SD'S GOING OFF TOPIC - GARDEN VENTURES & other pursuits '22

[sd]

Edit- I started this thread in April , it's now September and i will add some Edits below in this 1st thread post that may link to what I found as worth viewing-
4-5-2022
Since I anticipate spending less time in the markets this year, I'll use this forumn to blog periodically cover some of my other interests aside from trading and investing- Doing Life - outside of the typical focus on the stock market.
Simple small Garden stuff, Fishing stuff, maybe a few projects..and ideas from others on You tube that I adopted or tried. .. Since i don't do any Face Book or such, this is the logical place....to start....
I'll start with the Off Topic post made 4-5-2022 - and- since it's late- Will include some photos-and perhaps eventually some short videos
Garden "Hacks" I do- Air layering, trying grafting- Figs- Raised bed and elevated container garden projects-
Hope for some fishing success this year- so a few photos of the 8 lb bass I hope to catch someday....
Partial 1st entry- to be continued later with an edit add in:
Off topic: MOles, Voles, and Pears- OH MY!
I'm going off tangent here to talk about some of the garden issues, experiments, projects-
What a resource is Youtube!
Spend a few hours searching and voila!
we have seen a large increase in moles and voles in my yard and my neighbors as well-
Obviously, I cannot use poison in the ground near any of the fruit trees,Pears, Figs, and they are all mulched and that's a natural go-to for the critters-keeps them warm and protected in the winter, plenty of earthworms to eat...
I'll try using the castor oil granules sold at lowes to divert the varmits into the lawn area, and I'm also using the AMDRO Gopher Gasser- fused gas cartidges - that you insert in a tunnel, light the fuse, and it gasses out a sulfur compound to asphixiate the varmit.
I Will try to use the castor oil granules that are sold at Lowe's as a deterrent - you sprinkle them in an area, water in, and it causes the critters to find another area to live in- The goal is to progressively treat sections of your yard, give the critters a motivation to move, treat the next area, and chase them into your neighbor's yard. LOL!

Got some Blueberry bushes I have to move into raised beds- I had originally put them into a low area in the yard because I had read that they like moisture- However, while they like moisture, they don't like to be sitting in wet- just damp. And they need a very low 4.5-5.5 PH to do well - I've recently started testing the PH levels im my yard and raised bed comntainers- and making adjustments .
The plants have struggled there - and several died- and I'm down to 5 plants .
Additionally, the moles/voles have tunneled around the plants, and I'm surrounding the plants with a metal barrier made of galvanized metal Lath- It is used for plaster work - comes in sheets 27" wide x 8' long-
I cut the sheets in half- to end up with 2 pieces 13.5" wide x 8' .
Very flexible; bend them into a circle, overlap a few inches, tie the 2 ends together- and it's a good barrier-for the rodents tunneling-


EDIT-ADD-
Other than YOUTUBE as a go-to -resource-
Here is the link to the NC State AG on line gardening resource:
content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook

Edit-ADD- As I got into plant propogation more this year, and tried Grafting- I found the Youtube videos made by JSacadura to be the best for their succinct commentary, excellent photography- There are many more other than the links I've included below. Do a Search on his Youtube page.


I'm copying a number of his videos - Both air layering and grafting-
His videos are concise and very well photographed-
Sending to you all- in case you want to give this a try for plant propagation methods-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OvVjHC2JV0

4 methods of rooting cuttings compared
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZS3JYWvVz4

rooting lemon verbena
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1EInIVVZdA

5 air layering video link- fruit trees
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTH_-DAgLghni2tBMDHmrn-XTadbf8bNf

Grafting:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nlsAk3nnAY

There are many more concise videos by him available-

2 bucket system:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rQ1GQq1d84

[sd]

