My Turn!

insaneintenti0n · 04-14-09, 06:51 AM

So, it's been a LONG time since I've been over here. Partly because in Winter, I hibernate. I do nothing outside, i sit inside and try to stay warm.

So, now that (by the calendar, but definitely not by the temp) spring is here, I'm getting into a few projects.

First off, I built a raised veggie garden, filled it with 'some' dirt yesterday, not completely done yet though.

This is the area in 2007 (I was getting rid of a flower garden, we had/have 4 in the back yard, 5 in the front.)

For the last two years, just the little tree was there, i dug it out, it's in a huge pot right now, trying to decide if i'm putting it somewhere or not...

But, I built a box (9.5'x3'x8") lined it with some newspaper to kill what's underneath (LOTS of weeds, onion grass, crab grass), and filled it with some dirt... we've still had some freezing temps, but i'll probably start planting very soon.

Not a BIG surprise, but i've already put a bit of money into this. bleh. but i'll enjoy eating my own foods.

Speaking of, on the menu is: Watermelon, Lettuce, Celery, Broccoli, Green Peppers.

I'll probably look into watering soon. At least see if i can find a huge 30gal drum on craigslist to keep outside and collect rain. And this weekend, my county is selling discounted compost bins. $30 instead of $100. So I'm hoping to get one of those.

Daox · 04-14-09, 08:39 AM

Looks nice and manageable! I think my garden gets bigger by the day every time I talk with my wife.

Higgy · 04-14-09, 11:24 AM

Looks good and good to see you back. I just had a few comments/questions on your garden:
- Do you plan on keeping that garden for a long time? If so, I noticed you are using, what appears to be, untreated wood. I'm just thinking that it's may not last very long because it's going to absorb the moisture and end up rotting on you.
- You may want to add a bit more soil in there and bring it right to the top. Over the summer and winter it's going to flatten that out a lot with the rain and snow. I topped mine up to the rim last year...and the snow flattened it about 3 inches. And mine was a lot deeper then yours was.
- I noticed you had a lot of veggies/fruit you plan on putting in there. I'm not sure how much of each your going to do...but watermelon is a vine plant like cuccumbers, pumpkins, etc...and that sucker is going to spread all over that garden. They can need up to 12 feet in growth...although I don't know what type you're using. As they grow, you could keep pulling the vines so they grown onto the grass instead of in the garden. If you did that it could work.

Anyway....always nice to see people starting up a garden. Fresh veggies are the BEST!

insaneintenti0n · 04-14-09, 11:44 AM

Thanks

- dunno. don't remember what I bought. depends on the definition of 'long time' Don't expect much this year. maybe next, might keep it up after that, might not. i'm sure the termites will get to it soon enough.
- I have more dirt, I thought I mentioned above i wasn't done, but i didn't, though, what i bought actually isn't quite enough. I bought for 9 x 3 x 2/3, not 9.5 x 3 x 2/3.
- I don't plan on a ton of plants. this is just something to try. I realize the watermelon is huge. (what i got is kinda weird actually, it's Bush Sugar Baby, looks different on the outside from what I'm familiar with, but the inside is the same.) I have other gardens I could put that in instead, and keep the smaller stuff for this one. Square-foot-garden-wise... well, i'm not doing that. Was thinking about breaking up the 27 blocks, but, i'll just make it 5 sections. probably not all even though.

Of the food, i eat all of that pretty regularly except the watermelon, so that's actually low priority.

Just another project to add to my list

Like I really needed anything else to do.

Higgy · 04-14-09, 12:17 PM

Ah ok cool.

I was actually thinking of trying something different myself. I'm not sure if we have enough time for watermelon...I was even thinking of cantelope or something, but I'm not sure. I'd like to taste the difference between a home grown melon compared to one you buy in the store.

Have you grown melon before? Does it taste better coming from the garden?

insaneintenti0n · 04-14-09, 12:58 PM

i haven't. this is my first 'food' garden. I have too many flower gardens.

i'd love to do corn... but, i wanted something a bit smaller

insaneintenti0n · 04-17-09, 05:42 AM

Well, I started some seeds inside. Work recent switched from styrofoam cups, to compostable paper cups, so i've scavenged some, cut off the bottom, put some dirt in there, and some seeds. I have a very sunny, mostly unused front porch, so they can stay out there while they start. Though, I have a problem with rabbits outside, so i'm going to need to get some netting to keep them out.

I'm also still getting the box prepped (yesterday was the first non-rainy day after 2 straight days). I've just been mixing in some other soil with it since i doubt I need 19 cuft of pure miracle grow and someone 4 miles from me was free fill dirt, so i picked up a bit.

And once I pick up my compost bin this weekend, i'll be able to start making my own compost.

Higgy · 04-17-09, 09:42 AM

Cool. I'm looking for a good compost bin myself.

I just used 4 part soil mix in my garden when I made it. I think it took like 10 yards of soil altogether to fill my garden...my god that was a lot of work. And it's down again this year...so I need to fill it up some more. Joy.

So is your front porch closed off so that it's warm in there?

insaneintenti0n · 04-17-09, 10:13 AM

uh, yes. It's poorly insulated, but completely walled off from the elements. It gets REALLY warm when the sun hits it (which sucks int the summer, good in the winter), and pretty cool at night (reversed on the summer/winter thing - but completely doored/windowed off from the main portion of the house when i want). but lots of sun during the day for my plants.

just finished remodeling it, so i happened to have a picture on hand

Higgy · 04-17-09, 01:18 PM

Ooooo...very nice. And look at that window...sweet. I want to eventually put a larger window in my family room where the sun shoots into the house. At the moment I just have the doors which are basically doors with a window in them that cover just about the entire size of the door...which isn't enough light for my liking. But you have a damn nice set up there.

