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Whos doing a vegetable garden

PieterCoetzee said:
Im hoping we can try a subject that wont have us fighting.

When my folks were alive they spent a LOT of time gardening in the back yard. Both were old enough to remember WW2 Victory Gardens. They did mostly Tomatoes, Green Peppers, some kind of really long string beans, and more squash/zucchini then Pattons third Army could eat. I tried to continue it when they passed; but they were more dedicated than I could ever be.

When my kids were young, we planted potatoes in old tyres. The base tyre was filled with dirt and seed potatoes, then another tyre was placed on top and filled with dirt and more seed potatoes, and so on to about 5 feet tall. When the plants in the top tyre were ready, you pulled it off and harvested the potatoes, leaving the ones below to keep growing. That was fun for the kids. Our attempt at corn didnt work so well...

Last year I tried growing Tomatoes in pots, and it worked well enough, so Im giving it another go. Im sure Im making mistakes; I just dont know what I dont know about gardening. I just read today that Im supposed to water in the morning, instead of the evening.
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@PieterCoetzee Evening watering can lead to mildew or fungus to form on the foliage. Morning watering provides enough water that saturates the soil then the sun dries the foliage, which minimizes the chance for mildew to form.
 
I have blackberries, raspberries and blueberries that are doing okay, but we could use some rain. I am also growing bananas that get watered about every other day, but I probably won't get to enjoy much of what is growing because the squirrels, chipmunks and birds are hungry... the deer are eating the leaves and fruit off of my Mulberry tree, so that's a bust.

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PieterCoetzee said:
Im hoping we can try a subject that wont have us fighting.

When my folks were alive they spent a LOT of time gardening in the back yard. Both were old enough to remember WW2 Victory Gardens. They did mostly Tomatoes, Green Peppers, some kind of really long string beans, and more squash/zucchini then Pattons third Army could eat. I tried to continue it when they passed; but they were more dedicated than I could ever be.

When my kids were young, we planted potatoes in old tyres. The base tyre was filled with dirt and seed potatoes, then another tyre was placed on top and filled with dirt and more seed potatoes, and so on to about 5 feet tall. When the plants in the top tyre were ready, you pulled it off and harvested the potatoes, leaving the ones below to keep growing. That was fun for the kids. Our attempt at corn didnt work so well...

Last year I tried growing Tomatoes in pots, and it worked well enough, so Im giving it another go. Im sure Im making mistakes; I just dont know what I dont know about gardening. I just read today that Im supposed to water in the morning, instead of the evening.
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How dare you bring up such a controversial topic!!!! Are you trying to pick a fight?!! 🤪

In all seriousness, I've tried to grow a variety of garden crops without any consistancy of yeild. My little sister and brother in law bought a large parcel in WA on the ID border. They have been quite successful with crop sharing with other amateur farmers in the area to include shared livestock. The do a cow and pig annually with others raising chickens. All natural and home grown. I'd love to do something like that.
 
mikep said:
Being a NJ native i am required by law to plant tomatoes, at the very least. I also put in basil, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers.
Hey @Old_Me i’m puttin’ in TOMATAS again!
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what, no permit or qualification tests to ensure you Joisians meet state standards for growing them tahmatah's....??

like a QTGJR...Card, to carry at all times, in the garden centers or when ordering seeds, and accessories online.....??

Qualified

Tamahta

Growing

Joisey

Resident
 
Both of my parents were raised on a farm. As a kid, I spent a whole lot of time on my Grandparent's farms. Both had large vegetable gardens. Neither one of my Grandmaws was foolish enough to not to take advantage of free help when it was available. :rolleyes:
I make absolutely no pretense to being any kind of farmer, but I have walked many a row with a hoe in my hand.
What did I learn from this? Grocery stores are a whole lot cheaper and easier. ;)
 
Grayfox said:
Both of my parents were raised on a farm. As a kid, I spent a whole lot of time on my Grandparent's farms. Both had large vegetable gardens. Neither one of my Grandmaws was foolish enough to not to take advantage of free help when it was available. :rolleyes:
I make absolutely no pretense to being any kind of farmer, but I have walked many a row with a hoe in my hand.
What did I learn from this? Grocery stores are a whole lot cheaper and easier. ;)
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yes, as i had aged year after year, the hoe became my #1 go to tool......

its like that old tv commercial....

