# Vegetable Garden........



## PrestigeR&D

This year is the first time I took gardening a little more seriously. Me and Paula put this together , turned the earth, roto tilled , ........I'm hoping we have a good harvest........:thumbup:



Anyone else planting veggies......garden.....:blink:


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## flashheatingand

We do the vegetable thing also. Late tomatoes are delightful, and squash for dinner about every evening. Unfortunately, too much harvest at one time. I wish avacodo trees could survive here. Canning is a PITA. It would be nice if one could have a years worth of tomatoes throughout the whole year vs. a years worth of tomatoes in about 1-2 months.

The Jersey boys here are quite proud of their tomatoes. I "grew" chickens last year. The benefit is they freeze easily, and I knew they were treated humanely (until ...)


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## hdavis

Cool! For spaces like that, check out square foot gardening and wide row planting. Here's a very quick intro, lots of info on google:

http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/A3384.pdf

You can probably double or triple your yield in the future, depending on the crops you grow.


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## hdavis

Nights have been a little cold until recently, so only cold hardy stuff has been planted - that's changing starting today. Prep started a couple months ago. Started seeds under lights, transferred some of the plants to a heated greenhouse, and they're ready to go.

Some crops over-winter here - scallions and Russian Kale, for instance, and asparagus has already been picked. Chives over-winter in a cold frame, so those have been picked as well.


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## EthanB

Square foot gardening has some good ideas but it's a hell of a lot of trouble if you have a decent amount of space. I use it for a few things that turn over pretty regularly but just give some of the spreading plants their room. Crockett's Victory Garden is the book I recommend to new gardeners. All the learning is really most helpful after the first year. Just remember to save all the varietal names that you use each year so you can get the same ones next year or avoid them if they didn't pan out.


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## Inner10

Brian are you trying to grow a few patio stone trees?


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## hdavis

EthanB said:


> Square foot gardening has some good ideas but it's a hell of a lot of trouble if you have a decent amount of space. I use it for a few things that turn over pretty regularly but just give some of the spreading plants their room. Crockett's Victory Garden is the book I recommend to new gardeners. All the learning is really most helpful after the first year. Just remember to save all the varietal names that you use each year so you can get the same ones next year or avoid them if they didn't pan out.


Agreed. I was looking at the spaces he had, and it seemed to be a good fit.


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## concretemasonry

I hate tomatoes, but I have found a solution by growing one monster plant iin a large pot/planter. I get the baby it daily with little effort and protect to get the first ripe tomato and the biggest one. It takes little time and space.

When I was living in Virginia, I use a 24x24 (about) plastic planter with a drain tray. I planted a couple of seeds and set it on the south side of my garage and then started building a 6' high cage from 1/2 pvc tubes and connectors. It worked so well that the monster grew over the top of the 6' cage and down nearly to the ground. - Over-fertilizing does wonders.

The bad thing was that area saw some gentle winds that would blow the assembly over almost daily and it was necessary to provide enough water daily to provide weight and ballast for stability.

the tomatoes were big and very early, but my neighbors seemed to avoid me after a while since I could not get rid of them.

Now I am trying to grow Zucchini on one bush plant and try to keep up with picking and avoiding the ones not picked the day earlier. - I learned you can never give away enough Zucchini since I had two bushes last year.

If you do not have a need and cannot store/save it, a garden is a problem if it does well, so I am limited to very small space.


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## hdavis

Columnar fruit trees are pretty cool, and will grow well in small spaces around here. I've had apples and peaches off of them. Everyone down South knows how much better peaches are right off the tree...

Both the apple and peach trees are heavy bearers here.

Here's a little article on the apple trees:

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/5756/columnar-apple-trees-for-suburban-yards


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## Robie

> Anyone else planting veggies......garden.....


I've planted a 30 x 70 vegetable garden for years. This year just going with tomatoes (mostly for canning), varieties of peppers, a variety of melons and some herbs.


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## PrestigeR&D

That's a pretty good size garden Rob.....ours is a lot smaller than that . It's 22' in length and 15' deep ,minus the shed. I just hope everything turns out well. The lighting , due to the shed and those tree limbs, is not a "full sun" all day and may be a problem but so far all the plants are doing very well.


