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"SQWIBS Urban Garden Adventure 2019"

[CENTER][FONT=georgia][I][SIZE=3][SIZE=6][COLOR=#660000]"[U]S[/U]QWIBS [U]U[/U]rban [U]G[/U]arden [U]A[/U]dventure [U]201[/U]9"[/COLOR][/SIZE][/SIZE][/I]
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[LEFT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Welcome to my SUGA 2019 page. [/SIZE][/FONT][/LEFT]
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[FONT=courier new]I am back for another year of gardening. [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#BF0000](If you don't like a lot of jibberish, scroll down to February 16th)[/COLOR][/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Let's start with a quick breakdown of this page. Like in my SUGA 2018 page , the first part of this page is an intro of my thoughts.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]The 2nd part of this page is a recap of my 2018 garden strategy, what worked and what did not.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]Part 3 will detail my upcoming 2019 garden strategy. I consider my gardening year to start last harvest and fall cleanup [FONT=courier new]but for the sake of keeping things organized, I'll just [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new]start this page as of January and [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new]recap the winter prep.
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[FONT=courier new] Part 4 of this page I'll be posting daily updates with plenty of photos throughout the 2018-2019 year. [/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Let's start with my "Long Winded" intro! You can skip to part 4, if your eyes start to bleed, don't worry I won't mind![/FONT]

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[/SIZE] [FONT=courier new][SIZE=6]Part 1[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
[/SIZE] [B][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Intro[/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
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[FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Before I go into another long winded intro of my upcoming gardening year, I'll answer a few questions that I am sure many of you have asked.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]

[COLOR=#000080][FONT=courier new][I]Why does he post everything he does?[/I][/FONT][/COLOR]
[FONT=courier new]Well for quite a few reasons, when I write in my blogs, taking notes and photos, it keeps me interested in gardening all year long, especially in the winter months. I take photos of the wildlife in the yard, label them and do some research on them.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I use it as a reference, referring to past years with what worked, what hasn't, timing of planting, starting seeds, pest problems, plant diseases etc... to sum it up, it keeps me, interested, organized and hopefully a better gardener.[/FONT]

