Impressive. I have never used pine needles. I figured since nothing grows under the drip line of a pine tree, I don't want any of it in my garden. I've gone with green houses for a few years now. I'm at 6100' elevation, and we got around 14' of snow over the winter. Nights got down in the teens, but not single digits. Beets, chard, kale and other various greens were harvested all winter. Once spring showed it's face everything exploded.
I mulch everything. I use pine needles because they are available in quantity and free. This is my first year of deep mulch no till and I will never go back to tilling. I.also mulch with shredded leaves and other stuff. The earthworms are all over the garden. I can also go into the garden after a heavy rain...no problem. I haven't watered or fertilized...except fertilizer for my corn. But it has been a good year so far. I got rid of all my greenhouses.
My native soil is crap. I import soil in bulk from a local nursery. About $30 for a heaping pickup full. I amend with rabbit poop from our meat garden. Rabbit poop is awesome! I like the green house because it keeps my soil from having all of the goodness washed out over winter. I ordered red wigglers and added them and they are very happy. My houses have a wire bottom to keep gophers out and I don't have a problem with bugs. So long as I rip out plants that bolt up going to seed. Bolting plants draw aphids for some reason.
My native soil is Alabama clay. It can get almost as hard as concrete and at times I have used a pick to dig. But I don't import much soil at all. I use goat manure to soften hard clay and over time it works well. I can also get all the horse manure I can haul. But the horse manure has persistent herbicides so I use it only on my pastures. I use a variation of the Ruth Stout gardening method. I will post a link.
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/05/deep-hay-mulch.html here is a link. I think most garden soil is crap at first. But with deep mulch gardening it will improve quickly.
Wow! To the great gardeners who included images. Please advise where do you acquire your seed, for what. Squirrel #20 has been captured and released on the other side of the water. Where the San Diego Creek flows into upper Newport Bay. It took most of my Apricots without leaving any pits or dropped ones as they often do. Here is a pic of my best Sweet Shelling Peas ever. Unfortunately, squirrels trampled down the tops by the time this image was taken. They jump through the 4" X 4" openings in the electric fence. I witnessed it. Hoping for a new electric fence offering due this months with smaller squares. Where to buy super corn seeds and spinach that works. My pea seeds were 4th generation. Maybe I programmed their epigenome. Moi
And here I was excited because I have my first little cucumber on the vine and I come in here to find people with 16 foot tall corn.
Those are some good looking peas. I plan to grow some bigger pea vines this fall. Can you tell me whst variety those are? I don't grow spinach so I can't tell you anything about it. But the seeds I planted come from the local CO-OP and a place in Boaz Alabama. I got my corn at Boaz. The tall stuff is Hickory King. The 5 to six foot stuff is called Obsession. I didn't plant any "super seed".
My little cucumbers just turn yellow and die. Be proud. BTW I planted 3 kind of seeds to let them decide who likes it best.
Which corn is known for good eating? Obsession or Hickory King. My peas were 4th generation harvest seeds from the same planter box. I owe their success to their epigenome, not some seed I bought here or there. I live in Agri Zone 10A & 10B on the border. No frost. No days & days of unrelenting heat
The Obsession corn is the best for eating but you can eat the Hickory King also. Hickory makes good roasting ears. It is an old open pollinated corn that comes from the Appalachian area. I like it because it grows tall. The stalks will be used for goat feed and maybe some of the corn as well. But Hickory is a dent corn. Obsession is an sh2 sweet corn. I am in zone 7 or 8. It depends on where you look. Summers are hot...very hot. Winters are mild and I can usually have something growing all year. In August I will start my fall garden.
Okay. I just ordered Obsession seed. My most successful corn lately tassles too early When I get a successful ear of corn I just eat in the yard. Pick it, husk it, eat it. So tender, sweet & flavorful. Don't let me down. My space is limited. Anyone know any good, yummy corn for 10A & 10B Or other garden ideas. Gracias
You know your corn needs your best soil, plenty of water, and a lot of nitrogen, right? Use a fertilizer when you plant...natural or store bought. Then side dress when it is 8 inches to a foot tall. Again when it tassles for good measure. Corn is the only vegetable I fertilize...unless something starts to turn yellow.
Thank you. My corn is in well optimized soil. This year fortified with manure, not just 16-16-16. But the best ear of corn I ever saw was from a single stalk I allowed to grow in clay like soil far away from regular watering. I believe my cool weather is why it tassels too early. Best Wishes
It could be just the opposite. Your corn may tassle early because it is too warm. The corn belt is in zones 4 and 5. Methinks you may plant it too late.
No. I planted peas and corn at X-Mas time The peas loved it the corn tasseled early. So I planted more and it is now tasseling too early.
Peas are a cool season crop and corn is a warm season crop. It took me years to learn how to grow corn. I judge my whole gardening season on how well my corn grows. If everything thrives and the corn doesn't... It was a bad year me.
Do you plant them in hills i.e. a piled up spot with multiple seeds in the same mound? I go back and forth with that but my dad always swore by it for cucumbers and squash