Essegi said:
He he all years always we hope to have some rain!
Here we're hoping it won't rain more for at least a week!
We always want rain here, as long as it doesn't cause erosion. Our place is on a slope, but I have it terraced so it moves away from the house and garden. I used a multi-tiered approach.
outlaw said:
Looking good as always Scott! Makes me kind of chuckle to think that you haven't had any plants in the ground for over a couple weeks now, but you still have so many people interested and following your glog. I can definitely say I'm always learning something from you, or from someone posting in here. As long as you're glogs rockin' ill be following
Thanks Trev!
The whole idea is to share information 
I still have some plants going in one raised bed and several more in containers. Most of the container plants were dug up 2 weeks ago, and are still adjusting to the transplant. I pulled the plants from raised bed #2 today, we have 4 total. One is dedicated to Asparagus, one has fall crops planted, and #3 is for garlic. Garlic get planted next weekend.
I still have plants in the ground, but you have got me thinking about soil prep and planning for next year.
Last year I grew until mid December, no rest for the garden, You just can't run the heck out of it without building the soil. Well you can if you use chem's. I like to go organic.
I have access to an endless supply of cow patties and have, in the past, broken some up and put them in the compost piles, but I've never really applied directly to the soil. How much do you typically use and what is your method of incorporating them into your soil?
This summer I bought a chipper shredder, it just flat turns the dried pies into powder. I till it in, I need more I would say an inch in the fall tilled in, then the cover crop. Till that 30 days before you want to plant so it all dies, and till in another inch. This would be seasoned manure, green I would go with half the amount. AT least until you see how things work in your environment.
JoeFish said:
Garden looks so clean and organized. I know your putting a lot of work into it. You might be my new hero... its a close race between you and Sawyer.
Thanks Joe!
It takes work to get the desired results.
Our native soil is so dead. The garden extends into the North pasture. In days past when it used to rain here they grew Peanuts and water melons in the field. This was done for MANY years. Evidently they farmed it out because it's really spent.
Yeah John and I do a lot of the same things, I guess it's our age group
TrentL said:
OK Devv (and seasoned grower company).... some general advice?
Peppers apparently don't like straight clay soil very much - half my plot is unamended hard clay. Very much a bitch to till, and not good for growing peppers (had nutrient deficiencies across the board).
What would be a good media to amend the soil to loosen it some, and give it some natural NPK without having to prop them up on strong chemical fertilizer??
I lived in Magnolia Texas and Manassas Virginia, both places were just red clay. In both placed I dumped 4-6"s of leaves on the garden and tilled them in every fall. By spring they were gone. An inch of mature cow manure in the fall and a cover crop will get you going, and this continues forever. Well until you have black gold for soil.
We lived in Magnolia for 4 years, and left for Va. in late 1986. I heard from an old neighbor that the people who moved in were impressed with the garden soil.
So for clay, anything that will break down. Leaves are better than RCW to get the jump start. Get a chipper shredder. I bought a DR, one up from entry level. Damn, that's a tool every gardener should have. I keep saying why did I wait so long?
I will close out and say I do use a natural (organic) liquid fertilizer to help things along.
http://www.medinaag.com/product_details.php?pid=Mzc=
It's 6-12-6 and i usually add it when needed in half does.
I can also add I barely gave the corn anything this year to help it along...
So the sunshades are down and folded up. The 20x40' has served me 3 years and will have no problem next year. I spent $160 for it and it really, really makes a difference down here with the intense sun we get from mid May to mid September. Sun scalded peppers and tomatoes are virtually non-existent, and I water less.
I bought it here:
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/30-percent-black-shade-cloth/shade-material
I've since purchased 2 10x20' pieces to add to the collection. So at this point the garden is 48x67' roughly 3,200sf, and we usually plant 2,500sf. I currently can cover 1,200sf. The goal is 2,400sf
The bottom half of the garden, which has never been planted, although I've tilled in the goodies minus the heavy soil is 720sf. I've ordered Comfrey both Bock#14 and Bock#4. I need to see which does best here. I'm guessing Bock#4. I will plant it on the bottom.
So today we decided to make chili, a friend of mine gave me a recipe, she placed in the finals of the women's chili cook-off with this recipe.
Here's a crappy pic
The lens was fogging up cuz it was boiling.
The recipe, after supper
Here's the recipe:
[SIZE=7.5pt]Ladie's State Chili Recipe 2014-semi finals
1 tablespoon cowtown light
3 tablespoons medium hatch
3 tablespoons Dixon
1 tablespoon onion granules
1 tablespoon paprika
3 teaspoons beef granules
Season meat balls with season salt. Boil in beef and or chicken broth. Add fresh pepper.
Boil for 45 minutes. Add 1 can of chicken and beef broth and 8 oz can of tomato sauce.
Use remainder of chili power
Add 1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
Add 2nd dump when boil 5-6 bubbles
1/4 teaspoon cayenne[/SIZE]
[SIZE=7.5pt]So let me back up, she states to make meatballs. This is because she has a problem with the meat just dissolving.[/SIZE]
So what we did different because LB was like "I'm not buying pepper powders when you have a shoebox full"
We doubled the recipe, LB took out 2.5 lb of chopped meat
[SIZE=7.5pt]Ladie's State Chili Recipe 2014-semi finals
1 tablespoon cowtown light \
3 tablespoons medium hatch \---2 table spoons Jal powder, 2 tablespoons of thai-cayenne mix----mostly Cayenne
3 tablespoons Dixon /[/SIZE]
[SIZE=7.5pt]1 tablespoon onion granules---2 fresh medium onion (we did double the recipe)
1 tablespoon paprika
3 teaspoons beef granules -> subbed a half cube of beef bulion[/SIZE]
[SIZE=7.5pt]Season meat balls with season salt. Boil in beef and or chicken broth. Add fresh pepper. We added 8oz. of both chicken and beef broth.
Boil for 45 minutes. Add 1 can of chicken and beef broth and 8 oz can of tomato sauce. 16oz. of tomato sauce.
Use remainder of chili power
Add 1 tablespoon garlic_> added 2 tablespoons of finely chopped garlic (remember we doubled the recipe)
1 tablespoon cumin We added just 1 tablespoon, even though we doubled the recipe
Add 2nd dump when boil 5-6 bubbles \
1/4 teaspoon cayenne / Never added anymore.[/SIZE]
So as it is, it tastes great! But too hot for LB. Cooling off now, and she wants to add beans to help diffuse the heat...LOL
[SIZE=7.5pt]Edit: added 2 "kurts" and 2 Jimmy Nardello peppers.[/SIZE]
