garden experiment

[Pete M]

I've decided to try a new-to-me way of growing cucumbers.  built the tripod out of scrap wood, draped and secured some anti-deer netting across it, and hung my basket of baby cuke plants at one end.  the goal is to train them up through the netting and then guide them around on top.  in theory the cucumbers will grow down through the netting and hang there for easy picking.  no idea if the birds in this area are interested in cukes, but I feel its high enough to ward off the local ground-based wildlife.  I've got lots more netting if needed.

 

cost me nothing.     if it works, I'll step it up a notch next spring.

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired by the gardens in The Land pavilion at Disney World 

 

[Dzimm]

Definitely should work!

[fiatslug87]

You might want to consider this:

Cucumber vines put down a single tap root that grows 3 to 4 feet deep, but the main bulk of the roots extend out 2 feet in diameter right below the soil surface. The lateral-growing surface roots form a dense mat in the top 8 inches of the soil. Additional surface roots grow 4 feet long just under the soil surface.

 

Usually need 18-24" of soil depth.

[mjeff87]

I tried cukes a couple times, a couple different ways.  Tried to trellis them once (vertical) and it was a hordicultural disaster. I gave up.

 

Ive got 3 different kinds of tomatoes in right now, from seeds I saved and into soil I've been working on for the last 3 years.  Fertilized them with fish fertilizer and some Epsom salt and they have exploded.  Had to cobble some trellises together from some old furring strips and twine to keep a couple of them from self destructing, lol.

 

The Land is one of the coolest exhibits in mouse land, IMHO.

[Pete M]

my tomatoes are a disaster.   I think we started them too late in the Georgia growing season.  They always took over the garden in Michigan so I wasn't prepared for them to struggle. 

 

I'm prepared to step up to a gallon bucket for this experiment when they outgrow the little pot.   (maybe I should do that sooner rather than later).   but after that, well what happens happens.  Next year I'll take the knowledge gained and rethink things. 

 

I like that the system is transportable.  makes it easy to mow the grass. 

[mjeff87]

I've been struggling with maters here for the last several years too.  Like you said, I've been taking knowledge gained and working on it.  I've been doing them mostly in pots, not in the ground because the way my lot is laid out I don't have a really good spot for a garden (and the "soil" is pure crap to boot).  I've been working a certain area over the last couple years trying to get it conducive to growing veggies, and I think it's finally there this season.  Plus, like you, I was starting my planting too late.  This year, I germinated my seeds in February inside the garage, then put them in the ground toward the end of April.  I think I finally found the magic bullet

 

Outside kitty keeps watch on them, lol.

[mjeff87]

What's really ironic is that those couple tripod trellises I made came from the leftover cucumber trellis panel I used in my failed growing experiment.  I don't throw anything away

[fiatslug87]

My wife grows our cucumbers on a trellis (concrete reinforcement mesh), snapped a pic of it and a few of our tomatoes which are doing really well this year. However, need a few outdoor cats to fight the rats!

 

 

 

[Pete M]

one problem I've been fighting is the soil.  not the stuff that I walk on (which sucks but in a different way), but the "dirt" available at the stores down here.  it all looks more like leftover mulch scraps.    I gotta start bringing a bag or 2 south with me each trip. 

[Manche757]

Is that cannabis behind those tomatoes?

[EvilMJ]

19 hours ago, Pete M said:

my tomatoes are a disaster.   I think we started them too late in the Georgia growing season.  They always took over the garden in Michigan so I wasn't prepared for them to struggle. 

 

I'm prepared to step up to a gallon bucket for this experiment when they outgrow the little pot.   (maybe I should do that sooner rather than later).   but after that, well what happens happens.  Next year I'll take the knowledge gained and rethink things. 

 

I like that the system is transportable.  makes it easy to mow the grass. 

 

The excess rain did our tomatoes in the last couple years.  I've also found that leaving them in even large pots or buckets cause them to die off mid growing season; I think they run out of nutrients.  This year we started plants from seeds in the greenhouse and transplanted to raised garden beds (3' fire rings from tractor supply) and we are having good luck so far - every plant is still producing and looks healthy.  We tried Bush Cucumbers to this year - they grow up instead of out.  The plant did well, but it only had 5-6 cucumbers on it... don't know what happened, just didn't have the blooms.  In KY btw.

[fiatslug87]

33 minutes ago, Manche757 said:

Is that cannabis behind those tomatoes?

To which tomatoes are you referring?

[mjeff87]

31 minutes ago, Manche757 said:

Is that cannabis behind those tomatoes?

 

You mean me or Fiatslug?

