Gardening The Back 40

[Ted Calver]

I have been trying to get something to grow in the back yard (about a quarter of an acre) since we bought this house six years ago. Tried grass for two years and it just wouldn't take in the heavy clay. Sod was too expensive. Then I decided I didn't want to mow it and started turning it into garden, hoping to plant something to feed us in our retirement years. Yea, I know, gardening is a lot more work than mowing the lawn. I must have hauled fifty plus yards of compost, bark fines and sand from the nearby county composting facility over the past couple of years. Spread it out and tilled it in and made some raised beds. The first year was a mess....got a few tomatoes...bugs got everything else (I don't want to use chemicals). The next year was better but all the tomatoes got wiped out by some fungal disease. We got some nice beans and cucumbers, but the racoons ate all the corn. Last year was better...lots of cukes, swiss chard, pole and bush beans and a few zucchini early in the season, but then the cucumber and bean beetles came and brought their virus with them and the squash vine borers got the zucchini.
This year is off to a good start. Tried something different to keep the bugs away. So far it's working like a champ. These are row covers/small hoop tunnels made from EMT and an agricultural fabric called agribon. It lets in air, rain and light and keeps bugs and bunnies out and works for everything not requiring bees for fertilization. The photos show the results.
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Pole Beans ....they will climb these frames made of cattle panels from Tractor Supply
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Edible pod peas
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Romain Lettuce
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Swiss Chard
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Horse radish, jalapenos and tomatoes
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Kale
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[Bonnie Campbell]

You live to far away for me to raid your garden... darn! ;)

[David Helm]

Your are probably getting either blossom end rot or late blight on your tomatoes. The way to stop this is to put them in a hoop house covered with plastic. Keep the rain off them and water them at the base, being careful not to splash on the plants. The pathogens for these problems are in the soil so keeping the soil off the leaves is important. Blossom end rot often happens from spotty watering. The soil should be kept slightly moist all the time. Good luck. Oh yeah, by the way, good job on getting rid of grass!

[Dave Ray]

Ted, your yard/garden looks great. I just wonder what wind will do to you. I do applaud your perseverance.

[Gary Hodgin]

I'd like to be a friendly neighbor of your's.

[Ted Calver]

Ted, your yard/garden looks great. I just wonder what wind will do to you. I do applaud your perseverance.

Dave, Thanks. These tunnels have been up for a couple of months and we've seen some pretty bad storms. Surprisingly, there has been no damage so far...now if we get a big hail storm all bets are off.

[Larry Edgerton]

Awesome garden!

I have not had that opportunity for a few years but it is high on my list when we move to the new house. I really miss my farm! My problem will be the elk, so I will need a cyclone fence with electric before I even start.

It is relaxing is it not? And so nice to eat the food you watched grow out your window.

Have fun, Larry

[Lee Schierer]

Great looking garden. One way to keep the raccoons out of your corn is to put a rado with an all night talk show in the corn patch. The coons think there are people present and stay away. An electric fence made of chicken wire may also help.

[Mike Wilkins]

Great idea on the tents and cages.
Now. What time is dinner.

[Joe Angrisani]

Great garden, Ted....

I'm quite jealous. We're in a "set-up" year here at the new place, so at best I'll have a few tomatos. But you really look like you extend the growing season quite a bit with your setup.

When is your last average frost in Yorktown? That's pretty advanced growth for May 21st! Here near Denver it's May 15th, so with some care we can get the peas and such going in early March, but tomatos and the more fragile stuff usually go in mid-April at best. So I'm thinking I'm also jealous of your climate. :)

[Brian Tymchak]

I'm going to forward your post to my neighbor as a hint.. ;)

Nice garden. More power to you. That's a lot of work to maintain.

[Ted Calver]

When is your last average frost in Yorktown?
Thanks Joe. IIRC it's around April 15th. The hoop houses can extend your growing season (spring and fall) quite a bit. There are several fabric options that offer a range of protection--all the way from clear UV resistant greenhouse film to spunbonded fabrics that give frost protection down to 24degrees. I got my supplies from these guys and have been happy. Couldn't find the stuff locally.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-5453-agribon-ag-19-floating-row-cover-83-x-250.aspx