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## pinwheel

I grew up with my folks planting big gardens. Notice the plural on gardens. They were always gardens along the lines of what Robbie plants.

Jenny & I used to plant one garden that size, but as our business grew, we didn't have the time. This year, I've decided to get back into gardening. The new shop sets on 1 1/2 acres that used to be cattle pasture & the soil hasn't been turned in decades. I disced & tilled an area along the lines of Robbies garden & put in 8 tomato plants. 4 of them being cherries, 2 early girls & 2 better boys. Every plant is already setting tomatoes & are blooming like crazy.

I put in 2 hills of cucumbers (3 plants per hill) 2 hills of watermellons (3 plants per hill) & 1 hill of cantelope (3 plants per hill) Also got 4 rows of okra. Love some fried okra. I'll take my camera down later & get some pics.


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## Robie

My problem is that I get the garden planted and looking beautiful and as time goes by and it's 98* in the shade and the mosquitoes fly in formation, my interest in weeding declines rapidly. 

I use copious quantities of mulch around the plants themselves to keep them weed-free but the rest of it grows up and looks pretty nasty by the end of the season.


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## pinwheel

Robie said:


> My problem is that I get the garden planted and looking beautiful and as time goes by and it's 98* in the shade and the mosquitoes fly in formation, my interest in weeding declines rapidly.
> 
> I use copious quantities of mulch around the plants themselves to keep them weed-free but the rest of it grows up and looks pretty nasty by the end of the season.



Buy you a mantis tiller. Gas powered hoe.:laughing:

It's amazing how well one of those little tillers can dig.


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## Robie

I've got both a big one and a small one...not a Mantis but small enough to turn on a dime. It's still a PITA when it's so hot. Plus, I'm a mosquito magnet. I can walk 100' to get the mail and come back in with 4 bites. DEET is my friend but keeping it applied all the time is also a PITA.


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## hdavis

These have been around for a long time and are quick and easy to use for between the rows:

http://www.ruralking.com/kentucky-h...6&cadevice=c&gclid=CJHbz8yh274CFavm7Aod4WUAWA

I've never seen a new one, probably all of them here are over 60 years old. They aren't good for hard ground, and neither are Mantis tillers.

Here's something I haven't tried, but it may be good (and way too expensive):

http://www.valleyoaktool.com/wheel-hoe/?gclid=COfv38uh274CFWYV7AodCRsAxQ


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## Robie

I've got one in the first link...very old. My Dad restored it and it looks like new. Never tried it and have no intentions to.....:whistling


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## MarkJames

Nice. Do you have good light back there, esp. against the wall?

I'm a tomato guy, and this year added some lettuce. Occasional dose of soluble fertilizer (miracle grow or similar, as directed), is helpful. I used to forget to label my tomato plants (varieties), but it makes a difference as you figure out the ones you really like. (Brandywine is a good one for me, among others....medium fruit, thin-skin, tasty, perfect on sandwiches or solo.)


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## dielectricunion

heres my little 9' x 4' raised bed made with lumber and yard scrap. im trying out this biochar, which is a soil amendment of charred wood that you inoculate with beneficial microorganisms. its a great way to dispose of cut offs and clean demo scraps... and it looks badass! :thumbup:


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## PrestigeR&D

I got my inspiration from this.....(for those that know my affection for Oliver machinery) ,,,,, why stop there......:blink:...:laughing:




All kidding aside.....

I wanted to be able to walk around in the garden with out stepping in mud.....is that called "snob farming":blink:....:laughing:


Works for me......


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## Robie

I water with Miracle Grow about every two weeks.


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## flashheatingand

Might want to put another row of tomato cages in front of the existing cages. Let the vines grow through those, give them more support, afterall, it's only June.


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## BlueRidgeGreen

Got in late....but we still have plenty of time.

Still havent planted the cukes or pumpkins. They aint looking so good sitting in the flats:whistling

Trellis.....forget those cages, and the tangled mess.

"Kyle".......between safety meetings and being used for spontaneous target practice, he keeps an eye on da basil....da eggplants.....and...da peppaz.


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## Watrousbrothers

Very nice. I really like the layout. I think I will try something like that for next year.


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## pinwheel

Finally had my camera in the mule while I was down & the shop, so I snapped a few pics of our garden.

