Gardening

[Uncle Dave]

We grow banana peppers. I like to stuff with a cream cheese mixture, wrap in bacon and put on the grill. We have also started growing pimentos. Fresh ones are delish fixed the same way.

YUM!!! Do you use whole peppers or do you slice them in half? Last year I needed some paprika powder for my spice rack. The ones I grew had more heat than cayenne I've grown.

[Uncle Dave]

[CATHYnKY]

YUM!!! Do you use whole peppers or do you slice them in half? Last year I needed some paprika powder for my spice rack. The ones I grew had more heat than cayenne I've grown.

The pimentos I leave whole since they are small. Banana peppers I leave whole if grilling and bacon wrapping. If oven baking, will cut in half and sprinkle with bread crumbs. So ready for garden fresh veggies. BTW, a little kick is all I can stand heat wise. My hubby and oldest grandson like to sweat.

[Uncle Dave]

Starting Seeds Indoors

[Lighthouse]

Grass seed can be put down anytime now.

[Uncle Dave]

Planning a Garden

[Uncle Dave]

Plant Propagation....Excellent way to increase plant numbers.

[Lighthouse]

It's time to plant onions and radishes.

[Uncle Dave]

So what about dealing with insects. Every year I deal with the same culprits: bean beetles, cucumber beetles, cabbage loopers(moth larvae), slugs, flea beetles, and harlequin beetles are most common. I prefer to use non-toxic methods. Here's what I keep on hand:

INSECTICADAL SOAP.....https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/i...-pest-control/
DIATEMACEIOUS EARTH....https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/pla...ct-control.htm
BACILLUS THURINGESIS....http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/btgen.html

My smallest size garden is the summer garden. I grow tomatoes, peppers, and beans. I have beans planted now and I hope to have them harvested out come late June. I don't even attempt to grow cold weather crops in the summer. Why plant during the highest concentration of insects? My largest gardens based on square footage are the spring and fall/winter gardens. Kale is a cold weather crop so I grow it in the fall and winter. The flavor is MUCH better and I know insect damage will be minimal. I have drifted away from squash and cukes because they take up lots of room and they are magnets for an assortment of insects. Check the "Growing Vegetables in Kentucky" booklet posted earlier for more info on taking advantage of seasonal planting.

Keep your garden area free of tall grass and brush. Overgrown fence lines as well. After harvesting, don't put insect riddled or diseased plant leftovers in your compost pile. Don't create problems for yourself. Rotate your crops through your garden. Study up on companion planting. Clean up the garden area after the season.

[Lighthouse]

Uncle Dave, I have a question. Do you scatter manure, leaves and other things that will rot over your garden plot and turn it under in the fall?

[Uncle Dave]

Uncle Dave, I have a question. Do you scatter manure, leaves and other things that will rot over your garden plot and turn it under in the fall?

I sure do. I made a compost bin that's 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. It has two compartments. I fill a compartment mostly with straw(not hay). I add kitchen scraps and other goodies every week. I add horse maure and composted chicken litter every chance I can. Then I pitch fork it into the other empty compartment and water it down weekly. This mixing speeds the composting action. When this is ready(3 months) I spread on my garden as a mulch. I can produce about 12 wheel barrows of this a season. I use fresh straw as a mulch also. Leaves and grass clippings work well too. I've been doing this for years and my soil a foot deep looks and feels awesome, so I don't turn the soil over(no-till). I don't want to bring weed seeds to the surface, then have to deal with them through the season. My weed pressure is nearly zero. Learn how to produce earth worms and other soil critters, and growing plants becomes the easy part of gardening.

[Lighthouse]

I sure do. I made a compost bin that's 6 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. It has two compartments. I fill a compartment mostly with straw(not hay). I add kitchen scraps and other goodies every week. I add horse maure and composted chicken litter every chance I can. Then I pitch fork it into the other empty compartment and water it down weekly. This mixing speeds the composting action. When this is ready(3 months) I spread on my garden as a mulch. I can produce about 12 wheel barrows of this a season. I use fresh straw as a mulch also. Leaves and grass clippings work well too. I've been doing this for years and my soil a foot deep looks and feels awesome, so I don't turn the soil over(no-till). I don't want to bring weed seeds to the surface, then have to deal with them through the season. My weed pressure is nearly zero. Learn how to produce earth worms and other soil critters, and growing plants becomes the easy part of gardening.

Thank You! I grew up on a farm and we cleaned our barn and spread the straw and manure over our garden and turned it over in the fall. We then disc it before planting. Of course we a half acre garden. I only grow flowers now, but my son is becoming a gardener and I'll pass along what you posted.

[Uncle Dave]

Growing tomatoes....

[Uncle Dave]

Tomato growing series with gardener Bill....

While we're talking about crop flameouts, I've had one of my own. On April 28 I planted about 80 row feet of bush and lima beans. The soil temperature was 61 which is a good number for beans. I would guess I planted close to 200 seeds. Today, I have MAYBE 15 plants that are growing, less than 10% germination. Normal germination for direct seeding is the 65-70%. What happened?. Temperatures have been abnormally cold for this time of year. This morning soil temperature was 57 and rising daily. Tomorrow I'm putting out 15 tomato plants, many onion plants, and 3 jalapeno and cayenne peppers. I grew all of these from seed starting April 15 and saved lots of money in the process. I believe soil temps will be in the mid 60's in a few short days, and I'll re-seed my failed bean crop. Don't plant by a certain date. Use soil temps instead and hope for the best.