Does anyone else find themselves walking the garden area, looking for signs it's now dry enough to till? Do you listen to the weather forecast each day, trying to figure out how many days it will take to dry out? If you do, you're as hooked as I am!!
Brad
Well, I started to go out to do some work in the garden even though it was cold and overcast, but then it started to rain.
I decided to go shopping instead.
I bought some gladiolus and this afternoon, it was still cold and overcast and drizzling, but what the heck. I planted them anyway. Now, I really want it to rain so they will sprout!
I decided to go shopping instead.
I bought some gladiolus and this afternoon, it was still cold and overcast and drizzling, but what the heck. I planted them anyway. Now, I really want it to rain so they will sprout!
I resemble that remark. Always trying to push to get the seed in the ground. When I know, and I have known for years, the soil has to be a good growing temp before those seed will spout. Nature is just set up that way.bcallaha wrote:Does anyone else find themselves walking the garden area, looking for signs it's now dry enough to till? Do you listen to the weather forecast each day, trying to figure out how many days it will take to dry out? If you do, you're as hooked as I am!! Brad
But forecast looks farily good now. And, actually this year I have waited a little longer before planting the first seed.
bcallaha wrote:Does anyone else find themselves walking the garden area, looking for signs it's now dry enough to till? Do you listen to the weather forecast each day, trying to figure out how many days it will take to dry out? If you do, you're as hooked as I am!!
Brad
Yeah, several weeks ago we had almost daily rainfall and my garden was waterlogged. If we had 2-3 days of clear weather I'd check the soil but in my heart I knew it was still too wet to get the tiller in there.
Finally, after about 10 days of windy, warmer weather I got in there and just turned over the top 2-3 inches one day and went back in over the next couple days getting it tilled deeper.
I finally got to pull my rows and get things in the ground, a bit later than I usually do, but it's now pretty much all in with lots of stuff coming up that was direct sown and the things I transplanted are doing great.
Hang in there, your time will come.
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GreenThumbsUp
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from the blind
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applestar
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Can you see? It's not so obvious in the photo as it was to the eye, but the entire surface of this bed designated VEG-C is covered with worm castings.
My little Garden Helpers have been busy prepping the soil
...that hole to the right was made by the mole following right behind the earthworms.... There you have it, my no-till bed.
My little Garden Helpers have been busy prepping the soil
...that hole to the right was made by the mole following right behind the earthworms.... There you have it, my no-till bed.
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jal_ut
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Know the feeling.
I have taken to deep tilling in the fall. Then come Spring, I can just go plant the early stuff. Later when it is time to plant the warm weather crops, I will run the tiller over it again very shallow just to eliminate the weeds that have sprouted and make a nice seed bed. It may still be too wet for deep tilling but the top couple of inches usually work up nicely. For sure you never want to till if it is too wet. Just makes clods that take all summer to break down.
I have taken to deep tilling in the fall. Then come Spring, I can just go plant the early stuff. Later when it is time to plant the warm weather crops, I will run the tiller over it again very shallow just to eliminate the weeds that have sprouted and make a nice seed bed. It may still be too wet for deep tilling but the top couple of inches usually work up nicely. For sure you never want to till if it is too wet. Just makes clods that take all summer to break down.
I went out with my little tiller and did along the fence so I could put in some peas. I am going to plant on both sides of the fence this year, the flowers on the other side shouldn't mind. If it doesn't rain, my husband should be able to till the whole thing when he comes home for the weekend. He has a five foot wide tiller that runs off the PTO on the tractor. It does a lot of tilling in a very short time. It is however, very hard to put on the tractor. It involves a lot of hammering, scraped knuckles, and some bad language. I started to turn the compost pile this morning,got tired and quit. (old age is a real pain) I will give it another try this afternoon. I found something hard in it and dug out a block of ice. Maybe it is a little early, but I really want to plant something!