This is the first real garden we've planted in about 15 years & was thrown together haphazardly because a buddy gave me 12 thornless blackberry plants. So I broke out the tractor & 12' disc & broke some ground. Too much ground for 12 blackberries, so we decided to try our hand at a garden again.

we've got 4 cherry tomato's, 2 early girls & 2 better boys. The cherries are just starting to give up some fruit.:thumbup:

Got 2 hills of cucumbers ( 3 plants) 1 hill each (3 plants ) black diamond & crimson sweet watermelon, & cantaloupe. since there was some remaining room, we threw a few rows of okra in.

Had cucumbers & cherry tomato's in my salad last night.:thumbup:


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## jb4211

My wife wants me to make a garden but neither one of us know anything about it. Maybe next year.

She's been juicing a lot lately and that gets expensive. She bought a juicing machine and started making her own juices from organically grown fruits and veggies. I would assume it would be a lot cheaper to grow our own.


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## stonecutter

First usable fruit on the San Marzano plants.


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## PrestigeR&D

Things are starting to show........:thumbup:


Bad part- it all happens at once....:blink:



:laughing:





:thumbsup:


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## Patrick

Ours has really taken off


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## PrestigeR&D

Thank you for sharing the photos.....:thumbsup:



I love it!:clap:



:thumbsup:


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## Robie

Nice looking garden!


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## stonecutter

A small part of this mornings cornucopia.


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## jb4211

Looks like a professional photo
Awesome


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## stonecutter

jb4211 said:


> Looks like a professional photo
> Awesome


Thank you!
A professional did take the photo....with her iphone. The wife is the pro photographer in this family.


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## Railman

Growing up we (big family) used to do about an acre garden, mostly by hand. Talk about a tough row to hoe! I hated it!

Lately, I've been wanting to do a garden again for kicks. I guess you eventually go full circle.

Great job on your gardens guys!


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## Eaglei

When I was growing up my neighbors son planted a few of those illegal plants :whistling hidden in plain sight alongside the cornstalks . That was my first gardening experience :blink: I remember him telling his naive mom "I'll take care of the weeds":laughing:


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## BlueRidgeGreen

Now we're cookin'!

Literally......
huge batch of Pesto this week, that Basil is just beggin' for it.

Flowers bloomin'

Mustang strafing the flea beetles(?) eating up on my rhubarb leaves.


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## EthanB

My little plot is taking off too. It looks like I staggered it enough this year. I've been pulling a couple pounds of lettuce, radishes and something else every week.


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## VinylHanger

Mine is slowly taking off. We got a late start. Tonight I am sitting in my chair and soaking each plant one at a time. And drinking beer.

That's pretty much the best part of gardening until the harvest.


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## brickhook

I love our garden. It's nothing any better than a tomato sandwich in the summer time!


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## Robie

brickhook said:


> I love our garden. It's nothing any better than a tomato sandwich in the summer time!


Dinner on many nights.


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## PrestigeR&D

Things are "growing"....I have some huge palaka's developing....:clap:


IMO , the most awesome tomato,,,,,,:thumbup:


They are just starting to change from green to a light orange,,


I'll post some snapers....:thumbsup:


What is killing me is these dam weeds!!!!...wtf. :blink: they are relentless...:blink: I ripped them all out....days later...there they are...:blink:..."am I dreaming"...:blink: 

They are really pissing me off....


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## Robie

> What is killing me is these dam weeds!!!!...wtf. they are relentless....


Next year, with such a small space...fill the area with 2" of mulch.


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## PrestigeR&D

I thought about that Rob....but what about turning the soil over..":blink:


All I keep doing is creating more work for myself,,,:blink:


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## Robie

PrestigeR&D said:


> I thought about that Rob....but what about turning the soil over..":blink:
> 
> 
> All I keep doing is creating more work for myself,,,:blink:


By the following year it will compost down and add great nutrients to the soil. Next spring, turn over your soil...plant your plants and then put down lots of mulch. Try to keep too much of it from packing around the plant stem. 
I probably have 6" around my tomatoes and peppers.


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## Robie

It's not too late to do it this year. When the garden is all done, turn everything into the soil and it will hasten the breakdown of the mulch for next year.


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## flashheatingand

We used to line the soil with newspaper before laying down the mulch.