 

I wish that was cannabis behind mine, but those are Leland cypress trees.  Started them from 1 gallon pots about 8 years ago, they're 30 feet tall now LOL.  I've got a few fruit trees, a maple I dug out of the ground up in PA and transplanted, some crepe myrtles and a magnolia in that area too.  I wanted a natural fence on that side of my house.  I succeeded.

[Manche757]

8 hours ago, fiatslug87 said:

To which tomatoes are you referring?

 

8 hours ago, mjeff87 said:

 

You mean me or Fiatslug?

 

I wish that was cannabis behind mine, but those are Leland cypress trees.  Started them from 1 gallon pots about 8 years ago, they're 30 feet tall now LOL.  I've got a few fruit trees, a maple I dug out of the ground up in PA and transplanted, some crepe myrtles and a magnolia in that area too.  I wanted a natural fence on that side of my house.  I succeeded.

 

I take your joint denials to mean that hemp is grown from CA to VA.   And by two of the CC's finest.  What is this world coming to?

 

87 was the give away in each of your names. That is the police code for cannabis on Mars.

[mjeff87]

If I was growing it, I'd be selling it not smoking it.  I work for the government, can't afford to screw that gig up.......until about 2030 when I retire LOL.  

 

Here's a google street view from back when I planted the Lelands.  Technically my property line is right at that fire hydrant, but I wanted a natural fence to block everyone coming down the road from looking directly at my house (and inside my garage).  I'll take a current pic when I get home from work today so you can see how fast and tall those things grow.  They do look pretty stupid when you first plant them, 6 feet apart....but you have to leave room for them to grow up and out.  I could have spaced mine a bit further apart than I did even, but it's way too late for that now.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3519+Rossington+Blvd,+Chester,+VA+23831/@37.3367302,-77.4268176,3a,75y,128.89h,90.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1slEEGcUR-6AXy-G1CBbXmUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b109b28ffaa7a5:0x12f86987f7dfe2f8!8m2!3d37.3367616!4d-77.4264716

 

 

[mjeff87]

And here's a pic of the same area, 8 years later.

[fiatslug87]

That's quite the growth spurt.

[mjeff87]

 

Lelands grow fast anyway, but I fertilized them with tree spikes for the first few years too.  They really exploded.  I've already topped/dead headed a couple of them that were growing too fast (which you're really not supposed to do because it splits the leader if you don't cut them right).  They're all too tall to top now with the ladders/tools I have, so they are off to the races. They do make a perfect wind break for storms when they come from the southwest, which is a bonus.

[87Warrior]

Pete, my only concern with your cucumber trellis is I imagine you will end up with several cukes growing on top of the netting.

 

Our garden is being pretty productive this year. Sweet corn is about 8' tall, Okra is about 6' tall and the Cherry and Roma Tomatoes are about 5' tall. Squash, Cucumber, hot peppers, miscellaneous herbs and green beans are also going crazy. 

This should be a link to a  360 version of the above pic: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JpD2kHW493og5yiw7

 

I grow cucumbers on a couple of pieces of hog panel and some old T posts. Works well. I'm sure we will make another 50-100 jars of dill pickles this year since I still can't stand the taste of a plain cuke.

 

 

[Pete M]

Since I can check on the every day I hope to catch the little cukes and direct them down through the webbing while they are still small.  if I miss a couple, so be it.  this is all about experimenting to find what works and what doesn't.   

 

and yes, I plan to can most all my home grown cukes this year    I'm down to my last jar of sweet dill from last year.    sandwiches just aren't the same without it.  

[JustEmptyEveryPocket]

If you haven't made lime pickles, give em a shot. They are amazing. Something like THIS, although my family adds more spice and some jalapenos and garlic to the can as well.

[Pete M]

neat!    I bet those are pretty tasty 

[Manche757]

1 hour ago, JustEmptyEveryPocket said:

If you haven't made lime pickles, give em a shot. They are amazing. Something like THIS, although my family adds more spice and some jalapenos and garlic to the can as well.

I also prefer sweet homemade pickle over dill. They make a ham sandwich. And add pickle chips to tuna or chicken salad. Which store available spices are you using? Years ago, I used Sauer brand but no longer find them. 

[Manche757]

After the pickles are eaten, pour some of the left over liquid in tuna salad as flavor enhancement. Also, cut fresh cumcumber as thin as you possibly can and put them in the jars with the left over liquid after the pickles are gone. A great garnishment to a meal. Keep in the frig and serve chilled.

[Manche757]

One morning last week while I was looking out a window, a large hawk of unknown type swooped dow, plucked a sqirrell off the side of a tree 20 feet from the house and flew over the roof with it. I have been trying to invite it back to solve a bunny rabbit issue. Other than the obvious of putting up fencing, does anyone have any other successes? In city limits, so no gun power is allowed.