We are getting some beautiful sunny weather. It just does not come in long enough intervals to dry the ground. On Monday the temperature in the potato bag was 56 degrees. On Tuesday the first little potato leaves popped out of the dirt. The volunteer potatoes are already over 2 feet tall. They have been mounded to over a foot. I can’t scrape much more dirt, they will have to be mulched with leaves now.
Everything green is still being very productive. There are even a few radishes to throw in the salads now. The greenhouse plants are doing ok as well. The heat pads were turned off Monday night and turned back on Tuesday night. They are off now. Benches will still be needed outside of the greenhouse for the hardening off process.
There was a good garden plan in place this fall, but it seems that changes are needed now. There will be a lot more plants to put into the garden, so a way needs to be found to accommodate them all. A lot of them will probably wind up in flower beds in the front yard. The “frontscape” plan is being re-evaluated as well.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Garden planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden planning. Show all posts
Monday, April 11, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
2011 Garden Plan (Cont.)
As the assessment continues for the garden plan, the next step is a list of what will be planted and approximately how much we need. There are never enough tomatoes and egg plants, so they get 1st consideration. If all of the G-beds are planted to tomatoes on 2’ centers, there will be 3 12’ beds with 7 tomato plants each or 21 plants. E-2 is 8’ and can accommodate 5 plants for a total of 26. That should be enough.
E-1 is 16’ long. That will accommodate 9 egg plants, which is 1 ½ times as many as we had this year. Basil, parsley and cilantro will be planted between the tomatoes and eggplants. That will be a total of 30 plants or 10 of each. We don’t really need that much of any of them, but they keep the bugs down. The excess can be given away or dried. A row of onion sets will be planted down the middle of each row. E-1 will also have 9 cabbage plants. G-1 will have 7 broccoli plants.
The 4 foot rows will have different varieties of squash. Like most of the crucifers they will be direct seeded. The un-bedded rows will be dedicated to okra and peppers. These rows are about 40’ long. The okra will be direct seeded, but 21 pepper plants of differing varieties will be needed. The okra will be planted by itself. There will be some odd herb varieties inter-planted with the peppers. That will require 20 plants of various herbs and flowers. A few of the herbs inter-planted with the tomatoes and eggplants will be substituted by nasturtiums and marigolds, so the extras can be used with the peppers. This gives an idea of what will be planted in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
E-1 is 16’ long. That will accommodate 9 egg plants, which is 1 ½ times as many as we had this year. Basil, parsley and cilantro will be planted between the tomatoes and eggplants. That will be a total of 30 plants or 10 of each. We don’t really need that much of any of them, but they keep the bugs down. The excess can be given away or dried. A row of onion sets will be planted down the middle of each row. E-1 will also have 9 cabbage plants. G-1 will have 7 broccoli plants.
The 4 foot rows will have different varieties of squash. Like most of the crucifers they will be direct seeded. The un-bedded rows will be dedicated to okra and peppers. These rows are about 40’ long. The okra will be direct seeded, but 21 pepper plants of differing varieties will be needed. The okra will be planted by itself. There will be some odd herb varieties inter-planted with the peppers. That will require 20 plants of various herbs and flowers. A few of the herbs inter-planted with the tomatoes and eggplants will be substituted by nasturtiums and marigolds, so the extras can be used with the peppers. This gives an idea of what will be planted in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Garden Plan 2011
It is time to plant the greenhouse. The first step in that is to plan the garden. The garden has 7 rows of 3 raised beds and two rows with no beds. The no bed rows are 3’ wide and 4’ wide plus of course the paths. When planning last year’s garden, the beds seemed to reduce the number of plants that could be planted. When actual planting began this was not the case.
This years garden will have a lot of changes from last years. There will be no potatoes or corn. There will be more tomatoes, eggplants and squash. There will be a lot more beans. The beds will all have corner posts for attaching trellises or other types of support. The okra is the only plant that will use soaker hoses and it will be planted in a no-bed row. There will several new varieties of tomatoes and some cherry peppers. Mick McNeely made some stuffed cherry peppers. Just thinking about them is making my mouth water.
