Did the big harvest yesterday including potato tower

Well, I have learned a few things so far.

I harvested the potato towers. I had two 3ftx3ft towers, one red and one white potato. I had quite a lot of potatoes although many were very tiny. I chalk that up to not giving them enough water. I pretty much left them alone all summer. If you remember, the plants got too tall before I could add more dirt so they were only in about 8 inches of dirt. I will definately try it again next year as I am happy with what I got with so little effort. The early red potato did the best.

Onions- Harvested them all yesterday. There is a HUGE difference between boxes that have different composts. The one box that only had 2 types of compost had extremely stunted growth. I will be ammending the boxes this fall. Also found the white onions grew much better than the yellow.

Tomato- The wilt has pretty much destroyed the leaves but I should be able to get enough fruit from the plants as long as they ripen. Lesson learned: don't buy store bought tomato plants to mix in with the disease free seedlings I so carefully grew.

Cattle Panel Arch: The BEST thing I ever did in my garden (besides the raised beds )!!!! I have Kentucky Wonder beans growing like crazy and it is so easy to walk through the arch and pull the beans that hang down. It takes just minutes to pick all the beans in the 12 foot tunnel. I really like the Kentucky Wonder, long beans without large seeds, prolific and very tasty. I will probably add another 12 foot long tunnel next year just for cucumber.

Corn: Picked the first 4 ears last night---oh my goodness!!! This is the second time we have grown "Gotta Have It" and I can't even begin to tell you how fabulous it is. Can't wait to pick more. Highly recommend!!

Still have peppers to pick as soon as more tomatos ripen so I can make salsa. They are doing great.

Unfortunately, all my vine plants never fruited this year. I think it has a lot to do with the soil in the back garden. The corn didn't do well there last year. I need to add some major compost before next year. Usually I have the vine plants somewhere in the front garden, but now with the boxes I had to move them.

I debated planting a fall crop, but I think I will wait until spring and the soil in all the boxes are where they need to be.

Good feedback, thanks. Have you posted pictures of your tunnel trellises? We'd like to see them. My wife has been talking of something similar for several years. This might be the winter it happens.

milaneyjane wrote:
Cattle Panel Arch: The BEST thing I ever did in my garden (besides the raised beds )!!!! I have Kentucky Wonder beans growing like crazy and it is so easy to walk through the arch and pull the beans that hang down. It takes just minutes to pick all the beans in the 12 foot tunnel. I really like the Kentucky Wonder, long beans without large seeds, prolific and very tasty. I will probably add another 12 foot long tunnel next year just for cucumber.

I am so doing this next year with the cattle panel. How far apart did you plant the ends of the panel?

I will try to get some new pics up later today. Somewhere there is a post with the arch right after I put them up. I used three cattle panels and left about a 6 inch gap between panels (A necessity as they shift and as the plants grow). It will really depend on the length of your cattle panel. I will measure the distance across when I post pics. I just wanted it as wide as possible while still tall so did mine more to what felt right. I can just reach the top of the arch to pick. I used pieces of the T rebar and zip strips. DH is excited to decorate this fall and winter with lights and decorations, LOL!

I planted on the outside of the arch at each metal piece of metal which I think is about every 4-6 inches. I did not plant on the inside because I wanted to just be able to hoe/till the whole inside without a worry of accidentally getting the plants. I put several seeds in each spot so that it would be nice and full.

https://s975.photobucket.com/albums/ae234/onlinephotoshare/Spring2010/

Pics from this spring.

I"m so happy to hear you got such a great harvest. I also want to do a cattle panel archway trellis next year. The plans I have called for a standard 16' trellis affixed to t-posts and starting 2' off the ground, which when bent apparently makesa 6' wide x 6' high arch. I've forgotten everything I ever learned in geometry, so will need to find someone who can do the plans so I don't end up with a short and narrow arch.

I did mine right on the ground. They are VERY VERY heavy. I don't know that I would put them 2' up. Besides, 6 feet across is taking up a lot of garden space. My beans have gone completely over the top and now they are just growing extra thick. I suppose though, if they are 2 feet up then you could put pots underneath for the plants to grow in!

Hoeing? What's that? LOL. I really debated the arch thing and did not have a clear enough idea how to do it. I definitely want one next year! Very cool.

I planted a three sister with the corn and beans planted in the same squares and it is a b***h trying to see and pick the beans. This looks much handier - minus the hoeing.

Chopper wrote:Hoeing? What's that? LOL. I really debated the arch thing and did not have a clear enough idea how to do it. I definitely want one next year! Very cool.

I planted a three sister with the corn and beans planted in the same squares and it is a b***h trying to see and pick the beans. This looks much handier - minus the hoeing.

Who said hoeing?

I am really glad that I did a modified 3 sisters with my beans on trellises adjacent to the corn. The corn grew tall enough, finally, but not fast enough... and there is not near enough of it to support the incredible number of vines that my 3 measly, totally innocent-looking Cherokee Trail of Tears pole beans cranked out! (The pole limas, too, but the Cherokees are just amazing.)