re: 2022 Spring Garden Thread

quote:

---

Is it normal for a Clegg's raised bed mix and composted manure composition to still need miracle gro for things to survive?

---

I was hesitant to add miracle grow early on because the soil test I did on the Cleggs came back showing all nutrients were high. My plants were just not looking as healthy as they should so I have increased watering and miracle grow and they have really started to thrive.

I believe plants will almost always benefit from a dose of instant release fertilizer when they are stressed by pests/environmental factors even if the soil is rich in nutrients but I would caution to be wary on how much miracle grow you use. It’s fun watching them jump right after it’s added but you can cause more problems then you started with if you add too much (especially after fruit sets).

In the case of the Cleggs the soil test also indicated the PH was a little high so that may be a factor on why the plants aren’t able to get the nutrients they need from the mix by itself.

The only amendments I added to the Cleggs this year was Peat moss and Perlite. I am looking forward to dumping my bags in the fall and mixing it with a bunch of manure/compost over the winter and will compare the results next year.

Pillage, how much room did you give yourself around the hive? At first I was thinking of doing a 10' x 16' area surrounded by lattice to keep the kiddos from getting too close but I'm wonder if that is too big. I don't see myself getting more than 2 hives and lattice is expensive right now.

I got the OK from Mrs. Balls to get a hive and am trying to plan quick before she changes her mind.

Finally got a decent afternoon in the garden, so it’s about to get picture heavy.

I was starting to wonder if I was going to get any eggplant. They’re starting to come in.



Peroxide sprays are getting my Romas back on the healthy track. And I have a few in the breaker stage.



Got some Cherokee purple starting to ripen.


Beefmasters are coming in slowly. No red ones yet. I worry that because of the heat wave we’ve been having I won’t have a big tomato yield this year. I guess we’ll see.


However, the hot peppers are kicking it into the next gear with this hot weather.



California Wonder peppers are also coming on strong.


Waiting for some Marconi’s to turn red.


Blue Lake pole beans are already wrapping around the top of the trellis.



Cucumbers are finally putting on some fruit. I have a couple of smaller stragglers on the end, but they’ll catch up soon enough.




So far no bird damage on the Prime Arks. (Knock on wood.)




Aphrodite cantaloupe is looking good. Don’t see any melons on it yet.


Watermelon is creeping very slowly.


And finally, okra on the left, and the near half on the right is pinkeye purple hulls (eggplant on the far half). Armyworms got to the first couple of small okra plants, so I sowed more seeds. Didn’t have the best luck getting all of the pinkeyes to germinate either. But I have enough, I guess.

quote:

---

How much you looking to sell for?

---

I normally see nucs going for $150+. I don’t know if they include the wood nuc boxes and everything for that price. But I have some some cardboard nuc boxes that I can transfer them into. Cause my wife laser engraved that wood nuc box, so I’m keeping that one. The cardboard box plus the frames and I can still make a profit if I sell them for $100. I’m not greedy.

Up to you. They’re Italians. The seed colony swarmed last year so there’s most definitely some native DNA mixed with them now. There was a good brood break when I split. I live sort of between Opelousas and Sunset. Just let me know if you want em and I’ll be happy to hook you up.

If I go with 2 hives I’ll take you up on that. I’d like to get some genetic diversity going. I can let you know by next week probably. It depends on how much everything else costs and what kind of condition the hive bodies I’m getting are in. They are from a family member who downsized.

It didn’t rain long here in EBR but it came down heavy, also had some hail mixed in.

The water came up enough to put a couple bags completely under water but it came down quick so I think they will be ok. You can see the waterline along the bags and the fence.

Went out of town this week for work and my garden exploded while I was gone.

I must have 400 peppers on my Tabasco bush

We got a good bit of rain yesterday and the rain chance today has gone down a good bit. Am I good to mix up some Neptune’s Harvest 2-3-1 this morning and apply? Only asking in case I should let things dry out a bit first.

Another question: the mixing instructions say 1 fl oz per gallon… But how much is that intended to cover? One plant?

Garden took a beating yesterday. Picked off a couple tree rats eyeballing my tomatoes. Really pleased with performance of the new pellets I switched to.

Too wet to do anything this morning. But I have tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and looks like close to another gal of green beans. Marconi and bells are starting to turn as well. Got a row of peppers not doing worth a crap. One of the rows I dug out and converted to hugelkultur. Thinking I didn’t get enough dirt on top of the wood.