/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>338024
I'm afraid that's not true. It varies greatly depending on the species of tree. Many pines for example like a 'dry' well draining sandy soil. Others, like willows for example, prefer wet to muddy soil and have no problem with standing in water for months.

I have no experience with or knowledge about avocados in particular though.

Also, the roots formed in a hydro culture differ from normal soil bound roots, and may not always cope with transplanting, though plants tend to be hardy. Lenticels and Rhizoids come to mind. Google is your friend.

>>332174
This is also my rule of thumb. I fill my vegetable patch with produce that's cheaper to grow than to buy it. A few exceptions are made for quality (tomatoes for example), because their store-bought counterparts 'taste like trash' as the other gentleman put it.

Also, your soil is everything. Texture, nutrients, moisture retention, temperature. Getting this right is 90% of the work imho.

>>330614
>>330621
I encountered the same problem, and dare say this applies to the bio-, heritage- and eco-scene as a whole. More often than not it comes down to hippies disconnected from reality and with little to no affinity for practicality.

This really rustles my jimmies since I consider myself an advocate for sustainable living, and these social pariahs make it lose a lot of credibility.

I'm a big fan of my black garland gardentrays. I have 2 of those 1m² ones that I use in an ebb and flow setup. Very rugged. Have been serving me well for 4 years. Would buy again.

I saw them at a greenhouse retailer, when I was in the market for one. Try a business like that. I bought mine online in a French webshop since it was cheaper that way. Never found anything decent in one of those run of the mill big chain hardware stores.

Pic related; it's the one I have. Googlepic though.

>>325889
>>326084
>>326108
>>326150
>>326158

Aww.. This is why we can't have nice things.
Every gardening thread on /diy seems to end this way. I consider it progress that religious fanboyism towards hydroponics wasn't the reason this time.

>>325889
>>326084
>>326108
>>326150
>>326158

Aww.. This is why we can't have nice things.
Every gardening thread on /diy seems to end this way. I consider it progress that religious fanboyism towards hydroponics wasn't the reason this time.

>>325836
Blight gained a foothold in my soil and I got little to no harvest last year and the year before. I built it primarily to keep my plants dry when it rains.

We had another wet summer this year but it worked out fine and I had a plentiful harvest, while I hear a lot of fellow gardeners in the area have lost their tomatoes yet again to blight. So I am rather content with how it worked out and it was well worth the €60 it cost. The majority of that money went to some decent corrugated plastic sheeting later on in the season, to give it a bit more structural integrity and make it a bit less unsightly.

>did you not skin your tomatoes?
No, I didn't. Everything gets mixed thoroughly and sieved twice in a later stage of preparation. What remains is a fine puree with no discernible pulp in it. I posted a second vertical with more pictures concerning the preparation in which you can see the sieving(, though yet again some small but important steps have not been photographed).

>>325668
>>325678
I am well aware of this, but thanks for pointing it out anyway should any other anons try canning this way.

I bought new jars that turned out to be half an inch to high for the pressure cooker I had at that time. I used two extra jar clamps not in the picture during sterilization to ensure no food would get out of the jar or in the seal. The canned food also already was near boiling when it was put into the jar, so it still created a vacuum afterwards when it had cooled down completely (,even though indeed it would have been a 'stronger' vacuum should air have been allowed to escape the jar).

I was pretty sure about the vacuum beforehand, only about the cleanliness of the seal I had my doubts. Opening one of the few jars i did this way a month later confirmed my hopes for a decent seal. I am confident the others are also sealed well enough to be preserved throughout winter, even though I didn't do it by the book.

>>325625
Indeed, but never at a rate that enables the formation of acetic acid to a point that the resulting fluid can be called vinegar (4% - about 15%). Simply running the numbers with the appropriate stoichiometric formula's can tell you so.

Cork porous enough to enable this is, as mentioned before, of poor quality and often used to (try to) speed up the aging of cheap wine, most often at the cost of quality. Longevity of the product is not a goal when using this method, and it is not worth the term 'bottling'.


Pic unrelated; another canning vertical from this summer. Has been posted before on /ck

>>325415
>>324499

I have a really sandy soil, hence the need for lots of compost to get a decent 'soil texture'. Without it tends to dry out easily, not to mention the poor nutrient retention.

