Gardeners here at INGO? 2023

[wcd]

Looking at taking a different approach this year. Trying to maximize production and efficiency. So far from what. I am reading there are some plants out there that may be more productive growing up versus out. On the list so far Tomatoes, cucumbers, pole Beans.

Last year we had over 100 tomato plants and our yield was dismal partly due to lack of rain, and largely due to little hoping ********’s that would take one bite out of several tomatoes.


Not being sure of the weather pattern this year I am considering container gardening on a large scale. Through out the year I have been cleaning out the Goat barn and collecting it what is now a berm the size of a backstop. We had a soil sample done on it at the co-op and basically it’s not going to require anything .

So I am thinking that once our plants are ready to go outside we put them in 5 gallon buckets with a hole drilled in the bottom for drainage. I am thinking that that the quantity of compost dirt mixtures should be sufficient and not require much more than the occasional fertilizing and watering would be more efficient as the water can be more productive as we are not having to irrigate a large area and weed control should be minimal as well.

thoughts?

 

[tim87tr]

Can you add 2023 to the title? I'm looking forward to a garden this year after learning from the 2022 thread:

Gardening 2022

We've picked over 4 gallons of strawberries in the last couple of weeks. I have been putting a few bags up also. I have been trying to get away from washing the berries any more than necessary. I dedicated a paint brush to the berry patch to sweep off any debris as I pick. With odd...

www.indianagunowners.com

I tried buckets years ago with mixed results but I think it's worth trying. Each year I learn something and this is really only the 4th year of me attempting a serious garden. 2020 was a good motivator for that and I built some raised beds. Going to move the vining plants like squash to another tilled area outside the small fenced garden to help on space.

 

[wcd]

Can you add 2023 to the title? I'm looking forward to a garden this year after learning from the 2022 thread:

Gardening 2022

We've picked over 4 gallons of strawberries in the last couple of weeks. I have been putting a few bags up also. I have been trying to get away from washing the berries any more than necessary. I dedicated a paint brush to the berry patch to sweep off any debris as I pick. With odd...

www.indianagunowners.com

I tried buckets years ago with mixed results but I think it's worth trying. Each year I learn something and this is really only the 4th year of me attempting a serious garden. 2020 was a good motivator for that and I built some raised beds. Going to move the vining plants like squash to another tilled area outside the small fenced garden to help on space.

View attachment 267098

I thought about raised beds , my question would be for supporting plants ? I was thinking if the buckets were at ground level an 8 foot t post at each bucket would work?

I am also thinking of letting one of the LGD’s near the area to dissuade the little garden robbers. If all else fails it would be hard have less than last year?

 

[Jaybird1980]

I would say it depends on what variety you want to grow.

I have tried the five gallon bucket. IMO it is only good for smaller determinate varieties, or a variety specifically for container gardening.
Indeterminates or larger varieties did not do well. You really have to pay attention to the watering also, they can dry out fast.

 

[Jaybird1980]

For supporting, fiberglass poles like these work well, and should be cheaper than T post

Mr. Garden 8 ft. x 3/8 in. Dia Dark Green Plant Stakes Garden Stakes Tomato Stakes (20-Pack) FS388DG20 - The Home Depot

Mr.Garden, a great alternative to bamboo and wood stakes, which enjoys 5 advantages: Excellent performance in UV resistance and chemical resistance. Will survive more growing reason than bamboo stakes

www.homedepot.com

Depending on how many you're doing, using the string method might be the best. Prune them to one stem.

 

[wcd]

I would say it depends on what variety you want to grow.

I have tried the five gallon bucket. IMO it is only good for smaller determinate varieties, or a variety specifically for container gardening.
Indeterminates or larger varieties did not do well. You really have to pay attention to the watering also, they can dry out fast.

We have a few varieties of determinate tomatoes that we really enjoy, especially their predictable harvest times.

i plan on checking them daily so we should be good with the moisture level, as my Goal was to avoid making the adjacent filed green around the garden. Seems like we have a large area that gets more water than the plants.

I was going to drill holes in the buckets for drainage and dig out spaces in the ground so they would be more stable.


Thankfully we have about 30 to 40 8 foot T post already so I am trying to use what we have.

 

[tim87tr]

I thought about raised beds , my question would be for supporting plants ? I was thinking if the buckets were at ground level an 8 foot t post at each bucket would work?