4-6-2022
Went to the Raleigh Farmer's market today, and loaded up on veggies for the garden plus an Eucalyptus tree and a Persimmon tree. Simply cannot beat the Bynum's greenhouse prices and quality of the plants-While we start a few veg seeds indoors under grow lights- We buy our tomato, peppers, eggplant from them- Simply cannot compare the $3.00/6 well developed plants they sell the 6 pack for!
Went on to our Daughter's house in Fuquay, and we shared some veggies-that she is growing in elevated beds- as well as in IKEA grow bags- (good for just 1 season) The elevated grow beds are constructed from some surplus metal roofing panels- 10' long and 2.5'wide-and 2' high- set on concrete blocks - Her 1st year plying her green thumb!
The Blue Ikea grow bags are good for 1 growing season (will decay eventually due to uv from the sun ) -
Where she will be growing Figs, Squash, Cucumbers- In the raised beds, Strawvberries, Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant,
lettuce, Kale etc....She's excited and we are as well! Beds are filled with a landscape mix, peatmoss, vermiculite.

[sd]

Blueberry Renovation:
OK, I didn't read the fine print when i planted my blueberries at the lowest,wettest point in my yard-
The fine print said that while Blueberries prefer a damp soil, their roots don't want to be waterlogged-
And then there was also that other mention that Blueberries thrive in an acidic soil- meaning 4.5 -5.5 PH
That seemed scientific and complicated to figure out, until I picked up a Soils test kit at Lowe's for about $12.00-
with the capsules and test vials- and There You Go! I'm past that initial hurdle by taking the 1st step in doing an easy soils test- You can also send in soils samples to your county AG office and they will run a really comprehensive test for soils and tell you what is needed- But, I have a lot of areas with different imported soils- and containers- so being able to test a specific bed area may be different from an area 50' away. So, it's recommended to try this out- The test kit will also tell you if your PH is out of whack, and also test for the other ingredients plants need-

So, I needed to elevate my Blueberries, yet they like a soil that holds moisture- just not wet and waterlogged-
And the PH needs to be very acidic 4.5-5.5 for them to do well- And they need a thick layer of mulch...
And the moles and voles need to be prevented from getting into their root zone-
So , I went slightly uphill, dug out a hole, filled the bottom with 2" of sand for drainage and dug a small 2' trench outside filled with with sand -To allow trapped water a way to drain out through the sand.
I put a ring of 13" high galvanized expanded metal lath in the hole 8" below the existing soil level- ideally low enough to intercept the shallow tunnels moles and voles use-

I then mixed up some of the topsoil with a compost mix and added a lot of Peat Moss (which is acidic) -about a 1/3 bale- and i also added Espoma soil Acidifier, and Espoma Fertilizer for acid loving plants like Hydrangeas-
The Soil Acidifier will not work immediately, it will take several months for the microorganisms to absorb and then release it into the soil as an acidifier- - In the near term, I may also take a temporary measure of a solution of 2 Table sthingys of white vinegar/gallon of water, and give the soils a dose of that to initiate lowering the ph. I'm also using the Espoma fertilizer which includes sulfur to help lower the PH to be more Acidic.
7.0 is considered neutral- Many vegetable plants prefer a 6-6.5 PH for best production- The Test kit includes a brochure listing the PH for dozens of plants.

Here's the expanded galvanized metal lath set 8" deep into the ground and extended higher it made approx a 32" diameter circle-when the 2 ends are tied together and slightly overlapped.
It has a 2" sand bed, then filled with the landscape mix up to ground level- Sand was then filled around the outside of the lath to ground level- to facillitate excess water flowing further downhill---



Because the metal lath is an open mesh- above the ground level, I placed a liner against the lath made up of some roofing membrane material I had laying around-to prevent the soil edges inside to dry out quickly exposed to the air- I then filled the interior with the amended soil/landscape/peat mix, and think this mix will provide moisture retention plus the drainage the plants require- I will add some sand to the mix ingredients as well, to ensure positive drainage. I also added more acidifier, and acidic fertilizer to the final mix

I dug up the Blueberry that was struggling the most, and noticed that while it is starting to leaf out, it did not have a lot of new root growth- and ideally these amendments will invigorate the plant. I have 2 other blueberries to relocate similarly, and 2 to elevate in their present positions with the amended soil mix and acidifier. Time will tell if this works out-
EDIT- add- I went back and added screened sand into the mix to assist in better drainage-


