Good to "meet" you Shot, there are some other veggie gardeners on this forum.
I veggie garden in two places, and then teach vegetable gardening at a local community garden. So I get to choose LOADS of veggies for my own, my church and other people's gardens!
I'm just sorting out what I will be ordering via seeds. I've not grown Southern Peas before, they are certainly going in, as are several squashes in the same family as butternut as I am sick of borers but want my squash!
We have 5 beds which are 3x8' and then I am landscaping a 2nd property we purchased next door to us and will be putting in mostly edibles and annuals over there but it will look more like a flower garden in style. There is a LOT of space. Arches with small melons and climbing beans, vining spinach...tee-pees of beans mixed with roses. More fruits like watermelon, a few "novelty" annual fruit, some blueberries, another fig tree, some pomegranates. More rosemary bushes and other herbs are also going in. I'm an herb-a-holic!
I live in downtown Atlanta.

girlgroupgirl

Nice to meet you girlgroupgirl. May I just call you girl?

WOW! Sounds like you really have it together with the garden ideas. Maybe you can take a picture of it and share it with us.... and all in downtown Atlanta. My oldest stepson and stepdaughter live and work in Atlanta. Not sure where as I have only been there once. Told the lord that I would give him all of my earthly belongings if he would get me out of Atlanta alive.... later I updated the offer and told him I would give him ALL of it if he caught me back up there again! Remember I am a country boy and three cars at the local stop sign is considered a traffic jam... lol Atlanta is a beautiful city though.

My stepdaugher in Atlanta always stocks up on peas as her daily bread consist of peas and rice. Now if I can just teach her to return the coolers after her trips home...

When it comes to seed, we are lucky as there is a gardening center about 13 miles from here that carry a great variety of seed and can order about anything you want.

Hope you try and enjoy Southern Peas. They grow even in poor dirt and most (I guess) produce their own nitrogen. Just be careful with the fertilizer or you will get more bush than peas. So many varieties. In the cream line, the higher the number, the smaller the pea, ex. cream40 smaller than cream8. Think most people prefer peas that produce white or clear soup..... I prefer the dark soup seasoned with a little side meat.

Sheesh, here I go again writing a novel.
Again, nice to meet you and look forward to more.

Shot

More mulch!!

Shot, around here I'm known as "GGG"
Atlanta isn't as bad as all that. You made me laugh though. My in-laws are moving to rural Georgia, but in the other direction. Pops is looking at 20 acres! Can you imagine the food I can grow! WOW! I'm going to have them install some well irrigation and pumps on a few acres.
I work in a local nursery here - we get some seeds but not all the types I like. My favorites are heirlooms and unusual things. That is part of the beauty of having a front yard vegetable garden - I can grow weird stuff and the people in my community love it! If I grow too much, it can go to our church to feed the hungry or I can tote it over the the local farmers market (just a block away) and offer it at a good price to my neighbors. Everything I grow is organic or sustainable (at least) and I don't add much nitrogen as our soil is pretty good already. Just compost. Lots of compost. This year I'm going to add in CLM which is a product a local organic soil additive company makes. I have solid red clay dug from under our house (no weeds!!) to fill the raised beds, and I need to to work up quick. CLM will have it perfect right away. No need to wait. Mix it in, plant. The rest of my raised beds are of concrete dug from our driveway and basement when we renovated. It looks like stone, and I don't have to dig for drainage or anything underneath because the yard is on a slight slope and I get excellent drainage just building on top of the existing "grass".

I live on veggies. Our goal is to be mostly self sufficient for food someday.

GGG

Esh, VERY funny!!!!!

I'll have all the usuals (peas, tomatos, beans, carrots, peppers). Giving up on corn. Hasn't done well for me for a few years. Thinking about venturing to some other types of squash (agree with ggg about the borers). Maybe expand my peppers to include even more varieties this year.