I am also thinking of letting one of the LGD’s near the area to dissuade the little garden robbers. If all else fails it would be hard have less than last year?

The beds have 8 to 10 inch soil so the sticks or cages work fine. I used the cardboard "no till" for the ground garden. That and raised beds have been good for minimal weeds. For the additional garden area for vining plants I was going to look into the good fabric I see in more commercial gardens.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I inherited two horse fence panels from a neighbor when he moved. They are awesome for vining plants.

Just put two panels out with peas planted on either side. need more t posts and panels for the later stuff like cukes.

And for the first time ever I used one of those t post drivers instead of a 5lb sledge. Holy crap that was easy!

 

[wcd]

I inherited two horse fence panels from a neighbor when he moved. They are awesome for vining plants.

Just put two panels out with peas planted on either side. need more t posts and panels for the later stuff like cukes.

And for the first time ever I used one of those t post drivers instead of a 5lb sledge. Holy crap that was easy!

One man’s junk…We also use Cattle Panels for our cantaloupe. Figure we will plant those in the ground since we usually mow along side of them as they go vertical

 

[Cameramonkey]

One man’s junk…We also use Cattle Panels for our cantaloupe. Figure we will plant those in the ground since we usually mow along side of them as they go vertical

I think we have the same stuff. 1/4” rods welded in about an 8” grid.

 

[Jaybird1980]

One man’s junk…We also use Cattle Panels for our cantaloupe. Figure we will plant those in the ground since we usually mow along side of them as they go vertical

Have you done cantaloupe vertical before? I was thinking of trying it this year and I wasn't sure if the fruit needs supported, I would think it would.

 

[stocknup]

Have not had a lot of experience with bucket container gardening , but had pretty good past success with "Grow Boxes" .
Still able to support using cages , but they can get top heavy and can get unstable in a decent wind .
Have pretty much gone to all Raised beds and ground planting . I usually use a "Florida Weave " to support tomatoes .
Huge fan of using panels for vertical gardening ........

 

[wcd]

Have you done cantaloupe vertical before? I was thinking of trying it this year and I wasn't sure if the fruit needs supported, I would think it would.

Yes initially we used them to make an arc but still the ********* ate pieces out of them, then we started routing the vines up the panel well out of reach with much better results. They seem to stay we have not had any of the fruit drop yet. The vines are pretty strong, also they do not have any spots on them from resting on the ground. No ant issues either

 

[stocknup]

Have you done cantaloupe vertical before? I was thinking of trying it this year and I wasn't sure if the fruit needs supported, I would think it would.

Yes initially we used them to make an arc but still the ********* ate pieces out of them, then we started routing the vines up the panel well out of reach with much better results. They seem to stay we have not had any of the fruit drop yet. The vines are pretty strong, also they do not have any spots on them from resting on the ground. No ant issues either

We always use the arched panels for all of our squash , pie pumpkins and cucumbers with good luck .
Have never grown Cantaloupe , but imagine they could support themselves from hanging ?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Looks interesting. where do you get those arched panels?
And I think I could possibly put my cukes and zukes outside the garden footprint with one of those.

 

[LEaSH]

Looks interesting. where do you get those arched panels?
And I think I could possibly put my cukes and zukes outside the garden footprint with one of those.

I bet TSC, rural king or similar has those as flat panels and they could be anchored in the ground and flexed into the arch.

I'm definitely going to try that out, anyhow.

 

[stocknup]

Looks interesting. where do you get those arched panels?
And I think I could possibly put my cukes and zukes outside the garden footprint with one of those.

Most big box stores carry them ...I call them hog panels , They are 50" wide by 16` long .
I space the bottom at 8` across and it makes the center about 6` high . I wire 3 in a row together to make a longer tunnel .
You have to obviously stake the bottom edges and wire to them .

They are a little pricey , but will last almost forever .

 

[wcd]

I bet TSC, rural king or similar has those as flat panels and they could be anchored in the ground and flexed into the arch.

I'm definitely going to try that out, anyhow.

Pro tip they can easily be arched into a pick up bed

 

[LEaSH]

Pro tip they can easily be arched into a pick up bed

Nice!

 

[wcd]

Most big box stores carry them ...I call them hog panels , They are 50" wide by 16` long .
I space the bottom at 8` across and it makes the center about 6` high . I wire 3 in a row together to make a longer tunnel .
You have to obviously stake the bottom edges and wire to them .

We usually just use a t post just because we have them.