read about the 12/21/12 as being inaccurate because the Mayan Calendar
did not account for leap years (over the course of 5000 years) so that this event....
already passed by 7 months ago....

this doesn't mean however that we can't have a society break down over fuel
shortages resulting in food shortages

Have had a garden for 40 years. Eggplant are tough here in New England. The only year I did well with them was one year I put down black plastic around them.

peas
 

the trick with peas is timing.....it's all about the timing imho

that and the concept of... the lunar influence and it's rythm
it comes in sets of three......... similar to waves
the first two (from the day of the "new moon")
to the full moon (waxing)...those two quarters are the "BIG PUSH Up"
then from the full moon waning back down to THE half "the pull" but
with extra moon light....available

THE FOURTH QUARTER where the moon still waning goes back to skinniest
that's the week or so that you cultivate and get rid of weeds ect.
~
So when you take advantage of that rythm you gain an edge.....
ESPECIALLY 7 days before the full moon because that's the PEAK
germination week with increasing hydroscopic presssure
forcing moisture into seed
~
for peas this year and you always shoot for st paddy's day !
is actually 8,9 and tenth moon in "libra" (for flowers)

bone meal is wicked good for flowers

but the main trick with PEAS i've found (i grow waves of them)
is that you have to water them AT LEAST twice a day heavy
then they go gangbusters.
i'll plant twice this week end clearing away snow is just fine !!!!
and on the 19th 20th and 21 rst
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...nob1/march.png
the wave: they like to planted in MASS meaning many
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...GARDEN2004.jpg

Really, you'd plant peas this early in the year....hmmmm, I would have thought it was way to early for that.

I've read that leaf vegetables like Lettuce and Spinach are planted early as well...is it to early for them? I was thinking 1st couple of weeks in april for those

Have had a garden for 40 years. Eggplant are tough here in New England. The only year I did well with them was one year I put down black plastic around them.


Never had a good eggPlant , right behind you Kev

Ten years ago, Frank sent me some seeds from one of his own prizes that produced a 400# in my sister's patch before it blew out. She doesn't do it anymore as it was on a remote property. My job was primarily soil prep... which included getting the seaweed, mostly kelp, rinsing out "some" of the salt, tranporting it to the patch and digging it into the mix. I could not get over how much work went into soil prep and ongoing maintenence... Do not overlook access for water and getting a vehicle close.

I'm pretty sure I'm giving up the quest for eggplant this year....peas are on my "To Do" list though and Raven has my curiosity going on his last post.

I LOVE Fresh Peas......man they are good...

Peas like cold feet.

I did an all white eggplant called Ghostbuster one year that did well...

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curiosity planted the pea -lol

nah them peas will push up snow ... doesnt phasem

certain lettuce like bibs (ya know the thick leaved varieties)
can be sown early or you can selectively buy
the hydroponic lettuces and replant the roots that come with them
each week....harvesting an occasional outside leaf or two
same thing with scallions cut an inch of white stem off the scallion
and soak it in water to regrow the tips then plant them in 4 inch pots
like so:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...scallions2.jpg

oh yeah be careful of the crown

that being: the above ground line
make sure it's at the right depth meaning exact

to low, it may rot or not grow soon
the plant has to sense the light
to "turn on"

you can put a white five gallon bucket over it
drill a hole in the bottom to let out the heat
if left in full sunlight
water well

pick a sunnier spot that reflects sunshine
off the house and leavem in pots if ya want
for awhile ..........or until may 15th or so

caution! some might be hot
 

as i was searching for seeds (amazon)
i found one add to be kinda funny :)
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...nob1/seeds.png

this year i still hAVE 2 feet of snow to melt

I'd like to start a massive herb garden this year. Some hardier plants (thyme, rosemary, chives) will get planted in about two weeks, then put in the more fragile ones late April/ early May (basil, tarragon, cilantro, parsley, etc etc)...

Any planting tips? Fertilizer OK to use? Not going to start from seed- so much simpler to start with established plants. For herbs is it just as simple as plant them in some potting soil and let them go?

Oregano, Thyme, Sage, and Chives will come back year after year so place them where you want them in your garden. Rosemary will die off during the winter around these parts....they are perrenial in other locations but not up around here....you can always dig them up and pot them over the winter in your house and replant in the spring.