Good morning all! A nice rainy day here in central Georgia, but have a nice fire going in the fireplace.
So ESH is growing mulch.... how much fertilizer with that ESH??? lol.
GGG... appears I've got egg on my face. Here I am telling you about growing peas and you work in a nursery. I am just a gentleman farmer that grew up on a farm, moved to the big city (Jax,Fl) to make enough money to move back to the country. Okay on the 20 acres away from Atlanta. Will look for you on tv soon after the P. Allen Smith Show... oh the possibilities huh??? CLM sounds like a great way to make the best of a bad situation. Do you grow any roses in the clay? My wife and I only have about 52½ acres which consists of everything from sand to clay and all in between. Think I might try my hand at a rose bush or two this year...
JM, sorry to hear that you are giving up on the corn, but I can understand. I have got that way with cantaloupes. Work my tail off growing them then find sweeter ones at Wal-Mart... go figure. Corn and peas are my specialty. Deer loves peas, so I have to grow enough to keep them fed and we get what's left over. They are going to get theirs whether you do or not!!! Oh JM, speaking of peppers, I grew some habaneros once and was going to make some hot sauce.... stunk the kitchen up so that I threw them out and had to air out the kitchen.
Everyone enjoy this rainy Saturday. Will check back in later.
Shot

I wish I could grow mulch ... it would save me a lot of money! Actually, I do use the pine needles that fall on the lawn and driveway as mulch, but it's not enough. And of course, any leaves that fall on the lawn get collected for mulch. But I don't have a lot of lawn so that is not enough either.

The only edible things I grow are two blueberry bushes and two tomato plants. No plans to expand that and last year even the tomato plants were too much trouble.

Enjoy the rain, I always do. We currently have ice chips falling here. Hope it changes to snow soon (or rain, anything but ice chips!!).

Hi ESH. I am a woodworker (hobby) and use a surface planer a lot which produces lots of wood chips (small). Have a shop vac hooked up to the planer to collect. Most of them are oak and/or ash. I usually burn these in a drum, but what I was wondering is would these make decent mulch if I were to till them in the garden? If so, what type of veggies would like them?
My step-daughter just phoned and said it was snowing in Atlanta. (10:40 a.m.)
I hear you about the ice, ESH. Anything but an ice storm as that usually means no power for some time.
Have my outside chores done so will mostly just play on the computer today and enjoy the fireplace and rain.

I am going to give up some flowers planting this spring due to water ban in my area. I will focus more on veggie, which produces leaf to havest such as sweet potato, kale, Korean pumpkin, and kudzu.. No, just kidding.. NO kudzu...

Beside I will plant some more fruit trees like apple, tart cherry, asian persimmon, and of course pomegranate.

For unsusual plant, I will try hardy citrus, banana, and tea camellia. Hope someday I could drink the tea with lemon from my garden...

Snowning in the winter is always a good sign for the spring!
Cheers

Shot, just because I work in a nursery doesn't mean there isn't a thing or two I can learn! I grew up gardening in Canada (zone 5 and 6)- and Southern Peas were not on the menu. Oddly enough we always grew collards and other greens typically southern and fried green tomatoes. My grandma who emigrated from England had these foods traditionally where she lived. You never know one's experiences. It was only this year I learned you can eat Southern Peas as snap beans or fresh shelly peas as I do not like them much dry. But I ought to learn. Good for you!
Yes I grow roses in clay. I have 50 some odd roses now - and because I do not spray them, I am very careful of what I grow. Most of them heirloom, but some newer varieties bred for disease resistance. Almost all of them came from local gardenweb plant traders or from Texas. Some are so easy, although I do ammend the soil.
You know your ashes from burning wood are awesome additions to your home compost!!
Esh, I need oddles more mulch this year. I could not mulch last spring due to the home reno. and I had no place to bring mulch in and out of the garden. This year I made pals with a tree trimmer who promises me a few good truckloads a year (I will also use this for my paths/walkways).

I would most certainly process hot peppers outside, lol. We make hot vinegar pepper sauce at church. It is the hottest most people have ever tried because as a gardener, I can choose the peppers we grow to put in it. We have to do it outside or we'd all have our eyes burned out!!