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## hdavis

If you don't want to mulch, just cultivate. You have to do it regularly, or the weed roots get too deep. Done regularly, it's very fast.


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## hdavis

Robie said:


> It's not too late to do it this year. When the garden is all done, turn everything into the soil and it will hasten the breakdown of the mulch for next year.


Or leave it where it is and top dress the garden, turn it in come spring.

I don't till in the fall, just run a mulching mower over it, then top dress with leaves and composted manure and let it sit over the winter.


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## BlueRidgeGreen

I try to avoid tilling too much.

Disturbs all the beneficial critters and organisms down there.

I also found newspaper to be a little too flimsy unless you use many, many layers.....and who even reads newspapers anymore....where would you get em?

My favorite thing about a good mulchin' is the water retention. You peel back that straw and paper, and it is invariably moist under there. 

Rarely ever pull a weed....rarely ever water.

For some reason those Japanese Beetles....june bugs...(?) are tearing up my leaves this year. Pole beans....basil.....those are their targets.
Never happened before. I sprayed some of that garlic/mint whateva organic pesticide on them.......they barely stopped chewing enough to notice.

Hasn't really bothered me too much. I got like 50 jars of Pesto done before they really dug in......and the beans will grow fine....I think.....i hope.


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## hdavis

BlueRidgeGreen said:


> For some reason those Japanese Beetles.


If they're Japanese beetles, they'll keep coming back heavier next year. You can use beneficial nematodes that will kill the larvae grubs in the soil (GardensAlive!, but pricey) andalso go out early in the day and whack beetles off the plants into a bucket of cold water. The cold water keeps them from getting back out. I feed them to the chickens.


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## RobertHughes

I'm a bit late getting into the veggie plot side of things but it's never too late to start making preparations for an early crop next year. I'm intent on sowing arugula, beet, and some carrots, with the Mrs' blessing, of course.


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## deciduous

That garden looks incredible! This year we are planting a doozy of a garden at the office and plan to donate to the local food bank. I can't wait till spring!


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## VinylHanger

I'm starting to get the bug already. We are supposed to have 60 degree weather this next week. The trees are already showing buds.


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## BlueRidgeGreen

Did you get garlic in?

I didn't ....and it sucks. 
No scapes.


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## MarkJames

VinylHanger said:


> I'm starting to get the bug already. We are supposed to have 60 degree weather this next week. The trees are already showing buds.


Me too. Only thing I've been doing is counting weeks to warm weather while I toss eggshells on the tomato garden plot. They will be getting a calcium jolt this year. Just heard there's a new hybrid that has the taste of a Brandywine with the productivity of a Rutgers. Worth looking into.


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## festerized

Spent they day prepping my garden, added 4x4 to perimeter and screening to keep the birds away. also added a gutter garden about two weeks ago, garlic & onions are growing good, all others plant are bird food


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## summithomeinc

We grow a good size garden, About 120'x40'. This year in addition to that I decided to try the square foot garden as an experiment to see how well it works. So far it drains faster and the plants seem to be growing better. I'll take some pictures tomorrow. We can everything. Have a cellar full of food.


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## VinylHanger

festerized said:


> Spent they day prepping my garden, added 4x4 to perimeter and screening to keep the birds away. also added a gutter garden about two weeks ago, garlic & onions are growing good, all others plant are bird food


I like the gutter garden idea. Seems like a great way to keep it watered with minimal water use.

We have plenty of space, just no full day sun. Last year's garden was a disaster. Hopefully this year will go better. We think we have a better spot picked out.


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## festerized

There cheap about $11.00 for a 10' section and they make great Mother's Day gifts!


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## NYgutterguy

festerized said:


> There cheap about $11.00 for a 10' section and they make great Mother's Day gifts!
> View attachment 173545



Great idea. I've donated gutters a few times for a senior center that uses them for same thing.


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## festerized

I'm reading that there great for strawberries, lettuce family and shallow root crops


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## mako1

The gutter idea is great.Been gardening for 40 some years and have never seen it.Would be great for garlic,green onions ,lettuce.some herbs and a whole lot more.
Had three gardens in the country and moved back to town a couple years ago.this will be a great addition to my limited space now.
The GF may not like the look of them though.May just have to use the existing gutters on the shop.She'll never know. :thumbsup:


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## summithomeinc

My experiment.


