The Garden Thread

[TennesseeCamper]

16 hours ago, Wingshooter said:

Do we have Mole Crickets in TN? I’ve seen those things come out of the ground around plants in FL before   I think they feed on plant roots, earthworms, etc.

They creep me out. Even google images of those things are hard to look at.

 

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/mole-crickets/

I remember mole crickets I lived in Florida too. 
Not sure if we have them or not. But I would say it’s likely. 

[gregintenn]

Got the peppers and tomatoes planted today. Now that t’s time to let Mother Nature do her thing…and to fight off critters and weeds.

 

[TennesseeCamper]

So speaking of critters anyone ever successfully plant sunflower seeds and defend them from squirrels and birds.

I planted around 20 sunflower seeds a couple weeks ago.  Almost all were eaten when they sprouted or dug up.  
I am thinking of growing them indoors in peat pots and planting when they are larger seedlings. 

[gregintenn]

2 minutes ago, TennesseeCamper said:

So speaking of critters anyone ever successfully plant sunflower seeds and defend them from squirrels and birds.

I planted around 20 sunflower seeds a couple weeks ago.  Almost all were eaten when they sprouted or dug up.  
I am thinking of growing them indoors in peat pots and planting when they are larger seedlings. 

I’ve not experienced any problems from critters eating my sunflowers.

[Quavodus]

Me and the wife are still putting some stuff out. Gonna have to till up some more ground sometime this week before work and put some more tomatoes and cucumbers out. 

[Wingshooter]

Finally got the garden tilled. Beautiful day today

[Wingshooter]

23 hours ago, TennesseeCamper said:

So speaking of critters anyone ever successfully plant sunflower seeds and defend them from squirrels and birds.

I planted around 20 sunflower seeds a couple weeks ago.  Almost all were eaten when they sprouted or dug up.  
I am thinking of growing them indoors in peat pots and planting when they are larger seedlings. 

It’s amazing the animals that sunflowers attract. I’m thinking about planting a large area of sunflowers for deer to eat. I’ve never tried it before, but I know they love them 

[TennesseeCamper]

43 minutes ago, Wingshooter said:

It’s amazing the animals that sunflowers attract. I’m thinking about planting a large area of sunflowers for deer to eat. I’ve never tried it before, but I know they love them 

I think the main culprits were birds in my case. I put a game camera on one frame. I saw robins and cardinals nothing else. 
I planted more seeds today and put the camera on a tree to cover more of the area. 
Starting some seeds indoors too. 
My first time planting sunflowers too. 
 

[peejman]

Something passed through and decimated the critters around our house. We had 4 bullfrogs in out fountain in the front, they're all gone. We found one beheaded body nearby.  Then I found a beheaded rabbit in our back flowerbed.  I'm glad to be rid of the rabbit, but i liked the frogs since they eat bugs.  My wife suspects a neighbor's cat. 

[gregintenn]

6 hours ago, peejman said:

Something passed through and decimated the critters around our house. We had 4 bullfrogs in out fountain in the front, they're all gone. We found one beheaded body nearby.  Then I found a beheaded rabbit in our back flowerbed.  I'm glad to be rid of the rabbit, but i liked the frogs since they eat bugs.  My wife suspects a neighbor's cat. 

I agree with her.

[peejman]

Planted a bunch of seedlings today.... sweet peppers, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, 6 or 8 different types of tomatoes, couple pumpkins, cucumbers, ... plus a couple kinds of beans and peas. I think that's it. 

Still got hot peppers and brussle sprouts and maybe a couple other things that will go in pots tomorrow. 

Edited May 14, 2022 by peejman

[Hozzie]

I finally got my tractor so I could till my garden today.  Another round tomorrow and planting everything.   Better late than never I guess. 

[Quavodus]

How is everybody's gardens doing? It's been a little dry at the house lately. We've watered some though. Potatoes, cucumbers, squash, green beans, all look good. Some of the tomatoes look good but, some don't . Maybe if we get a good slow rain.

[maroonandwhite]

Anyone care to offer advice on choosing a tiller? I’m looking to plant a medium sized garden with a tiller budgets of $1000ish. I can’t seem to find any used ones around and am looking to purchase a new one very soon.

We have done box gardens for several years and are looking to expand.

[gregintenn]

1 hour ago, maroonandwhite said:

Anyone care to offer advice on choosing a tiller? I’m looking to plant a medium sized garden with a tiller budgets of $1000ish. I can’t seem to find any used ones around and am looking to purchase a new one very soon.