[COLOR=#000080][FONT=courier new][I]But why not just keep notes? Why tell the whole world?[/I][/FONT][/COLOR]
[FONT=courier new]That's because I learn a lot from others that I chat with on forums, I see what other folks are doing, talk to them, ask for advice and do a ton of research. A forum is a great motivator, especially in the off season when making preparations for the upcoming year.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Sometimes I'll get some friendly advice on what I am doing wrong, kudos on what I am doing right, suggestions on what plants to grow from folks with first hand experience, and other great ideas.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Not only are we sharing knowledge but were also sharing plants, seeds, supplies and other things as well as making friends. I also like to think I may be helping others as well. It is also a great way to minimize the learning curve a bit. This is what keeps me interested year round.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]OK now back to my long winded intro.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]It's funny how your perspective changes over the years, I guess there really is something about the saying, "older and wiser".[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]For years I tried to keep a nice yard, this meant, a "somewhat" green lawn, some ornamental shrubs, arborvitaes hedges, trees, flowers, etc..., you get the picture. Through this, I always had a little vegetable garden in the back yard.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Over the years I have nibbled away at the yard, mainly because I can't grow grass.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I added a few patios, installed a few ponds. In more recent years I added more gardening space in the way of Hugelkultur beds, Raised beds, vertical spaces, trellises, planters and small section gardens.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I removed most of my Ornamental plants, shrubs and trees and replaced them with more Bio-diverse plants like edible perennials and fruit trees.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]So how has my perspective actually changed? Well for one thing, in the past, I would purchase plants for the yard not giving thought to Bio-diversity, after all, what the hell is Bio-diversity? Sure I still have a couple flowers out front that aren't as beneficial, native or multi-functional as they could be, but I do need to keep up some curb appeal and keep the wife happy, with that said I am working on becoming even more biodiverse. [/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]Here are a few more observations. [/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Bugs...[/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new] Bugs are a PITA, but are they? For years I would be bothered by the amount of bees, bugs and other flying critters in the yard as their were just too many, it seemed no matter where I was, there were bugs in my face! Now I am worried about bugs in the yard as there are not enough. It also seems that the insects stay off of the living areas more when my plants are in bloom, go figure, more bugs but less nuisance. H[/FONT][FONT=courier new]over flies, and flies are quite the pollinators. Wood lice are rampant and welcomed in the garden. [/FONT][FONT=courier new]I installed a ceiling fan on the patio and have one on the bar on the deck, and these were mainly installed to keep the bugs at bay without using pesticides.
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[FONT=courier new][B]Other Bugs...[/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new] Bugs like [/FONT][FONT=courier new][B][I]earwigs[/I][/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new] seem to be OK, [/FONT][FONT=courier new][B][I]slugs[/I][/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new] were a pain a few years back and were treated with sluggo, now I just heavily mulch the garden. There are also beneficial slugs like the leopard slug that keep the smaller slugs at bay and are a good food source for the turtles that live in the yard.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]My biggest problem are [/FONT][FONT=courier new][B][I]ants[/I][/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new], they can be beneficial but once they start farming the [/FONT][FONT=courier new][B][I]aphids[/I][/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new], I end up with a really hard to control Aphid problem. I really hate to knock these guys out but sometimes I have no choice. [/FONT][FONT=courier new][B][I]Mosquitoes[/I][/B][/FONT][FONT=courier new] seem to be less of a pain during the early summer but are unbearable in the late summer especially when we get a bit of rain.[/FONT][FONT=courier new] I installed a few bat houses to hopefully alleviate this nuisance.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Keeping the grass trimmed and having all the marigolds all over may be helping a bit but not much. The mosquito problem is one of my 2019 projects I have been working on since the fall.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Stinging insects...[/B][/FONT] Years ago, Carpenter Bees, Bumble Bees, Honey Bees, Mason Bees, Hornets, would make me nervous when gardening, now I just brush past them and they dont seem to mind. I am however allergic to bee stings. Mud daubers look scary but aren't a nuisance, other than the occasional nest that makes its way into a door jam.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I do have to be careful of the Carpenter Bees as they love tearing up the deck.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Birds and Squirrels[/B][/FONT], I didn't care for the birds that pecked at my tomatoes, now I love seeing them because I know they keep a lot of my plants pest free, and to be honest they don't seem as destructive as they use to be, maybe it's the sunflowers I have planted everywhere. I have been seeing a lot more different species of birds, like Humming birds, finches and woodpeckers.
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[FONT=courier new]The squirrels used to be horrid but not so much anymore, every now and then one will grab a tomato that is growing over the fence and what's funny is the same squirrel will come back later and eat that same tomato. I now put "over ripe" tomatoes on the fence and they seem to leave everything else alone, somewhat, with the occasional pepper being a snack.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]If I have to sacrifice a few tomatoes and a pepper every so often, so be it![/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Weeds...[/B][/FONT] guess what, I'm fine with weeds, on occasion I let them grow to just before they flower and chop and drop right in the beds. Last year I had a prickly lettuce weed 4 foot tall that I chopped and dropped as mulch, think about all the nutrients that thing pulled from deep in the soil that is now available to the plants. Even if it is not a true dynamic accumulator, it at the least aids in tillage and bio-mas that feeds the microbes and beneficial insects. So I consider weeds beneficial for no till and free mulch and compost.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]One thing I am getting better at as a gardener is to become more cut throat with my gardening, I used to let volunteers grow in places they shouldn't, leave near dead plants still growing if there is any bit of life to them, I used to prune like I'm afraid to hurt the plants and I start my fall gardening and winter prep too late. This past season I got much better at that.
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[/SIZE][CENTER][FONT=courier new][SIZE=6]Part 2[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER]
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[FONT=courier new]This year I plan on adding a few more strategies to my gardening, but first let me touch on a few strategies that I outlined for the 2018 growing year and see how I did, followed by a few mistakes that hurt me this season.[/FONT]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Rules for Raised Bed Garden Strategy - [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B]Compost[/B][/FONT], [FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Chop and Drop[/B][/FONT], [/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B]No Dig, No till,[/B][/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]No Fertilizers,[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]No Bagged amendments,[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]Accumulate Materials locally.[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]The Rules for the Raised Bed Garden strategy was pretty successful but I need to work on my chop and drop method, I inter planted too heavily and too soon resulting in a bit of competition between the vegetable plants and my chop and drop plants, mainly with peppers in the Hugelkultur beds, planting out the peppers too early only magnified the problem. Adhering to "No Till" was a success, my only digging was if I was "in situ" composting but even that was at a bare minimum because I would fill in sink holes with kitchen and yard waste.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
[FONT=courier new]Last years[/FONT][FONT=courier new] end of season prep was a success using cover crops followed by Bio-char, Leaves, mulch and compost without relying on bagged amendments and fertilizers. I should clarify the no fertilizers part, I do use my own fertilizers like potash and urea but nothing purchased in the raised beds.
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]Plant in way of Guild[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][SIZE=4]
[FONT=courier new]This was a total success especially with my Maypop, Blueberry, Comfrey Guild. The blueberries however did not bear much fruit and what little they did bear, the birds got them, no problem. I harvested quite a bit of Comfrey during the early part of the growing season and added to the beds but they slowed down in growth once the Maypops started shading them out.[/FONT]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]Add more edible perennials
[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]I added Hardy Kiwi, Grapes, Artichokes, Maypops, Lovage, Perpetual spinach and Sunchokes
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[FONT=courier new]The sunchokes didn't make it, and I ditched the Artichokes, they take up too much space for what they produce. It's too soon to tell if the grapes and Hardy Kiwi were a success, but time will tell.[/FONT]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]Stack Functions[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]This goes hand in hand with Guilds.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][B]Increase Bio-diversity[/B][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Here are a few things I have done to increase Bio-diversity. I have put in a rain garden with flowering plants, some native, seeded the lawn with white clover, allowed some vegetable plants like kale and bok choy to flower to feed beneficial insects, [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]allowed[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4] weeds to grow for tillage and chop and drop, initiated chop and drop, planted dynamic accumulators, started actively "in situ" composting, added more native plants throughout the yard, inter planted, etc...[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B]Mistakes[/B][/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B]Timing -[/B][/FONT] In an effort to get a jump on the season I Planted my transplants out too soon, many plants were stressed and some stunted and a few just struggled until they died, seedlings will go in the ground later this year, especially the peppers.[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Labeling[/B][/FONT] - I need to be more diligent in labeling the plants when transplanting.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Support[/B][/FONT] - I need to support my plants better.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][B]Inter Planting/Cover crops[/B][/FONT] - I planted some cover crops too soon and they competed with the vegetable plants, this season I will under-plant cover crops once the plants are established.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]OK now that last years strategy recap is done lets take a look at the upcoming year,[/FONT]

