2023 "Field of Dreams"

[FieldEffect]

3 June 2023 Update

Wish my garden looked like some of the others I see on here, but that’ll come with time and experience. Here is a dump of everything, for my own note keeping and whatever feedback/advice I can get. Started a fresh batch of compost tea with identical recipe this morning for application to all the produce/weed tomorrow morning.

Front Veggie Bed:
The right we have some zucchinis, pumpkins to the left. Some peppers that are really slow to get going, and tomatoes that are coming along. This bed has a lot of exposure, sun, wind, everything. It works really well later in the season but everything in the beds starts slow compared to the weed, because the weed is in the best spot (good sun, good windbreaks), naturally I’m not worrying yet and attributing most of the stunted growth to the extreme wind we’ve had this season. I’ve got some heirloom cherry tomatoes on either edge, as well as Mortgage Lifter and Pink Brandywine towards the middle (thanks to @Radicle_Reefer recommendations). They’re hard to spot amongst the cover crop but just about reaching the cow panel for training. Last year everything took off mid-June. Wish it looked better, open to suggestions.

Back Veggie Bed:
Tomatoes and peppers. Amish Paste heirlooms here (salsa and tomato sauce), they’re adapting to the sudden rise in temperatures. Again, I’ve seen them recover mightily from this and become behemoth producers. If something’s obviously wrong and correctable, please, tell me.

"Yard":
Well, this clearly hasn’t gone quite to plan. There is grass, but it’s certainly not uniform. I haven’t done much other than add compost (that was pretty bad I think - high K and Na based on all the testing I did for the grow bags and beds), some Humic soil conditioner and grass seed. Ironically, the accidental grass seed on the left edge is growing just fine. Obviously my work has not helped. Any advice appreciated!

Blueberries/Strawberries:
These seem to be doing alright. I’ve been plucking blossoms on the blueberries, they’ve been to hell and back. Starting with the 7.2pH soil (sulfured in addition to what happens to the other beds) we’ve had P deficiency, most of the leaves blown off, they’re starting to settle in and produce green leaves again. The strawberry is fruiting, I didn’t realize those plants stay pretty small, in hindsight would have filled the container more so they weren’t inside the rim. Lettuce that has been neglected and I don’t have any idea what to do with.

The “FIELD OF DREAMS”:
Got the cages on today. Trimmed down the cover crop so I could see what the hell I was doing.

Overall:

907 Blue Genes:

Indiana Bubblegum:

Panalawi:
Still using the camp fire skewers because she’s pretty flexible. Training wheels of sorts.

Original Bubblegum Autos:
These have been way slow. Don’t know if it’s the hot soil or my stupidity, probably both. Topped them yesterday so I have two growths, I’ll reverse one side and pick the best donor to hopefully create Fast Fem IBG seeds.

Thanks for looking, let me know if there’s something I need to fix or do better. Have a great day!

[ColeLennon]

Those cages are cool. Garden looks fine still early man. Lawn I have no advice on that. My lawn skills are limited at best. Have you tried throwing out by hand fertilizer granules for the lawn? @FieldEffect That and some dolomite lime.

[FieldEffect]

I’m wondering what to put if anything, I’d assume blood meal. Hopefully someone tells me what would be the best path. Of course doing the organic thing and learning about the soil makes me reluctant to spread any of the conventional lawn fertilizers.

Those cages are cool. Tractor supply I think they were less than $10. The side things clip on wherever you want but I wish they came with more of them

[ColeLennon]

Yeah all kinds of organic yard granules. I would spread some along with some dolomite lime pellets. I bet the grass spreads out. Dump a ton of water on it.

[Meesh]

My pepper plant is lagging too. They like it super hot and summer. They’ll kick up soon. They are always the late plants. btw… it’s too hot for lettuce now, let it bolt and collect seed or compost it. lol

Grass is a pita. Make absolutely certain you have the right grass for your zone and sun exposure. You could try manure. Other than that, no idea. I hate grass. Plant a flower field or clover for bees. Creeping Thyme is delightful as well. lol

Your autos were just too early I think. They grow best between June and August outdoors. They don’t like to be topped either, as it takes them too long to recover.

[FieldEffect]

I figured about the peppers. I got all distressed about it a few years ago when I started casually gardening. If you want a laugh, here’s what my garden looked like in 2021:

2021:

If life is all about the journey, we’ve come a ways in two years of doing this gardening thing here. The dirt is alive and rich now. You can compare any picture of the last two years to 2021 and see a massive difference in just about everything.

