Getting my garden on...

[CohenCottage]

Today is FINALLY a warm and almost springlike day, so the hubs and I started talking about yard projects to tackle when his parents come to visit soon. They have to have projects to keep them busy while they are here. We are definitely going to get a load of mulch delivered so we can spread it in the beds, front yard, and dog run. We might work in some compost before we mulch again, and there are also lots of sticks that need to be picked up. We will also be cutting back some of our vines so we have thicker growth on the fences.

Before they get here, we are going to cut back and dig up some of our native grasses, and also replace our wax myrtles with yellow anise shrubs. The myrtles were a bad batch, and they haven't grown even though the conditions have been great. When the in-laws arrive, we will relocate all of the hostas and hellibores in the front beds, and then plant the native grasses from the bank in those beds (with some new grasses too).

Last year, they really enjoyed helping us set up our veggie garden, but unfortunately the location we picked doesn't get enough afternoon sun to work well. The hubs and I decided that we are going to do veggies in raised beds in the backyard this year. So, we are thinking of getting these

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/livestock-equipment/stock-tanks-accessories/stock-tanks/round-end-tank-2-x-1-x-4-in-2168692

to put on the rock and gravel terraces in our backyard. What do you ladies think? We have a metal roof, so I think all that galvanized metal will look cool.

[yarborough house]

Those are cool - just remember that metal heats up a lot faster so it will dry out more in the sun and if it gets really hot it can literally bake your plants.

Aren't you pregnant and should be taking it easy not planning gardens and yard work? haha

Enjoy the warm weather - we spent the afternoon at soccer games and it was kinda toasty..hmmm is spring here at last?

[CohenCottage]

Taking it easy...riiiiight. more like we are racing to complete all of our projects before the baby comes.

I was worried about the heated metal too, but was wondering if lining the container with styrofoam or something might help. And we'll mulch it well go help hold in moisture. It will be easier to check the plants daily and water BC it will be right outside the back door and next to the hose. Last year the garden was on the other side of the house, so we rarely checked it. What other types of containers do you think we should consider?

[memmey]

Hey CC :)
Here's my opinion:rolleyes:. Those containers are expensive and I would not want to put drain holes in the bottom. They are so nice by a water spicot.
I think if you don't put drain holes then it will catch too much rain water and if you water also?????
Why not landscape timbers that are about 4 high? You could back fill with good dirt and then if you screw then together you can take them apart when ever you want. You know 4 high on the sides and then cut some in half to stack the ends. You could even add a "A" frame little trellis to cover the whole timber box.
I love to watch P Allen Smith and the Victory garden and I know I have seen simular ideas on those shows.
Be careful Missy Mam your have a baby on board.:)


One last thought....beautiful plants need good drainage.

[CohenCottage]

Hey Mem! We did timber beds in our garden last year, but we would have to line the bottom so the soil doesn't leak out on the gravel in our yard. Also, I'm not so sure how wood planters would work with our yard b/c everything is rock and curvy lines, so it would be hard to fit angular beds into our spaces...

[allen820]

The galvanized tubs are not a good idea. Your plants will suffer from too much water til June, and then roast til October.

A much better bet, as another poster has recommended, is to use boards to build beds directly on the ground. My experience is that 4 X 8 beds do great, as you make that with 8' boards and have no waste. And, with the max 4' span, everything is in reach. I did four such beds, in a square pattern with mulch in between. No issues; worked great.

BUT USE ONLY UNTREATED WOOD. Do not use pressure treated, or anything else with chemicals (I have seen people use old railroad ties that have been well weathered, but I would not do that either -- at least not if you plan to feed anything from the beds to your new baby!!).

[shabbychick]

Actually, we just built beds for a school community garden, and pressure treated wood is fine to use (I did some research on this). Wood is no longer pressure treated with arsenic, but with copper, so is safe to use with food crops. I don't know about the rr ties, but the pressure-treated wood at Home Depot is safe (and much cheaper than the alternative).

[chyna]

Railroad ties are treated with creosote so I wouldn't dare use them. But that is my opinion, I could be very wrong. :p Maybe burying the metal containers a bit would help the drainage and heat? Sounds very neat.:)

[CohenCottage]

We can't bury anything or put beds down because our yard is gravel. So I need containers! BIG containers that are not square or completely round. I'm looking for oval or oblong ones.

