XXX Veggie Garden Porn XXX Volume 2 (Dial Up Warning)

[bvar22]

I have a slow Dial Up connection, and always appreciate the warnings.

XXXVeggie Garden PornXXX...Last Year
Twilight Harvest (Last Year)



This Year... Season Two


We spent Early Spring on Infrastructure and got a late start getting things in the ground this year. Starkraven and myself had planned certain minimal changes, but those changes grew while in process and required more time and effort.

Instead of adding 10' to the garden like we had originally planned, we dropped the garden fence all the way to the road, tripling the size of the fenced garden compound. There were a few small stumps to clear, some smoothing, and an erosion control problem to solve, but everything came out OK, and we are happy with extra room, but aren't sure exactly how we are going to use it. After clearing the brush and nettles, thick white clover grew back, which delighted us (and our bees).

For the new fence section, we used 8' landscaping logs, and 2" X 4" Welded Wire. The Landscape Logs are inexpensive, and you can get some straight ones if they let you look through the pile. The posts are set in cement, and the windbreaks were reused from last year. We will use windbreaks only on South side since our 1st season indicated that this is the only side where they are necessary.

We also decided to "reprocess" the soil in most of the boxes to get rid of the rocks. Last year, we used soil and compost from the abandoned chicken coop/goat shed to fill the boxes. A lot of rocks found their way into the mix. While they didn't really hurt anything, they were aggravating, so we built a shaker box with 1/2" hardware cloth and sifted our soil. The rocks and debris were used in the Erosion Control project on the downhill fence line. We were delighted and reassured to find gobs of big, fat, lively Earth Worms in the mix. We were careful to place them back in their homes.

We laid Landscaping Cloth between the boxes and covered it with hay for weed control and comfort.



Hyacinth Moonbeam

(That's Starkraven way in the back by the gate)
We planted the Garlic on the left last Fall, and it is almost ready for harvest. It did well over the Winter with very little attention surviving overnight temps into the low 20s and several brief snowfalls.

The strawberries in the center were planted last Spring, and also survived the Winter. This bed exploded in new growth in early Spring which led to a problem. The new growth combined with a wet Spring to produced a layer of gray mold at ground level that ruined the early strawberries. We thinned aggressively, removed all old dead leaves and ground debris, and laced a straw mulch around the plants pulling the leaves and berry clusters on top of the straw. The results were immediate, and a couple of days later, we are harvesting healthy, luscious berries.


Berries this good can't be bought.

We are adding another raised bed for more Strawberries. The new bed is 10' X 2'. The 2' width will make it easier to tend the berries, and allow more ventilation. We also added Raspberries to the fenceline, and added some more plants to our small Blueberry patch (not shown). The couple of Blueberry plants from last year are making a handful of berries for us this year. :)



Lettuce, Radishes, Carrots, Cilantro, Parsley, Marigolds, Basil,Oregano,...AND Tomatoes

We are still using Gardening by the Square Foot as a guide, but we are taking some liberties.
We are doubling the spacing for the tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, nasturtiums, and dedicating some boxes for a particular crop when it makes management easier (corn, strawberries, etc.)

We are still using the 1 foot grids for planting....it just makes everything easier to visualize, plan, and track. We are planting several things in staggered rotation (radishes, carrots, some beans, corn) for a season long staggered harvest. :) The grids make this much easier.

The two plastic jugs in the back of this box have pin holes in the bottom and are supposed to be a good way for long, slow, deep watering. So far, they appear to be working OK.

The superstructure on the box in the background is Starkraven's Web of Mystery. It is a complex (to me) woven structure for the snap peas to climb. They seem to like it. We are concerned because there haven't been any flowers yet, and it may be getting too hot for them.

In the far left background is a raised hexagon made from Landscaping Logs. We made two on a rainy day to break the monotony of our square garden. Corn, pole beans, and melons are planted in these two hexagons. A tepee structure or archway between the hexagons will be added later.




Red...Red...RED...too Red

This is one of our experiments.
I hated it at first. That much RED hurt my eyes, but I'm getting used to it.
It is a porous weed barrier that claims to reflect beneficial frequencies of light, accelerating growth and promoting robust health. It doesn't appear to have hurt anything so far, and the tomatoes might just be a little greener & bushier than our other plants......but it is impossible to judge against the red background.....I'm keeping an open mind.
This is also one of the narrow 2' beds. We had some difficulty reaching the inside areas of our 4' wide tomato beds last year. It should be easier to tend the tomatoes in this bed.


