Hey Tubby try them separately so next year you'll know which one did better!
Doug
General Discussions 2009 - Chapter 26
That was what I figured at least then we would have an idea which one works
For me I think I'll have to cover the leaves with something to keep the wind from relocating my potato patch.LOL.Maybe a strip of chicken wire on each side.. I'm thinking an light weight iron rod bent on an angle.So I can add leaves as plant grows.
We will see which way is less work & best production.Using same spud seed in each..
Paul. I remember your post on wanting to try strawberries in bales.
I know it wouldn't carry over from year to year, in my area, as the bales really deteriorate rapidly. By the third year they would be growing in the ground. Some varieties here in zone 4 need to be protected with a layer of mulch, to survive the winter. So I couldn't be of any help to you there. I'm thinking their roots don't grow deep enough and you would probably have to keep transplanting them, every other year or even every year. That would be my take on that situation.
As for potatoes; My experiment with potatoes between two rows of bales was a failure. The nitrogen I used in the bales for the tomatoes, evidently leached to the potato roots. I had great vines and no potatoes.
Russ
Oh Russ they must have been that new genetic variety, Noseeum Reds!!!
Good one Doug
That sounds about right..
Won't plant that fictious variety again. LOL
Am going to use last years straw bales over some seed potatoes this year. The nitrogen should be minimal and do just fine now.
Russ
This message was edited Feb 27, 2009 2:32 PM
Paul, I heard once that the growers save one plant from a runner each year. They take off everything but that one plant (so all the strength will go to it) and leave it connected to the mom plant and plant it. When it is big enough they disconnect it and let it grow on it's own. At the end of the season they discard the mother plant, so each year they have a new start. That way they have the same amount of plants each year, big strong roots.
You know how you buy strawberry plants? You get a handful of roots. So, they do not have to be planted all winter too. Just keep them cold enough they don't grow, but not so cold as to freeze.
As far as growing in bales goes, I don't know why you couldn't do it using the same concept. At least you would have the idea of the original reason for growing in the bales per Kent, NO HOEING, NO WEEDING, NO TILLING. Is that right Kent? LOL
And my addition, NO BENDING.
Jeanette
Jeanette: that's No Weeding, No Hoeing, No Tilling! :-)
That's how we have it on the shirts.
LOL OMG I got it out of order. Don't I get credit for getting them all on there? So funny, I had to go back to find that and now you knock it. And the funny thing is I took it off of the shirt, but just to get them all.
Good grief, can't do anything right.
Jeanette
HI YOU ALLi HOPE i'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE AS i HAVE REALLY ENJOYED ALL ABOUT STRAW BALLING AND finally got me some hay bales and as I'm 73 and l went to try and get that bomb stuff and they must have though I was a white haired, humped back, broken legged terrorist as they said they didn't carry it (but I know they did but was afraid to sell it to me) so I guess I will go with blood meal I might be 73 on the out side but am 18 on the inside and when spring get here am ready to plant and can't decide to put the bales in the front yard for the roving dogs to get into or the back yard for our dogs to mess up and how to line them up and since the kids won't let me drive anymore I guess I have to go with tomatoe cages I have ejoyed reading and looking at the pictures from all you folks and my handle is georgia peach but should really be texas peach as Im a true blue texas as my grandpa was a texas ranger so that makes me pure texan!
Oh how grand Georgiapeach01, congrats on getting your bales! I am having the same trouble getting The Ammonium Nitrate, but hopefully by this weekend a Feed and seed in the next town will have it! If not the Blood meal will be the next step.
Keep those neighbor dogs away by getting your self some cayenne Pepper and sprinkle it around the bales. If that doesnt work get a paintball gun and paint those suckers , then call their owners and tell them you can identify them!! Eufaula
Eufaula. Right on! Mark them suckers an there will be no mistaken identity. LOL
You may want to warn your neighbors that don't mind them having pets, but if they come home with a paint ball mark, they know exactly where their little innocent puppy has been digging and attempting to mark his territory a little too far beyond the confines of their yard.
