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Thread: My Grow Bed :-)

  1. #1
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    My Grow Bed :-)

    One of my 4' x 8' raised beds. I have 6 of these. Plumped them up with irrigation on a timer. Experimenting with different types of irrigation and schedules. All beds are inoculated with mycorrhizae and worms. I planted legumes in all beds to promote rhizobia to culture. So far so good. I dare say there are around 1000 tomatoes in the works between all my plantings. Sugar peas taste great, but they are turning yellow and then turning dead (probably a fungal wilt disease, I can't figure it out, never grown peas before, old lady likes 'em). Got peppers, watermelon, etc.

    2 Weeks After Planting
    [attachment=2:1utc5tcx]3-13-2012.jpg[/attachment:1utc5tcx]

    3 Weeks After Planting
    [attachment=1:1utc5tcx]3-21-2012.jpg[/attachment:1utc5tcx]

    7 Weeks After Planting
    [attachment=0:1utc5tcx]4-19-2012.jpg[/attachment:1utc5tcx]
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  2. #2
    Members bsfman's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Lookin' good there, Urban! You're gonna have a butt load of tomatos! Are they determinant or indeterminant?

    You might want to dry dehydrating some to preserve them. I cut a bunch into 1/4" slices and laid 'em on the trays in my dehydrator and ran it until they were dry and crispy. They'll keep forever and you can munch them like potato chips or crumble them for recipes, etc. Plus, they are absolutely delicious! Drying them concentrates and intensifies the tomato flavor!

  3. #3
    Members commander's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Try rehydrating your dried tomatoes with a little olive oil and basil~
    My old man says when it's time to be counted, the important thing is to be man enough to stand up.”
    ? Robert A. Heinlein, Between Planets

  4. #4
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    OOOO, very nice ideas, I WILL have to try that, I love tomatoes! These are indeterminate, but a few determinate varieties were just suggest to me by a lady in the store and I will have to check it out. I have never bought my plants before, but I JUST GOT SOME! Oh man I feel like a cheater, but they had some really cool varieties of peppers; so, I had to pick them up!

    Sadly, this is all I have for gardening so far. I just moved, and I only had the time/money to build 6 of these ($50 each including everything). The AP system I have planned will take up the whole backyard... still saving up for it, but I think I need 32 tons of gravel or something... already got a decent quote, just waiting for the $$$ to do it! 10,000 gallon system...

    I feel as though I get much better growth in AP than soil. This is VERY CHEAP top soil, VERY CHEAP (80 cents a bag 40#). I'm using my knowledge of soil to try to make the soil excellent (out of the bag it's crap). My next crop will do better than the first because I should have the soil biology, chemistry, etc. up to par by then. I have been working so much I haven't had much time in the garden. I spent 4 hours out there today. Oh that was fun!

  5. #5
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)


    (Stock photo)

    That's one of the ones I bought. It's already a foot and a half tall. It looks great. I have no idea WHAT it is. WallyWorld doesn't do so good on labels, but the price and quality was surprisingly good!

  6. #6
    Members commander's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    We are playing the same game this year with several new beds. This year is a soil conditioning year and hopefully next year will be a much better yield. We got our soil from a local company that composts cotton burs, cow manure and other organic material into a really nice mix. It is lacking bacteria and worms so that is our focus this year. However, the squash is looking good so far and the tomatoses seem to like it as well.
    My old man says when it's time to be counted, the important thing is to be man enough to stand up.”
    ? Robert A. Heinlein, Between Planets

  7. #7
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Commander, I have nearly 50 rabbits....concentrating on Flemish Giants. I can provide you with rabbit waste. It's not hot, and can go directly onto soil without burning plants.

    Urban, concentrate on your legume plants. These fix the nitrogen typically faster than your other plants pull out. Tomatoes in my experience and peppers are heavy feeders. I interplant sugar peas, and bush beans of varying varieties all throughout our veggies and ornamentals with lots of success. And the squirrels leave them alone which is nice. Try companion planting peas/beans with corn as well and let the climbers climb up the corn stalks. Plant corn 2-3 weeks earlier than the legumes to get them a headstart on the stalks.

    Plant annual flowers around the tomatoes to attract bees to aid in pollinating. Probably don't need it, but I have noticed stronger yeilds when there's a surplus of pollinators around, even on "self pollinating" plants.
    At first I left this blank...but now I believe: "It's better to keep your mouth closed, and have the world think your a fool, than open it and confirm it."

  8. #8
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by foodchain
    Commander, I have nearly 50 rabbits....concentrating on Flemish Giants. I can provide you with rabbit waste. It's not hot, and can go directly onto soil without burning plants.

    Urban, concentrate on your legume plants. These fix the nitrogen typically faster than your other plants pull out. Tomatoes in my experience and peppers are heavy feeders. I interplant sugar peas, and bush beans of varying varieties all throughout our veggies and ornamentals with lots of success. And the squirrels leave them alone which is nice. Try companion planting peas/beans with corn as well and let the climbers climb up the corn stalks. Plant corn 2-3 weeks earlier than the legumes to get them a headstart on the stalks.

    Plant annual flowers around the tomatoes to attract bees to aid in pollinating. Probably don't need it, but I have noticed stronger yeilds when there's a surplus of pollinators around, even on "self pollinating" plants.
    I just spread out a cover crop of white clover. I take my trowel and crush some into the soil every now and then or cut some up from the top. It's a "green manure" process. White clover are legumes as well, they fix nitrogen (bacteria of genus rhizobia).

    I have a Datil Pepper plant that is 3 years old! The 2 bad record low winters we had back to back kills it back, but it just barely survives (comes back from the base of the stem). I have it HEAVILY planted in WHITE CLOVER and RABBIT POOP. Yea, it's awesome, really awesome. I dug up some of the soil and guess what I saw? LOTS OF FUNGAL DEVELOPMENT. This is the peak of soil health. It's in a 5 gallon bucket with 3-4 inches of plant cover. I'll try to take a pic real quick.

    [attachment=0:2qtbfr2t]IMAG0641.jpg[/attachment:2qtbfr2t]

    This plant is just coming out of a HEAVY aphid infestation. But, you know me, I let it go. I have TWO species of ladybug laying eggs. I have seen 3 bunches of eggs hatch. Today, the first set of pupa have turned into full ladybugs! The infestation is down to the lower leaves, but it's under control and the plant is starting to boom and recover its color.

    The plant was a stub of dead looking 3 year old datil pepper stem about 3 weeks ago. It looks rough, but it's doing pretty good and it already has 2 dozen peppers coming out. I love growing this way
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  9. #9
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Where do you find clover seed? I would like to plant some as forage for my honey bees. Clover isn't common around my area.
    At first I left this blank...but now I believe: "It's better to keep your mouth closed, and have the world think your a fool, than open it and confirm it."

  10. #10
    Moderator urbanfarmer's Avatar
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    Re: My Grow Bed :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by foodchain
    Where do you find clover seed? I would like to plant some as forage for my honey bees. Clover isn't common around my area.
    It took me a while to find it, but it seems to be more common now to purchase. I bought a 5 pound bag. I was planning to plant out the yard with it for forage to raise rabbits... but then I did research into how much a rabbit needs to graze on to bring it to harvest size... my yard ain't that big. Pellets it is!

    I don't like the taste of rabbit on pellets though. Tastes like chicken. I want it to have more of a gamey flavor.

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