paintponylvr
Well-Known Member
Well - I didn't do so well with my first attempts at container gardening. I'm sooooo jealous of you all getting the yields that you do!
I planted 4 containers - big ones. Turned out the one I didn't have enough drain holes in and it filled with water, refused to drain (even after we added some more holes to it??) and drowned the 3 bush pea plants in it. The cucumbers (also 3 plants) grew well, but didn't put out much in the way of "fruit". I ate some - gave a few away and missed quite a number that turned bad on the ground. Will continue to learn in that type!
I planted a different type of squash and couldn't tell when it was ready to harvest. I tried taking some before it was ready (YUCK), and then also lost quite a few when I then let them go to long. At least they are now in the compost heap! The carrots... Well.... I planted way too many and way to close together and then had trouble weeding them out. I've always been told baby carrots are ez to grow - but they sure aren't in my experience... The rabbit liked them - even if they weren't developed enough for us to eat!
Overall, I still got MORE veggies than I did last year at a much lower cost. It was my first attempt at growing from seeds and I was so excited to have all the plants come up!
*************
So, today, I cleaned out the "K-cups" with our granddaughters and mixed the coffee with the potting soil (some folks say that's good, some say it's really bad - we'll see). Probably did way too many seeds in each cup - maybe should have done only one (that just doesn't seem right??). Not only did I start with seed - but this is the first time I'm planting (ever) in the fall AND doing several different types of lettuce's . I hope it works - I would love to get this worked out so that I can grow my own - for me, for the chickens and when we can't eat it - for the compost heap. If everythng grows from seed -it is SOOO much less expensive than going with the already started plants.
A pic of 2 yr old Gwen & almost 4 yr old Gracie helping to clean out the "K-cups". I don't have pics of the wonderful mess made when we mixed the soil w/ the coffee and then planted the seed (s). We shall see how this goes...
We finished the "planters" in front of the barn (first time in years don't have stacks of junk wood and "stuff" in front of the barn) - and I will transfer the seedlings into them when they are ready in a couple of weeks. I will be purchasing the potting soil, fertilizer & vermiculite next weekend. I will not be using any of my own compost this year - it's my understanding that it needs to age much longer than a couple of months (especially since I don't turn it or get it wet but just let it sit in layers in the compost bin) since some of our hay suppliers use broad leaf herbicides on the hay that I purchase that will still kill garden plants.... I will need to make some type of cover out of PVC and chicken wire to keep the chickens out of the planters - then will change to plastic to make a cold frame when the temp drops. I'm really HOPING the lettuce(s), swiss chard and broccoli grow well. There's some others as well...
The planters are re-purposed wood from landscaping timbers and 4x4s on our property. Instead of bolting them together, I used the hay string and did them in "layers" - "x"ing the string to hold them together. Then, I'm putting straw between the open areas - to hold the soil in place. For the landscaping fabric, I stitched feed bags together in rows. Should work well! Will need to finish them next week when I'm able to buy the things I want to try using (mix of potting soil, manure fertilizers & vermiculite), then fill them w/ some Mums and the veggies I'm starting from seed right now...
A pic of the first planter - it's about 8' long, but 2' "deep" (front to back) and about 14" (? maybe) in depth. O, yes, and the natural fertilizer being added right now, LOL... The one to the right of the barn is not as long and is a little closer to the door (won't be able to walk between door and the planter) - I needed to still be able to turn in front of the barn and get between it and the burn pile... Again, we'll see if it works.
While also providing meals for us, the planters should work well to keep the doors in place when there are storms (instead of the junk heaps we did have holding the doors). I'm optimistic that all of this will come together for us and we WILL have some fall/winter veggies.
OK, off to bed now...
I planted 4 containers - big ones. Turned out the one I didn't have enough drain holes in and it filled with water, refused to drain (even after we added some more holes to it??) and drowned the 3 bush pea plants in it. The cucumbers (also 3 plants) grew well, but didn't put out much in the way of "fruit". I ate some - gave a few away and missed quite a number that turned bad on the ground. Will continue to learn in that type!
I planted a different type of squash and couldn't tell when it was ready to harvest. I tried taking some before it was ready (YUCK), and then also lost quite a few when I then let them go to long. At least they are now in the compost heap! The carrots... Well.... I planted way too many and way to close together and then had trouble weeding them out. I've always been told baby carrots are ez to grow - but they sure aren't in my experience... The rabbit liked them - even if they weren't developed enough for us to eat!
Overall, I still got MORE veggies than I did last year at a much lower cost. It was my first attempt at growing from seeds and I was so excited to have all the plants come up!
*************
So, today, I cleaned out the "K-cups" with our granddaughters and mixed the coffee with the potting soil (some folks say that's good, some say it's really bad - we'll see). Probably did way too many seeds in each cup - maybe should have done only one (that just doesn't seem right??). Not only did I start with seed - but this is the first time I'm planting (ever) in the fall AND doing several different types of lettuce's . I hope it works - I would love to get this worked out so that I can grow my own - for me, for the chickens and when we can't eat it - for the compost heap. If everythng grows from seed -it is SOOO much less expensive than going with the already started plants.
A pic of 2 yr old Gwen & almost 4 yr old Gracie helping to clean out the "K-cups". I don't have pics of the wonderful mess made when we mixed the soil w/ the coffee and then planted the seed (s). We shall see how this goes...
We finished the "planters" in front of the barn (first time in years don't have stacks of junk wood and "stuff" in front of the barn) - and I will transfer the seedlings into them when they are ready in a couple of weeks. I will be purchasing the potting soil, fertilizer & vermiculite next weekend. I will not be using any of my own compost this year - it's my understanding that it needs to age much longer than a couple of months (especially since I don't turn it or get it wet but just let it sit in layers in the compost bin) since some of our hay suppliers use broad leaf herbicides on the hay that I purchase that will still kill garden plants.... I will need to make some type of cover out of PVC and chicken wire to keep the chickens out of the planters - then will change to plastic to make a cold frame when the temp drops. I'm really HOPING the lettuce(s), swiss chard and broccoli grow well. There's some others as well...
The planters are re-purposed wood from landscaping timbers and 4x4s on our property. Instead of bolting them together, I used the hay string and did them in "layers" - "x"ing the string to hold them together. Then, I'm putting straw between the open areas - to hold the soil in place. For the landscaping fabric, I stitched feed bags together in rows. Should work well! Will need to finish them next week when I'm able to buy the things I want to try using (mix of potting soil, manure fertilizers & vermiculite), then fill them w/ some Mums and the veggies I'm starting from seed right now...
A pic of the first planter - it's about 8' long, but 2' "deep" (front to back) and about 14" (? maybe) in depth. O, yes, and the natural fertilizer being added right now, LOL... The one to the right of the barn is not as long and is a little closer to the door (won't be able to walk between door and the planter) - I needed to still be able to turn in front of the barn and get between it and the burn pile... Again, we'll see if it works.
While also providing meals for us, the planters should work well to keep the doors in place when there are storms (instead of the junk heaps we did have holding the doors). I'm optimistic that all of this will come together for us and we WILL have some fall/winter veggies.
OK, off to bed now...
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