12 replies to this topic

[FrozenInTime]

It's that time of year, I'm going bonkers wanting to get the garden going.  Received two boxes of new garden seeds in the mail today, picked up a lot of non-gmo organic seeds.  Going to be a loooooooooooong wait for spring here in warm ND!

 

Last year I fenced off half my garden, 60 x 70 and filled with (12) chickens.  They did a number on the weeds and left a poop load (pun intended) of fertilizer.  I'm thinking I'm going to let them run the same area one more year then plant heavily with clover for a year.  That should provide me with a well dug/fertilized garden.  I will then put the chickens in the other half and start over again with that area.  I plan on having atleast 30 chickens in that area this year, hope it does not *over* fertilize the soil... LOL  I used some chicken fertilizer on the other half of the garden (was aged 2 years) and tilled under quite a bit of leaves/grass and straw, I had a bumper crop.  Well, cept the taters, they must not like fertilizer, did not do very well.  Had some nice plants, just very few taters over quarter size.  Live and learn.

 

Anyone else have the bug?

 

Edited by FrozenInTime, January 11, 2016 - 11:11 PM.

[Cvans]

I'm waiting for spring also. Working on the boat to keep my mind off of the blowing snow outside, Nothing like home grown sweet corn and fresh perch and walleye. 

[FrozenInTime]

Just had a mess of perch for dinner.  Winter ice fishing is the only time I seem to catch them.  But yea, COME ON SPRING!!

[chieffan]

Going to be a while yet so just sit tight guys.  We do not start any seed from scratch as don't really have a good place to start them.  Only one South window and out temp varies to much in the house for that to work well.  I put a small spreader load of goat manure on the garden in the fall, then run over it with the mower to grind it up more and plow it under.  Spring I hit it with the disc on the GT and then the tiller.  Stores are starting to get seed in now and have a couple seed magazines also.  Will have things ready in 3 month when it is time to start thinking about garden.

[oldedeeres]

Oh yeah! I get what is called in these parts, "Farmer's Fever", every year about this time. For Christmas I got a Farmers almanac calendar with recipes for eggplant in it. This year's new project will be to grow eggplant. There are several (11) seed catalogues on the shelf beside the table, all marked and scribbled in, just waiting for me to send in the orders. And of course the giant pumpkin bug is still biting as well. Yup, I've got it baaad!

[less-is-more]

And of course the giant pumpkin bug is still biting as well. 

Hey Oldedeeres,

 

Just thought I'd give you a heads up, there is a Giant, or perhaps two, maybe three, okay no more than four coming at you in the mail!

 

(Noticed its 12°C warmer here!! Translation: Oldedeere is enjoying a balmy 3° F and it is whopping 28°F here in Calgary...)

 

Yup, definitely 3 more months of distracting myself with garden purchases...

 

Warmest regards,    

 

less-is-more

 

P.S. Relax, it pales in comparison to the great Morning Glory Extravagance of 2013...is it possible grasshopper is learning self restraint?   

Edited by less-is-more, February 20, 2016 - 06:40 AM.

[FrozenInTime]

I've picked up everything I need to start my plants.  Organic garden soil, pots, full spectrum lights, stands, seeds.... COME ON SPRING!  I'm going to start plants mid march.  Trying some egg plants again this year.  1st time I picked up some plants, they did ok.  Going to do seeds on everything this year myself.  It's way early, but our snow is melting pretty fast.  Have had a couple days @ 40 degrees but that is rare for us.  Will be back well below zero pretty soon.  This unusually warm weather has my garden dreams going crazy... LOL

[oldedeeres]

I've learned from past experience not to start my seeds before April 1, but with global warming, AKA. climate  change, who knows? Every time I sort through my seeds I find it harder to wait, and seeing the displays up already in the stores doesn't help. I  will be modifying a Hugelkulture method for the giant pumpkin project this year. Not that last year's method was at fault, it was just the roaming livestock that put a halt to things. Egg plants are part of my plan this year as well. Also need to build my raised garden bed---- accumulated the necessary materials last year, now I just need time to build it. And then there is the bird netting and frame to support it around the Hascap and Sea Buckthorn bushes, the extra mulching in the raspberry patch, raising the pea trellis,  changing the fish ponds yet again to incorporate a marsh area, etc. etc. etc. .  And now , there are giants coming in the mail?  WHEE HAW, I can hardly wait! 

[shorty]

My neighbor started rototilling his garden awhile. Its still half covered in snow yet. Even though it got to the high 50's today, I think he is on the early side.

[KennyP]

My neighbor started rototilling his garden awhile. Its still half covered in snow yet. Even though it got to the high 50's today, I think he is on the early side.

Tilling snow should be easy!

[shorty]

The frosty frozen ground underneath could be a bit rough on the tines tho. 😒

[Cvans]

Birds and gophers are going to be in my gardens to do list this year. Never had a problem with them before but last year they really did the damage. Got plans for those little varmints this year  . 

Still looking at snow piles and mud so it's going to be a while yet. Sure been nice out though. 

So what's it going to be first, the boat or the rototiller?  Tough choice. 

Edited by Cvans, February 20, 2016 - 08:00 PM.

[oldedeeres]

Tilling snow should be easy!

My Olde Deere used the mower on the J.D. STX38 to blow snow off the garden. Worked like a charm!