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[/SIZE] [FONT=courier new][SIZE=6]Part 3[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
[/SIZE] [B][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]2019 strategy[/SIZE][/FONT][/B][SIZE=4]
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[FONT=courier new]I have a tendency to go into something full throttle. I generally go hog wild, tweak then reduce. What I mean by that is, my first several years I have been adding a lot to the garden, utilizing every nook and cranny I can. The hog wild part is almost over and I am nearing my Apex so to speak, and have been transitioning into the tweaking stage. What that means for me is, I am at the point now where I will slowly start reducing/tweaking the garden until a point that I am comfortable with. A few of the things that I will be doing this year are removing the Air Pots, the vertical towers and the irrigation lines that feed them.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]For this years garden, I'm going to try growing more Disease and crack resistant Hybrid tomatoes. I had a lot of my Heirlooms split the last two seasons especially with all the rain, I have gotten better at picking them a bit earlier to ripen off the vine but sometimes they're split and were still half green.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]Every year, I experiment with a new fruit or veggie then tweak the garden keeping the stuff I like and ditching the stuff I don't, this has worked out pretty good but it is getting harder and harder to find space as I decide to keep more and more plants that do well, however, this is a good thing.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I decided to give up on Spaghetti squash, Table Dainty and Zucchini but will try cantaloupe and Butternut Squash this year. Zucchini has always been a fail because of SVB's, I will never grow it again, spaghetti squash was OK but I also get SVB's in the actual squash. I may go back to Spaghetti Squash some day.
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[FONT=courier new]Snow peas never get consumed but I usually do have great results growing these, I may be growing these again.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]The yard long beans done great but no one cares for them, [FONT=courier new] I'll be replacing them with Scarlet Runner Beans to dry at the end of the season and the plant is supposedly great for Hummingbirds.[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]I'm planning on growing more diversely, what we like and things that I can preserve by Drying, Canning and Pickling and will alternate different varieties each season, for instance I'm going to increase my tomato plants this year, for sauces, stewed tomatoes, salsas and such. I'll cut back on my peppers, mainly the hots. The last two years I canned and dehydrated plenty of Poblanos and made plenty of hot sauces.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I will be changing up my sweet peppers replacing the "Corno di Toro Giallo" and [/FONT][FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new]"Corno di Toro [/FONT]Rosso's with "Red Marconis".
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[FONT=courier new]The "Corno's" are very prolific but I like the Marconi's better.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new]Continuing with last seasons strategy I will also,[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Extend my Growing Season[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Take advantage of Early spring and fall planting like cabbage, beets, lettuces etc...[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Continue working on Bio-diversity[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Add more native plants, especially to the front yard. Install more habitats for beneficial wildlife, like a few bat houses.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Become Cutthroat[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Eliminate plants that are diseased, or dying. Eliminate volunteers.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Grow with food preservation in mind and foods we like.[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Grow items that can be canned, dried and pickled. I started a mini-orchard[/FONT][FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new] with dwarf fruiting trees, like peaches, pears, apples and figs.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=courier new] Adding Sweet Potatoes.[FONT=courier new]
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[FONT=courier new][B]Spacing/support[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Space plants more efficiently. Secure cages in the Hugelkultur beds better this season.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B] Planting[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Plant out seedlings later in the season. Inter plant smarter! Add living mulches later in the year.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Get cheap[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Keep spending at a minimum. Use what I have, become a bit more thrifty.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Composting[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Since I have had good success with "in situ" composting, I will continue with with this method as long as there is no issues. I will still use my compost bin.
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[FONT=courier new][B]Learn[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][I]Wildlife[/I][/FONT] - Identify and learn more about insects and other wildlife that are beneficial and non-beneficial and how to control destructive pests naturally/safely. Learn how to attract more beneficial insects/wildlife to the garden. I started ID'ing and documenting insects last season, what I do is photograph an insect and research it and make notes of the insect in my log.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new][FONT=courier new][I]Diseases[/I][/FONT] - Learn how to identify, control, work around, various diseases naturally/safely.[/FONT]
[FONT=courier new][I]Plant Care - [/I][/FONT][FONT=courier new]Learn to trim plants better. I let my Beebalm and Sunchokes get too leggy this year and the plants just flopped over.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Install Rainwater Catchment[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]I already started working on this last year.[/FONT]