4-7-2022 EDIT-ADD

Completed the relocation and elevation of the 3 Blueberry's that were originally set in a too low area that held moisture-While one plant hgad developed some growth over 3 years, it had a few lateral roots as well.
The other 2 plants initially planted last spring showed no signs of added root growth, and one had entirely lost it's leaves over the winter but is budding out-
After making the 1st mixture with the 2" sand layer bed , I awoke the next morning to realize that while my mix of topsoil, landscape mix-compost, and peat- potentially could retain too much moisture- so I removed the plant, added sand to the mix and in the other 2 mixes incorporated some sand into the mixture, as well as continuing the 2" base sand bed and the sand on the outside of the wire mesh circle-



3 Blueberry plants are now in their new elevated beds- approx 4' spacing between the plants.

I plan to propogate additional blueberry plants this year by airlayering some of the new growth shoots.
This will provide me additional clones of the different varieties- and I will expand the blueberry bed area if
this renovation shows successful results-



Espoma soil acidifier and Espoma Hollytone Organic Fertilizer to reduce the soil PH seeking 4.5-5.5 Max ph.



An afternoon thunderstorm delivered a good amount of rain that flowed down the yard to where the Blueberry's were originally planted-. They are now moved 8' West and higher in the slope in original yard .

[sd]

Potato experiment- In Grow bags-
I'm using the Ikea Grow bags (1 season expected use $2.00 ea) .
I'm also using a landscape mix - soil + compost + peat moss + acidifier- +fertilizer -
After watching numerous You tube videos, we elected to grow a few bags with Seed potatoes-
(LOL EDIT_ We're not trying to grow the bags-just the potatoes! Sow the bags with seed potatoes)

Use certified seed potatoes- not off the grocery store shelf - can get it at lowes or a local AG store...

You store the seed potatoes in a dark warm place, and they will start Chittin- Not a misprint LOL!
Those are the buds that grow out of the potato-



We're experimenting with growing 2 different varieties in the Blue grow bags, versus trying to grow in the soil-
I've seen a number of different approaches on You tube- including just setting a potato on top of the ground and cover it with a foot of straw- compared to digging it in, and then covering/hilling - a lot of work no doubt...
I used 2 grow bags to get the possible height i may need- I cut the bottom of one grow bag, inserted into the 1st grow bag, and added 8" of compost/landscape mix with peat and acidifier- & fertilizer (potatoes like a lower PH also 4.5-6.0)
Once the 8" of fertilized soil mix was added into the 2 bags, I lift & slide the inside bag higher; making the bag height 24" or so-
Then space the 5 seed potatoes inside the bag with the Chits facing up - (Remove more than 3 chits per potato)
cover with some more soil mix, added a thick layer of straw, a 2" layer of landscape mix, more straw-
As the potatoes chit goes vertical, continue to cover with straw- as the new potatoes that come off the rising stem need to be kept in the dark- If they get left in the sun, and turn green- they can be poisinous....
Continue with water and fertilizer- (BTW- be sure to cut weep holes to allow the water to get out of the grow bag near the bottom!) Eventually, the potatoes stems and greens will wither and die- and after a week or two- dump the bags out and harvest the potatoes. This is a small scale experiment that could be done larger in a raised bed- if productive- The pros of simply covering the potatoes with straw versus the hilling in soil is a no brainer from an ease in labor standpoint.




EDIT- Follow up- August- I apparently killed the 1st potato plants - The plants were growing great, and then withered and died- I'm assuming from the attempt to by trying to apply the vinegar solution to acidify the soils.

