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2022 garden season

32K views 999 replies 32 participants last post by  nojgib 
#1 ·
Time to start the new season guys!! Welcome and post your plans, garden sizes, equipment you use, methods that work in your area! Also your favorite varieties and processing methods that you like or have set up, like root cellars, basement corners, etc.!
I hope health improves, but I will still have some garden, probably not the 4.5 acres we always do! Thanks, Sonny!
 
#45 ·
Not bringing the weed seed to the surface . I think a minimum till , you know what got me to thinking I till two deep . My family plow leaned up in the flower bed . The horse drawn plows were small and the horse drawn disk . They didn't get two far into the ground . Also I don't think beans need a deep down till to grow ?
 
#48 ·
That's why I mostly use a cultivator, instead of a tiller. I choose to fight weeds/weed seeds in the top 2" of garden surface. I use my David Bradley 2-wheelers, and have several different cultivators set up for various stages of growth. One is a modified one Dad made years ago, and mounted a "Strawberry cultivator" to a DB cultivator frame. Basically,12 spike tooth harrow teeth mounted to a frame (most I've seen are horse drawn, as this one was) then bolted onto the DB cultivator frame. This one is for when plants just come up. Just scratches the surface, and breaks the crust. One is set up with 1-1/2" wide shovels, if we get heavy rains, and made a hard crust. This will break up that crust, and will break up finer, when I use the one, with the standard 4" sweeps. Another has the standard 4" sweeps, with 2, "hilling shovels" at the front. This is usually the last time I cultivate anything in the standard 30" rows with these tractors. They have 15", or 16" tires on them which gives a lot of clearance underneath. The front shovels pull dirt up around the plants, which helps retain moisture in deeper dirt. The surface of the dirt seems to dry out faster, so not as much moisture to germinate weed seeds. Plus, plants at this stage will be shortly shading out sunlight, and you get less weed growth. Then, the grand daddy of them all, the Southern cultivator I acquired a couple years ago, to cultivate between potato, or any wide spaced plants. 4" sweeps on front, then 2 sets of 6" sweeps, and a 14" beet sweep mounted rear center, to strike out the middle. Worked great last year, keeping the potato patch clean. I usually run through them 2X a week, to catch any weeds in the button, or thread stage. MUCH easier to control weeds at that stage.

There are times when I do use the tiller, usually when plants get too tall for the Bradley's to straddle, or if in a wet year, weeds start growing in the leaf mulch. It's impossible to till in leaves using the depth/drag stake, without distorting the leaf cover, then having to go back, and pull them back in place. I decided it would be a lot better to have a gauge wheel on back, to ride on top of the leaves. It's not the wheel I had in mind, but rather what I ended up with. This steel pivoting caster wheel was in a bucket of misc. at an auction. This set up was originally built for my smaller Honda tiller, but had to extend it to fit the newer/larger one I got. It works way better than I thought it would. I drilled numerous holes 1/2" apart for depth adjustment. This was just a test run in the dirt after modifying it for this tiller. I can till from approx. 1-1/2"- 2" deep, to 4" deep, but keep it up at the 2" depth. Just enough to find that seed bank in the top 2". As long as I can keep that top 2" dry and loose, very few weed seeds germinate, until the next rain.

To make life easier, I plan to dig out a Brinly Cultivator Dad bought years ago, he bought for a new to us Wheel Horse, and set it up with wide sweeps, and center beet sweep, just to use in the potato patch. That plan with the first tractor didn't work so well on the 30" spaced rows, because the garden does have quite a bit of slope. Between the rigid mount slot hitch, and fighting the draft of the cultivator, any slight turn of the steering wheel to out some plants. This should work pretty decent, where I have a little room to work. My, new to me 1963 Wheel Horse 953, with live hydraulics should make life a little easier. I also have a '66 model 856 with manual lift I plan to get going again, and probably use on this cultivator. Our tractor club plants around 400 lbs. of potatoes at a County Historical Farm, and we dig them in the Fall as a working display using a potato digger. People are free to come pick up what they want, to take home. The rest are donated to a local food pantry.

I'm attaching a video of the Strawberry cultivator in action, and couple pics of my other cultivators/tractor.

