes.

Will


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## humbug

Keep a gardening notebook every year. This helps with production, mistakes you made and planting dates. Use green manure cover crops whenever you have any bare soil in the garden. It builds up the soil wonderfully. If you live in a cold climate presprout you corn seed between two layers of wet paper towels. Presprouted corn comes up faster and more evenly. Walk through your garden every day, that way you will notice problems as soon as they come up. In climates where you have to water, use soaker hoses and mulch.


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## Pony

Focus on your soil. Your plants won't be much unless your soil is healthy. IMO, the best way to have healthy soil is COMPOST, COMPOST, COMPOST.

Followed by MULCH, MULCH, MULCH.

Things in my garden become easier each year, I think, because of these two basic behaviors on my part.

Everything else is just details. 

Pony!


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## warrior

I agree with marigolds and tomatoes definitely works. Garlic and dill planted near the edge also seems to hold down problems (don't ask me why but I do know that my neighbor as a child swore by it and I'll be d***ed if his had fewer problems than ours). Call me superstitious but I refuse to plant peas (blackeye, pinkeye, crowder, etc. not english) at any time other than the dark of the moon. I have seen the comparision; light of the moon = beautiful vines no peas, dark of the moon = peas.
Rotate, rotate, rotate. Never plant the same plant in the same place twice. Corn benefits going where the peas and beans were last year (for that matter they do well planted together), cabbage and cole crops (broccoli, kale, collards, etc.) should never be planted where another cole crop has been in the previous two years (avoid soil borne disease this way).
Okra seed benefits from a warm water soak overnight prior to planting and only plant after the soil has fully warmed. Plan your corn crop. If you want it all at once for processing plant it that way or plant small batches at 10 day intervals for fresh corn all season. Heck we always planted white corn all at once for processing (creamed corn MMMMM) and yellow sweet corn in batchs for fresh ears all season (MMMMM). If you like tomatoes pick an early variety and gamble on getting it out earlier than anyone else. If your lucky you will be enjoying mater sandwiches before anyone else (won't they be jealous LOL). If you have a favorite variety of tomatoes (especially if it is determinate) only buy enough plants for your first planting and pick off the sucker branches to be rooted for second and third plantings (yeah I live in the south and can do this).
Above all have fun! If it is to much like work you won't do as good a job.


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## dlangland

Plant a new crop of your favorites every 2 wks. If you live in the country, don't plant the entirety of any one specific crop all in the same location...like green beans, for example. I always plant a couple rows together in one area, then in 2 wks. start more in another area. If the insects or say rabbits find them, you still always have a new crop coming in. Of course, I have never used chemicals. If you live in an open-burn community or area, I highly recommend burning off the garden area and garden debris, especially the tomato vines and potatoes. It helps a lot with insect and disease control. And as said before, rotation is essential. Deb


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## warrior

Like all good gardeners share. You never know just who you can help. At one time I swore I would never eat another tomato in my life. At the time I was in a bad marriage and was as broke (morally, spiritually and financially) as a man could get. Were it not for the kindness of neighbors and baskets of tomatoes I would have gone hungry. At the time while I appreciated the kind gesture I didn't appreciate tomato sandwiches morning, noon and night LOL. After I came to my senses and got away from that scene some of these neighbors turned out to be better friends than any of the ones I was running with at the time.


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## rwinsouthla

just a simple addition.....I use 10 foot long rebar for tomato stakes. Three feet in the ground when moist and 7 feet to tie the tomatos up. Works great and you never have to replace them. Mine are 27 years old this year!


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## cpeyus

Great idea with the rebar - we have quite a bit in a corner of the garage...hmmm...


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## Gunga

I have a 20' x30' piece of ground I would like to have ready for future use. I would like to know how best to get it ready. I probabley won't plant anything this year but may in a year or two. It is near an intermittant spring. The plot currently has a couple of small pines, a white oak, a red oak and a dogwood tree on it. The soil is nice and black on top with clay a couple inches below. I live in north Georgia.
I figure I need to cut down the trees and mulch the bushes but am not sure if I should turn the soil or leave it for now. Also would it be good to plant clover or some other ground cover until I am ready to put veggies in?
I appreciate any suggestions anyone has.


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## ceresone

dont get a big round bale of hay to mulch your garden heavily in the fall--roll it out long-wise--and plan on planting your rows the short way. cant--short of a knife to cut rows. works excellent otherwise


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## Gunga

I just realized my question is probabley not for this thread. I will repost it at "Planning My First Garden". My apologies if it threw anyone off step.


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## greenhart

Plant something new each year even if some folks say "it won't grow here".
Robert


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## willow_girl

Start weeding EARLY, like as soon as the snow melts! Go out then and you will see green grass and weeds poking up in your beds ... I kid you not! (WHERE DOES THIS STUFF COME FROM? GRRRRR!) Go over the whole garden (I'm talking perennial gardens, not annual ones that are tilled under each year) with a fine-toothed comb and get EVERY SINGLE WEED out. Then mulch like heck! Getting a jump-start on those weeds will really pay off later in the season. 

Also, again with perennial beds, I never bother cutting back the vegetation at the end of the summer. Leave it standing, let it dry, then go over the whole bed with a weed-whacker during the February thaw or anytime before the new growth starts, but ideally while the ground is still frozen. (Obviously you will want to refrain from weed-whacking the shrubs, rose bushes, etc. -- just go after the plants that come up from the ground each year.) Rake up the stuff you've mown down and put it on the compost pile. One of the nice things about this plan is it allows you to feel like you're doing some gardening at the end of winter, when (if you're like me!) you're really jonesing for a gardening "fix"!


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## southerngurl

Mulch, and don't bite off more than you can chew when it comes to the size of your garden. 

Water deeply and infrequently. Water in the morning if you can so the water has a chance to dry before night, lessening the chance of disease. But don't avoid watering water stressed plants in the middle of the day because you want to wait for the "correct time of day" to water. You will not burn your plants if you water when the sun is shining on them. 

Get a horse, gives you all kinds of great mulch and fert.  

Let your kids have a little garden. They will eat their veggies because they grew them, not to mention they taste better than anything from a store.

Most young trees die of lack of water, don't forget to water your young trees and continue to water them until they are well established.


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## Hank - Narita

Plant corn seeds 3 inches deep to prevent crows from stealing them. (tip was from someone a couple of years ago on this forum; it works)


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## Red Devil TN

From city gardening I learned a slew of stuff, some of which off the top of my head are...

Worms are your best friends!

Plant corn when the oak's leaves are the size of a mouse's ear.

Vinegar + spray bottle + dry sunny day = dead weeds (and grass, plants etc.)

Grass mulch is the best thing I have ever used for a garden.

Tilling every year is a waste of time.

Rotation really does work.

'Layering' or 'lasagna' planting really does work.

I'm going to have a bit of a row to hoe this year. New place, new soil, heavy clay. Time for worms!!


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## Kimberly in KS

We have used cattle panels in our garden. You anchor them to metal stakes. You can plant anything that needs a trellis against them like cucumbers and cantaloupe. Also I have planted tomato plants by them and tied them to the cattle panel. On the ends I would tie my pole bean trellis for added stability since that trellis is wobbly. They are sturdy and can withstand our Kansas weather, plus they don't rust! My sister gave me this tip and we used it for years.


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## rwinsouthla

I was gathering all of the things I need for my cucumbers and remembered a trick. First, I have two 25 foot long panels of 6"x6" concrete reinforcing wire for my cucumbers to climb on. These panels are supported by some rebar about every 8 feet. Secondly, to get the cucumbers to climb (and stay) on the reinforcing wire, I take a paperclip and open it up to make an "S" and hang one end on the reinforcing wire and the cucumber vine goes in the other end, like a hook. once the year is over, the paperclips rust and go away.


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## chuckhole

Follow closely with the way that we have done everything and then do the exact opposite. You will then be successful. This does not come close to saying how many mistakes we have made in the past two years.


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## tinknal

I got a bunch of old rubber flat roofing material. I roll it out in the garden and cut holes where I want to plant. No weeds, it sucks up heat frome the sun, and holds moisture in.


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## Tabitha

grass for mulch is manure that the cow has not eaten. 
Proper tools are half the work. 
don't skimp on the seeds. One for the rook, one for the crow, one to die and one to grow. 

I plant in triple rows. make a bed wide enough so that I can reach the middle, make three rows per bed, a path to walk on between beds. I make the rows far enough apart so I can pull my favorite cultivator/weeding tool through it. Makes fast work.


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## northstarpermie

Companion planting takes a bit to get use to. Once you have the hang of it after a few mistakes & reading a lot, it gets easier. I started with the old "3 sisters". Plant corn, then pole beans(it will crawl up the corn), then a vine plant like squash. Squash doesnt' need full sun & the corn & beans will help shade it. The beans will put nitrogen into the soil, in which the corn uses a lot of. Plus it takes up less space in the garden. Your garden is more diversified & less pests & diseases. Your local library has a ton of books on gardening...check them out!


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## FourDeuce

Plant some gourds next to your cucumbers on the trellis. The cucumber beetles like the gourds much better than they like the cucumbers, and don't seem to hurt the gourds no matter how much they hang around them. I've tried birdhouse gourds, dipper gourds, bushel gourds and luffa gourds, and they all seem to lure the beetles away from the cucumbers. :dance:


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## HeatherDriskill

CoonXpress said:


> Plant marigolds among your tomato plants. Helps to keep bugs off the tomatos, stronger tomato plants and the marigolds kill nemotodes.
> 
> Will


Plus, dear and rabbits don't like marigolds so they are repelled, too!


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## MELOC

if you are planting potatos with the intention of mulching instead of hilling, be sure to keep up with the mulch part.


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## moonwolf

One 'DO' and one 'DON'T' :

DO plant your garlic in the fall of the previous year to havest late summer the next. Clip the top 'pods' off and eat them sauted in butter. That helps your galic form nice large bulbs. 

DON'T havest you hard skinned winter squash, or your brussel sprouts until after at least until the first killing frost. It helps make them taste better.


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## windmillacres

I learned by accident that grass clippings make the best mulch, did not have one single weed in my green bean poles. as a result, when the time came that our riding lawn mower poooped out, our new one we purchased with a grass catcher so that there will always be plenty of organic mulch for the garden, which is rather large. no more weed fabric for me (sometimes you do dumb stuff). Kat


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## lonelyfarmgirl

if you have pet birds, dump their food bowl discard seeds in a corner. wild birds will eat most, but some will grow into an amazing variety of things. Alot of bird seeds, when in flower attract good insects. We got giant mystery squash one year, but nobody would try it.


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## InHisName

Dont use a wooden paint stick to mark varieties of garlic- they disinegrate over the winter and unless you have it otherwise documented, cant tell which one is which. (except for hardneck and softneck).


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## Pouncer

Stagger your sets of seedlings so you don't have large quantities to put up at once. Usually that's about two to three plantings three weeks apart.

Read up carefully on seed propagation if that's what you are doing to get a jump start on your garden. Adjust the lead time you need for YOUR area (IOW, forget what is printed in the seed description) 

Marigolds are great mosquito repellent plants. I always plant a few in the garden proper and it works.

Blossom set is a greenhouse grower's best friend. Its cheap and it works! (Tomatoes, squashes, etc)

Do not start every single seed you order. If you happen to have a really GOOD germination rate, this can turn out to be a serious problem, lol!

Do not ever throw away a pot! You will be sure to need exactly that one next year


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## just ducky!

If you have a problem with Japanese Beatels than I would suggest a duck. Last year I let my 3 ducks in the flower and herb garden and I had NO Japaneese Beetles. The year before I had hundreds! I made sure the rows were wide and I planted no parsely (my ducks favorite treat) and even though I lost a few plants due to a curious duck at least I got to see what my roses looked like (the year before the beetles striped them clean). They also would eat my dandilion and clover weeds. I wouldn't let them run free in the vegetable garden though for they do seem to like corn and other vegetables.


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## savinggrace

Composted Chicken Manure is amazing in a garden. Hot Chicken Manure is great to use to 'put your gardens to bed' for the winter. It kills any seeds and by spring your bed is ready to go with just a quick tilling.

Instead of one, large garden....break it up! This year I had 4 mini gardens, 5X6 feet each. It was a great way to do it. When I kept a large garden, I would get frustrated to only have 1/3 of it planted....weeded....mulched....ect. But with mini-gardens, I would weed one on Tuesdays. Another on Thursdays. Well you get the point, even though it was just as much space as when I had a megagarden, it didn't seem as daunting.

Never underestimate the power of a good fence!


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## chicken

I do something like you do savinggrace. I divide my garden into 4 sections. Makes it easy to rotate that way to. Weed one section a day like you do instead of the whole thing. Also lets me prepare one area at a time, like early garden things before I get to the rest.


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## sapphira

Hope it's ok if I put somethng about flower gardening on here. I am doing only container gardening now. But still plant the front flower gardens. Containers:
pretty oval container planting, 2 rex begonias(devil's paradise) in the back, 3 impatiens (pink tioga double) in the front and one baby's tears on each end. Very pretty. 
Two useable markers - plastic table knives - box of cheapies from dollar store and use an indelible pen. And wooden clip-type clothespin and indelible marker- but someone before this entry said that the wood rots, and it does. 
Also using an old birdcage without bottom to put over a favorite plant to preserve it from nibblers. This looks attractive too.


