Organic Gardening

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  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    oh I planted beans, too. I forgot and pickling cucumbers, too.
  • blackpotts
    blackpotts Posts: 4 Member
    We had trouble with deer in the garden when I was growing up so my dad hooked up a motion detector light to try and scare them off. When that didn't work (the deer loved it, lit up the garden nicely so they could see what they were eating) he hooked up a car horn to the motion detector. Worked great, however I would caution the use of this if you have close neighbors. Also turn it off during the day or the birds will set it off. It doesn't take long before the deer stop coming into the garden.
  • _LilPowerHouse
    _LilPowerHouse Posts: 365 Member
    Ok, here's my update.. I am now growing the following vegetables:
    Carrots--- look pretty good so far
    Cucumber-- look good so far
    Red/Green peppers-- now are looking like they'll live.. had a bad frost the day after I put them into the ground..live in Ohio.
    Cherry tomato-- same as the peppers.
    lettuce-- looks ok, but im still hoping.
    Basil-- think its gone.. doesnt look that great. :cry:
    Beans- Not sure what they kind though.. thought they were green beans but we'll see. LOL :laugh:

    And I planted some new seedlings a week ago of Aji Dulce, (sweet pepper found in the carribean) Ive had these grow very successfuly in the past so I'm giving it a try just to see what happens..

    Also another plant from the Caribbean called Recao. the leaves remind me of dandy lion leaves.. but it tastes better.. LOL
    I use the peppers and the Recao to make Sofrito along with the green/red peppers and a few other veggies..
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    We had trouble with deer in the garden when I was growing up so my dad hooked up a motion detector light to try and scare them off. When that didn't work (the deer loved it, lit up the garden nicely so they could see what they were eating) he hooked up a car horn to the motion detector. Worked great, however I would caution the use of this if you have close neighbors. Also turn it off during the day or the birds will set it off. It doesn't take long before the deer stop coming into the garden.
    My parents live in deer country and my dad works hard to keep the critters out of his garden. The fence keeps the deer out, but birds and squirrels are still an issue. Last summer he had a motion detector sprinkler set up - worked like a charm!
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
    Wow! All of your gardens sound great!

    Reflecting on what I could have done better, I think I needed to do some earlier transplanting, that's why my seedlings wilted. I also needed to start them a little earlier than the organicgardening.com website recommended. They were just way too small to set out. They never really hardened off.

    I have a few large tomato that are still green. I can wait for them to riping. I'm dying for a home grown one. I hate hot house!! MM... mozarella cheese, basil, olive oil, and home grown tomatoes! I can't wait!

    Shannon
  • BodyFuel
    BodyFuel Posts: 13 Member
    Someone may have already told you this but I am not willing to read all 66 post! Keep in mind that I am in Texas so some of this may not work for you.

    I highly advise raised beds for your organic gardening. I did not the first year and nearly killed myself pulling weeds due to the fact that you cannot use chemicals for weed kill and the organic types just do not work as well.

    If you choose to do raised beds find a supplier that has quality soil, there is a big scale out there. Ask to see it and if it sifts through your hand walk away and go find another place. Make sure that you add cotton seed meal to your soil for nitrogen.

    Planting seeds instead of plants is fun but a little trying. If it rains the seeds may wash but your plants will be strong and healthy as the emerge. I will never again try to start my seeds, in containers because I've had the best luck putting them straight in the ground.

    Organic sprays: Jacks Dead Bug and 1 tsp of dish soap in 1 gallon water.

    Good luck!
  • Jason1068
    Jason1068 Posts: 10 Member
    The one thing you need to do is add lime it really helps plants to grow, I have a small farm in New Zealand and use organic methods. We use lime to balance the soil, feed the soil and the plants will grow. We also fence off our veg patch from rabbits, chickens (free range) and butterflies yes butterflies.

    Our ferris let's are all made on the property and I would suggest you purchase comfrey and plant for use as a organic fertisiler.