Plant Vehicle Green Wheel Agricultural machinery

Tire Wheel Plant Vehicle Automotive tire
Tire Wheel Vehicle Motor vehicle Car
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Lawn mower Mower
 
#47 ·
My only concern with leaves is taking them from lawns. My lawn fertilizer company comes and puts the chemicals down, regardless of leaf coverage.

There was at least one application this past fall that went down on top of a bunch of leaves. This was during the peak of the dropping season, and I'd just cleared the lawn a day or two before, but it was already covered again before they came.

I don't want anything that's been exposed to those chemicals in the garden.

I do have a TON of leaves that come out of the back yard, of course (and there's no lawn back there yet)...

Mike
 
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#49 ·
That's the great thing around here. No one where I get my leaves use's any chemicals. Although, the one's I got from my leaf guy, probably do. I haven't gotten any from him in the last 2-3 years, but when I did, never noticed any adverse affects. Here, I'm guessing they use some sort of weed & feed, and a liquid N. That's apparent come August/dry weather, and those lush lawns turn brown from lack of moisture.

And, never really looked at what is in the weed & feed mixtures, but will assume some sort of broadleaf control chemical and to check on the carry over of those chemicals are.

I've actually used mown/dried grass for mulch from the yard when it's lush in the Spring. Works great around the onions, and easy to work around plants. It will keep weeds down for 6-8 weeks. I've since learned since first using grass, to top dress @ 4-6 weeks after the first application.

Cloud Plant Sky Plant community Tree
 
#51 ·
@DJ54 I like the wheel idea on the back of your Honda!

The lawn company uses fertilizer, insecticides (especially for grubs) and weed killers. All of those have specific instructions to keep grass clippings out of flower and veggie gardens, and away from fruit trees (as mulch or compost).

Mike
 
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#52 · (Edited)
@DJ54 I like the wheel idea on the back of your Honda!

The lawn company uses fertilizer, insecticides (especially for grubs) and weed killers. All of those have specific instructions to keep grass clippings out of flower and veggie gardens, and away from fruit trees (as mulch or compost).

Mike
I looked up an insecticide used on lawns to maybe solve the wire worm problem I have at times here. I read the fine print after seeing that about gardens. Saw a cancer causing warning on it, so that went out the window. Thinking I'm going to try working some Diatomaceous Earth in where I plan to plant potatoes, and see if that works. Hopefully won't harm the beneficial worms any. Think I read where it won't.

Just going to use some cobs in a couple small area's. If it affects the plants, reckon' I use them for fuel in the old wood stove.

I sent that idea into Farm Show Magazine, if any of you get/read that, and they loved it. Printed the story of it. I've had 3 things published in there, and the info given, wasn't exactly what was printed, LOL... I also sent it to Honda, thinking that would make a spiffy accessory for them to sell. But, sent it in after I saw the story/picture printed in Farm Show. I anted proof that I made mine first in case they did. Ought to be worth a little something for the idea...
 
#55 ·
Drying my peppers has been my latest thing . I cut them and put them in the dryer . That way the house dust don't get on them . Usually pull the plant and hang them on the frount porch when I am busy at work and for that last pickin . Then put them in a paper sack and jar . I've ground them up and use them quite a little bit . Cut back on salt just use peppers and the salt that is already in the food .
 
#57 ·
Oh, I get it now. You're straining them (in a colander) before milling them (in the Squeezo). That certainly WOULD help thicken things up!

Yes, I'd certainly cook them before (and after). I think the boiling right before canning is a pretty critical step towards proper canning anyways.

Mike
 
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#59 ·
Yes, the type like you'd drain pasta through, or wash lettuce, etc. Just set over a large pot in the sink, and throw it out when it get's almost full.

Here's a pic of the juice. It was peaked up more, but settled some when walking across the kitchen. Wanted alight background of the freezer front, so it would show better.
View attachment 2537019
Good info. I think I'll cook mine just enough to soften them up so they'll go through the Squeezo easier. That cup makes me want to set out tomatoes. I can at least start my seeds in a few weeks. I saved Brandywine and German Queen seeds from last year, ordered some San Marzano seeds, should arrive this week.
 