GGG

Shot, I would use your shavings in your compost pile without burning them. They would make a fine "brown" to any "greens" you gather from your garden (and I don't mean the kind of greens you eat).

G'afternoon! Almost 2 inches of rain and still coming. WOOT! GGG, about the Southern Peas. Most people put some "snaps" in with the shelled peas for flavor. We have a pea sheller that can shell them as fast as you feed them into it. We usually pick some young peas then snap them into about 1" lengths and mix with the shelled peas. We generally plant some "Blue Lake" snap beans (or pole beans) to eat just as snap beans. I love speckled butter beans too, but a bugger picking them because they grow so low to the ground. If you cannot get fresh peas and such, there is a company that has pretty good seasoned ones that are available in grocery stores. Link below. One year I grew some black eyed peas and found out that I much prefer the dried ones.
Canada huh? Well, you must be use to the snow then. To be honest, I have only seen a dusting of snow in all my years and I have been half way around the world. Guess the Good Lord just didn't intend for me to see it except on Christmas Cards.
Thanks for the info on the wood chips. Don't have a compost pile anymore as the last time we had one, the ants and grass about drove us nuts. Got plenty of good rich soil though.
Shot

Here is a link that might be useful: LINK TO SEASONED PEAS

APHARETTA, glad you were kidding about the kudzu because when your neighbors discovered it, I'm sure there would be some slow walking and low singing... lol.
Have a small pomegranate that just started bearing a years ago. Love those, but have to be careful of the stain as I don't think there is anything known to man to remove it! Haven't had too much luck with peach trees, but my apple tree, black walnut tree and pair trees do well. Oh, and have a scuplin (scuppernong) vine that produces great fruit.

Shot (my real nickname)

Shot,
Want to share any of your corn secrets? What brand, what kind? How much water, fertilizer, etc.? I'm willing to try it again, but clearly am not doing something right. The harvest leaves me with stalks without any ears, small and (what I would call) underdeveloped ears on those that I do get.

I have a small garden (30x30) that is mixed edibles and flowers, so not a lot of space to devote to any one thing. I usually plant the corn in an 8' x 4' x 10" deep raised bed. Plenty of sun. I try to help mama nature out with pollinating by shaking the stalks when the ears first develop. Open to ideas. Thanks.

Well, I am gardening exclusively in containers. I am planting several peppers- sweet and hot as they are the only things that were truly a success last year, and I am attempting tomatoes again-any suggestions for good varieties to grow here are welcome ;) I am also planting cucumbers, summer squash, okra, and I may attempt sweet corn and bush sugar baby watermelon depending how disgruntled I am when its time to plant.

We planted corn at church two years ago. I had never planted it before and did not know what I was doing! We ammended really well (in already nice soil) with plenty of compost and did not fertilize all summer. We irrigated when dry but held off the water as the corn sugars were sweetening (like you do with melons and squash etc) Some good eatin' that corn was! The corn was small, but it was sweeter than sugar and tasty raw!

GGG

JM, you may be asking the wrong person about growing corn, but here goes. I asked an old farmer basically the same question and he told me "nitrogen and water". He said corn loves nitrogen which makes sense since it is a member of the grass family. I fertilize at planting (or after emergence) generally with 10-10-10 (depending on the soil) then I side dress with nitrogen (ammonia nitrate 34-0-0) when I lay it by (last plowing with tractor when about 2 feet tall). Oh, and don't forget about lime, if needed. One year my field corn started dying about a foot tall. Did a soil sample and found it needed lime.
As to what kind.... around here Silver Queen sweet corn is the most popular, both home grown and in the markets. Sounds like you are on the right track with your procedures. Just maybe a little fine tuning and like GGG mentioned, cut back on water towards the end. GGG can probably tell you more about the germination and amounts as I do it by the acre and let the Good Lord take care of the germination process. GGG put JM on the right track.
GGG bet you were popular at church after that :)

Wish I were smart enough to upload pictures here, but I am just too old to learn new software.