[Heather]

What about pond forms. Do ya know what I'm talking about? I'll surf for you later on that...

[Heather]

Or what about an old clawfoot bathtub? It's got a drainage hole!

[vintage girl]

How about trying these? I saw them at Lowes this weekend and they look really nice and can be used season after season. They come in single, and tiered. They are plastic, but look like wood. I was talking with a lady that was back to get her 4th set. She planted her fall veggies in them and just loves them. They are oblong,not square,so should work for what you need. Here is the URL for them: http://www.lowes.com/SearchCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=raised+beds

[yarborough house]

As heather said you can do old pond liners..they are made of plastic and come in many shapes you could have a groovy bed. The only thing with them is they are black and will take a heating too..so if you get some - I would spray paint the sides that get sun a different color- use that plastic coat paint..they should work well.
Also you can build wood ones in odd shapes just when you are done by that liner and staple it in so the soil doesnt' go out but the water can.
tammy

[yarborough house]

How about this :

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2X2-ALL-CEDAR-RAISED-PLANTER-ELEVATED-GARDEN-TABLE_W0QQitemZ400107350981QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPlan ters_Pots?hash=item5d2841abc5

1363

This way you could adjust the leg height by chopping them so they stand level. Also it makes it easier on your back because dear the bigger you get the harder it is to bend down. :)

[yarborough house]

Look at this cool bed:


1364

found here: http://www.urbangardensolutions.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=PVS-CIR2&click=11122

[Heather]

Or use an old wooden dingy!

[CohenCottage]

wow, y'all came up with a ton of great ideas! thanks... i would love to do a whole backyard of clawfoot tubs, but i bet my neighbors wouldn't like that :D

if i did the pond liner option, i bet we could stack river boulders along the edges to hide the plastic. and those stacked planters from lowes are cool. i probably will need something elevated for later in the summer!

[Carrie]

I brough a Suncast raised bed when it was half price in winter. I can't wait to put it up. I decided to buy organic landscape fabric for the bottom because it has holes in it to allow drainage. I though of plastic, but wasn't too keen on using that for veggies. I wanted to set it up yesterday, while the weather was nice, but I was busy planting lilac and snowball bush, blue fescue, English daisies to go with my black eyed susans. Most of my bulbs. mums, and lavender and roses from last year are coming back! I want to plant my veggies, my carnations, zinnas, pansies....
I got my garden on. :D Come on warm weather!

[ChapterTwo]

Most of my bulbs. mums, and lavender and roses from last year are coming back!

Isn't that a great feeling?

I've moved, since last year, and so I'm getting surprises...I just found that I have two huge forsythia bushes, and there are tulips breaking through the soil in front of the house! :)

[Carrie]

Nice! Someones already done a lot of work for you then.
I'm new here. What did you move to? I don't think I've seen pictures. Congrats!

[shabbychick]

I love forsythia. I had a bush in the yard at my old place, and I still miss it. The cut branches are gorgeous in spring bouquets.

I'm just excited that some of the seeds I planted appear to be sprouting, including my sunflowers!! Yay!

[ChapterTwo]

Thanks, Carrie!
It's a long story, but property next to my old house was purchased by a developer, along with two other houses. I was told that whether or not I sold to him, he was going to build a two story store/office complex, with a parking lot. (Keep in mind this is a residential neighborhood!)
That being said, I really had no choice.

Fortunately, around the same time, my late aunt's/uncle's estate became available, so I downsized to a two bedroom house about 5 miles away from my former house. Soooo, we could say that the tulips and other plants are surprises to me from my aunt!

That's terrific about your seeds, shabbychick. I haven't had luck yet with sunflowers, but I'm trying again! I bought a pack of mammoth sunflowers. I'll keep you posted.
;-)

[shabbychick]

What a cute house, Chapter Two! I love the look (and all the snow, too).

[ChapterTwo]

Thanks, shabbychick. It was the original gray (asbestos shingles) and very tired looking when I bought it. The whole neighborhood is filled with white and beige houses, and I felt it needed some COLOR! The paint actually has a tiny bit of a bluish cast to it - it's not a plain green - and I've gotten a lot of positive comments from neighbors.

