2021 Airscapes Raised Beds

[airscapes]

It is that time again here in the Delaware Valley in SE PA.  So the beds have been prepared with Garden Tone Organic Vegetable fertilizer and pelleted Lime for calcium  last fall (same as every year).  One difference is I added a second round of GT to one bed that will have peas in, to compare it to the bed next to it  with the same peas.  Want to determine if I have sufficient nitrogen since peas are heavy feeders.  I grow maestro shelling peas every year to blanch, vacuum seal and freeze.. but they never last all year
Beds are in need of a couple yards of Mushroom Soil as the soil has become very dusty and sand like in the past few year since I last augmented them.  Will get a truck load in a couple weeks so I have it to prep the other beds and these once the peas are done and before the pepper and egg plant go in.

The onions and Shallots are ready to transplant but I am waiting for the rain tomorrow.  Ground is bone dry and we are getting a good 1-2" tomorrow.  The Garlic was already planted a few weeks ago (soft neck) and I saw  a few poking their green spears up[ the other day.  Tonight I  sowed the peas.  Figured better to get watered in with the rain than wait until after the rain as the weather is to be warm next 4 days after the rain. If some wash out it is no big deal to put them back.

  

[Shawn]

I think you mean 2021?  If so let me know and I can make the change

[airscapes]

d b 21 12. Arn't they the same? 

Thanks I may have noticed that at some point!

[campingcorgis]

I understand that the abundant snow this year should improve crops this year.  Snow adds nitrogen to the soil.  And other things...

[airscapes]

Mar 18, 2021 10:55:01 GMT -5 campingcorgis said:

I understand that the abundant snow this year should improve crops this year.  Snow adds nitrogen to the soil.  And other things...

Well we didn't get all that much snow.. Been raining today and my arch nemeses Mr. Squirrel magically knew I had planted the pea and proceeded go dig some up, eat some, and rebury some in the grass.. Saturday I will replant more where he took them from..   Just hope he does not make it a daily habit.. 

[airscapes]

Nice day today and for the next few days with temps close to or in the 60s!
Planted the Onions (70 some Cippolini) and Shallots (80 some Conservor F1 hybrid).

I had some issues with germination and had to replant new Shallot seeds and some of the onions.  When I did I planted 2 seed and did not thin.  They were inside about a week too long as the roots were in a ball and did not separate too well.   I am sure they will be fine as long as the big ones don't get hit with frost and think it is time to flower..

[airscapes]

Grrrr looked out today and there it was.. frost.. and a crusty surface.. Hopefully the plant bulb is below the soil that froze.. not concerned about them dying but thinking this is now year 2 and producing flowers and seed rather than bulbing up to useable onions and shallots. We should know buy middle of July.  

[campingcorgis]

Oh, dear!  This is an odd year here too.  Keeping fingers & paws crossed for you!  

[airscapes]

We had a couple inches of rain this week, it is 79 and sunny right now.. and the peas are a popin!
Tomorrow high close to 70 with full sun and then rain again on Sunday should all be on their way by next week!

[airscapes]

The war has begun.. Mr Butternuts the squirrel  keeps digging up my peas retrieving items he buried previously and cause he likes peas as well..  Apparently he has paid off my cat as Buddy who won't chase Mr Butternuts, even when he comes right up on the porch where Buddy is sitting..  So I bought some fencing that was wide enough but thought the openings were smaller, I am fairly sure Mr Butternuts will be able to go right though that mesh and even if he can't, he will be able to chew through that plastic in 1/2 a second..  The covering will need to come off in 2 weeks anyway or the peas will be grabbing hold of it as they grow..

Also replaced one of the rotted beds, where this years tomatoes will be planted.  Going to get a yard of Mushroom soil next week and top that off as it has been a few years.. 

[maskedsonnet]

A metal ball and a slingshot would get rid of it for good. Air soft also works. I’m sure your kitty would enjoy the fresh meat, even if he doesn’t hunt it himself!

[Sher]

Mar 28, 2021 9:43:15 GMT -5 maskedsonnet said:

A metal ball and a slingshot would get rid of it for good. Air soft also works. I’m sure your kitty would enjoy the fresh meat, even if he doesn’t hunt it himself!

I have a seriously considered getting a slingshot and learning to use it to keep squirrels from eating my figs every year.

Off to Amazon to shop!

[campingcorgis]

Down in California, we called them Hollywood Rats!  Big ol rats with fancy tails.  LOL.  Lot of folks put up those fake owls...owl statues on their roof, overlooking whatever area they wanted to protect.  I'm not sure if it worked or if they knew they were not real.  

Squirrels are few and far between, here in the PNW.  Of course, here, we have real owls...and hawks and eagles...coyotes (& they ar huge up here) and opossum, racoons...and more cow than there are people...LOL.  

[campingcorgis]

Okay airscapes, read this and count yourself lucky that you don't have bird stealing your groceries too!  

[airscapes]

Mar 28, 2021 9:51:40 GMT -5 Sher said:

Mar 28, 2021 9:43:15 GMT -5 maskedsonnet said:

A metal ball and a slingshot would get rid of it for good. Air soft also works. I’m sure your kitty would enjoy the fresh meat, even if he doesn’t hunt it himself!

I have a seriously considered getting a slingshot and learning to use it to keep squirrels from eating my figs every year.

Off to Amazon to shop!

I would but I want to stay married! Killing animals of any kind is a hanging offence in this house.. No if the cat does it, she would be mad, but not like if were me..  Unfortunately the cat don't mess with anything that is bigger than a moues.. 

[airscapes]

Mar 28, 2021 11:17:20 GMT -5 campingcorgis said:

Okay airscapes , read this and count yourself lucky that you don't have bird stealing your groceries too!  

As of late we have a crow that lands on the bird feeder pole and looks at my wife as she sits in the living room and clucks.. Of course he is looking at his reflection in the window but she like to he is looking at her.. He also tries to take the cats food out of his bowl when he is not around.. 

[airscapes]

Have not seen Mr Butternuts since I put the fence over the beds.. not sure if he was dinner for one of the birds of prey or what the deal is.. but I am not complaining!

Today a lunch I picked up a yard of mushroom soil  worked it into the bed that will have tomatoes this year.. have to do the others as the current crops finish later in the summer

[Sher]

I have never used mushroom soil. Looking forward to the results.

[Shawn]

These look great.  I for one have a black thumb outdoors and with the animals around here they would never survive unless I encased it all in chicken wire.. lol

[airscapes]

I mixed the soil in these bed almost 10 years ago or so.  It was all purchased from the local nursery.  The mix was about 1:1 top soil and Mushroom soil, and then 4:1 soil to vermiculite.  So was like 4 shovel's of top soil, 4 of mush and one of vermiculite.  The mushroom soil breaks down over about 3 years and turns to dust kind of.. its a slow release fertilizer made up of the leftovers of what mushroom grow in.. 
This explains it better than I can extension.oregonstate.edu/news/what-mushroom-compost
The main thing it does for me is increase water retention and helps to feed the plants after the initial yearly fertilizer I add is consumed.. I am bad at adding more in the heat of summer.

@shawn, you don't have a black thumb, you just don't have all the needed things in the same place at the same time and in the proper amount! 
If you did have a black thumb you would not have anything growing in the Aerogardens!  Water, Food, Light, Oxygen.. stuff grows.. been like that for eons.