Bag 2 was a different variety and slower to start-growing- so I didn't apply the vinegar- but did fertilize well- but the end crop was a meager handful of small potatoes- I know the ph was very high using the landscape mix- I also stacked more bags on top as the plants grew- but no higher potatoes were formed- and , it had drip irrigation ---

[sd]

Restoring GRAPE VINES-

At one time I had quite a few grapevines- some vinefera, thought i'd learn to make wine-but found that the wine grapes do not do well in our warm and muggy humid climate- Prone to molds and such- but the muscadine variuety of grapes - a distinct difference from the grapes one purchases in the grocery store- have a distinct musky flaor- and thick skins- that are likely an acquired taste -
These vines grow prolifically here in NC once established- and -if not kept pruned back, an established vine can extend a growing arm 20-30' in a single season. I found the best method to grow these is to train them to a single wire 5-6' above the ground- At the end of each growing season, Cut back the growth to within 12" of the wire, as they only produce on the new growth-
Those that grow a single plant and allow it to cover and trellis over a large area, get the foliage but less fruit as it is severely overgrown and stressed to make production.
Over time, the parent plant loses vigor and naturally becomes less productive- I've noticed this with my vines, but it was only last year that i had the time to take some action- I have 6 or 7 different varieties- and about 16 vines in all. Most are self-fertile- but one variety- SUPREME- needs a pollinator- and it produces small clusters of very large individual grapes.

Last year, I took the most vigorous 1 year old growth from each plant- some 20' in length- left them attached to the parent plant, but took the vine down from the wire, and made a trench in the soil. I then bent the vine to turn down, and into the trench- For that section of the vine that would be covered with soil in the trench, I simply scraped sections of part of the bark to the white- leaving the majority of the bark intact...
The scraping of the bark layer wounds the plant, causing it to send hormones to repair the wound- When these hormones in the stem meet the right condition- soils & moisture in contact with the stem-it develops new roots that eventually grow , developing a brand new self sufficient plant.
I covered the trench with soil, typically at least 24" of the vine embedded in the dirt, and then the area covered with mulch- This season, I will leave the vine attached to the parent trunk, fertilize and Mulch, and this winter will remove the original plant. I should be left with a brand new and fully productive new vine next year.

[sd]

MY HELLO! VIDEO WITH THE " A frame"

vimeo.com/697171918/87da5e2a72

[sd]

We don't have a large garden, but it's an interest that we both have-particularly in the early spring - Not so much in the heat of the summer!
We grow just a relatively small amount of vegetables- the majority in containers elevated off the ground for ease and a few limited inground areas .
Years ago, we used to try our hand at gardening a larger in ground area with the rototiller, weeding, watering , and associated work -with attempts at canning etc..
but that eventually became too much of a chore for our limited time- and results- I built a 4' x 12' hydroponic bed a few years ago, that floated vegetables on a sheet of styrofoam in net cups over a 8" deep water solution- but I failed to get the results desired- operator error and a lack of understanding the process, the fertilization and aeration.... I like the construction process- but need to delegate the operations to LOIS LOL!So it was filled in with dirt and this year we will grow peppers in it.
As mentioned in the prior video, I don't have a homeowner's association to worry with- so I can essentially construct whatever doesn't offend the Deer in the woods next to me...We have a relatively small vegetable garden -just growing some basic essentials -Peppers, Tomatoes, Squash; Cucumbers, lettuce, chard,radish,okra, and a mixture of herbs used for cooking- Experimenting with some other small vegetable crops- Stuff we can toss in the freezer or eat fresh-
I realized some years ago, that after all things involved- Your labor, time spent daily watering, weeding, and then harvesting... This is more a labor of interest than it is economics- A trip to support the produce sold at your local farmer's market can supply all the fresh vegetables one wants for no effort on your part- and
supports their efforts- So, this thread is just about a Hobby and a few tweaks here and there-
A dozen + muscadine grape vines, A few fruit trees-that the late frost nips the fruits on it seems, , about 12 fig trees, a few blueberry; a 50'long row of KIWI (haven't got a single kiwi yet!)
The muscadine vines have been long term survivors in the yard - 20 years - and grow well here-
a 50' row of Kiwi vines have yet to produce a single fruit- with both male and female plants.and 7 years in the ground.
The interest in Figs started about 7 years ago, bought a couple, they died back to the roots in one cold winter, but came back- By year 2 they had produced a few figs, but I had planted the 1st in an area that didn't get much sun- year 3 or so, the other Fig 20' away that got more sun produced dozens of figs-
I bought additional varieties of figs, grew them in containers for 2 years, and overwintered them by laying them down and covered them with a tarp and a large amount of leaves- and then i learned how to airlayer and make new plants (YOUTUBE!).
I then put a few of them into the ground, and they simply took off -Fast! - I attempted a couple of grafts last year- but they failed- Operator error, wrong time of year - I tried a few grafts this year, and plan to attempt more in the next week

