Spring activity at the Ranch

[freshtiva]

^ Nice perspective !

"I lived in Saint Louis for about 2 1/2 years in Omaha when I was in the Air Force, so I'm somewhat familiar with the changes from bitter cold to sweltering heat that you endure."

Couldnt have put it better myself.

[drddan]

Lots better than mine...

I have too much sandy soil and too much shade for
vegetables to grow at my house here on James Island...just a little bit further inland and the conditions are perfect though.

Its called topsoil. You mix it into the sandy soil, and your plants will do much better. Haul some from inland if ya have to.

BTW Fresh, that is some good lookin produce!

[sc72]

Here is a one up for ya, i was born on that A.F.B. south of Omaha.

[freshtiva]

Drove up to the St Joseph stock yards this morning and got me a free load of cow byproduct for use in the garden. Later Ill be doing what I do best and shoveling it out of the truck.

[neanderpaul]

:lol:

[1990new]

Its called topsoil. You mix it into the sandy soil, and your plants will do much better. Haul some from inland if ya have to.

BTW Fresh, that is some good lookin produce!

Topsoil...very familiar with that. I was raised a country boy.
We had 50 acres in peaches and the remaining 26 acres in pasture, row crops (corn, cotton, peanuts, etc., and about every vegetable under the sun.)

My biggest problems are not much room in my back yard and too much shade.
(Front yard is mostly one huge live oak tree and driveway.)

Top soil is built up where I am that I could plant the vegetables
in the ground if I had room and a sunny spot. Problem is that not too far under that topsoil is mostly sand and that sand just drains the water down to the water table, which is not more than 8 or 12 feet at the most. Everything that can put roots down that far does really great, but growing things like tomatoes is not so good because of their constant need for more water where their roots are. (Mulching and drip irrigation would probably do the trick but planting in pots works for just a couple of plants.) An irrigation system is pretty much a requirement to have a decent lawn here and it's pretty easy to get at the water for it. Punch about 15 feet down just about anywhere and there's plenty of water to pump out for the system to run continuously.

[freshtiva]

Harvested some cabbage from the garden today and made six quarts of homemade sauerkraut. Probably will be able to make six more tomorrow. Probably all the kraut Ill need for the year unless I get on a Reuben sandwich kick.

[neanderpaul]

Man that is great! Think I'll grow some cabbage next year!

[Larry Hampton]

Topsoil...very familiar with that. I was raised a country boy.
We had 50 acres in peaches and the remaining 26 acres in pasture, row crops (corn, cotton, peanuts, etc., and about every vegetable under the sun.)

My biggest problems are not much room in my back yard and too much shade.
(Front yard is mostly one huge live oak tree and driveway.)

Top soil is built up where I am that I could plant the vegetables
in the ground if I had room and a sunny spot. Problem is that not too far under that topsoil is mostly sand and that sand just drains the water down to the water table, which is not more than 8 or 12 feet at the most. Everything that can put roots down that far does really great, but growing things like tomatoes is not so good because of their constant need for more water where their roots are. (Mulching and drip irrigation would probably do the trick but planting in pots works for just a couple of plants.) An irrigation system is pretty much a requirement to have a decent lawn here and it's pretty easy to get at the water for it. Punch about 15 feet down just about anywhere and there's plenty of water to pump out for the system to run continuously.

Then plant watermelon, they love sandy soil and lots of water.

[freshtiva]

Slide show below.

[KingFish]

Drove up to the St Joseph stock yards this morning and got me a free load of cow byproduct for use in the garden. Later Ill be doing what I do best and shoveling it out of the truck.

Thats a big load of crap Marcus...

[freshtiva]

Thats a big load of crap Marcus...

Its all true, I swear !!

[1990new]

Beautiful garden you have there. Wish I had room to grow more myself.

[kumalaba]

marcus , mines finally coming around!

[freshtiva]

marcus , mines finally coming around!

Yes indeed !!

My garden ( and yours too probably ) is really producing a lot right now. I told the wife, and I believe it to be true, that two people could live totally off of the garden for the next six months. Of course it would be a vegan diet and you might get tired of eating the same thing day after day but it would sustain you. I carry several pounds of produce to the house daily. Been freezing and canning as much as possible. Ive also learned that one zucchini plant ( noticed you have several ) is enough for even the most ardent zucchini eater. I noticed the other day I had some water melons on the vine, sure to be a late summer treat.