Russ
georgiapeach01: go with the ammonium sulphate instead if the Blood Meal is too expensive.
Well now GeorgiaPeach01, you may be 73, or 18, but you are way ahead of me in getting the bales and a start on your garden. Maybe you could send me some tomatoes when they are ripe???
Jeanette in Washington State with 2 feet of ice and snow still on the ground.
Jeanett; I think we need to do the opposite of a rain dance. We are rid of our ice and snow finally. But now I sink into the mud when I go down to the back yard to check on the goats. However even that much mud, seems way better than all the snow and ice.
I have gone over the list of seed packets I have already received and am adding to it. Yes the spring bug has bitten but I don't have any bales yet. I saw an ad a week and a half ago, for straw bales at $2.50 each. Wouldn't you know it, my pickup was down and not enough money in the bank either. I hope he didn't sell all of his bales. Otherwise I may have to work on a substitute????
And Georgia Peach. There are a bunch of us, in that external age bracket but the internal varies back and forth. One day its 21 then the next it may be 101. LOL
Keep up the good work.
I have used Urea which seemed to work alright. and also Blood meal The blood meal was more costly. If you do use urea don't use too much as you could have very good foliage but no fruit.
Russ
what is Urea?
It is a pelted form of nitrogen. That is my simplified version. I got a five gallon bucket full for just a couple bucks. Should be able to get it at nearly any fertilizer place , like Tera, nutra flo or what ever companies are in your area.
I was met with the same response as you got when I asked for ammonium nitrate.
They said that's bomb making material. Any way I visited with them a bit and told them about straw-bale gardening and why I wanted ( the bomb making stuff) and they assured me that the Urea would do the trick. Not sure I spelled it right but It's U-re- ah. They wanted to make sure I didn't put too much on as they thought that much might burn what ever I was growing. I stuck pretty close to Kent's formula only with the Urea. I think it took a little longer than the other.
I haven't shopped around to see if I could find the A-N. since there other things that work. even watering in some horse manure tea. It probably isn't as efficient as ammonium nitrate. but the straw will heat up, cook and cool down and the strings will get a little loose after it is done cooking.
I said all this knowing I might get some flack but I just used what I could get.
I think it takes longer for the urea to be watered in. But I put the dry pellets right on the bales then watered it in. I didn't try dissolving it in water and then pour it on. I would recommend tho, to double check with Kent to be sure.
Russ: I'm finding out that most anything with a good supply of nitrogen works pretty well as long as it dissolves pretty fast.
Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulphate, Urea, Blood Meal, Manure Tea, etc., etc.
As for the "bomb making" remarks you get from the sales people, it just shows their ignorance, kind of like the gardening "expert" that told one new bale gardener looking for wheat straw bales that you "couldn't grow anything in wheat bales, but wheat."
Thanks Kent; Horse manure is the most accessible for me, as I can get it free.
Now all I need to do is find that ad for those straw bales for $2.50 again. It was a place about 50 miles from here and I didn't have the money then, so I waited. I hope it isn't like " if you snooze you loose". lol
Russ
Russ: 2.50 is a great price, and if you factor in the gas, it will still be a good price/bale.
Right the gas won't be that bad, especially since I have successfully boosted the millage up a bit. Just a little special tuning so I can burn a little water. LOL
LOL, you rock Russ!! I'll bring my jeep out so you can "tune" it up a bit.
Jeanette
Russ: got my bale price locked in today at $3.25 delivered. I'm very happy with that. Should have them delivered at the end of the week or first of next week.
I'm getting 60 and getting 12 for a neighbor.
These bales have the plastic twine. I prefer the natural twine, but that's OK.
Yeah it is the same up here, I guess the plastic twine doesn't give as much trouble either that or it may not cost as much to produce the plastic. ????? Don't know for sure. Some of the bales I was getting from " Ping" the retired farmer had the regular twine some had wire and others had the black plastic strings.
About all that is left in his loft now is broken or just loose. I am still going to get more of that and use it for mulch between the rows of my root crops.
