Preparing for my fall garden

[saute86]

Today I cleaned up the played out rows of green beans, corn, and tomatoes then started getting the ground prepped for a few second crops and the fall garden. This year I had a nut grass problem in the new addition to the garden. My goal is to till those areas every other week when they pop back up. I was told on a garden site that you can get rid of it after 3 or 4 tills. I pulled up my leeks and green onions then planted them in containers with rabbit manure and leaf compost. That compost has already doubled the size of the tomato plants I planted a week ago. I bought some beef steaks that were about a foot tall and planted them deep to the top leaves. I have been chipping tree limbs and mixing it with leaf mulch then putting it under rabbit cages. It only takes a month under the cages to break down. I rake and turn it every day. 4 weeks ago my rabbit population doubled so in a few more weeks my compost factory will double its output. Are any of you going to plant a fall garden? It will be time to start planting some varieties in 8 to 10 weeks.

[iron man]

man that looks nice

[Cappy]

We are gonna replant our garlic bed and possibly put in some carrots and radishes and such our long beans peppers and okra will keep right on producing through the fall.
May put in some green onions but we have plenty left from last year.

[simplepeddler]

I plan on it.......

I am thinking of getting rid of the raised bed and going rows.......not sure yet......

[Cappy]

IMO raised is the way to go make them no wider than 4 feet and however long ya wanna leave 2 ft between em so ya can kneel by them. Plant the whole thing from side to side in a grid system. Much less weeding and much more yield per sq ft. no drowning when it rains. True ya hafta water some when it dont but use that opportunity to put on some miracle plant food. You will be amazed at how much a lil patch of garden can produce.

[saute86]

Cappy I would like to eventually convert my garden to raised beds but it would take a lot of dirt. One of the Dr.s in town built a brick raised bed garden back in the 90's. His planters were 3 foot tall and 4 foot wide. I don't remember how long they were. He could weed with out bending over. The walkways were even bricked. It was part of his patio. I am planning to try a 10x10 BTE garden this fall also.

[Cappy]

If ya wanna try the 3 ft high ones the soil only needs to be 1 ft deep. you can even put them on legs far as that goes.

[simplepeddler]

Originally Posted by Cappy

IMO raised is the way to go make them no wider than 4 feet and however long ya wanna leave 2 ft between em so ya can kneel by them. Plant the whole thing from side to side in a grid system. Much less weeding and much more yield per sq ft. no drowning when it rains. True ya hafta water some when it dont but use that opportunity to put on some miracle plant food. You will be amazed at how much a lil patch of garden can produce.

Probably just need to do a better job with my soil........last two years have been a struggle........I haven't been able to put up tomatoes at all.......enough to eat though.

[Cappy]

By far the best gardening advice for us:
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/
Don't be scared to email ya questions to Dan Gill he answers fast and friendly like it's part of his job.

[perchman]

mix yard clippings under the rabbit pen. it will break down very fast

[saute86]

Originally Posted by perchman

mix yard clippings under the rabbit pen. it will break down very fast

Yes very fast. I was amazed. The amount of worms I see when I turn it every day is crazy. Today I chipped and shredded branches that my neighbor trimmed this morning. I ended up with a 2 cubic foot pile. I watered it in layers as I made the pile and then tarped it. When I turn Saturday it will be smoking it will be so hot. When that pile quits making heat in about a month I move it to under the cages for about a month or until I see a turd ever inch in the compost. In 2 months I get the best compost I have ever used.

[lil bubba]

Managed to finish cleaning up my beds today. Looks like my long beans I planted on my tomato poles after they finished might give me a taste or two before it time for the fall crop . My ichiban eggplant still going strong in it's container along with the bell peppers.

[swamp snorkler]

Originally Posted by Cappy

By far the best gardening advice for us:
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/
Don't be scared to email ya questions to Dan Gill he answers fast and friendly like it's part of his job.

He's a county agent it is his job, very nice fella. Every Parish has a county agent, get to know them. They can be and most are a tremendous resource.

[simplepeddler]

Originally Posted by swamp snorkler

He's a county agent it is his job, very nice fella. Every Parish has a county agent, get to know them. They can be and most are a tremendous resource.

Would you guys have each bed of your raised bed gardens soil tested??

[saute86]

I did on the ones that were set up different. I just got my samples back and tilled in the corrections. I was lucky they were not too far off. The only area that was acidic was the one I used miracle grow soil in. I found out my garden was high in phosphates and a little low in nitrogen and potassium. I was also low in sulfur but high in all of the minerals. I was really high in magnesium. I have been wondering why I had nice green plants that didn't grow as large as they should. I have been going easy on fertilizer too scared to burn them. It is only $10 per sample plus $6 in shipping. You can send 3 samples per shipment.