The Surprise of the Spring

We debated whether to plant Broccoli because it is inexpensive and easy to find.
We didn't really think that it would be worth the effort. We were wrong.
This was very tasty and well worth the effort. We are planning on another crop in the Fall.
We also planted a few Cauliflowers. The plants a growing great, but none of them show any sign of producing a head.....too late?


Full Moon Garden

A 30 second exposure of the garden under a rising full moon.


Be sure to get the June Issue of Mother Earth News.
They are going to publish a couple of my photos in the Community section!
:hi:

[Dover]

1. WOW........what a beautiful garden and place to live. I just want to be there.

Very inviting and inspiring. I'll be sure to pick up the magazine.

And your garden looks so healthy and happy. I'm trying to get a hang of the rotation process for getting year round crops. What have you used as a guide for deciding what to plant and when?

Also curious what your water situation is. Do you have a well, cistern, rainwater collection, use a drip system?

Since I can't actually be there, I am just gonna 'hang out' with your pictures for awhile. They have a beautiful vibe...and it has nothing to do with the red ground cloth (at least I don't think so?). :hi:

[bvar22]

5. Thanks.

We just picked up a copy of Eliot Coleman's Four Season Harvest and are thumbing our way through it now. It was recommended by hippywife on this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x7452

We will definitely have a plan for Fall and Winter.
There is a small greenhouse somewhere in our near future, but we have other things to do before we can build it (like putting siding on our house, building a kitchen and a bathroom.....)


Our water comes from a spring fed well. We are extremely fortunate to have this resource. There are many springs in this area, but they are hit or miss. Some of our neighbors have limited flow of bad tasting water. Our water is sparkling clear,tastes good, and so far, limitless.

The well was able to keep us supplied through a 6 week drought last year without any sign of problems. In addition to the garden, we were also watering a number of fruit trees and several ornamental gardens. Once, we accidentally left the water running all night and flooded the front yard without any adverse effect on the well.
There is also a small pond at the bottom of the hill that held water through the dry Summer, and there is a very clean river (Mountain Fork) nearby in case we have to haul water.

We are currently building a rainwater collection system that will be able to gravity feed water to the garden (the well pump does use electricity). We installed rain gutters last month and have acquired several barrels but haven't yet hooked up the plumbing.

If you are interested, there is more information on this area downthread in the original Veggie Garden PornXXX from last year. Another DUer recently purchased property in this area.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x5729


Thanks for the kind words, and if you're in the area, PM me.

[Dover]

8. Thanks for the links and suggestions

I just ordered the 4 Season book and got caught up on your progress since the original post.
What a remarkable transformation. Must be so rewarding!
The rainwater system ought to be a great supplement. Have you also considered getting your well pump on a solar collection system for the house if not the garden?

Mmmmmm....I swear I can just smell the change in the air in your pictures....ahhhhhh. Good mountain air is so good for the spirit.

[bvar22]

15. We love Solar Power.

Before moving to Arkansas, we lived on houseboats on the Mississippi River outside Minneapolis/St Paul.
We rarely has access to dockside power (hated marinas), and also hated running a generator.
We installed an 800 Watt solar system and absolutely LOVED it.

The panels on the bow could be easily adjusted for elevation, or laid flat for storms or navigation.
The only downside was the 1/2 ton of lead/acid batteries installed along the keel.

We will eventually Go Solar/Wind here.
We really don't want to mess with batteries again, and our rural Co-Op electric grid currently has no provision for buying power from us, though they assure us one is in the planning. Since the price of Solar Panels is dropping, we have decided to wait until The Grid is ready for us, or somebody invents a better way to store the power from Solar/Wind.

Until then, we are focusing on energy efficiency.
We are cutting & stitching canvas today for awnings and exterior window shades to block direct sunlight, and are planning a solar Hot Water heater this Summer.