Basil will last a few weeks but things like Cilantro and Parsely will bolt in the heat...so you may want to stagger the planting times so you have it more readily available.

If you are going to plant Mints of any kind be careful....they will over take a garden over the years.

Most herbs are weeds and don't need much for them to grow....they will take on there owm....maybe throw down a little fertilizer for when you plant them but after that you should be good.

I'm no expert but this is what I've been seeing/reading the past couple of years.

Going to rototil the garden this coming weekend and get the Peas and lettuce going next week.

If you want me to come by and run the rototiller through your garden just let me know...I'lll take a ride over and knock it out for you....as long as there are a couple of Frosties available :hee:

I'm pretty good with herbs (probably because they're so easy) but not so much with veggies. Couple things to supplement your post from stuff I've seen/read and experienced from my mother-in-law's garden...

Rosemary, if well established, can winter over in the lower parts of MA. Two winters ago (before I bought a house), we had two rosemary plants keep nice and green throughout the winter. Just make sure to wrap them and dig out the heavy snow.

Chives and mint will *both* take over a garden over a couple years. Mint is much much worse but chives can be a pain too. The chives go to seed aggressively that even having them close to your garden will cause some rebel intrusion. The big concern with mint are the runners. I've had nice tall mint stalks fall over and send roots all in the course of a couple weeks. Mint is also a sneaky bastard an will send out shoots just under the soil surface and pop back up over a foot away. For chives and mint, I'd recommend keeping them in containers on a deck and well away from your main garden.

For sage (and maybe this is just me), it seems to only have a 3-4 year useful life. What I mean is that as the plant matures, it seems to lose some (if not most) of its culinary appeal and the leaves start to bitter. This might be isolated to the sage variety I used.

For basil, I find pinching the flower buds as soon as they pop up really extends the growing season. Also a high-nitrogen low-potassium fertilizer coupled with pinching the off flower buds has really helped me extend the growing season for basil. Come mid-summer, I try and put some basil in mostly-shade areas and that seems to extend the useful season as well.

Cilantro... I don't know. Seems by early-July it always goes to seed and dies off on me. We get tons of fresh coriander to make chili ans sauces with, but I'd love some help here as we love using fresh cilantro in our cooking.

Sorry about the huge wall of text... just last night I sat down and started planning out the flower beds and garden for our new house. Quite overwhelming looking at a completely stripped yard and trying to come up with a plan.

Christ, I feel a little bit like Raven with this post.

i just finished my first coat of paint (stain) on my new starting area
half hoop house...32 inches wide by 16 feet long... with another 16 inch
shelf behind me for flats ...the floor will be movable very large pots
i'll have tomatoes out there TODAY

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...ob1/set-up.png

Does pulling the Flowering stalks on the Chives before they go to seed help to keep them from Spreading? I have about a dozen Chive plants growing in my herb garden and Do notice some spread....but I just rip out the new plants when I see them.

those chive tops just open and drop their seeds in place
instead of ripping them out ....pot them up and plant them
where you have bug problems like ants or flies around the trash area.
or dry the seeds and send some to me :) -or
carry them around when traveling and sprinkle a few here and there.

LOL Johnny Chiveseed

Pinch the buds just like I suggested with the basil. The purple flowers are pretty but don't last long and I'd rather pinch them.

With the chives, they send up a stem that looks different from the rest of the plant - a little thicker, firmer and dense. That's where the buds come from and each bud will drop a couple dozen seeds. I let them grow until a little before I think they are ready to open and then cut the stalk. Frankly, it'll get to the point where you'll have 5-10 to pinch off every couple days. I usually get lazy and just rip a few plants out. We don't use *that* much chives anyway.

I want to try and plant some Chinese Chives in there as well. I have a few recipes that call for them and they are next to impossible to find without driving to Burlington

I am going to try some sq ft gardening this year. Anyone follow that process?

I've been thinking about it. Unfortunately, doesn't look like I'll be able to install a garden this year. Fencing in the yard will be #1 priority (and cost). Next year I'm going for the nice big garden and have been looking at the sq ft process. Also been looking at companion plantings.

yes i do to a degree....on square foot
 

Mels method was deeper soil in raised beds that is intensively planted
with a trellis on the North side for veggies that climb.