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## DETMURDS

warrior said:


> I agree with marigolds and tomatoes definitely works. Garlic and dill planted near the edge also seems to hold down problems (don't ask me why but I do know that my neighbor as a child swore by it and I'll be d***ed if his had fewer problems than ours). Call me superstitious but I refuse to plant peas (blackeye, pinkeye, crowder, etc. not english) at any time other than the dark of the moon. I have seen the comparision; light of the moon = beautiful vines no peas, dark of the moon = peas.
> Rotate, rotate, rotate. Never plant the same plant in the same place twice. Corn benefits going where the peas and beans were last year (for that matter they do well planted together), cabbage and cole crops (broccoli, kale, collards, etc.) should never be planted where another cole crop has been in the previous two years (avoid soil borne disease this way).
> Okra seed benefits from a warm water soak overnight prior to planting and only plant after the soil has fully warmed. Plan your corn crop. If you want it all at once for processing plant it that way or plant small batches at 10 day intervals for fresh corn all season. Heck we always planted white corn all at once for processing (creamed corn MMMMM) and yellow sweet corn in batchs for fresh ears all season (MMMMM). If you like tomatoes pick an early variety and gamble on getting it out earlier than anyone else. If your lucky you will be enjoying mater sandwiches before anyone else (won't they be jealous LOL). If you have a favorite variety of tomatoes (especially if it is determinate) only buy enough plants for your first planting and pick off the sucker branches to be rooted for second and third plantings (yeah I live in the south and can do this).
> Above all have fun! If it is to much like work you won't do as good a job.


Now these are some great tips that I have been looking for, as well as the tips you all have given. 

I live in Washington state, and my house is on about 2.5 acres and I've already started creating my garden which will be about 30 X 30 feet. I am putting an 8 foot fence around it to keep out the deer that I see every single day, and three lines of electric fence to bait the deer, and keep the ***** out as well. I want to try a little bit of everything, so again, thanks to you all on these great tips!

This is my first post. GREAT SITE!


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## DianeWV

Old pantyhose-cut up into strips to tie up your tomato or vining plants. It doesn't cut into your plants and stretches as your plants grows.


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## EDDIE BUCK

If anyone uses chemicals,in garden or lawn,be sure to keep sprayers labeled correctly, and never leave any chemical in sprayer. use it all or dispose properly."Roundup" will kill peachtrees,grapevines,plumtrees,especially if you like grapes, peaches and plums. "AND THATS ALL IM SAYING BOUT THAT.


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## Pouncer

Tempered water and a small pump are great for your garden starts. I use three 55 gallon drums (one with natural fert in it) and use the pump with a hose to water those baby plants the first month. This also allows me to target water to specific areas, rather than using a sprinkler regularly. When it's time to feed compost tea, I use the pump and really douse the plants themselves. It's worth the extra time.

You can never have too many fans for your greenhouse, since it can go from 70 to over 100 in nothing flat (at least in my area)

Geotextile fabric is great for keeping down weeds and works as a mulch between rows too-or cover the whole thing and cut slits to plant through.

Vegetables germinate better in damp paper towels than they do in flats. Its easy to transplant the sprouts too.


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## Gunga

The wisdom of old timers online. This is a huge library of old agricultural books. 
http://chla.library.cornell.edu/


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## EDDIE BUCK

If anyone has raised beds with landscape timbers,blocks,railroad timbers ect.Try to have some simple way,to open the ends of the beds to allow your tiller an entrance.


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## vegascowgirl

For those of you who use raised beds or mix their own potting soil here's a quick and easy way to do it.
I use our little portable cement mixer. A little top soil, some compost, peat, and a hint of sand... turn it on and it's an instant dirt blender. you can place it right beside your raised bed, and dump it directly in. if that isn't an option, a wheel barrow can be placed right under the mixer and the soil dumped into that.


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## crafty2002

I use a good gas powered weed eater with the heavy cord to weed my garden with. Just takes a little practice and you can work right up to a plant and it will chew the top crust of the dirt up as you are weeding which helps also. 

I also take old 2"xS and use the skill saw to cut 3/4 strips and use a cordless screw driver to screw them to 1 1/2" x 1 1/2 stakes 6 or 7 feet apart for cukes, cantalopes, beans etc., to climb on. At the end of the year unscrew the cross peices and then take a c-clamp and clamp each one close to the bottom and use a block and a lever to raise them out without a problem.

Happy gardening. 
Dennis


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## TC

Don't grow too much of something that you may love to eat but hate harvesting and/or processing for storage. In my case that would be carrots.  I like carrots, but hate the digging, and peeling and chopping of them, yuk!


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## lamanchagoatgrl

Any and all advice that you seasoned gardeners can share on using composted goat manure on a garden is much appreciated. Our soil is awfully rocky here, and so I will be tilling, strictly so I can walk through and pick the rocks out, so I thought I would add the manure after I got the majority of the rocks out, and till again to mixed the manure in with the soil well. Is this close to right, or am I going about this wrong? Thanks in advance...


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## bugstabber

After you plant carrot seeds water and cover the row with a board or strip of wood. It will hold in moisture. Carrots germinate slowly, I think 10-14 days. Just check under the board once in awhile to see if they're up.


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## FourDeuce

Kimberly in KS said:


> We have used cattle panels in our garden. You anchor them to metal stakes. You can plant anything that needs a trellis against them like cucumbers and cantaloupe. Also I have planted tomato plants by them and tied them to the cattle panel. On the ends I would tie my pole bean trellis for added stability since that trellis is wobbly. They are sturdy and can withstand our Kansas weather, plus they don't rust! My sister gave me this tip and we used it for years.


You can also use the cattle panels as a sort of hoop trellis(arbor) if you turn them sideways. Just put two fenceposts in the ground about 5-6 feet apart, then drop one end of the trellis over it. Then you bend the cattle panel into an upside down U and drop the other end over the other fencepost and you have your trellis(or arbor). You can plant any kind of vine crop on it. :dance: They're pretty strong, too.


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## Jennifer Brewer

lamanchagoatgrl said:


> Any and all advice that you seasoned gardeners can share on using composted goat manure on a garden is much appreciated. Our soil is awfully rocky here, and so I will be tilling, strictly so I can walk through and pick the rocks out, so I thought I would add the manure after I got the majority of the rocks out, and till again to mixed the manure in with the soil well. Is this close to right, or am I going about this wrong? Thanks in advance...


that sounds right to me! throw anything else in there thats organic too, like leaves that are halfway composted, or any compost.

Good luck!


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## ilovetodig

We have several small-area raised gardens at our home and on one of them I threw out some hairy vetch seed last late summer. It grew to be very thick over the winter and early spring covering the whole thing with a thick mat. I finally cut it with the lawn mower this spring so I could plant my tomatoes. I left the cut vetch on top of the garden for mulch and I have virtually no weeds in that area. I will plant it or some other cover crop from now on. The other areas have weeds, but that area is almost weed-free. I also understand that the vetch roots improve the nitrogen in the garden as well as providing organic material. It made a believer out of me!!!! I may try an edible groundcover this year as well.


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## e.alleg

instead of having a square or rectangle garden I make rows about 2' wide and 75' long or so and I leave 5' of lawn in between the rows. It makes it easy to weed without getting all dirty, I'd rather kneel on the grass than in the dirt. This may sound overly simplistic but I run a string above where I plant my seeds fastened by a stick on each end of the row, this way we know not to pick anything under the string because it is good, and anything away from the string is a weed.


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## Jenn

Clip the blossoms forming off your onions (and garlic) or they will not bulb.

If you are hilling/mulching up potatos do this before the plant is two inches high (catch it under that height and bury it an inch or so with the mulch/dirt; it'll grow through I am told) or it is too late.

How did I learn this? Let's just say read all the threads here and your own books/info about a crop not just some or just how to plant before planting and growing it. Finding things out too late does you no good THIS year and next year is a long way off.


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## windsng225

The best tool I have found for my garden is that long (I don't know what they call it)long handle with the U shape on the bottom. It cuts through all the weeds instantly, and I use it once ever week between rows to keep the weeds down. I only wish they had a thinner one for inbetween the plants. Or and hand one. I just love that thingie! Better than on your hands and knees pulling weeds by hand.
joyce


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## Turkeyfether

Start tomatoes in section 5 in Feb in individual yogurt cups. This allows them a long period to grow a strong root system & to grow strong.Every year my tomato plants burn up .This year too.3 times I planted my tomatoes.


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## zookeeper16

I use black plastic in the garden. Roll out your sheet, anchor it down with bricks, rocks, boards, or whatever you have around. Use an exacto knife to cut squares or strips (depending on what you are planting) and plant the seed or plant where you cut. Very minimal weeding, the black keeps the soil moist and warm.


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## Ardie/WI

zookeeper16 said:


> I use black plastic in the garden. Roll out your sheet, anchor it down with bricks, rocks, boards, or whatever you have around. Use an exacto knife to cut squares or strips (depending on what you are planting) and plant the seed or plant where you cut. Very minimal weeding, the black keeps the soil moist and warm.


Golly, where did you learn that??


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## Thoughthound

suelandress said:


> Start SMALL. Think you can handle a 50x50 plot? CUT THAT IN HALF for your first year. It's so much easier to add on then to restore a garden that has turned into a jungle because you couldn't keep up.


Agree 100%.


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## windsng225

I agree also on this one. People who start gardens for the first time, always think it is so easy. Until they have to maintain it, and realize weeding is part of the deal. I know I started with a 8 X 4 herb garden. The following year enlarged and added another 10' X 30' and planted tomatoe's and peppers. The following year added another 40' to the garden. I think I am pretty much satisfied with it now. I can keep up, but it's hard because I am getting older (65 now) and it's difficult to get up and down to weed. But all in all, I am very happy that I started out very small.
joyce


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## Cresindo

Last night I boiled a huge pot of potatoes for potato salad and also steamed some asparagus. I cooled the left over water completely and used it to water my tomato plants. I can't believe the look of vitality my plants are showing today because of it!


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## Windy in Kansas

tinknal said:


> I got a bunch of old rubber flat roofing material. I roll it out in the garden and cut holes where I want to plant. No weeds, it sucks up heat frome the sun, and holds moisture in.


I know of a guy that uses old carpet. The water can soak through and indeed keeps all weeds down. However it is a real bear to haul off every few years to renew as it is disintegrated into a pile of threads.


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## Windy in Kansas

windsng225 said:


> The best tool I have found for my garden is that long (I don't know what they call it)long handle with the U shape on the bottom. It cuts through all the weeds instantly, and I use it once ever week between rows to keep the weeds down. I only wish they had a thinner one for inbetween the plants. Or and hand one. I just love that thingie! Better than on your hands and knees pulling weeds by hand.
> joyce


I think they call them scuffle hoes.

Another good tip for very heavy duty hoes is to buy a roguing hoe that is used in farm crops. TOO TOUGH to damage even with extreme chopping. Costly though but should be the last hoe one would buy. Not as easy to pull through the dirt as a conventional hoe however as the blade is thicker.


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## steff bugielski

One important DON"T...
Don't plant sunflowers with your potatoes.
I read on www.gardensablaze.com that sunflowers were compatable for potatoes. Not so. I planted a variety of sunflower seeds amongst my potatoes. The potatoes plants came up fine and the sunflowers were amazing. All summer I was thinking if the potatoes do as well as those giants I am going to have potatoes till June. I averaged 3 potatoes per plant. Not a very good yeild at all. I went back to the site and read that in the INcompatable column it said potatoes are incompatible for sunflowers. I guess they messed up.
Maybe next year.
I did have an amazing cucumber crop this year. Also on that site it said to plant cukes with tomatoes. Now I usually plant them in the same area but this year i planted cukes on one side of the fence and maters on the other. Both did real well although picking was quite difficult.


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## Rockytopsis

I just found this site a few days ago and could not stop reading. Great place. I would just like to add my gardening tip that has worked very well for us. It is a great way to recycle cardboard and makes my mulch go a lot farther.

If there is a local bar in your area ask them to save the beer flats for you and use them to layer the ground around your plants with the flats. The flats are just wide enough to go between the rows. Put your mulch on top of the cardboard. 1. it makes your mulch go farther. 2. it will help hold the moisture in great. 3. The worms love how nice and soft the ground stays under the cardboard/mulch 4. by the time it comes to clearing the garden for the next year the cardboard will be easily chewed up by the tiller.


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## Feral Nature

If you have your heart set on a spot for your garden and it is absolutely overrun with bermudagrass...fear not! Fence it in with hog panels and t-posts and get 2 little pigs. They will totally remove every piece of plant matter from the soil, till it, plow it, fertilize it. You can and will have your dream garden!


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## Toads tool

Cattle panel bent into a rainbow covered with the cheapest white sheet you can find,800 thread count or less. This makes a great shadehouse to aclimalte plants.


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## copperhead46

I save my Sunday newspapers all winter and use them as mulch in the rows between plantings. I just lay them down 4 or 5 layers thick and put some rocks along the edge, (I have plenty in my garden) and usually put some old hay mulch on top of that. It give a clear place to walk between the rows and keeps the weeds down and feeds the soil. Come fall, the paper and hay have turned into good soil ammendment and it's ready to till come spring.
P.J.


