re: 2024 Spring Garden Thread

Pull it up, put down fertilizer/lime, replace with cardboard.

Had the day off today, so I took advantage of the beautiful weather and cleaned up in the garden. It was a mess and needed a lot of work.

At the beginning of the day I had to pick up supplies. I needed lime, sulfur, and mulch for the walking areas. I had received my soil test results and needed to make some adjustments.

First, the pH in my blueberry box was at 3.36. I’m not sure how it got that low. Soil test last year it was around 4.9. LSU soil lab recommended 16 lbs of lime per 100 sq ft to get it to the optimal pH. So I calculated how much I needed for 36 sq ft (which was 5.76 lbs for my 3x12 box).

Next, my main garden pH was 7.37. Last year it was over 7.5 and I added the recommended amount of sulfur to drop it 1 point. Well apparently it didn’t work. so I’m doing the same again, 2 lbs per 100 sq ft to drop it 1 point. I picked up another soil test kit from my local garden center and in a couple of months I’ll test the soil again to see if my corrections are working.

After that I tinkered with the irrigation to make sure everything was working properly. Had to make a couple of repairs, but we are good to go.

Pulled lots of weeds, created my rows, moved my trellis into place, cut the grass, and I’m going to feel it tomorrow. I didn’t even get around to laying out the mulch or putting my tomato cages and stakes in place. But I have time.

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picked up another soil test kit from my local garden center and in a couple of months I’ll test the soil again to see if my corrections are working.

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Will this be after you plant? I added sulphur a few weeks ago and need to retest as well.

When are you thinking of planting out?

Looking good sir. I take you run beans on the cattle panels? Curious how much a row that size produces.

I pin my cardboard down with the pins for securing weedcloth. Putting down weedcloth was one of the things I did that I really regret.

Can anyone in here ID these?

Got everything built and filled yesterday afternoon and today. This was a job. I bought 6 yards of mason sand to raise the interior of the landscape timbers in case I eventually sod around the garden area. Didn't want to create a low spot. My native soil is also primarily clay and compacted so I wanted to make sure I setup for good drainage.

I realized right when I laid the last strip of landscape fabric that I oriented my 20x24' base area the wrong way . So I had to adjust my garden plan. Ultimately happy I did because I would've run out of soil mix and I think 12' of the arched trellis would've been too much. Overall really happy with the way everything turned out. I just need to finish up my irrigation and I think I'm going to add some path lights around the perimeter and maybe a couple of uplights in the trellis.

the help:



laying out:



filled:



covered, right about the time I realized I oriented everything wrong and started cursing at trees:



redesigned and filled:



trellis up and mulched:

What are you planning to grow on the trellis?

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Looking good sir. I take you run beans on the cattle panels? Curious how much a row that size produces.

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Thanks!

I do beans on one side and cucumber on the other. 16 ft row. I couldn’t give you a number but it usually produces more than my family of 4 could eat. Or is willing to eat. We probably could if we tried.

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Had anybody grown spaghetti squash

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I have, did well one year. Next attempt borers got me. You don’t want them running on ground, they take up a lot of real estate. So good use of the trellis.