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Post by mickee311 on Jul 26, 2006 11:38:12 GMT -6
Hey guys! I couldn't resist getting in on this site...Phil posts over on YouGrowGirl, and I followed the link in his sig to here. I'm in Elizabethtown, KY and there is no crappier soil around! We have clay and boy, is it terrible! My plants are trying to make their way though....When seedlings come up, the entire ground cracks! They don't seem to mind. It's my first year gardening, just bought this house in May, moved in the first weekend in June. I tried my hand at container gardening and a couple of weeks ago decided that my plants were not happy. I had a friend come and till me up a spot that's about 7x20 in my backyard. I transplanted all but my beans, tomatoes and hot peppers. My bell peppers were getting sunscald in thepots, so they seem happier in the ground. My cucumbers I had tried to train up a teepee trellis, but they got too heavy for it. I moved them out to the garden and I think they got pissed at me. They all started turning yellow and rotting on me. I sprayed them down with Sevin, pulled the funky cukes off, and they seem better. Growing more now, too. Thank goodness. My squash ended up with maggots and I had to rip it out, but I only had the two plants, so it was no great hardship. Besides, I planted a bunch last week and they've sprouted. I still have a fairly long while left in my growing season, I should get a good harvest by the end of it. Speaking of late planting, I couldn't help going ahead and throwing in about 10 varieties of pumpkins in there. They might not get as big as you guys' with the record-setting ones, but I'm sure they'll be ok. I have a pumpkin plant I have named Fred, I filched the seed from the hamster food and potted it up, transferred it the other week....Its a flowering, only one female, but it fell off  Not to worry, there are several buds on the plant that are getting bigger, and one open flower. I should get something out of it. I plopped some Dill's in there as well, the first leaves were 2 inches across! I pinched them when they got 2 true leaves and they are flourishing, although they are only a week old. I might have a late start, but it doesn't hurt to try! I had to try and grow what I could, once I got the garden tilled. The soil isn't so good tihs year, but wait until next speing, when I get to have all winter to plan this sucker! I'll get that nice rich soil I want before then, I hope. I want to get one of those compostumblers....But I might have to settle for making my own heap in a homemade bin. Those bins are expensive. I have 3 kids who love to try to "help" with the garden....I have them pick peas and beans for me and they think it's great fun. I'm home with them all day until school starts, so I have to let them get involved or they get bored and frustrated. They seem to enjoy it. My 6 year old seems to enjoy snatching my cherry tomatoes and eating them before I get a chance to pick them, too! Well, I guess I had better shut it.....I've written a novel now. Just wanted to say hi and give a good background on myself. Glad to have phound the phorum! |
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crazy1
Junior Member
Day Tripper
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Post by crazy1 on Jul 26, 2006 11:46:23 GMT -6
to the Pharm mickee311. sure sounds like you've got the gardening bug.  Hope you enjoy you stay here at the Pharm. Glad to see ya post and look forward to hearing more.
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Post by douglas on Jul 26, 2006 11:48:55 GMT -6
Welcome to the forum, anyone who lubs gardening is a phriend of mine  |
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Post by lilsparrow on Jul 26, 2006 13:25:46 GMT -6
I see why you belong to a phorum called "you grow girl"! It must be your's 'cuz you sound like a "You Go Girl" kinda girl!!! Its nice ta meet you, and I think you'll love it here as much as the rest of us! |
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Post by jeanette on Jul 26, 2006 13:36:54 GMT -6
hello, and welcome.. i haven't had very good luck with pumpkins either.. maybe we can help each other...