[sd]

4-8- 2022 Garden Projects:
A.The Blueberry relocation of the 5 plants was completed.
Highlights of this project:
Elevate the plant beds so the roots will not sit in water.
Used galvanized wire Lath as a barrier to moles and voles by digging the lath in 8" ; and allowing it to extend up higher-supporting the elevated soils & plant-as well as a thick layer of mulch on top.
ADD a layer of sand in the bottom of the raised bed
Make a mix of good top soils, Compost, Peat Moss, Soil Acidifier, and Espomo Hollytone organic fertilizer.


video
vimeo.com/697560778/26f54aa17d

[sd]

Air Layering-
An easy way to propogate new plants from an existing plant-
You Tube is my go-to resource for learning about these techniques-
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=airlayering+plants

AIR LAYERING is an easy method to clone and root your existing plants, shrubs, trees-
It is a significant cost savings versus buying a 1 or 2 year old plant from a nursery, and the rooted plant
has the advantage of not having to go through the process of being grown from a seed, nutured through it's 1st year- Some plants can be air layered in just a few months, roots developed, and separated from the parent plant. This gives you a plant with the characteristics of a plant that is well developed and will flower & fruit much sooner than one grown from seed.
Some varieties may take longer to develop roots- or need specific treatments- Check out you tube for the plant you want to propogate by air layering- This is different than taking cuttings and trying to root the cuttings.

Generally, Air layering is done on last year's growth or somewhat hardened new growth-of the present year-
Very soft brand new growth may not be ideal for most plants- but growth that is several months of age and somewhat hardened may be ideal- Since I'm not an expert- check out you tube and search for the plant you want to propogate for specific instructions.

This season I am air layering Figs, KIWI vines, some ornamental shrubs, and possibly pear trees.
We just bought an Eucalypsus tree, and we may try an air layer on it -depending on how it grows this year.
Many videos on Youtube demonstate using Plastic bags, or just aluminum foil, or plastic water bottles-
For smaller air layers,smaller plants, a 12 oz water bottle may be just fine-
For larger air layers, I use the quart + sized plastic juice bottles-It allows for a larger root system to develop imo. than in a smaller container- In my initial approach, I carefully drilled a 3/4" hole through the bottom and the cap of the orange juice bottle- . I have modified my cut now to cut off the plastic at the bottom 1.5" - thus forming a removeable cap for the inverted bottle, allowing you to fill it with rooting medium, center the branch in the bottle. A few small 1" cuts in the inverted sides of the plastic allows the cap piece to slide down the branch and fit over the lower section of the bottle, as one squeezes the cut sections at corners to fit inside the cap piece.
A piece of tape attaching the cap to the bottle to prevent the cap from popping off and the rooting medium then drying out is prudent.
although I have also used the gallon sized plastic freezer bags - Once these are filled with rooting mix, they will need to be tied off and supported- to prevent the branch from bending and breaking .Also, they need to be covered with black or white plastic or aluminum foil to prevent the sunlight from overheating the clear plastic of the bottle, potentially killing the developing roots-roots.

The procedure is to select the branch or top of the plant you want to air layer. In the area that will be covered with a rooting medium- You scrape away sections of the bark with a sharp knife, exposing some of the white wood in the stem-- scratch into the stem with the point of the knife. This wounding of the plant causes the plant to send hormones to try to make repairs to the area, and this results in root development-
You can also rub the wound with rooting hormone powder (Lowes or Home depot) that may help promote rooting.