[FONT=courier new][B]Axed things[/B][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Do not grow zucchini or table dainty EVER!!! S[FONT=courier new]paghetti squash is still a possibility[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=courier new]Do not grow yard long beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, spinach, artichokes and Cape Gooseberry.[/FONT]

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[B]Plant Smarter[/B]
Plant Different Squash, SVB resistant
Plant more disease resistant varieties of tomatoes
Plant more items we like to eat.
Plant with preserving the harvest in mind.
Plant to utilize three seasons, trying this year.
Plant to utilize more space.[/FONT]

[/SIZE][CENTER][FONT=courier new][SIZE=6]Part 4[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
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[FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]My garden year starts at last harvest and when the cover crops are planted, so technically it is a 2018-2019 garden season, but for the sake of simplifying I'm referring to this as SUGA 2019 that will start with my seed starting but with a recap of fall/winter prep.
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Recap of 2018 fall prep.[URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/raised-beds-fall-prep"](More info here[/URL])
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[FONT=courier new]Lets look at whats new this year;[/FONT]
[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]In situ composting. ([URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/composting"]More info here[/URL])
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Bat houses.[URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/misc-builds-tinkering-and-mods"](More info here)[/URL]
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Rain Water catchment and Diverting. ([URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/suga-2018-1/rain-water-collection"]More info here[/URL])(Video Here)
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Gave my Grow Table a makeover. ([URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/grow-light-build"]More info here.)[/URL][/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][LEFT][URL="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4852/44481900000_da551bac00_b.jpg"][IMG]https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4852/44481900000_da551bac00_b.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/LEFT]

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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Started an indoor garden.[URL="https://sites.google.com/site/sqwibsurbangardeningadventure/indoor-gardening"](More info here.)[/URL]
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[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Added to my "Mini orchard". So what is in the Mini Orchard? 2 Apple Trees, 2 Peach Trees, a Fig Tree, a Pear Tree, an Apricot Tree, Hardy Kiwis, Passion Flower, Reliance Grapes, Concord Grapes, Blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries and Strawberries.
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February 16th, 2019[/I][/COLOR][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

[/SIZE][LIST][*][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B]Seedlings[/B][/FONT] [/SIZE][/FONT][/LIST][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4]Time to ready the grow table and start the seedlings.This is the official start of my SUGA 2019 garden![/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=4]
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Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
I’m inspired to do my own 2018 garden retrospective, which has been churning around in my head.

Wow, last photo looked like a reenactment of the burning bush! :twisted:

Very ambitious. Best wishes for a great 2019 season! :yes:

[QUOTE=PlainJane;727369]Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.
I’m inspired to do my own 2018 garden retrospective, which has been churning around in my head.[/QUOTE]

Go for it, I love to follow folks yearly garden journey.

[QUOTE=PhilaGardener;727389]Wow, last photo looked like a reenactment of the burning bush! :twisted:

Very ambitious. Best wishes for a great 2019 season! :yes:[/QUOTE]

:))
Thanks, Hope yours is a great season too!

[SIZE=4][I][COLOR=#400000]February 19th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

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[SIZE=4] Starting some Peppers, Eggplants and Leeks.[/SIZE]

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[/SIZE][SIZE=4] Sweet Potato slips are coming along nicely.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4] Bok Choy and Waltham Broccoli have sprouted after a couple days, the Sun King Broccoli is a day behind.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4] [I][COLOR=#400000]February 21st, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

[/SIZE][SIZE=4] Harvested seeds from my Okra Pods.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4] Finished my Tabasco Hot sauce, this has been sitting on charred oak for at least three years.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4][COLOR=#400000][I]March 2nd, 2019[/I][/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=4]

Friday after work I installed my permanent winter drain for the roof over the bar on the deck, weather permitting, I will tie that in and remove the temporary drain. (I'll post that in another topic when completed).

[/SIZE][SIZE=4] I have a lot of sprouts this week, not bad for 7 days![/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4] The Hungarian wax, California Wonder, Rosa Bianca Eggplant and Black Beauty eggplant have not sprouted yet, pretty much everything else is up.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4] The sweet potato slips are slow growing.[/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4][I][COLOR=#400000] March 4th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

All the peppers, eggplants and tomatoes are up and I am actually impressed, I usually have a harder time with the peppers and sometimes eggplants.
[/SIZE][SIZE=4] I planted some Butternut squash and marigolds.[/SIZE][SIZE=4]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=4] I couldn't find any Cantaloupe seeds in my arsenal so I picked up a few packs at Home Depot, I had to go there anyhow. Planted some Cantaloupe and dill.[/SIZE]

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[/SIZE][SIZE=4] Potted up the Jetstar clones[/SIZE]