We have done box gardens for several years and are looking to expand.

Rear tine for sure. The front tone fillers are cheaper, but will beat you to death. Buy once, cry once. Go on and buy a quality model.

It’s too rocky at my place for a tiller, so I just use a tractor.

Edited June 6, 2022 by gregintenn

[maroonandwhite]

40 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

Rear tine for sure. The front tone fillers are cheaper, but will beat you to death. Buy once, cry once. Go on and buy a quality model.

It’s too rocky at my place for a tiller, so I just use a tractor.

Oh yeah, rear tine for sure. I guess they are all mostly the same at a certain price point. I have a tractor and have used a disc in the past but have never purchased a three point tiller. It’s just a bit much for the size of garden I want to do. I’d also like the ability to run the tiller in between rows instead of using a how. 

Truth be told, I don’t love gardening but it’s a skill I need to improve on and at least have the tools needed if it comes down to necessity. 

Edited June 6, 2022 by maroonandwhite

[Ronald_55]

We have green and hot peppers, squash, and tomatoes all with crop on it. Had to dust the cabbage, it was getting eaten up. Cucumbers are blooming. One lone sunflower up. Second one got broken in all the storms. Need to plant more, but already done a second plant. Must have gotten old seeds. 

The potatoes I stuck in the edge of the woods are growing good above ground. We will see if they make anything. 1 plant is a volunteer from stuff I stuck out there last season. If I get nothing, I have 5 minutes work involved. 

As always, too little room in the raised beds. 

[peejman]

3 hours ago, maroonandwhite said:

Anyone care to offer advice on choosing a tiller? I’m looking to plant a medium sized garden with a tiller budgets of $1000ish. I can’t seem to find any used ones around and am looking to purchase a new one very soon.

We have done box gardens for several years and are looking to expand.

Spend your $1000 renting a tiller for the next 10 years.  No storage, no maintenance on something you'll use twice a year. 

 

Our garden is doing pretty well. Of all the seedlings we started and then planted, only 3 died. I consider that great yield.  Both the spaghetti squash seedlings i planted died, but I had 2 more seedlings to replace them with. They're ok so far.  One of 4 or 5 cucumber seedling died. Everything else looks good. 

I also transplanted 4 tomatoes, a cayenne (?) pepper, an okra, and a green bean plant that all came up in my fire pit. 

[gregintenn]

4 hours ago, maroonandwhite said:

Oh yeah, rear tine for sure. I guess they are all mostly the same at a certain price point. I have a tractor and have used a disc in the past but have never purchased a three point tiller. It’s just a bit much for the size of garden I want to do. I’d also like the ability to run the tiller in between rows instead of using a how. 

Truth be told, I don’t love gardening but it’s a skill I need to improve on and at least have the tools needed if it comes down to necessity. 

Gardening is a cool hobby if you have the time. If you are a busy person, gardening sucks. I always did it to keep the wife happy, but never enjoyed it until I retired.

[WillyK]

Eating my first fresh homegrown produce of the year tonight. It was time to thin the Romaine lettuce so: tacos!

 

[maroonandwhite]

Got a 60x35 plot turned and disced this evening. I’m a little late to the game but will get some later stuff planted this weekend……. Once I buy a tiller. I just can’t bring myself to rent and after discussing with the wife we have decided to up the budget and get something that will last quite a while. I’m eyeballing a Honda FRC800. I do plan to till between the rows during grow season so renting really wouldn’t work anyways. 

[maroonandwhite]

I also picked a nice little batch of jalepeno’s from the raised beds. My wife makes candied jalepeno’s (Cowboy Candy) with them and it’s absolutely amazing. Great on a hotdog or brat. 

[maroonandwhite]

So I ended up buying a Honda tiller. After letting the ground dry up, I was able to get it all tilled , rowed and planted yesterday evening with a little bit of finishing up this morning. Of course this gel on probably the hottest days of the year!

I planted a couple more tomato and pepper plants as well as corn, peas, Lima beans and okra from seed. Hopefully it produces decently this year with little soil amendments other than fertilizer. 

[Quavodus]

Just got done watering all my stuff. Some of it looks good but, other stuff just fair.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Quavodus

[gregintenn]

I see green tomatoes, and the squash and cucumbers are just starting to make. Green beans are blooming nicely, as are the cantaloupes and watermelons, and the sweet corn is about waist high. All is good thus far, but I am alarmed at the weather forecast. It’ll need a rain before the end of next week; especially if it’s nearly 100 degrees every day.