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New Member
 
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Last Login: 8/18/2008 12:09:24 PM
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Hi Everybody,
I know that we're all feeling the pinch of high fuel costs (or maybe it's more of a punch?) and higher food prices. I've heard a lot of people say they're trying to grow more of their own food to save money and a farmer down the street who runs a nursery said he had more beginning veggie gardeners stop by this year than any other. He sold out of most of his vegetables in no time. My family and I plant a vegetable garden every year, but the results are seldom spectacular since we tend to put more time into our animals and other summer pursuits. This year, however, we're really trying to make our garden more productive and take better care of it. I would also like to keep my garden producing food into the fall and winter.
What do you folks think about sharing our best tips for growing lots of good, healthy veggies, along with a word of advice about what NOT to do in the vegetable garden? I'm sure we can learn a lot from each other
Here's mine (I know these may be obvious to you green-thumb people out there):
1. Mulch! This month has been hot and dry for western Washington, so I've been laying on the mulch, either straw/hay or compost, around my veggies. I love how it keeps the weeds down and makes them easier to pull out if they do grow, helps retain moisture in the ground so I can water less often, and improves the soil structure as it breaks down.
2. Control slugs with beer (or ducks). We garden organically and count on our ducks, chickens, wild birds, and beneficial insects to deal with bug pests. Sadly, my ducks have been slacking in the slug-eating department because the girls have gone broody, so my husband resorted to putting out shallow dishes of cheap beer in our garden. The slugs climb in and drown (or drink themselves to death?).
3. Give heirlooms a try. Last year I tried out some open-pollinated heirloom vegetable varieties in my garden -- veggies that you can save seed from and they'll breed true. We did Amish Snap Peas, Scarlet Runner Beans, Purple Viking Potatoes, Black Beauty Zucchini, and French Breakfast Radishes. They all did great, plus I saved seed from the peas and beans, and they actually grew this year. I'm growing more varieties now (including Bull's Blood Beets, Oxheart Carrots, and Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce) and will try to save more seed.
Garden Don't: Don't let weeds get started in your snap pea row! I let the weeds get out of hand and had a horrible time clearing them out without damaging the delicate snap pea vines On the bright side, I still got plenty of peas 
Cherie
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/12/2008 10:57:39 PM
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| Water: Don't over water. You can drown the plants, produce to thick of a skin/no flesh, or a big beautiful bush w/o any fruit. Although thats basic knowledge, but very important.
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/18/2008 12:09:24 PM
Posts: 70,
Visits: 101
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[quote]sleboers (7/23/2008)
Water: Don't over water. You can drown the plants, produce to thick of a skin/no flesh, or a big beautiful bush w/o any fruit.
Although thats basic knowledge, but very important.[/quote]
I think that's very good advice, and a great reminder when so many areas are facing water shortages. We've had a pretty dry summer here (for us), and I've been trying to give my plants only as much water as they need. I always water in the evening, too, to try and minimize evaporation.
Thanks for your tip!
Here's another thing I did right this year (yipee). I planted Swiss Chard right next to my snap peas and the shade from the peas has seemed to really help the chard during hot weather. They're huge!
Happy Gardening,
Cherie
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 7/27/2008 5:31:12 AM
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| In times of drought, weeding too much can be problematic. It further disturbs the soil, letting go of much-needed moisture. My garden isn't picture perfect, but my plants aren't wilting, in spite of a lack of rain, yet again. I'm using the weed wacker in the aisles between the rows to keep them down to a manageable level. I know some people even use a mower between their rows.
Karen
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/18/2008 12:09:24 PM
Posts: 70,
Visits: 101
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Since most of you seem to be guarding your best gardening secrets  , I'll post a few more of mine (again, some of these are probably no-brainers for those of you with truly green thumbs!).
1. Monitor your zucchini. I don't mind a few zucchini growing to gigantic, scary proportions, but I can only make so many batches of zucchini bread. Last year I was much more careful about monitoring the growth of my zucchini, harvesting them while they were still a reasonable size to cook (and still nice and tender).
2. Make a wheel barrow lettuce garden. This year I took an old rusted wheel barrow with a flat tire, poked holes in it, filled it with dirt and compost, and planted red sails lettuce in it. The lettuce has thrived all summer with regular watering and its elevated position in the wheelbarrow has kept it out of reach of slugs and my chickens. I pick the biggest leaves while letting the roots and small leaves remain and the leaves just keep growing and growing...
3. Visit your garden every day during the growing season. This is one I have a hard time with, since I tend to pay more attention to the animal side of our farm, but I'm trying. If you get out there every day, even if just to look things over, you'll be able to spot pest or disease problems earlier and see if it needs watering, weeding, or harvesting. Last week, after neglecting my veggie garden for several days (actually, it may have been more than several days), I paid it a visit and found two broccoli plants completely riddled with aphids (at least I think they're aphids) and another one bolting because of the heat. Argh! Had I been more attentive, I could have dealt with the aphids before their population exploded and harvested the broccoli before it flowered (although flowery broccoli actually tastes pretty good, too).
Come on, I know you folks have lots of gardening tricks up your sleeves And thanks to those of you who shared!
Cherie
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