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## Rowena

Here in the High Desert mulching is an absolute mulch to save water and protect from the wind, but we live near a mountain community that does a Spring clean up in May every year. Everyone drops their bags of leaves and pine needles off, and I go fill up my truck, the local government loves it, less they have to haul off!!


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## Just Little Me

Call local tree companies.They would rather dump a truck load in your yard than have to pay to dump at the landfill.


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## Sonshine

Last year we had a big problem with ants in our garden. My DS would come in with bites all over his legs. Someone told me to scatter some cornmeal around their hills and they would eat it, but not be able to digest it, so it would kill them. It worked great. We now do this with the ant hills all over our yard.


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## puddlejumper007

does anyone know if i could plant strawberries in my aspargus patch?


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## windsng225

Why would you want to plant them together is my question. Once the Aspargus start to grow it will shade the strawberries and I don't think that would be good for the strawberries. If it were me, I would not plant them together.
joyce


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## MN Gardener

when the pototoes flower and then the plants die, it is time to start picking them.....not cry because you killed them!


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## fretti

Are you looking for a specific variety of plant and can't find it? This link from Mother Earth News allows you to seach 150 different locations all at once.

"Are you looking for a particular vegetable, herb or flower variety and it's not available in your favorite catalogs? Our new Mother Earth News Seed and Plant Finder lets you quickly search the online catalogs of over 150 mail order seed companies. 

All you have to do is type in the variety you're looking for in the search box below, and you'll get a list of links to the companies offering the variety. (For variety names with two or more words, put the entire name inside quotation marks for the best search results.) You can also search for any crop and browse the newest or rarest selections."

http://www.motherearthnews.com/find-seeds-plants.aspx


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## windsng225

Fretti,
Thanks for sharing that! Great site, lot's of information there. I like the way it's set up where you can put in what your looking for and it gives you where you can purchase it. Good idea.
joyce


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## garfish

When I was a kid I spent my summers in South Arkansas with my Grandparents. I remember the patch of bamboo Gramps grew that he harvested from every year. It seemed we never ran out of uses for the stuff from tomato stakes to vine supports to fencing.


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## mnn2501

puddlejumper007 said:


> does anyone know if i could plant strawberries in my aspargus patch?


This may be a bit late, but no, you'll kill off the asperagus.


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## DrBraeburn

when planting green peppers place 2 0r 3 matches from a matchbook in the ground cover them and put plant in also water them with epsom salts water occasionally Both works.........if you have squirrels etc plant your flower bulbs then cover with chicken wire they cant dig them up


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## Guest

I had a really bad infestation of tent caterpillars last year so I went to the dollar store and bought a bunch of flystrips.(4 for a dollar) Wrap them around the trunk about a foot from the ground, and it stops almost every thing that tries to crawl up the tree, even ants.


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## suzfromWi

I have a lot of deer, rabbits etc. in my area and could not grow flowers around my yard. Read somewhere that if you use Irish spring soap it will deter them. I cut the bar into 3 sections and put one piece each, on a wooden skewer you can buy cheap in Wal-mart. The skewers are about 11 inches long and about 50 to a bag. I stick the skewer in the ground around my flower beds. One to each plant. IT WORKS!!!!!I now have flower beds all over with beautiful flowers growing...I cant use this in the veg garden as its too large, so we have that fenced in, but it sure is fun to have flowers again....


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## mandidawn

> Clip the blossoms forming off your onions (and garlic) or they will not bulb.


Thank you - this is something I did not know. *making mental note to clip off blossoms as soon as I get home*


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## Jennifer Brewer

I read that if you mulch with horse manure (i'm assuming composted) that it keeps deer away. I'm not sure how true that is though... seems like I've seen deer grazing in horse pasture before...


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## CurrentWave

*lamanchagoatgrl's rocky soil* - I read that tilling in rocky soil only brings up a never ending supply of rocks.... year after year. But heavy mulching and building up beds will keep those pesky rocks from surfacing. So throw on, layer after layer - and don't till is what was recommended by the old timers. I hope this helps you.


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## Jenn

Don't plant mixed beans- ie some eat in pod some shell out- all together and forget where they are. Makes for chewy mealtimes.


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## terri46355

*Don't plant beans or cucumbers on a fence that contains horses. * 

My horses ate our beans and cucumbers (including the leaves and vines). Luckily, I caught them doing it before they totally devoured the plants, and moved them to another pasture.

Gourds are safe on the horse fence. The horses wouldn't touch the gourd leaves, vines, or gourds.


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## elkwc

One thing that some truck gardeners not far from me does that I'm going to try this year is they leave some wild sunflower especially around the perimeter of a patch and if no wild ones will plant a few. They claim the sunflowers are a magnet for many of the harmful insects and make good sacrificial lambs instead of eating on the garden plants. I will let you know how this works. Here we have strong SW winds and it can be very hot. I plant my sweet corn on the south side of my tomatoes this works well. Then plant pole beans and cukes in the sweet corn and let the vines climb the corn. Just a few of the things I do. JD


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## woody

We use cattle panels bent into arches for our pole beans. Easy picking and they look good too.














http://http://woodysrockyridge.blogspot.com/2008/08/august.html


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## postroad

I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to gardening. I always have to remind myself that a real garden is still more productive than an unfinished grandios scheme garden. 

Do what you can. Rome was not built in a day.


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## vegascowgirl

I bet someone has posted this before, but thought I'd add this little tip or two.

If you have trouble with cut worms, sprinkle some black pepper in while sowing seeds or transplanting a plant. 
as much as you might want to, don't put wasp traps out. They prey on (tomato) horn worms and other garden pests.
Plant cabbage in with your onions. by the time the cabbage needs more room the onions are ready to pull up.
I plant at least one morning glory seed beside my pole beans. They vine at the same time and flower practically at the same time. The morning glories attract bees and I get a much bigger percentage of beans.


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## Candace

Whatever can grow vertically should be trellised. We use a variation of the Mittleider Method and use a frame at the end of most rows that looks like a 6 ' telephone pole. There is a wire that runs the length of the rows from the two ends of the T and a wire that runs from the base of one pole along the row to the other. Use twine to zig-zag a vee from the top wires to the bottom wire all along the length of the row, up and down, up and down. Then, you plant a row on each side of the vee. The trellis works for two rows of the same crop at a time.

Cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, beans and tomatoes all did wonderfully but I also encourage my zuchinni, peppers and similar plants to stay on the twine and it not only takes up less ground space, it makes watering, weeding and harvesting much easier. Last year was our first attempt and it was the easiest garden I've ever had. We're expanding our space this year from the existing 40 x 50 to include another 3 or 4 rows.

I hope that made sense....


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## Jerry in MN

Just heard that someone started seedlings in their gas stove, with the heat turned off of course , and I suppose only until the seedlings emerged. Sounded like heat from the pilot light/flame was enough to keep the oven warm but not too warm.


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## Messianic4

Well one thing I have found that works greats is the compost from my chicken coop (Which are free range). Also the wood chips from cleaning the coop. 

Another is a old time method of using bio-char. You take clean wood (ie tree limbs) no wood bought from say home depot...no no no clean tree wood only.

Burn it down to a breakable char. Break into pieces and put on the garden. Also the wood ash too. This gives the soil nutrients that it needs to hold onto some of the good stuff longer instead of it leaching out so fast. 

I compost, and garden lime. Then till..then wait a few days...add bio char..and burned leaves. Then I till. Wait for rain or water it if I have to. Then do it some more...and by time planting comes around...my plants grow better then I have ever seen. Definately better then Miracle Grow and Store compost.

Blessings to all


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## Messianic4

Don't put nematodes in your garden if you have free range chickens or chickens anywhere near your garden...or other feathered friends...it can make them sick and even kill them.


Blessings to all


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## titansrunfarm

Cut Broccoli before it flowers


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## ajaxlucy

In the summer, I let some of my lettuce plants flower and go to seed and fall over. In the fall, some of the seeds germinate and the following spring I have a little lettuce patch coming up all on its own (just need to thin and/or transplant).


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## benton

I grew up around greenhouses and field crops my entire life. Here's a couple things I learned from my parents and grandpa. 

When you're planting rows of just about anything, the easiest way to get the spacing correct is this: Take a piece of plywood or something along those lines and cut it to the desired length of space between plants, say 18". Then take a ball of nylon string (something fairly lightweight) and wrap it around the board. Now take some paint (grandpa always used red for visability) and paint a band on either end of the board. Then you unwind the string and wind it around a surveyors stake or something similar. Tie the other end to another stake. Now when you're ready to plant the row, pound one stake into the ground at one end of the row and stretch out the string to the desired length and pound it into the other end of the row after stretching the string tight. This gives you a perfectly straight line with red marks where you want to plant. It's easy to store and is easily moved to the next row. See my awesome diagram:










Second item that I haven't seen here, when planting small seeds (like radishes or carrots) mix the seeds with dry sand and mix well. Then pour out the sand into the row. This reduces the need for thinning and also makes the whole row more even.


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## frankva

Hot water wets Pro Mix better.

Folded AL foil makes a nice seedling collar against cutworms, narrower strips, short, written on with med. point ballpoint pen make fine 6-pack IDs.

Floating row cover is worth the $. Makes a fine wind break.


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## Nick&Heidi

i am new to this site and planting my first big garden if anyone has any help it would be [email protected]


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## ChristieAcres

Hi Nick & Heidi! There are some incredibly knowledgeable gardeners on here. If you post your zone/location, that would help others help you.

On Garlic and Onions, removing the blossoms? Gosh, no one told my Elephant Garlic, my Egyptian Onions, my Purple Onions, and my Walla Walla Sweet Onions that! Good thing, because I don't remove the blossoms (am harvesting seeds), and shhhhhh, please don't tell them, but they *sure did produce bulbs*. Since my Walla Walla's didn't get that big last year? I overwintered them and they are HUGE! My FIL told me to remove the blossoms from the Garlic so it wouldn't put the energy into producing seed and more to producing bulbs. My goal last year and this year, is to increase what I have. Presently, I have 30 feet of Elephant Garlic (I'd like 100 feet). Also, 20 feet of another type of Garlic that is curling at the top (my twin gave them to me and didn't know what they were as they were on her property when she moved there); I'd like at least 50 feet of this variety. I am gearing up to provide veggies, herbs, and eggs to locals. There is also a huge local demand for natural organic seeds for everything & locally produced fetches more (kind of a flip from the norm). The gal at our local Post Office, wants me to throw a tea-party in my garden for her friends & cater it?! I suppose that would be a good way to get some exposure...


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## motdaugrnds

This is a great thread!

lamanchagoatgrl's, I would definately not till that rocky soil. If it were mine I would section off what I wanted for a garden spot and spend some time preparing it the soil. First I might take the loose rocks off top and place around parameter. Then I would add as much good top soil as I could get my hands on. Then I would put the bedding cleaned out from my goats' barn. Then I would throw some "agricultural lime" all over it and more top soil. Then I would throw an "annual" cover crop over it with some "french marigolds" included. Let this grow as a "green manure" to be "tilled" in the following year.

Good luck!

Oh, you might want to consider what I am planning, i.e. bed boxes. I am going to build these boxes strictly for root crops and they will be 3-4 ft deep (with a foot of gravel in the bottom for good drainage), 2 ft wide for easy working and as long as my fencing permits. It will take awhile; but I will be filling these boxes exactly the same way I suggested for your rocky soil above.


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## cfgguy

You will very surprised at how much difference it makes to your seed strike rate by planting in tune with the planets. Some people think this is totally wacky, but farmers used planetary indications long before chemical based agriculture took over. 

You can use moon planting, this works well. We have a free moon planting tool on our web site home page at www.cityfoodgrowers.com This relies totally on the cycles of the moon. 

A more wholistic method is to plant in tune with the movements of all the planets in our solar system and the 12 constellations. How on earth could this be possible? Biodynamic agriculture has been researching the impact of planets on planting, cultivating and harvesting for over 70 years now and produces a yearly calendar down to the day grouping plants into leaf, fruit, flower and fruit types. This can be used not only for planting, but with harvesting, you will find better shelf life of food crops by picking on appropriate days with the planets. 

We have this data for both northern and southern hemispheres integrated into our localised planting calendar for USA, Australia and New Zealand on 130 commonly grown food plants at www.cityfoodgrowers.com. For our site members, all they need to do is click a few buttons and it will tell them what to plant or harvest down to the day based on their local climate profile (no need to use zones), planetary movements and the temperature profile of the plant.

You could spend a life time trying to understand using the planets, but my advice to to just try it for a year or so and record your results. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Happy gardening
Peter


----------



## manygoatsnmore

When your pea vines look like they're about done, try cutting them back to about 6 inches high rather than pulling them out. I did that this year, and they are growing back nicely from the bottoms, flowering and producing lovely peas again already. I was planning on planting a fall crop, but I don't think I'm going to need to after all. 

As I walk through my corn patch, I shake the stalks (corn is tasseling at last). This aids in pollination and helps to give you full ears of corn. Shaking tomato plants helps them, as well.

