The Garden Helper

Helping Gardeners Grow Their Dreams since 1997.

No-dash-here, you've found The Real Garden Helper! Gardening on the Web since 1997

Garden plot & how to?

Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006
« Prev thread: Garden Planning...| Next thread: Garden pond water level? »
Back to Thread index
by Danno on April 26, 2006 04:07 PM
ok been doing a lil bit o reading as this is my first year ever of doing a garden. Didnt get to help grandpa much when i was younger, just helped him picked beans (god i hated doing that when i was little lol!)

I have a area that is 5'x18'. Putting in corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peppers, squash (zuchini & yellow) and cucumbers. I've done variouse reading on prepping your plot and i currently have it tilled under with a good 3" of humus/manure mix tilled in with it. the soil is clumpy & i keep it moist until i get to planting my seedlings outdoors in mid may.

My questions are these: I plan on doing most everything in small rows. corn, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers & squash in rows. It says to plant the muskmelons in mounds wich i plan. But for the rows, i've seen people in movies (gotta love hollywood) that have like 6" deep trenches (or in essence they mound UP their plants) that go around their plants, and then they "aerate" the trench in between the plants. What is the purpose of this (if i even need to do this and why. . ) and if i do do this style, how do i water? Directly on the plants? or do i water the trenches?

Sorry for the idiot questions lol i'd rather have it right and not have my wife makin fun of me than screw up and have her tell me "your such a man!"
by Longy on April 26, 2006 11:22 PM
Mounding will help some plants which require excellent drainage or which need to grow deep, like carrots, or potatoes, but it's not absolutely necessary if the soil is light and well cultivated with planty of organic matter, as yours seems to be.
Dunno why they do that in Hollywood. Probably because they saw it on a movie once.
Just do what you feel is right and experiment with a few methods if you're not sure. You'll learn a lot this first year if you observe and read. Good luck.
You're the second person who has posted this week who is affected by the impression the garden needs to make on their spouse. What's with that anyway?? Spouses are excellent compost accelerators. Don;t they realize that:-)?

* * * *
-
The secret is the soil.
by Wrennie on April 27, 2006 02:00 AM
If she's so smart let her do it [Razz] .

heres a link to the other post longys talking about. She asked about furrows too.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/16/970.html

* * * *
-
-

-

- Summer Camp '07, July 14th weekend, won't you join us? -
summer camp thread 1, 2, 3,4
by Danno on April 27, 2006 02:06 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Longy:
Spouses are excellent compost accelerators. Don;t they realize that:-)?
LOL Longy!!! Sometimes i wish i could till her right in with the dirt [Smile]
by Greenthumb newbee on April 30, 2006 08:41 AM
Not a very big garden. Fine for everything but the vine plants which WILL take over if given the chance (cucks and mellons\squash) If your space limited try planting the vine plants next to a fence and watch them grow like a weed.

I had a similar sized garden when I was a kid. Now it`s more like 40 feet square.

Heck, I`ll take a garden over a lawn any day.
by peppereater on April 30, 2006 09:38 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Greenthumb newbee:

Heck, I`ll take a garden over a lawn any day.
AMEN! to that! [thumb]

* * * *
-
Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!
by comfrey on April 30, 2006 12:25 PM
quote:
Heck, I`ll take a garden over a lawn any day.
I agree also!!!!! I have a 50'x50' and it seems too small each year, but if it was bigger I wouldn't be able to take care of it...I just barely can keep up as it is.

* * * *
-
-

Active Garden Forum

« Prev thread: Garden Planning...| Next thread: Garden pond water level? »
Back to Thread index


Search The Garden Helper: