[taxidermist]

Curious to see what your planting for a garden this year. I'm late getting my Peas in the dirt, but, soaked the pea overnight and planted them today. I have Royal Burgundy bush beans, Blue Lake pole beans I'll soak and plant the first week of May. I'll plant 3 varieties of Tomato, Broccoli, Peppers (jalapeno, thy chilly, ghost pepper, Carolina reaper. red and cream sugar rush) Bell Pepper, zucchini, (yellow and green) Brussel sprouts, cabbage, beets, banana and spaghetti squash, and a couple pumpkin for the grandkids.

I might add more if I come up with something later. I'll plant some varieties of lettuce in late August. My Horseradish and Rhubarb are showing about 4" of foliage now.

So, what you have in mind? I'm sure Goob will have some more GIANT Cauliflower to show us.

 

[2full]

I planted my peas, carrots, spinach, and lettuce two weeks ago. The peas are up and going. The lettuce and spinach is starting to come up. Carrots take a little longer.
Will do green beans, tomatars, jalapenos, onions, artichokes, potatoes, some pumpkins, cucumbers, and 3 kinds of squash.
Was always relaxing to me to do the garden thing.

 

[JerryH]

This year with the water restrictions on watering once a week in our area. We decided not to plant anything. I guess we will save the seeds for next year.

I'll miss the garden.

 

[taxidermist]

This year with the water restrictions on watering once a week in our area. We decided not to plant anything. I guess we will save the seeds for next year.

I'll miss the garden.

That sucks! Sorry to hear your under restrictions.

I tore up the front yard last fall and I'm in the process of doing a 70% xeriscape. I received a quote for 4"x1/8"x20' flat steel for my edging, and about fell off the chair when I heard the price. $439.75 for 200'. The overhaul of the front yard will cost me close to 3K when I'm finished, and that's doing it myself.

 

[Lone_Hunter]

This year with the water restrictions on watering once a week in our area. We decided not to plant anything. I guess we will save the seeds for next year.

I'll miss the garden.

How can they monitor that? I suppose they can by watching the run times on the meter, but seriously, that BS. Can't you just bury your irrigation lines so you use less water? That's what we've been doing with our boxes anyway. Drip lines below the surface of the soil. Less evaporation. If it were me, i'd let the lawn go, but keep the garden going. Not sure on fees or fines, but still. With all the fortune telling going on about food shortages in the future, i'd find myself slightly less law abiding on the water usage.

If they're only turning on the irrigation once a week, ****ing fill up some barrels every day they do it. Get some rain barrels too. How are they going to monitor water catchment? I highly doubt they can.

If all else fails, do what some folks with mountain cabins do. Get a big ass tank on a truck or trailer, a water pump, and go find a river somewhere.

There has always got to be a way. Depends on how bad you want a garden. I'm obvously in the "want real bad" department. LOL

 

[BigT]

I've tried gardening off an on over the years. Some years were ok, and others it all went to he!! rather quickly! Going to try this again this year. Setting up some planter boxes close to the house, and a garden out in the back for squash, cucumbers, etc. We built a new home back in 2020 and put in MUCH less grass than we ever had before. Got lots of rockscape so to speak in the form of driveways around the house. Hoping this will be the year.. But even at trying to garden, it'll be a costly investment that hopefully pays off down the road.

 

[middlefork]

How can they monitor that? I suppose they can by watching the run times on the meter, but seriously, that BS. Can't you just bury your irrigation lines so you use less water? That's what we've been doing with our boxes anyway. Drip lines below the surface of the soil. Less evaporation. If it were me, i'd let the lawn go, but keep the garden going. Not sure on fees or fines, but still. With all the fortune telling going on about food shortages in the future, i'd find myself slightly less law abiding on the water usage.

If they're only turning on the irrigation once a week, ****ing fill up some barrels every day they do it. Get some rain barrels too. How are they going to monitor water catchment? I highly doubt they can.

