Newbie Gardener with Tons o Questions

[Hodge71 664]

So for the first time in my adult life I'm going to plant a serious garden. I have done container gardens and a few square foot gardens at my previous residences. I have some questions about preparation of rows planting etc. This garden is probably going to be 60x80 or maybe 60x100. I will be able to tell more once I measure things.

 

1.)The first question is prep. I have no clue how to prep something this big. I have heard tilling is best, is that true? Plow, disc, cultivate better? I'm looking for the most bang for the buck as far as implements and don't want to invest in 3 if 1 will   do it as good or better.

 

2.)The next thing is row spacing. The last thing I want to do is spend countless hours everyday hoeing and weeding to keep things under control so I was wondering if it would be better to space things wider so I can use a Mantis tiller or something similar and run it down the rows once a week?

 

3.) I guess the last is planting. How do I make heirloom carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, beans, brussel sprouts, beans, peas, maybe some sweet corn etc...all coexist in their appropriate areas of the garden in harmony?

 

Ok let the laughing begin...hopefully answers will follow....

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Jeff:  Here is a pic of my vegetable garden my wife Ruth and I finished planting yesterday with our friend at his farm.     It is about 60 x 80.  I tilled this thing after it was first plowed and cultivated (it had not been used before as a vegetable garden it was the horse and mule lot 70 years ago).  The tiller made the depth about 6 inches which is good for most things you want to plant.   We mound the melons and cucumbers for planting.

 

 

 

I tilled to get it fairly fine and let it dry three hours in between final tilling to let the grass dry up.    This is only my second time using my tiller o n a garden so I am no expert!   I used the tiller one chain up the first two or three rounds and all the way down for the final fourth or fifth round.  

 

You will see from the pic that we made the rows about 24 inches apart and 60 feet long.   We ran string between the stakes.   Marked all the stakes and sometimes had half rows of one thing then another.    The seed packets usually give you instructions on the planting depth, etc.    I bought seed and plants from four different locations.    Like you note you have to be careful about mixing some things close to one another like -melons, cucumbers, zucchini as they can cross when the plant runners mix.

 

We planted radishes, beets, carrots, dill, basil and soy beans  (edamame) from seed.   We planted broccoli, five finds of tomatos, cucumbers, and cabbage from plants.   We also planted 60 King Richard leeks from plant shoots, onions and scallions too.

 

Pole beans, pumpkins,  and watermelon will come next. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Butch 194]

Jeff this is my first year for a garden also. I made my rows wide enough to get my tractor

with a cultivator between them to knock the weeds down. I have a nice Troy-bilt tiller but

I used my tractor for everything.

[Butch 194]

Lane Ranger take some pics throughout the growing season. I'd like to see how things

come along.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

I will try to show some regular progress in the vegetable garden this simmer Butch!  I can tell you the early belle radishes are doing just that 6 days and there are little leaves shooting up the entire row!

[DOC in Kentucky 178]

Hey Lane, just curious about what yo are doing to keep the wildlife out. I put in a garden every year and about half is eaten by deer, rabbits and birds!!!

[sorekiwi 761]

Hey Lane, just curious about what yo are doing to keep the wildlife out. I put in a garden every year and about half is eaten by deer, rabbits and birds!!!

The deer got all my sweetcorn last year, decimated it a week or two before it was ready for picking.

 

They never used to come that close to the house, but last year was the first time I havent had a dog or two running around the property.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

The two farmers are putting up hog fencing for the deer on Wednesday and we are going to put chicken wire around it for the rabbits !    But the secret weapon is to buy some artificial fox urine in a spray bottle !   I think it is $20 a pint and it will keep just about everything away for a while!

 

 

This Liguid Fence also works well.  I used it before too.

 

 

http://www.liquidfence.com/deer-repellent-1-qt-con.html

 

 

Sorekiwi: I had a garden 20 years ago bigger than this and three rows of sweet corn came in and the night it was ready to pick the raccoons took it all! 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2014 by Lane Ranger

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Radishes are up after seven days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two sides of our fence on the vegetable garden were put up on Tuesday!

 

 

 

 

[IthacaJeff 151]

Jeff;

Don't assume you can till in the mud.

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2014 by IthacaJeff

[Butch 194]

What are the strings for?

[farmer 1,075]

Firstly good luck with your big plot, if you get yourself organised it wont be hard to look after, it'll  be a pleasure.

 

1 If you want to do all you can with your  you'll need a tiller and a cultivator minimum, cultivator for hoeing between rows.

 

2 I use a row spacing of 28" for most plants, that way I can use my tractor for hoeing until the plants are to big, then I use a single wheel hoe. ( planet jr )

 

3 Can't help with the heirloom seed question, but that's something I would like to get into, so I'm interested in what others have to say. 

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

 The strings are for setting a straight row Butch!

 

Here are some progress photos.  I think we are in the ground about 14 days with these photos taken today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Butch 194]

Thanks LaneRanger. Garden looks good also!

[Eric857 54]

Does anyone know how I should make a garden with an earthplow and a cultivator, I do not have a tiller and all i am seeing is how to do it with a tiller all over the internet, and there are no how to's on how to make a garden with out a tiller. at this point I am at a loss because there is no real information on how to it and how to use the earthplow and a cultivator

[specialwheelhorse 174]

Try weed eater line works better than string. Try it you will like it !!

[Butch 194]

Eric I use my mold board plow to turn the earth under. I then us my grader plow

to level the ground. Then I tilt the blade to make mounds that I plant in. My

spacing is close to 50" between rows so I can get my tractor through.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

We worked on the vegetable garden today.

 

Set up a series of poles for the pole beans and then planted pole beans under each pole!

 

Garden is growing fast for only the beginning of the third week! It was still a little wet today but good enough to work on the pole bean plantings!

 

 

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[Butch 194]

Your plants look good Lane Ranger. Mine have been in 18 days and don't look nearly as big.

[leeave96 487]

Late to this thread, but IMHO, this is the best book of gardening I have ever read. Lots of cool pics too...

http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Ways-Gardening-****-Raymond/dp/0882663194

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

We had chicken breast salad tonight for dinner.  Chicken, grape tomatoes, salad, radishes and scallions.    The scallions, lettuce and radishes were from our vegetable garden which we worked in for three hours today !    The radishes were only planted 30 days ago!  Pole beans are coming up and we planted cherry tomatoes and peas today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Lane you have a very nice looking garden!

[dennist 139]

Lane, I can see your vegetables are doing great, but where are your weeds? Just kidding....great garden and looks like you put a good amt of time into it. Very nice and early planting compared to us.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Close up of radishes, scallions, lettuce and broccoli plants (still growing but fast) !