A few beds are planted with fall crops and they will not be available for the early spring planting. They will be used for succession planting of squash and cucumbers. There will also be a few beds used for early planting of sugar peas and various greens. Onions will be inter-planted with almost everything. There will be more specifics about the garden plan in the next post.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
This years garden will have a lot of changes from last years. There will be no potatoes or corn. There will be more tomatoes, eggplants and squash. There will be a lot more beans. The beds will all have corner posts for attaching trellises or other types of support. The okra is the only plant that will use soaker hoses and it will be planted in a no-bed row. There will several new varieties of tomatoes and some cherry peppers. Mick McNeely made some stuffed cherry peppers. Just thinking about them is making my mouth water.
A few beds are planted with fall crops and they will not be available for the early spring planting. They will be used for succession planting of squash and cucumbers. There will also be a few beds used for early planting of sugar peas and various greens. Onions will be inter-planted with almost everything. There will be more specifics about the garden plan in the next post.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Perfect Garden (again)
The garden will soon be perfect. At least the one in my head will. It is time to plan for next year. Step 1 is to review the garden plan for last year and read through the garden journal, totaling up the yields of the different plants. Some things did exceptionally well. Those successes will be replicated. (I hope.) Some things did not do well. That is where the challenge comes in.
Is it worth the trouble to try again? Charlie Brown kicking the football that Lucy holds comes to mind. Potatoes…no way. Speckled lima beans? The vines are loaded, but the beans are not filled out yet. They were planted on Good Friday. This is Veterans Day. Maybe a different variety will work. The bush type speckled limas from the grocery store dried beans worked great, but bush beans are a pain in the back, literally.
Next the plan comes. The blank garden map is copied and the soil is tested for PH. The soil can be amended where necessary, but it is much better if the PH is appropriate for what is being planted. It is also important to consider plant height and sunlight to get the plants in the right place. Then, of course, many of the crops should be rotated to avoid or at least minimize pest problems. It is a lot of work, but at least the garden will be perfect until it is planted in the spring.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Is it worth the trouble to try again? Charlie Brown kicking the football that Lucy holds comes to mind. Potatoes…no way. Speckled lima beans? The vines are loaded, but the beans are not filled out yet. They were planted on Good Friday. This is Veterans Day. Maybe a different variety will work. The bush type speckled limas from the grocery store dried beans worked great, but bush beans are a pain in the back, literally.
Next the plan comes. The blank garden map is copied and the soil is tested for PH. The soil can be amended where necessary, but it is much better if the PH is appropriate for what is being planted. It is also important to consider plant height and sunlight to get the plants in the right place. Then, of course, many of the crops should be rotated to avoid or at least minimize pest problems. It is a lot of work, but at least the garden will be perfect until it is planted in the spring.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 4, 2010
Cool Dirt
Finally the temperatures are dropping to the point that spinach and lettuce seeds should germinate well. This weekend should be a great time to plant if the ground is not too wet. In raised beds that have been kept under mulch this should not be a problem. The weather should be suitable for direct seeding of cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower as well, but it may be too late in the season to get a crop before a hard freeze hits.
Next springs garden plan should be in place by now. Lettuce and spinach and the other crucifers will continue to produce until the very coldest weather comes and they may survive into spring. It would not be fun to pull up producing crops to plant the spring garden.
One big change that will be implemented in our summer garden is that we will not plant everything on Good Friday. The plants of peppers and tomatoes and egg plants will go into the ground at 2 or 3 week intervals so as to keep continuous production. The winter squash, except for spaghetti squash, will be planted in early June.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Next springs garden plan should be in place by now. Lettuce and spinach and the other crucifers will continue to produce until the very coldest weather comes and they may survive into spring. It would not be fun to pull up producing crops to plant the spring garden.
One big change that will be implemented in our summer garden is that we will not plant everything on Good Friday. The plants of peppers and tomatoes and egg plants will go into the ground at 2 or 3 week intervals so as to keep continuous production. The winter squash, except for spaghetti squash, will be planted in early June.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Best Farmers & Gardeners
It has been said that the best farmers are men (or women) who are out standing in their field. There is only so much to be learned from books. Most of what is learned about gardening is learned by doing. As the gardener spends time in the garden, getting to know it like an old friend, the garden benefits as much as the gardener.