But the Most important aspect is to instantly REPLACE anything you harvest BY having a replacement crop ready "in waiting" either in flats
or pots....so that it's one operation thus keeping the square foot producing.
Using this method a family of two needs only a 4' x 8' or a family of 4... a 4' x 16' foot bed.

i am using pots for broccoli , corn and tomatoes because the varieties are designed to grow in pots.
There's allot of advantages namely being able to spread them apart if they get crowded
and or need some shade plus weeding is much easier too.

garlic chives same thing , 400 seeds here with free shipping

Garlic Chives Seeds - 400 Seeds

keep it in mind
 

that much of our food comes from almost 1500 miles away or more

and alls it'll take to shut that down is a huge sun spot that fries
all the computers nationwide or a Big earthquake in Cal on the rumbling
San Andreas fault.... no cars will work.... :confused: so better be prepared... is all...
not for doomsday , but a difficult time.

i'll let them speak
 

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6.../tomatos-1.png

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...b1/peppers.png

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...1/brocolli.png

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...ob1/onions.png

Got my peas in the other day and some radishes in yesterday. Planted some Daikon Radishes this year to see how they do. will be starting the Zuchini and summer squash in the house this week as well

Started the Basil and Chives in the house so they will be going in next month when it warms up.

Thinking about splitting the garden in two and making one half all perennial, Rhubarb, Asparagus, Strawberries, Herbs etc.

good idea !

When should I buy my 'mater plants? Mid-May or so? Going to set up an earth box on my deck, two plants should be plenty for me for the summer.

Any varieties that do particularly well up here?

Hey Kevin, do you want a couple of established Garlic Chive Plants? Got to many and I want to rip a couple out to make room for some Onion Chives. Just come by my house with a couple of gallon pots/buckets and I'll dig them up for you.

Then we can hit the ponds and wet a line....

EARLY GIRL OR BETTER BOY do well up yonder :)

may 15 last expected frost

a couple or more pieces of rebar
some PVC cheap tubing in 10' lengths
and a piece of plastic kept on the ready
for an unexpected and unwelcome snow
is always a good idea to have around
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c6...ob1/tunnel.png

Thanks TDF! I have some French chives and garlic chives in pots on my windowsill... Waiting till the second week of may to put them in my planters. But I will def take some for my gf, she'll be psyched.

Thanks for the suggestion raven... Looking forward to fresh mater, basil and evoo salads this summer. Yum
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Man Rav I miss starting all my plants from seed. Just too darn busy to do any veggies again this year. Only got time for the usual flower beds and not much time for that either. Too much working on the house. My garden has been eaten by weeds and such. Maybe next year. Wish I lived near you to raid your beds. All looks great.
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sprayed the blueberries today praying I timed it right to take care of those darn winter moths which have killed the buds last 2 years for me. I went from a 55 gallon drum of blueberries for 10 straight years to zero last 2. I hate spraying chemicals but it is the only way and lots of time before harvest so not a problem at all with tainted fruit.

EFF THIS FORUM:love: Last 2 weekends I put in about 20 hours just in my front yard. Cleaning, moving stuff in the beds, totally ripping up and redoing a bed, edging, pre weeding. Next weekend = an easy $600 + in mulch and another 12 hours. Not including pulling out 2 white pines and a blue spruce and replanting a screen along my driveway. Oh yeah and I need a lawn! My HUGE front lawn needs to be totally redone. 8 years ago it was taken care of by the builders who built the house. They spread #^&#^&#^&#^&ty loam, hydro seeded and we got a massive rain storm that moved what was there for loom. The lawn was crap for 2 years. So they came back with a truckload of mexicans with wheel barrows and shovels. That didn't work so I made 2 attempts at slice seeding, didn't work. This is the 1st year I'm doing this stuff myself instead of paying someone. What a pain in the AZZ but it feels good at the end of the day.

what's slice seeding?

Raven ...U R the green thumber of S-B....great information ....:)

Half way done with 2013 garden
 

Planted all the early stuff. Getting the potatoe bed ready to go. Watching some You Tube videos on what other people do in this regard. I may dig out the 20" raise bed and plant the tators down deep and fill over the plants as they grow taller. More work to do but it sounds like it will maximize the space I utilize for the planting. I may try a 30 gallon drum ans fill that as the potatoe plants get taller. Just watch a video and the guy got something like 40#'s from the barrel. Can you tell I am carb obsessed?

Friends of mine swear by this method.