I also have a small hydroponic setup indoors to keep me occupied during the winter months.

>>325455
>>325499
A lot also depends on what you're calling 'canning'. Many people just boil their jars, cook their vegetables and work with decently cleaned cutlery, which might work fine in many cases. But proper canning should be done with a pressure-cooker at a temperature of about 385K. A lot of fungal spores can survive simple boiling at atmospheric pressure.

>>325496
>>325532
Never ever shall wine in a sealed full bottle become vinegar. There simply isn't enough oxygen available. This, oxidation from ethanol to acetic acid, only happens if a bottle wasn't properly sealed or porous cork of poor quality has been used. Basic knowledge of chemistry.
What may cause deterioration of flavor is the decomposition of tannins, caused by exposure to (uv-)light or fluctuating temperatures.


Pic kinda related; from seed to canned spaghetti sauce.

This thread is relevant to my interest.

My garden is rather small. Even though it fills my vegetable needs throughout the summer, only a small surplus is canned for the winter. I shall dump some pictures this evening, when I have more time, should this thread remain alive long enough.

The season just ended here, with first frost only 2 weeks ago. I did spend a lot of time in the garden the last few weeks though. I mostly prepared my garden and soil for the winter and next year, since I like to get a early start and the temperatures now are still more agreeable than they will be in February. Tilled under compost and ripened manure, covered perennial plants with gardeningcloth, lots of mulching, pruning fruit tree's, ..
I also sort my seeds (& harvest and preserve this season's ones) and do some limited planning for next year. Also have been looking into keeping some bee's, but it turns out to be very heavy regulated to a point that it is discouraging.

Pic related; doing some 'poopscoping' (cow's stablemanure).

This thread is relevant to my interest.

My garden is rather small. Even though it fills my vegetable needs throughout the summer, only a small surplus is canned for the winter. I shall dump some pictures this evening, when I have more time, should this thread remain alive long enough.

The season just ended here, with first frost only 2 weeks ago. I did spend a lot of time in the garden the last few weeks though. I mostly prepared my garden and soil for the winter and next year, since I like to get a early start and the temperatures now are still more agreeable than they will be in February. Tilled under compost and ripened manure, covered perennial plant with gardeningcloth, lots of mulching, pruning fruit tree's, ..
I also sort my seeds (& harvest and preserve this season's ones) and do some limited planning for next year. Also have been looking into keeping some bee's, but it turns out to be very heavy regulated to a point that it is discouraging.

Pic related; doing some 'poopscoping' (cow's stablemanure).

>>303398
This is such a clear-cut case of blossom end rot, that I suspect a lot of people in this thread to be samefagging trolls or just not very knowledgeable about the matter. What gives it away is it being on the exact opposite side of the fruit from where the stem is attached (,hence 'blossom end').

It is caused by a shortage of calcium in the (cells of the) fruit, causing the tissue to grow weak and be easily susceptible to infection or damage. The simplest reason for this is a shortage of calcium in the soil. (Something that can be solved by what this >>303439 anon suggested.) However, it is quite possible for this to occur even when there is enough calcium present; the plant might just not be able to absorb or transport it appropriately. Check out the wikipedia article, it contains pretty decent info. You should mend your soil before you try again next season.

When it comes to saving this year's harvest I'm afraid there aren't that many options. Your best bet imho is foliar feeding some calcium, though I must point out Ca isn't the easiest of nutrients to absorb through the leafs or any tissue other than roots. It will also only prevent other fruits from rotting, not cure already affected fruit. Liquid fertilizer containing a decent amount of calcium and low in nitrogen and potassium might also do the trick if your problem in fact is a shortage in the soil and not an incapacity of absorbing or transporting it.

The cracks in the two melons to the left also indicate 'water tension' in the fruit. BER might have caused the cracking to occur more quickly, but probably isn't the reason behind it. You want a more uniform climate around the melon to prevent this. I advise the same as these anons >>303457 >>303526, get them some shade and off the ground.