This is a good time of year to be outstanding in the field or garden. The successes and failures of the year are pretty obvious. Also the memory of what was planted where is still fresh. Plan next year’s rotation. This is an ideal time to record mistakes and successes. Make a list of the things that can be done the same way and things that need to change. Maybe there is a little survivor plant that did not get eaten by the bugs that gobbled up its siblings. Save these seeds.
This was the first year for using mostly raised beds in our garden. We learned that the soil stays softer in the raised beds. Good for the roots. Not so good for supporting tall crops. Next year supports will be built for corn, okra and sunflowers. The poles that hold the tomatoes and cucumbers will be set deeper. The beds also dry out faster than flat soil. They need more water.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
This is a good time of year to be outstanding in the field or garden. The successes and failures of the year are pretty obvious. Also the memory of what was planted where is still fresh. Plan next year’s rotation. This is an ideal time to record mistakes and successes. Make a list of the things that can be done the same way and things that need to change. Maybe there is a little survivor plant that did not get eaten by the bugs that gobbled up its siblings. Save these seeds.
This was the first year for using mostly raised beds in our garden. We learned that the soil stays softer in the raised beds. Good for the roots. Not so good for supporting tall crops. Next year supports will be built for corn, okra and sunflowers. The poles that hold the tomatoes and cucumbers will be set deeper. The beds also dry out faster than flat soil. They need more water.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Don’t Forget the Birds
The current weather is very stressful for wildlife. The browse that the deer depend on is drying up. There is very little water available for deer and birds. The worms and bugs that they like to munch on are hiding from the sun. Even the mosquitoes seem to be hiding. The deer used to drink from the birdbath in the garden. Now there is a fence around the garden. A bucket of water is kept full and fresh for the deer, so they will be less tempted to jump the garden fence. I don’t know where the rabbits get water. They can’t reach the bucket or the birdbath.
The forecast calls for thunderstorms on Sunday. I don’t think I believe them. Two weeks ago we had rain, but it only fell in town. It left my yard and garden out.
This is the first day of fall. It is time to start the plan for the spring garden. The soil Is so dry it is hard to test right now. Rain water collected in the rain barrel is used to soften the soil. City water may change the PH temporarily and give a false reading. Lime or sulfur added now will have corrected the soil by spring. The mulch that is used through the winter could affect the PH, so be sure to check again before spring planting.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The forecast calls for thunderstorms on Sunday. I don’t think I believe them. Two weeks ago we had rain, but it only fell in town. It left my yard and garden out.
This is the first day of fall. It is time to start the plan for the spring garden. The soil Is so dry it is hard to test right now. Rain water collected in the rain barrel is used to soften the soil. City water may change the PH temporarily and give a false reading. Lime or sulfur added now will have corrected the soil by spring. The mulch that is used through the winter could affect the PH, so be sure to check again before spring planting.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Planning the Winter Garden
It is mid-July and the garden is getting blah. Good rain for the last two day has helped a little to raise the garden’s spirits. A trip to Renfrow’s to buy greenhouse seeds raised mine. There is space for another bed of squash. The yellow crookneck is looking sad, so the new crop will be planted today or tomorrow. The broccoli and cabbage plants will go in pots as soon as the greenhouse comes back together.
What is good for the winter garden? Maybe some radish and mesclun would be nice. There may still be tomatoes and cucumbers to go with them. Kale, Mustard and Turnips are a must of course. The cabbage and broccoli plants should be ready to transplant by labor day. Labor day is the time to plant a winter garden around here.
Space in the existing beds is at a premium right now. There is almost enough compost to fill another bed in addition to the one that was filled on the weekend of the 4th. There is enough lumber to build 2 more beds, but there is only space for one right now. There will not be enough compost for more than that anyway. The black gold from the city is ok when there is no compost, but it is a sad substitute.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
What is good for the winter garden? Maybe some radish and mesclun would be nice. There may still be tomatoes and cucumbers to go with them. Kale, Mustard and Turnips are a must of course. The cabbage and broccoli plants should be ready to transplant by labor day. Labor day is the time to plant a winter garden around here.
