Castanet

I've given up. Can't seem to get the gardens going now. Too hot? Tired soil? I have one zuchinni and a few cukes coming on.
Just cut up a lot of old growth as tomorrow is green bin day. I got a lot of plants going to seed before they could re-seed and spread.

Queen K wrote:I've given up. Can't seem to get the gardens going now. Too hot? Tired soil? I have one zuchinni and a few cukes coming on.
Just cut up a lot of old growth as tomorrow is green bin day. I got a lot of plants going to seed before they could re-seed and spread.

My garden suffered with me gone . Not my best year for yard eats . Potatoes are small . Not sure if my corn will finish or not . Peas are done so are strawberries . Sad

My potatoes did nothing. All the stems fell down and flatten out and turned yellowish. So I dug them up. Nothing. Absolutely a disappointment.

Queen K wrote:I've given up. Can't seem to get the gardens going now. Too hot? Tired soil? I have one zuchinni and a few cukes coming on.
Just cut up a lot of old growth as tomorrow is green bin day. I got a lot of plants going to seed before they could re-seed and spread.

I bought some Nature's Gold this year to give my gardens a boost. It is really good stuff! I recommend it QK - it would be great for your gardens - it has sand in it as well.

Queen K wrote:My potatoes did nothing. All the stems fell down and flatten out and turned yellowish. So I dug them up. Nothing. Absolutely a disappointment.

Queen it hurts my soul to hear your sufferin' in the garden.

The heat has been a damned blamed blister this year.

That being said from what you have shared sounds like you need some soil rework.

I've definitely noticed a run down in my soil quality, no matter how much compost I'm creating and using, it's clearly not enough.

ETA: Barney, if you saw my compost going on, you'd be smiling, but it's clearly no longer enough when my gardens have been producing for so long with the same soil. I am digging out the entire front garden in the Fall this time too.

We did harvest some Sungold cherry tomatoes and the rest of the garlic should be dig-able soon. The scallions are almost ready too.

I've given up on peppers. Next year will be a larger pea crop.

Have done some testing on your soil?

If you haven't that might really help you decide what direction you should consider taking.

Soil testing is next. I know I need more manure again and the sun burns out the organic materials in the front.

That is where I'm getting in with a shovel this Fall and taking out most of it. And replanting tonnes of bulbs which will have to come out.

Don't dig. Don't spend money on tests.
I know what's wrong with your soil.

I bought Natures Good soil as well, for my raised beds and everything planted in it has done very well.

Sorry Queenie. Last growing year I was where you are so last fall I dumped as many leaves as I could get from the neighbours on the perennial beds. I shredded them with the lawnmower until I got tired of the work, then I just dumped them on. In areas without bulbs or perennials I dumped them into huge piles. In the spring when everything was showing I peeled off the rotting layers of leaves and mulched between the plants. It has seriously cut down my weeding and everything is growing so much bigger.

In the raised veggie beds I turned over the leaves from the fall and put the compost I had on top. Then I added an inch of purchased compost as I didn't have enough. I think the layer of leaves that are buried is preventing all the goodness of the compost to wash away into the sandy soil that we have up here. No scientific basis for that belief, just hopeful thinking;)

It sure is cheaper and easier then replacing soil. Plus anything that cuts WAY down on weeding in the flower beds is golden!

You must have good leaves, pbear! The leaves that blow in from the complex nearby just turn hard - almost like a cardstock, doesn't crackle, but bends. My plum tree drops good leaves, and the neighbour's cherry does as well. That's it for available leaves in my neighbourhood. :(

QK is also Queen of Composting. She makes amazing compost - you should see it! She has a lot of hard clay though. Bman could give us the skinny on her soil, if she were willing ;)

It's the clay. I've removed tonnes of it. Removed and replaced with good soil. But the growing has caught up with me. I use leaves every year on all the raised beds, ask Slootman, he saw first hand the amount of leaves I had here. I top dress everythint with compost. Every year. But this year has taken the cake for poor returns.

I am starting to harvest tomatoes though. And hot peppers are coming in. More garlic will be dug tomorrow.

We have a proliferation of zucchini. Gifted family, friends and neighbours. Kale has been doing well and tomatoes. I'm going to experiment with grated zucchini patties for dinner.

Piecemaker wrote:We have a proliferation of zucchini. Gifted family, friends and neighbours. Kale has been doing well and tomatoes. I'm going to experiment with grated zucchini patties for dinner.

If you slice it long ways really really thin on a chefs mandolin it makes great pasta after it's cooked for a bit.