Anyone starting a garden?

[WriterDom]

I'm playing in the red dirt today.

 

[Homburg]

viv is planning on trying some container gardening this spring. We've got the bins for it already.

 

[Red_Hot_Mama]

I'm playing in the red dirt today.

I'm so jealous we can't even think about that until after Mothers Day.....oh well the pleasures of living in the north

 

[bitchee62]

Yes and it seems to get bigger ever year it is now the size of a normal back yard. And every year I tell myself I will only plant what we will eat.
I lie, I have 8 different tomato's,2 potatoes, 6 peppers, 3 garlics and so on and on.

 

[WriterDom]

I'm so jealous we can't even think about that until after Mothers Day.....oh well the pleasures of living in the north

I'm going to try starting tomatoes inside. 5 cents a seed vs a dollar or two for a plant. In April I can plant lots of stuff. I love growing corn. It grows so fast you can almost watch it grow.

 

[intothewoods]

I had quite a few containers going last spring, but I'm trying very hard not to this year. Why? Because I've got a ton of stuff I have to do inside the house and I'm trying not to be superwoman (since that usually ends in disaster). I will probably try and plant up the front yard though. I love sweet potato plants actually - the leaves are gorgeous!

 

[WriterDom]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bradford_9288.JPG

The Bradford pear trees are starting to bloom. They are beautiful in the Spring and Fall. When the blooms start blowing off it looks like it's snowing.

 

[eastern sun]

I will be. The snow just melted and the crocuses are blooming. That's a good beginning.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

My 81-year-old mother wants me to put together the Mantis tiller (see pic below) she bought last spring and "help" her use it.

Okay... over the last 15 years or so, she's had 2 or 3 or 4 little heart attacks, a couple of little strokes, and both hip joints replaced. She can barely get up and down the 3 steps to the front door. Yeah, she's going to use the tiller. If it gets used at all, whatcha wanna bet it's my back that's groaning at the end of it? Oh, well. It'll give me something to put in the "Pissed Off" thread.

Oh, did I mention that the area she thinks she wants to till (or have me till) is absolutely surrounded by shallow-root Georgia pines, and has a shipload of gravel embedded in it? <Sigh>

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/tiller_2gas.jpg

 

[WriterDom]

My 81-year-old mother wants me to put together the Mantis tiller (see pic below) she bought last spring and "help" her use it.

Okay... over the last 15 years or so, she's had 2 or 3 or 4 little heart attacks, a couple of little strokes, and both hip joints replaced. She can barely get up and down the 3 steps to the front door. Yeah, she's going to use the tiller. If it gets used at all, whatcha wanna bet it's my back that's groaning at the end of it? Oh, well. It'll give me something to put in the "Pissed Off" thread.

Oh, did I mention that the area she thinks she wants to till (or have me till) is absolutely surrounded by shallow-root Georgia pines, and has a shipload of gravel embedded in it? <Sigh>

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/tiller_2gas.jpg

Yeah when I got mine at Sears the guy asked if I ever used one. He had a good laugh when I told him no.

 

[bitchee62]

My 81-year-old mother wants me to put together the Mantis tiller (see pic below) she bought last spring and "help" her use it.

Okay... over the last 15 years or so, she's had 2 or 3 or 4 little heart attacks, a couple of little strokes, and both hip joints replaced. She can barely get up and down the 3 steps to the front door. Yeah, she's going to use the tiller. If it gets used at all, whatcha wanna bet it's my back that's groaning at the end of it? Oh, well. It'll give me something to put in the "Pissed Off" thread.

Oh, did I mention that the area she thinks she wants to till (or have me till) is absolutely surrounded by shallow-root Georgia pines, and has a shipload of gravel embedded in it? <Sigh>

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/tiller_2gas.jpg

Maybe you can talk her into some raised beds? They are usually easer to work in and no tilling just build the frame and fill. I use a mix of compost, manure and top soil.

 

[PatchIsMe]

My 81-year-old mother wants me to put together the Mantis tiller (see pic below) she bought last spring and "help" her use it.

Okay... over the last 15 years or so, she's had 2 or 3 or 4 little heart attacks, a couple of little strokes, and both hip joints replaced. She can barely get up and down the 3 steps to the front door. Yeah, she's going to use the tiller. If it gets used at all, whatcha wanna bet it's my back that's groaning at the end of it? Oh, well. It'll give me something to put in the "Pissed Off" thread.

