Devv's Dirt Grow-Almost done..

Weekend March 2-3:
I’ve been working on the garden for years; it was dormant for a few years (like 10) while I changed careers. The base soil if you want to call it that is sand. I added heavy black dirt to the upper 2/3 years ago; I’ve since added heavy red dirt (clay ) to half of the lower 1/3. For two years straight I’ve added 4”s of compost to the upper 2/3 and this year 4”s to the bottom 1/3. I clean horse pens for the free manure; kitchen waste is added to the compost. Our property is on a slope and heavy rains cause erosion problems. Above the garden the land is heavily terraced to divert water runoff.
Finished concreting the base of the fence, used 22 80lb bags, the Waskily Wabbits should be done, until they find another way in. They have been a real menace! I tried a hot wire system, it was not too effective and killed birds and squirrels; I didn’t like that.

Planted the Onions January 15th, Garlic was planted September 15th. They took a beating with the 30mph winds, 55 mph gusts last Monday.

Tilled and my wife planted corn, cukes, watermelons, bush beans and cantelope.

Bush Beans above

Cukes, and Melons behind the Rosemary above.

Corn below.

I started these the first week of January; I think I got carried away.

The Potatoes, planted February 15th are coming up. I planted then 8”s deep and I keep covering them up, and will do so until the ground is level where planted.

Never ending mulch pile.

Hmmm.. too many images...

 

[stc3248]

Dang it...you made me go and google something. When we moved to Carrizo they were in the middle of a terrible drought. The "sand" around our place was less sand...more dust. So dry and powdery, yet you could water the heck out of it and the water would just bead up on the surface...after 5 minutes of watering you could walk across it and the top 1/8" would be wet and stick to your feet...leaving perfectly dry dust footprints. It takes a ton of work to get a plot to look like yours around those parts...cudos.

 

[Devv]

Dang it...you made me go and google something. When we moved to Carrizo they were in the middle of a terrible drought. The "sand" around our place was less sand...more dust. So dry and powdery, yet you could water the heck out of it and the water would just bead up on the surface...after 5 minutes of watering you could walk across it and the top 1/8" would be wet and stick to your feet...leaving perfectly dry dust footprints. It takes a ton of work to get a plot to look like yours around those parts...cudos.

Thanks!

Google is my hero!

It got me out of working on cars and into IT, working in AC is so much better

Our place is on a slope, in the draw you need a 4x4, as runoff carries the sand down the hill, up top the sand when packed can't be dug until wet, even with a tractor. It's like cement.

Scott

 

[Sawyer]

Most gardens around here have pretty decent soil, but it can get pretty hard when dry. It's only been the last two summers that I've seen the next stage of drought, where it gets so dry the hardened soil turns to powder (without tilling). I've even talked to construction folks who had issues with excavations collapsing from the lack of "substance" in the soil. They had never seen such a thing either.

Scott, do you keep a bee hive or are the bees just there? I was gearing up to get a hive two or three years ago. Didn't really want the extra work, but needed bees for pollination. One day I was working in the back yard and kept hearing a buzzing sound as I walked back and forth. Spent some looking around and finally spotted a swarm up in one of my trees. They moved into a hollow in one of the silver maples and have been there ever since (last time I checked). I fed them the first winter and they sent out a small swarm last spring, but I didn't try to capture it. It was head high in a mulberry tree and very cool to look at up close.

I noticed a red wasp in the bee pictures. They can be fairly aggressive (as I'm sure you know), but they are an excellent garden predator for soft bodied pests like cabbage loopers. I try to live and let live with them and so far, so good. It's been a couple of years since I've been stung.

Do you have a link for your charcoal-making process? I've recently become interested in that for a number of reasons (increased by one after reading your application). There is an interesting archived webcast about charcoal making in PA here. It's over an hour long, but I thought it was very interesting. There is also a good resource here.