If all else fails, do what some folks with mountain cabins do. Get a big ass tank on a truck or trailer, a water pump, and go find a river somewhere.

There has always got to be a way. Depends on how bad you want a garden. I'm obvously in the "want real bad" department. LOL

The push for metered secondary water is directly related to your first suggestion. And they got a boost in funding to start getting it done. Those who only have culinary water will pay a lot more over a set amount.
Rain barrels work ok if it rains.
Your "all else fails" suggestion is flat out theft. Don't get caught or shot.

 

[Critter]

On rain barrels check your state regulations on them. From what I have read you can only collect up to 2,500 gallons with restrictions.

For us here in Colorado we can only catch 55 gallons I believe, all the rest needs to be allowed to soak into the ground.

 

[taxidermist]

I've tried gardening off an on over the years. Some years were ok, and others it all went to he!! rather quickly! Going to try this again this year. Setting up some planter boxes close to the house, and a garden out in the back for squash, cucumbers, etc. We built a new home back in 2020 and put in MUCH less grass than we ever had before. Got lots of rockscape so to speak in the form of driveways around the house. Hoping this will be the year.. But even at trying to garden, it'll be a costly investment that hopefully pays off down the road.

I had some chit soil (clay) and it's taken me about 4 years to get it in shape for planting a garden. I have 8, 4' wide, 3' deep, and 10' long boxes I made from some long heavy duty pallets that were made for commercial X large windows. I disassembled them, cut to my needs and built the boxes. I used some waterproof deck stain on the outside, and lined the inside with landscape fabric. Put down 4" of gravel base, leveled the boxes and filled them with so called "topsoil" that was all but select soil.

I have a tumbling composter I throw all my grass clippings, leaves, hardwood sawdust, and straw from the chicken coop into. Just add a little water and turn it 5 times every day. Takes about 2 weeks in the hot weather to get it to 140-160 degrees. I pile it up in a fenced 8X8 area and keep a tarp over it until I need it. I've been placing this homemade compost in the boxes over the last 4 years and it's great dirt now. It's worth the money to buy some real good soil and some cow manure to pep up the soil and have the nutrients in the soil to grow a garden.

Another great soil amendment to add to your lawn, (really anywhere) is a product called HUMIC. It has a PH of 7-8 and is totally safe for the environment. It will break up clays and hard soils and allow the moisture to penetrate the soil DEEP. The person that turned me on to it, is a Geologist. He cut a 4x4 inch section out of his lawn, the grass blades were 3" long but the roots were 10" long. He only waters his lawn 2 times a week in the summer and cuts it every two weeks. It's not cheap though, but, its worth it IMO. He also told me that aerating your lawn is one of the worst things to do to it.

 

[Lone_Hunter]

Your "all else fails" suggestion is flat out theft. Don't get caught or shot.

If your not on private lands, I don't see why it's theft. I see people hauling water all the time. I figure they get it from a river or creek somewhere. I suppose it's considered theft if you take a large quantity of water out of a river or creek on public land.

Cant' say I care much.

Why? That once a week water is chocking you off from being self sufficient on food in any measurable degree. They know **** well people are trying to garden. I'll pay more for the water, but don't tell me I can't try and grow my own food. They are basically saying you will be dependent on the government. I ****ing hate that. Because they are basically taking food out of your families mouth when you've done nothing but mind your own business.

 

[middlefork]

Like it or not that water is already allocated to someone. I didn't make the law. I'm just letting you know. The less there is available the more they will regulate the supply.

Use your water to do what you wish. But don't condone stealing other peoples water as no big deal. Enough for a pot of coffee camping or to drink is already built in the system and probably fine but to start loading up big water tanks without rights to that water can make a huge difference to others.

 

[DallanC]

This year with the water restrictions on watering once a week in our area. We decided not to plant anything. I guess we will save the seeds for next year.

I'll miss the garden.

