Vegetable Gardening

[tulip]

If you build up, you don't have to dig down at all. My raised beds are 3'x6' that I made with some posts that the previous owner of my house had left in the yard. I just put down the paper and then filled up the box with compost and soil. No digging, no tilling.

The Mantis is still alot of work, but it's quieter and lighter than the gasoline tillers. Still alot of work, though, especially for large areas like gardens. Great for digging holes for shrubs, though.

[NbyNW]

I ate my one asparagus spear this morning with my breakfast. Tasty!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

i ate my one asparagus spear this morning with my breakfast. Tasty!

=8-)

[skhill]

It looks like my lettuce has drowned in all the rain of the last few weeks (we had 13 inches in April, and 1.75 inches so far in May). But those mustard greens seem to be indestructible.

Homegrown asparagus, yum! I got some at the farmers market last Saturday, and it was wonderful. Someday I might just have to put in an asparagus patch...

[Koronin]

Do blueberry bushes and strawberry bushes count? That's all we're getting this year. Actually moving into our new home this weekend. The blueberry and strawberry bushes are planted already. Hubby wants to build a raised garden and that is one of his projects for this summer/fall. The main project before moving in was painting kitchen (now tan, was hot pink) one bedroom (was light green, now light blue) and the bonus room (was two tone green, now bottom carmel and top a lighter shade that has a bit of an italian type feel to it). The bedroom color was ok, but having been a kid's room was pretty scuffed up, so it got repainted. The other major project was making two rain barrels which are awesome.

[smilingcat]

Do blueberry bushes and strawberry bushes count? That's all we're getting this year. Actually moving into our new home this weekend. The blueberry and strawberry bushes are planted already. Hubby wants to build a raised garden and that is one of his projects for this summer/fall. The main project before moving in was painting kitchen (now tan, was hot pink) one bedroom (was light green, now light blue) and the bonus room (was two tone green, now bottom carmel and top a lighter shade that has a bit of an italian type feel to it). The bedroom color was ok, but having been a kid's room was pretty scuffed up, so it got repainted. The other major project was making two rain barrels which are awesome.

Sure. why not? We are nearly finished with our move. Our animals are moving next Monday. Already at my new place, I have about 10 blueberry, 6 raspberry, 3 marion berry, 2 logan berry, 50+ strawberry plants are waiting to be planted. The berry plants will be formed into hedgerow to give us wind break for our veggie garden. strawberry will be used as ground cover to control erosion.

Since our move has been taking longer than I want and the weather in Portland area has not been conducive to growing, we are planning on making a solar heated poly tunnel to make up for the late start for our heirloom tomato and rest of our veggies.

We are looking at the weather for the move. not too hot and not raining. Next Monday looks like the day for the final move.

[Brandi]

Does anyone know how to harvest lettuce when it is young to keep it producing? I just planted a mix of baby lettuce plants but I am not sure when I can start to harvest. It looks good enough to eat now! Also how about swiss chard? Can you eat baby swiss chard?

[Koronin]

Sure. why not? We are nearly finished with our move. Our animals are moving next Monday. Already at my new place, I have about 10 blueberry, 6 raspberry, 3 marion berry, 2 logan berry, 50+ strawberry plants are waiting to be planted. The berry plants will be formed into hedgerow to give us wind break for our veggie garden. strawberry will be used as ground cover to control erosion.

Since our move has been taking longer than I want and the weather in Portland area has not been conducive to growing, we are planning on making a solar heated poly tunnel to make up for the late start for our heirloom tomato and rest of our veggies.

We are looking at the weather for the move. not too hot and not raining. Next Monday looks like the day for the final move.

Congrats on your move. I so know what you mean about it taking longer than you want it to. We're hoping to have everything moved by the end of the weekend. Then will need to clean (hire people to do carpets and spray for fleas as required by the rental company, and are going to hire a person to do cleaning as well, lady we are hiring knows exactly what the rental company inspects and will make sure it passes the inspection.)
Sounds like you have a great idea for your garden.

[FlyingScot]

If you build up, you don't have to dig down at all. My raised beds are 3'x6' that I made with some posts that the previous owner of my house had left in the yard. I just put down the paper and then filled up the box with compost and soil. No digging, no tilling.

The Mantis is still alot of work, but it's quieter and lighter than the gasoline tillers. Still alot of work, though, especially for large areas like gardens. Great for digging holes for shrubs, though.

Good point. I hadn't thought of doing raised beds but I bet they'd be more successful than the poor plants struggling in clay. Plus my senior citizen father likes projects (lucky me). However, he tends to overbuild things so I'd probably end up with a self-watering, self-weeding monstrosity that actually picks and cooks the veggies automatically :-)

[spokewench]

Good point. I hadn't thought of doing raised beds but I bet they'd be more successful than the poor plants struggling in clay. Plus my senior citizen father likes projects (lucky me). However, he tends to overbuild things so I'd probably end up with a self-watering, self-weeding monstrosity that actually picks and cooks the veggies automatically :-)

Oooh, send your senior citizen father my way! My hubby will do projects, but he hates garden projects, so I have to do them all by myself! I'd love a father-built raised bed!