CRANS 2013 Island Garden

[Crandrew]

Agreed thats an issue but better trap them each week and hopefully the negative reinforcement will keep them out of MY yard. I mean I have to do something or they will screw me around all season. hmmm Thanks for the ideas James!

Sorry i must be tired but I dont exactly understand how the garbage can traps them. they cant climb out?

[JamesL]

Typically no. They occasionally escape. If it isn't anchored well they will knock it over. Has to be a taller can so they can't reach the top.
They get out of the HAH traps though too.

[Crandrew]

you are exactly right about the HAH traps. Thats the issue I'm finding is that everybody says the new HAH models are HORRIBLE and constructed very cheaply. So i think I might try the trashcan Idea or get one of the HAH models and go to the local hardware store to find some items to strengthen the joints and doors.
Thanks James.

[Annie]

I have the old hah traps and they work just fine. Last year I caught 1 raccoon and about10 armadillos. I do have a heart so I take them way out in the country and turn them loose. My husband says all they dio is come bck home and I am recatching them. Now we have feral hog, as many a 50 or more, These traps are 4X 8. We have caught probably 10 so far big and small. They have demolished my back yard and knocked all the boards around my raised gardens down. I hate to shoot them but there is no other choice, They are taking over down here in our part of texas.

[JamesL]

Suggested mod for the HAH traps - Wire one side shut. Attach a bait can or tray in the back side that you have wired shut. One the other side where the door comes down, add some weight to the edge so it shuts with more authority. You don't need a lot, lead sinkers work well. It requires them to fully enter the trap to get the bait and they are less likely to have the door partially open on a "reach in", which then allows them to back out under the door before it closes.

[Crandrew]

Found where he exited hahah he ate through part of the 2x4



3/4 or the lettuce is fine but a few are in shock. It will probably be fine but i need to set traps as well. Thanks for the info, I wish I could get my hands on the older design HAH traps. Not sure yet what I'll try.

Went to my hydro store to pick up some 3 in pots, trays and some bamboo and they had a cool but simple ebb Flow table growing some lettuce.



I'm hoping to have the peas planted out on Sunday and tomatoes, basil and lettuce in the germ room by tomorrow.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by z_willus_d

Crandrew, everything looks great. I'm sure you'll love the fresh lettuce. I haven't had much luck with spinach. It takes forever to sprout, and then once you get it in the ground it seems to not take off so well as the lettuce varieties. I hope you can make it work for your garden.

Thanks for posting the link to that vegetable garden planner site, I might try using that. Make sure you bunch your corn (or hand pollinate).

Look forward to following through the year.
-naysen

I had great luck with red spinach from Pinetree last year. It's a hybrid. As with all spinach, a little slow to get going. Once it got going, I couldn't keep up. I always start my spinach direct sown but I do that with all my greens, including lettuce. I just don't have the patience to transplant that many little plants. I prefer to thickly sow my lettuce and then cut and come again anyway. I do the same with the spinach, so I don't mind if the leaves never get past baby stage.
For something close that is useful for a much longer season, all year here in AZ, I like chard. I plant it in sun and shade and have some going year-round.
This year, I'm growing spanach, a middle eastern wild spinach. It's doing we'll, although my entire garden was eaten when my chickens got out sbout a month ago and only the collards, kale and the spanach seem to be coming back to an edible state.

[Crandrew]

Tracy that's awesome info, I'll look for some seeds.

[Crandrew]

Well here we go:
I planted out the Amish snap and English wonder peas.
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Potted up my lettuce and spinach.
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Started the next batch of seeds (turnips, basil, cucumbers)

Planted some turnips in the same bed as the peas (never grown them before)


Planted out the Red Malibar spinach in another bed.

I'm loving just cleaning up with the baby lettuce greens as I work on the garden it's my treat while I work. I can't wait for some sugar snaps but i still need to start those.

[Annie]

It really looks good, it's still a little early for me to plant, never know when I will get another freeze. I plant my spinach, lettuce, mustard, arugula by seed directly in the ground in the fall. I am just now almost finished with those now. When it starts getting hot everything goes. Those are fall garden items. I do have 12 Cherokee Tomato plant up about three inches now and will put them in at the end of the month. I remember having a freeze in early March and lost everything. We have really been having warm weather lately. We really need to have a good freeze to kill out some of the bugs. I have started having some aphids on my lettuce.

[Crandrew]

Thanks Annie, it might be too early for me, but due to the weather being so mild, I think it should work out ok. We'll see though, since about 80% of what I'm growing is new to me, but thats part of the fun.
Regarding your previous question about space: I think you will just have to go based on a combination of the variety information and experience. As you grow each season you will refine your ability to mentally space out the garden space.

[Muslickz]

Originally Posted by Crandrew

Well here we go:
I planted out the Amish snap and English wonder peas.
Attachment 31430

Now those are some fine looking pea's!

-Mus

[livinonfaith]

Grew the Red Malabar Spinach a couple of years ago. Really a gorgeous plant once it starts climbing. I used an upside down tomato cage, with three plants spaced around the edge. It completely covered that and sent tendrils in all directions.

I didn't like it raw as much as regular spinach, but I didn't try it in stir fry, which I think would be a great way to use it. It wasn't the taste I didn't care for, though, it was the texture. Once it got so pretty, I kind of hated to pick it.

[Crandrew]

Originally Posted by Muslickz

Now those are some fine looking pea's!

-Mus

Thanks Mus! I really hope they stay that way, its a first for me.

Originally Posted by livinonfaith

Grew the Red Malabar Spinach a couple of years ago. Really a gorgeous plant once it starts climbing. I used an upside down tomato cage, with three plants spaced around the edge. It completely covered that and sent tendrils in all directions.

I didn't like it raw as much as regular spinach, but I didn't try it in stir fry, which I think would be a great way to use it. It wasn't the taste I didn't care for, though, it was the texture. Once it got so pretty, I kind of hated to pick it.

This is excellent info, thanks. So far I have them planted in a roll backing up to my redwood trellis. I'm curious to see how they do, I will most likely use it in a stir fry and eat my spinach fresh I've never grown these, so I hope they do ok.

[Crandrew]

Yay for gardens!

Well I really wanted to try some greens so I harvested a bit, but only a little seemed mature enough.
I'm really looking forward to it.

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