 

[annie57]

Scott, you have created loam from sand! No small feat! NICE work! Love the "bee juice," char from of course, mesquite, and ya know, aside from well, everything, ya watermelons have to LOVE that soil. I never quit: have amended and amended clay soil here, but watermelon just doesn't want to grow. Not to any size because not sandy enough. Some "well-meaning" person suggested I add sand to clay base. I've added horse manure, I've added mulched leaves, straw, more manure; it's acidic still, so adding dolomite lime soon . . . but I thought, on the sand idea, "Yeah. Then just get some rebar, stick it in and could build a highrise in that cement!" Aka, one can add clay to sand-base but cannot add, not wisely, sand to clay-base. Great job and beautiful garden Annie

AND P.S. what/how/why did you add Cal/Mag Pro--or what was your growing medium for the peppers, sterile, not, nutes in medium, not? How and when did you add it along with what was your other fert method? Results? I have Cal/Mag but also added some dolomite lime to Promix Bx initially as in January. . . don't want to overdo it, but kinda wonder if alternating with Foliage Pro with organics, might not need some Cal/Mag Pro. I know I could and do use Epsom salts, but don't know how much cal I have left for mag to uptake. And not tearing a plant apart to take to local ag extension. Just always learning (and loving plants to death, when I can)! Thanks!

 

[Devv]

Most gardens around here have pretty decent soil, but it can get pretty hard when dry. It's only been the last two summers that I've seen the next stage of drought, where it gets so dry the hardened soil turns to powder (without tilling). I've even talked to construction folks who had issues with excavations collapsing from the lack of "substance" in the soil. They had never seen such a thing either.

Scott, do you keep a bee hive or are the bees just there? I was gearing up to get a hive two or three years ago. Didn't really want the extra work, but needed bees for pollination. One day I was working in the back yard and kept hearing a buzzing sound as I walked back and forth. Spent some looking around and finally spotted a swarm up in one of my trees. They moved into a hollow in one of the silver maples and have been there ever since (last time I checked). I fed them the first winter and they sent out a small swarm last spring, but I didn't try to capture it. It was head high in a mulberry tree and very cool to look at up close.

I noticed a red wasp in the bee pictures. They can be fairly aggressive (as I'm sure you know), but they are an excellent garden predator for soft bodied pests like cabbage loopers. I try to live and let live with them and so far, so good. It's been a couple of years since I've been stung.

Do you have a link for your charcoal-making process? I've recently become interested in that for a number of reasons (increased by one after reading your application). There is an interesting archived webcast about charcoal making in PA here. It's over an hour long, but I thought it was very interesting. There is also a good resource here.

Hi Sawyer,

We have at least two hives on the place, they're nesting in the Live Oak trees, they're famous for having hollows. About 4 years ago I was clearing some land on the tractor and all of a sudden like 300 bees were zig zagging over the hood, you know the angry bee dance. I wanted to just bail but I had my foot on the clutch and it was in reverse, I hit the key and started digging, I mean I could have won a gold medal for that run. I was about 80 yds from the house and running up hill, all I could hear was them buzzing as they chased me. Then I came to the choice, run into the field, or open the gate and head to the house. I chose the house. Luckily I only got stung 3 times, probably while opening the gate. I really freaked the wife out cuz she saw the whole thing.

So be careful with the motorized stuff.

Yeah the wasps can be tough, for the most part we let them do their thing. I see them in the garden all the time.

Charcoal: It's just cooking wood. I started making it because cooking with Mesquite wood at deer camp took to long from start to cook time. On one trip my brother inlaw brought lump coal, and the little light went off. I started with a 55gal and 30 gal drum. I used two 1" steel rods inserted in holes cut in the larger drum, just high enough so the 30 gal could fit in and both could have lids on. I cut a door in the larger drum at the bottom and built the fire there. The 30 was 1/2 filled with the Mesquite, the pieces were about 2"s wide by 4"s long. Cook time is about 4 or 5 hours.

