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Planning for next year

W

wordwiz

With this being Labor Day weekend in the US, it signifies the unofficial end of summer. In reality, if '08 is like '07, I should have about six more weeks to harvest produce. But it is also time to look forward and start planning for next year.

I think my key to success is not just what I sow in January or February or transplant in May, but what I spread in October. I want to cover the garden with horse manure/straw and sow wheat.

Last year, I put all my toms and eggplants in the compost pile without mulching them. They did not decompose completely during fall/winter/early spring - this year I will mulch them all before tossing them into the pile. Plus, I still have maybe 5 cubic yards of dead dirt I can add to the piles. Being able to reclaim a huge chunk of ground will allow me to plant more types of veggies.

Adding the horse manure and sowing wheat should greatly increase the nitrogen in the ground, at least early in the growing season. My experience is that this will boost the plants early on but not affect the fruits. If I need to adjust the pH, lime is real cheap.

I also intend to cut back both the number and varieties of toms and peppers I grow next year. Instead of 50 toms and 45 peppers, I'm planning on 30 and 30. The biggest difference will be with the peppers - I have 45 different types of peppers, next year that number will be cut to 15 - just more of the ones I like. Plus (hopefully) all but the ones I overwinter will be in the ground and not in containers.

Mike
 
Well i hope things go well next season for you mike and that extra space will sure help..Like you cutting down on variety's next year on peppers but increasing on the veg side,okra,pak choi,more herbs,carrots,parsnips,radish,lettuce and a whole lot more indeed :)
 
I want to tell you Wordwiz never put horse manure in the garden always put instead cow manure because if you put horse manure you will have lot of big weeds & it is hard to get rid of it every year,cow manure is the best for vegetable #1 on my list for the garden outside ,for next year I will have mix little bit of everything super hot,all bunch different habaneros type peppers & course wild species.
 
951,

I don't have access to cow manure but I can get all the horse manure I need. But why would horse manure cause weeds butr cow manure wouldn't? This doesn't make sense. A friend down the road uses horse manure and has a fantastic garden. Have your tried it?

Mike
 
Well it all up to you my friend I had horse manure first year took me couple of year to get rid of the weeds,about cow manure I do not know why don't have weeds don't take me wrong with horse manure you will have great looking plants in your garden but you will have problem with weeds that why I have black plastic between the race beds to prevent from weeds & also keep the heat so the plants get enogh the heat & grow better producing quality vegetable( peppers tomatoes & everything else.If you don't have cow manure when is season finish order from nurseries truck load of top soil with minerals that will bust your peppers production.
 
951,

Sorry, but I can't help it! Did you feed your horses weeds or feed?

But seriously, why would horse manure cause weeds and cow manure doesn't?

As far as weeds go, I have a hoe and know how to use it.

Mike
 
Hoe it up!

As far as planning for next season... well I am hoping to overwinter a few plants. I'm also planning to start my plants indoors a lot soon this and have the setup automated for watering with led or fluorescent lighting.

Hopefully that will get me a few peppers a bit sooner.

I've also learned that I have have bugs that eat turnips, rutabagas and spinach, yet leave carrots, swiss chard, beets, kohlrabi, squash, eggplants and all types of lettuce alone. So I will be growing more of those next year and not bothering with several rows of turnips, rutabagas and spinach.

I'm also trying to figure out what tomato plants are worth the effort. I have two different types of roma's growing and neither is ripe yet. Several heirloom varieties and no ripe ones either. A few hybrids producing some decent tomatoes but honestly, nothing that seems amazing. Tons of grape and cherry tomatoes (my faves) and so far I think sungold is the tastiest variety so I will probably only grow those and one other variety next year.

Still trying to figure out exactly what peppers I will grow in ground and what ones in containers.
 
I think it just takes time a little experimentation with soil and other substances to get a balance in a garden or if you growing in pots, Ive learn t a lot this year and will try harder to make less mistakes next :)
 
wordwiz said:
951,

Sorry, but I can't help it! Did you feed your horses weeds or feed?

But seriously, why would horse manure cause weeds and cow manure doesn't?

As far as weeds go, I have a hoe and know how to use it.

Mike
Click to expand...

He's right, cow manure has less weeds because their food is digested in 4 stomachs. I'm using horse manure this year going against my own advice, and I've never seen so many weeds:(
 
These horses are stabled and as far as I know don't graze in the grass. But if weeds are truely a concern, I can skip the manure. The main thing is getting the soiled tilled and wheat sown. The wheat tends to put a lot of nitrogen back into the ground and then if I can mow it in the spring and ket the roots till in hopefully in early March, it should really give my dirt a boost.

Mike
 
Millworkman,

I friend down the road uses the manure - it comes from the County Fair property. I'll check with him and see if he has weed problems.

This year, I actually let my weeds grow until they started interfering with the plants. I like compost!

Mike
 
Potawie is right as usual.;) I grew up on a farm with both horses and cows and learnt that cow manure is the best. The horses digestive process actually helps the germination of seeds.

I used horse poo last year cause i couldn't get the cow poo and i had nothing but trouble.

But on the other hand, I would rather have to remove the weeds than not have the manure!!!!!

In regards to the horses being stabled and not having access to grazing land, It doesn't matter.. If they eat hay then they eat seeds!!!!! Plain and simple...

Even after saying all this i would still use horse manure if i had no other choice due to how dam good it is...

Hope it all works out for you Wordwiz
 
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