***2026 Garden Thread***

[AFM22]

Hello Clemson board, this is where you can talk about all your gardening plans, accomplishments, failures, and questions.

It's still really cool here on the border of eastern Nebraska, but that isn't stopping my cooler season crops. Right now I'm looking at a nice 1st round of peas, radish, broccoli and lettuce.

Lettuce

Broccoli

Peas

Radish, beans, tomato, and dill

 

[AFM22]

This weekend I'm going to put in my 2nd round of peas. I'll replant my beets since I think it was too cold for the seeds to germinate 2 weeks ago.

Once my 1st round of peas are done, I'll pull them and replace them with canteloupe, and once the lettuce and broccoli are done I'll replace them with popcorn and a 2nd round of cucumbers and squash.

 

[Bonerfarts1]

This weekend I'm going to put in my 2nd round of peas. I'll replant my beets since I think it was too cold for the seeds to germinate 2 weeks ago.

Once my 1st round of peas are done, I'll pull them and replace them with canteloupe, and once the lettuce and broccoli are done I'll replace them with popcorn and a 2nd round of cucumbers and squash.

 

[AFM22]

A lot of people do, actually. TBH the most time consuming part is moving the compost, but that is 100% worth it because it adds organic matter into your soil, which feeds the microbes and fungi, and makes it easier for roots to uptake water and nutrients.

Otherwise, it takes me about 15 minutes to plant some seeds. I have everything on drip irrigation so all I have to do is walk through the garden about 5 minutes per day to check for disease and pests.

 

[Palmerhawk]

Lordy man, those greens look great....way bigger than mine up here in NW Iowa .
In fact my lettuce is not emerging well at all..replant time.
Rabbits have destroyed several tomato and pepper plants.
Security fencing is my main labor related to gardening
Soil temps can't be great with these low 40 degree nites.
Slow start for me.

 

[AFM22]

Lordy man, those greens look great....way bigger than mine up here in NW Iowa .
In fact my lettuce is not emerging well at all..replant time.
Rabbits have destroyed several tomato and pepper plants.
Security fencing is my main labor related to gardening
Soil temps can't be great with these low 40 degree nites.
Slow start for me.

Yeah we had a nice warm spell which got things to germinate. I got about 75% of my lettuce and broccoli to germ. I planted a whole round of peas and beets on May 1 and neither of them germinated, so I'll be reseeding them this weekend.

I the first rabbit in my yard in 5 years, and when I let my dog out to go potty at night he was holding it in his mouth.... so... no more rabbit I have 1 dog, my neighbor to the left has 3 dogs, and my neighbor to the right has 4. The rabbits don't tend to stick around.

 

[yoshi121374]

I use mostly raised beds, but here is my stuff as of last week. Mostly tomatoes,eggplants,melons, and some herbs

 

[AFM22]

I use mostly raised beds, but here is my stuff as of last week. Mostly tomatoes,eggplants,melons, and some herbsView attachment 1298769View attachment 1298770

Hell yeah man, that looks awesome. Have you grown nasturtium before?

 

[yoshi121374]

Hell yeah man, that looks awesome. Have you grown nasturtium before?

Yes, did some last year, but they got trashed in a bad windy storm and broke the main stem. 8 added some sweet alyssum to my beds this year trying to bring on some beenficial wasps to kill freaking hornworms. I hate those damn things.

In my main bed, the two rows of tomatoes in the front, not attached to the metal trellis are part of the dwarf tomato project, they all grow full size tomatoes, but don't get over 3-4 feet tall and they are indeterminate. I love having lots of variety for making caprese salad and similar. I also have about 20 dwarf cherry tomatoe plants in my round bed along with a few peppers.

I like to grow a ton of basil and make pesto that I then freeze for usage throughout the year.

 

[AFM22]

Yes, did some last year, but they got trashed in a bad windy storm and broke the main stem. 8 added some sweet alyssum to my beds this year trying to bring on some beenficial wasps to kill freaking hornworms. I hate those damn things.

In my main bed, the two rows of tomatoes in the front, not attached to the metal trellis are part of the dwarf tomato project, they all grow full size tomatoes, but don't get over 3-4 feet tall and they are indeterminate. I love having lots of variety for making caprese salad and similar. I also have about 20 dwarf cherry tomatoe plants in my round bed along with a few peppers.

I like to grow a ton of basil and make pesto that I then freeze for usage throughout the year.

I usually tuck my nasturtium on the edge of the bed so I can flop them out of the side.

 

[AFM22]

8 added some sweet alyssum to my beds this year trying to bring on some beenficial wasps to kill freaking hornworms. I hate those damn things.

my main goal this year is bees and butterflies. Im planting a lot of flowers around the garden to attract more polinators.

Fortunately I haven't had too much issue with hornworm, but squash bug is my biggest issue. I'm out there nightly doing a 10 min walk through killing everything on site.