Hopefully, I will get to return the wrong sized blinds today and the windows will look better after the new ones are up. Then I have to put up hardware for curtains. There are very odd hooks on the walls, that don't work with my curtain rods.

[yarborough house]

Chapter Two- thanks for sharing a pic of your house. Wow it is so cute..well minus the snow of course. I can't wait for a spring photo of it.
So, cute...

[ChapterTwo]

Thanks, Tammy. Two of the upstairs shutters blew off and broke during that last Nor'easter, and the yard needs lots and lots of work. The grass is pretty much non-existent and there are little white pebbles and big rocks where they shouldn't be... But I'll keep you posted on the progress as I go along. :)

[yarborough house]

I get to spend all day Wednesday (tomorrow) weeding the front beds. Because I asked my friend to bring me a trailer load of compost to work into the beds on Thursday- so up and at em early tomorrow. It is going to be a great day so what better place to be than in the garden with worms and weeds. :) ahh can't wait.

[Carrie]

I love it! Very pretty. The color is nice, kind of a spruce green. Congratulations.

[ChapterTwo]

Tammy...just think about what beauty your garden will yield after all that hard work! What types of plants are you planning to plant there?

I can't wait 'til it's warm enough to plant here. We usually are told it's best to wait 'til May although when we get some more warm days, I should be doing what you are - getting everything primed and ready.

Thanks, Carrie. It's been a long road to get everything looking decent, but progress is being made! ;)

[vintage girl]

Your house is darling. I absolutely love the color. Even though I do not like to deal with snow, I love to look at it:D Your pic looks like a winter wonderland. Our rose bushes are coming back already and I should have blooms within the next month. A lot of people here in Southern CA do not even cut back their rose bushes each fall, but I think it makes for thicker bushes and lusher blooms. We have flowers year round here, so the only thing I really have to wait for is the roses. We have been in the high 70's and low 80's already:)

[ChapterTwo]

Thanks, vintage girl!
I have to say, I love to look at snow too; honestly, I don't even mind shoveling so much - it's the danger of people driving in it that I don't like.

I agree about roses; I think the shrubs come back stronger and fuller when they're cut back. Lucky you...flowers all year 'round! I would love that about living in the states where that is the norm. When my aunt and uncle used to live in FL for the winters, she would send me notes about her flowers and I envied her! :o

We actually had 74 degrees here last Friday, which was deeeee-lightful! :D
Things are really starting to sprout.

[yarborough house]

OMG. I spent all day yesterday pulling weeds. Who knew that all that pulling actually pulled muscles in my forearms. By 5pm I could not even grasp a weed to pull. My fingers are so sore.

So, today I get a trailer full of compost delivered by a neighbor- I spent about 4 hours shoveling it into my wheel barrow and then moving it to spots.
I am so freaking sore I feel as if I might just fall over.

But the sad part is that trailer load only did 1/3 of what I need done- I can not even imagine picking up a shovel again. I need help..arrrghhhh

What I do for a beautiful garden..so tired...so sore.

[ChapterTwo]

Think of it this way, Tammy - you got a workout and you're going to have a beautiful garden. Win/Win! :D

[Heather]

Tammy do you cover your beds for the winter? On the last lawn cutting of the year (back in the Fall) I use all the clippings and cover up my garden beds. I ran out of clippings and used leaves as well last year. Anyhoo, on the first signs of Spring I uncovered them and there were no weeds! I'm good to go here. You said you've been weeding like crazy so I though this tip might help you for next year.

[yarborough house]

Yep Heather we learned that in a wierd way this past winter. Hubby got lazy raking all the leaves to the front street for the city to pick up(they actually pick up all lawn refuse and make compost out of it) Anyway, out back he just blew them into the big bed we have yet to tackle along the fence and left them there. Jon and I raked it out about 2 weeks ago. Most had broken down to be great in the bed but all of it kept out all the weeds. So, I told hubby this next fall/winter we are not putting any to the streets - we are blowing them all into the beds. It may not look nice all winter but who cares right?

[yarborough house]

had to bump the crap