Veggie garden?

[Tink]

I always have flower gardens simply because I enjoy them.

This year with the rising cost of veggies, I'm thinking it would be wiser to put my energy into a food garden. I do have a freezer, so if I filled that with fruits and veggies it could really help with our grocery expenses next winter.

So does anyone else have a vegetable garden? Have any good tips to share to keep the weeding to a minimum?

[Janet]

I've been thinking of putting out a garden this year too. I used to every year, but haven't for the last 3-5. I always canned and froze everything, but it just got to be a little too much. You're right though, everything is costing so much.

The only tip I have right now is we always laid the grass clippings off to the side to dry and once dry, put them around the plants to keep the weeds down. We just rec'd the mailing with all the fruits, veggies and trees in it and it gets me so excited for a garden. I just need to think it through and make sure I will have the time to care for and harvest it.

[Tiramisu]

We plant a small garden each year - cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, radish, turnips, onions and a few other salad things. We rack, bag and save leaves and then pack them around the plants. I've been trying to talk hubby into enlarging the garden, but putting in an 8' fence to keep the deer out is a chore. Yes, we have to do it all ourselves and almost filed for divorce when we put in the first one. I can everything that will and share with the kids, co-workers and neighbors.

We put in a fruit orchard and got our first oranges from it last year. I'm really looking forward to canning from fruit. Have you priced jars lately. When I made pickles last summer, there was a thin line of the cost after buying jars, lids, and ingredients.

[Tink]

Dh is talking about having raised beds so we can just sit on the wood frame to work on the plants and weeding. It wouldn't be cheap to build, but it sure would make things easier than getting on our knees or stooping over at our ages. I have a kneecap that floats freely in my right leg, so can't kneel on that one; which makes it tough to get on the ground and do much.

[DianaB]

To help keep the weeds down just get some bales of hay and spread around the plants and in the walkways. It not only keeps the weeds down it helps the moisture to stay in the soil. Then next fall work it into the soil and it helps to add humus to the soil. Also if you put it underneath tomatoes and other vegetables that lay on the ground it will help prevent rot.

I would love to have a raised garden bed too. I've been thinking of asking my husband to make one for me this year too.

[katcarasella]

Originally Posted by DianaB

To help keep the weeds down just get some bales of hay and spread around the plants and in the walkways. It not only keeps the weeds down it helps the moisture to stay in the soil. Then next fall work it into the soil and it helps to add humus to the soil. Also if you put it underneath tomatoes and other vegetables that lay on the ground it will help prevent rot.

I would love to have a raised garden bed too. I've been thinking of asking my husband to make one for me this year too.

Great idea Diana, I'm gonna do that this year. We had a raised garden at the house in Wisconsin, I loved it. Maybe I can bribe one of my SIL to build me another one here.
Thanks for the tips.

[pearl]

i've had from 26'x26' gardens to 3 tomato plants.
every time i've used hay it sprouts tons of grass!
i mulch to keep weeds down, and just stay ahead of them. i have this metal edge thing on a pole that you can scrape off the weed with, doesn't get the roots but i use it if i need to weed quick and not bend over.
raised beds sound good.

We always have a huge garden. For the vine crops (melons, canteloupes) we use sheets of black plastic (I forget what it's called at the moment!)

We mulch around all the blueberry bushes and the grape vines. One year, we layed thick layers of newspaper down and then spread the mulch on top of that-that really helped keep moisture in and weeds out.

For most of the veggies, though, we just do it the old-fashioned way and pull the weeds! I honestly don't mind doing it, although I have to admit-it does get a little bit harder each year.