Sheesh.

I wish that I could harvest green beans in January.

About the end of October to maybe midweek November is about all that I can eek out with them.

Yes, that is true. However, it is like eating sugar gives you empty calories. The organic material (in biological terms not PC framing terms) does much more for your soil. It is enhancing the structure, moisture retention, aggregation, and aeration, and is producing stable humics. I think you also run less risk of long term salt accumulation, but I'm not sure about that. I use 10-10-10 solely because if I put down as much shit as I would need my wife's asthma would freak out.

That is the only reason I don`t add a bunch of "multi" fertilizer to my soil. I like all natural additives.

The corn is a natural nitrogen stripper and all I ever add to the soil is 46-0-0.

Occasionally I will dump in some ash, wood shavings and cow manure.

Outside of that, I don`t really do anything else.

The garden did pretty well this season. The tomatoes are all over 7 feet tall and loaded with blooms and fruits.
I have celebrity, sweet 100 cherries, and yellow pear heirloom cherries. The cherry are delicious! 'll eat them right off the plant, or as a side dish by themselves.
The 1015 onions took a severe beating in all the rain/flooding we had. The rain literally killed/knocked the green tops off of them. They're mostly about ping pong ball size- maybe a little larger. Really sweet though and have great flavor. I have some other 1015's that ended up staying in the ground over winter, and they are all doing well- but the tops are huge- like 3 feet tall.
The garlic is just about finished. I have 4 or 5 different varieties, the heads have been nice, but somewhat small. Last year's crop grown from grocery store cloves came out well - the heads were the size of elephant garlic.
Damn pill bugs killed off the squash plants, but we'd already been harvesting them for about 4-6 weeks. Ae tehbark right off the vines down to the 'white meat.'
The rolly pollys have been really bad this year- killed off all my watermelon vines, my first 6 tomatoes plants in gallon containers and now the squash. Never seen anything like it.
The cantaloupe and peppers are blooming and I'm waiting for them to start fruiting.
I used compost, rock dust minerals and some high quality, mostly natural liquid bloom fertilizer this year,I like the poop and earthworms better than chemicals. Miracle grow is nasty stuff.
You have to feed the soil, so the soil can feed the plants.

I tried watermelon in self watering 5 gallon buckets last year with limited success. They used way more water than I expected and couldn't keep them topped off well enough. Too much evaporation loss.

Just a couple months till the fall season starts up!

Pretty nice looking!
Those clusters of peppers are crazy!

Clean looking set up. How are you water the 'maters? From the top or the bottom?

I just use a hose and water them from the top.

 
This time of year I hit them once in the morning and again in the evening.



Next year I'm thinking about going big with container gardening and pretty much abandoning my raised bed garden (mainly because I have absolutely NO problems with pests in my containers) and setting up a self watering system.




 

My wife and I just pulled these from our garden.

Almost 2 months to the day for the tomato, but the pepper was picked a couple days ago.



The tomato was stuck in between several vines of the plant and was tricky to remove.

Very sweet tasting right off the plant.

The term "organic" has become pretty much meaningless. For instance, I use glacial rock dust, green sand, and azomite to improve the soil consistency and add minerals. There's not a molecule of carbon between any of them. That's the definition of "organic".



I use 10;10;10  fertilizer in the beginning which is frowned upon in the organic circles. Some of the "organic" sprays can harm the friendly bugs as well as the bad bugs so I'm careful when I spray it. The nice thing is that it is harmless to me and the birds and stuff. For the most part.



I'm just glad I found a way to fight the blight, especially this year with all the rain. I am hoping that with persistence I will have nice vines when the weather cools off a little. Usually by that time the bugs have wiped things out and I open it up for the chickens. The "organic" stuff seems to have really helped with the alternaria and fusarium wilt. I also use copper spray.



You have to be careful with the streptomyces, don't inhale the powder. Be careful applying it. I only drenched the soil the first time but I think I will spray the foliage the next time, I am trying a different brand.



The spinosad is new to me. When I was researching the different bug and disease treatments quite a bit of the info seemed to come from the pot grower sites.    You can't just slather on any chemical on pot and it has the same pests.





I also got a couple of better sprayers and I'm taking better care of them. My favorite is the "decks and more" I got from lowes. It's a lot like the smith brands but the one I got has a tip assortment and a depressurizer valve. This is a good thing to have when you are spraying something strong. It also pumps up pretty easy. I'll probably get another one like that.



I have some bifothrin on order to kill the bugs around the foundation and windows of the house and garage. NOT for food items. I'll have a separate sprayer for that.



I also have been using herbicides around the perimeter of my yard to keep the vines from covering the fence and bamboo from coming into my yard, (that's a long sad story).  So I will use another sprayer for that. Right now I'm using ready made stuff.

Nice to see you post that photo up!

They look really good!

