LaurenRitz
Almost Self-Reliant
Today I harvested from the greenhouse and had salad for lunch.
What did you do in your garden today?
- Thread starter tortoise
- Start date
FarmerJamie
Mr. Sensitive
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2010
- Messages
- 9,970
- Reaction score
- 19,048
- Points
- 393
I have the last container of taters in the kitchen to put up this weekend. Yesterday, we had the electrician (younger guy) back to estimate some additional work (like running a connection for a possible hot tub!!). He started asking about growing potatoes, how to get started, what to do, how to put up. We did walk out to my little raised bed and he asked for advice. I enjoyed the convo
frustratedearthmother
Sustainability Master
It's always nice to share some knowledge and know that it's appreciated!
murphysranch
Super Self-Sufficient
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2009
- Messages
- 1,798
- Reaction score
- 3,401
- Points
- 270
- Location
- Southern Washington State
I was doing some trimming outside in the afternoon. I looked down yonder at the fenced garden and saw the last tomatoes sitting there all black. As soon as hubs finds my muck boots, I'll tromp down the hill and see what I can clean up.
LaurenRitz
Almost Self-Reliant
I am trying to figure out how to fix my clay soil so I can do root crops. Potatoes and onions are two things I still buy. I am thinking maybe buy one or two of those big round hay bales and put pigs on it.
Greenhouse is looking good, only spinach and cilantro at the moment. Two arugula were transplanted from the hydroponics but aren't established yet. Lettuce is thriving in the hydroponics but didn't survive transplant into the greenhouse.
The large pots have plum, grape, currant and black solanum (schwarzenbeeren) seeds to come up in the spring.
Greenhouse is looking good, only spinach and cilantro at the moment. Two arugula were transplanted from the hydroponics but aren't established yet. Lettuce is thriving in the hydroponics but didn't survive transplant into the greenhouse.
The large pots have plum, grape, currant and black solanum (schwarzenbeeren) seeds to come up in the spring.
flowerbug
Sustainability Master
onions will do ok in clay, but you do have to keep them regularly watered and make sure there is good enough drainage so they don't get waterlogged. but it doesn't hurt to grow them in better garden soil if you have it available (and if you don't or don't want to bother try growing bunching onions or green onions, they do fine about anywhere - same as green garlic).
but generally root/bulb crops is why i brought in enough sandy loam to raise up an area large enough (after putting down drain tubes) so that it would have the right kind of soil those particular plants needed (in my hopes it was a lot of tulips i wanted to do some cross-breeding with). doing a small raised bed for potatoes or carrots wouldn't be worth the effort or expense, but bringing in more to make a much larger area means it won't all get mixed in or washed away as quickly (and if you build up the edges with that heavy clay soil that will also help hold it all in place - as you don't want surface flows you want your drain tubes to do the moving of the extra water for you).
but generally root/bulb crops is why i brought in enough sandy loam to raise up an area large enough (after putting down drain tubes) so that it would have the right kind of soil those particular plants needed (in my hopes it was a lot of tulips i wanted to do some cross-breeding with). doing a small raised bed for potatoes or carrots wouldn't be worth the effort or expense, but bringing in more to make a much larger area means it won't all get mixed in or washed away as quickly (and if you build up the edges with that heavy clay soil that will also help hold it all in place - as you don't want surface flows you want your drain tubes to do the moving of the extra water for you).
flowerbug
Sustainability Master
i didn't do anything in the gardens, but i did feed my worm bins and took pictures so now i have another project to keep me busy for a few hours/days... 
it was so good to see them and get some dirt therapy even if it wasn't as much as i'd have liked to do outside for some exercise. it will have to do.
it was so good to see them and get some dirt therapy even if it wasn't as much as i'd have liked to do outside for some exercise. it will have to do.Mini Horses
Sustainability Master
Pigs will consume most of the hay but, you will have some they've used for bedding. It will be pretty much in tact. Chickens will scratch hay & leaves and break down into composted matter, with added fertilizer. 
FarmerJamie
Mr. Sensitive
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2010
- Messages
- 9,970
- Reaction score
- 19,048
- Points
- 393
Clay soil. .. time and organic matter.
In my big gardening days during growing season, mulched heavily with grass clippings. In the fall, I would remove the mulch, dig trenches about 8 inches deep, fill with the old mulch and fall leaves, and then cover for the winter. In the spring, till as deep as I could ~1'
When planting potatoes, I would trench down to the clay, rake in about 2 inches of the good stuff, plant the taters, and cover. During the season, I hilled with the less clayish soil. It worked for me.
Carrots, beets, salsify did great
Onions- I built up that section of garden with some good soil and sand.
With clay and root veggies, finding a way to ensure the water drains away was key for me. Otherwise, your plants are growing in a bowl full of water.
I did raised beds this year to make it easier on me and due to the fact it's just the two of us.
In my big gardening days during growing season, mulched heavily with grass clippings. In the fall, I would remove the mulch, dig trenches about 8 inches deep, fill with the old mulch and fall leaves, and then cover for the winter. In the spring, till as deep as I could ~1'
When planting potatoes, I would trench down to the clay, rake in about 2 inches of the good stuff, plant the taters, and cover. During the season, I hilled with the less clayish soil. It worked for me.
Carrots, beets, salsify did great
Onions- I built up that section of garden with some good soil and sand.
With clay and root veggies, finding a way to ensure the water drains away was key for me. Otherwise, your plants are growing in a bowl full of water.
I did raised beds this year to make it easier on me and due to the fact it's just the two of us.
LaurenRitz
Almost Self-Reliant
Potatoes last year--maybe a dozen tiny potatoes from 28 plants. Onions about the same. Garlic has a high die-off rate each year so I have tried to spread it out to see where it actually grows.
Soil is a swampy, mucky mess in the spring, then turns into concrete.
I have a bunch of different tests running, from mulch rows to woodchips and a dry garden. I planted tillage radish too late, but they came up. Maybe next year. Flax is supposed to have a deep root system, and it survived, but the roots were mainly about 3-4 inches. The tap root hits the clay pan and grows sideways.
Soil is a swampy, mucky mess in the spring, then turns into concrete.
I have a bunch of different tests running, from mulch rows to woodchips and a dry garden. I planted tillage radish too late, but they came up. Maybe next year. Flax is supposed to have a deep root system, and it survived, but the roots were mainly about 3-4 inches. The tap root hits the clay pan and grows sideways.