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Post by chickenfarmer on Jul 26, 2006 13:51:55 GMT -6
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2006 15:36:57 GMT -6
Glad to see another Kantucky person here............thought the northerner's was gonna take over.  You'll lve it here..........so enjoy.  PS........i see ya like Carl..........alright then.  |
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Post by Songbird on Jul 26, 2006 19:35:18 GMT -6
Welcome!! If anyone can help you get growin' it's this bunch!! Glad to have you aboard!! |
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Post by msbsgblue on Jul 26, 2006 22:29:41 GMT -6
Welcome here, That youknowgirl sounds interestin
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Jul 27, 2006 2:54:55 GMT -6
WELCOME DER MICKEE!! Sure glad you migrated dis way... Sit back, kick yer shoes off and enjoy, we are always ready fer any one that will randomly toss punkin seed in da dirt!  Ya may get a bigun, maybe big enough to get yer children into! check out dis pic! Clicky HERE |
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Post by jack on Jul 27, 2006 4:37:04 GMT -6
Gidday
Well mate I haven't been here long enough to qualify as a welcomer I suppose but good onya anyway mate.
Your soils sounds like a bit of a challenge. But you could try what I do. If you can get access to any small square bales of plain straw you'll be right.
What I do is, lay a few straw bales in a row on top of the garden. Sprickle a good quantity of high nitroge manure or fertilizer along the top on them then water that in and keep them damp. They will heat up as the decomposition takes place, which is aided by the nitrogen. As soon and the straw cools down enough to plant into, you can put either plants or seeds straight in. With seeds you will need to rub them into it a bit so they get covered.
Then all you have to do is make sure the straw never drys out. With spuds, you will need to get a bar to make a hole to plant them as far down as possinble. You will find there is no weeding, very little pests or disease and the root crops like spuds or carrots come out nice and clean as well. I likes of carrots will probaly be as sweet as you have ever tasted and the biggest problem with them is they could be so crisp they will shatter when you try slicing them.
I have gotten up to three crops out of a row of straw bales like this, then just get the strings out and scatter the ready made compost over you clay garden and it builds that up as well.
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crazy1
Junior Member
Day Tripper
Posts: 6
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Post by crazy1 on Jul 27, 2006 6:53:27 GMT -6
 jack that is GREAT advice my phriend. I had to exhalt you on that one!!  And thanx fer sharin your knowledge.
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 27, 2006 9:57:33 GMT -6
Thank you so much for this welcome! I can't wait to get to know everyone here, you all seem like a fun bunch of people    sorry, those are just cute :0) |
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Post by douglas on Jul 27, 2006 10:45:39 GMT -6
So glad you like it here mickee311 |
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Post by bscamo on Jul 27, 2006 11:17:02 GMT -6
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Post by mckenzygirl on Jul 27, 2006 11:34:48 GMT -6
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 27, 2006 13:08:47 GMT -6
MickyG--I chose my screen name (which, incidentally, is my name for everything online)....for my daughter, whose name is McKensie, and my favorite band, 311. I don't call Kensie Mickee, though. Dunno why....
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Post by Compost Pharmer on Jul 27, 2006 19:56:45 GMT -6
 mickee311 to the Phunny Pharm. I was thinkin that I was the only one with that crappy black clay soil. When that stuff dries out it gets like cement and when it is wet it is like glue. Sounds like you are gonna make a pretty good gardner. Any questions, please ask. One of us members will have an answer for you. Are you organic or do you use chemicals? |
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 28, 2006 7:37:40 GMT -6
Well, I was trying to do the organic thing, but started with the Miracle Gro fertilizer. Then as soon as I decided to try like, bone meal and all that, I got squash bugs. Tried Neem oil, tried looking for that Pyrethrine that Pharmer Phil told me about--couldn't find it. So, I got Sevin. So I guess you could say I'm a chemical user because I have to be sometimes, but an organic at heart? LOL I'm not sure what to say there. I just want to have this first-year garden survive. I am going to have a hella garden next year though. I'm pulling up a bunch of ornamental grass soon to clear out the sh**ty landscaping people did before we moved in (t's not bad really, just too much)....And I will start my compost with that and leaves from the leaf rakers leaving their bags on the street this fall, among other things....I am also going to put a layer of leaves over the garden and cover it with topsoil when fall is over and my veggies are done, till that in with the stuff from my bin after the snow is through and voila! A way better soil than the icky clay. I can't wait. I am a newly obsessed gardner and just can't stop. I'm also expanding it when I put the leaves and stuff down too. Right now it is about 8x20, I am going to extend a few feet both ways. There is not near enough space for all the things I want to plant. If I can convince my husband to let me tear up the yard a bit more, I will make it even bigger than that. WOOHOO! |
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Post by chickenfarmer on Jul 28, 2006 9:05:20 GMT -6
Sounds like your off to a great start.....I would stay away from the sevin thou, that stuff is bad for pets and Kids.... Try a pepper spray instead. take a clean spray bottle and mix in a bottle of hot sauce and water. Spray away, this will keep the bugs going .