I have the same thing happen to my tomatoes every few years, depending on which cultivar I am growing and how much effort I put into fertilizing that year. I know your feels OP.

I tried (and succeeded) in building one for culturing fungi. I used a metal rack like in the picture. For creating overpressure I simply used a ventilationfan intended for use in bathrooms or toilets. It served well during the month it had to, but it would have needed some repairs (leaks) should I have wanted to use it again. I tried two 10cm (4inch) pc-fans at first but they created no noticeable overpressure whatsoever once a decent filter was put on the intake.

It has long been dismantled and now serves as a nursery for my plants when needed. The fan and some of the duct is still in place, so I could make some clearer pictures if you want me to, but it is practically the same concept as on your pic.

>>277601

>>277535
Glad to hear that. Another upside to a soil developing it's own pH-balance is that'll be a lot less likely to fluctuate and it won't have a need for frequent monitoring once you get it right. I take soil samples every one or two years and go all out in the lab with them; never have had any noteworthy fluctuations. (Also a chemfag next to a botanyfag)

That should work fine. If you dilute it with a bunch of water letting it sit for a day should be already long enough to throw it over your compost heap. Urea converts into ammonia in the presence of water, so adding it speeds up the process. (Your body does this the other way around; converting ammonia into urea and water for you to pee out, to get rid of excess nitrogen in the body. It's 'toxicity' is not metabolic, but because of it's salinity and it being a waste product in our metabolism.)
On top of that a bucket of pee might be a good conversation starter.

>>277165
How alkaline is 'a bit alkaline' ? Most artificial fertilizers tend to be slightly acidic (pH 6 - 7) in watery solution, especially ones high in Nitrogen (to a lesser degree the ones high in Phosphorus) . Using them will eventually bring your soil pH down. You want a pH around 6.4 for most of your vegetables, though there are exceptions. Compost also tends to be a bit on the acidic side, so working organic material into your soil will also help. I advise against using acids and such to quickly correct soil-pH. I would just the methods mentioned above and check it again in spring. Even if you're a bit above 7 it will still be fine for most vegetables. If you insist on a quick correction I advise using some hydroponic-products. They have additives designed for pH-regulation. Don't just buy and use any acid; you want it to be inorganic, N- or P-based and okay for use in agriculture.

>>277123
Urine is a great source of nitrogen, but as mentioned by another helpful anon, it should be allowed to age. Don't just piss directly on your heap of compost. The urea in your urine can be considered a toxin; that's why your body disposes of it by peeing it out. It needs time to break down into simpler chemicals before being added to your compost. Fresh urine can be used as a mild disinfectant and will have negative effects on your compost-culture.

>>276377
My soil is also very sandy. It drains well but also tends to dry out rather quickly. Mulch and compost will become your new friends.

>>276386
Thanks man. I'm rather proud of it, despite the small scale. A decent amount of time, effort and care goes into it.

Horse or cow manure doesn't have a nutrientcontent as high as chicken(/bird) manure, but in my experience has a better effect when it comes to 'soil texture', certainly when it comes with straw mixed throughout. It will do the job for sure, as long as it had time to age. Winter should be long enough. The only reason I prefer/use bird manure is because I have chickens myself and my soil texture is already what it should be.
Green manure like alfalfa, in my humble opinion, requires more effort than it's worth. It does the job of course, but for me mulching works just as well in my rather small garden without the hassle of having to sow and water.

I've seen people on forums lay down large sheets of cardboard and mulch on top of them when they're starting a garden from scratch. I have no experience of my own when it comes to this but it seems to work well.

I just tilled my piece of lawn I wanted to turn into a vegetable garden during fall and dumped all leaves and small trimmings from the rest of the yard that year on it. Tilled it all under again the following spring and it already worked out fine for my vegetables that year. Though I must admit I only grew produce that needs relatively low amounts of nutrients the first years. (herbs, lettuce, spinach, radishes, ..)

I kept doing this for three years, gathering all organic material from the rest of the yard and dumping the semi-composted mess in the vegetable garden in fall and tilling it under in spring. The ground noticeably darkened in color (grayish brown to black), got a more 'airy' texture and not only looks but also smells like forest soil. (Dat petrichor.) Google 'composting' to see what you can, and more importantly what you shouldn't put into your soil.