 

[yoshi121374]

my main goal this year is bees and butterflies. Im planting a lot of flowers around the garden to attract more polinators.

Fortunately I haven't had too much issue with hornworm, but squash bug is my biggest issue. I'm out there nightly doing a 10 min walk through killing everything on site.

Freaking hate squash bugs, I legit won't grow squash because they are so deflating. I also deal with a lot of leaf footed bugs down here.

I'll have to try the nasturtium on the edges next season. I do have some borage that is on the front right of my main bed that has grown a bunch in the last few days. I also have a greenstalk tower that has more dwarf cherry toms and herbs and flowers. My wife handles most of the flowers at the house and around the pool.

 

[AFM22]

Freaking hate squash bugs, I legit won't grow squash because they are so deflating. I also deal with a lot of leaf footed bugs down here.

I'll have to try the nasturtium on the edges next season. I do have some borage that is on the front right of my main bed that has grown a bunch in the last few days. I also have a greenstalk tower that has more dwarf cherry toms and herbs and flowers. My wife handles most of the flowers at the house and around the poop.View attachment 1298795

I've considered borage but maybe next year.

 

[AFM22]

Freaking hate squash bugs, I legit won't grow squash because they are so deflating. I also deal with a lot of leaf footed bugs down here.

I'll have to try the nasturtium on the edges next season. I do have some borage that is on the front right of my main bed that has grown a bunch in the last few days. I also have a greenstalk tower that has more dwarf cherry toms and herbs and flowers. My wife handles most of the flowers at the house and around the poop.View attachment 1298795

You're making great use of your space.

 

[yoshi121374]

You're making great use of your space.

I appreciate the compliment, it's been a process.

It's just me and the wife so I have to self edit some. I grow primarily from seed so I always end up with more seedlings than I need and it kills me to trash them lol.

 

[Moral]

Dammit this all looks fun. Looks like I need some 2x8s and some yards of soil.

 

[AFM22]

I appreciate the compliment, it's been a process.

It's just me and the wife so I have to self edit some. I grow primarily from seed so I always end up with more seedlings than I need and it kills me to trash them lol.

Counterpoint: Better to trash seedlings you don't need than to grow too few seeds and none turn out and you have to end up buying starts anyway.

There's a locally owned garden center nearby that has an insane selection. They beat the heck out of the bigger "luxury" plant places. That's where I get my tomato/pepper starts. Otherwise I try to direct sow everything.

 

[yoshi121374]

Counterpoint: Better to trash seedlings you don't need than to grow too few seeds and none turn out and you have to end up buying starts anyway.

There's a locally owned garden center nearby that has an insane selection. They beat the heck out of the bigger "luxury" plant places. That's where I get my tomato/pepper starts. Otherwise I try to direct sow everything.

The biggest thing I had to learn was there is no benefit to planing outside early. You risk front, and they grow so slowly until the heat picks up that it's literally no benefit.

I end up giving many of my extra seedlings away to my employees so it works out.

 

[AFM22]

Dammit this all looks fun. Looks like I need some 2x8s and some yards of soil.

When I was building my beds I found some 10 foot 2"x12"s of redwood at home depot for $25 each. They rang up at $52 each.

I walked the managers *** back to the lumber department and showed him the price tag. He honored it but he ripped that sign down so fast. Did those 4 beds for like $250 instead of $500.

I was also part of a "compost club program" through a local soil place when I lived in an apartment and had nowhere to compost my kitchen scraps. When we bought our house, they gave me a hell of a deal on soil. 2 cubic yards of 50/50 compost topsoil for $90.

I don't think I could ever start my garden again for that cheap of an overhead cost.

 

[yoshi121374]

When I was building my beds I found some 10 foot 2"x12"s of redwood at home depot for $25 each. They rang up at $52 each.

I walked the managers *** back to the lumber department and showed him the price tag. He honored it but he ripped that sign down so fast. Did those 4 beds for like $250 instead of $500.

I was also part of a "compost club program" through a local soil place when I lived in an apartment and had nowhere to compost my kitchen scraps. When we bought our house, they gave me a hell of a deal on soil. 2 cubic yards of 50/50 compost topsoil for $90.

I don't think I could ever start my garden again for that cheap of an overhead cost.

I'd look at the metal raised beds. The prices have dropped a ton since they got popular. Mine were from Vego, and I bought one from Amazon that I put under our bird feeders for lavender plants. They cost less than $30 and I swear are exactly the same as mine I already had.

 

[AFM22]

I'd look at the metal raised beds. The prices have dropped a ton since they got popular. Mine were from Vego, and I bought one from Amazon that I put under our bird feeders for lavender plants. They cost less than $30 and I swear are exactly the same as mine I already had.