I have a big patch of catnip growing in my garden - it is covered with bumblebees, all day long. Those bumblebees also hit the other blossoms in the garden while they are at it - raspberries, peas, cukes, tomatoes, etc. The catnip is a great way to increase the numbers of pollinators for the whole garden - and my cats hang out in the garden, which discourages mice, voles, and wild rabbits. 

I've seen some awesome tomato cages built out of rebar. I will be talking to my ds and asking him if he can weld me up some good sturdy cages. Four long vertical sections that can be pounded deep into the ground, and horizontal bars welded on all around to form a cage with bars about 8"-12" apart like ladder rungs up each side. I have the rebar, he has the welder. 

My bff's dad showed me his cheap method of protecting tomato plants form early frost. Those Wallo-waters are pricey. Instead, he uses a simple five gallon bucket with the bottom cut out, places it around the young plant, and keeps the lid handy to loosely place over the top on nights when frost threatens. Just remember to remove the lid again before it gets too hot and cooks the plants. He had a 100% success rate with them this spring, and we had a LOT of frosty nights. I suppose that if you live in an even colder area, you could also wrap the buckets and lids in bubble wrap or that thin sheet foam you see in so many shipping boxes for even more insulation. 

I love finding another use for the wonderful 5 gallon bucket. One can never have too many! In the garden, I use a lot of them for gathering crops, carrying garden tools about, making compost tea or manure tea, taking weeds to the chickens and holding freshly dug plants for transplanting or sale (add about 6" of water in the bottom to keep the roots wet).


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## frankva

If you plant morning glories on a fence, remember that cleanup is a beast.

Saw this doodad in a catalog. http://www.gardeners.com/Clothespin-Twine-Cutter/38-369,default,pd.html

I get the 190' brown jute rolls at Home Depot. Don't unwrap the plastic. Root around in the center for the end and pull out thru the center hole. Put roll in sweatshirt pocket. Sheetrock knife in other pocket. The last 10' flop out, but hey, ******* doodad.


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## PulpFaction

Swiss chard. It just makes you feel good because it always thrives and looks and tastes good, even if everything else is going to h-e-double hockey sticks in a hand basket. Plus, it's really, really good for you and shockingly versatile.


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## EriknTN

This is all good advise but for the newbie may I suggest this... If you want to be organic do NOT put Miracle Grow Organic Compost anywhere. IT IS NOT ORGANIC... I made this mistake, what is worse is that it plainly says so in the small print of the package. From what I have read and seen if you wish to become "certified" organic you will have to wait three years to achieve organic standards. Call it what you will, but I think... Well you can imagine my frustration.


----------



## Creger

Hi I'm a student at Kendall College of Art and Design. I'm researching urban gardening in the hopes to design a viable gardening product for gardeners with little to no yards. If you would please, consider helping me by filling out my short, anonymous survey that should take no more than
10 minutes to answer. I am also looking for willing individuals to interview if this is something you would be willing to do please shoot me an email.

Also if you know anyone that might be willing to fill out my survey would you please consider copying my link and sending it to them. Please and many thanks. 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GFJV3SP

Thanks and have a good one fellow gardeners.
Brandon Creger
Kendall College of Art and Design: iD
Grand Rapids, Mi
[email protected]


----------



## Charly

In the past we have had slugs. Ugh! I put cheap beer in an empty tuna can and placed several in the garden. Let's just say many of them died happy. The next day, I had tons of slugs!

Also, I take an old white plastic set of blinds and cut them into plant stakes to identify my plants. I cut them so they fit in a #10 size can to store. Write on them with a Sharpie.


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## motdaugrnds

Just a reminder: Check the ph level and know what vegies like + and what like a negative. Also some vegies are "heavy feeders" (like corn, squash, okra, melons) and some are "light feeders" (like beans). If you consider this while categorizing your plantings, it will pay off.


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## taylorlambert

I had several zuccini and winter squash trans plants that I planted in the skips of the garden at work. some of the plants took to the fertilzer left i nthe row by the planter others didnt. These looked like goners. I took some old dried chicken manure and put it in a bucket and added water in the bucket and let iset a few hours in the sun. Took this tea and poured it around the roots not gettin it on the vines or the leave and the next day they wer a great looking dark green. I also had some late tomatos that came up in the seed trays. when I planted some o them they took for ever to harden off as they were a ligher green. Id pull them out of the cell trays and soak the roots in the tea and they next few days they green out and wont sun blister. I also cruise the roads some times for black plastic pots that blow outof trucks. All my green house plastics are from folks that let them blow out empty. ALso going to an old leaf dump I get plastic pots and old planter just rinse them out with a chloraxe solution and store them till the next season.


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## babysteps

I just posted gardening tips for the beginning organic gardener on my blog

www.christinemccreedy.blogspot.com


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## SuburbanHermett

When planning a new garden don't forget to take into account shadows from buildings, fences and trees.

If you have a new garden space and need to figure out where the shadows are going to be; use the full moon to help show you where shadows will be in six months time.

For example, December's full moon (the 21st) will show where the sun will cast shadows in June. Pretty cool, huh?

Just remember to "fluff" up the shadows of deciduous trees to account for leaves.


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## City Bound

Take the time to go out for a few nights in a row and kill the snails and slugs. I shot the slugs with vinigar and I step on the snails. After you transplant seedlings it is very important to do this, because those devil snails and slugs will eat the whole transplant in one night.


----------



## Osiris

Grew Bee Balm first year. It was ready to bloom and the deer came and chomped them all down. The deer grazing resulted in all the plants doubling their blooms. LESSON: when they're ready to bloom, cut 'em back and you'll double the blooms. = more hummingbirds!

I wanted an easy to make raised bed for veggies. I took the 8ft border timbers from Lowes, bored 1" holes through them, about 3 inches from each end. Then just lined them up and drove 3/4 inch pipe through the holes down into the ground as deep as possible. The timbers held up great, the pipe holds everything in place. Just had to fill the thing with dirt. I also lined the walls with black plastic to keep the dirt from running out the sides when wet. If I ever want to move it, just pull the timbers off the pipe. 

Keep deer away from your veggie garden. Guys! Down a few beers and take a slow walk around the perimeter. It's how animals mark their territory.

Cayenne pepper powder keeps squirrels away, ants too. Just sprinkle it up the rows. You'll have to repeat after a rain.


----------



## Terrabus

Last year I planted my first garden. It was a disaster. Sure, I got a few beans and zucchini out of the deal, but that was about it. 

Here are the lessons I learned. 

1) I totally misjudged shadows and root spread from trees. Half my garden didn't even grow. 

2) When I misjudged the shadows, I planted sunflower seeds that killed off my wax beans. This was terrible because the wax beans were very prolific and then suddenly died off. 

3) When they tell you to spread the seeds out a certain distance, do that and some more. I planted seeds too close together and plants were crowded.

4) If I grow tomatoes again, I'm going to have to find a way to start earlier and plant roma only. Last years tomatoes tasted like garbage. 

5) My potatoes were the size of marbles. I think I didn't go down deep enough with the tilling and I didn't water them enough early on. Also, see #1. 

6) The trellis system for my pole beans will be poles driven deeper and I shall use something sturdy, like chicken wire or thicker. I'll bet I can get those vines 7 feet tall this year. The twine I used just didn't get it done. 

7) Seriously, how much zucchini can one man eat? I forgot how badly they smell and how I only like them deep fried. What a mess and waste!

8) My basil and peppers were destroyed by birds when they sprouted. I got to them too late to put the bloodmeal or whatever on them. This time, I'm going to start the seeds earlier in pots, I'm going to grow them larger before planting and I'm going to put the bloodwhatever on them when I plant. 

9) The weeds got out of control because I was working odd hours. I'm going to use Peen early on and make sure that doesn't happen again. 

10) I don't need a whole row of something. There is no law that says I can't have a row divided into sections for different things. Seriously, how much zucchini can one man eat?


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## clamjane

Save all those old 5 gal buckets with cracks or holes in the bottoms. I put them in between my tomato plants and fill them with water and my tomatos get a nice slow drip and deep watering.


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## frankva

Terrabus said:


> 7) Seriously, how much zucchini can one man eat? I forgot how badly they smell and how I only like them deep fried. What a mess and waste!
> 
> 
> 10) I don't need a whole row of something. There is no law that says I can't have a row divided into sections for different things. Seriously, how much zucchini can one man eat?


Not many. Had some several years back. If you get in a situation like that, think food bank. Just don't let them get large. No one deserves large zucchini.


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## bowdonkey

frankva said:


> Not many. Had some several years back. If you get in a situation like that, think food bank. Just don't let them get large. No one deserves large zucchini.


Large zucchinis are great for rifle practice. Nothing to pick up and very reactive to hits with a high power.


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## Bluebird

Worms in my broccoli really gross me out. A couple of years ago I didn't get to planting my broccoli until almost the Fourth of July. I am in zone 4 and didn't know if I would even get any. Surprise - although I didn't get as much, there were NO I mean NO worms in the heads that I harvested. Seems that by the time it forms heads, the yellow butterflies that lay the larva are gone for the year. Since broccoli does well even into the early fall, I got even side shoots. Only adjustment to make is to plant more so that I get the amount that I would have gotten if I'd planted earlier.


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## Our Little Farm

Tip. Make sure the gate to your garden is closed. Goats do not wait for a second invitation. They can and will destroy everything in sight in less than a couple of hrs. Same goes with fruit trees. 

We have no goats now. Actually having burritos made with goat burger today. 

Tip.
If you have a shorter growing season as I do, watch your seeds. Buy those that do not take long to mature. Especially tomatoes! Red mulch under tomatoes has been proven to help.


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## Our Little Farm

Bluebird said:


> Worms in my broccoli really gross me out. A couple of years ago I didn't get to planting my broccoli until almost the Fourth of July. I am in zone 4 and didn't know if I would even get any. Surprise - although I didn't get as much, there were NO I mean NO worms in the heads that I harvested. Seems that by the time it forms heads, the yellow butterflies that lay the larva are gone for the year. Since broccoli does well even into the early fall, I got even side shoots. Only adjustment to make is to plant more so that I get the amount that I would have gotten if I'd planted earlier.


I had summer squash get vine borers one year. Was heartbroken about it. Burnt the plants and did not know what to do. It was july. So I planted squash again and had a wonderful crop, no borers, no pests! 

Its worth not giving up. For the sake of a few seeds you CAN make it work!


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## TooManyHobbies!

mrglock27 said:


> Hi, I haven't done this yet but I got a weird idea. I was gonna rip up a 20 by 30 foot area with my spiked tractor blade and then take a few thousand of my old seeds(carrots corn pumpkins spinich peppers tomatoes beans peas and abunch of other stuff) and scater them all over the place and then cover with about a quarter inch of dirt and then water, next spring. has anyone done this before? I think it'll be kinda fun. If it turns out crappy I'll just let the deer eat it I guess.


Years ago, Gurneys sold a 1 cent seed packet to any kid that would tape a penny to the family seed order. I remember those 1 cent seed packets very fondly. Yes, I'm showing my age here!

Anyways, that is pretty much what they were: random assortments of who knows what seeds. You never knew what you'd end up in that mess. I don't remember what I actually grew from them, but it was always fun trying!


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## TooManyHobbies!

Buy good quality tools and take good care of them! Don't leave them out in the weather, whether that be sun or rain! Both will take a toll on the handles. Rough tool handles are unpleasant and you'll find yourself avoiding gardening tasks as a result.

Buy a mattock or two! Look for one that has a handle that's a comfortable length for you to use while standing. (I have to buy a new handle for mine soon!) If you can find an antique or older variety, grab it! These sometimes are narrower than the ones on the market today. Most of those are too wide on the hoe end. For those who don't know, one end will have what looks like a narrow garden hoe. The other side will be a 3 or 4 pronged narrow rake. Also, see if you can find one that is sized for work completed while kneeling. This one will have a short handle. Make sure you are comfortable with the weight of the tool. I have two of these, with fiberglass handles. One has a rake on the back side. The other has a pick like tool. Both have the hoe on the opposite side. These are more useful than most garden tools for me!

Don't do: Don't plant 2 packets of luffah seeds when you live in the South. Just don't do it! They are like kudzu. They'll take over the WORLD. Plant one HILL of them, not a row or two...


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## MaineFarmMom

Don't plan your spring, summer and fall garden by USDA zones. Pay attention to frost dates, over night temps and soil warmth instead. 

Test your soil for more than NPK and fix the problems. Learn from the weeds. Weeds will tell you a lot about your soil.


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## GrannyG

I grew beautiful tomatoes in the grow bags, did not even think about using them to grow sweet potatoes...they had an article at gardners supply on growing the sweet potatoes in bags...I want to try it...


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## Candace

We force everything to grow vertically where we can. It saves space, increases production and is easier to harvest. Last year, though, our tomatoes were so crazy the weight pulled the supports over. Also, think of other uses for some veggies. We grind zuchinni and freeze it in 2 cup amounts to use in soups, breads and cake - yes cake! I have also found that it makes a fabulous pickle relish. I also try to plant one thing that is different or odd just to keep things interesting. Learn from your failures but don't repeat them thinking things will be different the next year. They won't. I've tried and learned the hard way. Best advice, if you have an older neighbor who has gardened for a long time, ask their advice and then follow it.