I don't recommend taking all of the bark away from the entire stem in this area, leave a bit of bark intact on one or 2 sides to allow the transmission of sap through the plant to feed the upper branch- I generally scrape away about 6"-8" of the bark on 2 sides of the stem, particularly near the growth nodes.
(Some prefer to remove the entire ring of bark 1-2". but i do not) .
Some recommend scratching the exposed white wood with the tip of the knife blade- vertically. This is something I will also do on future air layers-

One approach once the stem is wounded, You take damp spahgnum peat moss, holding it on a plastic sandwich bag, or a gallon sized bag for larger rootings, wrap it around the wounded stem, and seal it closed with tape or more plastic wrap.
Cover it in foil or black plastic to prevent sun light overheating it.
Check it in 2-3 weeks- see if the peat moss needs any water, look for roots- Once roots start forming, add water periodically.
To be continued....

Video of air layering a branch on a Hardy kiwi vine- This should be the 1 Assai- self fertile Kiwi-
Series of videos on methods of air layering/tip layering -somewhat long and unscripted,unedited...
Video did not work- operator error- I will try to redo this ......
138.mts



vimeo.com/manage/videos/699403144

139.mts
vimeo.com/manage/videos/699409293

long -140.mts

[sd]

Spring is a great time with plants flowering out-
I didn't capture photos of the earliest bloomers- but I've got a few-
In the garden, plum, nectarine, peach that were cut down hard this year to try to espalier and control the height-They flowered early, and we've had several frosts since- but they have a few fruits on them....

2 camelias deliver winter blooms

Azaelias provide a month of different colors;



The wisteria wrapped itself around the light pole in the driveway,
and gives hanging blossoms that attract hundreds of bees in mid April.
And yes, it climbs up into the pines as well.



One of my favorites is the Nandina- It is an evergreen shrub, leaves turn reddish in the winter, and it has a large amount of clusters of colorful red berries. One variety can grow up to 10' if not cut back-
The other varieties are just 3' tall, turn crimson in the winter, and do not have berries. Nice colorful evergreen in the winter. I took seeds off the plant last year and planted along the woods side (North) of my fence line bordering the woods- and I took about 100 seedlings this year,that had sprouted in mulch under a plant ; transplanted into separate Solo cups, and will plant 2-3' apart along the Southern fence line. Seeds from this year need to be stratified for several months in the refrigerator to help the seeds to break dormancy. This need for stratification varies from different varieties of plants- I will harvest the seeds from this year and distribute around other perimeter areas.
Nandinas are suited for this climate, can endure dry spells, and will make a durable hedge row in the next few years needing little maintenance. I would not use this as a formal hedge between 2 neighbors- as the plant tends to get leggy. But it will serve my purpose.


In March 've transplanted into Red Solo cups approx 100 of these Nandina sprouts that came up in the mulch below the shrub.
I may also take these sprouts and transplant them directly into other perimeter locations around the property. I was concerned that the early sprouts that came up in Feb would be damaged by the freezing temps we had later in March, but they apparently are pretty darn hardy!
Potentially, I'll be able to set out 200 + nandina sprouts @ 2' SPACINGS along the outer perimeter fence line in the sections that are "natural'




Those individual plants in the Solo Cups were carefully separated weeks ago, and potted individually as hundreds sprouted in the layer of mulch- The goal is to allow these individual plants to develop a full root system in the solo cups over the next month or so, and then transplant into their final destination.

Nandina seeds require 2+ months of cold stratification- I have collected a few gallons of seeds this spring (2022) as the seeds had started dropping from the bush-
I will stratify in plastic bags with a slightly dampened mix of sand/peat - I think I will need to allow the outer seed pulp to dry out and perhaps add some fungicide into the sand/peat mix to prevent mold development while in the refrigerator? I may potentially try to also stratify 100 or so seeds by freezing.
Seeds I had spread in the ground from spring 2021 are just starting to sprout- essentially a year in the ground ! By stratifying in the refrigerator, I hope to break that long seed dormancy cycle, and promote earlier germination.



And, in the process of renovating different sites over a few decades, we've accumulated a few unusual transplants. From Pampas grasses to these spikey evergreens, and to the now 50' tall magnolia in our front yard; and other transplants 'saved' from construction sites....
This spikey guy is interesting to look at- but not to hug!