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The backyard is a swamp so I haven't been able to get out there for my spring cleanup and to start my bio-char. The raised beds are starting to settle a bit, they dropped a few inches in the last few weeks, I'm hoping they settle a bit more because I really had them topped off. I knee-highed my Apricot tree out front and keeping my fingers crossed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][I][COLOR=#400000]March 6th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

Moved some plants into the powder room, hopefully there's enough sunlight to keep them going. Potted up some of my sweet potato slips, only had three.
[/SIZE][SIZE=3] Potted up some of my Basil clones.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] Doubled up on the Basil plants per cup.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] Started a few more clones from this Basil plant I let go too long, it actually flowered.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] Trying to clone some cilantro.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][I][COLOR=#400000]March 10th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]
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[SIZE=3] Potted up some more clones.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3] The Butternut squash and cantaloupe are up.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][I][COLOR=#400000]March 14th, 2019[/COLOR][/I][/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] I am very disappointed in my broccoli seedlings, Hales Best Jumbo Cantaloupe and Bunching onions. The broccoli seedlings look near death. The jumbo cantaloupe germination was very poor. And I have zero germination on the Bunching Onions.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] I think I will harvest this lettuce this weekend and put all my taller starts on this shelf.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE][SIZE=3] I tried doing some yard work but everything is still so wet.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3][I][COLOR=#400000]March 14th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

Moved the broccoli to the bathroom where its a tad cooler by the window, well see if it makes it.

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The Jimmy Nardelo is loaded with flowers and about 5 peppers, but it looks like the freaking aphids found it also. I'm going to try a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide (1 tablespoon) to 8 oz. of water and try to keep on top of it until it can go outside.

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Harvested some lettuce for my lunch today. And the cilantro cuttings rotted away.

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Dimmed the red lights to 25%, There is no need for the Bloom setting for seedlings. I don't know why I had them all the way up?

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I got a lot of work ahead of me this weekend.

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Lots of work ... but worth it!
Thanks for sharing both your triumphs and your frustrations. It’s amazing how much you pack into your space.

Thank you.
It can be a bit of work, mostly in the beginning but the payoff is usually worth it. It only seems like work when I have a serious failure.

I water and tweak everything once a day, spending at the most about 10 minutes each day during the week, then on the weekends I spend maybe about an hour either Saturday or Sunday, fertilizing, up-potting trimming, aphid control, cloning, whatever, so it's really not that bad.

[SIZE=3][I][COLOR=#400000]March 18th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

Back yard cleanup, I'll be making some Bio-char within the next few weeks, but this burn will be tossed in the trash, there are some undesirables in the pit.

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[FONT=Arial Narrow][SIZE=4][I][COLOR=#400000]March 21st, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

The pepper seedlings were hit hard by Aphids, especially the poblanos. The plants look fine except the poblanos which are a bit stunted. I have been treating with a 1/3rd hydrogen peroxide to 2/3rd water spray. I soak the plants and the soil at least once a day.
I have slowly been getting some outdoor work done, I started up the back pond and the Koi pond, One pump was shot so I replaced that.

There is rain in the forecast so I hooked up the rain barrels. I collected about 15 gallons of rainwater in 5 gallon buckets to top off my back yard pond.

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Winter drain bypassed

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March 22nd - 25th, 2019[/COLOR][/I]

Yesterday (Thursday) at work I had an uh-oh moment and realized that the valves on the main rain barrel may still be open from being winterized so I called my daughter and had her close the valves. It is still raining as I write this at 7am (Friday), anyhow it was perfect timing to setup the rain barrels last weekend prior to the rain this week because the ponds were significantly low.

The back pond filled up no problem using the 10 gallons of rainwater I had in buckets from he rain last week and the run off of the playhouse from the rain this week. The Koi pond is still low, it's always low at the startup because a lot of the water is pumped up out of the pond into a Wendy filter and two veggie filters.

The Aphid battle continues. I have been spraying the plants and soil every 12 hours, I increased my Mix to 50-50. I have also been spraying the trays, I have seen some in the trays, I have also been spraying the other seedlings and the soil, I don't see Aphids on any of the plants other than the peppers but they may be in the soil.

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The Aphids are loving this Jimmy Nardello. I noticed a couple on the tomato plant clones and the eggplant but so far they have left the cantaloupe alone.

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I picked up two new planter 22" planters from Home depot for the deck, one of my planters busted over the winter, probably did not drain properly.

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Up Potted my starts

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Most of the pepper plants were loaded with Aphids, I had to hand wash each one, I even rinsed off the first 1/2" of soil.

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After everything was potted up I washed out the trays real good.

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Wiped down all the pots and placed them back in the tray and on the grow table.

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Attempting a couple grafts this year, Cherokee purple grafted to Beefmaster

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Sunday was a nice day, hardly no wind and the yard had dried out a bit, so I decided to start my Bio-Char and do a little yard cleanup.

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I like the char very coarse.

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Covered with potting soil that was from my Aphid Pepper plants. I'll check this in a few days.

