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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 10, 2014 16:04:20 GMT -5
Ethin, will cranberries grow in Utah....Do you have bog?
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 17:35:09 GMT -5
From what I have been able to gather it seems that the notion that you need a bog to grow Cranberries is a misconception. They do refer to the fields as bogs, but apparently they only flood them to aid in harvest (the berries float) and they are drained quickly there after.
The major obstacle I face is obtaining a low enough PH level. Cranberries need a PH of 4 to 5, the PH of my soil is between 8 and 9. I started a new composting project to see if I can make my own low PH soil useing only acidic organic matter such as pine needles and citrus peels.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Apr 10, 2014 18:36:04 GMT -5
Ethin: Hey neighbor. No liming of my soil either since it was formed from decomposing LIMEstone. Ha! I pretty much decided after trying to grow blueberries that to be successful that I'd have to grow them in pots so that I could control the pH. I can't add enough amendments to the ground to make a permanent difference.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 19:03:42 GMT -5
Here's my attempt at Blueberries.  The pots are 2' by 1'5", filled them mostly with leaves, grass, wood chips, and some homemade compost. Got the plants early to mid summer last year, they seem to be ding well, they have more than doubled in size. |
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Post by steev on Apr 10, 2014 20:27:59 GMT -5
On a human scale, the only permanent difference we can make is driving something to extinction; anything else is eventually trivial, given the effort needed to maintain our changes. Doubt that? How long would it take the weeds to reclaim our cultivated areas?
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 10, 2014 21:02:17 GMT -5
Reclaim? I afraid the way I garden domesticated plant are only barely tolerated seasonal residents, the weeds still rule supreme! It can ever be see in my yard, the neighbors yard is a desert of bluegrass while mine is covered in waves of purple and white violets soon to be joined by clovers, dandelion, and plantain.
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Post by steev on Apr 10, 2014 21:28:27 GMT -5
While arguably less "useful", your yard is more stable, and those violets, dandelions, and plantain are at least in part edible by us, unlike the bluegrass.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 11, 2014 0:20:47 GMT -5
Yes less "useful", especially if you are of the bare foot persuasion and allergic to bee venom.
As for edible lets not forget the clover, alfalfa, burdock, mallow... however all I've tried is clover and green mallow seed.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 11, 2014 16:41:34 GMT -5
Finished planting "early" stuff, got it in a month earlier than last year but a month later than I could have if the garden had been prepped in the fall.
peas
chickpeas*
limas*
lentils*
cabbage
broccoli
oats*
onions (bulbs and seeds)
carrots
parsnips
lettuce
chard
radish
beets
*just 'cause, have no clue how it's going to go.
I think that's everything I planted...
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Post by steev on Apr 11, 2014 20:47:31 GMT -5
Assuming that mallow is what I call Cheeseweed, the leaves are edible, though coarse.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 11, 2014 21:24:08 GMT -5
If times where hard and gardening was a matter of life and death, at lease I might not starve waiting for the veggies.
My nickname for mallow contains cheese as well.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on Apr 24, 2014 23:43:44 GMT -5
Peas are up. Also lettuce, radishes, beets, cabbage, broccoli, oats, onions from bulbs and lentils. The lentils beat the peas out of the ground by half a week.
On Monday while enjoying a hotdog cookout with the family I found a mature seed in a seedless watermelon! Guess I'll try to start it indoors, see if it amounts to anything. Also harvested the first asparagus of the year.
Been hardening off the chickpeas and other indoor starts, mostly flowers.
The almond and hazel trees (one of each) that I was able to start last year made it though their first winter and are leafing out. None of the nuts that I planted this winter have sprouted yet.
My blueberries look like their going to have lots of blossoms this year.
Planted a test row of a different variety of peas today (different from the variety that my famly has grown for the last decade). Thinking about trying to starting my own land-races.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on May 18, 2014 14:14:01 GMT -5
Had a swarm of bees fly past me while in the garden today, about 80-100 feet off 15-20 feet up. Guess that means there is a healthy colony somewhere in the neighborhood.
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on May 19, 2014 0:05:20 GMT -5
Whats left of 2013's winter squash.  |
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ethin
gardener
Plant Breeder and Graphic Designer in Cache Valley Utah, USDA Zone 4b
Posts: 214
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Post by ethin on May 19, 2014 15:00:10 GMT -5
Finished the finale till job on the rest of my plot, taking a break before going back out to plant the warm season crops.
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