I have since made a dedicated charcoal kiln. I have the plans at work and will post them in the AM.

Scott

Scott, you have created loam from sand! No small feat! NICE work! Love the "bee juice," char from of course, mesquite, and ya know, aside from well, everything, ya watermelons have to LOVE that soil. I never quit: have amended and amended clay soil here, but watermelon just doesn't want to grow. Not to any size because not sandy enough. Some "well-meaning" person suggested I add sand to clay base. I've added horse manure, I've added mulched leaves, straw, more manure; it's acidic still, so adding dolomite lime soon . . . but I thought, on the sand idea, "Yeah. Then just get some rebar, stick it in and could build a highrise in that cement!" Aka, one can add clay to sand-base but cannot add, not wisely, sand to clay-base. Great job and beautiful garden Annie

AND P.S. what/how/why did you add Cal/Mag Pro--or what was your growing medium for the peppers, sterile, not, nutes in medium, not? How and when did you add it along with what was your other fert method? Results? I have Cal/Mag but also added some dolomite lime to Promix Bx initially as in January. . . don't want to overdo it, but kinda wonder if alternating with Foliage Pro with organics, might not need some Cal/Mag Pro. I know I could and do use Epsom salts, but don't know how much cal I have left for mag to uptake. And not tearing a plant apart to take to local ag extension. Just always learning (and loving plants to death, when I can)! Thanks!

Hi Annie,

Thanks for the compliments!

Yeah I was the guy who stopped and scarfed the leaf bags that were stacked up on the curb every fall in SA

Hey, I wouldn't be afraid to add sand to clay along of course with all the other stuff you're adding. All's you can do is try and make it better. I would try it where you plant the melons in their root zone.

I planted most of the seeds around Jan 2nd in Jiffy peat pots, every thing but the Chinense which were a February after thought. Once the second set of true leaves came on I started mixing 1/2tsp of the Calmag to a gallon along with a 1/2oz of Hasta Gro and feeding weekly. The Chinense were started in old flats from when I used to buy plants. I used plain old Miracle Grow garden soil, as I had that on hand. I prefer the Jiffy peat pots because you can transplant to a pot without any stress to the plant.

I put the Tomatoes out during the first week of March and have twice hit them with full strength Calmag/Hasta Gro. The peppers that I planted this week got a half dose.

They all look fine at this point..

Have a good one,

Scott

 

[Devv]

Well I came home today to almost dead peppers, the ones in the pots. It got to 94 here today, hotter than projected and hotter earlier. They recovered after moving to the shade and flushing well with water. The ones in the garden were hurtin' and water helped. I worked on the irrigation with bubblers, thanks for input Chris (DesertChris)! I never knew what a bubbler was...

Rough day, dead skunk in the yard and a dogs a STANKIN'!

Then the wife came home and said the AC's not cooling.
R&C time..

Scott

 

[Sawyer]

Bummer. Sounds like you go to them in time, though.

 

[Devv]

Bummer. Sounds like you go to them in time, though.

Well so far they have survived my attempts to kill them

First sunburn now going dry, I soaked em good this evening...

Have a good one Sawyer.

Scott

PS I still owe you those plans...

 

[DesertChris]

No problem!

My stepdad used the same exact ones when I was a kid. For the backyard fruit trees in San Diego.
Those thinlggs are exactly the same as the ones he used almost 40 years ago.

Oh....and....EWWWWWwwwww.......Skunks

 

[stc3248]

They'll be fine I'm sure...just a little uglier than before. I cooked some in the greenhouse last year that I thought were goners, but water brought them right back. Just remember that which almost kills them, makes the HOTTER!

 

[Devv]

They'll be fine I'm sure...just a little uglier than before. I cooked some in the greenhouse last year that I thought were goners, but water brought them right back. Just remember that which almost kills them, makes the HOTTER!