Another interesting plant we have is the shade tolerant Mahonia.
It has a very distinct leaf structure, as well as large clusters of seeds that turn purple when fully ripened.




4-13 -The Azaelia next to the patio opened today!

[sd]

Today -4-12- was about the yard, garden- Breakfast, trip to Lowes to get the colored mulches for $2.00/bag-
Red and black for the ornamental areas- Will use wood mulch and straw for the garden areas.

I had made a hydroponic bed several years ago and tried for one season- filled it in in season 2 with a compost mixture- and grew kale, Chard in it last year- This year, along with crop rotation, we decided we would plant our peppers in that 4' x 12' bed- The compost had setteled in to only be about 6" deep, so I added the landscape mix to top off, but then decided i needed to add 6" metal stud sides to the existing frame and deepen the soil mix in the bed. Added landscape mix- soil, compost, and a bale of peat moss -
I then gave the bed a dose of 10-10-10 fertilizer to get minerals into the mix, and then planted 3 different varieties of BELL Peppers- Red, Yellow, Golden. - Spaced about 18" apart in the 4' x12' space with the 8" squares of weedblock.
After planting, I gave each individual plant a 2 TBS dose of Espoma garden/herb/vegetable organic fertilizer

Did i mention using weedblock previously? If not, I'm a big proponent of the inexpensive weedblock for taking the labor out of weeding chores! Weedblock- cut into 8" squares, and snip a cross X in the center large enough for the transplant to fit through. By putting this 8" square of weedblock, the final step would be to spread weeblock fabric between the plants, overlapping the 8" square. The 8" square makes it easier to not try to force the weedblock over the plants with a tight fit, potentially damaging the plant.
We bought our pepper plants from the local greenhouse - selling 6 packs for $3.00 - with the plants 6-8" tall, sturdy, healthy, and ready to be transplanted into the ground- We held off planting until today because we had a potential last frost this weekend. Compared to our efforts under grow lights to start some plants early, the greenhouse has us beat hands down!
I soaked the 6 pack flat in the root stimulator solution 1st; then pulled the 1st transplant out of the pack, freed up the developing roots slightly, and then pushed the root ball through the x in the weedblock-and dropped into the hole i had made.
I intend to apply the organic fertilizer at the required intervals throughout the growing season.
Did i mention Drip Irrigation?








With a hard 35 degree overnight temperature projected for tomorrow- 4-20, I covered the newly planted veggies- with straw, peppers, tomatoes, squash, egg plants etc and some inverted pots over others.

The pepper plants have that wire mesh frame above them, and that has made it easy to drape a protective cover over the entire bed- This was in addition to the straw covering . While the weather has been quite warm in recent weeks, this cold front is bringing in low 30's temps overnight- but fortunately not the snow seen in the northern states.

Peppers are recommended to be planted in soils above 50 degrees- and could potentially be shocked by these lower temps- Ideally this step in protecting the plants will serve the purpose.

[sd]

today is 4-13 -and I completed the 4' x 12' Bell Pepper bed , weed block fabric, straw mulch, final fertilization, including a tsp of Bone Meal at each plant. The Bone Meal is to promote root growth- I also soaked the transplants in a Pennington root starter solution.
The Pepper plants will have the top leading growth above 6-8 leaves pinched out to encourage side branching.
Pepper plants eventually get somewhat fragile as they develop along with the weight of the fruits. In this pepper bed, I have installed some 6" x6" wire concrete reinforcing mesh- by turning down the sides 18" or so, and allowing it to span over the 4' bed. The 6" squares will allow the peppers to easily grow through, but provide a mid support for the peppers as they get taller and put fruits on. The individual plants will not require individual staking-



vimeo.com/manage/videos/699255774

[sd]

DRIP IRRIGATION-
Drip irrigation is a great potential time saver, particularly when combined with an automatic timer-
I'll likely go online to search for better pricing for the larger garden areas, but we bought a "kit" at Lowes for $63.00 that would provide the essentials for a drip watering system that will provide the Pepper bed with the basic system.
It seems a somewhat pricey initial investment, but should have at least a 5 year + lifespan, reuseable year after year, and easily adaptable to changes in the set up.

