fred bleuzet

Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions.
A lot of the comments are on points with the direction I am trying to take, this is encouraging.
I find that keeping flowers in pots and moving them where needed, is a good idea.
Thanks Anne for sharing Dr Bryant RedHawk's topic on soil building, this is definitely where I need to pay more attention.

So I think I set my mind on several things I'm going to do in the coming months. I know I have 2 major angles to tackle.
For the soil, I'll spread around the rye seeds I have in spots that are less mulched. I think I'm going to integrate grass clippings into the wood chips, I have lots of grass. I have few young fruit trees and bushes, there are several other fruits that I want to add. And next year I'll install grape vines on the south fence because "thanks" to the deers my fence is now fairly tall and the south side won't steal any sunlight from the rest of the plot. Next spring I'll remove the mulch on half the space to warm up faster, till into it the compost I've been feeding this year into the space where I put seeds, and mulch back where I transplant. I think I want to educate myself about compost teas.

For the pests, well, not entirely sure. I know several bugs and eggs to watch for next year, hopefully preventive inspections will help control them. A very welcome sight this year was a sharp increase in cardinals, mockingbirds (I think) and smaller birds visiting the garden. Winter will be quiet so I might try my hands at building some bird houses. I have leftover bricks from a construction project, I might randomly pile them somewhere as shelter for "biodiversity", hopefully the helping one.
Marigold grows well here, I'll get it back next year. I really wanted to have nasturtiums but they don't seem to thrive, does anyone know if they prefer cooler or warmer spots? I have some comfrey established, I heard it is invasive so I should be set with them. I need to install thyme, I love that herb.

Ok, that's probably going to be my rough game plan. Does that sound ok? Does anyone see adjustments that I should make?


I do enjoy the process, I am normally good about it. Since I picked up gardening I discovered that it is a fascinating topic. Well, things don't always work out and occasionally hit me.
Debbie, your pictures are amazing.

thanks Bruce!
For the wood chips I just applied them directly last month everywhere.
I live in the greater DC area on the East coast, USDA zone 7b.
True, last year I had several marigold, not this year. This year I have comfrey, black eyed susan, calendula, coneflowers. I'll go back to marigolds.

Hi everyone,
I'm at my 3rd year trying to grow anything, we're in the fall season and looking back... I'm looking for much needed motivation. Any feedback would help.

I like to think that my experience improves, and what I see is decreasing harvests. Less tomatoes, less beans, lettuce is ok though they go to seed quickly so they are bitter, and most importantly this year 0 squash of any kind and 0 brassica of any kind (actually I should count 2 turnips that overwintered).
The highlights are ground cherries, bell peppers that decided to wake up in September and garlic.

I try in earnest to stay away from any pesticide, herbicide or even fertilizer aside from compost.

I started my garden on a 60 year old lawn on heavily compacted clay in a suburban setting.
The first year I was shy in mulching. I finally figured fertility is really lacking so this year I went heavy: I just finished mulching with a chipdrop truckload of wood chips. There is about 3inch of mulch and still have left over.

I think I struggle most with pests. My first year was the best. Last year I lost tons of things to dears and groundhogs, I spent tons of energy to raise the fence and lower it underground, in the end I still had a share of things.
This year was rather discouraging. I noticed funny bugs on the squashes although the plants were struggling. I traveled 2 weeks in July and when back all the squashes were gone, I couldn't even tell where they were planted. Now I know those funny bugs are named squash bugs. Then I noticed another new comer, the harlequin bug. They were everywhere, I kept picking them by hand a couple of times of every day, I never got rid of them, everything kale, cabbage, turnip disappeared.
Coming September the number of bugs was very down, maybe because there was no brassica left, so I seeded bok choi, kale again, small cabbage, turnips. I saw them germinating and then the next day I didn't see them anymore. I blamed the slugs because it's fashionable, but I don't really know the real culprit.

I have absolutely no clue anymore, on the Dunning-Kruger curve I am right in the deepest of the "valley of despair". And I'm not even trying to do anything fancy.
Can someone tell what is the next curveball? I do see more bugs, more bees, more birds, even more slugs. Is biodiversity a thing that works, and when?
I don't really know what to do next. Anyone has any idea?

they definitely have the upper hand here.
I killed several of them, I didn't find them in the morning: at least something enjoyed them.

So maybe a way to go is to setup compost piles in the 4 corners of the garden and don't plant kale next to it.
Let's try that.

thanks everyone for the useful feedback!

Hi everyone,
I have the feeling my fall veggie garden will be depraved of brassicas again this year.

So I'm trying to grow small cabbages, turnips, radishes for this fall. They slowly disappear, eaten away by very small bits every day.
I know slugs like those way better than lettuce for example, my lettuces are spotless.
I told myself "why not set up beer traps" in the hope of saving some crops. So I went on tonight with beer in my garden and I found the slug situation is somewhat strange.

Basically there are so many slugs that everything can easily disappear in one night without any problem, however it seems that they only nibble leaves here and there: they are clearly after something else.

It makes me think that slugs might be ok in the garden as long as get what they want. (a little bit like aphids are not a problem for me because the nearby black locust keeps them busy and away from the garden) .
Suddenly I have some hope if only I knew what those slugs want. Anyone knows?

Fred

Thanks Steve!

I remember your thread, I read through it at the time. I just did it again :)

I'm a little bit confused by cutting open the cups. I kind of imagine that exposing roots to open air is not too good, the root would turn woody. You must have a technique, can you explain in more details? It's not transplanting, right?

I think I'll do some more experiments next year. I heard a theory of programming seeds from some video by Stefan Sobkowiak. The big idea is to sprout seeds in soil that is as poor as can be. The seed grows because it contains all the nutrients it needs to start its life. First the seed shoots a root down to probe its environment and the soil being particularly poor, the seed genetically programs itself to grow in harsh conditions. Then you transplant the seedling into normal soil, it feels like a bounty for the seedling and boom it grows super well.
That's the theory, I can't wait to try it next year.

I had a caterpillar incident two days ago before I took the picture, it's the single pot on the middle left with a single leaf.
I was on the mindset of hardening them, but from what you said I went a bit bolder than what you suggest. Basically on the second set of leaves I put them in full sun. VA summers are very hot, I thought I might as well get them used to it. Maybe that was reckless of me.
So maybe I'll find good size pots to transplant before putting them in the ground next year. But then in winter I'll have to move them in the house, right? From what I read there is a risk of freezing the roots when the plants are in pot.

Hi everyone,

3 months ago I started sprouting apple and apricot seeds. That was https://permies.com/t/111655/Follow-starting-apple-seeds
I went through few dozen seeds and I'm getting a small set that survives fairly well. It's the attached picture: 1 tall apricot tree on the left and the rest apples.
At this point I'm a little scared to mess up with the next step.

I'm in northern Virginia. When is a good time to put them in the ground? Is it too early for them? Do I need to wait for fall?
Does anyone have a couple of good reference links on how transplant young tree seedlings?

HI all,
This tree is very distinctive, very easy to spot from the leaves and the particular bark, I see it everywhere around the DC/VA/MD area. I tried several tree finder apps but none gives me an identification. It bothers me not to be able to find its name.

This tree is everywhere so it may be an easy question, my apologies for it,  but would anybody be able to tell what is this tree name?

Hi all,

About 2 weeks ago I ate 2 apples, saved the seeds and I put them directly between wet paper towels after breaking the seed tips. Basically I didn't do the cold stratification on the seeds and after 2 weeks 3 of them already sprouted.
Is it because the apple probably shipped in a freezer container? Or maybe cold stratification is not really needed?
What happens to the seed when going through a cold stratification?