I'm going to buy a 275 Gal IBC "tote" and run drippers off of that, gravity fed. We can water two times a week, so doing the math of how many plants, how big of drippers, how often to water, I think it will work. We can refill it during the watering period. Plants will get their daily water and we should be GTG. Its not a huge garden, and we can supplement water through the sprinkling system already (my back yard "zone" has a loop with drippers already).

The problem last summer is it drys out too much if they get watered only every other day.

-DallanC

 

[JerryH]

I'm going to buy a 275 Gal IBC "tote" and run drippers off of that, gravity fed. We can water two times a week, so doing the math of how many plants, how big of drippers, how often to water, I think it will work. We can refill it during the watering period. Plants will get their daily water and we should be GTG. Its not a huge garden, and we can supplement water through the sprinkling system already (my back yard "zone" has a loop with drippers already).

The problem last summer is it drys out too much if they get watered only every other day.

-DallanC

I've been doing a drip system for years. It sure helps keeping weeds down. And I spread lawn clippings around plants. But this year I'm going to focus on keeping shrubs and trees alive.

We have secondary Weber Basin water here. No water meter yet. Looking at the schedule I get to water on Mondays only. 20 minutes per zone with overhead sprinklers or 40 minutes with rotors.
1st offense a warning
2nd offense $500
3rd offense $1000
4th offense they shut you off.

Took a drive last week. Drove the loop to Logan, Bear Lake to (Evenston ) down Weber canyon and back to Bountiful. Rivers are low and snowpack is flat out scary.

 

[middlefork]

Just in case you think big brother doesn't know here is a little study.

https://water.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2009-Residential-Water-Use.pdf

JerryH I did it in reverse. I agree. Snotel sites don't lie. Real science.
I was renting a small house BITD that the yard was watered by flood irrigation. The first time the water master pounded on my door in the middle of the night complaining I was screwing everybody else up by not taking my water was was a wake up call.

 

[bowguyonly]

Amongst many others. Three sisters and many other things in the garden. Large herb garden this year. Exotic chiles have always been my thing though.

 

[bowguyonly]

Was reading through water issue comments. Use a top layer of mulch, 30% shade cloth and drip rings on a timer. It'll save your water usage and keep your root ball moist. Be mindful of fungus growing though because it becomes too moist without a breeze.

 

[BigT]

I had some chit soil (clay) and it's taken me about 4 years to get it in shape for planting a garden. I have 8, 4' wide, 3' deep, and 10' long boxes I made from some long heavy duty pallets that were made for commercial X large windows. I disassembled them, cut to my needs and built the boxes. I used some waterproof deck stain on the outside, and lined the inside with landscape fabric. Put down 4" of gravel base, leveled the boxes and filled them with so called "topsoil" that was all but select soil.

I have a tumbling composter I throw all my grass clippings, leaves, hardwood sawdust, and straw from the chicken coop into. Just add a little water and turn it 5 times every day. Takes about 2 weeks in the hot weather to get it to 140-160 degrees. I pile it up in a fenced 8X8 area and keep a tarp over it until I need it. I've been placing this homemade compost in the boxes over the last 4 years and it's great dirt now. It's worth the money to buy some real good soil and some cow manure to pep up the soil and have the nutrients in the soil to grow a garden.

Another great soil amendment to add to your lawn, (really anywhere) is a product called HUMIC. It has a PH of 7-8 and is totally safe for the environment. It will break up clays and hard soils and allow the moisture to penetrate the soil DEEP. The person that turned me on to it, is a Geologist. He cut a 4x4 inch section out of his lawn, the grass blades were 3" long but the roots were 10" long. He only waters his lawn 2 times a week in the summer and cuts it every two weeks. It's not cheap though, but, its worth it IMO. He also told me that aerating your lawn is one of the worst things to do to it.

Thanks for the recommendations! I appreciate it!

 

[colorcountrygunner]

View attachment 151763

🤔

 

[CAExpat]

After too much procrastination, we're planting chickens this year.

 

[taxidermist]

After too much procrastination, we're planting chickens this year.

My young pullets found the planter boxes the other day. They may not be "free range" chickens when it starts growing..