This year I tried potatos in Potato bags. It was something that I saw in the store and since I didn't have much of a garden ready, I decided to give them a try. It was not a success, although I think I must have failed somewhere with it. They were doing great. I did just like I was supposed to and raised the bags up adding more soil. Two days ago I noticed my plants were all dried up in the one bag and only one plant was left in the other bag. I checked it out and noticed no potatos. The harvest I got from the one bag that had some potatos in it fit in my hand. I am very frustrated. I won't let this defeat me though. I will keep trying. Next year I plan to put up raised bed....start with good soil and compost and make sure that the weeds stay away. This year first my brothers tried helping by watering the garden...with a sprinkler for a half hour twice a day. Hey they were trying, they just drowned the plants. So then they left the garden to me. With work I didn't get it watered enough...no one helped with the weeding and I was the only one working a full time job, so first we had no rain for too long then the rain came...days of it in fact. Now my garden is over run with the weeds. I worked in it some this morning, but it is going to take a lot to get all of the weeds out of it. With a bad back and bad knees ( another reason for the raised bed) I can only do so much at a time...especially if I want to be able to go to work later today. At least the plants are growing well enough that I can tell which are the weeds and which are the plants.
Not much for all my hard work
Started by
Deb2of9
, Jul 31 2012 10:19 AM
8 replies to this topic
#1
Deb2of9
-
- Users2
-
- 1,053 posts
Family Member
- Gender:Female
- Location:Ohio
- Interests:Genealogy, Reading, All types of crafts, I mostly knit and crochet. Mostly I like to spend time with my family.
Posted 31 July 2012 - 10:19 AM
I was very frustrated. This is the first year I tried potatos. Lets face it, this is the first year I have had much of anything growing except for tomatos. My garden attempts have not been very successful, but I am improving if the weeds, rain one year, drought the next, oh and lets not forget the year with the blight that took everything except for my tomatos. But I learn by every attempt and that is the important part, although I would love to get some real food out of my work.
This year I tried potatos in Potato bags. It was something that I saw in the store and since I didn't have much of a garden ready, I decided to give them a try. It was not a success, although I think I must have failed somewhere with it. They were doing great. I did just like I was supposed to and raised the bags up adding more soil. Two days ago I noticed my plants were all dried up in the one bag and only one plant was left in the other bag. I checked it out and noticed no potatos. The harvest I got from the one bag that had some potatos in it fit in my hand. I am very frustrated. I won't let this defeat me though. I will keep trying. Next year I plan to put up raised bed....start with good soil and compost and make sure that the weeds stay away. This year first my brothers tried helping by watering the garden...with a sprinkler for a half hour twice a day. Hey they were trying, they just drowned the plants. So then they left the garden to me. With work I didn't get it watered enough...no one helped with the weeding and I was the only one working a full time job, so first we had no rain for too long then the rain came...days of it in fact. Now my garden is over run with the weeds. I worked in it some this morning, but it is going to take a lot to get all of the weeds out of it. With a bad back and bad knees ( another reason for the raised bed) I can only do so much at a time...especially if I want to be able to go to work later today. At least the plants are growing well enough that I can tell which are the weeds and which are the plants.
This year I tried potatos in Potato bags. It was something that I saw in the store and since I didn't have much of a garden ready, I decided to give them a try. It was not a success, although I think I must have failed somewhere with it. They were doing great. I did just like I was supposed to and raised the bags up adding more soil. Two days ago I noticed my plants were all dried up in the one bag and only one plant was left in the other bag. I checked it out and noticed no potatos. The harvest I got from the one bag that had some potatos in it fit in my hand. I am very frustrated. I won't let this defeat me though. I will keep trying. Next year I plan to put up raised bed....start with good soil and compost and make sure that the weeds stay away. This year first my brothers tried helping by watering the garden...with a sprinkler for a half hour twice a day. Hey they were trying, they just drowned the plants. So then they left the garden to me. With work I didn't get it watered enough...no one helped with the weeding and I was the only one working a full time job, so first we had no rain for too long then the rain came...days of it in fact. Now my garden is over run with the weeds. I worked in it some this morning, but it is going to take a lot to get all of the weeds out of it. With a bad back and bad knees ( another reason for the raised bed) I can only do so much at a time...especially if I want to be able to go to work later today. At least the plants are growing well enough that I can tell which are the weeds and which are the plants.
#2
Deb2of9
-
- Users2
-
- 1,053 posts
Family Member
- Gender:Female
- Location:Ohio
- Interests:Genealogy, Reading, All types of crafts, I mostly knit and crochet. Mostly I like to spend time with my family.