After that I started cultivating more nutrient demanding produce (zucchini's, tomatoes, ..). I met this need by adding chicken and rabbit manure to the soil, again in the fall so it had aged by next growing season. The only artificial fertilizers I add are micro-nutrient supplements, Magnesium in particular, and to a lesser degree calcium when crushed eggshells don't suffice. Of course you can already do this all the first year and speed up your 'soil augmentation' considerably. Starting now will provide you with more than enough time to get your soil ready and do some decent gardening next season.

>>266124
INB4 radishes aren't rootbulbs. They are thickened stems.

I just started with sticking seeds in the ground and hoping something would grow out of it, because I was sick of buying a ball of lettuce for the same price as a packet of seeds that lasts me two years. As simple as that.
When those tiny seedlings break ground (or rockwool, if going hydro), you'll be overcome by latent paternal instinct and inform yourself on how to make them as happy (and tasty) as possible.

The need for pesticides hasn't arisen yet, and I'd like to avoid it at all costs. But if it's necessary, it's necessary. Organic growing is great, but be a gardener/homegrowman, not a hippie. Nothing is as discouraging as pouring your love and sweat into your plants and not getting returns. Look into bugrepelling companion-planting. Google is your friend. This does the trick for me (for now. 6years of gardening).

The easiest starters imho are spinach and lettuce, whether you are going hydro or soil. Closely followed by pea's, radishes, scallions, onions, most herbs,.. Pumpkins, zucchini's and potatoes are also very easy and low (to no) maintenance, but they do require decent more fertilized soil.

Soilquality and -preparation makes or breaks your gardeningresults in my experience. Google, again, is your friend. Decent information is easily available.
I mostly use just compost and chicken manure. Compost gives my soil a nice 'airy' consistency and the manure adds a lot of nutrients. Plants that like a more nutrient-rich environment (tomatoes, zucchini's, ..) get some artificial fertilizer supplemented with micronutrients (magnesium being the most important one).

Pic semi-related; progress in early may. Decent pics are on my other computer.

>>265989
>>266086
>>266091

Do you even grow ?

Not the other anon, but I'm baffled by your fanboyism. Hydroponics are great for many vegetables, especially the leafy ones which is what I use it for, and the enclosed environment does indeed allow for greater control and higher yields with certain crops.

But man, absolutely nothing beats a home- and soilgrown tomato. The same goes for almost every vegetable that's also a fruit (developed from a flower). Pumpkins, zucchini's, tomatoes, beans, aubergines,.. All taste very bland and 'watery' when grown hydroponically. Anyone with taste buds can testify to this. The higher yields when growing these hydroponically do not compensate the loss in taste at all. Quality over quantity for me.

'Rootvegetables' like carrots, radishes, beets,.. are also very very tricky to grow hydroponically compared to soil, in my experience. They tend to split open easily when turgorpressure is high. Also, though the quality is equally good in these cases, quantity tends to be a lot lower in hydroponic grows.

My classic garden feeds me throughout the summer, and my hydroponic garden feeds me throughout winter. They are not equal, but equally valuable to me. Couldn't miss either one.

Also, I'm not afraid to post a pic of my garden (for you OP. Pic is from around late May). Could dump more if interested.
As you can see, my garden isn't that big, but it is cultivated intensely. I could probably fulfill the vegetables-needs of two people throughout the growing season.

>>227555
Those seem to be doing well.

>>228102
I didn't know the english name but I was familiar with the beetles. We call them johanneskevers. They're not as big of a pest over here compared to the US due to the colder climate.
There's a big and healthy population of birds in my backyard, and also some bats in the evening. They'll take care of the beetles over the course of a few days, just like they do with the junebugs and cockchafers.

>>227552
>>227555
That's more than enough time and space to get some decent produce out of your garden. Beets, radishes, lettuce and spinach easily matures in 2 months with some decent weather. If the peas will depends on what kind you have.

I got some gardening done today. Encountered a huge amount of beetles (pic related). Literally hundreds, swarming at times. They're about 15mm (half an inch) big. Will post some more pictures later.