Author Topic: Thinking about doing a Garden?  (Read 49303 times)

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JimB

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Thinking about doing a Garden?
« on: August 16, 2013, 10:04:42 AM »
Have you never planted a garden but are thinking about it? Well I want to encourage you to seriously consider planting one next year. Until this year I had never planted a garden but with everyone talking here at TRO in this gardening area it made me want to try it so I did. I believe the Lord wanted to encourage me because I have been very blessed this year with my small garden.

I had a few small trials at the beginning. I broke grass sod with a rototiller. That is much harder work than most people (who don't garden) realize. I even had 2 consecutive thunderstorms try push my very young corn stalks down. I had to support them with doweling and string. It was a learning process. But here are just some of the results.









By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Dorine

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2013, 10:07:34 AM »
Excellent. It is such a rewarding experience to grow a garden.

But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Vicki

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2013, 11:10:21 AM »
Wonderful! Gardening is a challenge, but worth the effort.

What is the speckled squash?

Watching bees on sunflowers is one of my favorite summer pastimes.  :)

Vicki

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2013, 11:15:33 AM »
Oh, dear. I just read the watermelon topic and found out that is not a squash. I have never seen a melon like that before.

Mimi

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2013, 02:47:24 PM »
I think Mark said it is a moon and stars variety. It is new to me. Have never before seen one.
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JimB

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2013, 04:41:58 PM »
Just another pic.

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Mimi

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2013, 05:28:42 PM »
 ;D You are a blest man! Am so proud of you and the efforts you have put into your first garden. You have a beautiful harvest!
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

JimB

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2013, 06:08:21 PM »
The Lord is good! I can not complain. I've had a very good harvest.
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Richard Myers

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2013, 07:09:03 PM »
I don't see one green tomato, Jim!  :)  And, none appear to be overripe!  God has given you discernment!  Now, what are you going to do with at least 33 ripe and ready to eat delicious tomatoes?  I ate my third one today.  The heirlooms are taking a long time!!

Thanks for sharing your gardening experience. Others will be encouraged to do the same!
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

JimB

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2013, 02:16:14 PM »
Yesterday I spoke to someone who knows more than I do and I think they may get canned. There are more there than 33 and a lot more on the way. However, I had to go count them in the picture before I understood how you came to that number :)

I honestly didn't think they'd make it this far. I started them by seed indoors and they grew so fast they fell over and didn't look very healthy (to me anyway). I thought I was wasting my time putting them outside a few weeks later but here they are!

By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

colporteur

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2013, 02:43:24 PM »
Jim;

Canning tomatoes is very easy and enjoyable. I think they are the easiest item to can in the garden. Some use a hot water bath and some a pressure cooker. The pressure cooker is faster and you tend to get fewer jars that do not seal however it puts pressure on the jars and you get more broken jars if they are older. I have used both  methods with very good success canning hundreds of quarts of my favorite food. I often  use a T. of lemon juice and  a t. of salt but neither is necessary unless you have a very low acid tomato. 50 lbs. of tomatoes will give you about 22 quarts of produce. They will keep for up to 50 years or more although I have heard that they lose vitamin C after 5 years. The world's most successful tomato grower grew enough tomatoes on one plant to can 110 quarts. How's that for production ? He did it organically too and with an heirloom.
It's easier to slow a fast horse down than to get a dead one going.

Richard Myers

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2013, 08:31:42 PM »
And we all are waiting to find out......which heirloom might that have been?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Ed Sutton

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2013, 12:14:49 AM »
Type of Heirloom Tomato = 10% success + save only best seed from it = 10% improvement next season.

Use of Charles Wilber methods = 80 % success

type of tomato variety    http://www.tomatodirt.com/better-boy-tomato.html 

basic general terms of methodology much less than the book details.   

1.     http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/Tomatoes_World_Record.htm 

2.     http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/Tomatoes_World_Record.htm 

3.       http://lubbockonline.com/stories/061899/ent_061899113.shtml 

4.  Colorado for high altitude growers 
    http://www.ediblecommunities.com/frontrange/pages/issues/spring09/lastBite.pdf 

Homepage for ediblecommunities  ( there's a SantaFe link .   ;D   )       Would give continual contact links to new growers, and chefs, and gardening folks to interest in a journey to the transplanted original Garden of Eden < IE >:Heaven via Bibles studies-conversion-becoming part of the Remnant Movement of Prophecy-going to that Eden when Jesus conducts His Garden tour in the once on Earth now transplanted Eden - Earth's giant Tree of Life is there, 7 days after the Second Coming.  Invitation only -   Gardening at it's finest - evangelism of fellow gardeners, automatic friends for eternity.

http://www.ediblecommunities.com/content/ 

general tomato growing stuff - tomatoville forum   
  http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=28198&page=5 


Eden from earth is now in Heaven - Tree of Life - in Heaven  Revelation 2:7 ;  Revelation 22:2 ; Revelation 22:14
Grateful for Psalms 32 and Titus 2:10 - The divinity of Christ is acknowledged in the unity of the children of God.  {11MR 266.2}