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## summithomeinc

Tomatoes waiting for the ground in the big garden to be dry enough to plant.


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## EthanB

summithomeinc said:


> My experiment.


It should work out well for you. One of the guys in my community garden does the square foot garden thing and gets a nice crop. I'm way too sloppy for it.


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## illbuildit.dd

I could talk for hours about gardening.


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## Robie

illbuildit.dd said:


> I could talk for hours about gardening.


Here's your chance....


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## illbuildit.dd

Robie said:


> Here's your chance....


Hey I said talk, not type. 
Anyway, it all started when my construction mentor over 20 years ago showed me how to make compost piles and how good his tomatoes were. 
One of my clients is taking gardening classes at osu, huge on agriculture. Been giving me great tips. My favorite, planting tomatoes in phases to have healthy plants all the way to the first freeze. When we hit our first freeze last year I filled a 5 gallon bucket with tomatoes and they slowly ripened in the basement giving me the ability to keep the fresh salsa coming for almost 2 months.


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## griz

New raised beds.

Approx. 3' x 7'.

4x6 over 4x12 pressures treat and Redwood cap.

Maybe 2 more....


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## pinwheel

illbuildit.dd said:


> Hey I said talk, not type.
> Anyway, it all started when my construction mentor over 20 years ago showed me how to make compost piles and how good his tomatoes were.
> One of my clients is taking gardening classes at osu, huge on agriculture. Been giving me great tips. My favorite, planting tomatoes in phases to have healthy plants all the way to the first freeze. When we hit our first freeze last year I filled a 5 gallon bucket with tomatoes and they slowly ripened in the basement giving me the ability to keep the fresh salsa coming for almost 2 months.



I picked up a tip on getting the last green tomatos to ripen. In the fall, when the plant is still loaded with green tomatos that you know have no time to finish, pinch the top out of the plant. The vine will quit putting on new fruit & put it's energy into ripening what's still on the vine.

I need to get some pictures today. We're just about ready to put our tomato plants & cucumber plants in the ground. Won't be long before the watermelon & cantelope go in as well.


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## illbuildit.dd

pinwheel said:


> I picked up a tip on getting the last green tomatos to ripen. In the fall, when the plant is still loaded with green tomatos that you know have no time to finish, pinch the top out of the plant. The vine will quit putting on new fruit & put it's energy into ripening what's still on the vine.
> 
> I need to get some pictures today. We're just about ready to put our tomato plants & cucumber plants in the ground. Won't be long before the watermelon & cantelope go in as well.


Great tip. 
I'm way behind because of work. Not the first time. I'm planning on making my watermelon mounds tomorrow. 
Another thing that has always worked for me is putting tomatoes where they get shade through the hottest part of the day. Seems to keep them much happier


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## pinwheel

Got our cucumbers, bell peppers (no pics yet) & tomatoes in the ground today. 

Included a few pics of the tomatoes along the way as they grew under lights, then into the greenhouse.

Also included a pic of our snow peas. I think I planted them too early. They came in kinda spotty, but with 4 rows, we should still get plenty. Still got okra, green beans, cantaloupe & watermelons to plant.

If you'll look way in the background of the first pic, you'll see the rest of our gardens. Well, kinda gardens, we plant 20 acres that don't get harvested, but left for the wildlife.


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## Robie

> If you'll look way in the background of the first pic, you'll see the rest of our gardens. Well, kinda gardens, we plant 20 acres that don't get harvested, but left for the wildlife.


Good man. What do you plant?


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## pinwheel

Robie said:


> Good man. What do you plant?


soybeans, corn, clover, turnips, groundhog radishes, milo & wheat as a rule. This year, we're going to add some millet & sunflowers in the field you can see in the picture for the migrating doves in the fall. Even though dove are the primary target creature, lots of wildlife, like song birds, quail, pheasant & rabbits will also be fed well this fall.


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## Bellalawn

Vegetable nurseries can likewise be delightful — organize your plants in examples or columns that are satisfying, utilize brightening compartments, or blend vegetables and blossoms. This makes an outwardly appealing nursery, yet it urges pollinators to visit, hence delivering a better return of vegetables.


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