If you don't have enough room, try some containers.
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 28, 2006 9:25:13 GMT -6
Sounds like your off to a great start.....I would stay away from the sevin thou, that stuff is bad for pets and Kids.... Try a pepper spray instead. take a clean spray bottle and mix in a bottle of hot sauce and water. Spray away, this will keep the bugs going . If you don't have enough room, try some containers. I am starting to think Sevin is a gyp anyway, I've still got squash bugs after two applications. Those things are darn persistant! On the container note....This is really sad....I do have a container garden on the patio. I've got 4 tomatoes, hot banana peppers, basil, carrots, green beans, growing (I hope) cherry peppers, habanero peppers and a pineapple on the patio. I had more, but moved it all the the dirt. So, the patio was overflowing with containers, now it's just half taken over. My husband did the yard up for me so I wouldn't take up the whole porch with veggies. I've no other place to put them but there, so I'm trying to work with the space I've got. |
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Post by chickenfarmer on Jul 28, 2006 9:47:27 GMT -6
Try growing up.... Not calling you im-mature or anything... Start trellis. Look around there are plenty of hidden objects to start stringing things to.
You have a city or country lot....
seems like you just have to place a few of them containers around the garden spot if you can without burning the plants in the sun.
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 28, 2006 10:14:27 GMT -6
I'm in the country. I tried trellissing when I was doing the cukes on the porch, but let them down because of the weight when I moved them out to the yard. I can't move the pots out by the garden, I need all the space in the dirt I can get and The pots will kill the grass. Not to mention that the yard where the garden is literally full sun. From 930AM to 830PM in the summertime. It's cool, my husband doesn't mind the amount of containers I've got now up on the porch, and I think I'm going to go lay down black plastic on the grass where I was planning on extending the garden this fall. Might as well get a jump on it. I'm gonna try to have a nice one next year.
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Post by chickenfarmer on Jul 28, 2006 10:37:08 GMT -6
Hint.... try laying down the black and white pages under the plastic.... makes the worms have some food.
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Post by douglas on Jul 28, 2006 10:43:23 GMT -6
Look under yer leaves for brown clustered eggs and squish dem, all the leaves that are drying out with curls are most likely where the squash bugs have been, so check under them for the lil pests and squish them as well, use gloves er your hands will smell from them  |
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Post by mickee311 on Jul 28, 2006 11:48:18 GMT -6
Oh yeah, I've already been doing that. I scrape off the eggs and squish 'em whenever I see 'em. That's why a couple of leaves have small holes in dem, I accidentally scraped too hard. I don't squish the bugs with my hand, I flick 'em off to the ground and either rub my foot on 'em or take a stick and poke it 'till it's mush.
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Post by douglas on Aug 3, 2006 5:03:48 GMT -6
Stepped on a few yesterday and they still stink under my shoe |
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Not to worry, there are several buds on the plant that are getting bigger, and one open flower. I should get something out of it. I plopped some Dill's in there as well, the first leaves were 2 inches across! I pinched them when they got 2 true leaves and they are flourishing, although they are only a week old. I might have a late start, but it doesn't hurt to try!
And thanx fer sharin your knowledge. 
An easy challenge seldom yields much gain.....you always harvest more from the difficult ones !