Space in the existing beds is at a premium right now. There is almost enough compost to fill another bed in addition to the one that was filled on the weekend of the 4th. There is enough lumber to build 2 more beds, but there is only space for one right now. There will not be enough compost for more than that anyway. The black gold from the city is ok when there is no compost, but it is a sad substitute.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Garden Record-Keeping
A good journal or record of the garden will help prevent making the same mistake over and over. It also is a guide to the micro-environment of the individual garden. Day before yesterday (6/15/10) Charlotte had a good drenching from a thunderstorm. My yard did not get a drop. I wasn’t home so how do I know that? I have a rain gauge. A little notebook in the greenhouse records the rainfall and the temperature and the day’s harvest.
It also records the activities done on that day. There is also a garden map that tells what is planted where. Whenever a bed is fallow, a ph grid is made. The ph in the beds changes some from season to season. If the garden plan will require a certain ph for the next thing to be planted in a particular spot, the soil modification can begin at once. Sometimes the map is needed to identify what was actually planted. The patty-pan squash this year turned out not to be patty-pan squash. The garden map assured me that I had planted patty-pan squash in that bed. Squash seeds are unreliable.
The garden journal also helps with crop rotation and measures the success of certain things in certain places . If problems occur with certain crops year after year, we may just have to accept that those crops should not be grown in our garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
It also records the activities done on that day. There is also a garden map that tells what is planted where. Whenever a bed is fallow, a ph grid is made. The ph in the beds changes some from season to season. If the garden plan will require a certain ph for the next thing to be planted in a particular spot, the soil modification can begin at once. Sometimes the map is needed to identify what was actually planted. The patty-pan squash this year turned out not to be patty-pan squash. The garden map assured me that I had planted patty-pan squash in that bed. Squash seeds are unreliable.
The garden journal also helps with crop rotation and measures the success of certain things in certain places . If problems occur with certain crops year after year, we may just have to accept that those crops should not be grown in our garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Succession Planning for Gardens
This is not to keep my children from fighting over the garden after my demise. This is to keep the garden producing all year. There are several phases of succession planning. The overall garden plan needs to be considered. If inter-planting techniques are used, the succession may take care of itself. Greens or salad stuff may be planted at the edge of the squash beds (rows). When the greens start to bolt, they can be pulled off to leave more room for the squash. Summer squash takes a lot of space when it starts producing.
Some things can be planted at intervals to provide a longer eating season. Spinach, lettuce, carrots and radishes are good examples of this. Increasing day length causes the spinach and lettuce to bolt so the succession crops of these will be short lived. Old radishes and carrots tend to get woody as the season progresses.
Squash and tomato plants will produce until frost; but the plants get shabby and production declines. A follow-up crop in June will assure a continuous supply of these summer delights, to mix with the okra and lima beans. Potatoes will be finished in July in Charlotte. Peas will be finished in June. These rows or beds make a great place for follow-up plantings.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Some things can be planted at intervals to provide a longer eating season. Spinach, lettuce, carrots and radishes are good examples of this. Increasing day length causes the spinach and lettuce to bolt so the succession crops of these will be short lived. Old radishes and carrots tend to get woody as the season progresses.
Squash and tomato plants will produce until frost; but the plants get shabby and production declines. A follow-up crop in June will assure a continuous supply of these summer delights, to mix with the okra and lima beans. Potatoes will be finished in July in Charlotte. Peas will be finished in June. These rows or beds make a great place for follow-up plantings.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 9, 2010
Buying Seeds
Buying seeds has got to be one of the most exciting parts of gardening. No dirt under the fingernails, just the satisfaction of thinking about the beautiful plants enclosed in that tiny little shell. I always buy most of my seeds in bulk from Renfrow’s Hardware in Matthews. Just going in the old fashioned hardware store is a large part of the experience.
