Back to Eden Gardening and Hugelkulture and other non-conventional garden methods

[Arielle]

Absolutely. Bring it on. Kiddie pool gardening is non conventional, yes??? Therefore, this is the perfect place for it if you want to share this thread! Would also love to have some folks post their results with hay bale or straw bale gardening. How bout lasagna garden construction? If some one is doing any of these this spring, let's get some photos of the process here!

Im realizing that my ochy back will need a long time to heal........and forking over soil to mix in the manure, AND lugging wheelbarrels full of material is NOT what my back needs at this time. Having to rethink old methods ....... and the lasagne method really fits as the best solution to less labor all around.

Also trying to understand mixing different vegies, you know puttiing those that love each other side by side, and being careful to keep enemies apart. Last summer I had DS pulling out his phone every 10 minutes to find out who was friends with who. I really need a print out, but dang it is so long!!

I have tiny tomatos Yeah!!!. I did notice that transplanting and decreasing the lighting because the bigger plants are expanding beyond the few inches under the grow light... are suffering a set back in production. Some of the flower trusses ( right term?) dried and shrivelled. Dang. I thought I was doing great at trialling only 4 seeds of 4 varioeties. DIdnt expect 13 seeds to sprout and demand to be included. SHould have p lanted just one of each. .....who am I kiddiing, just one??? that would NEVER happen. lol

Trying to make homemade plugs. Son having a ball making them. FIrst had to trial a gadget and adjust it a bit to get the right size nub to set the seed in , and get the plunger to move smoothly. Good project in enginerring. DH thought it would be good to test with watering to see if they held up.... definitely water in the pan NOT on the plugs. ANd way too easy to have too wet of a plug. Worried too many seed willl just rot.

Keeps us thinking and discussing possible solutions.

have my eye on a talbe in cool basement to start early tomatos. Need to figure out the lighting though. Just one bare bulb ....hmmm maybe THAT one is enough. Will give it a go and see if the tomatos will grow very slowly in the cool dimly lit area.

Im blabbering on. Sorry. Cant wait for coldest month to be GONE!!!

 

[chickadoodles]

Hi Arielle, ya know after you asked me about the blueberry seeds you sent me I was wondering what did they do.
I really don't know if I remember.
So sorry your having a time with your back. I hope it get's better soon.

 

[lazy gardener]

Quote: Arielle, I can assure you without a shadow of a doubt that your tomatoes will not grow slowly in the dimly lit basement. They will stretch even taller and be very leggy to try to reach what light is there. If you want nice stocky plants, give them LOTS of light. The heat lovers really should have heat. Can you purchase a shop light? I have a shelving unit with 4 shop lights hanging from chains. It's super easy (well, almost easy) to adjust the height of the lights with the chains so that they are almost touching the leaves of the plants under them. The bulbs put out just a little heat, which is also helpful. Plants also respond well to a bit of epsom salt in their water occasionally. It will make them nice and stocky, and green up their leaves.

 

[comeongetdown]

@Arielle I found this awesome chart for companion planting that I've been using, I just printed it out and blacked out the columns and rows of stuff I'm not growing this year.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/walden-cdn/downloads/pdfs/Poster_GDN_Com_Plant.pdf

It's a little busy, so if you want something different you can google search "companion planting chart" and find all kinds

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Arielle, I can assure you without a shadow of a doubt that your tomatoes will not grow slowly in the dimly lit basement. They will stretch even taller and be very leggy to try to reach what light is there. If you want nice stocky plants, give them LOTS of light. The heat lovers really should have heat. Can you purchase a shop light? I have a shelving unit with 4 shop lights hanging from chains. It's super easy (well, almost easy) to adjust the height of the lights with the chains so that they are almost touching the leaves of the plants under them. The bulbs put out just a little heat, which is also helpful. Plants also respond well to a bit of epsom salt in their water occasionally. It will make them nice and stocky, and green up their leaves.
There is a trick to it. COLD basement. COLD. Ive been living over on Tomatoville trying to learn tomatos.

Love your lighting set up. THat is exactly my goal. I bougt a small stand alone unit a couple years ago for over $50. What a joke. For about $40, or less, set up a 4 foot with 2 bulbs. Plan to add one more this year.

THanks for the epsom salt info. Good source of Mg. There is a product called CaMg that is also helpful. In the men time I am mixing my compost/soil mix with a soilless mix of peat and perlite.

I have 18 -24 inch tomato plants on a short bookshelf, in front of a south window and the one 4 foot shop light with 2 grow bulbs hanging over the top. Seeing one plant with tiny green cherry tomatos!!

The tomatos were just an experiment.

What I did find is a couple varieties that thrive in the cold. Yes, they grow and produce fruit at 40 degrees. Read about one mans experiement trialing several varieties and posted his findings for all to read. Well done actually.These are the varieites that come to mind worth trying. 0-33, stupice, artic plenty. The latter two are easy to find, the 0-33 I found at specialty seed shops online.

I am now looking at how to plant early peas. Every attempt in the past to plant in March or early April results in NO sprouts. THinking I would need treated seeds

, well drained soil, cold hardy variety, and no chickens or ducks to drill!!

Trying to plant smarter.

 

[Arielle]

@Arielle I found this awesome chart for companion planting that I've been using, I just printed it out and blacked out the columns and rows of stuff I'm not growing this year.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/walden-cdn/downloads/pdfs/Poster_GDN_Com_Plant.pdf

It's a little busy, so if you want something different you can google search "companion planting chart" and find all kinds

WHAT A GREAT CHART!!!! Very simple. Only complaint it is not black and white...but I love it anyway and it will be my go to chart for sure!!!


Looked at chives to keep away mildew----and chives are not friendly and not antagonistic to cukes, so maybe chives can be companion planted to reduce the mildew that sometimes develops on the cuke leaves. I do find it a bit odd that this mildew develops on the cukes and squash when it hot and dry....would have thought moist and shady. ( Info from JSS)

 

[Arielle]

Spent some time talking to my oldest yesterday about finding an Eagle project to work on. I rattled off a generic list and only when I talked community garden did his eyes light up. He ( and I) have a boat load of preliminary work to see if this is feasible. The town community garden might have a lot available or not; the gardens come pre tilled and town water is available BUT cannot use a hose to water. All water must be put in a tank, barrel or watering can before use. The oter possibliity is a plot at my house. THey would need to clear a wooded area, or I would give up some of my precious space. Then I have concerns about liability.

Would like to hear what you all think....suggestions and critics welcome.

 

[comeongetdown]

We've had some beautiful weather this week, so I've been really busy getting my garden started.

I hit up a couple Craigslist posts for some moving boxes and laid them out in my backyard. Then I moved my entire compost pile and spread it all over the cardboard. Today a local company dropped off a load of wood chips, so once I get the kids down for their nap, I'll get busy moving it.

I also put in an order to FedCo seeds, so I'm looking forward to getting that shipping email. Anyone know what their typical turnaround time is?

 

[lazy gardener]

We've had some beautiful weather this week, so I've been really busy getting my garden started.

I hit up a couple Craigslist posts for some moving boxes and laid them out in my backyard. Then I moved my entire compost pile and spread it all over the cardboard. Today a local company dropped off a load of wood chips, so once I get the kids down for their nap, I'll get busy moving it.

I also put in an order to FedCo seeds, so I'm looking forward to getting that shipping email. Anyone know what their typical turnaround time is?

They are pretty fast. You'll most likely see them in about a week. But, I always order first week of Jan so I don't get hit with out of stock items.

 

[chickadoodles]

I got my seeds from Fedco and Berlin a couple weeks ago.