Garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LBrandt]

I'm curious....How much do you guys spend annually on getting a garden started? Not including future water bill, future fertilizer, etc. just to get it started. Seeds/seedlings, initial fertilizer, etc.

I have about 600 sq ft of garden space. I have $350 into getting it going....

I spend about 1000.00 each year but sell enough to off set that amount. I also use and give away about 4 times that amount, its what puts a smile on my face. Its like last year I took a pickup load of stuff to my sisters and my 8 year old grand-nephew came up to me with a fresh carrot in each hand and said uncle Larry these taste like real carrots. Made the trip worth while right there.

 

[WormWiggler]

I got my tomatoes in today and yesterday, the ones from yesterday look in tough shape, wonder what went wrong?

 

[Davey Crockett]

I roll mine in and out of the garage on a cart for a few hours a day days when it's nice out before transplanting so it toughens them in . This Wind will whip them around and dry them out too.

 

[LBrandt]

I do like Davy. Put mine on a set of wheeled scaffolding and in and out of the garage they go until plant time. Tough them up some before put in ground and make sure to give wind protection cause wind will kill tomatoes and peppers. LB

 

[BDub]

I also put mine out and let them get used to real weather. I’m now focusing on beans, corn, spinach, carrots and swiss chard. Tomatoes and peppers can wait till later.

If we don’t get some rain soon it’s going to be a dust bowl. At least west of Bismarck.

 

[deleted member]

Not gonna pencil out $ and time wise imo. But, it's a hobby. And nice to know I can do it it I have to.

 

[Lycanthrope]

doing the same as you but using the HEAVY DUTY shit. 16 foot cattle panels. A - frames for the cuke trellis and I used a small 14" tire to "roll" the cattle panel up for my tomato cages. Need a 3# hammer as you roll that heavy gauge stuff up on the tire. Actually turned out pretty good. AND yes stake 'em down. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...nic_feed-_-GoogleShopping-_-Product-_-3502077

I dont stake mine, if you just cut the bottom wire off, you can stick the pointy ends that are left into the ground and they hold pretty good like that. Basically makes a bunch of built in stakes that are 8 inches long or so. I dont roll my tomato cages, I made triangles out of the heavy panels with hinges so they can fold flat.

 

[Traxion]

I got my tomatoes in today and yesterday, the ones from yesterday look in tough shape, wonder what went wrong?

Mine did the same thing, even when they had been hardened outside for the week. Not the first time, they usually bounce back in a couple days.

I don't do a huge garden and I surely end up ahead $$$ wise. Heck just on spinach & salad stuff alone I come out ahead compared to buying it. But as scale increases cost surely does too.

 

[guywhofishes]

I made big squares from cattle panels - mine don't fold up - luckily I have room to store them but wish they folded like lyc's

I made a "bending jig" by screwing a big board to a 4x4 post - used that like a vise

used a box end wrench to wrap the tag ends

https://www.dropbox.com/s/krn3hapj1l1h38v/tomato cages.pdf?dl=0

we have raised beds - each bed holds a "six pack" of the squares. When set right next to each other the cages basically become one big unit - impossible to blow over. No staking required. With one plant per box it works out great.

- - - Updated - - -

we set up a fan in the "green house" and make sure the tomatoes are hardened for wind - they develop very thick stalks compared to the wimps grown without a fan.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I made big squares from cattle panels - mine don't fold up - luckily I have room to store them but wish they folded like lyc's

I made a "bending jig" by screwing a big board to a 4x4 post - used that like a vise

used a box end wrench to wrap the tag ends

https://www.dropbox.com/s/krn3hapj1l1h38v/tomato cages.pdf?dl=0

we have raised beds - each bed holds a "six pack" of the squares. When set right next to each other the cages basically become one big unit - impossible to blow over. No staking required. With one plant per box it works out great.

- - - Updated - - -

we set up a fan in the "green house" and make sure the tomatoes are hardened for wind - they develop very thick stalks compared to the wimps grown without a fan.

Instead of folding the corners, I cut the panels into smaller sections and you can take a small piece of 1/2 inch steel pipe and bend the pieces around each other.
Hinge

Open end hook.


Folded, showing 'stakes' that go into ground...

 

[wslayer]

Instead of folding the corners, I cut the panels into smaller sections and you can take a small piece of 1/2 inch steel pipe and bend the pieces around each other.
Hinge

Open end hook.


Folded, showing 'stakes' that go into ground...

Nice. . .

 

[Ristorapper]

Instead of folding the corners, I cut the panels into smaller sections and you can take a small piece of 1/2 inch steel pipe and bend the pieces around each other.
Hinge

Open end hook.


Folded, showing 'stakes' that go into ground...

IF once you cut the bottom wire off and have 8" stakes you have your cage upside down ...... I have the smaller spacing DOWN so that the smaller immature plants are more able to grasp onto the shorter spacing of the panels rather than the larger spacing of the panels. I twist and turn the round cage so it goes somewhat into the ground and use tent stakes to stabalize them. just another idea. But if i'd have thought of or heard your triangle idea I'd have gone with that. duh!!

 

[wslayer]

IF once you cut the bottom wire off and have 8" stakes you have your cage upside down ...... I have the smaller spacing DOWN so that the smaller immature plants are more able to grasp onto the shorter spacing of the panels rather than the larger spacing of the panels. I twist and turn the round cage so it goes somewhat into the ground and use tent stakes to stabalize them. just another idea. But if i'd have thought of or heard your triangle idea I'd have gone with that. duh!!

Looks to me that is what he has when placed in the ground
Those are just laying sideways I presume.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Looks to me that is what he has when placed in the ground
Those are just laying sideways I presume.

FWIW, you can make a square almost as easily as a triangle, I just dont find it necessary as these are super heavy duty and quite secure, you could also design them so the long part of the triangles form the bottom stakes, but they would be larger than I want then, or I would end up wasting quite a bit of metal.

 

[LBrandt]

Going to be a busy week for me. Setting out plants and planting seeds so that everything is ready at the same time for selling. All my root veggies are doing well except for the deer walking all over them. Anyone have a way to keep them off without building a 8' fence or " eating them ":::.

 

[1bigfokker]

Electric.

 

[WormWiggler]

Finally got rain here, think I am going to have to replace some maters.

 

[tikkalover]

Usually have problems with blossom end rot in my tomato’s. Anyone use this?


and did it work?

 

[WormWiggler]

I stopped watering from above and put in piping next to the plants, also tried to water more volume less often, but I am a noob.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Going to be a busy week for me. Setting out plants and planting seeds so that everything is ready at the same time for selling. All my root veggies are doing well except for the deer walking all over them. Anyone have a way to keep them off without building a 8' fence or " eating them ":::.

I ordered two motion detecting solar powered flood lights but they haven't arrived yet , We will see if they work . If not I'm going to string an electrical cord and figure out some kind of noisemaker that comes on with motion detectors , Maybe some AC/DC with a boom box , I wonder what song would be the scariest ? I still have time, only have corn planted so far and it's not up. The early bird doesn't always get the worm with gardening this far North.