Posted on 03/09/2012 10:51:08 AM PST by JustaDumbBlonde
I went to the Harrison County Extension Service this morning and picked up the instructions and a soil sample bag. I also Met the local County Agent and he said once I get my results back from Stephen F. Austin State Univ. to stop by and he would explain what it means and everything I need to do for my veggie garden, nice people!
I have already dug my samples (10) and they are mixed thoroughly together now and sitting in the bag ready to be mailed off. One big (maybe) problem I found while taking the soil samples - the owner of this property had laid a brick paved walkway of some sort, years ago, and it is completely hidden about an inch below the grass surface right in the center of my planed garden area. I have not determined it’s extent yet. I am glad I found it before trying to till up the area.
Wow a chicken garden. How do you plant the eggs?
It would have been ugly to hit bricks with the tiller.
Good luck with the garden.
Right, that has got to be the way to do it!
I have all kinds of things I could use to raise the shorter plants closer to the lights.
Thanks so much!
I seeded Spanish Onions and California Poppy on Monday. The first frost free date here is the third week of May, but it’s so warm here right now that I am tempted to sow some lettuce in a raised bed. LOL.
I just checked your home page to see what state you’re in, and I must say I love your picture! You just GO, Elf Girl !
LOL, Good for you!
We get the same weather. I’m in zone 4A/B, and am afraid to start my seeds too early. This warmth is so tempting!
How are you doing AftR and Diana?
Do you remember how long it took for you get the results back from your soil test? Did they mail it or send it via e-mail?
The tiller I was renting over in Mississippi was a Brute also. I used it just to break up the sod for the first time and then a couple passes to get a deep till. I used my housewife tiller to do some final tilling.
In my current situation I will need to rent another brute of a tiller here in Marshall, Tx.
Bust it up good! Add some good compost to fluff it up, hold the moisture, and keep it from compacting.
I’m sort of lucky because my dog lived in my back yard for 16 yrs till he died. The dirt is black as coal, and there are earthworms back there as big as cobras!
Just in some places I’m still not sure how many/big rocks there are, so last year, I used the spade.
Every time I use that tiller I’m astounded that it even starts...!!
(But I am pretty good with small engines)
And I bought some strawberry plants today, I have another spot about 25X12 feet that I’m gonna do totally with berries.
Might pick up some path stones to make a walkway in it...
The small tiller that I have was bought about 15 years ago by my Father. I found it in his storage unit after he died. It was still in its original box. It is very, very hard to start. But once it is running it wont quit until you hit the kill switch.
Have you looked into strawberry tower planters?
I’m doing fine, except that my knees are still bothering me from that fall I took in the ice in Jan. It was 70 degrees here today, and it’s tempting to hit the garden store. I have to pinch myself and remember that it is only March. We start planting here in May.
Get a can of starter fluid, and choke it good when you go to start it. Save you alot of frustration.
Most small engines will have a bit of a vapor lock in the carb if they’ve sat for even a couple hours.
Once it’s been going for three minutes or so, if you shut it off it should re-start immediately with one pull.
If it runs after that, but intermittently stops, check the fuel filter. If it has been a while since you used it and it had older gas in it, DUMP OUT ALL OLD GAS AND USE FRESH GAS ONLY!
I’ve literally seen a half inch of water in a quart of gas I dumped out of the tiller after setting over winter. Most gas these days have ethanol in it, and it will absorb water right out of the atmosphere.
It was quick, about a week to ten days, but mine went to Texas A&M at College Station. They mailed the anlyasis to me. But a week is not quick enough with planting time upon us, but you should still be in good shape.
Thanks!
Good Info, Thanks.
Any gal with a bow and arrow is good in my book!
I’m having the same trouble. Aren’t these temperatures wonderful? If they don’t last tho...
I really want to seed some lettuce outside.
Knees are a pain in the..... ;-)
JDB, those photos and your instructions are priceless! I’m going to try it this year. Oh, and could you add me to your ping list as well? Thank you!
Me too.
Mmmmm. Meat. (Because we don't hunt lettuce with an arrow.) :-D
Do you actually do archery Ellendra? I used to, and I loved it.
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