New From Scratch Raised Beds This Year!

Kathy, you have hit my cabin fever "nerve".( in a good friendship way) I have tons of seed packets from previous years of feeling quite enthusiastic of my gardening abilities. It doesn't keep me from looking through the seed catalogs and wishing though, as I look outside at the snow and sigh. The days MAY be getting longer but they are still too short for me. ( about 4 hours of light max.) I keep trying to remember that I think snow is pretty. I am hoping for some raised beds this next summer. Our kitty died last week and we will plant him after the spring thaw and plan on an apple tree to memorialize him. So maybe while we are using the backhoe, we can do some dirt moving..........

 

My

My cabin fever nerve is about SHOT! LOL I'm just not in the mood for winter weather this year. I'm sittin' here surrounded by seeds too, but I needed those catalogs just so i can look.... I love looking at the snow too, only problem is that its mainly just mud right now although its trying to spit snow. I'm sorry to hear about your kitty! I have 12 cats here and a slew of dogs too. I love them all! Hope kitty had a long happy life...

 

Thanks for the link to the film. Anything that will help my garden is appreciated. I have a real short growing season so I have to get a true soil plan. I also was overrun with milky mildew last year and my squash plants didn't produce.

 

I just read somewhere that milk half n half with water and sprayed on plants takes care of mildew. Never tried it but I did write it down in my notebook! (to try)

 

here in montana we have 4 8ft x4x by 12in raised beds and one 24ftx3ft x 12in. our soil is heavy clay we add sand,compost and potting soil. our short growing season we make hoops over the beds and cover 6 mil plastic the hoops are about 27 inches tall 3/4 sch 40 pvc we put crosses on the tops and sides then use 1/2 pvc in the cross's works well for wind control. this way with the little green houses helps heat the soil and grow veggies. oh yes we use 8x2x1 strips of wood screwed thru the wood on the 2x12 to hold plastic in place.

 

found it!!! Garden Ideas / According to author and horticultural professor Jeff Gillman, who has conducted extensive research on blackspot remedies, a spray composed of one part milk and two parts water is the best answer to the disease. He says this simple solution, if applied weekly, will control blackspot as well as any synthetic fungicide, including Chlorotalonil.

 

I like this idea. If I applied this cover technique I could actually start my plants earlier and it could protect from frost. Due to our elevation I can't plant till Memorial Day so my growing time is not enough.

 

yes here in north montana we start our plants in side and then transfer out . I use a baby dial termeter when the soil reaches 70 degrees then transplant .also helps with starting radishs and other direct seeds. we get a longer season.