    Taste the soil if it tastes acidic add lime.
  • _LilPowerHouse
    _LilPowerHouse Posts: 365 Member
    my daughter just bought me some new herb plants since mine didnt make it.. LOL yaaaayyy.. and some yellow squash..
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
    So, I've got really nice sized tomatoes that are just starting to ripen, when all of a sudden they get these round black bad spots on them before they're even ripe. The plant itself doesn't look eaten or wilted. Anyone know what's up with this? I've been watering every other day and I use fish fertilizer once every two weeks.

    Shannon
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    So, I've got really nice sized tomatoes that are just starting to ripen, when all of a sudden they get these round black bad spots on them before they're even ripe. The plant itself doesn't look eaten or wilted. Anyone know what's up with this? I've been watering every other day and I use fish fertilizer once every two weeks.

    Shannon
    Hmm...I'm not sure! A quick search came up with blight - check this link for the description and see if that fits: http://www.vegetablegardeners.com/black-spots-on-tomatoes.htm
  • dperich1968
    dperich1968 Posts: 235 Member
    Square foot gardening is awesome! I have three raised beds - one 4x4 for herbs and rhubarb, and two 8x4s for veggies. I live in central California so we have a year round growing season, and I always have something growing out there! A favorite source of info and seeds is from Mike The Gardener Enterprises: https://www.averagepersongardening.com/seed_subscriptions.php I belong to his Seeds of the Month Club and I love it - very inexpensive and the seeds I get from him always do better than the ones I get at the store. Plus with the club, I get seeds and varieties that I might not usually buy, so encourages me to try new things. He has a facebook page too - just called Vegetable Gardening, but lots of good info there and easy to ask questions from other gardeners.

    I am so glad you posted this!!! Can't wait to get home from work and look this up!!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Well, it's mid-July - how's everyone's garden doing?

    I've been picking tomatoes (my Juliet tomatoes are going like crazy, I pick heaps every day!), a few jalapenos, got a single surprise strawberry yesterday. My green beans are almost ready to start picking, have had a few green zucchini, nothing from my yellow zucchini yet. Which is weird, thought I'd be giving the stuff away by now. Crenshaw melons are growing fast and look great, watermelons are a little slower, but coming along. No cukes yet - planted a bush variety this year and mistakenly planted it in the back of the bed near the fence, because I expected it to climb at least a little! But it doesn't, and it's hard to get to now. I have a mystery plant near the front that is climbing, and I think it might be a cucumber - should find out soon! :tongue:

    Basil looks great, eggplant is blooming, but slow, bell peppers are slow as well - should have started them much earlier.

    I'm already thinking about my fall/winter crops and determined to get seeds started early, in pots if necessary so I can transplant them to the beds once all the summer crops come out.
  • angeeishere
    angeeishere Posts: 89 Member
    When I was growing up we had an organic garden although we just called it a garden, we didn't use pesticides and used the manure pile from the barn for fertilizer. I have a garden now and still use the same principles from when I was young. The one thing I don't plant are potatoes, I just hate picking potato bugs...just gross.
  • dArtagnia
    dArtagnia Posts: 26 Member
    BUMP
  • Kenzietea2
    Kenzietea2 Posts: 1,132 Member
    My husband maintains our garden for the most part, but I know there are a lot of natural pesticides that are harmless to humans. There is a bacteria that kills caterpillars, copper wire kills snails, etc.

    Edit: You can also purchase lady bugs for aphids, and praying mantis for all other bugs.
  • beansprouts
    beansprouts Posts: 410 Member
    Do any of you gardeners save your own seeds?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Do any of you gardeners save your own seeds?
    I haven't yet, but have been thinking about it. I have a tons of seeds (Seeds of the Month Club is awesome and keeps me well stocked), but would like to try saving some from what grows. Especially the things I like the best.
  • _LilPowerHouse
    _LilPowerHouse Posts: 365 Member
    my garden is looking pretty good except for my Peppers, they're tall but no peppers on them yet :huh:
    not sure why, everything else is coming along just fine, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, carrots and even my beans look great.. this saddens me. :sad:
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