The garden fertilizer compounds that I like to use are "all natural". Urea or ammonium nitrate for the corn. No blood meal stuff.

The pesticides I prefer, would be based on a bacteria vs. a chemical component. Let`s talk Seven Dust versus Thuricide or Bt.

Your thoughts?

I hate pesticides period. Never use them, but this year I have. Sick and tired of green worm damage to the cauliflower plants and cabbage. Also, MBBs` EVERY year, eat up my beans.

Thank you

I try to avoid very toxic things because I prefer not to kill beneficial insects. But sometimes you have to what you have to do.

Some of the organic stuff is pretty toxic.  I will post later when I get to a real computer but there is a funguscide I'm fixin' to get that can be toxic.

The bottom line is following instructions and being careful. By using different methods you can minimize risks.

If you use nothing you will probably have nothing.

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Agree. Last few years, hated spraying anything....... getting frustrated with the amount of plants that I am losing to bugs `n such.

So much for the old corn saying "knee high by the Fourth of July"....
I planted these Silver Queen corn sets on June 3rd.




Here they are on June 30....

You should be able to get multiple plantings of silver quenn corn if your in AZ. I have just harvested a 4x16 block of it and just replanted for my second crop of corn. If i am lucky i'll get 3 crops here in the central valley. Just had silver queen for dinner with some sockeye salmon on the grill was great.

Damn!  That does sound like a nice dinner!

 

AZ,
You have some nice looking plants showing up and those things look like they are going to be a "Jack `n the beanstalk height" before they are done.

My Silver queen corn which normally went over 8 feet in height, only went to about 5 feet tall this year.

I hope...

 
I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

I'm trying to find out what I can grow and what I can't this year, then next year I'm going to build a BIG garden....

The BT spray has totally rescued my tomatoes from army worms! The liquid stuff seems to have worked better than the powder.



My organic "arsenal" now includes the BT spray, spinosad, insecticidal soap, bacillis subitillus, and neem oil. I just got some pyrethin spray but haven't gotten around to using it yet.



I seem to have the pests under control, but the rain has made the blight worse. Actually it's a problem in areas like this, humid and damp. I usually get bad late blight but by that time the bugs are out of control so I don't care.



I'm trying to be more proactive this year and so far it seems to be working. I have such a small patch, it doesn't take long to treat it with whatever.
One tip that makes things easier is a sprayer that you like, and a quick and easy way to make the solutions. At least that's made it easier to me. I use graduated cylinders instead of tablespoons or ounces to measure with. I even made a chart today at work for quick equivalences.  



I like the "decks and more" sprayer that they have at lowes the best. It has different nozzles and the pump is such that you pump less for more pressure. I make sure and run clean water, or even soapy water through it, then air when I'm done.





I wish I would have made more of an effort with the bugs before. Here is something I found on a review, some info on how to use the neem. I substituted insecticidal soap for the other soap. I did use the silicon stuff. I was unaware that stuff even existed.

I am doing 6 ft x 6ft  raised sections.With vegetable garden soil and daily watering.

Tomatoes [beefsteak type]
broccoli
green-red-yellow peppers
cucumbers
strawberries
zucchini
squash
lettuce [butter something]

Planted in April , and the tomatoes and lettuce are going CRAZY !!

Bunches of squash and zucchini are about to be picked.

Here is a chart I made at work today. I know the conversion factors for tablespoons but if you get bottles of concentrate the directions might be given in ounces or teaspoons. I made a quick chart so I can just look at it and grab the beaker or graduated cylinder I need.









Plus I feel like a mad scientist using beakers and cylinders instead of spoons. It's a lot easier too, instead of slopping around trying to pour 4 tablespoons of something, I just know the entire volume and measure and pour.





Bottles of concentrated solutions are more economical and easier to store than a bunch of spray bottles.



One of the nice things about using some of the "organic" bug stuff is you don't have to worry about over applying. It seems easier to keep the bugs in check that way.
I wish I had more land or a sunnier yard like some of y'all do here. I suppose though I should just be happy I have something. I could put in more raised beds if I didn't have pets and stuff. My composting area takes up some space. My yard would be miserable hot in the summer if it were not for the trees.



I can't wait to retire.    And move.

Pics?
My family had an awesome garden when we lived in alabama. We had a huge yard. One part was a small orchard with fig trees, plums, and pears. The half beside it was a garden. It was mostly purple hull peas, okra, potatoes, and I can't remember what else. Greens in  the winter.



Then there was a shed and a barn behind that where we raised the meat rabbits. Behind that was a very large section where we grew yellow crookneck squash. For some reason I do not recall the problems with the vine borers when we lived there. The zone was a lot different and the soil was clay.





One of my biggest regrets in life was that back then when my hobby was photography, I was too busy taking pics of leaves, bugs, everything but snapshots of my family, yard, dad in the garden.