[sazemisery]

21. I built a 12 X 14 hoop house last fall for $200.00

And it would have cost a lot less but I had none of the items around the house. Here is a link that has a good explanation and more links at the end of the article:

http://www.kitchengardeners.org/hoophouse.html

[Richard Steele]

2. Looking great, Bvar! Thanks for sharing your pics! nm

[hippywife]

3. Awesome, as expected!

Your is the garden we aspire to! Nothing fancy to draw attention away from the intrinsic beauty of all the voluminous vegetation. Really earthy feel that I absolutely love! Wonderful ideas for a wonder-filled little spot.

Thanx for kicking us all in the butt with the fabulous pics from last year and keeping us cruising along and motivated with these new ones.

[bvar22]

6. Hi hippywife.

Thanks.
We feel blessed every day.
This place was a garden waiting to happen, and we got dropped into it.

[hippywife]

13. Well, you guys

definitely made it into a little slice of heaven. Your vision for what it's become is a real gift.

[jillan]

4. Not only is your garden amazing - so is the land surrounding it.

:toast: to you!

[bvar22]

7. Thanks.

This area of West-Central Arkansas is a well kept secret.
It is pristine and beautiful, surrounded by National Forests, abundant wildlife, clean rivers, and a long growing season. Property is inexpensive and taxes are low.



There are some drawbacks...feudal politics, poverty, ignorance, and religious fundamentalism abound, but more outsiders are relocating here and having an effect.

Cheers!

[crispini]

9. Wow. Amazing!

:thumbsup:

[leftyclimber]

10. Have you gotten any purple martins to move into your gourds?

They're such great pest eaters, and purty, too. :hi:

[bvar22]

16. No birds in the gourds yet.

Maybe we should drill some holes? :shrug:

We just haven't gotten around to making the bird houses yet.
We experimented with drying the gourds from Last Summer.
Some we took inside, and some we hung in the garden to dry.
The ones you see in the photos are the ones we left in the garden.

Starkraven has made some cool little planters.

I believe this is Lobelia.

[wildeyed]

11. Gorgeous!

I am salivating over the strawberries. I am so adding some to my garden next year. Also adding asparagus. Count on it :9

I did 1-1/2 foot for each tomato. I could not imagine them fitting in the one foot squares based on my experiences in the past. I am trying to prune more aggressively this year, hopefully that will reduce sprawl somewhat.

My broccoli did well, too. I have a small version that is supposed to do well in the warmer moths, but pests are eating the sprouts, so I may never fine out. But my early spring crop was stupendous. We ate all the main shoots, but I continue to get side shoot and little leaves which I add to salads and stir frys.

[NJCher]

12. very nice, bvar

I've heard about the red and have wanted to try it. Keep us posted as to your thoughts on whether it
is worth the extra trouble and expense.



Cher

[Kittycat]

14. Question about the red barrier.

I saw this on another gardening show, and I'm curious... Can you use it in full/direct sun? Our tomatoes are right out there in the sun all day, and I haven't mulched them yet. We in the Chicago Area, so our garden is just sprouting, and the tomatoes are a gangly 10-12" right now.

[bvar22]

17. We are using it in full sun.

We are curious too.
The theory sounds good.
We have a side by side control, but the control tomato plant is a different variety, and I can't certify that the mix in the box is the same, so it really is not much of a control.
Still, it may give us an idea if there might be some validity.

Starkraven loves Chicago and says HI. :hi:
She lived in Hyde Park, 3rd story walk up with a balcony garden.

[asdjrocky]

18. Thanks for this link-

It's beautiful, just beautiful. My garden in smack-dab in the middle of the city. Love the trees and the wonderful back ground and I find it no surprise that you attract so many cirtters because if I were a critter, it's where I'd like to be.

[Vinca]

19. Your garden is beautiful and I'd kill for the strawberries.

Arkansas is beautiful - I had no idea!

[asdjrocky]

20. I just like to keep this kicked, for all the great photos. nt

[sazemisery]

22. You guys are close to the Buffalo River, aren't ya?

Mr. sazemisery and I spend a lot of time on the Buffalo River and also the White River when we have time to get away from work and garden. The Buffalo is one of my favorites. Once you get in a boat or canoe and go down the river you feel like you have been transported to another world, with the high cliffs and the wildlife on both banks. You couldn't have picked a more beautiful spot in Arkansas.