Page 1 of 11 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 110

Thread: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

  1. Back To Top    #1

    Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    Garden details:
    Location: South Central Vermont.

    Dimensions (octagonal): Side length: 20 ft. Perimeter: 160 ft. Area: 1,931.4 ft^2. Why an octagon? Simplicity, efficiency, beauty, and as a sensible alternative to/rejection of row-gardening.

    2016:
    May – Got free 3-4yds of wood chips from local tree-trimming crew.

    June – Planted some blackberry, raspberry and blueberry plants, mulched with wood chips.

    2017:
    April – Five large unhealthy pine trees cut down and chipped into giant pile of wood chips.

    2018:
    April – Began planning for garden

    May - Put in fence posts (centered around berry plants, the sunniest location); moved remainder of first pile of wood chips to garden area.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	05-31-18 (1).JPG 
Views:	368 
Size:	7.05 MB 
ID:	8375


    05/31 – Began moving second pile of wood chips to garden area.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	05-31-18 (2).JPG 
Views:	331 
Size:	6.71 MB 
ID:	8376
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	05-31-18 (3).JPG 
Views:	291 
Size:	6.31 MB 
ID:	8377


    06/08 – Nearly finished moving second pile of wood chips. Entire garden area would soon be covered with up to 12 inches of wood chips.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-08-18 (1).JPG 
Views:	339 
Size:	6.46 MB 
ID:	8378
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-08-18 (2).JPG 
Views:	336 
Size:	6.46 MB 
ID:	8379


    06/21 – Giant pile of wood chips long gone. Just to see what would happen, bought six tomato starts and two zucchini starts, and planted them amongst the mulch surrounding the berry plants. Simply move wood chips aside, dig 4” to 6” hole, depending on size of seedling container, add organic mycorrhizae fertilizer and composted cow manure, plant seedling in hole with amended soil (no additional fertilizer, compost or soil amendment would be added at any time).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-21-18 (1).JPG 
Views:	323 
Size:	5.90 MB 
ID:	8380
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-21-18 (2).JPG 
Views:	311 
Size:	6.47 MB 
ID:	8381


    07/18 – Tomato and zucchini starts are doing well. Volunteer cantaloupe plants have begun sprouting from recently moved pile of unfinished compost. 111 dead and dying pine trees cut down and chipped into dozens of piles of wood chips (for ongoing garden support and conversion of lawn into low-maintenance greenscape – i.e. wildflowers, herbs, edible shrubs, fruit trees, etc.).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-18-18 (1).JPG 
Views:	331 
Size:	7.14 MB 
ID:	8382
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-18-18 (2).JPG 
Views:	354 
Size:	5.57 MB 
ID:	8383


    (to be continued)

  2. Back To Top    #2

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    09/02 - Tomato and zucchini plants doing far better than expected. Volunteer cantaloupe plants growing like crazy.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-02-18 (1).JPG 
Views:	337 
Size:	4.95 MB 
ID:	8384
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-02-18 (2).JPG 
Views:	346 
Size:	5.67 MB 
ID:	8385
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-02-18 (3).JPG 
Views:	324 
Size:	6.55 MB 
ID:	8386

    Turned out to be a halfway decent tomato harvest (especially considering their late start and lack of support structure), and an amazing zucchini harvest (particularly from one of the two plants).

    Wood chips have served to retain moisture, stabilize soil temperature and greatly reduce soil evaporation, while widespread mycelium activity has accelerated the process of breaking down wood chips into organic components of soil.




    2019:
    April – Began planting seeds in enclosed patio. Dug up and relocated berry plants to make room for more vegetables.