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Tried to upload some air layering videos for the post back on 4-8- but exceeded the vimeo weekly allowance- HMMM...

Made progress in the garden- Bok Choy, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Carrots, and planted 2 -3year old Blackberry bushes bought at the farmer's market- One is loaded with blossoms-Both were
We also bought an Asian Persimmon, that I intend to plant this weekend...
Plus, my 1 year old Chicago Hardy Fig is growing well- I was going to consider allowing it to grow in a larger pot for a time, but instead I will plant in the garden with a perimeter guard of the expanded metal lath-for rodent protection-
One option for a chemical barrier is made by VICTOR-

Victor also makes a granular organic product from the castor bean plant that moles and voles reportedly do not like the smell of- The granules are spread on the ground, and watered in - I will try this non poisinous product around my fruit trees and figs and shrubs to deter the moles- Voles are essentially vegetarians- that will eat a plant's roots, while moles tunnel for worms and Larvae and don't eat the plant's roots, but the tunnels expose the roots to air, and drying - Both critters are supposed to be deterred by this product- 1 bag covers 4,000 SF.- so it potentially could treat a 15' diameter circle around & under the tree or shrub- and could treat 30-40 individual plants- This would have to be reapplied periodically over the course of the year depending on rain etc- but it is potentially an effective way to
reduce damage from the moles or voles- We have lost 2 shrubs in the past year to voles- so this product may be an economical deterrent.






I also still have raspberries to plant- and make that bed area with some method to confine the root spread....
I particularly do not want the roots to travel and turn up within the blueberries-as they did previously.
I'm considering digging in a 12" deep barrier . The roots appear to run relatively shallow , 4-6" , so the deeper 12" barrier should be adequate.
A Perfect barrier material would be inert, cannot rot or decay, and is durable enough that it can withstand frosts and freezing in the ground- The answer- a piece of vinyl siding is 12" high and 12'-6" long. 2 pieces overlapped will protect 24' - The raspberry bed will be approx 20' long, and 30" wide- Raspberries will also require some higher wire supports that will need some 4 x 4 end posts and cross members installed once they start growing.
Since the raspberry rootstocks I bought have have not greened and budded out yet- (I have them in containers on a heat mat to promote rooting) no rush needed for the supports yet....

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4-15-2022



Chicago Hardy Fig-
Bought a month ago at lowes or HD in a small cutting inside a 2 x2 x10 container-
I transplanted into a 1 gallon container and kept inside in the mini greenhouse room as it started to leaf out, and brought outside a week ago as the weather
PERMITTED.


The chicago fig leafing out indoors for 3+ weeks transplanted into a 1 gallon pot.



Prepping the inground location for the Chicago Fig- excavated the soil, put in a perimeter ring of expanded metal lath set down below the topsoil level into the sub grade to prevent mole/vole
damage- Soil mix will be a landscape mix, added peat moss, some top soil and fertilizer and added a small amount of bone meal.


I lined the perimeter of the metal lath with some rubber roofing material to keep the soil inside from leaching out through the mesh and to retain the soil moisture .


I unpotted the fig, and set into the new container. backfilled with the new soil mix; Additionally, I mulched the container soils, and using some wire mesh made a frame around and above the plants
I then covered that frame with the weed block fabric to shelter the new transplant from the direct sun and wind for a week or so to harden off. Photos need to be taken of that final step.


Ultimately, I think this 3' wide metal lath container will allow the fig to grow unrestricted for 3+ years- plus, the fig roots can reach through the lath below the roofing membrane starting at the existing ground level.

eVENTUALLY i'LL LEARN HOW TO EDIT & shorten THESE VIDEO CLIPS ; That's a project for another day though-

video: vimeo.com/700880053/9315979a0f


4-19 - frost expected overnight- The Chicago fig has a wire mesh frame with weed block to stop some wind and the direct hard sun- for a few weeks- But that will not protect the new growth from the frost.
I am covering over with an outdoor light weight carpet....









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