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The Rain Barrel was completely full, so I topped off the backyard pond. I'll be posting about the Rain Barrels soon.
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[FONT=Arial Narrow][SIZE=4]I finished off my day with some composting, transplanting a dwarf Azalea plant and planted some Okra inside.[/SIZE][/FONT]
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Could you grow something to attract them away as a sacrifice? I tried growing Wizard Field Beans and they had a really bad aphid problem and never really produced any beans. But it did seem to keep them away from everything else, so I've carried on planting a few each year.

[QUOTE=Lasairfion;732064]Could you grow something to attract them away as a sacrifice? I tried growing Wizard Field Beans and they had a really bad aphid problem and never really produced any beans. But it did seem to keep them away from everything else, so I've carried on planting a few each year.[/QUOTE]

I think its beyond that.
I put the plants outside and the problem has gotten worse, now I have ants farming the aphids. I'm going to continue spraying and hope they aren't stunted too much. I still have at least two weeks before the peppers can go into the ground.
I'm hoping with spraying and getting into the beds will help and I'll probably load up on terro baits again for the ants.

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Picked up some Pine Bark Fines for my potted plants.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]7 of my nine fig starts are growing, thanks Rajun Gardener (Tomatoville)
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I got some gardening done this weekend but not as much as I would have of liked to.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My brother and I stopped at the Recycle center and picked up some Compost and mulch. Headed over to [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]my moms and topped off her hugelkultur bed.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I wanted to get wood chips for the front gardens but there were no wood chips to be had so I used a bit of double ground mulch.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I worked on the Leek bed, making it a tad larger, I need to dig it up and amend the soil, I'm going to use some leftover Pine Bark Fines, Peat and potting mix.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I setup the new pots for the Cherry Tree and figs.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Started hardening off my tomato plant clones.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Still fighting the Aphids on the pepper plants.
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Started some cilantro, parsley and perpetual spinach.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][COLOR=#660000][I][B]April 8th, 2019[/B][/I][/COLOR]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Most of the seedlings were moved outside last week. Finished the leek bed. Up potted some Marigolds and planted some Marigolds and Bok Choy in the raised beds.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I'm a bit worried about my pear tree, there is no new growth on the trunk but I keep getting growth on the root stock.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The Redhaven Peach Trees seem to be OK.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I planted my Red Cherry and performed the heading cut, just above two branches.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The figs are doing well.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Installed the Texas Tomato Cages and a few regular cages
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Cleaned up the front a bit and cut the grass. Planted
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][I][COLOR=#660000]April 10th, 2019[/COLOR][/I][/B]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]All the plant seem to be doing OK outside with the exception of the Aphids on the pepper plants, so far the lowest has been 45°F, but there is a low of 40° in the forecast.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My Okra seedlings have sprouted and are doing nicely, nothing from my last batch of Bunching Onions have sprouted. Cilantro, Parsley Perpetual spinach have sprouted, both of my Indoor parsley and cilantro died. My two tomato Grafts died. Transplanted the few bunching onions outside that did survive, I dont have much hope for these guys.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Took out a Jetstar tomato plant from the Grow room and placed on the bed still in the pot, it has several tomatoes on it but I don't expect them to mature properly.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My brothers Meyer Lemon Tree came in so I up potted that and put it under the grow lights for a few days.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]A few strawberry plants survived the heavy winter mulching, but only on the edges, I didn't expect them to come back
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][I][COLOR=#660000]April 15th, 2019[/COLOR][/I][/B]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I decided to put my tomato plants in after checking the 10 day.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]For my tomatoes, I decided to grow some hybrids this season, [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Big Beef, Beef Master and Jetstar, my heirlooms this year are[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new], Abe Lincoln, Gardener's Delight and Kosova. After looking at my devastated pepper plants, I decided to toss them in hoping they would do better in the garden than the cups. The aphids are destroying theses guys and the pepper plants are severely stunted. I don't expect a good pepper crop this year.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I ripped out one of my Jetstar tomato plants from the grow tent and tossed that in with the other tomato plants. It got busted up pretty bad trying to untangle it from the other tomato plants in the grow tent. I ended up cutting the entire plant back to see what happens.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Big Beef and Beef Master hybrids in Texas Tomato Cages[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I am crowding my peppers this year to see what happens.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I have three different varieties of eggplant this year, Listada di Gandia, Rosa Bianco and my go to, Black Beauty.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My asparagus never came back so I said to hell with it and planted peppers in the Asparagus bed.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]It looks like something is nibbling on my Marigolds so I put some Sluggo in the beds.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I am extremely happy with the soil this year, I dug down about 10" and it looks great, I'll continue in-situ composting as much as possible.[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Everything is planted with the exception of some Marigolds, the turtles are out cruising the yard, the Koi are more active, so I started feeding them.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Finally came up with a Plant Marker that I like. I added some more re-mesh to the trellis on the left side of the fence. The fruit trees are growing nicely.
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RES rescue in the pond.
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Turtle waiting for the Guild to grow in, lol.

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Comfrey is coming in but the dog keeps eating it.

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Mushrooms everywhere but they're not the ones I inoculated the wood chips with.