Ed Sutton

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Grateful for Psalms 32 and Titus 2:10 - The divinity of Christ is acknowledged in the unity of the children of God.  {11MR 266.2}

Richard Myers

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2013, 10:20:00 AM »
We did not have to wait long! Thanks, Ed!  We will make sure that we learn to grow that variety and have extra seeds on hand for when they are needed.  From the link Ed provided:

"Better Boy is one of the most trusted tomato varieties in terms of disease resistance and reliability. Plus it’s widely adaptable, meaning it produces well in nearly any climate. And it’s one of best tasting slicing tomatoes available. But probably most of all, it’s known to be an incredibly prolific performer in the home garden. Champion home gardener Charles H. Wilber grew Better Boys to win the 1987 Guinness Book of World Records for the largest amount of tomatoes per plant – 342 pounds of fruit from just one Better Boy plant!"
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Ed Sutton

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #15 on: August 25, 2013, 01:32:41 PM »
If there are any highly vigorous vines that are invasive weeds where you are, try chopping them up minus their seeds or reproductive roots or nodes, and composting them in a covered composting container, their strong growth chemistry might carry through into the finished compost .     

Charles Wilbur uses kudzu in his compost, also he never let's his compost get rained on till it goes in the ground, he stores it in covered trash cans, for up to 3 yrs with little if any loss of fertility.

He says after trial and error, chicken manure spikes growth but then declines when the tomatoes need it most, so he uses cow manure.   He says cow manure is slower than chicken manure and not quite as hot so it starts slower but continues longer.   Therefore cow manure is almost all grass, so adding lots of grass clipping to the compost and bagging grass clipping and wetting them to semi cook in the bag before use, might be a workable substitute.

The problem with manures = feedlot antibiotics, banned substances being used, hormones fed to the animals, diseases, composting might not degrade and compost.

( another Charles Wilbur tip)  Grow rye and hairy vetch as a cover crop, mow, till under before preparing soil for tomatoes, alternate planting clover and soybeans between tomato rows to fix nitrogen.

Add garden worms to the prepared soil too.  Mulch with 4 inch thick sections of bale of hay or straw, do NOT hoe tomatoes, you cut side roots that grow out 48+ inches from each side of the plant, water the ground not the plant, use well, river, lake water, NOT tap water.  Chlorine stresses the tomatoes a lot.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHetN7UIdBk 

Then there's always the Mittleider mix of minerals added to store bought 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 fertilizer and kept in a tight plastic bucket.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb1LEAEr1rE 

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj7vVgRb6ds

  http://vimeo.com/channels/74204/7249279 

  https://aiki.pbworks.com/w/page/1594755/special%20Mittleider%20fertilizer%20mix   
Grateful for Psalms 32 and Titus 2:10 - The divinity of Christ is acknowledged in the unity of the children of God.  {11MR 266.2}

Mark W

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #16 on: August 29, 2013, 06:23:51 AM »
JimB, I have to at least say that for a gardening newbie that even ventured to start his own mater plants, your efforts are impressive. Most don't venture out that far the first year and as well don't experience as good of success. God indeed is blessing your efforts. Keep up the good work.

JimB

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #17 on: August 29, 2013, 06:19:50 PM »
Thanks for the encouragement Mark! Funny that you bring this topic current tonight. I just got back inside from harvesting over double the last amount with a lot more on the way. Although I was hoping for a good crop I had no idea it would be this good. However, with that said. I'll have to be more careful next year. This year I let the plants grow too far before I could contain them so I've lost probably about 10% because the plants got heavy and a lot of the fruit is/was sitting on the ground. :( 

However Mark, I have yet to harvest my only 2 melons because I keep looking for the "dead" thing up near where the melon attaches to the vine and it either doesn't have one or it isn't coming close to shriveling up yet and melons just keep getting bigger. I hope I haven't waited too long. I'll check again in a couple of days.
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Mark W

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #18 on: August 30, 2013, 11:14:05 AM »
Look for the little curls that are used to grab a hold of things to keep the vines in place. They will be at the first leaf node up and down the vine from the stem. See if the pic in the link will help. God bless.
http://pinterest.com/pin/231442868323232074/

Richard Myers

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Re: Thinking about doing a Garden?
« Reply #19 on: March 14, 2014, 10:49:25 PM »
If you are thinking about it, now is the time to do something!  :)  In the Northern hemisphere, it is time to start planting or preparing to plant the summer or spring garden. I set out my tomatoes this week. Well....a few. We are past the average last frost date. And. we have had an early spring.  I put out 14 plants of different heirloom varieties. Am prepared to put up a hoophouse to protect them in case bad weather comes along. It would take about 30 minutes to put it up.

If you have not started gardening, now is a good time to do it. There are a lot of helpful friends here to encourage you! And, God will bless you and  your family.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.