Posted 31 July 2012 - 10:30 AM
the one picture is of part of my garden. My attempt at gardening this year consisted of planting my plants in bags of topsoil and then I dug a garden by hand with a shovel and hand trowel for the rest of the garden. I have lost some plants between the lack of rain and the weeds, but I do have some plants growing now. Mostly cucumbers and squash in the hand dug garden. The others seem to be growing but except for some green tomatos, no actual vegetables yet. I take that back the hand dug garden actually has a few peppers starting. Of course everyone else is harvesting alot of the same stuff I have planted and have nothing to show for it yet. I might have gotten a late start, I am not sure. Either that or they got an early start due to the warmer spring weather. I am determined to have a garden and will keep trying. I plan to build some raised beds over the summer and winter and be ready to start them early in the spring I want to make green house frames to fit over them with PVC pipes and plastic to allow me to start early. Next year I want to have a garden I can can from
Attached Thumbnails
#3
arby
-
- Users2
-
- 5,178 posts
Family Member
- Gender:Female
- Location:Boonies
- Interests:Reading, Knitting better and better, canning, dehydrating, trying to find the best deal I can in a difficult situation. Looking up recipes and gathering them. Writing. Gardening when I can do so. Cooking. Love the outdoors.
Posted 31 July 2012 - 10:39 AM
Do you have any mulch? It would help retain water and keep the weeds down once you have weeded. Use something that will enhance your soil conditions however.
Its good that you can build some raised beds that may help you alot. Would you practice square foot gardening in them? That creates a natural cover as the plants grow and less weeds will grow between the plants because of the shading factor.
Its good that you can build some raised beds that may help you alot. Would you practice square foot gardening in them? That creates a natural cover as the plants grow and less weeds will grow between the plants because of the shading factor.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:5
John 1:5
#4
CrabGrassAcres
-
- Users2
-
- 7,136 posts
Munchie Mama
- Gender:Female
- Location:Deep in the heart of Texas
Posted 31 July 2012 - 01:48 PM
One person cannot do it all. It is better to have a very small garden that you are able to take care of and get something , than a large garden that is too much to handle and you get little for your work.
Start smaller.
Start smaller.
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Ps 57:1
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
#5
Dee
-
- Moderators
-
- 9,199 posts
Has Been
- Gender:Female
Posted 31 July 2012 - 02:10 PM
So sorry about your lack of success with gardening this year Deb2of9 BUT if it's true that "misery loves company" you have alot of us across the country in the same boat with you. It was just a rotten year for gardening in most places.
As every gardener knows "next year will be better"!
As every gardener knows "next year will be better"!
#6
Deb2of9
-
- Users2
-
- 1,053 posts
Family Member
- Gender:Female
- Location:Ohio
- Interests:Genealogy, Reading, All types of crafts, I mostly knit and crochet. Mostly I like to spend time with my family.
Posted 01 August 2012 - 12:25 PM
Yes, Arby, I plan to do square foot gardening in the raised beds. As for mulch, I should have done it before, but I am now mulching each area as I get ride of the weeds. put my back out at work yesterday, so I didn't accomplish much today, but I think half of my small garden is now mulched.
As for starting smaller, it is a ver small garden. Only a few plants of several different vegetables. I can maintain it most of the time, jsut a crazy work schedule and suddenly lots of rain let it get away from me. I know that I have to do only as much as i can manage on my own. tomatos are the only plant that I went overboard on. i have 3 separate varieties, two that are good for sandwiches and salads and then the others are for paste.We want to can our own sauce. We use a lot of spaghetti sauce and canned tomatos in our meals. I know it has been a bad year for gardens, but I also know my lack of experience and not keeping up on the little I have is also responsible for the poor yeild as well. I will do better next year. Different contitions and I will have learnt from my mistakes this year. I may fail alot at this, but I learn from every mistake.
For instance, without proper means to till up a garden, I had a problem getting the ground ready. this year I figured if I first got the ground soft by wetting it, then dug up small sqares of dirt, I could hand till a foot at a time with less strain on my back. I douldn't even break the ground up the traditional ways. It is a small area that I prepared and if I ahd figured out how to do it sooner, I would have managed a better garden there. I also forgot the importances of mulch. NOw I have learnt how important that really is to my garden. I will make sure the mulch is a priority next year. I also want to put a stone or even a mulched pathway around my garden to keep the lawn away from the garden.
My prothers are afraid to mow close to the garden, so the gras near it got too tall. If I mulch it around it, my garden will look nicer, but more importantly I will cut down on access to the garden for weeds. At least if I also remember to much the garden. Of course with raised beds that will take care of part of that as well.
Although I would love to grow alot of my own food, I am realistic enough to know that unless I get help from family, as long as I work a full time job, that isn't going to happen. Even if I didn't have to work, i probably will only be able to grow part of my own food. I just don't have the strenght or stamina to do all of that work anymore. I am not in the best of shape and with arthriis everywhere and back and knee problems, I can't do the bedning or lifting that is required as much as I would like to. Even getting the bags of potting soil and mulch is a challenge. I use a wheel barrel or draft help with that part from those who can lift. My grandchildren love working in the garden, but they live in twon so it is harder to get them out here to help. But I have done that as well. Even gave them their own plants to grow.