    05/16 – Seedlings well on the way. Several larger zucchini, butternut and pumpkin plants have already been transplanted to garden. Similar to 1018, move wood chips aside, dig a 4” to 8” hole, add organic mycorrhizae fertilizer and composted cow manure, plant seedling in hole with amended soil (and once again, no additional fertilizer, compost or soil amendment would be added at any time). Note: While transplanting seedlings would have been vastly quicker and easier in straight rows of freshly tilled soil without up to 12” of wood chips on top, all such short-term advantages are vastly outweighed by the long-term disadvantages of rototilling.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	05-16-19.JPG 
Views:	340 
Size:	4.32 MB 
ID:	8387


    06/15 – By this time, all seedlings have been transplanted to garden.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-15-19.JPG 
Views:	328 
Size:	7.13 MB 
ID:	8388


    06/28 – Most plants are doing well. However, grubs are eating roots of most squash, pumpkin, cucumber and melon plants – killing a number of them, and seriously weakening others. Fortunately, we grew some extra seedlings and bought a few starts, so we eventually ended up with a surviving plant in all but a couple spots we planted, though several weakened plants would end up producing little or nothing.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-28-19 (1).JPG 
Views:	323 
Size:	6.59 MB 
ID:	8389
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06-28-19 (2).JPG 
Views:	299 
Size:	6.98 MB 
ID:	8390


    07/05 – 07/25 – Zucchini (onions and garlic are store-bought).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-05-19 - 07-25-19.png 
Views:	335 
Size:	2.04 MB 
ID:	8391


    07/16 – Everything is well on the way and doing far better than expected. Harvested nine zucchini already.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-16-19 (1).JPG 
Views:	342 
Size:	6.85 MB 
ID:	8392
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-16-19 (2).JPG 
Views:	341 
Size:	6.71 MB 
ID:	8393


    (to be continued)

  3. Back To Top    #3

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    07/21 – Things are really taking off. Monster zucchini plant seems to produce more than half as much as the other four combined.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-21-19 (1).JPG 
Views:	308 
Size:	7.16 MB 
ID:	8394


    07/27 – 08/06 – Zucchini, first cherry tomatoes (07/30).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-27-19 - 08-06-19.png 
Views:	302 
Size:	2.02 MB 
ID:	8395


    07/29 – First cherry tomatoes will be harvested soon. Tomato plants (especially the cherries) have outgrown their makeshift cages. Need to do a better job keeping up with routing new tomato growth upward through cages. Need to plant indeterminate/cherry plants further apart, and/or not in adjoining rows to avoid creating any hard to pick thickets.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07-29-19 (1).JPG 
Views:	337 
Size:	5.78 MB 
ID:	8396


    08/07 – 08/18 – Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, first heirloom tomatoes (08/13).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-07-19 - 08-18-19.png 
Views:	331 
Size:	2.07 MB 
ID:	8397


    08/10 – Diseased/dying zucchini plant has been removed, others are doing well. Most other quash and melons are doing okay, while the rest have been quite stunted. Tomatoes and peppers are the real stars of the show. Most everything else is doing quite well.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-10-19 (01).JPG 
Views:	337 
Size:	6.74 MB 
ID:	8398


    08/17 – 09/05 – Heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, peppers, zucchini.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-17-19 - 09-05-19.png 
Views:	334 
Size:	2.26 MB 
ID:	8399


    08/19 – Squash and melons seem to be finishing up early. First heirloom tomatoes almost ready for harvest.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (01).JPG 
Views:	333 
Size:	6.43 MB 
ID:	8400
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (02).JPG 
Views:	323 
Size:	7.39 MB 
ID:	8401
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (03).JPG 
Views:	361 
Size:	7.47 MB 
ID:	8402
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (04).JPG 
Views:	347 
Size:	6.59 MB 
ID:	8403

    (to be continued)