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## laughaha

Zuchini Relish, Zuchini Salsa, Zuchini Bread, Fried Zuchini, Zuchini in cakes (makes them moist), Zuchini in almost any soup, Frozen Zuchini, Canned Zuchini, Mock Apple Pie, Mock Pineapple, etc. Zuchini can be grated and added to almost any recipe as a filler/stretcher. Actually a decent keeper if allowed to get LARGE and a hard rind. Chickens love zuchini, especially the large ones. Possibly a natural wormer (like pumpkins). Zuchini is a frugal persons dream plant. Amazing yields from almost no work. 

I'm planting at least 2 dozen plants this year.......


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## Natalia

My best do is liquid B-1 for transplants and to fertilze strawberries, blackberries, and roses cant explain it they just seem to love it. 

My best dont's are... dont always be conventional. Most years i have very flexable weather and can be equally flexable in what i grow. The second is dontbe afraid of containers even for unconventional container plants. I have the better luck container gardening than in ground so im trying to balance my skills .


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## TooManyHobbies!

Another tip: don't be afraid to be a rule breaker. Try planting things closer than they say. Try planting where it's shadier than you think will work, if that's what you have for space. Try things. What's the worst that'll happen...you'll lose a few hours of work and a few dollars in seeds. You won't lose all of the work -- you can plant something else in that place the next time around.


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## sticky_burr

mandidawn said:


> Thank you - this is something I did not know. *making mental note to clip off blossoms as soon as I get home*


 actually you are suppose to gently pull the scrapes out of the plant the whole stem from the leaves of the onion or garlic

as for my tip use the trinity ! corn pole beans and squash it feed the natives reliably until they went to european method that fails. plant your corn(in thier case maize) but you can use sweet corn but harder to harvest. after it is started you plant a couple/few climbing beans around the corn the corn holds up the beans in turn they fix nitrogen for the corn . in amunst the feild you plant squash, i dont see why you cant plant annother ground vine melon or cuke? that shades the ground from drying and keeps weeds down and makes it more difficult for the varmits to get to your corn and beans. 
in its original use the corn and beans grow and dry in the feild as the winter squash matures and when it all dies back you gather and store . in a modern sweet corn and cuke or melon vine and even green beans or english peas . you have all the esentials BUT you have to wade into the green sea to gather peas and melons or cukes and sweet corn


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## City Bound

Do: Observe the garden. The light through the day, the heat, the shadows, the plants in all their stages. 
Do: explore. Try new plants. Try two or three things new each year. You might find something you love. I found Anise Hysup flowers that way and I fell in love with them.

Do: Keep trying. If you fail, keep trying until you get it right.

Dont: Get into a rut. gardening should be an adventure and a love affair.
Dont: Fight against nature.


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## Spinner

You can get real early tomatoes by planting long before the first frost using this method. Dig a hole deeper than the plant is tall. Put the plant in the hole. As the plant grows, add dirt until the soil is even. On nights when a frost is coming, put a single sheet of newspaper over the hole to protect the tomato plant. By the time frost season is over, you'll have a very healthy plant with deep roots. 

If you have problems with raccoons raiding the corn, plant cukes with the corn. The sticky vines keeps the raccoons away from the corn. 

Most veggies only need a few hours sunlight so they can be planted in partial shade so less watering will be needed.

Think up instead of spread out. Vines can be trained to grow up to save space and weeding.


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## AgrarianDr

My best kept secrets are self watering and understanding soil

Soil only takes the water it needs. We have large raised beds with 6" pvc pipes buried 18-24" deep with a cut out every 12". We water into a riser at the end, and I added some stand-up Ts along the way, and with a float stick so I can tell at a glance if anyone is running low. This makes the whole watering process a breeze, and more importantly keeps everyone healthy and hydrated.
Despite the old adage of letting them dry out to make the roots grow as they search of water, the reality is that they ALWAYS do better if moisture is available - NOT soaking or drowning in water mind you, but moist soil. 

As to understanding soil, that takes a while. 
In short, Dirt - is Inert. That means dirt is nothing but a medium to hold the food. But dirt and food is not enough, you need activity in the dirt to get the food to the plant. That means microbes and bacteria.
First, Add sugar (molasses) for the microbes, bacteria and funji
2nd, never ever till - ever - or you will expose to the sun and kill the very things that feed and keep your plants healthy
3rd, Don't be afraid of ground cover. Clover is NOT a weed. It will not fight with the plants and it adds nitrogen and keeps moisture in.
4th, Discover the benefits of companion planting (like marigolds to combat insects, or clover to add nitrogen). There are in fact HUNDREDS of really great combinations that address all kinds of gardening issues. Oh, and add some bird houses!

Last but not least, think of your entire bed as a large vermi-composting pile. Throw in red worms and then bury table scraps (not meat, dairy or citrus) throughout the bed. Scatter out the table scraps and the worms will delightfully move about the bed - and lay eggs - which produces more worms - not to mention aerated, fertilized and perfectly balanced pH


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## happygardener

DON'T EVER put just cut green grass mulch really thick around your tomato plants...they will die. DO put all your composted veggie and wood matter in your garden, they will thank you with much produce.


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## laughaha

happygardener said:


> DON'T EVER put just cut green grass mulch really thick around your tomato plants...they will die. DO put all your composted veggie and wood matter in your garden, they will thank you with much produce.


I do the grass thing all the time, but I leave a 3-4 inches of bare ground/old mulch surrounding the plant. Fresh grass cuttings GET HOT but as long as it's not right up to the plant it's fine. If I have any weeds coming up, they get a good sized double handful right on them to help kill them. Then in a couple weeks I'll snuggle the "hay" right up to the plant.


Rabbits are the almost perfect pet- lots and lots of cold poo that can be used directly in the garden without burning, diet can be highly supplemented with weeds/grass/fruit tree leaves and prunings, and a cheap source of extremely lean meat (if you are so inclined). My bunnies are really helping to improve my poor soil while eating a ton of fresh greens daily (weeding isn't so bad if it's to feed a cute bunny).


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## Cat

Love this thread! I just planted a garden again this year for the first time in probably 5-6 years. I've been saving my feed sacks and when planting potatoes used the sacks as a ground cover. I deconstructed the sack & cut holes where needed, and cut slits randomly throughout to allow for water to penetrate. The plants that have these are 2x as large as the plants that went without. All the sacks are plain brown sacks - my feed mill doesn't use printed sacks for his own bagged feeds. I'd be less inclined to use printed bags.


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## BlueOrchid

If you don't want to have to weed your garden all summer, weed diligently the first two weeks after planting, making sure to get them pulled as soon as they sprout. I was amazed the first year I tried this and it worked. I plant marigolds around the border of my garden and it helps keep pests away, I also plant rue and catnip randomly throughout the garden to keep bugs away. Rotate your veggies each year. Don't plant the same thing in the same spot next year, this helps keep bugs and disease down and the soil healthy. I respectfully disagree with AgragarianDr. Soil is very much alive and needs to be cared for and kept healthy. Oh and DON'T buy those traps for japanese beetles that are baited with pheremones, they will attract every japanese beetle in the neighborhood to your yard, I use a bucket of soapy water and knock them off the plants into it, kills'em dead.


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## mayrite

This is my first little experiment with collecting seeds from the plants in my garden. Any suggestions on methods of how to prepare the seeds for storage and what works best for storing seeds? I really want to save the seeds from my romaine lettuce, peppers, possibly broccoli. Any suggestions or wisdom with accomplishing this would be greatly appreciated.


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## grover12

I think you do to Check your garden every day the culprits, look under the leaves and around the base of the crop for signs of foul play. It is better to take an "outbreak" of waiting for an "infestation." and you don't use of pesticides. Even "organic pesticides" are poisonous and kill indiscriminately. The reason referred to as natural is the result of which are made from plants and degrade little in the solar, water and soil.
silk topiaries


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## Osiris

Learned a tip this year. I use Palmolive dish soap and water (2 heaping tbsp to gal) Spray on the plants (underside of leaves too) Kept all pests off. I also used a combination of neem, soap and tobacco water throughout the season. 
I only ha d a problem with mold because of spacing and no ventilation.

Between tobacco, neem and Palmolive, i'm through buying insecticide.

Just save the old cig butts and put them in a quart jar full of water. Set for a couple days, strain off. Great insecticide and deterrent if nothing else. 

I also use crysanthemum tea too. It's a natural insecticide. Dried flowers, leaves, whatever you can get, cook it up and put in a spray bottle. Good stuff. Fresh works better, but dried is fine.


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## WStarr

One thing i learned the the hard way this year, do not use miracle grow on potatos or ruhbarb, kills them instantly. 

And when planting strawberries, leave extra room, and pinch off all the flowers the first year. I bought my plants from a local farmer, who pulled them out of his field, now my little strawberry patch is screaming for more room. I planted 6 plants in a 4 x 8 raised bed and now i must have close to 40 plants and the runners are hanging out of the box.


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## Runningtrails

Strawberries need a lot of room alright! Mine just keep spreading! My strawberry bed just keeps getting bigger and bigger, denser and denser! This fall I thinned it by just taking out shovelfulls and planting the entire shovelfull in rows in the new extension area, doubling the size of the bed. Next year I will have a strawberry bed that is thick with berries and twice the size. I will also, hopefully, have room in the current bed to mulch, walk and pick, but I doubt it. They spread so fast every year! 

My tip for first time strawberry growers: Leave lots of room and control, pick and replant all the runners as you get them, before it gets out of control. 

Use carpet to kill and control weeds in non food areas. I put 3-4' runners along the outside of my garage. Works great to keep the grass and weeds down. Cover with mulch to look good. I also covered the entire under-deck area with carpet too. 

I use cardboard between rows and in open areas of the garden to control weeds and grass. Works great! I pile mulch on top, when I have it. The cardboard alone works well, if it's anchored in place with stones or enough mulch or soil to keep it from blowing away. 

Use shredded computer paper for mulch. It's wood based and work great! I get bags of it free at the roadside on recycle pick up day in the commercial area. It looks a little strange because it is so white. 

Shredded computer paper makes fabulous dry, wood based litter for chickens too. They love it! 

Clean up ALL the ground cherries in the fall. I used a leaf rake for it this year. Last year I just left them there. I was hoeing ground cherries out of the tomatoes and peppers all summer long! Man! Those things are prolific! 

Plant a few Tums with each tomato plant. It adds a bit of the calcium they need to help prevent BER. (I know it's more complicated than that, but it has made a difference for me.)

Boiling water poured directly on weeds and grass will kill them. I used it successfully on my rock path this summer and it worked great! Boil a full kettle and pour it on. I previously tried straight vinegar and straight bleach, neither did a good job of killing the grass and weeds and boiling water is organic! I also tried salt water, nothing. All these other things did was turn it yellow for a short time, then it was back again. Roundup is too expensive! 

String wire under the porch roof, up high. I did this the first year here and it is so handy! In addition to giving me a place to hang herbs and flowers to dry out of the sun and weather, I hang my pots up there and tool and all kinds of things out of the way. I screwed a hook at an angle into an old wooden handle to use for hanging things up there and getting them down. I hang it on the wire out of the way too.


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## cathryn

mrglock27 said:


> Hi, I haven't done this yet but I got a weird idea. I was gonna rip up a 20 by 30 foot area with my spiked tractor blade and then take a few thousand of my old seeds(carrots corn pumpkins spinich peppers tomatoes beans peas and abunch of other stuff) and scater them all over the place and then cover with about a quarter inch of dirt and then water, next spring. has anyone done this before? I think it'll be kinda fun. If it turns out crappy I'll just let the deer eat it I guess.


I did this in an area that I had a mixed bag of plants (a hill 20X100 feet or so along the front of my property). I didn't put anthing big in like corn or squash, but all the other old stuff in my seed box got scattered. I ended up with some beans, carrots, eggplant, peas, and lots of radishes and marigolds among my other plants. Not a lot of plants for the number of seeds I put out, but it was fun to find them as I weeded the bed.

It was good to get the old seed out of the way in my box so I could focus on those that were newer.

Cathryn


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## MtnRob

dont have to weed much, every couple weeks load in the hay, water it down and walked on it can also layer in cardboard. for mulch hay this time of year (spring), farmers will most likely have a stash of molding hay to give you. just pile it up and wait. making root vegie soil sandy and light will help growing and harvesting. dont put straight saw dust in with soil, it takes nurients out of soil. cut excess pumpkin flowers to let ones already growing produces better. slab wood from home saw mills works good for bed boxes. drive around to local farms and talk with them. usually you can score manure, old animal bedding, old silage ect ect. add it straight to your soil or let it brew under some clear plastic. dont put too much wood ash in garden. use a natural bar and chain oil in saw and collect saw dust to use for much or compost, more wood much more nitrogen source needed. set up a rain barrel by shed, house, ect and run hose to garden. thanks to others for tips....


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## Billybob

Do not go the 30 miles into town and get the free horse manure. Definitely do not do this 15 times until you find out if the hay has been treated with a weed killer. The horses do not absorb the weed killer- it goes straight to the manure.

Do not question if the Burpee seeds you planted are any good if you make your own compost from manure from the city....


