An experiment in Hugelkulture in containers

[Meadowlark]

do fig trees take a few years to produce?

Yes. They will sometimes produce fruit in the first year or two, but it won't fully ripen, and the tree sheds it. After about 3 to 4 years, you can expect production that fully ripens on the tree. They produce for 50 years...and I know this is true from experience.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Open bottom containers with the new trees or doing these like a nursery bed?

 

[Meadowlark]

All containers the same...punch a few holes in 'em and load and go.

 

[NewLeafTX]

Did you sow your Fall veggie plants mid-August indoors, then transplant outside Sept.12?

How did you deal with veg that hate being transplanted, e.g. carrots? When/where did they get sown?

Thanks in advance for any further details you can share. I'm trying to make plans for my Fall 2024 East TX Zone 9 garden, now that my Spring 2024 garden is nearly done being sown.

 

[Meadowlark]

Thanks for your interest. I have yet to plant corn, okra, and cow peas (all of which are to be planted in raised rows) for this spring but like you, all else is planted in both my containers and regular garden.

There is something about the environment provided by these containers...possibly consistent moisture...that transplanting is not needed...even for the difficult to germinate carrots.

These are my spring carrots. Direct seeded and thinned once. The only problem is too much germination...as they have to be thinned several times.

All the veggies grown in the experiment were direct seeded except for brassicas which were transplants. I like Bonnie's Green Magic broccoli and their cabbage so I transplant those but have no doubt that direct seeded would work in the containers even started in August. Again, like carrots thinning out would be very necessary.

 

[NewLeafTX]

Thank you for the helpful response.
When do you sow your Fall crops? Mid-August?

 

[Meadowlark]

Yes, mid to late August. It seems surreal starting seed in the heat of August here when it is 100/100 i.e. 100 degrees at least high temps and 100% humidity but I have to do that on several veggies to insure getting a good crop before first freeze.

 

[NewLeafTX]

Okay, thanks for sharing your wisdom. This Fall will be my first Fall/Winter garden in TX.

I used to do Spring planting only, but due to rising food costs and being differently abled, growing my own food as often as possible is looking very worthwhile.

 

[MamaHawk]

I'm hugely tempted to make a Google doc of all the actual data to get around the bring-out-the-popcorn posts, I had to space this read out over two days! Thanks for all the work, @Meadowlark and I do appreciate the contrasting opinions, just not the aura of negativity some people post with (sometimes purposefully, sometimes not, it's a changing world out here!)

Here's to cheaper methods!!!

 

[Tetters]

This is my first reading of this thread @Meadowlark and have to say, you never fail to amaze me! Really encouraging stuff - especially for oldies! How on earth did I miss seeing this earlier.

 

[Tetters]

Having considered this, I have decided to add that the extremely ignorant and big headed ex member called Marck, was in fact banned from using the forums by the previous owner of the site. This of course was a huge relief at the time, and as I read through the thread again, I can say that it still is ......good riddance!

 

[Heirloom farmer1969]

Having considered this, I have decided to add that the extremely ignorant and big headed ex member called Marck, was in fact banned from using the forums by the previous owner of the site. This of course was a huge relief at the time, and as I read through the thread again, I can say that it still is ......good riddance!

Yea geez!! I'm glad I wasn't a member when that expert was here .
If I was a betting man, I'd say the only gardening/farming that guy ever done was behind a keyboard