  4. Back To Top    #4

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    08/19 (continued):
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (05).JPG 
Views:	354 
Size:	6.57 MB 
ID:	8404
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (06).JPG 
Views:	335 
Size:	6.89 MB 
ID:	8405
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (07).JPG 
Views:	325 
Size:	6.88 MB 
ID:	8406
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (08).JPG 
Views:	328 
Size:	6.84 MB 
ID:	8407
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (09).JPG 
Views:	354 
Size:	6.80 MB 
ID:	8408
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (10).JPG 
Views:	315 
Size:	7.13 MB 
ID:	8409
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (11).JPG 
Views:	333 
Size:	7.05 MB 
ID:	8410
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (12).JPG 
Views:	363 
Size:	6.93 MB 
ID:	8411
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (13).JPG 
Views:	334 
Size:	7.05 MB 
ID:	8412
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (14).JPG 
Views:	318 
Size:	7.55 MB 
ID:	8413

    (to be continued)

  5. Back To Top    #5

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    08/19 (continued):
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (15).JPG 
Views:	326 
Size:	7.26 MB 
ID:	8414
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (16).JPG 
Views:	343 
Size:	6.89 MB 
ID:	8415
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-19-19 (17).JPG 
Views:	340 
Size:	7.39 MB 
ID:	8416


    08/20 – 09/17 – Heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cantaloupe, zucchini, pumpkins, immature watermelon.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-20-19 - 09-17-19.png 
Views:	339 
Size:	2.15 MB 
ID:	8417


    08/22 – Heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, final zucchini harvest.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-22-19.JPG 
Views:	295 
Size:	4.66 MB 
ID:	8418


    08/25 – Heirloom tomatoes, last zucchini (from monster plant, grown full-term for harvesting seeds).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-25-19.JPG 
Views:	330 
Size:	3.30 MB 
ID:	8419


    08/26 – First major pepper harvest, spaghetti squash, buttercup squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-26-19.JPG 
Views:	338 
Size:	4.78 MB 
ID:	8420


    08/28 – Buried in tomatoes.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-28-19.JPG 
Views:	342 
Size:	4.48 MB 
ID:	8421


    08/29 – Buried in tomatoes.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	08-29-19.JPG 
Views:	312 
Size:	4.42 MB 
ID:	8422


    09/06 – 09/14 – Tomatoes, peppers, buttercup squash.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-06-19 - 09-14-19.png 
Views:	324 
Size:	2.27 MB 
ID:	8423

    (to be continued)

  6. Back To Top    #6

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    09/18 – 09/28 – Peppers (09/18), pumpkins and cantaloupe and butternut squash (09/21), final tomato harvest (09/28).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-18-19 - 09-28-19.png 
Views:	296 
Size:	2.13 MB 
ID:	8424


    09/21 – Buried in peppers and tomatoes, due to overnight frost.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-21-19 (1).JPG 
Views:	358 
Size:	5.27 MB 
ID:	8425
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09-21-19 (2).JPG 
Views:	344 
Size:	4.54 MB 
ID:	8426


    List of 2019 garden vegetable and herb plants / Harvest:
    4 Cucumber plants (Straight Eight) / 5 (disappointing harvest).

    4 Butternut Squash plants (Waltham) / 18 (decent harvest?).

    5 Zucchini plants (Black Beauty) / 76 (very good harvest).

    4 Spaghetti Squash plants (unknown variety) / 14 (most less than half fully ripened).

    4 Buttercup Squash plants (unknown variety) / 13 (kinda puny).

    5 Pumpkin plants (Jack-O-Lantern) / 9 (only three plants produced – majority from one ridiculously huge plant).

    3 Watermelon plants (Sugar Baby) / 3 very small (never ripened enough to eat).

    3 Cantaloupe plants (Hearts of Gold) / 7 (four were very tasty - not bad harvest, considering grub-stunted growth).

    3 to 6 ea. Sweet Pepper plants (California Wonder, Hungarian, Red Marconi, Purple Beauty, Golden Calwonder, Cubanelle) / 300-400? (very impressive pepper harvest, especially given their late start and subpar soil conditions).