Regarding the lawn, I picked up some Moorganite N fertilizer and spread at the initial application rate suggested. It’s based on cow/chicken poop as well as feather meal. It STINKS. I debated at Tractor Supply whether to go the synthetic route because at least it wouldn’t stink, organics won out because I want to improve my soil long-term. I’m paying the price now with my olfactory glands

My compost tea smells good again but mostly all I can smell is that bag of Moorganite in the shed. I need to get it into a 5-gallon bucket so I can seal it up. I’ll do that this afternoon.

The grass should be the right things fundamentally, I did a mix of things common around here that people with actual lawns suggested. My mother-in-law was over last evening and said it was looking great, it’d fill in but that’s just how it looks when it starts. I have no idea, this is my first real try. It makes me feel better to trust her

I added a pack of Dynomyco they gave me at CannaCon a couple weeks ago to the compost tea, we’ll see how everything likes it.

Yeah the autos were a tad early but I think I’ll manage to get some pollen, which was really the goal. Regarding topping, definitely heard that and decided to try anyway. People seem to have mixed results. They’ll probably start stretching and showing pistils soon, as long as I can get a few grains of fem pollen I’ll be a happy camper. Ordered some Auto Fastberry to try the same “fast feminizing” cross to the 907, that’d be starting in the prime window of summer. Learning as I go, for sure. Read most of the day yesterday about STS and reversing autos, gathering, drying and storing pollen.

Have a great day everybody!

[Meesh]

Manure smell doesn’t really bother me. Now, Neem to me is thee most revolting smell of all organics. It smells like rotten Indian food farts and doesn’t work anyway so I have long given that up. lol.

I’ll go with your MIL too. It will fill in.

[ColeLennon]

That looks like good fertilizer. You might think about some dolomite pellets also buffer that desert clay.
Look what I got in the mail. Thanks brother. Another pack of Premo for my seed collection.

[FieldEffect]

I think gypsum is my magic ticket here in the desert with our basic, salty, clay dirt. I’d use dolomite lime if I was starting acidic and wanted to raise the soil pH. At least that’s what I’ve learned so far.

I’d need a way bigger bag for the yard though. Maybe

Glad you have another solid pack for the collection. May smoke some IBG tonight to celebrate that round-a-bout trade of sorts

[ColeLennon]

I’m a big fan of gypsum now.

[FieldEffect]

Me too

Think it’s a big part of my garden learning this spring. But everything has a place and time

[Gpaw]

Kapton tape…
… somebody’s using the ‘good stuff’…

Cheers
G

[ColeLennon]

That’s field.

[Dendro]

Man, looking really healthy and on track. If I could do the little quote thingy it would echo what you just said about how far you and the garden/lawn have come. I live in a pretty decent climate for blueberrys but those sure are taking their time, gonna stay the course, yours are just looking so much better! Im not too sure on your environmental specifics but from what I see/sense, you have definitely increased the general fertility of the soil and knowledge in all your outdoor endeavors. The difference is phenomenal from that first year just shown.

Slowly but surely, staying as organic as possible and good things will grow. You are proof of that my friend, and I truely appreciate your generosity, you and many others here have no doubt helped our garden grow towards its full potential. Every day a blessing and something new to learn. Cheers brother!

[FieldEffect]

@Gpaw it sure isn’t as expensive as it used to be - and I like the fact that the adhesive peels off things cleanly. It’s great for stuff like that where you don’t want the paper to get all mangled pulling it out.

@Dendro, thanks for the kind words brother! Learn something new everyday! Hope you are well, and your blueberries start kicking into gear.

[FieldEffect]

Forgot to post the pic of my hot little ladies before a rain storm:

The 50 gallon pots are nearly 3 feet in diameter and 18" tall for reference. They’re gettin’ a move on. Wide and short is the way I want them right now. Eventually, if all goes well, they’ll be wide and tall

[ColeLennon]

Those are really moving now “look really good”. You are going to have your own version of a gauntlet come Sept.

Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends - [HQ]

Your going to be fine. I’m projecting. Mine are gonna go batshit.

[MissinBissin]

Beautiful update @FieldEffect
You have been busy, and it shows!!

[MissinBissin]

I have enjoyed using Azomite in the past, to throw a Blanket of minerals into the Soil effort.

With the corn-field I’m growing on the edge of, the subdivision is on Clay of course… this year I turned to a mineral product for this location, because of its Soil / Clay conditioning abilities, ( touted of course)

Powderized Green Sand instead of Azomite. Its something I swore to try, its happening on the OG strip this Season

Wondering if you had heard of it. This a good read

Greensand vs Azomite: The Battle of the Beneficial Soil Supplements -...

[ColeLennon]