Xerocles head in the clouds and feet firmly in the mud.

[Xerocles]

My sister had a kinda "Come to Jesus" meeting with me today about my garden.
"Tell me what you've got growing?"
I gave her the list-in the garden, in pots ready for the garden, and up in the germination tray.
H: so when's the last time you ate eggplant?
M: uhhhh....don't think I ever have
H: squash, zucchini?
M: oh,you cooked squash before. I ate one.
H: that was over 4 years ago, and you are one slice because I made you. Bell pepper?
M: I LIKE stuffed bell peppers.
H: when?
M: oh....one day last fall.
H: cucumber?
M: don't they go good in salads?
H: and when is the last time you actually ATE a salad?
M: wasn't it unseasonably cool this morning? Hope this rain holds off.
Glad she didn't ask about the jalapenos. I really can't handle those things. Or the cilantro. It's doing really good. Just wish I had some idea what to do with it when it's grown!

 

[seedcorn]

Ship them up nawth to me........ Here are a few ideas.

1). Adapt. Change your eating style. Try different preparations of same vegetable.
2). Find relatives that will eat what you grow. Ask to sample what they fixed.
3). Donate to older people that can’t garden. Or to struggling young families.

 

[Xerocles]

Am I actually just container gardening in the ground? With my heavy clay, for each plant, I dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot and twice as deep. Then I filled the hole with a mixture of compost, potting soil, and rabbit manure (1/3,1/3,1/3). First year gardening, and the clay has had NO improvements. Figure it makes a good "container". Anybody else "till" with a gas auger?
Just about to start with my "direct sow" seeds (beans, corn, melons). Even if they don't make it this year, it's all part of the experiment. Going to lay them on top of the clay And bury with compost to the proper planting depth.

 

[Xerocles]

And reality rears its ugly head! My garden, I am afraid, is doomed to failure.
Yesterday, between plantings, I paused to admire the garden. And realized it was high noon. And also realized that the sun was just BEGINNING to touch the edge of my garden. Another hour before it could bathe the entire plot. And the trees to the west would begin blocking it by 5. About 4 hours of sunlight. Remember the movie "Forest Gump"? "Mrs Gump, this line is normal, and Forest is right here". Indicating a dot barely below normal.
Oh, I can still do things like leafy greens, some onions and beets, but where's the fun in that? I want tomatoes, corn, beans, cucumbers, etc. The "garden biggies".
Solution? Remove 10+ HUGE hardwood trees that have been on this earth far longer than I have. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! One of those cases where the cure is worse than the disease. Not gonna do it.
I am going to continue for this year. The area is prepped. The infrastructure is in place. The plants are up and ready to be transplanted. The direct sow seeds are bought. The only investment now is my labor, I have nothing but time, and so what? Let's go for it and what will be, will be.
I have re-arranged my placement to maximize exposure for those plants most in need of sunlight, and relegated those needing less, or those less desirable to ME to the more shaded areas.
I have already begun a reappraisal, and for NEXT YEAR, have located a small plot (maybe 20 X 30) with about 7-8 hours of sunlight. Probably more reasonable for my needs anyhow.
On the plus side, with a smaller garden next year, I probably won't need those @*#$÷! runner ducks to control bugs. I still haven't warmed up to those beasties yet.

 

[seedcorn]

Understand but which is better let inside of tree die and be fire wood or harvest and use as building wood. Trees when nature need to be harvested just like vegetables. Cycle of life as such

 

[Xerocles]

Understand but which is better let inside of tree die and be fire wood or harvest and use as building wood. Trees when nature need to be harvested just like vegetables. Cycle of life as such

Harvest the trees. Right! To sell, companies want a forest full, not just a dozen or so. And to get someone to just drop them, no cut up, no clean up, they want $500 / tree. No market for hardwood down here. Just too much of it around. And these guys are so big that I've never owned a saw big enough to handle them. Plus I can't run as fast as I used to. (If you ever see me running, you better start running too. Cause something BAD is happening!)

 

[seedcorn]

Up here, while they won’t clean up, they will buy 10+ easily. If easy to get at, I’m sure they even buy one. Top dollar-no but you would be rid of troubles. Again here, people would gladly cut up the tops.

In KY, folks could get free scraps from saw mills. Here you will buy it. Not sure now what they charge.

 

[baymule]

I have a mental picture of TIMBER!! and you running like a racing turtle.

 

[Xerocles]

I have a mental picture of TIMBER!! and you running like a racing turtle.

..........

 

[seedcorn]

..........

In a sprint I’d wager you would beat a turtle.