They had everything on the list except for the spaghetti squash. We saved seeds from last years crop, which was the best crop ever. I planted a few in the greenhouse and they did not come up; so I was afraid of them. Who wants to waste weeks waiting on seeds that are not viable. Last night we started a more scientific test. About 30 seeds were put between sheets of paper towels and soaked. They were put in the greenhouse with bottom heat to see what happens. This should yield a rough percentage of viability if some of them germinate
This will tell us how many extra seeds to put in each hole. Last year we planted 3 hills and got 8 large squash. Each squash made 3 meals for 2 people. This year 7 hills will be planted.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
They had everything on the list except for the spaghetti squash. We saved seeds from last years crop, which was the best crop ever. I planted a few in the greenhouse and they did not come up; so I was afraid of them. Who wants to waste weeks waiting on seeds that are not viable. Last night we started a more scientific test. About 30 seeds were put between sheets of paper towels and soaked. They were put in the greenhouse with bottom heat to see what happens. This should yield a rough percentage of viability if some of them germinate
This will tell us how many extra seeds to put in each hole. Last year we planted 3 hills and got 8 large squash. Each squash made 3 meals for 2 people. This year 7 hills will be planted.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Next Years Perfect Garden
It is planning time again and the garden will finally attain the same perfection it had this time last year. There have been a few lessons to make it even more perfect. No potatoes this year. They are too cheap and my garden just doesn’t seem to produce them well. They require a loose high acid soil. A deer fence will be a necessity even though I hate it for two reasons. 1st I think the deer need to eat too. They just ate too much this year. 2nd it will be ugly.
Over ½ of the garden will be in raised beds this year. That simplifies the planning in some ways. No measuring and calculating in that part of the garden. Just plan for so many row feet of each thing; and figure out how to maximize the daylight. The soil throughout the garden will be much more uniform now. It will still need testing. In some ways it will be more complicated. In order to really take advantage of the space a lot more companion planting will be needed.
A lot of the items will be vertical this year as they were last year. That will be easier with the raised beds; but planning for available sunlight will be harder. Planning the garden needs to be finished before planting in the greenhouse begins. Last year was terrible for the greenhouse. This year will have to be better. An earlier start date will be used and twice the needed plants will be started. The excess can be given away or used to infill if something happens to the plant in the garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Over ½ of the garden will be in raised beds this year. That simplifies the planning in some ways. No measuring and calculating in that part of the garden. Just plan for so many row feet of each thing; and figure out how to maximize the daylight. The soil throughout the garden will be much more uniform now. It will still need testing. In some ways it will be more complicated. In order to really take advantage of the space a lot more companion planting will be needed.
A lot of the items will be vertical this year as they were last year. That will be easier with the raised beds; but planning for available sunlight will be harder. Planning the garden needs to be finished before planting in the greenhouse begins. Last year was terrible for the greenhouse. This year will have to be better. An earlier start date will be used and twice the needed plants will be started. The excess can be given away or used to infill if something happens to the plant in the garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Planning a Raised Bed Garden
A vegetable garden is a fairly permanent establishment. When raised beds are added it adds a new level of permanence. A regular garden will be in the same place every year. The rows may not be. With raised beds the rows (beds) will stay where they are. This has advantages and disadvantages. Some crops have very specific needs and the beds used for them may not work well in crop rotation. Most of the beds in my garden are 3’ wide. This is optimum for reaching the center from anywhere. The squash beds need to be 4’ wide. That may not be enough.
There is always something growing in our garden; so the spot where things are growing may have to wait for beds. The picture from Thursday’s article shows greens planted in a row with beds on both sides. Those greens will last until well into spring, I hope. Space had to be left for a bed between the other beds. That really doesn’t matter this time of year; but it could cause a problem next spring.
Some things grow vertically. This can complicate planning. Normally I like the tallest crops in the west of the garden with a north/south orientation. This lets everything get maximum sun without being blocked by other plants. In a raised bed plants are mixed up more to take advantage of the tighter planning requirements. This could put tall plants and short plants together, requiring heightened awareness of available and needed sunlight.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
There is always something growing in our garden; so the spot where things are growing may have to wait for beds. The picture from Thursday’s article shows greens planted in a row with beds on both sides. Those greens will last until well into spring, I hope. Space had to be left for a bed between the other beds. That really doesn’t matter this time of year; but it could cause a problem next spring.