"I've fallen and can't get up"........when i got down to weed the garden....

hoe's, have a value...no matter which hoe one "buys"
 
HayesGreener said:
I have plenty land for a big garden but I tired of feeding the wildlife and bugs so now we just stop at the local produce market twice a week.
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one year we erected a 8 foot fence around the watermelons and maters
freaking doe kept jumping over smashing and taking one bite from the melons
that was last time we tried the growing watermelons or cantaloupes
she was an athlete
lights come on she darted off into the night
lights go off, boing pulled a tiggeerr and in the fence
 
powerboatr said:
one year we erected a 8 foot fence around the watermelons and maters
freaking doe kept jumping over smashing and taking one bite from the melons
that was last time we tried the growing watermelons or cantaloupes
she was an athlete
lights come on she darted off into the night
lights go off, boing pulled a tiggeerr and in the fence
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i had heard of a neat trick, and found that it actually works, but to guard against, rabbits, squirrels...and that was to put plastic forks around each plant we had...took a lot of forks, got them at walmart....

no more issues with the squirrels, eating a line around the 'maters, and destroying them

of course, deer are gonna prolly need "pitch forks"



Placing plastic forks in your vegetable garden is a clever, chemical-free, and highly inexpensive trick. By sticking the utensils into the dirt with the tines facing upward, you create an uneven obstacle course that deters pests from walking, digging, or squatting near your crops. [1, 2]

Why This Hack Works
  • Stops Digging: Cats, squirrels, and rabbits love soft, loose dirt. The physical barrier and uneven surface make the area highly uncomfortable to walk on or dig through.
  • Deters Pests: Some animals are spooked by the sharp points, mistaking them for predators, or are put off by the human scent on the plastic.
  • Protects Seedlings: Placing a tight perimeter of forks around young, vulnerable plants keeps wandering paws and scratching claws from trampling them. [1, 2]

How to Implement It
  1. Gather Materials: Grab a pack of disposable plastic forks (or spoons) and a pair of gardening gloves.
  2. Plant Them: Insert the forks into the soil about \(2\) to \(3\) inches apart, with the pointed tines pointing straight up toward the sky.
  3. Targeted Areas: Place them heavily in freshly turned soil, around newly sprouted veggies, or anywhere you’ve noticed animals disturbing the mulch.
  4. Maintenance: You can leave them in the ground all season. Once your vegetable plants mature and fill out the space, you can remove them. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
For a quick visual guide on how to arrange these in your garden beds:

0:28


Use Plastic Forks To Keep Animals Out Of Your Garden
View attachment 110896
House Digest
YouTube• Aug 22, 2023
For more tips on how to stop neighborhood cats from digging or lounging in your produce containers:

0:12


Put Forks In Your Grow Bags To Stop This From Happening
Midwest Gardener
YouTube• Aug 26, 2025













  • Quick Gardening Tip #6 - Use Plastic Forks To Deter Cats
    Jan 30, 2025 — when you have freshly worked loose soil in your garden you might as well put up a sign that says "Cats please poop here." By placi...
    0:26



    Facebook·Midwest Gardener


  • Do Plastic Forks In the Garden Work to Protect Plants?
    Oct 11, 2023 — There's nothing very complicated about what they're doing, and it's explained in the video. The text next stated that people can p...


    Green Matters



  • Use Plastic Forks To Keep Animals Out Of Your Garden
    Aug 22, 2023 — are squirrels rabbits or other rodents invading your garden keep them out with this simple. solution get a pack of plastic. forks.
    0:28




 
I bought granulated Fox Urine to load in my M203 as a FU to anyone that didnt quite need an expensive round. It sting like rock salt and stinks like old Pizzzzz. If I could find away to load liquid urine Id do that too

As for the plants its intended to keep furry critters away from the garden.
 
Old_Me said:
what, no permit or qualification tests to ensure you Joisians meet state standards for growing them tahmatah's....??

like a QTGJR...Card, to carry at all times, in the garden centers or when ordering seeds, and accessories online.....??

Qualified

Tamahta

Growing

Joisey

Resident
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@Old_Me shhhhh! Don’t give them any ideas!
 
Grayfox said:
Grocery stores are a whole lot cheaper and easier. ;)
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Obviously from an economic standpoint, you have to value your labor.

Then consider the value of the pain and suffering, lower back pain, knees aching, hands throbbing, it all has to be considered.

Besides, the opportunity costs are much higher for that marginal propensity of consumption, about the only way to justify it is to say gardening is a hobby. Gardening is basically a hobby for people who enjoy pain, frustration, and watching nature undo their hard work; It's for those that get a thrill out of watching nature laugh at their plans when crops fail. It's sadistic in many ways and most likely the fruits of such labor cause indigestion, heartburn and those quick trips due to the lack of proper processing with additives our systems have been adapted to endure.

Be careful of false prophets advocating "eating healthy", that's how Jim Jones promoted his picnics.
 
mikep said:
I had a bird problem one year where they’d peck at the fruit and ruin it. That happened only one year.
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1 year, i set out 1 trap (caged??) to catch the squirrels...i swear, the damned thing wore out, with the numbers of squirrels caught..

my water bill and sewer bills both jumped up that year, due to the refilling of the 55 gallon can, i had to keep filling up....


can you figure out why...???
 
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