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Anyone else plannng 2013 garden??

16K views 150 replies 98 participants last post by  Dragonid 
#1 ·
I realize its a little early, but hey, why not? Anyone else putting together plans for their garden? Or "other " garden related projects?

I feel like for me the last couple of years has been really bad. If i was dependent on the food... well my family and I would most likely be dead. Or scavenging the forest floor for weeds. :rolleyes:

I seem to be stuck, all my seedlings start out great, I get everything planted, then the critters come. Last year was seriously looking up around midseason. Numerous green tomatoes, then the deer came along. End of story.

This year, well next season, I have some projects in mind that will hopefully re-inspire me and to keep my 2013 gardening thread alive. Shortly after Christmas I plan to install some 8 foot fencing. Hopefully the deer will simply look at and decide its not worth it. Next up, I plan to start growing some early crops in my green house. So that should be interesting as well. Green houses have their own sets of problems to deal with, so that should be something different to look forward to.

Believe it or not, I already started some seeds. 4 kinds of lettuce. As soon as I can, they will go out in the green house. Also, I started 6 kinds of pepper seeds. If yall recall, I have a love hate relationship with peppers. In all my years, my success rate has been less then worthless. I have been watching videos and reading up, looks like its time to start implementing other tactics to get a harvest. Clearly what I have been doing is not working. We will see how that goes.

So how about you? Any projects or plans?
 
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#130 ·
I've never had a garden before and this year I am planning on a small one this year.
My plan is to build two 4x8 raised beds that are about 3 to 4 foot off the ground. I live in a rental so I dont want to till up the soil.

Question. Would it be ok to use treated lumber to build these beds with or would the chemicals leach into the plants.

I'm also planning on putting a layer of plastic to help keep the water in the beds, is this a bad idea or is that ok.
 
#132 ·
Depends on what the wood is treated with. Whatever that is will probably leach, and no matter what wood will rot in a couple of years. Others on this forum have used cinder block to make their raised beds. I'm going to use a preformed plastic.

As for the plastic beneath, I'm not sure that this is a good idea. I'd worry about drainage for one thing. I suggest mulch to keep water in the soil. Bad drainage will salt up your soil and kill your plants.
 
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#133 ·
Over the weekend I planted 30 assorted peppers in the little windowsill greenhouses. In a few more weeks I'll do the same for about a dozen tomato plants.

In March I'll move them out to the green house where I'll also plant a bunch of squash and melon seeds for May planting in the beds. I live at 5,000 t elevation, so midMay is when I transplant to the garden raised beds. I'll direct seed cucumbers, beans and dill at the same time.
 
#136 ·
I would shy away from pruning stuff back while still in the fiber pots. What I mean is why shock the plant and prune it back when you can just delay seeding by a couple of weeks. Plus, while I have been a professional grower for several years, I admit to not being sure if you can prune broccoli, cabbage, etc back. Tomatoes for sure but the cabbages??????? I just don't know.
 
#137 ·
Well, I don't know for sure either. This is my first time doing this. I've grown other stuff indoors that stayed indoors & needed to be pruned in order to grow short & bushy rather than tall & spindly. I had no idea that a little pruning would shock the plants.

A couple of weeks seems such a long time when it's snow & cold outside. You know exactly what I mean! It might be prudent to follow your suggestion. I'm not sure that Bartholomew lives quite this far north.
 
#139 ·
funny I ran across this on a day it's been 5* below outside. But yeah It's been on my mind since December. I'm planning on keeping it simple this year. Having discovered how much i enjoy fresh garden beets I'll have 4 rows this yr. Also a row of Rutabaga, 2 rows of Kentucky Wonder beans, and at least 5 Zucchini plants in my front garden. My back garden I have now two tiers of asparagus, 2 areas of garlic, on the end i'm transplanting some herbs and down the middle I plan on trying my hand at potatoes. My tomatoes and peppers i plan on container gardening this yr. try something new. Not growing any cucumbers this yr. for the last 10 years they've done nothing but grow into little golf ball size. Not sure whats wrong.
 
#143 ·
The area of North Missouri that I live in continues to be over 20 inches below the normal rainfall levels. Lakes, ponds are about 3 to 4 feet below normal levels. A mild winter like this year with little rain and snowfall will not help the spring moisture levels at all. The drought is not over for us even though you are not hearing about it in the media. It is not looking good. My plans are to get as much in as early as possible to take advantage of any spring rain because that will probably be my only opportunity and then plant drought tolerant and heat loving crops. LOTS of mulch and all the rain barrels out to take advantage of the few rainfalls if any that we do get.
 
#146 ·
I started my seeds today, well, some of them anyway.

Last night during the football game the wife and I plotted on paper an additional herb garden. We are itching to get our hands dirty. Last years garden was good to us.

Tonight we will order our seeds. Short grow season here so we plant, then transplant.
I did an herb garden one year, then when I started using raised beds I started to put them in the boxes with the rest of the veggies for pest control. It's been working pretty well.
 
#148 ·
I think the fence is a great idea! My property is an oasis for deer, open fields with old growth woods on three sides and a small stream running around the wood line....not that im complaining, my bow does gets alot of use. I have a 5 foot fence with a gate big enough to fit my New Holand through. The deer will only sneak in there if I left the gate open. I have a trail cam set up and havent seen then hope the fence to get in, only to get out when the gates open...opps! Good luck!!!
 
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