Some things grow vertically. This can complicate planning. Normally I like the tallest crops in the west of the garden with a north/south orientation. This lets everything get maximum sun without being blocked by other plants. In a raised bed plants are mixed up more to take advantage of the tighter planning requirements. This could put tall plants and short plants together, requiring heightened awareness of available and needed sunlight.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, December 28, 2007
Progress on the Garden Plan
Progress on the Garden Plan
Yesterday and Wednesday I spent measuring the rest of the garden, testing the soil and deciding what to plant. I get so excited. I made a list of everything I had to do and more-or-less when it should be done. Then I went to the Blums Almanac: http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ and made a schedule that will co-ordinate the activities with the signs. Then I made a do list of dates and activities.
One thing I have discovered from this research… Good Friday is always supposed to be the correct time to plant everything. I don’t know if that is still true. All of the signs are wrong for Good Friday. Also Good Friday comes very early in the season again. Last year I planned for Good Friday planting. I set all of my bedding plants in the yard to “harden them off”. Then came freeze warnings. I had to take everything back inside and I could not plant on Good Friday except for seeds. The seeds did very well.
Last year was the first year to start my own plants. I did not really know what I was doing and I was late getting started. I labeled the flats instead of the seed cups. When I had to bring everything back inside in a hurry, I mixed up the varieties of cucurbits and tomatoes. The tomatoes did great. The cucurbits did not do well from plant. I wound up replanting from seeds. The plants from seeds did much better than the plants started in the greenhouse. This year I will not start any cucurbits in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Yesterday and Wednesday I spent measuring the rest of the garden, testing the soil and deciding what to plant. I get so excited. I made a list of everything I had to do and more-or-less when it should be done. Then I went to the Blums Almanac: http://www.blumsalmanac.com/ and made a schedule that will co-ordinate the activities with the signs. Then I made a do list of dates and activities.
One thing I have discovered from this research… Good Friday is always supposed to be the correct time to plant everything. I don’t know if that is still true. All of the signs are wrong for Good Friday. Also Good Friday comes very early in the season again. Last year I planned for Good Friday planting. I set all of my bedding plants in the yard to “harden them off”. Then came freeze warnings. I had to take everything back inside and I could not plant on Good Friday except for seeds. The seeds did very well.
Last year was the first year to start my own plants. I did not really know what I was doing and I was late getting started. I labeled the flats instead of the seed cups. When I had to bring everything back inside in a hurry, I mixed up the varieties of cucurbits and tomatoes. The tomatoes did great. The cucurbits did not do well from plant. I wound up replanting from seeds. The plants from seeds did much better than the plants started in the greenhouse. This year I will not start any cucurbits in the greenhouse.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Garden Planning Pt. 1
Garden Planning
My favorite part of gardening is planning next years garden. Not everything was perfect in this year’s garden; but next year’s garden (in my mind) is super fantastic. Everything is green, productive and weed free. The rows are straight, the paths are clean. WOW.
The tasks that I have lined up for soon are. Take down the old stakes and trellises from this years garden. Mulch the raised bed and plant some donated strawberry plants. Make a new garden map. I have some large sheets of graph paper for this. Layout the rows & beds for next year and test the soil. Plan the planting strategy to take advantage of the ph level in the different rows and the sunshine available.
Speaking of available sunshine…I have some trees and bushes that need to come down. I also have to prune the fig trees and get the green house ready to start the bedding plants. I will also make a schedule for starting the bedding plants and buy the seeds. Compost is a problem. Unless I find some more compostable material, I will not have enough compost for the garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
My favorite part of gardening is planning next years garden. Not everything was perfect in this year’s garden; but next year’s garden (in my mind) is super fantastic. Everything is green, productive and weed free. The rows are straight, the paths are clean. WOW.
The tasks that I have lined up for soon are. Take down the old stakes and trellises from this years garden. Mulch the raised bed and plant some donated strawberry plants. Make a new garden map. I have some large sheets of graph paper for this. Layout the rows & beds for next year and test the soil. Plan the planting strategy to take advantage of the ph level in the different rows and the sunshine available.
Speaking of available sunshine…I have some trees and bushes that need to come down. I also have to prune the fig trees and get the green house ready to start the bedding plants. I will also make a schedule for starting the bedding plants and buy the seeds. Compost is a problem. Unless I find some more compostable material, I will not have enough compost for the garden.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
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