#60 ·
I never could get my thickness right and straining the water off is a good idea . Because I had to cook mine down two long risking scorching the side of the pot . One time I was trying to heat up a product to 300 something in a big stock pot and I could never hit the temp . So what I did solving another scorch problem is to surmerg the big pot into a bigger pot double boiler style and heat on a gas burner out on my porch . The heat transfer was great and no scorch taste .
 
#64 ·
6-8 years ago, I tried making the pasta sauce using the National Canning Center's recipe. To cook the sauce down to thicken it up, I used an electric roaster. I did look up what the temperature would be considered to simmer something. I'm thinking it was in the 160º, to 180ºrange, but don't quote me on that. I left the lid slightly ajar so the steam could escape. Pretty much left it simmer overnight, from 11:00 pm, until early morning. Cooked down really nice and thick. Problem was, after all of that work, just didn't care for the taste, so pitched it out. No scorched taste, just didn't care for the taste of the combination of spices. From that point on, I tried the Mrs. Wages pasta sauce mix, since I already used their Salsa mixes, which hits my taste buds just right. I use both the hot, and medium, and depending on the mood I'm in, that's what jar I pull off the shelf. The pasta sauce mix is great, at least for me, Chili base, and Pizza Sauce too. Everyone's taste is different. Each pkg. makes 5 pints, so you're not out all that much if you don't like it. I have quite a few friends that use it too, and we all agree we love the taste.

The instructions are pretty simple. Bring your juice to a slight boil, add the mix, then simmer for 20 minutes. Put in hot jars, then water bath for 20 minutes. Doesn't get much easier than that. Only problem is, they don't have directions for quarts. I called their 1-800 number, and asked why. The lady informed me they never tested in qts., mainly because they weren't sure it would reach the proper temp. Okie Dokie... Pints are the perfect size for me anyway, just grab 2 pints if I'm making a larger dish.
 
#61 ·
Maybe I'm missing something, but if you're using a double-boiler setup, the maximum temperature is 212 F (boiling point of water), correct?

Or, were you using something other than water in the larger pot?

Mike
 
#65 ·
I put water in the large pot and put that pot on a gas burner . Then I put a stock pot down in the water with product in that pot stuck a digital thermometer with a cord in the product . Ran that through my door and waited till the product hit a certain temp per instructions before canning which worked great because of the size of product would burn on the bottom or scorch taste on the sides . Which tomatoes juice or in my case it was sour kraut . Not till I did that could I bring up such a huge pot to temp . If you don't heat up the kraut it will blow the bottoms out of jars when you bring it out of the canner .
 
#63 ·
Yes, I also follow the Ball Blue Book!

Mike
 
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#66 ·
Here's what my buddy said , his grandfather built his grand mother a shelf pantery and the shelfs were only tall enough for quart jars . She would use the caned food than carefully wash dry and put the jar back . That's when it donned on me you must be sit up to use the canned food and put the empty jar back . In order to live that way and not have empty jars rolling around and out in the garage everywhere .
 
#69 ·
I want to say that Mason jars used to come in cardboard boxes, with cardboard dividers to protect the jars from one another during shipping. Unlike today's heat-shrink plastic "packaging."

Anyway, I vaguely remember that we'd keep those boxes, and put the filled jars into them. As jars got emptied, they'd go right back in (with their bands as well). Not only saves space, but keeps everything together for the following harvest.

These days, liquor stores are a great source for boxes (with dividers) like that, because alcohol still gets packaged and shipped that way.

They're great for protecting drinking glasses for storage or when moving as well.

Mike
 
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#70 ·
Those jars are pretty resilient, and will take a lot of minor bangs, and bumps, full, or empty. I'm using jars my Mom used back in the 50's.

The quality of the lids are my main concern now. I've always used the Ball brand, and last year was the first time having multiple sealing failures. Not that I'm a Pro, but have been canning for 25+ years, and have never had this many failures, in both water bath, and pressure canning. I know they changed the sealing compound on the lids, but they seem to be made from thinner metal. I belong to several canning pages on FaceBook, and other long time canners have had the same experience, so it's not just me. And like others, it seems to be the regular sized lids, more than the wide mouth. Some lids also have had like a nick in one spot on top of the lid, like it happened during the stamping, or applying the sealing ring process. I just pitched those that were like that, but have read on the FB pages where people have sent theirs back to Ball, and they sent them a new box. This has all seemed to come about during the pandemic, and canning supplies panic. Whether they stepped up production to keep up, and laxed on quality control, or what, the quality people depended on seems to have slipped some.

I've been reading where canners here in Ohio have purchased lids from an Amish company. that has started producing lids of high quality. They come in paper sleeves of 100. I've found an Amish store other than Lehman's Hardware that sells them. I hope to stop in there next Spring/Summer and get some to try.
 
#71 ·
Good to know! The Amish seem to do everything better than "modern" companies.

My shed was made by Amish folks, it's build like a tank, and not a nail out of place. After looking at that, I don't like looking at the open framing inside my garage...

My BIL owns a furniture store. He stopped carrying anything but Amish dining room sets. He said they're the only ones not building junk that falls apart on him (and his customers).

Do they have websites to sell/ship those lids?

Mike
 
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#72 ·
I don't know for sure if the place I was speaking of, that is closer to me sells these lids. Did a little search, and found the brand name "Superb". Found the company's website, and they are in fact Amish made, in Walnut Creek, Ohio. You can't buy directly from them.

The retail/wholesale, whom I spoke to one of the delivery drivers is Yoder's. He did say he remembered seeing sleeves of lids for sale in the retail section. They make all kinds of jams, jellies, and apple butter. Apparently the apple butter is a big seller, as he told me they make it year round. In fact, they get the apples from an orchard just a stone's throw from me, and picks up a number of 20 bushel bins often. Here is a link to that business, who knows, someone may want to try some of their products. They have quite an extensive line. Custom wholesale jam and jelly from Yoders Fine Foods

The Lehman's Hardware I spoke of, does in fact have them. It appears at this time, the large mouth lids are on backorder, and says the expected delivery date will be Jan.2022. Being this is Jan. 30, I'll assume it will be at least into Feb. now, LOL... They are a bit pricier than the Ball brand, but I've seen nothing but rave reviews about the Superb brand. There's even a YouTube video of a woman in Alaska giving a review, and actually bought hers through Lehman's Hardware. She goes as far as weighing them. While they weigh the same, flexing the lids between her fingers, she's says they seem to be made of a sturdier metal. You can hear the lids sounds, when she does that. The biggest difference she describes, is the sealing compound itself. It's thicker, and spongier. That seems to be the problem with the Ball lids. They changed the compound for the sealing rings, and from memory, a little thinner. Seeing this many failures, of a once top of the line product, and now realizing it wasn't all me, makes me think Ball would get back to a product themselves, that was trusted, and worked very well for years. That is yet to be seen.

Here is a link to the Lehman's webpage, and a direct link to the canning lids & rings: Canning Jar Lids - Wide Mouth (USA Made) This store is about 2 hours from me, and I stop in if I'm in the area. They have some really neat stuff, from new wood cook stoves, designed, and built to last a lifetime, gas refrigerators, all kinds of cookware, and everything in between. I bought a 6 qt. Immergood brand ice cream freezer w/electric motor from there 3 years ago. Pretty pricey, but, it is a dandy..!! It should last me the rest of my life.

You can spend hours looking through their online catalog, but you have to go to the store in person, to get a full grasp of all of the products they handle. And, in the basement of the two stores they have, are rows of upright electric freezers. These are rented to those of sects who still do not use electricity, due to their religious beliefs, to store meat in. Seems strange to me they can rent it, but can't own it, and that's OK. Just like motor vehicles, there are many that have the big 12 passenger vans, that transport the Amish, when going on long trips. You'll also see many crew cab 4wd pickup's with various trailers in the area too. Those that do that line of work, are known in the region, and beyond, as "Yoder Toter's". It apparently pays well, and would have to. I had a Supervisor who had connections with many Amish, and would take 2-3 places they needed to go. When he retired, he bought a good used 12 passenger van, with intentions of doing that, until he found out he needed $1 million in liability insurance. He wasn't planning on it being a full time job, just occasionally, and decided he didn't want to drive that many miles, or work that hard. Luckily, he did find someone who was needing a newer van to do that, so it worked out.
 
