2026 gardens

[Bill V in Md]

Small garden, 15’ x 40’. Finished discing today and put in the T-posts for the electric fence. I am trying a new brand of insulated 2-ring gate connectors that claim to be UV resistant. We’ll see.

 

[DJ54]

Day before yesterday I planted 10 rows of Sudan Grass/Sorghum around the garden in an attempt to keep the Deer out this year. I used White Striped Sunflowers years ago and it worked great but can't seem to get seeds like I used to since they sort them out for cover crops anymore. Decorative Sunflowers are available, but $26 a lb. Being the tightwad I am trying the Sorghum that's less than $2 lb.

 

[SONNY]

sorghum draws deer in!! at least here it does ---- thats how i get them in and then put them in the freezer! lol!

 

[Don McCombs]

Why not just buy bird seed sunflower seed. Much less expensive.

 

[DJ54]

Why not just buy bird seed sunflower seed. Much less expensive.

Because bird seed sunflower seed (white stripers) doesn't have a very good germination rate. I tried some last year, and they came up pretty spotty, but did well. The woman I get my cover crop seed explained to me they now sort those seeds being they use them now in a cover crop mix. They have a way to sort out the seeds with good hearts that will grow, the other culls go for bird seed. But to be honest, I did have a notion to try some sunflower hearts and see if they would grow and may still just for giggles..

 

[DJ54]

sorghum draws deer in!! at least here it does ---- thats how i get them in and then put them in the freezer! lol!

I guess we'll see, they never touched the broom corn I planted last year, and it is a variety of sorghum. If they just eat the leaves that won't be a problem either, the stalks will be numerous enough they shouldn't be able to get through. Time will tell.

 

[DJ54]

Because bird seed sunflower seed (white stripers) doesn't have a very good germination rate. I tried some last year, and they came up pretty spotty, but did well. The woman I get my cover crop seed explained to me they now sort those seeds being they use them now in a cover crop mix. They have a way to sort out the seeds with good hearts that will grow, the other culls go for bird seed. But to be honest, I did have a notion to try some sunflower hearts and see if they would grow and may still just for giggles..

Well, did some checking and sunflower kernels/hearts will not grow according to what I've read. They need the shell/husk to germinate.

 

[DJ54]

Marked out 4 rows and stirred in some starter fertilizer with the David Bradley and planted 4 short rows of Silver King sweet corn, 3 short rows of Roma II green beans, and 1 short row of Mammoth Melting snow peas before rain coming in tonight. Got enough rain Sunday morning that germinated the Sorghum. looks like it's going to be thick like I want.

 

[SONNY]

if they want thru---them plants wont stop them!!!! LOL!!!

 

[DJ54]

if they want thru---them plants wont stop them!!!! LOL!!!

It worked with sunflowers hoping this will too.

 

[SONNY]

sunflower stalks are stiffer/ruffer like fence --- where sorghum is weak and smooth and has no resistance ----they go thru 10' tall bluestem here like it aint there. bluestem is about like sorghum stalk wise!

 

[DJ54]

I guess we'll see..!! I'm mainly going on the theory that Deer will not jump over anything they can't see the other side of. As fast as it grows, it should be tall enough to do that before anything gets any size to it. Plus, spraying with peppermint and cinnamon extracts should throw off their sense of smell.

 

[Don McCombs]

Not in the garden, but first cutting of hay today.

 

[DJ54]

Me too. Red Clover right at 36" tall, Timothy just coming out of boot, and Alfalfa in early bloom, Fescue is at the perfect stage to cut. If the ole IH 990 stays together for one more year, it will be 60 years old.

 

[dgrapes59]

Same here!

 

[DJ54]

Did as replant today, apparently 5+ inches of rain in a week is a tad much to make stuff grow,

 

[Gary Dotson]

Yep, neighbor is re-planting soy beans around our property and across the road as I type. We had somewhere around 8-9” rain in 10 day period, here.

 

[v w]

After weeks of rain and mud I now have the sprinkler on the garden. Have everything seeded but so far only the spinach has germinated and by the time it gets any size to it will probably simply bolt. Vern

 

[dgrapes59]

Local farmer that hay's my property got half the hay he got last year, said it was about the same everywhere he hayed. Some fields were rotting due to the excessive rain.

 

[Don McCombs]

First cutting was definitely not as tall as in previous years.