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I had a few asparagus spears show up after I had planted the area with peppers, but to be honest I gave up on Asparagus and whatever grows, grows. I contacted Gurney and they gave me a credit so I ordered some Strawberry plants.
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[B][I][COLOR=#660000]April 21st, 2019[/COLOR][/I][/B]

Finished up my Leeks that wintered over for some Leek Potato soup. Got 2.25 pounds of leeks so I had a hefty pot of soup for Easter Dinner. Replanted some leeks.
Planted the Strawberry plants, mainly as a ground cover.

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I'm battling ants again, they are everywhere. Put out some Outdoor Terro Baits.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#990000][I]May, 4th - 8th 2019[/I][/COLOR][/B]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]We have been getting a good amount of rain, my Rain Barrels are staying full. I have yet to hook up the city water, everything has been watered from the Rain Barrel setup.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Planted some of my Celeste Figs on the hill and one in a pot on the deck.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Still planting stuff here and there, Parsley, Eggplants, Peppers, Dill.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I lost all but one of my squash and melon plants. I direct sowed a bunch of seeds.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My peppers are struggling as well as my Okra, I think next year I'll put these out on Mothers day.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Dug out all of the horseradish root and planted in pots, I was afraid it would take over the neighborhood.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I have a few tomatoes ripening on the plants that were moved from the indoor garden to the outdoor garden.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#990000][I]May, 8th - 11th 2019[/I][/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE]

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It's been raining for three days straight, My Rain barrels are always at full capacity. I still haven't turned on the drip lines yet.

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We had a sad day today, one of the rehab RES turtles didn't make it.
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Tomato plants are growing nicely but the peppers are still struggling with the exception of the pepper plants in the veggie filter... go figure!

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This is the Jetstar that I trimmed back to almost nothing.

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I called it quits on the indoor garden as I was getting ripe tomatoes on a few of the outdoor plants already. I couldn't bear to terminate these plants so I tossed them on the deck, I can't see them doing too well and they will probably succumb to a fungus or early blight due to the density of the foliage, but I'm not going to worry about it.

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My leek garden finally perked up, I was getting worried about these guys, I was babying them since they were planted. I only lost a few
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The pond plants are growing nicely[/FONT][/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#990000][I]May, 12th - 20th 2019[/I][/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I got a few apples on my Columnar apple trees. The aphids destroyed the top 4" of this branch so I just cut it off.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Worked on the lighting, added a few more pathway lights and installed 20 watt (2.4 watt) Led bulbs on all the pathway lights and one of the hugelkultur beds.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Since all my cantaloupe and all but one of my Butternut squash died, I planted some seeds a few weeks ago, still nothing. So I picked up some more seeds and planted again...heavily![/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Planted the rest of my Marigolds all over the place.[/FONT][/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The peppers finally started growing a bit, the tomato plants are doing great and eggplants are holding their own.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I installed my Bug Hotel on the back fence it was a Christmas Gift from Amanda and had to laugh because there was already a mason bee visiting the hotel.[/FONT][/SIZE]

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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Changed up a few things this weekend, Laura and Amanda really wanted some Hydrangeas they saw at Sams club, three to be exact, so I compromised on two, However there were none to be found, then I remember seeing hydrangeas in Lowes earlier in the morning, so we headed to Lowes and picked up two hydrangeas. I moved my leeks out of the leek pot, replaced the planter then I removed the peppers and okra out of the other planter. Whats sad is these plants are sterile and not good for beneficial insects.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Chopped down my Kale tree in the Hugelkultur bed by the pond. [/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]We stopped at Lecks nursery and picked up our usual sunpatients some Gerber Daisies and I grabbed some Lemon Thyme for the herb garden and a few cucumber plants for my mom, we also picked up a few sunpatients for the next door neighbor and we got them all in Saturday.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]We put a sunpatient in the upper veggie filter, I usually put in three sunpatients in clay pots, this year I decided on Cali lilies that I pulled from out front, some marigolds and the one sunpatient, I'm also testing out Grow Bags as opposed to the clay pots, they're easier to store and don't break, lol. All of the potted plants in the veggie filters have a heavy mix of Bi-char mixed in them.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]After all the flowers were in I added a bit of Osmocote to the flowers and planters.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I was preparing to spray some of the plants with an insecticidal soap because the Aphids are out of control.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]After closer inspection I noticed a lot of Hover flies, a parisitized aphid and a lady bug so I opted for a manual removal and will try to wait it out.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My King Stropharia spawn exploded.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Of course I had to eat one![/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]My choke berry, Pomegranate and Gogi berry plants arrived, I potted them up and will give them a week or two before planting.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The red maple to the left is about 3 years old, it was a start from my now gone red maple out front. I have been keeping it for my neighbor, but I don't think he will ever pick it up.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#990000][I]May, 21st, 2019[/I][/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Cleaned the pond filter and skimmer and replaced a pump that feeds the upper veggie filter.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I finally turned on the drip lines, I have them on for 3 hours every 3 days, I'll be bumping that up to 4 days once my pepper plants take hold. The drip lines are 1/2 GPH @ 12" spacing.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The watering needs of the the entire garden using just the rain barrel got to be too time consuming, I'll still supplement the watering with the rain barrel, I have a few areas that dry out quicker than my beds.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I was going a bit nuts trying to figure out why most of the drip lines weren't working, I forgot that I had installed a union in the center low point of the main line for winterizing and neglected to reconnect it, also the feed for the planters on the deck weren't working, I must have plugged that line up last year, DOH!
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I have the front yard drip lines on for 30 minutes each day and will bump that up to an hour every other day once the flowers get established, then hopefully an hour every third day.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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Wow, your garden is really amazing. Sorry about the aphid battle.
I’ve had the best season for low aphid and whitefly population, and I believe the yellow sticky traps made the difference.
How often do you redo your guilds? I’m considering what to replant once the borage, cilantro, nasturtiums and arugula melt away from the heat. The chives and daffodils are just fine all year but I need a strategy for June-September.