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## LonelyNorthwind

Every year flocks of migrating birds show up just as my seedlings are sprouting. To keep the birds from destroying my new crop I use those lacy type 10X15 (or so) plastic holders the nurserys use to hold about a dozen 4" pots. Just line them upside down over newly planted rows, the light shows through, the black holds in heat, and the birds can't get to my new seedlings.


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## cozynak

Growing up, my family of eight planted a large garden every year. Every year, amongst it all was the favored beefsteak tomato. Well. I recall one summer when much to our dismay, the tomato plants wouldn't bear much fruit at all. The plants were very strong and healthy and as time passed they only grew. One day my mother handed each of us kids a sturdy stick and instructed us to beat them up, "let 'em have it" she coaxed as we questioned her judgement and soundness of mind. As she insisted, we did as we were told. Those poor plants, I didn't think they'd make it through the night. As it turns out, at least for those tomato plants, if you stress a plant that isn't bearing, it will begin putting on fruit... a lot of fruit. We had a bumper crop of tomatoes that year and a lesson I will not soon forget.


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## AKGrowbuckets

These self watering planters are very easy to make. You can get free DIY instructions at: alaskagrowbuckets - Home


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## newbi_gardener

I found a great way to make garden markers. Use silver plumber's tape! When you write on it, it engraves into the tape. I used them this summer, and they worked great! First time I have had markers that didn't fade out in our hot summer sun and afternoon thunderstorms. Originally, I put the tape on plastic markers, but they got lost in the plants. Now I have a stake in the middle of each bed. I can use it to mark what is in each side of the bed. So, four markers in one and it's taller them most of the plants.


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## I_don't_know

I want seed pots to start early but I am a natural born tightwad and we do not have much space for storage. 
If I cut holes in a piece of cardboard say 2-3 " in diameter and then cut some weed mat to put in the hole about the depth of the seed pot I need and then staple the over lap to the top of the cardboard, then fill with dirt. I could support the cardboard with some thing like a 2x4. 
At the start of the season I pull staples, save weed mat and plant (water first to help dirt hold together). I could dry and brush off weed mat and save it for next season, flat and compact. 
Am I mad or do you think it might work?


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## casusbelli

Learn from experience: here's a big *DON'T*:
Much as I like their appearance, I'll never plant nasturtiums near tomatos again. They are aphid magnets, grey ones, white ones, you name it, and they go to the 'maters when they run out of room on the 'sturtiums....


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## Laura Zone 5

WEED BARRIER

Take 2-3 layers thick of news paper.
Top it with untreated grass clippings 6-10 inches thick.
I do this in May,(mothers day) and it lasts until Oct (first frost).
I may pull 10 weeds A SEASON.
THIS has been a life saver / game changer. 
NOW I spend more time tending to plants, planting MORE plants, because I do not have to spend hours weeding!!!


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## locpic

:nono:


Osiris said:


> Learned a tip this year. I use Palmolive dish soap and water (2 heaping tbsp to gal) Spray on the plants (underside of leaves too) Kept all pests off. I also used a combination of neem, soap and tobacco water throughout the season.
> I only ha d a problem with mold because of spacing and no ventilation.
> 
> Between tobacco, neem and Palmolive, i'm through buying insecticide.
> 
> Just save the old cig butts and put them in a quart jar full of water. Set for a couple days, strain off. Great insecticide and deterrent if nothing else.
> 
> I also use crysanthemum tea too. It's a natural insecticide. Dried flowers, leaves, whatever you can get, cook it up and put in a spray bottle. Good stuff. Fresh works better, but dried is fine.


Do not use the tobacco water on tomatoes as it will quickly kill them!


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## I_don't_know

I have a small yard with a wood fence around it. I use old tire treads the big ones off the semiâs. I nail them along the fence to help keep the dirt off the wood and prevent wood rot in the fence when I build up the garden bed. You can find them at the road construction sites. Free!


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## mystang89

Everyone keeps saying to mulch but for us black thumbed gardeners....what qualifies as mulch? Is it the type you buy at the store? Is it straw? Is it chopped up limbs or is it just leaves from the fall? I'm terrible at gardening but I do my best.

My only tip is crop rotation. I've found that some of my plants actually started to grow when I rotated the crop. Well that and fertilizer. I raise rabbits and chickens so fertilize you ground to give it back the nutrients it needs.


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## keithrural

Start early prepping your beds. I like to get our there in February. This weekend I just added 10 cubic yards of compost to the garden. I was glad that it was nice and cool outside once it starts warming up this kind of job is no fun.


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## stevhoff

Onions and Garlic- Plant these 2 as well as chives on the outer edge of your garden-all the way around.They make a great bug deterrent.If the garden is really big,plant them in a cross pattern going from the sides to the center as well. Santolina is also a great companion plant for warding off bugs. I also like to plant lots of herbs here and there in the garden as companion plants to ward off bugs and enhance growth and flavor. Google companion plants and you're sure to come up with some good sites to guide you.

Another great tip is to plant summer squash on 1 side of the garden and winter squash on the other. Squash bus will tend to go after your summer squash first and leave the winter squash alone.

If you want a really big zuchini for the state or county fair,just let one fruit grow on the plant and clip off all the others then clip all flowers as they form. Give the plant lots of compost and seaweed extract and 3 weeks time,should end up with one the length of a baseball bat. After you win the ribbon try to sell it to a local restaurant, they'll love it as a display centerpiece and the zuke will last for months.


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## southernmom

It's true that stressing a plant will make them 'act right'. This year my summer squash seedlings were acting like they weren't even going to sprout. So I went outside, and told them I had no problem tilling them up if they didn't sprout by the next morning. They did. I talk sweet to my plants but if they don't act right I have no problem threatening them to behave, and they usually do!


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## Terrabus

It kills me to learn lessons the hard way. It's worse if there is something in this thread I either skipped over or didn't read correctly. I can literally hear somebody say, "I told you so!" 

First, the water in my village is treated with something. Because of that and the heavy mineral content, it leaves a ton of crystals on top of the soil and the plants don't like it. I learned this with my houseplant, Larry. But did I follow my own rules? Nope. So I started seeds with village water and I gave them village water. Half are dead, the other half don't look so good. I just put a bunch of distilled water on them and I'm hoping it's enough to save them. 

Second, I started seeds way too early. Because I don't have a grow light, the seeds I started look like refugees. 

Now I'm gonna have to go back to the seed place and get them all over again and start from scratch. Ugh!


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## rockhound

Terrabus- you don't need a growlight. I use 2 florescent spiral daylite bulbs. I put out the last of my plants today, some over a foot tall. 12 tomatoes and 6 peppers.


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## Terrabus

I'm beginning to realize that our village water supply is too heavily treated. I had salts and deposits on the tops of the soil.


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## desnri

We starting using raised beds last year. Started with three and then added a fourth. Will be adding more this week. I made trellises from pvc and one inch chicken wire for the green beans and cukes and made them arch between the beds. I love it. I wish we would have done it sooner. Of course you can't grow everything in raised beds. I planted three butternut squash plants in one of the raised beds. They went wild and took over an area of about 30 x 30. We gave away a lot of squash.


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## Osiris

My garden is about 25' x 50' so it's not too big like some of yours. (I'm really jealous) But I fought with Woodchucks last year. They'de climb right over the 4 foot fence and eat all the seedlings. I planted beans and peas 3 times last year. I finally tried ceyenne pepper. Sprinkling it lightly on your seedlings helps to ward off a lot of insects and keeps mammals away too. Birds don't seem to be bothered by it. I mix it into my bird food as well so the squirrels don't mess with the feeder. It works. But back to the garden: I tried epsom salts for fertilizer and it seems to help. 1tbs = gal of water. allow to dissolve and feed the plants w/it. I also use a combination of dish soap, neem oil and tobacco tea to keep bugs out. That also helps. For slugs, use coffee grounds; it's a neurotoxin.


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## anniefromindie

Sorry for this dumb question, but I just ordered some nematodes to help rid our yard of fleas. I saw in one of the gardening tips here that nematodes hurt tomatoes. If I keep the nematodes way away from the garden, is it still OK if I spread them in the gravel driveway and around the yard? Our three dogs lay all over the place and then they have fleas. This is our third year fighting fleas. Last year we spread DE all over everything in a 20 ft circle around the house. This year the dogs are scratching again, and we do use Frontline and a variety of products to keep the fleas off them. These are some hardy fleas. Yes, and we even used Sevin, but the fleas win. Got some ideas on the nematodes or the fleas. Thanks for your input, Annie


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## Little Quacker in NC

This is for those of us "oldies" that are container gardeners. I am older than the dirt I use! :cow: Always line your pots/containers with something. Might be landscape cloth...whatever. This will keep pests out of your container plants. Sowbugs, earwigs, slugs, snails carpenter ants etc.

I like growing mixed greens in the long trays every year(early)and place them on the porch railings. Perfect for harvesting. They are lined also.

If you have moles did you know that dog hair will cause them to move somewhere else? Moles are highly territorial so a very large patch of ground can have 20 or more hills from just one mole. I save the hair from my cattle dogs for this but its not enough. So, when I take them in for prof grooming I ask for a large garbage bag of hair shaved from unwashed dogs. That hair goes in any mole hill or run I find! They go away and my area is mole free(if I pay attention and am not too lazy!).

I would like to know from those who have problem gophers if this works for them also? No gophers here but man those moles!!! 

Happy gardening! LQ


----------



## Hidden Hills

One thing I would recommend is lime. Everyone wants to fertilize and compost their garden but it is possible to over fertilize. I had a weed problem for the last few years and I limed the garden heavily this year and it seemed to eliminate 75% of the weeds I was having. Too much manure can drop the PH of the soil and make it too acidic.


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## Mochaman

Two easy things to get a person started down the right path. Do a soil texture test yourself....it's easy. I like mine with heavy organic matter and 50% loam/silt, 40% sand, 10% clay. Then, second and most importantly, get the soil tested by a reputable university or lab. The PH test alone goes miles in determining what to do next. In the notes section of the soil analysis you can tell them what veg/flowers you plan to grow and they will recommend what changes need to be made if any. Do these two things first and it takes the guesswork out of gardening. It is a 30 to 40 dollar investment to have the tests done but checks all major and many minor nutrients. Something we have noticed in 30 plus years of gardening...a rich, healthy soil WILL help your plants with disease resistance and even help your plants kick the crap out of some types of pests...aphids.


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## a'ightthen

Do not plant more than ye can tend to ... a whole lot easier said than done.


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## SugarBrown

Although I hated doing it, last night when the ants were all sleeping, I took a huge pot of boiling water out to my vegetable garden and poured it over the poor unsuspecting sleeping ants.
I have tried the cornmeal solution, and it was useless. (Really? Are they supposed to blow up after eating a piece of cornmeal?) I tried the boiling water in another part of my yard, and it seemed to work. Those darn ants are living the high life, right where I want to plant my peas!
I'm just wondering if there are any other known and safe solutions. Care to share?


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## Osiris

mayrite said:


> This is my first little experiment with collecting seeds from the plants in my garden. Any suggestions on methods of how to prepare the seeds for storage and what works best for storing seeds?
> 
> I've done peppers, carrots tomatoes and squash and they're all quite easy.
> Tomatoes must be fermented for a couple days in water to dissolve the little sack around the seed. Just soak them for 3-4 days. When you see the sack is gone, rinse 'em in a colander, dump them out on paper and dry them. I put them in the oven on pilot to dry. Cukes the same way.
> 
> I dry pretty much everything that way (in the oven)
> 
> Peppers....no need to soak, although perhaps it's a good idea because my peppers took almost a month to germinate.
> 
> Squash, just wash in a colander in cold. scrub 'em a it to get the strings off. Dry as with all other seeds.
> I store my seeds in a paper envelope, label and date (year). I've used seeds from 2011 that still germinated. so they'll last for a while. Just store in a cool dark place.
> 
> Oops....forgot to add something. CARROTS are biennial. If you live in a cold area, you'll have to pull some carrots and store them in sawdust in a dark cool place. Then replant them in the spring to produce flowers....seeds. I had a light winter in 2011, so I had 3 carrots volunteer from the previoes year. They grew to 6 feet and produced HUGE umbels and I got a couple thousand seeds. You should use seed from as many different carrots as possible.


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## BanTam

We have fireants. If you have never been stung, the best way to describe it is it is like someone touched your skin with a hot match! Ow!! It doesn't make working the in the garden very fun.

I read or heard that you could pour boric acid powder and it will kill the ants. I don't use poison in the yard because of the chickens. I went around and poured boric acid powder on every mound I could find...it seemed to kill them...for a while....

What the boric acid did do was KILL ALL GRASS AND PLANTS AROUND IT TOO!! The worst part was that it took about two years for the grass to come back to those areas.


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## BanTam

Here's a garden hint:

I always have to look for a "cheap" way to do just about anything.

To tent my tomatoes and other fruits/veggies to keep them safe from birds and grasshoppers, I use that fabric netting you can buy at the Walmart fabric area.

It's not really meant for garden use and it will probably have to be thrown away at the end of the season, but it works and it's like 50 cents a yard (maybe even cheaper). It comes in all colors, but I get green. 

I've never used this for berries or anything with thorns. 

Covering your crops may inhibit pollination by bugs. Small bugs can still get in through the bottom.