#73 ·
THANKS for posting that link!

Mike
 
#75 ·
I start off with peas and potatoes on St. Pattie's day. This year, I'll fully utilize my new bed east of the pool deck. Eliminated 6 raised beds just down the hill: too far and not enough sun down there. This one is easy to water and closer. In 2021, I only had time to grow some summer squash. Got about 30 squash from plants in the north end of it. A couple workers admired my plants. Gave some to one or two of them.
Plant Flower Leaf Botany Vegetable
Plant Leaf vegetable Groundcover Flowering plant Annual plant
Plant Botany Fence Grass Toy
 
#76 ·
St Patty's??? What zone are you in?

Mike
 
#78 ·
Gotcha, that explains it!

We're Zone 6, central MA.

Mike
 
#80 ·
While browsing through my Berlin Seeds catalog last evening, I continued on towards the back to their canning supplies. To my surprise, I found the Superb, 5 doz. sleeve of lids for $11.50. A heck of a lot better deal than $19.99 at Lehman's. Since I'll be putting in a seed order later today, I'll order a sleeve, or 2 of the lids. Somehow, I'd have to imagine Lehman's order them in greater amounts. I don't mind someone making a profit, but $8+, seems a bit much for the same product elsewhere.

They do have pretty decent prices on seeds. They don't have a website to order from, but you can call, and request a catalog. I did stop at their store last Fall, and it is a nearly new store, very clean, and great selections, from vegetables, to flowers, and others. I lucked out, as they were having a 50% off sale on all seeds, and picked up a pound bag of the Mammoth Melting Snap Peas I grow.

If anyone would care to request a catalog, here's the business info.
Address: 5335 Co Hwy 77, Millersburg, OH 44654

Closes 5PM

Phone: (330) 893-2091
 
#81 ·
I was in Rural King this morning, decided to buy a heat mat for my seed starting, never had one, always just set them on top of my water heater. But it was getting crowed up there. Anyway, I saw some Ferry-Morse seed starting trays that were already filled, ready for seed. The mix didn't look very good to me, kinda of a fine, reddish looking mix, but they had another brand, NK, that looked much better. Looked like regular seed starting mix with the small white pellets mixed in, 36 cells.

I could never have any luck with those large count trays, seems I could never get my garden ready on time and the plants would get to big and crowded and start dying. Now, I start them in egg carton lids and transplant them to 4" pots when they get some growth on them. Then, if it's too wet to plow, they have room to grow. Anyways, thought I'd mention those prefilled trays if anyone was interested, save a lot of time. I believe they were $6.99.
 
#83 ·
I don't know that sawdust would work too well. I know tilling it in to garden soil will pull a lot of Nitrogen out of the soil, when decomposing. If it was left to break down into compost for several years, it may work, mixed with other material.



Personally, I save my old 6 cell trays I get plants in, and start seeds in them. I usually get 2-3 years out of them, before they start to break down. Heck, I even save the 20 oz. plastic drinking cups to start larger plants in like gourds, etc. so they are less likely to get root bound.
I have used the Pro-Mix growing media that comes in pressed bales. Bought 2 of them at a year end clearance at a local big box store. Great growing media, but a PIA to crush up, and read an article that the dust off of it is rough on the lungs, if you don't wear a mask, per instructions.. Last year, I got 3 bags of the MiracleGro seed starting media, and 2 bags of the Northrup King seed starting media that was on sale. It comes in 8qt. bags. I used up all but 1/2 bag of the NK. I had very good results with it, just wish it came in larger bags. This year I plan to buy a couple 1 yd. bags of seed starting media from an Amish supplier we buy #2 seed potatoes from. My buddy uses it, and also has great results with it.

Cornell University has several media growing mix recipes, following this link. http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/crops/factsheets/peatlite.pdf I tried the one for seed starting 6-8 years ago, and had good results, but just the idea of having to store a bale of peat moss, bag of vermiculite, etc. etc. in large enough bags/bales to make it economical. Seems they were always in the way, and moved several times. Then the mixing... Doesn't cost all that much more to just buy the premixed.
 
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