Oh yeah Jeanett, that super tune up required some manipulating the placement of a couple parts so I could add a couple home made reservoirs for that little conversion. If it does better than what I'm expecting, I may be able to take long trips again. I'm aiming for the lower end of what is possible for the system. That way if it does better, I'm tickled. If I aimed for the Maximum and it didn't I may not be as tickled. Does that make sense??
I'll have to take a couple pictures and send to you. Tried to find one just now but it must be in a file I can't access from the browse button. I know I have one pic there some place. find it later.
Russ
Hope it's nothing like the pictures of the computer wiring my daughter and grandson send me. LOL
Jeanette
UHH part of it might be. LOL
I just spent a lot of time trying to find the one pic of the working part. It is not to be found. I don't know how this computer does it but every once in a while, it will have a pop up box that comes up and says the memory is too low and it will automatically take space from a file. and of course that one is gone. I think I need to put more memory chips in. maybe even get a external hard drive, or something like that. I guess it is just overloaded with too many pictures and or files. Have another computer that I can have in May. so just biding my time until then.
I was going to go take a pic. and found all my camera batteries were too low or almost dead. they are on the charger now.
That's too bad Russ. I bought my grandson a hard drive for Christmas. He picked it out and I bought it, I think it was from New Egg. It was around $120 if I remember right. Lots of money these new gadgets.
Jeanette
You are absolutly right, LOT OF MONEY, for something that can only communicate in 1s and 0s. and ya ought to see what it does with Xs..
Awww I'm just trying to be funny. I have to face the fact, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of the computer. But that hold true all the time. Quite often I have to count to 10, before I let out with I'm thinking. Ever have that problem?? Or need I ask??
Well we started today without church, we did intend on going. It started raining last night, and the temp dropped. You know what happens then, Yup it freezes.
The roads are very icy and it has started to snow. Lots of big flakes.
They decided it best to cancel for today, let us older people stay off the roads.
I still had to go to the back yard feed the goats. where the ground was hard it was very slick. Where there was grass and or just soft dirt, there was just a crust that my weight just broke through and it wasn't bad. We may get 4" or so but I don't think it will stick around long. I think this is probably the last that will amount to anything.
My sister in law " about 100 miles south east of us, has tulips up already.
We don't have any signs of spring like that here yet but I don't think we are far behind.
So I think I better get some seed flats cleaned up and get to poking them little seeds in them little pots and fill my life with the hope of spring planting. I have found a few of the sweet potatoes starting to sprout. so I will get them set up for doing their thing.
What are your thoughts on your weather, as to how much of winter you have left??????
Well, I am sure this is the last hurrah also, but how long is it going to last??? It was 12 degrees this morning. As long as it stays cold it is going to be around.
Bob bet me a nickle that we would have no snow on the ground by St. Pat's day. What do you say to that? That is a week from Tuesday. I think I have a fairly sure bet on that one.
We always think spring when Daylight Savings Time starts, but it has been moved to a whole month earlier so that kind of screwed things up. Can't go by that any more.
Sure sorry it hit you guys, this snow and cold. Pretty bad when they cancel church. But, the goats don't know the difference. Their little bellies need something in them.
Have a good day and get those seeds started.
Jeanette
It has started to get cold here suddenly, alot colder. No frosts yet, but warm clothes and heaters have come out. That means warm weather must be on its way for you in the NH :-)
Lena
Good Morning Lena! I think we are the only two up this early( early for me anyway, its 2:20 AM here, couldnt sleep) We have been having beautiful early warm temps here in Georgia, 82 yesterday. But there is a slight chill in the air this morning again. We were expecting rain and did not get any. I think another cold front is moving in. I wont mind another cold snap , but pray we dont get another freeze. I have the most gorgeous blooms on all my peach trees right now and hopefully a lot of fruit to come!
Hi Eufaula, its not really that early here, its 8.20pm lol I often cant sleep till 2 or 3 either, that wireless internet really comes in handy!
Lena
What's going on here??? I can't sleep either!!
Yaaaay, the temp is comming up!! It's 2:50 am and it is already 29 f.
