Recent content by Madfarner

You'll want at least 12" between rows in your bed, and 18" would be much better. The limit to bed width is how far you can reach to pick them, weed, etc. For your first crop, you'll want to pinch/cut off all the runners, to put strength in the mother plants. Now, you could grow strawberries...

*Chuckle* They're our favorite, too. You'll probably never be able to discover the specific variety, even if it IS just one. Look for something productive, well suited to your climate, and just be sure you get them picked while they're still small. I don't grow many English-types since I...

Your beds look great. But did you use pressure-treated wood? The old CCA stuf isn't made anymore, but I don't know what the toxicity potential of the new stuff is. At Home Depot, you can buy 4"X8"X16" concrete pads which are excellent for framing beds. They're a little more trouble to level...

One thing strawberries ARE fussy about is planting depth. You want all the roots in the soil, with the crown just on the surface. Almost any mailorder nursury should have a picture/diagram on their website. Madfarmer

Well, the best thing to have done would be to Fall-plant them. The problem is finding plants in the fall, but there are a few sources. So get them in as early as you can. Strawberries are HEAVY feeders. They do best in a raised bed, or at least elevated to provide excellent drainage. Give...

There are nearly as many compost recipes/methods as there are gardeners. Here's a review of the basics: Ratio--Carbon (dry stuff such as dry leaves, hay, straw, dry grass clippings, wood chips, shavings),=30 parts. Nitrogen (Fresh manure, green grass clippings),=1 part. It's best if all the...

Most people opt for raised beds if they have a choice. One good way would be straw bale/hay bale garden. just line up whole bales where you want your beds. You don't even have to open them. Wet them down well, spread 3-4" of planting mix on top, and plant into that. The plants will root...

Fireants are the worst pest here in SE Texas. First, get a bottle of Parsons Household ammonia. When you get stung, IMMEDIATELY scrub the bites with ammonia for 15-20 seconds, then wash it off. The bites won't sting, blister, or itch. To organically treat the mounds, this recipe is from Bob...

It DOES NOT take six months to finish compost. If the carbon/nitrogen ratio is correct, the material is all shredded, moisture is correct, and it's turned properly, it takes about a month. Madfarmer

Can you keep pigs? confined in a portable pen (4 stock panels), they will root out EVERYTHING and turn the soil for you. Then move them over one pen-width. Madfarmer

Dry leaves are going to be slow to compost by themselves--not enough nitrogen. The optimum ratio is 30:1, carbon to nitrogen. Add some fresh manure. Madfarmer

Rabbit manure won't burn plants--it can be applied directly to the garden a little at a time. If you can make a worm bed directly under your rabbit cages & add a little bedding--shavings, dry grass clippings, or straw, the worms will turn it into excellent compost for you--no work! Madfarmer

There's a small magazine called "Growing for Market" which has a wealth of information. Most of the books mentioned above are available from AcresUSA. You can shop on-line. Madfarmer