I have a few but I should have hundreds.



So let this be a lesson to everyone reading this. Especially now with potato cameras. It doesn't have to win a photo contest. You just want to look at it 40 years from now and remember when you were gardening in 2015. You're kids will want to know as well. Who knows what the world will be like in 40 years.



I wish I had more pics of what it was like 40 years in the past. What I wouldn't give to see a shot of my Dad feeding his rabbits. Or mom canning some figs.

Picked these yesterday.
Organic yellow pear heirloom cherry tomatoes
and
Organic Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes.

Great flavor on these! Really sweet and juicy.



I'm having trouble seeing some of the pictures on here.. so I'm not sure if the pic loaded or not.



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I hope that you have much success in your next year endeavors, my friend!

Have enjoyed your photos and comments!

Went with the Bt liquid spray this year and it seems to be working. We are getting a lot of rain as of late and I am getting behind on my re-applications of the chemical.

You sound like me. Squeezing in a bunch of plants in a small area!

Great info and thanks for posting that!

OK, Now you have gone and done it.

My mouth is watering at those fine photos that you posted.

I should be ready for some pics by this weekend. Being so far north and behind you guys it didn't seem worth it till now.

I have some sort of major nutrient deficiency in the garden, way worse on one end than the other. It manifests as necrosis between the veins of the leaves. I suspect it is magnesium or mobdlynium. Being it is the first year on my own dirt I hadn't the time to properly amend the soil. I am going to send a soil sample off to NDSU and have a full workup done. I'll probably have to attempt to lower the pH as our soils run a bit alkaline. The good news is Miracle Grow takes care of the deficiency very well. It was nothing short of amazing the difference it has made. The rhubarb I had transplanted (on the bad end of the garden) went from wondering if it was gonna make it to vigorous growth.

The only bugs I have fought so far have been thrips on my mustard greens. The organic peppermint soap from Walmart has been successful at keeping them in check but must be applied every few days.

I think I am actually going to get crops of broccoli cauliflower and Cabbage for the first time in my life this year, I am 37 and never had a successful crop. My mother heard from some old time farmers to get the seed in the ground as soon as it was workable and it was good advice. I am very excited for some kraut.

Despite the nutrient deficiency, this has actually been my best start ever. I am getting compliments from all the neighbors and my garden is the best on the block. This fall I am even going to help a neighbor  break ground for his own garden which will leave only one person left on the block without a garden.

Pics to come  y the weekend.

Thanks for the advice you gave me on the Miracle Grow. I have been using it since you posted about it, about every 10 days, and every type of plant I have has tripled in size and is steadily producing fruit.

Ha!

Butternut Squash is actually here!

I have about a half dozen of these little things on my vines, they are about an inch and a quarter in size right now...

Maybe I can actually grow something yet.....

Ha!

Now I got me 'maters growing!

As a newbie gardener, I'm not sure what I'm liking more - watching stuff I planted grow, or taking pictures of it happening...

How high up  are you there? I am in North Dakota and only about a week behind you. I would have assumed you would have been way ahead considering our differences in latitude.

And now a question for all. I have  my squash winter patch out in the front yard and it is going nuts. The vines have grown 3 feet in the last week. The problem is it really isn't a garden, just a tilled patch 3'x20' with lawn on all sides. Now the vines are throwing roots into my lawn and I have to lift those vines to mow. Are those plants going to compensate for not getting those roots established? I can't just let the lawn go.

Mile high!

 

My garden in my back yard is 5300 feet above sea level.

We have them come out of the compost pile into the lawn. You won't be able to move them around for long without damaging them - when the get fruit on them it will be all but impossible. You could give them something to climb up now or eventually just forget cutting.

I'm only 3300'.

The general rule is going up 100m is about like going north by one degree (70 miles)

Damn!
Monsoon windstorm broke the staffs of all my small garden corn.....

So much for my first attempt at corn....

Thanks.

 
the stalks are broken, but I'm going to gather it all up and wrap it with tape - We'll see..

Yeah, they are broken.

 

I'm at 5300 feet in the AZ mountains, I don't think I have a second chance here....

My dirt planted tomatoes are withering. Dunno if it's had too much rain, or something else.

My mels mix tomatoes are going great, although I think I accidently broke off a barely budding tomato when weaving the plants through trellis net.

71 yo country raised here, I remember when Dad plowed our garden with a mule. However, I use a ''TROYBILT'' and we gotta have our summer and winter gardens. You know what I am saying.......

I just ate my first cucumber out of our garden and it was tasty.

I will be taking photos of our garden when it is daylight tomorow

Cucumbers are about ready, just pulled a couple giant hybrid yellow squash that were excellent grilled with a little salt and papper

harvesting miria sweet corn now, had some tonight.   good stuff.  

pulled this out of the high tunnel.  pineapple tomato,  well over a pound.  beauty eh?