[QUOTE=PlainJane;736744]Wow, your garden is really amazing. Sorry about the aphid battle.
I’ve had the best season for low aphid and whitefly population, and I believe the yellow sticky traps made the difference.
How often do you redo your guilds? I’m considering what to replant once the borage, cilantro, nasturtiums and arugula melt away from the heat. The chives and daffodils are just fine all year but I need a strategy for June-September.[/QUOTE]

I dont redo my guilds I just toss in whatever I have, the perennials stay of course, sometimes, chard, basil, marigolds, dill, mushroom, whatever I have.

[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new][B][COLOR=#990000][I]May, 27th, 2019[/I][/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I got a lot done this weekend, although, considering I had three full days, I should have got more done.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I had asked the wife to sit out to chat while I done some yard work, so I was taking a break sharing a lemonade with her and she swats her knee, I said, "What was that" she said, "some bug", so I said, "what kind of bug", her reply of course was, "I don't know, just some bug". I read her the riot act and told her not to swat my bugs anymore!
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I potted up some plants, redone the walkway in front of the raised beds.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Ran some irrigation lines, cleaned up a bit.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Trimmed some plants, hung a few things up, buried another turtle, had him for 10 years and he drowned in the pond, very sad.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Recycled some old dog crates into trellises, put in a few more perennials and marigolds.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Moved my Butterfly bush to make room for the Apricot tree I planted in the fall.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]The rain barrels are low, actually my 90 gallon is empty[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new] so I made some modifications to the 90 gallon tank, the timer kept clogging so I had to come up with a better screen setup. I also tweaked the overflow, I put in an elbow, increased the hose diameter and used a section of clear tubing for a sight window. We are supposed to get a lot of Rain this week so I turned off the drip lines.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Still debating on using an insecticidal soap on the plants, I see a lady bug every so often and other beneficials but the Aphids may be winning. I have seen a few birds picking at the bottoms of the leaves, so I don't know if they are picking the aphids, the lady bugs or both?[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new] The plants don't look stressed so I'll give it another week.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I swapped out some of the fabric planters in the small veggie filter so they are all the same size now, my symmetrical obsessed wife is happy.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I have been training my grapes and Hardy Kiwi plants, trimmed the grape vines and [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Laura made some Dolmathes from the grape leaves this weekend, she has also been making mint tea from the spearmint, this has become a family favorite.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]There are a few Jetstars that are ripening. I trimmed the lower leaves from the tomato plants.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Cleaned up the Mini Azalea in the hell strip, fixed my Pond Skimmer net.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I also threw in a bunch of pictures from around the garden.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]It was a fairly productive weekend in the yard. I started cleaning up under the deck, still got a bit to go.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I had some leftover peat moss and some perlite that got wet in the storm so I spread them on top of the beds.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Amanda had this little bird feeder laying around so I set that up.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I picked some Hungarian wax peppers, sliced and tossed in a pickle jar.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I picked up some flowers for the front yards and back yard, most of the plants weren't native but I'm a bit annoyed that all my native plants I purchased last season did not come back with the exception of my milkweeds. Most of the plants I picked up at Lowes are Herbaceous perennials.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Sowed some Nasturtium seeds, fingers crossed.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Cleaned out the pantry and found these so I figured I would give it a shot.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I also picked up a hummingbird feeder.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]When I was poking around in the outdoor lighting section in Lowes, I came across some Led Deck Lights that I thought would be awesome for the back yard retaining wall. I had round ones that got beat up over the years that weren't working and looked like crap.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I figure I would grab them since I seem to have money to burn![/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I removed all the capstones and wired the new lights in, then using an angle grinder and diamond bit, I cut the lights in a bit then siliconed with some 832 Dow coring silicone.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Installed another set of Vintage Led String lights under the deck.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]I still haven't decided on the use of insecticidal soap yet, I saw quite a few sparrows under the tomato plants cleaning the leaves. I'll try to get a closer look this week and see whats going on.
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[SIZE=4][FONT=courier new]Random pics from the garden.[/FONT][/SIZE]
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Wonderful photos, love the monopoly money!