Oh, did I mention that the area she thinks she wants to till (or have me till) is absolutely surrounded by shallow-root Georgia pines, and has a shipload of gravel embedded in it? <Sigh>

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x95/Sir_Winston54/tiller_2gas.jpg

Awwwww, That's sweet. You know your gonna do it and say,' No mom, it's fine, I don't mind', the whole time your doin it...

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Awwwww, That's sweet. You know your gonna do it and say,' No mom, it's fine, I don't mind', the whole time your doin it...

Yeah... I'll just have to remember to take an extra 10mg of hydrocodone or 15mg of morphine about an hour before I start, so the muscles in my back will have *some* chance of staying halfway loose during the process. Fun.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

Maybe you can talk her into some raised beds? They are usually easer to work in and no tilling just build the frame and fill. I use a mix of compost, manure and top soil.

Now, that sounds like an idea I could live with. Build a frame, fill it in with the compost, manure, some sand and topsoil, then use the tiller to make sure it's all well mixed. Just get some railroad-timber type things, and give the neighbor teenager $10 or so to put them where I need 'em. (Me picking them up and moving them around would not be a very good idea if I want to be able to walk the next few days afterward.)

 

[jockdom]

You should try growing your plants according to the stages of the moon. I know this sounds like complete nonsense but my grandad swore by it and his fruit and veg where the bees knees. Another tip, horse shit!

 

[Harmony_1985]

Another tip, horse shit!

Pig shit is better.

My mum, when we had plantable boarders to the garden, put pig manure on the garden and her plants were fantastic.

 

[bitchee62]

Now, that sounds like an idea I could live with. Build a frame, fill it in with the compost, manure, some sand and topsoil, then use the tiller to make sure it's all well mixed. Just get some railroad-timber type things, and give the neighbor teenager $10 or so to put them where I need 'em. (Me picking them up and moving them around would not be a very good idea if I want to be able to walk the next few days afterward.)

You can goggle raised beds if you want , I have mine built out of 2"x10"x 10' and no more than 4' wide. Don't use wood that has been treated with chemicals.If you just fluff the soil a bit then add the top soil 3" and (composted) manure 3" then compost 3" and then repeat until full you should never have to till.
If I know I am going to want new beds in the Fall I cover the sod in that area with lots of newspaper and then add leaves, grass clippings and manure over the Winter it breaks down and I don't even need to fluff the bottom.
Sorry rambling on here
Reg

 

[unregistered]

 

[graceanne]

I'm going to put in some herbs and tomatoes. I also want to put in some tulips, daffodils, and lillies. I have a huge porch now, and I want to make it look AWESOME.

 

[graceanne]

Maybe you can talk her into some raised beds? They are usually easer to work in and no tilling just build the frame and fill. I use a mix of compost, manure and top soil.

That's what I was thinking. It's so much easier on the body (for everyone involved). The biggest issue is building (or buying) the beds.

 

[PatchIsMe]

That's what I was thinking. It's so much easier on the body (for everyone involved). The biggest issue is building (or buying) the beds.

My brother uses a couple of plastic kiddy pools for gardens since he can't plant them in the ground where he lives. I have also heard of using big buckets for potatoes too.

 

[graceanne]

My brother uses a couple of plastic kiddy pools for gardens since he can't plant them in the ground where he lives. I have also heard of using big buckets for potatoes too.

I've got some huge pots. (I also can't plant them in the ground where I live.) I'm going to be getting some fertilizer and stuff for them in the next week or so, and then start putting stuff in them.

I think it'll be good for me and the kids while K's gone.

 

[cromsgirl]

Please be careful when using animal waste in the garden. I work in veterinary medicine and you can get a lot of diseases from animals. I'm sure anything from a gardening center has been treated, but don't just get a pile from your neighbor. Especially if you are growing vegetables.

 

[graceanne]

Please be careful when using animal waste in the garden. I work in veterinary medicine and you can get a lot of diseases from animals. I'm sure anything from a gardening center has been treated, but don't just get a pile from your neighbor. Especially if you are growing vegetables.

True. Beyond that . . . ew. I buy mine so that I can pour it from the nice little bag.

 

[MonkeyFootball]

You should try growing your plants according to the stages of the moon. I know this sounds like complete nonsense but my grandad swore by it and his fruit and veg where the bees knees. Another tip, horse shit!

The city here picks up coffee grounds and mixes it in the dirt. I figure at $20 bucks for a full truck load I might as well give it a shot. People say it works I guess we will see.