would like to see your 2013 garden

[bj taylor]

sweetmissdaisy, please explain the bed with what looks like a pvc pipe sticking out. is that a watering system? that looks like a very productive garden

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

BJ, yup, it's how I water a few beds.
I wrote about it here (pics included):
http://sweetmissdaisy.typepad.com/sassy_sweet_notes/2011/04/our-redneck-tomato-bed.html

 

[lesa]

Yay! All the gardens are looking great! After our freezing weekend- I am hoping to actually get my garden planted some time this week!

 

[skeeter9]

Love the pics, MissDaisy and Canesisters!

 

[vfem]

partial onion harvest. hanging in braids underneath an old oak tree

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/9667_032.jpg http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/9667_034.jpg

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/9667_036.jpg http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/9667_030.jpg

Seriously, how do you braid those?! I've tried and tried... even watched some you tube videos and could never get it right. I have a PILE of garlic I wish I could braid and I can't. Its a talent I do not have.

 

[Smart Red]

Seriously, how do you braid those?! I've tried and tried...

I start much like French braiding, adding a new stalk to each side as I go. I have also braided by starting with baling twine and braiding the stalks into the baling twine braid. It certainly helps that I don't cut the stalks or roots after I dig them and set them aside to dry. Also, braiding while the stalks are still a bit green will make them more flexible.

 

[bj taylor]

I hadn't seen it done, so I just faked it from braiding my hair as a little girl. I started with 3 onion bulbs with their tops down toward me (they're laying upside down toward me). I laid them on a table & laid a bulb in the next empty spot and incorporated it's top into one of the sections & just kept crossing the tops. I secured the end w/a piece of rope.
this is the first time I've braided them. I hope they are able to stay dry enough - hope I didn't braid them too early. I usually laid them on a mesh topped table under the tree. last year quite a few of them rotted. i'm hoping to avoid that this year.
hope you get the knack vfem. you're lucky to have a pile of garlic. i'm harvesting soon. hope I have a decent harvest.

 

[the1honeycomb]

Sweet miss Daisey Love your gardens and the containers! I do hope the PVC is for watering I wanted to ask someone how well it works !!:watering

So How well does it work??

BJ Taylor, love your braids! I didn't think I would use half o f the onions that I planted and I am almost running out!!! I have planted more

Question if your onion seeds out can you still harvest it or will it go bad??

 

[bj taylor]

I think if they go to seed they won't last & need to be used fairly soon. I think most people use the ones going to seed more as a green onion kinda thing.

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

Hey 'Honey'!
Yup, the PVC tubes are how I water a few beds. I love them and want to make more of them, but we just haven't gotten that far down on the ol' to-do list yet.

A couple suggestions...
- You DO need to glue the smaller horizontal tube to the elbow, or you get random blow-outs! But not having the larger tube glued to the elbow is OK. Being able to separate them makes it possible to clean them and storage easier in the off-season.
- You DO need to be careful with the angle you drill your drain holes, or you get some crazy out-flowing streams of water.
- And I guess if I had one other suggestion to make, I would use slightly shorter upright tubes, depending on how tall you are.

In case you didn't see the link above, I wrote about the system here (pics included) -- this was my original write-up, so not all of the above suggestions are mentioned in the post:
http://sweetmissdaisy.typepad.com/sassy_sweet_notes/2011/04/our-redneck-tomato-bed.html