The ground is hard; but I'm thinking, "Spring"
Hey Lena; it's gonna be our turn now! Grab that last delicious mater, and enjoy it! LOL
Hey just funning a little; What will you expect for a low temp. over your winter??
You can give it in C. I'll convert it.
Eufaula. I just ordered a bunch of sweet potato slips yesterday, Got most of my seed packets already. I have some fruit trees comming, I hope they are not little dried up sticks, like I've got in the past!
Just made a cup of camomile tea, I hope it works!! I'de like to get up early later this morning. I think it is suposed to be in the 40s , I have a bunch of stuff to get done while it is warm.
Russ
Good Morning to you too Russ! Nope could nt sleep. played on the ' puter until around 4Am then went back to bed. Had to get up at 6:30 to get ready for work! So Im going to be one tired body today!
We are supposed to be getting that rain today . I hope the weather man is right , it will sure help to keep my strawbales wet. I am getting so in the mood for planting my garden! I wont be getting my sweet potato slips yet, the farm supply said it was still a little early for them.
Good luck on your fruit trees, I hope you get a good batch!
Dona need some help in a new thread she started about ants in her bales:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/962297/
I know we've talked about it before but can't remember where.
I've never had an ant problem, so I don't have an answer.
Good morning everyone. We have sunshine! For the first time in weeks. And I have a huge report due on monday, so all I can do is look at it through the window. If I get enough done I might allow myself to mow the lawns later.
Our high is supposed to be 21'C today, it has been alot colder though. Highs were around 14' last week, overnight lows about 8'
In winter we get down to -2'C at night, and up to 9 or 10 during the day. So no snow, but plenty cold enough! The lower part of the north island (where I live) is exposed to strong SW winds that come up from Cook Straight and Antarctica. Good for the wind farms on the hills, but not so good if you like to be warm.
Back to work. Hope your all keeping warm!
Lena
Good luck with the report Lena. Are you doing any canning? The tomatoes are gorgeous.
Russ, you take care of that shoulder. What are you doing with it? Any surgery in the future?
Kent, can't remember about the ants.
Spring is on the way Eufaula and all. It is suppose to be in the 50s this next week. Wow!!
Jeanette
Jeanette; I won't have that surgery for a while now. I have another surgery of another type to be concerned about. I had a very close call last Friday.
I was airing up a tire, it was off the car. The bead had not seated yet I added a little more air. The tire blew up! It caught my fore head and right cheek on it's way up. As I felt the numbness in my face and started getting up. The blood was spurting all over. I made my way to the kitchen met Barb at the door had her get a wet towel to hold pressure on the biggest wound. And had her call 911. Then Connie our youngest, yes she is the one with the blocked arteries. She met us at the hospital. Late that evening I was in surgery getting some plates and screws put in to hold the frontal bone together. I will have to wait until at least next Monday, for some of the swelling to go down and repair the lower eye socket, as it was also fractured. That part will be a same day surgery. I got home today, and won't be doing anything for a while.
Connie is her mother's rock right now. Of course now that I am home she is much better. But there was no way I was going to give up. We need each other too much.
Also for a while longer now Connie is our designated driver, :>)
If I behave myself I will still be able to have a garden this year. Just no lifting or stooping over I will really have to put Gary to the test. on the goats and all the gardening as well. From his description we have one due any time now.
Sorry guys I guess I just couldn't keep out of trouble.
Russ
I think I will have Barb answering the mail for a while too. Talk with you later.
Russ, I cannot believe you!! Truly amazing. You guys need watchdogs to keep you out of trouble. Wish I were there to help. I might be able to help deliver that little goat. Or I could be substitute driver when Connie was busy.
I think maybe a garden might be the last thing you need to worry about right now. How many sps did you get????? I should think that all of those people you have been supplying with fresh produce all these years can help. I'm sure they will.
Please keep us posted, or have Barb when she is able, as to your "condition".
Jeanette
Russ you behave and do exactly what the Dr says. I wish I was closer, I'd plant them sweet 'taters for you! Take care and keep us posted.
Doug