I feel like I have about at least 5 more years with these boards until I replace them. When I do I'll be looking at metal. They look real nice. I think when I built my wood beds each 6x4 metal bed was around $300 each.

 

[Moral]

When I was building my beds I found some 10 foot 2"x12"s of redwood at home depot for $25 each. They rang up at $52 each.

I walked the managers *** back to the lumber department and showed him the price tag. He honored it but he ripped that sign down so fast. Did those 4 beds for like $250 instead of $500.

I was also part of a "compost club program" through a local soil place when I lived in an apartment and had nowhere to compost my kitchen scraps. When we bought our house, they gave me a hell of a deal on soil. 2 cubic yards of 50/50 compost topsoil for $90.

I don't think I could ever start my garden again for that cheap of an overhead cost.

That's what's up. I work with a couple landscaping company people so I could probably do okay on soil. The lumber would cost me, and I have packs of ashol deer and every other wild life that like to come through. The deer mow down my hostas every year.

 

[yoshi121374]

I feel like I have about at least 5 more years with these boards until I replace them. When I do I'll be looking at metal. They look real nice. I think when I built my wood beds each 6x4 metal bed was around $300 each.

That's about what I paid for my 6x4. Now they are less than $100.

 

[AFM22]

That's what's up. I work with a couple landscaping company people so I could probably do okay on soil. The lumber would cost me, and I have packs of ashol deer and every other wild life that like to come through. The deer mow down my hostas every year.

Spray coyote piss all over everything.

 

[AFM22]

That's about what I paid for my 6x4. Now they are less than $100.

The one thing I do really like about my wood beds is it's so easy to just screw a trellis or brackets into the side to hold PVC for a bug net or something.

 

[Moral]

Spray coyote piss all over everything.

I'll try to snag one of the fox that run through and harvest their urine if you think that works?

 

[AFM22]

I'll try to snag one of the fox that run through and harvest their urine if you think that works?

You can buy the piss already squeezed from the foxes.

 

[Moral]

You can buy the piss already squeezed from the foxes.

This is why capitalism is so superior.

 

[yoshi121374]

The one thing I do really like about my wood beds is it's so easy to just screw a trellis or brackets into the side to hold PVC for a bug net or something.

Yeah. I had to use rebar and electrical conduit for my trellis.

 

[AFM22]

Yeah. I had to use rebar and electrical conduit for my trellis.

Here’s my tomato trellis

 

[yoshi121374]

Here’s my tomato trellis

View attachment 1298835

That's nice! Looks like you have irrigation? That's the next thing I want to add. It's tough to stay ahead when it gets mid 90s...

 

[AFM22]

That's nice! Looks like you have irrigation? That's the next thing I want to add. It's tough to stay ahead when it gets mid 90s...

It's real eas DIY project! All you need is all these things (its actually much simpler than it looks

Backflow preventer
Filter
PSI regulator
Hose size adapter
3/4 inch hose
Couplings and elbows
Valves
and then smaller drip lines/plugs

Hose cutter
Hose puncture

The last two usually come in a kit.

I did all mine for under $200 and a weekend. You can get all the parts at your box store.

 

[yoshi121374]

It's real eas DIY project! All you need is all these things (its actually much simpler than it looks

Backflow preventer
Filter
PSI regulator
Hose size adapter
3/4 inch hose
Couplings and elbows
Valves
and then smaller drip lines/plugs

Hose cutter
Hose puncture

The last two usually come in a kit.

I did all mine for under $200 and a weekend. You can get all the parts at your box store.

I want to do it, but got to make the hoses running to it look perfect so wife won't ***** lol. I'd need to run it under mulch and figure out what to do where it runs over grass?

 

[AFM22]

This weekend I'm going to put in my 2nd round of peas. I'll replant my beets since I think it was too cold for the seeds to germinate 2 weeks ago.

Once my 1st round of peas are done, I'll pull them and replace them with canteloupe, and once the lettuce and broccoli are done I'll replace them with popcorn and a 2nd round of cucumbers and squash.

So I went out to replant my beets today and what do you know!? They sprouted. These darn plants are always keeping me on my toes.

@Moral did you know that beets cluster their seeds in 2 or 3 so you only need to drop one cluster of seeds and then thin thin thin. Most plants don’t do that!

 

[Moral]

So I went out to replant my beets today and what do you know!? They sprouted. These darn plants are always keeping me on my toes.

@Moral did you know that beets cluster their seeds in 2 or 3 so you only need to drop one cluster of seeds and then thin thin thin. Most plants don’t do that!

View attachment 1301177

I did not, but now I do.

 

[AFM22]

I did not, but now I do.

 

[Hendy Hawk]

22 sorry I missed this thread before posting mine.

 

[AFM22]

22 sorry I missed this thread before posting mine.

You are forgiven.

Now tell me what you're growing