    8 Cherry Tomato plants (Matt’s Wild) / 1,000s (Continuous overabundance of superb cherry tomatoes).

    23 Heirloom Tomato plants (from saved seeds of unknown variety) Massive harvest of largely cracked and/or diseased tomatoes (unusually labor-intensive processing required to cut out extensive bad spots, while up to 20% of entire crop went straight to compost – not counting the many too-green tomatoes still on plants at first frost. Though frost was early, I should have started tomato seeds earlier for an earlier finish). While very tasty for raw eating, not so tasty for sauce/cooking. Looking forward to growing a much less problematic sauce variety next year.

    1 Roma-hybrid/mix Tomato plant (from saved seeds of unknown Roma variety) Massive harvest of somewhat less disease-prone tomatoes.

    8 Sunflower (Mammoth Russian) / 3 gallons of giant sunflower seeds.

    4 Fennel (Wild Italian) / N/A (still learning to harvest fennel seed).

    5 Thyme (Common) / N/A (will let plants get well established before attempting to harvest).

    6 Basil (Lime Aromatic) / should have harvested a lot more, but managed to use it in several large batches of soups and spaghetti sauce.

    5 Rosemary N/A (will let plants get well established before attempting to harvest).

    4 Sage (Broad Leaf) / could have harvested a lot more, but did manage to use a fair amount.

    3 Chamomile (German) / could have harvested a lot more, but did manage to pick and dry quite a bit.

    3 Catnip / cut lots of catnip for the cat.

    1 Chocolate Mint (grown from cutting) could have harvested a lot more, but did make quite a bit of fresh mint tea this summer.

    0 Oregano (Italian) – did not manage to get even one plant beyond early sprout stage.

    ??? Why no carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, onions, garlic, leafy greens and the like? While wood chips at or near soil level were well on their way to breaking down, the rest simply needed more time. As such, the underlying soil was still very much like that of the former lawn. Rather than jump the gun and disturb larger areas of wood chips (along with the mycelium network breaking them down) any more than strictly necessary to transplant individual starts, I opted to hold off on growing anything that might not be reasonably well suited to thick mulch and uncultivated soil. Hoping soil will be ready to add some or all of these in 2020.

    Probably won’t grow spaghetti squash again, unless I can figure out some tastier way to prepare it.

    Will grow pie/sugar pumpkins instead of Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins from now on (would rather cook hone-grown and carve store-bought).

    To make room for more veggie plants (and because they need no protection from deer, etc.), perennial herb plants (fennel, thyme, rosemary, sage, catnip, chocolate mint) will be transplanted from garden to other areas around the yard (as edible ornamentals, along with other annual and perennial herbs).

    Widespread mycelium activity continues to greatly accelerate the process of breaking down wood chips into soil.

    Questions? Comments? Discussion?

    (to be continued in Spring 2020)

  7. Back To Top    #7
    Senior Member Smitty's Avatar
    Location
    FL
    Vehicle
    2019 Toyota 4Runner, 2019 Toyota Camry
    Posts
    271
    Join Date
    Oct 2019

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    Did the blackberries produce? I have tons of wild blackberries around me but they usually don't produce til the second year here.
    Meh, it'll play.

  8. Back To Top    #8

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    Quote Originally Posted by Smitty View Post
    Did the blackberries produce? I have tons of wild blackberries around me but they usually don't produce til the second year here.
    They did ...in 2018. Deer ate new growth down to almost nothing at some point.

    Yeah, that's normal. They produce vegetative growth first (new branches, called "canes"), and then those "new" branches can then produce berries following year.

  9. Back To Top    #9
    Senior Member Smitty's Avatar
    Location
    FL
    Vehicle
    2019 Toyota 4Runner, 2019 Toyota Camry
    Posts
    271
    Join Date
    Oct 2019

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    Cool, I never knew why that was. I'm usually mowing them down but I do keep a small section for harvesting.
    Meh, it'll play.

  10. Back To Top    #10

    Re: Grinder's no-till vegetable garden

    whoa... so many on the table and counter... you can open a grocery store!!!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Back To Top