Covid Gardening

[Redbeard U812]

Figured to be good topic. Started a bunch of store bought plants in containers past few days.

Getting the garden started will take longer. Jungle weeds and ground is rock hard.

 

[TIN_CAN]

Lookin good man, cant wait to get my garden going...have a bit to wait here as we usually start planting May 24th when weather gets warmer....getting some wet snow today...grrr..lol

 

[Slowmover]

Rent a power auger. 2” drill. About a foot deep or a little less. (Find topsoil depth). A foot apart or a little more in spacing.

A load of compost after that. 6” mulch to cover.

Aerate the #%^ out of the garden plot (is what it does).

Ain’t nothing like blackland soil with its high clay content.

I got REAL REAL tired of chasing tillers that bounced and ran for home.

There’s more one can try (soil lab in Edinburg will analyze sample sent them), but it’s power first, and finesse is second.

My neighbors in Corpus Christi were certain I was nuts (my ex was almost used to me), but the results to 57-year old “lawn” hard as rock — ex-cotton field — spoke for itself. (Days of work).

Takes about a year to come around fully. Instead of hitting it with Roundup and starting over (that bad; 1/3 coverage of desired grasses on 12,000-s/f), I tried the above. Ha! It worked. Complete coverage in a year, and looked better than those of some nearby millionaires.

Alternative is a tractor that can get some traction and turn it. But that kind of equipment is too big and can’t maneuver.

Your new name is: tilth

.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Went out to tiller, gas up. Gas out. Float bowl gasket bad. Looking for parts now. Might just stick black rtv on break. Ain't nobody round here gonna have that part.

The garden has had compost before. Can chip down by hand and breaks up. I don't want to do this by hand.

 

[Mudfoot]

I love garden food. I suck at growing things. When I was little, my parents worked me hard in the garden. We had a very large one. They domained our land for a damn. I was so happy. I have room for a small one and SHOULD grow something.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Tiller purring along, got leak fixed.

But ........last jerkweed to use it wrapped just about everything but barbed wire up in tines. 2 hours cutting bailing wire, fence wire, hog wire, and every color in the spectrum of electrical wire along with masonry string, yellow nylon rope, poly rope, and a crawfish bag leaving this piece of equipment only a slow moving motor on wheels. Damned transmission is locked up when engaged in till. Forward and backward works but tines are locked up.

Time for madox and spade. Haven't done this since was 13. Step Daddy would wait till ground was hard before he'd let us till garden with a spade.

 

[ForestRunner98]

Nice!!! My 81 year dad has been gardening since I remember. Dad a huge garden! Would have 30-40 tomato plants and other veggies. I remember helping him till with a homemade heavy ass spade. Hated it!! I was a kid. LOL

Cover those tomatoes if you get frost. Show us the progress too!! Are those bell peppers too???

 

[357magnum]

Red , Nice looking plants ! Tiller sounds like that Brass/Bronze (?) gear inside tiller box , it happened to me on my old tiller way back , part wasn't expensive just time consuming to change . I have access to about 30 yds of Rabbit Manure as my neighbor raises them . I always put a lot in my garden plus I have a compost bin for all my Vegetable scraps I compost through out the year . In RI if I get lucky I can plant 2nd week in May , other than my cold enduring plants .My garden is about 50' X 75 ' . Good Luck , looks like your off to a good start ( Except the Tiller BS ) . 73 , Leo

 

[Redbeard U812]

Nice!!! My 81 year dad has been gardening since I remember. Dad a huge garden! Would have 30-40 tomato plants and other veggies. I remember helping him till with a homemade heavy ass spade. Hated it!! I was a kid. LOL

Cover those tomatoes if you get frost. Show us the progress too!! Are those bell peppers too???

I'm in South Texas. Cool front came thru yesterday, got a little rain. We have had a very warm winter. Yes, bells, tomatoes, squash, jalapenos, bananas......more need started. That pic is only a third of containers.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Tiller sounds like that Brass/Bronze (?) gear inside tiller box , it happened to me on my old tiller way back , part wasn't expensive just time consuming to change .

