Your 2024 Garden

[fuzzi]

I already ordered seeds from Baker Creek.

I'm also considering getting a couple more cedar raised beds for next year. Greene's Fence has a 15% off/free shipping Black Friday sale. Their stuff never goes on sale.

Years ago I used to do garden diagrams on graph paper, but just recently got back into vegetable gardening, and have been tracking what I plant, when, and where using my phone's camera. For my small scale raised beds it works well enough.

I did it, ordered the kits.

Merry Christmas to me.

I think the best place for the additional raised beds is where we had some small saplings cut down, about 18 months ago. The area has been covered by carpeting since, placed there to smother new growth. After removing the carpet I plan to go over the area, to make sure the old stumps are level to the ground.

The carpeted area is visible between the two raised beds and the house. There are some square planters on top of the carpet, and a blue tarp covered with excess soil.

I ran a 100' hose out to the edge of the carpet, am planning on burying it.

 

[LTAY1946]

I did it, ordered the kits.

Merry Christmas to me.

I think the best place for the additional raised beds is where we had some small saplings cut down, about 18 months ago. The area has been covered by carpeting since, placed there to smother new growth. After removing the carpet I plan to go over the area, to make sure the old stumps are level to the ground.

The carpeted area is visible between the two raised beds and the house. There are some square planters on top of the carpet, and a blue tarp covered with excess soil.
View attachment 3690936
I ran a 100' hose out to the edge of the carpet, am planning on burying it.

That looks like a free range hen's paradise. I'm sure they would be more than happy to debug it for you.

 

[fuzzi]

That looks like a free range hen's paradise. I'm sure they would be more than happy to debug it for you.

The problem is the woods are next to us, with coyotes and foxes that are active during the day, raccoons that frequently show up, plus feral cats and loose dogs, and Cooper's hawks. I can't...

 

[LTAY1946]

The problem is the woods are next to us, with coyotes and foxes that are active during the day, raccoons that frequently show up, plus feral cats and loose dogs, and Cooper's hawks. I can't...

I completely understand that. We are on the outer fringes of coyotes and have had a feral dog attack here. I suspect it was a fox that took 3-4 of our pets already. While it is not practical I'm still building an electrified fence around the property. I take good care of the crows and since I started I haven't seen another hawk.

 

[Sally PB]

The problem is the woods are next to us, with coyotes and foxes that are active during the day, raccoons that frequently show up, plus feral cats and loose dogs, and Cooper's hawks. I can't...

Exactly the reason I don't free range. I wish I could enclose the side yard where the chickens live. That is not feasible, for several reasons.

 

[Iluveggers]

I have a nice plan already! Garlic is in for next year. I’m going from 3 rows of tomatoes to just 2 rows, and expanding the greens, carrots, beets, celery & parsnip plantings. I still have 3 Brussels sprouts stalks out there, just got a nice frost so I’ll pick soon. I am hoping for more zucchini & cucumber than this year, so doubling my plantings. I dehydrated zucchini this year. Also hoping for more winter squash, so we plotted out an area in the back of my property where they can sprawl as they please. I had about 15 winter squash but they didn’t last long enough. Trying for more self-sufficiency here as well. Beets, beans, sauce, pickles and some soup are all canned and stored for the winter!

If you order seeds from baker creek now, do they wait til spring to ship? I’m probably ordering new everything this winter…I had some older seeds that didn’t germinate so I’m going to start fresh and label them better this time. Some of the seeds are 5-6 years old!

 

[Sally PB]

If you order seeds from baker creek now, do they wait til spring to ship?

No. Unless the item is something that is out of stock, or needs to ship at a certain time, like garlic. I've gotten seeds from them usually within a couple weeks of ordering.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you order seeds from baker creek now, do they wait til spring to ship? I’m probably ordering new everything this winter…I had some older seeds that didn’t germinate so I’m going to start fresh and label them better this time. Some of the seeds are 5-6 years old!

They ship immediately though they get bogged down with orders closer to spring, which can slow down processing of orders. I generally order in Dec or Jan and the seeds get here in about a week.

About half my orders are replacement for old seed or seed packets that I've emptied. I know I need more string beans, kale, cauliflower, scallions, shishito...

 

[fuzzi]

That looks like a free range hen's paradise. I'm sure they would be more than happy to debug it for you.

Today when I was adding partly-decomposed litter to my raised bed I saw lots of earthworms. The last time I tried feeding earthworms to the chickens they turned up their beaks, weren't interested. I took one over to the coop, offered it to the first pullet who ran to me, Rahab. She took it and slurped it up like spaghetti!

 

[LTAY1946]

Today when I was adding partly-decomposed litter to my raised bed I saw lots of earthworms. The last time I tried feeding earthworms to the chickens they turned up their beaks, weren't interested. I took one over to the coop, offered it to the first pullet who ran to me, Rahab. She took it and slurped it up like spaghetti!

Just remember earthworms are a host to other worms that can reside in chickens. I don't remember all the details but someone else might. Roaches do that too.