04-14-09, 06:51 AM	#1
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	My Turn! So, it's been a LONG time since I've been over here. Partly because in Winter, I hibernate. I do nothing outside, i sit inside and try to stay warm. So, now that (by the calendar, but definitely not by the temp) spring is here, I'm getting into a few projects. First off, I built a raised veggie garden, filled it with 'some' dirt yesterday, not completely done yet though. This is the area in 2007 (I was getting rid of a flower garden, we had/have 4 in the back yard, 5 in the front.) For the last two years, just the little tree was there, i dug it out, it's in a huge pot right now, trying to decide if i'm putting it somewhere or not... But, I built a box (9.5'x3'x8") lined it with some newspaper to kill what's underneath (LOTS of weeds, onion grass, crab grass), and filled it with some dirt... we've still had some freezing temps, but i'll probably start planting very soon. Not a BIG surprise, but i've already put a bit of money into this. bleh. but i'll enjoy eating my own foods. Speaking of, on the menu is: Watermelon, Lettuce, Celery, Broccoli, Green Peppers. I'll probably look into watering soon. At least see if i can find a huge 30gal drum on craigslist to keep outside and collect rain. And this weekend, my county is selling discounted compost bins. $30 instead of $100. So I'm hoping to get one of those.

04-17-09, 05:42 AM	#7
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Well, I started some seeds inside. Work recent switched from styrofoam cups, to compostable paper cups, so i've scavenged some, cut off the bottom, put some dirt in there, and some seeds. I have a very sunny, mostly unused front porch, so they can stay out there while they start. Though, I have a problem with rabbits outside, so i'm going to need to get some netting to keep them out. I'm also still getting the box prepped (yesterday was the first non-rainy day after 2 straight days). I've just been mixing in some other soil with it since i doubt I need 19 cuft of pure miracle grow and someone 4 miles from me was free fill dirt, so i picked up a bit. And once I pick up my compost bin this weekend, i'll be able to start making my own compost. Last edited by insaneintenti0n; 04-17-09 at 06:19 AM..

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04-14-09, 08:39 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Looks nice and manageable! I think my garden gets bigger by the day every time I talk with my wife.

04-14-09, 11:24 AM	#3
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Looks good and good to see you back. I just had a few comments/questions on your garden: - Do you plan on keeping that garden for a long time? If so, I noticed you are using, what appears to be, untreated wood. I'm just thinking that it's may not last very long because it's going to absorb the moisture and end up rotting on you. - You may want to add a bit more soil in there and bring it right to the top. Over the summer and winter it's going to flatten that out a lot with the rain and snow. I topped mine up to the rim last year...and the snow flattened it about 3 inches. And mine was a lot deeper then yours was. - I noticed you had a lot of veggies/fruit you plan on putting in there. I'm not sure how much of each your going to do...but watermelon is a vine plant like cuccumbers, pumpkins, etc...and that sucker is going to spread all over that garden. They can need up to 12 feet in growth...although I don't know what type you're using. As they grow, you could keep pulling the vines so they grown onto the grass instead of in the garden. If you did that it could work. Anyway....always nice to see people starting up a garden. Fresh veggies are the BEST!

04-14-09, 11:44 AM	#4
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks - dunno. don't remember what I bought. depends on the definition of 'long time' Don't expect much this year. maybe next, might keep it up after that, might not. i'm sure the termites will get to it soon enough. - I have more dirt, I thought I mentioned above i wasn't done, but i didn't, though, what i bought actually isn't quite enough. I bought for 9 x 3 x 2/3, not 9.5 x 3 x 2/3. - I don't plan on a ton of plants. this is just something to try. I realize the watermelon is huge. (what i got is kinda weird actually, it's Bush Sugar Baby, looks different on the outside from what I'm familiar with, but the inside is the same.) I have other gardens I could put that in instead, and keep the smaller stuff for this one. Square-foot-garden-wise... well, i'm not doing that. Was thinking about breaking up the 27 blocks, but, i'll just make it 5 sections. probably not all even though. Of the food, i eat all of that pretty regularly except the watermelon, so that's actually low priority. Just another project to add to my list Like I really needed anything else to do.

04-14-09, 12:17 PM	#5
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Ah ok cool. I was actually thinking of trying something different myself. I'm not sure if we have enough time for watermelon...I was even thinking of cantelope or something, but I'm not sure. I'd like to taste the difference between a home grown melon compared to one you buy in the store. Have you grown melon before? Does it taste better coming from the garden?

04-14-09, 12:58 PM	#6
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	i haven't. this is my first 'food' garden. I have too many flower gardens. i'd love to do corn... but, i wanted something a bit smaller

04-17-09, 09:42 AM	#8
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Cool. I'm looking for a good compost bin myself. I just used 4 part soil mix in my garden when I made it. I think it took like 10 yards of soil altogether to fill my garden...my god that was a lot of work. And it's down again this year...so I need to fill it up some more. Joy. So is your front porch closed off so that it's warm in there?

04-17-09, 10:13 AM	#9
insaneintenti0n Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 183 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	uh, yes. It's poorly insulated, but completely walled off from the elements. It gets REALLY warm when the sun hits it (which sucks int the summer, good in the winter), and pretty cool at night (reversed on the summer/winter thing - but completely doored/windowed off from the main portion of the house when i want). but lots of sun during the day for my plants. just finished remodeling it, so i happened to have a picture on hand

04-17-09, 01:18 PM	#10
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Ooooo...very nice. And look at that window...sweet. I want to eventually put a larger window in my family room where the sun shoots into the house. At the moment I just have the doors which are basically doors with a window in them that cover just about the entire size of the door...which isn't enough light for my liking. But you have a damn nice set up there.