Looks like a pain to get in there, probably like a clutch dog in lower of boat motor. Fortunately, the tiller is not mine. Remember telling Kav last year when he was tilling that he had shit caught up in tines. He neglected to remove. He doesn't remember locking it up, I do, and the bitching he did. Funny, called him before removing the crap to tell him, claimed someone else must have used it. Nope, was right were he parked it. Outside under hackberry which dropped a big limb, didn't hit tiller but made difficult getting to. Old fart did admit his memory is not prime.

Though it funny that he mentioned when I get it running let "him" know. I should take it apart, then take it to him. Sit back and pop a top, watch the fun. Like a wind up toy on high amperage.

 

[Tallman]

Went out to tiller, gas up. Gas out. Float bowl gasket bad. Looking for parts now. Might just stick black rtv on break. Ain't nobody round here gonna have that part.

The garden has had compost before. Can chip down by hand and breaks up. I don't want to do this by hand.

Do not usee RTV on areas where gasoline will come into contact, it will turn to jelly.

 

[Redbeard U812]

Do not usee RTV on areas where gasoline will come into contact, it will turn to jelly.

Too late. No gasket. Had to. I realize it gets soft. Teflon will aslo.

 

[Tokin]

Ive been giving away stuff from work we're throwing away.I went to work on mu day off and raided a cilantro table for someone im told is in poor health and cant get out. Im also selling grow your own kits with a variety of seed to choose from
I have some bulk seed if anyone here is interested. Some of my bulk includes
green pea
red mustard
beet
red cabbage
cilantro
arugula
and mizzuna mustard
I also have several varieties of Marigold seed. Marigolds are edible and rich in vitamin c. In addition I have a great gourmet lettuce mix and gourmet greens mix that can be harvested in 4-6 weeks.
My kits consist of 10"x20" flats which holds 18 3" pots. I also provide perlite for growing medium. Folks have to provide their own fertilizer/nutrients. The microgreens are about 11 14 days to harvest. All can be grown in or outdoors. Nothing more than led lights needed.
If anyone is interested in more info, growing tips or seed feel free to hit me up.

 

[Slowmover]

Forgot to add auger type.
Homer’s
This is towable.
One-hand op (almost).

Set that tower?
Multiple ground rods?
Erect fence?
Emergency plumbing outlet?
Construct field drain lines?
Irrigation system junctions?
Entry-drive Tannerite minefield?

The job that pays is:
Storm Tie Downs for Trailer.
Which is also anti theft. All four corners. Steel cable across frame FF/RR. (And limits trailer bounce when walking inside).

2” & 4” bits gets ‘er dun for tilth.

Tiller only gets top couple of inches. Barely.

Was asking some old-timers how they found all those arrowheads way back when. As I never did. Reply was that the 1950s drought left nothing but bare ground.

Key here is that the grasses send roots two feet or more deep. That’s how they came back in 1957.

Sure worked for me (to mitigate machine compaction years later).

Losing a lawn of size to heat/drought is a $4-6,000 loss. Then, damage to other plantings.

Shoulda seen the way my live oaks took off in growth

Had utility survey done (notched concrete on slab and at curb for future reference), and was careful near drip line. (Removed grass entirely 6’ diameter from trunks).

Then call in the end-dump, and with a crew ready to spread.

And, LOVES truck stop for safety gear. 13th thru 15th Century

 

[Slowmover]

Ive been giving away stuff from work we're throwing away.I went to work on mu day off and raided a cilantro table for someone im told is in poor health and cant get out. Im also selling grow your own kits with a variety of seed to choose from
I have some bulk seed if anyone here is interested. Some of my bulk includes
green pea
red mustard
beet
red cabbage
cilantro
arugula
and mizzuna mustard
I also have several varieties of Marigold seed. Marigolds are edible and rich in vitamin c. In addition I have a great gourmet lettuce mix and gourmet greens mix that can be harvested in 4-6 weeks.
My kits consist of 10"x20" flats which holds 18 3" pots. I also provide perlite for growing medium. Folks have to provide their own fertilizer/nutrients. The microgreens are about 11 14 days to harvest. All can be grown in or outdoors. Nothing more than led lights needed.
If anyone is interested in more info, growing tips or seed feel free to hit me up.
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I yanked the air horn as I went past the other day. I’m sure you heard me
(great post & generous offer).

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