Shot

It is 21 degrees here this morning, so have lots of time for the computer. Hope yall don't get tired of me posting, but wanted to share with you a project in the wookshop that I just started. It is a sheep shearers table (no sheep here though) that I am building for my wife to display plants on the front porch. Since I don't know how to upload pictures, am just including the url to one similiar. Mine will have wooden wheels (homemade, of course) on one end so that she can move it around easily and will be made from oak. Haven't decided on the finish yet. Soon as the temperature moves up into the 30's I will be out there in the sunshine working on this baby.
Shot

Here is a link that might be useful: Internet link to picture

ggg... sure would like to hear more about that complete landscape mix. you mind naming that nursery? i need plenty of good starter base stock.

been wanting a garden but way too many trees for enuf of ole mr sun to come thru. except the front yard. i got years and years of natural decomp in the soils under 2 acres of trees but, natch, plenty of undesirables in the mix. did a massive clearing of all the understuff and most trees up to 12" this past summer. still plenty of yoppers left. big stuff is all cut for firwood. brush in several piles waiting for a chipper when i can find one. will have plenty of mulch stock if the stuff is appropriate. anyone?

i think we're just seeing tip of iceberg in meltdown. real estate values have gone to the dogs now anyway so i'm going for it this season. plan to do raised beds and maybe some container stuff in the front yard space. good drainage exists. i'm going right on top of that. high end on north at front border. slopping south toward house. primary crops, veggies, herbs. especially veggies to juice. but would like to throw in some stuff for asthetics. all organic and/or natural/sustainable. i'm never too old to learn but short on time for crop failures. wish me luck.

Cold here today, shot. How'd you get that nickname anyway? Got at least as low as 18 when I checked at 6 am. Now it is sunny and 26. Supposed to get to 40, which will be an improvement over yesterday when I swear it did not break 30!

shot, the best way to upload pictures is to use a photohosting site like photobucket.com. Easy and free. They give you an HTML link, just click it and paste it over here. Voila! There's your picture.

ESH........ THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU
You may have created a monster..... lol
Okay, here goes. Just created an account there and uploaded some pictures. Now to see iffin it works!

Here is a link that might be useful: My pictures

Well, shot, I'd say it worked. You might want to create albums for your different types of pictures: woodworking projects, garden, etc.

Here's my "garden" album. You can see that it also has a link within it to a "front landscaping" album. Just an example of organization. And you can also copy and paste the "HTML code" link on any picture to paste it directly here:

{{gwi:332363}}

Here is a link that might be useful: One of my albums

ESH - WoW! I am impressed! Great photography! Checked out the album and really nice scenery and photos. Great idea about the the albums. Guess I will have to go over and do some editing... lol. I threw them all in the same basket.
How did you put the photo directly into message? (I have a lot to learn)
Oh, you asked about my nickname Shot. When I was born I had a brother about 3 years older and he had a hard time pronouncing my real name of Roy, so he started calling me "Big Shot". The Big was later dropped and most people and family still refer to me as Shot. My mother used to say she could yell out the back door for Roy all day with no answer and one Shot would get a response.
Shot

This link will direct to instructions for posting pics in text

Here is a link that might be useful: posting pics

vroomp, where have you been!?? Nice to see you again.

shot, photobucket makes it really easy. Click on the link they provide called "HTML code". You should see it say "copied". Then come back here and paste it (either using the paste function or pressing Ctrl and V together).

When you "preview" your message, you should see your picture. There is a "test" forum if you want to practice.

ESH & VROOMP you make things too easy. I have never been good about following directions that's why my wife has to put everything together like BBQ grill...
{{gwi:19695}}

Here is a picture of my sweet & field corn from last year.
BTW ESH - your home is very beautiful & Evan looks like someone's pride and joy. Have three grandkids myself.

Maybe we should start a new thread as this one is getting quite long.
Wonder how GGG is doing?
Shot

Nice corn. What is field corn? Sweet corn must be for eating, but is field corn for cattle?