Almost all of them came back just fine, a little burn on a few. Going to work is hard

 

[stc3248]

Sunburns happen...no biggie. I put my most recents through a crash-course hardening last weekend and made it home yesterday to check them and a couple leaves had some white patches even though I left them in a spot that doesn't get full sun most of the day. Only a few leaves though. Even if the plant loses them all to a sunburn, it can come back...and probably bushier than before.

 

[Devv]

Sawyer,

Here's the pdf:

http://www.devtex.net/images/kiln.pdf

I built mine based on the last image in the pdf

Scott

Been a busy week!

A Cayenne I rooted from a cutting, it's has a bud.

Bhut Jolokia with helmet head AKA "Bhut head" not sure it's going to make it

Sunburned Reaper

Red Caribbean

So what are these puppies lacking?

Some of the wifes work:

First pineapple

5 days later

I like the bees...

Take care,

Scott

edited: image police

 

[Sawyer]

Sawyer,

Here's the pdf:

http://www.devtex.net/images/kiln.pdf

I built mine based on the last image in the pdf

Thanks, Scott. That's an informative file.

 

[stc3248]

Sweet!!! That's a gasifier! The waste gasses it mentions can power an internal combustion engine! Pretty sweet redneck stuff...not as redneck as cooking down animal fat to run diesel machines though...

 

[DesertChris]

Awesome on the pineapple!
I have 3 I rooted from tops last year....none look like that yet though....lol

 

[Chaosbites]

Nice space you got there. If I had the space I would be growing lots of things like you. Color me green. Over the years two of our dogs have been hit by skunks. Yucky, yucky, yucky!

Michelle

 

[Devv]

Thanks, Scott. That's an informative file.

Sawyer,

Thanks for coming by.

I'll try and post pics of "Frankenstein" this weekend, built totally from scrap, have torch|welder can do!

Scott

Sweet!!! That's a gasifier! The waste gasses it mentions can power an internal combustion engine! Pretty sweet redneck stuff...not as redneck as cooking down animal fat to run diesel machines though...

Hey Shane,

And I be's a redneck

Does boiling deer skulls qualify (sorry if it grosses anyone out)?

Scott

Nice space you got there. If I had the space I would be growing lots of things like you. Color me green. Over the years two of our dogs have been hit by skunks. Yucky, yucky, yucky!

Michelle

Boy one thing we have here are skunks!

Land is cheap in the sticks if you're willing to trade

I was looking for the pic I had of Otis (AKA trouble-maker) when he "found" a porcupine, he looked like Santa Claus.

Scott

Awesome on the pineapple!
I have 3 I rooted from tops last year....none look like that yet though....lol

hey guy,

It takes almost two years for them to bear fruit. We had 10 doing real well in pots a couple of years ago and put them in the garden, of course it froze big time that year. Poof all gone, but you knowhow that goes!

Take care buddy,

Scott

 

[stc3248]

Been there done that...then using the peroxide gel to bleach it out. Not a fun process. Dad guided during the winter near Del Rio. Your plants and flowers are looking good so far! I'm so ready for pods!!! Won't be long, but it will seem like eons, oh yeah and then we have to wait for them to ripen.

 

[WalkGood]

Whoa just used up all my “Like This” catching up, great glog and very nice read. One note, while pineapples do take a minimum of 2 years from tops (btw it can be up to 3 years AFAIK), if you get slips (some people call them suckers) that pop out of the bottom of your pineapple plant they only take 8 months to yield fruit. Don’t ask me how I know, lol … about 10 years ago or more I started growing them as well and started from a lonely top. Now I’m up to 6 plants (space restrictions) and have gifted many but all of the ones I have now but one are slips, so far only one’s pumping out fruit but I expect 2 more to follow within 2 months or so. Keep up dat great grow ^_^

Edit: Kinda makes you wonder how you can buy a $2.99 pineapple at your local store, makes me feel bad for the pineapple farmers. Yea I know they stagger fields but still 8 months is crazy. One thing I love about them is they can run on cruise control the whole time ... have a great weekend