High tunnel gardening

[Humble me Lord]

You have some of my favorite breeds of layers/rooster. I also like Buff Orpingtons, but they are also particularly good in hot climates.

These are my first guineas, so thanks for the advise ! We also got them for a predator alarm system, but glad to hear they are good eating

 

[~Anastasia~]

These are my first guineas, so thanks for the advise ! We also got them for a predator alarm system, but glad to hear they are good eating

I hope yours are a good alarm. Sadly, ours alarmed constantly, so I stopped checking. The geese became our watchdogs, but they reacted to some predators by freezing (often running to the window first) so I caught a daytime coyote in the main chicken yard and a few other predators by noticing them. Llamas are also excellent alarms for really major predators (pack of coyotes, lions, or bears), but are basically silent otherwise.

They (the guineas) also allowed a HUGE copperhead to nest in their coop - waiting for eggs maybe?) and simply stepped over it. Thank God I saw it before reaching in. Chickens on the other hand will usually scream their heads off and run from a snake, but keep an eye on it so I can find it. The guineas were close to useless I'm afraid, but I have heard good things, so I really hope yours are better. I gave mine a couple years in case they improved with maturity, but they never did. They were delicious though.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hi Anastasia, HmL,
For many years we raised up batches of 200 day old chicks to sell oven ready. We would usually manage 3 to 4 batches each year. They were free range and very very tasty. Not much trouble with predators, think we may have lost the odd one or two young ones to birds of prey. We mostly used these bare necked variety. They came to maturity quicker and quicker to pluck. For 9 months of the year is was warm enough that the bare neck was no problem.
View attachment 195580
><>

Nice! That sounds better than the Cornish x who eat so much and may eat themselves to death, and can't really free range? I in no way have space to do that anymore.

 

[Humble me Lord]

We use the cornish cross, they work good for us. We move them a lot and we feed twice a day. Usually 25 per tractor.

Sadly, ours alarmed constantly, so I stopped checking.

They are a noisy bunch ! I can see that happening. Luckily the only snakes we have here are garter snakes! I have figured out why they kicked one out of the group. We got them all as chicks, then all of a sudden when they were almost full grown, they picked one bloody and we had to take him out. There were two males and apparently he was the weakest of the two.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Yes, my group did that kick-one-out thing too. Mine were all females (TERRIBLY noisy, lol but it's all they had when we bought them), but at about a year old they kicked out the most submissive one. Several more oustings followed. It was always the least dominant animal. They are quite aggressive, in fact, under certain circumstances. They can have a nasty twisting-pinching bite, btw - if they start with that dominance and kicking out, keep an eye on the more dominant ones - they might turn it on you. I never did figure them out completely, but you just reminded me, and it's something to be aware of.

 

[Humble me Lord]

If any of them tried that, they would be in the pot pretty quickly.

 

[~Anastasia~]

If any of them tried that, they would be in the pot pretty quickly.

Exactly why I know how delicious they are ...

Just letting you know though. I'm no guinea expert, but I could well manage the behavior of all kinds of poultry. But guineas are a whole other ball game - at least ours were. I really do hope yours behave much better. I do know people who like them though, so it must be possible.

 

[MustardSeeed]

I'm super jealous of this thread I want to be a gardener!

 

[Humble me Lord]

I'm super jealous of this thread I want to be a gardener!

You can be , even with no experience you can start small, even with a few plants in flower pots.

 

[MustardSeeed]

You can be , even with no experience you can start small, even with a few plants in flower pots.

Your so right! Ok so what should I start with? Like if I buy a pot, some dirt? What's the easiest seed in your opinion?

 

[Adstar]

Hello green thumbs

My wife and I have been gardening for years and this will be our third year with a high tunnel.
I'm north edge of zone 3,
My high tunnel is home made, 25' x 80'.
I do have a rain catchment system, 500 gallons, currently gravity flow to tunnel, but i will be pressurizing it this year.
MN has a program that will put up a new high tunnel for you for free, if you jump through all of their hoops, and give them access to your farm, something I was unwilling to do, hence the home made tunnel.
We grow enough vegetables for us, we still have one child at home, for almost the whole year.
We have another regular garden, 25' x 60' for colder weather veggies and greens, potatoes.
The ice has just left the lakes recently and soil temps are still cold.
Have been having trouble with molds/fungus in the tunnel on beans, which i believe is an air circulation problem, but has been kept in check with food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Anyone else have any high tunnel growing experience?
God Bless

Do you have any links to sites that show what this all is? I have no idea about Zones and High Tunnel..

 

[Humble me Lord]

Do you have a deck, patio, or yard? You don't even have to plant from seed, you can get potting soil, some larger flower pots and get plants from a greenhouse, they will already be started. Tomatoes are pretty easy, they like full sun, and plenty of water. What are the temperatures now, where you are ?

 

[Humble me Lord]

Here is a link to find your planting zone in the US USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
Apparently Australia uses a different zoning, so if you get plants from a greenhouse, you know what zone your in, here :Plant Hardiness Zones for Australia
There are many different sizes and kinds of high tunnels;
what is high tunnel farming
You can spend lots of money on them, like ones you can drive a small tractor through, or make your own. Just google high tunnels, low tunnels, hoop house. The main idea is to extend the growing season for me, it also keeps my night time temps up for my veggies that like warmer temps. I have another garden with no covering that I use for my greens and root veggies.

 

[Humble me Lord]

More links for info:

Constructing a Simple PVC High Tunnel - HighTunnels.org
Learn How to Build or Buy a High Tunnel on Your Small Farm

 

[afishamongmany]

I'm super jealous of this thread I want to be a gardener!

Hello Mustard Seed - Do it gal, just do it. Do you have any ground for growing or just a place to put pots?
Try broad beans (Vicia faba). Either in pots or the ground. The are tough, quick growing and give flowers and food.
Good gardening
><>

 

[MustardSeeed]

Hello Mustard Seed - Do it gal, just do it. Do you have any ground for growing or just a place to put pots?
Try broad beans (Vicia faba). Either in pots or the ground. The are tough, quick growing and give flowers and food.
Good gardening
><>

Thanks! I'll look around for those. What kind of soil for the pots? I know there are many different kinds

 

[Humble me Lord]

What kind of soil for the pots?

For the pots, the easiest would be a pre mixed potting soil, like miracle grow. Do you have a greenhouse near you?

 

[afishamongmany]

If you're going to try in pots get something not less than 20cm deep by the same across. Plant 4 pairs of seeds. Thin them down to 4 single (strongest) plants after they have grown 8cms. For soil, if you haven't got access to good loamy garden soil buy a sack of potting compost. Around here you can get 20litre bags for about 3 euro. The instructions here for ground growing are good for pot growing but remember not to let the pots dry out or not to keep them too soggy.
http://www.harvesttotable.com/2009/03/how_to_grow_broad_beans/
Let us know how you get on.
Grow well
><>

 

[MustardSeeed]

For the pots, the easiest would be a pre mixed potting soil, like miracle grow. Do you have a greenhouse near you?

Yeah I think there are a few greenhouses in the city which is kinda far. However, there is a home depot? lol, Okay I will look into it! Thanks!

 

[~Anastasia~]

Just watch the labels. Around here, something called "garden soil" or "topsoil" is too heavy to use by itself in a pot. It will compact and the roots won't be able to get air.

"Potting soil" or anything labeled for general container gardening should be fine.

If you get into it, later you can buy the components and mix your own. I'm looking forward to getting back to that myself now that I'm doing lots of containers and have more room to store stuff.