Evan is a real angel. He didn't belong to me, but I posted the picture for Pam, another member. He didn't stay on Earth very long, he was swept up to Heaven after a brief illness. She told us that she is expecting again and we hope to hear from her soon on that event.

Hey Shot. I've been "talking" to Palooka and working a bit. Sorting seeds, getting seed orders sorted out and tonight sitting down to make the orders. From here on it it is mostly work, work, work!
That is one TERRIFIC staghorn fern Shot. Where on earth do you keep it in these temps?
Your dogs like corn? Two of my cats love it too.
That is one huge patch of corn. At church we grow like 2 -3 rows in a space about 15 feet long, 5' wide. Maybe plant some again this year since we've expanded our growing space and I could also tuck it in behind a wildflower cutting garden. It would make a really nice backdrop to the flowers.

GGG

ESH, so sorry about Evan. Can't imagine what his parents have gone through. Glad to hear that Pam is expecting. Bless them.
Field corn - wow.. where do I start... can be white or yellow... not as high sugar content... primarily harvested when kernels are dry (except for cream corn, corn on the cob, etc)... used in livestock feed as well as human consumtion (corn meal, grits (Georgia's official food aka Georgia Ice Cream))... corn oil... and on and on.
Have some friends and family that prefer field corn to sweet corn to eat creamed. We love both! My wife likes to mix the two creamed as she does not have to add water or thickener. The field corn stalks are generally taller and the ears larger. My sweet corn was about 6' tall and the field corn some as much as 12' tall. I am 6' tall and some ears I actually had to reach up to pick.
Ever had deep fried corn? Delicious! Lots of BBQ places serve it this way. Of course, they only use sweet corn.
GGG - my dogs LOVE sweet corn! I have two large pecan trees in the back yard and that is where I usually clean the corn in preparation for the freezers (3). When I come across an inferior ear I just throw it to them otherwise they will bug me until I do. Experimented with sweet vs. field corn and they both preferred the sweet... go figure... lol.
About the staghorn fern - it got froze back some last year as we did not bring it into the garage. It had got so big that it was becoming a problem. Notice it hung on a steel fence post across two 4X4's. I made a portable stand so we can bring it into the garage during freezing nights. GGG - I grow enough corn and peas to feed a small army... lol. Not really anymore trouble to grow lots, besides, gives me more time on my tractor.
Sounds like you have been one busy lady and will get even busier with spring approaching. We WILL expect some pics of the church garden. Guess you do the pollination of the corn. In the field, it is recommended at least 4 rows to get good pollination... sheesh, here I go again... you already know that.
I sometimes plant sunflowers for the birds and deer... here is a pic of one that had a natural smile so I add blacberry eyes and a plum nose.
{{gwi:26106}}

Shot

Thanks for the corn success tips. I may be intrigued to try it one more time. I do love fresh corn. We used to have fantastic sweet corn in Michigan and New Jersey.

Shot, I LOVE THE SUNFLOWER!

Hey Shot:
Church garden always looks a mess, lol. By the time things are growing in the veg garden, we gotta tend the flower garden. Really, we have way more garden than 10 of us can manage. I reduced it a lot last year, and will work on reducing it further - we increased the food areas. But the flower/shrub areas I've reduced by adding seating and "hardscape" areas. Makes sense for people to use it if it is there.
We hand polinate the corn by shaking it and blowing. The gardeners have a blast doing this.

Today we seeded out a lot of herbs/flowers and some cole crop for early sales and our own garden. It is getting to be that time of year for greenhouse growers!

GGG

JMZMS, glad to hear that you're gonna give the corn another go. There are so many varieties to choose from that it is mind boggling. I have also had good success with Golden Queen as well as Silver Queen (one yellow and one white as the name implies). Both delish! I have lots of room so think I might try about 4 rows of colorful Indian Corn in addition to Silver Queen & my field corn. I save some field corn each year as I don't know the name of it or where to get more. The Silver Queen is readily available at my local garden center. Might ask GGG what she prefers.... I consider her to be the residential expert. Look forward to hearing how your corn does this year.