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## BanTam

Osiris said:


> [Oops....forgot to add something. CARROTS are biennial. If you live in a cold area, you'll have to pull some carrots and store them in sawdust in a dark cool place. Then replant them in the spring to produce flowers....seeds. I had a light winter in 2011, so I had 3 carrots volunteer from the previoes year. They grew to 6 feet and produced HUGE umbels and I got a couple thousand seeds. You should use seed from as many different carrots as possible.


I have had good success in cutting carrot tops, leaving about 1/2 carrot, put them in water until it roots then plant it in dirt. It won't grow a carrot, but it _will_ produce seed. 

A couple of years ago, I purchased some of those dark purple carrots from a Whole Foods "type" store. I cut the tops, let them root in water and then planted them. Yesterday I picked a handful carrots from those seeds! 

Right now, I left the biggest carrot in the ground to go to seed, then I'll harvest those seeds as well. Either way, I get seeds - this is just faster.


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## Mochaman

SugarBrown said:


> Although I hated doing it, last night when the ants were all sleeping, I took a huge pot of boiling water out to my vegetable garden and poured it over the poor unsuspecting sleeping ants.
> I have tried the cornmeal solution, and it was useless. (Really? Are they supposed to blow up after eating a piece of cornmeal?) I tried the boiling water in another part of my yard, and it seemed to work. Those darn ants are living the high life, right where I want to plant my peas!
> I'm just wondering if there are any other known and safe solutions. Care to share?


My mom always makes a batch for me. Depending what type of ants you have you may need to tailor the batch. We have ants that mainly prefer sweets so we make a batch of 1 cup *sugar*; 3 tablespoons *boric acid*, 3 cups warm *water*. Sugar, water, boric acid. It _is_ that simple. You do need to boil the water to completely dissolve the sugar, then add the boric acid. I cut the bottoms off of 2 liter bottles and drape paper towels onto the ground making sure they are good and soaked down in the mixture. It takes a day maybe two to destroy the entire colony. If your ants like protein just drop the sugar and water and substitute creamy peanut butter. Boric acid is a poison, albeit barely. Just don't let any pets or farm animals get into the stuff. It turns a light blue when mixed in solution so it will resemble kool aid or certain sports drinks so definitely label and store it out of reach!!!

Good Luck.


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## Our Little Farm

When planting pole beans, make a long tunnel crossing the poles over at the top, but wide enough at the base to give plenty of space to walk underneath the bean canopy. It makes it easier to pick all the beans hanging down inside, encouraging new ones to grow. You can also plant lettuce and spinach inside where they get enough light but are shaded some.


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## Our Little Farm

To protect your strawberries and soft fruit from birds, put a t-post either end of your row and some strong wire between them. Then hang cheap bird netting over the wire and tent it out over your row, fastening down with rocks or pegs. It works and is easy to lift up for harvesting.


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## lonepine

Rhubarb: By pinching the flower buds on your rhubarb before they bloom (blot) you will get continuous harvests all summer long. Out small 25 sq. ft. has given us 25 lbs of good eating so far and we will be able to can enough to see us through the winter. I love rhubarb/strawberry pie. Had the first batch of strawberries yesterday and put up 12 qts for jam and pies.


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## theroots

Deer problems were alleviated when we filled a blender with water and jalapenos, blended it up, strained it and then sprayed the mix on the garden. Deer came back once and haven't cam back since and it didn't change the flavor or health of the anything growing in the garden


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## saralee

The pesky things were destroying the tomato vines. Friend told me she plants sweet basil at the feet of her vines and has no hornworms. Tried it, and for past two years have had no hornworms. Not that that is proof it works--could be some other reason. But it is so handy to have the basil and tomatoes right next to each other, I'll keep doing it.


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## Kasota

Hello, everyone. 

Up here in northern MN we have special challenges. The top soil is very thin and the growing season is so short. For my veggies I use all raised beds and some containers. This fall I doubled the number of raised beds. I now have 18 glorious 4x8 beds that are 10 inches deep. As I look out of my upstairs bedroom window I can see my raised beds and I'm just itching to plant them! 

I purchase garden soil that is a nice blend of black dirt, compost and a little sand from a local guy. I have brought in truckload after truckload of the stuff. I also compost and I get some sheep manure from a local person that I use in my raised beds and in my flower beds (which are numerous and huge). It's made a huge difference. I confess to sneaking edibles into the flower beds. 

I've put down landscape cloth and wood chip mulch over top of that between the beds and it works out really well for me. 

Can it be Springtime soon?


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## Coloboque

SugarBrown said:


> Although I hated doing it, last night when the ants were all sleeping, I took a huge pot of boiling water out to my vegetable garden and poured it over the poor unsuspecting sleeping ants.
> I have tried the cornmeal solution, and it was useless. (Really? Are they supposed to blow up after eating a piece of cornmeal?) I tried the boiling water in another part of my yard, and it seemed to work. Those darn ants are living the high life, right where I want to plant my peas!
> I'm just wondering if there are any other known and safe solutions. Care to share?



Orange oil mixed with water and poured over the ant hill might help. Or sprinkle cinnamon over the mound. They'll move.


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## Mrs. Thankful

I hope this is the right place for this.

Yesterday, I found a great free (PDF) resource from Penn State titled Backyard Grape Growing. 

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ul212.pdf


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## pookford

When you discover that your particular brand of mulch has attracted every earwig in the county, put a few shallow containers filled with about 1/4" of vegetable oil in your garden. (Those cheap plastic saucers you put under planters/pots are perfect for this.) The hordes of earwigs will drown themselves in the vegetable oil and finally cease stripping your garden bare. This seems to be effective with some beetles as well.


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## FarmChix

TooManyHobbies! said:


> Buy good quality tools and take good care of them! Don't leave them out in the weather, whether that be sun or rain! Both will take a toll on the handles. Rough tool handles are unpleasant and you'll find yourself avoiding gardening tasks as a result.
> 
> Buy a mattock or two! Look for one that has a handle that's a comfortable length for you to use while standing. (I have to buy a new handle for mine soon!) If you can find an antique or older variety, grab it! These sometimes are narrower than the ones on the market today. Most of those are too wide on the hoe end. For those who don't know, one end will have what looks like a narrow garden hoe. The other side will be a 3 or 4 pronged narrow rake. Also, see if you can find one that is sized for work completed while kneeling. This one will have a short handle. Make sure you are comfortable with the weight of the tool. I have two of these, with fiberglass handles. One has a rake on the back side. The other has a pick like tool. Both have the hoe on the opposite side. These are more useful than most garden tools for me!
> 
> Don't do: Don't plant 2 packets of luffah seeds when you live in the South. Just don't do it! They are like kudzu. They'll take over the WORLD. Plant one HILL of them, not a row or two...


I keep a 5 gal bucket of sand. When Hubs changes the oil in the car, we pour into the sand bucket. Once you clean your tools after use, stab them into the oil/sand mixture for storage. Prevents rust. Keeps them clean. Makes them last longer.


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## TrickyRick86

OK so I feel kindof stupid for this one but please learn from my mistake (or lack of common sense!). Look at the germination times on the packet of seeds you are planting and don't put different germination times in the same seed tray! I have a seed tray that I put cucumber seeds and pepper seeds in. Well the cucumbers are up and the peppers haven't even started. Now I am going to have to put some lights over the warming pad and tie up the warming pad while I wait for the pepper seeds to sprout. Oh well live and learn. Maybe there is a better way to do this that I haven't figured out...any other tips?


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## Mattie420

Preparation is key!! Take your time and plan everything down to the T and then take your time and make sure you do everything right in your preparation and it will make everything seem much less stressful. Get a calendar and mark every detail so you won't be blind sided


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## Jan in CO

Ok, On advice of someone on HT, I've been saving the cooking water from veggies and using it to mix with plain water to use on the inside plants. Without thinking, I also used it to water two flats of seeds I was starting for the garden, covered with plastic to help keep the moisture in. Two days later, MOLD was my reward. DUH, why didn't I think of that. Removed the lids and put the flats in the sun, and mold is gone. It was light and spotty, so I hope the seeds aren't damaged and will still germinate. Any thoughts?


----------



## WillT

Jan in CO said:


> Ok, On advice of someone on HT, I've been saving the cooking water from veggies and using it to mix with plain water to use on the inside plants. Without thinking, I also used it to water two flats of seeds I was starting for the garden, covered with plastic to help keep the moisture in. Two days later, MOLD was my reward. DUH, why didn't I think of that. Removed the lids and put the flats in the sun, and mold is gone. It was light and spotty, so I hope the seeds aren't damaged and will still germinate. Any thoughts?



Hi Jan,
Since you said the mold was spotty, it sounds like the seeds might be ok. Of course there's no real way to be sure other than digging them out, which would pretty much defeat the purpose of planting them in the first place! However, even if the seeds are perfectly fine, they may take longer to germinate. The reason for this is that by using the cooking water you have introduced some minerals and starches/sugars to your flats. While that's really good for seedlings and adult plants, it will actually hinder a seed's ability to imbibe (soak up) water. This imbibition is the first step in the germination process. You should be able to flush all of that added material by using pure water from here on out, but it may take a little longer for the seed to germinate because it can't immediately take in that water. Believe it or not, this is a really common problem in the greenhouse and nursery industries where the workers add fertilizer to the water used on seeds and then can't figure out why they have such a low germination rate. In your case, don't give up on the seeds too early if they don't come up when you expect them to! It may be that they are set back a few days while the flats flush out. I hope that helps a little!
Will


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## Osiris

Epsom Salts for fertilizer. Tbsp to gal of warm water. Plants love it! I save eggshells in a coffee can. When you get a bunch, fill up the can w/ water and cover. Let ferment for a week or 2. (Don't OPEN!!!) When it's ready, take it OUTSIDE, open it and strain off the shells. Put it in a watering can and water your plants. You'll see a response in the same day! Again it STINKS TERRIBLY so don't open the bucket in the house or you'll be sorry ;-)

I read the boric acid thing upthread. Not sure about that one. I know it works IN THE HOUSE - ON THE FLOOR, but I'd never heard of using it on plants. You *can* use DTE (Diatomaceous Earth - food grade) around your plants. It's a mineral. Won't hurt anything but it takes care of most small insects devoid of exoskeleton. But soap water and ceyenne pepper also help. Just don't put ceyenne in a sprayer - it'll clog.


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## cooknwoman

Rhubarb - lonepine I have 3 large crowns of rhubarb that is approx 4 old. we bought it spring 2012 in 3 large pots but didn't plant it out because we were taking care of family. last spring we planted them out in a raised bed - just framed the area to help keep water and nutrients in because the plants weren't looking so healthy.
This spring they came up fine but then I started seeing flowers emerging so I researched knowing that some plants will die if they bloom and the recommendation was to cut off the flowers so your crop will be bountiful. is it better to pinch them rather than cutting them off??? this is the first time I've grown rhubarb but I love it. there are many new branches/stalks but they are not thick and juicy looking- they are thin. what am I doing wrong? we don't over water because we were warned about that when we bought them. is it because I didn't see the first few flowers until they were above the top? do I need to wait for the plants to mature??
greatful for any help!!! I'm so impatient to have some rhubarb!
Susie - peder's I'll farm


from cooknwoman's iPad using Homesteading Today


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## mystang89

I had flowers this year as well and I believe that I broke the stem at the bottom and took it out that way. My rhubarb is still healthy and producing wonderfully. Actually I might be making my first Rhubarb strawberry pie for the year!!! I'm excited!


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## Kasota

You can break them or cut them - the flowers - really doesn't matter or at least it hasn't for me. Rhubarb is one of those wonderful delightful plants! I harvest from mine all summer...they just keep popping up more! 

I love rhubarb/strawberry sauce on vanilla ice cream with a few vanilla wafers on the side.... YUM!


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## MCJam

My best garden tip is using 16" cattle panels with two T-posts as tomato, cucumber, canteloupe and pea trellises. Bought our first 3 over 15 years ago and are still using them (have 8 now, 2 cut in half for the side garden). They are galvanized to delay rust, and very sturdy with wide enough spaces for easy harvest and clean up. Just train your plants as they grow to climb up. I can feed my family of 7 in a relatively small garden by having anything that can or will go up.


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## crazyfarm

Little Quacker in OR said:


> This is for those of us "oldies" that are container gardeners. I am older than the dirt I use! :cow: Always line your pots/containers with something. Might be landscape cloth...whatever. This will keep pests out of your container plants. Sowbugs, earwigs, slugs, snails carpenter ants etc.
> 
> I like growing mixed greens in the long trays every year(early)and place them on the porch railings. Perfect for harvesting. They are lined also.
> 
> If you have moles did you know that dog hair will cause them to move somewhere else? Moles are highly territorial so a very large patch of ground can have 20 or more hills from just one mole. I save the hair from my cattle dogs for this but its not enough. So, when I take them in for prof grooming I ask for a large garbage bag of hair shaved from unwashed dogs. That hair goes in any mole hill or run I find! They go away and my area is mole free(if I pay attention and am not too lazy!).
> 
> I would like to know from those who have problem gophers if this works for them also? No gophers here but man those moles!!!
> 
> Happy gardening! LQ


Goodness if this works you will be my favorite person in the entire world. Time to go attack my dogs with a brush and scissors!


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## Terry O

I enjoy the deer on our property very much. No hunting allowed to the chagrin of my hunting friends.

But I try to draw the line at deer in the garden. Over the years I've come up with a fencing solution that works very well. My garden is perimeter fenced with 5' tall hog panels, and four foot from that fence is another perimeter fence same construction. The deer are too intimidated to jump the outer perimeter fence, because of the inner perimeter fence. It has worked very well. Last year, I put 3' tall chicken wire around both inner and outer fences, and free ranged my chickens there. Worked great. The chickens ate tons of bugs heading for the garden! :happy:


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## Osiris

Don't plant half runner beans next to bush beans! The bush are producing but the half runner are trying to use them for support. and the beans are tangled in the runners. Hard to harvest.

DON'T eat the fruits of the potato plant. Potatoes are nightshade and will occasionally produce a fruit similar to a cherry tomato. Mine are doing just that this year! 
Don't eat them. They are highly toxic. If you have kids or pets, remove them from the plant. If not, you can wait til they turn brown and harvest the seeds. But the fruits do suck water away from the plant. I'm going to cut them off of mine. Got 5 different types this year.


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## Ziptie

Osiris said:


> Don't plant half runner beans next to bush beans! The bush are producing but the half runner are trying to use them for support. and the beans are tangled in the runners. Hard to harvest.
> 
> DON'T eat the fruits of the potato plant. Potatoes are nightshade and will occasionally produce a fruit similar to a cherry tomato. Mine are doing just that this year!
> Don't eat them. They are highly toxic. If you have kids or pets, remove them from the plant. If not, you can wait til they turn brown and harvest the seeds. But the fruits do suck water away from the plant. I'm going to cut them off of mine. Got 5 different types this year.


Ha! I wondered what that was. So if we plant the seeds will that be a true potato plant to the original or some mix of something?


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## treefrog

almost eternal plant labels: for fruit and nut trees, other perennials.

cut strips from the sides of aluminum soft drink or beer cans. write on the inside of the strips with a ball point pen. press hard. the aluminum is soft enough to be embossed, and you will have a readable label years and years after the ink has faded. your grandkids will be able to know what variety you planted, and when, years after you are gone. i.e. "macmillan pecan, grafted, from quincy john's nursery, spring 2007" maybe they'll be thrilled to see grandpa's handwriting. hang them with stainless tie wire.


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## puddlejumper007

treefrog, thank you, have been looking for a idea like that.....


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## DarrenSiemsen

Protect your garden from pests organically. First identify the weak plants and try to remove those as much as you can. Pests usually attack weaker ones and usually attack seasonally. So, be prepared before or end of every season and protection is the only solution for better growth of your plants, trees and ultimately whole garden.


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## okiemom

Still new so not ton of ideas/facts, but we tried anything even if we were told we couldn't grow it.


----------



## OscarKane

Gardening is a great hobby to take up; it gets you outside, burning calories, and produces rewarding results.


----------



## OscarKane

Hopefully, one or two of them will be new to you and help speed you along your path to becoming a better gardener. 

1: Make a Garden Plan
2: Start Early & Let There Be Light
3: Sow Early and Often 
4: Location, Location Location!
5: Become Water Wise
6: Have the Right Tools Ready in the Right Place


----------



## treefrog

most of you have heard of a chicken tractor, but how about a chicken tiller-cultivator?
this is a longish term deal.
when building your chicken coop and enclosed run, lay it out so that you have room enough for TWO enclosed runs, each with sun exposure suitable for a garden.
fence in the runs so that each has a door connecting with the coop. the first year, plant one of the runs to annual garden vegetables, and let the chickens use the other. 
come early spring the second year, garden the run the chickens had the previous year, and let the chickens forage the remains of last year's garden. that way, each year you get a garden plot that has had chickens pooping on it for a year, scratching (tilling) the top inch or two, and pecking out most of the weed seeds and insect larvae. the chickens get a fresh run with lots of leftover nutrients in the garden remains. they are also close by when you need to dispose of garden wastes - pulled weeds, less than perfect veggie culls, etc.
this does not work well with perennial crops like asparagus or rhubarb. you can't have everything, put them elsewhere.


----------



## Jenn

Osiris said:


> Learned a tip this year. I use Palmolive dish soap and water (2 heaping tbsp to gal) Spray on the plants (underside of leaves too) Kept all pests off. I also used a combination of neem, soap and tobacco water throughout the season.
> I only ha d a problem with mold because of spacing and no ventilation.
> 
> Between tobacco, neem and Palmolive, i'm through buying insecticide.
> 
> Just save the old cig butts and put them in a quart jar full of water. Set for a couple days, strain off. Great insecticide and deterrent if nothing else. <snip>


TObacco water is indeed a great killer- you could kill yourself or your family members maybe even by absorbing it through the skin. So be very cautious (best of all DON"T DO THIS), and know that it kills bees and can carry viruses that affect tomatoes and peppers.


----------



## Jenn

I_don't_know said:


> I want seed pots to start early but I am a natural born tightwad and we do not have much space for storage.
> If I cut holes in a piece of cardboard say 2-3 " in diameter and then cut some weed mat to put in the hole about the depth of the seed pot I need and then staple the over lap to the top of the cardboard, then fill with dirt. I could support the cardboard with some thing like a 2x4.
> At the start of the season I pull staples, save weed mat and plant (water first to help dirt hold together). I could dry and brush off weed mat and save it for next season, flat and compact.
> Am I mad or do you think it might work?


try soil blocks or making newspaper 'pots'. Soil blocks- well I bought a soil block maker, not tightwad fix- but you could cut ends out of various size (small tomato paste can would be about size I usually make) tin cans, pack with moist soil, push it out from one end on to a flat surface (put a few dozen in a flat pan like an edged cookie sheet or sheet cake pan, or a flat plastic container- or I now put 8 in a row in the aluminum bars for my shelves which are u- shaped in cross section), then put seeds in and water carefully. The roots air trim as they reach outside of soil block- when you start seeing them, time to transplant to a bigger pot/ into ground.

Newspaper pots: haven't tried this, but looks like you wet newspaper and wrap it around a form (use an uncut up small tomato paste can?) and then pull it off in one piece to dry/fill with dirt.


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## OscarKane

I'will need to think ahead to incorporate the following yield-maximizing strategies. 
1. Grow High-Value Crops. 
2. Start Early, End Late. 
3. Emphasize What Grows Well for You.


----------



## Blueridgeviews

Tip:

Learn to "succession" garden. You will get two or three times more produce and extend your 
Harvests.
*Potatoes* can be sown twice in most areas -- early spring gives summer harvest, summer planting gives fall and winter storage harvest.
*Filet green beans* -- two or three planting times
*Leeks*-- two planting/harvest times a year
*zuccini*--two plantings and harvests. This surprises many gardeners. Zuc plants usually die out late summer, but if you start from seed another planting in peak summer, you will have fresh zuc til frost.
*broccoli and cabbage* two plantings/harvests

Of course lettuces, greens, radishes, can have many plantings depending on location.


----------



## Vickivail98

cooknwoman said:


> Rhubarb - lonepine I have 3 large crowns of rhubarb that is approx 4 old. we bought it spring 2012 in 3 large pots but didn't plant it out because we were taking care of family. last spring we planted them out in a raised bed - just framed the area to help keep water and nutrients in because the plants weren't looking so healthy.
> This spring they came up fine but then I started seeing flowers emerging so I researched knowing that some plants will die if they bloom and the recommendation was to cut off the flowers so your crop will be bountiful. is it better to pinch them rather than cutting them off??? this is the first time I've grown rhubarb but I love it. there are many new branches/stalks but they are not thick and juicy looking- they are thin. what am I doing wrong? we don't over water because we were warned about that when we bought them. is it because I didn't see the first few flowers until they were above the top? do I need to wait for the plants to mature??
> greatful for any help!!! I'm so impatient to have some rhubarb!
> Susie - peder's I'll farm
> 
> 
> from cooknwoman's iPad using Homesteading Today




Rhubarb is a very heavy feeder, it needs top feeding of compost every year. If you are getting thin stalks this is probably the problem. Harvest very minimally until it starts kicking out fatter stalks and be sure that when you cut or pull flower stalks you don't leave behind a hollow base stem that can fill with water, it will ruin your crowns. I have found that occasionally I end up with a crown that insists on putting out flower heads all season, I do not split these plants and sometimes rip them out because it seems to be a genetic thing and they seem to continue to do this year after year.


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## m3acrehomestead

Please forgive me if this was mentioned already..

I plant edible perennial's so I pay once and sit back and enjoy it for years to come..I planted sun chokes, walking onions, herb garden, mint garden, asparagus patch, rhubarb, strawberry pants, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, gooseberry, juneberry, black current and a fruit orchard. 

I'm leaning to save seed's from some of my annual vegetables.


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## Queen Bee

just placed an order for 56$ worth of tomato seeds... please don't judge me!  I will use what I need and save the rest! Every year the price increases and shipping is sky high. I ordered enough for 4 yrs. and got free shipping. These are non GMO and organic open pollinated. I have done this for 20 yrs and the seeds have never let me down.


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## Declan

My best advice is always do something different every year. Try a new plant; try a new technique; spot a new place to grow, etc.


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## woodsy_gardener

Ziptie said:


> Ha! I wondered what that was. So if we plant the seeds will that be a true potato plant to the original or some mix of something?


About 1875 a young man in Massachusetts noticed those in his potato garden and wondered what would happen if he planted the seeds. He grew 4 different potatoes that were superior to anything then available. He sold the rights to those potatoes for several thousand dollars and with that money he moved to California, bought a farm, and began breeding plants. One of those potatoes was named the [Luther] Burbank Russet potato, aka Idaho Baker. Now you know the rest of the story.


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## TheKingsTable

If you have annuals shaded by weeds, don't shock them in the stifling heat of summer by suddenly removing all the weeds. My watermelons got lost in a mess of weeds, so I thought I'd be a good gardener and put down fabric weed blocker in July. The vines were dead within 2 days from the shock of the hot, drying sun -- it was in the 90s that week.

If you catch vine borers early enough, squash plants can be saved. Dig a knife into the hole to kill any remaining borer, pour water onto the hole and water the plant well, and wrap the stem with a few inches of aluminum foil. Shove some dirt around the base of the foil, so at least a centimeter of it is underground.


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## GardenGekko

My favorite gardening tool is my iPhone. Any time I see something unusual, or anytime I start seeds, transplant, etc; I take a picture or a short video. I don't often have pen and paper handy, but I always have my phone. I take pictures of every tree in my orchard at various points of the year, photographing them in order, taking a picture of the tree's ID tag and then the tree itself. I take pictures of weather events, trees at various bloom stages, insect infestations, experimental pruning cuts, etc. and of course it's all time stamped. 

It's amazing how quickly I forget something I had done a short time ago, especially when a lot of things are going on. And it's amazing how often I refer back to my photographs.


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## Designlover

Plant tropical plants. They're colorful and will remind you of being on vacation. When it's winter you can place them in your home and they'll get rid of any harmful toxins. Also, you should get your whole family involved in gardening. It can be a fun and relaxing activity.


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## watsonwillam

Start Up Gardening. Try not to worry about finding an appropriate plot in your terrace, essentially begin a holder cultivate anyplace you'd like. 
Strong Soil and Dependable Drainage. 
Area Location. 
Timing and Type. 
The Perfect Plants for Beginners. 
All around Watered. 
Go Organic, Really. 
Trim and Prune.


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## tiffanysgallery

The addition of compost increases the quality of your soil, and also the soils organic matter, and thus productivity of your garden.


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## tiffanysgallery

Cow manure is good for your garden.

And, you'll find out when cow manure has too much protein when you slip on a wet, runny cow patty and fall on your bottom. But, don't worry about the taste, it's organic.


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## Arashisar

Never grow monocultures of plants!!! Successful combinations such as garlic + strawberry give higher yields and discourage insect pests.


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## chapcharlie

If you want to remove weed in the most effective way possible. Just spray the weed killer at the right time. What's the right time? The right time is when weed just starts popping out of the ground.


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## EthosSeedCompany

Mulch your soil! It will prevent weeds, lower watering needs and provide nutrients.

At the home gardens, we use grass clippings. It does wonder on potatoes as we can pile it as high as we need and it also improves all other crops. The grass also provides a safe amount of nitrogen to the plants as it decomposes. You'll see soil improvement very quickly and if you keep it up without disturbing the soil, it will really pack a punch. It's almost like magic to see it "disappear" as it gets eaten by worms and other soil organisms. 

Just take a look at my Red Russian Kale below. I've been applying grass clipping pretty much for a month now and it looks like Jurassic Park!


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## B. White

My wife wanted a row of sunflowers this year. We planted a row about 75 ft. from the cucumbers, tomatoes and squash. I accidently discovered stinkbugs love the sunflowers and they have left everything else alone for the most part.


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## Pobept75

tallpines said:


> Give us your tips-----practical and humorous........
> 
> If you learned it the "hard way" be sure to share your story.
> 
> (This thread suggested by Ardie.)


Don't plant more Turnip seed than you can carry in a thimble.


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