Time to get ready for work, So I will get off here. I willnot give up, and wnat to thank all of you for your helpful advice.Not only from direct response but from all the good advice and support in the forums on here. Mrssurvival people are the bests. I know I can alway s go here even if it is just to vent a little, I will be weldomed with open arms, and prayer and support when I need it, not to mention all of your experiences and advice to help me learn the skills that I need.
As for starting smaller, it is a ver small garden. Only a few plants of several different vegetables. I can maintain it most of the time, jsut a crazy work schedule and suddenly lots of rain let it get away from me. I know that I have to do only as much as i can manage on my own. tomatos are the only plant that I went overboard on. i have 3 separate varieties, two that are good for sandwiches and salads and then the others are for paste.We want to can our own sauce. We use a lot of spaghetti sauce and canned tomatos in our meals. I know it has been a bad year for gardens, but I also know my lack of experience and not keeping up on the little I have is also responsible for the poor yeild as well. I will do better next year. Different contitions and I will have learnt from my mistakes this year. I may fail alot at this, but I learn from every mistake.
For instance, without proper means to till up a garden, I had a problem getting the ground ready. this year I figured if I first got the ground soft by wetting it, then dug up small sqares of dirt, I could hand till a foot at a time with less strain on my back. I douldn't even break the ground up the traditional ways. It is a small area that I prepared and if I ahd figured out how to do it sooner, I would have managed a better garden there. I also forgot the importances of mulch. NOw I have learnt how important that really is to my garden. I will make sure the mulch is a priority next year. I also want to put a stone or even a mulched pathway around my garden to keep the lawn away from the garden.
My prothers are afraid to mow close to the garden, so the gras near it got too tall. If I mulch it around it, my garden will look nicer, but more importantly I will cut down on access to the garden for weeds. At least if I also remember to much the garden. Of course with raised beds that will take care of part of that as well.
Although I would love to grow alot of my own food, I am realistic enough to know that unless I get help from family, as long as I work a full time job, that isn't going to happen. Even if I didn't have to work, i probably will only be able to grow part of my own food. I just don't have the strenght or stamina to do all of that work anymore. I am not in the best of shape and with arthriis everywhere and back and knee problems, I can't do the bedning or lifting that is required as much as I would like to. Even getting the bags of potting soil and mulch is a challenge. I use a wheel barrel or draft help with that part from those who can lift. My grandchildren love working in the garden, but they live in twon so it is harder to get them out here to help. But I have done that as well. Even gave them their own plants to grow.
Time to get ready for work, So I will get off here. I willnot give up, and wnat to thank all of you for your helpful advice.Not only from direct response but from all the good advice and support in the forums on here. Mrssurvival people are the bests. I know I can alway s go here even if it is just to vent a little, I will be weldomed with open arms, and prayer and support when I need it, not to mention all of your experiences and advice to help me learn the skills that I need.
#7
CrabGrassAcres
-
- Users2
-
- 7,136 posts
Munchie Mama
- Gender:Female
- Location:Deep in the heart of Texas
Posted 01 August 2012 - 02:26 PM
Hon, I didn't mean to be critical. Sorry about that.
Have you read Ruth Stout? I had good success with her methods in CO. Not suitable here because the ground doesn't freeze in winter and the fire ants will take you away.
Nobody gets a great crop on everything every yr. Some yrs are just better for one thing and other yrs better for something else. We keep trying.
Have you read Ruth Stout? I had good success with her methods in CO. Not suitable here because the ground doesn't freeze in winter and the fire ants will take you away.
Nobody gets a great crop on everything every yr. Some yrs are just better for one thing and other yrs better for something else. We keep trying.
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Ps 57:1
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
#8
Deb2of9
-
- Users2
-
- 1,053 posts
Family Member
- Gender:Female
- Location:Ohio
- Interests:Genealogy, Reading, All types of crafts, I mostly knit and crochet. Mostly I like to spend time with my family.
Posted 03 August 2012 - 08:30 PM
No I haven't Read Ruth Stout...not sure if I heard of her. I will have to look for her. I didn't take what you said as critical. I know that it is going to take a lot of hard work for me to get the garden going.I plan on putting in that hard work. I believe no failure is ever complete if you learn from it. And I do look like I am going to get some stuff out of the garden, just not as much as I had hoped.
#9
CrabGrassAcres
-
- Users2
-
- 7,136 posts
Munchie Mama
- Gender:Female
- Location:Deep in the heart of Texas
Posted 03 August 2012 - 08:49 PM
Check the library. If they don't have it they can interlibrary loan it for you.
"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Ps 57:1
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. " Eph 5:15,16
"Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard" 2 Kings 19:6
Have you hugged your goose today?
Reply to this topic
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users