GGG, the church is lucky to have you as a member. Someone with your experience and job gotta be a plus for them. I got a chuckle out of thinking of yall out there shaking and blowing the corn tassles... VIDEO VIDEO... LOL. Sounds like a nice place to sit a spell and catch up on the local gossip... oh, that is what the hair salon is for..... "giggle>.
Shot

Shot, many people here know, but our church is really unique. Almost everyone is a person with a disability who lives in a group home or some sort of assisted/supported living situation. There are some people also from our community who come - and those of us who can volunteer to work during the week with those who need a little "extra" in their lives. Since most congregants can't work, some of us run programs on Tues. & Thurs. Am and another woman and myself run a greenhouse and garden program for 10 adults who have severe/profound mental illness, developmental, brain injury or physical handicaps. So blowing on corn tassels isn't out of the ordinary for us, lol. We're a funny bunch who will do anything, anytime, anywhere - and have a blast doing it!
I love Silver Queen corn, it's the ol' "standard" in sweet corn but I also love the harder "feed" corns that are dark yellow. OK, I just love corn. Maybe I'm not the best person to ask :)

GGG

GGG, sounds like what you are doing is a wonderful thing and very rewarding for you. Keep up the good work, lady.
Nice to meet another corn lover. We always stock the freezers with it creamed and in the shuck. In the shuck, I cut the ends off and freeze several ears together in bags. To prepare for eating, my wife wraps each ear in foil and bakes it for about an hour. When you take the foil off and shuck it, the silks just about fall out. Stick those little corn holders in each end and roll it over on a stick of butter... yum yum!
For the past few days I have been working in the workshop building a cart of sorts to hold potted plants. Going down the home stretch now with the project and will include a picture when finished if okay.
Everyone have a great and safe day.
Shot

Shot, you guys should think about a sun oven if you like baked corn. You can make one with a pizza box and use them even in the middle of winter. Put 'em up high enough the dogs can't get to 'em!

http://www.open2.net/open2static/source/file/root/52/2/213130/pizza_box_oven.jpg

GGG

Shot, that sunflower sure is a cutey and what a cheery sight this time of year!

ESH - Thank you, sir. I plant an acre of them every now and then. Real nice to see the birds and bees feeding on them. You would not believe how many bees they attract!
GGG - Great idea with the pizza box. Will have to show that to my wife as that is her department. Like all men, I love to BBQ. Think about it.... woman prepare the meat plus all the sides. Man puts meat on grill/smoker... watches football... checks meat every now and then... when it is done.... woman cuts it up and serves.... who gets the compliments??? MAN, of course... what's wrong with that picture? lol
Love this - thanks yall.
Shot

Shot, in this house woman prepares vegetables, woman puts vegetables on grill while man watches game. Woman serves man watching game vegetables. Nobody much gets the compliments. Both of us are just glad woman did not burn vegetables on grill,lol.
Only thing missing is meat. And woman's sanity if she is forced to endure another sporting game of any kind.

GGG

Mornin' GGG... Mr. ESH (if you're around) and anyone else.
Yesterday I finished the construction of the plant cart and now just need to put some finish on it, but with the weather the way it is, guess it will have to wait a few days.
GGG, so you are not meat eaters in your family. We sure are... actually, I love to grow veggies, but eat very few. Now my wife loves all veggies and I love to see family and friends enjoying them, so they don't go to waste.
ESH, my photo bucket has been growing thanks to you. Everyday I try to add a few more worthwhile pictures. BTW: hope you get to make that trip to Fayetteville(?) nursery that I read about in another message.
Starting out a rainy day here, but suppose to clear up. We have company in from Nashville, Tennessee and expecting the oldest boy in from Atlanta later, so I best get off here and get a fire going in the fireplace.
Hope all has a great & safe weekend.
Shot

Just call me Ed.

Happy Monday all. A beautiful day here in central Georgia. Finally completed the PLANT CART and would like to see what yall think of it. Thanks to Ed, I shall post a picture of it here.

Here is a link that might be useful: