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

[chickengr]

transplanting tomatoes and peppers make them stronger. it is good to transplant them 2-3 times before you plant them in the garden.

 

[ShrekDawg]

transplanting tomatoes and peppers make them stronger. it is good to transplant them 2-3 times before you plant them in the garden.

Wow I never heard of that. May have to try that.

 

[Arielle2]

I also like to let mine get leggy, and then plant deep or is soil is shallow lay out root and most of stem horizonally.

 

[Arielle2]

An yone still gardening ???

While I cant claim hugelculture method exactly, no branch or twig is wasted.

A 75 foot pine came down in recent storm, and the endless branches just lay on ground cut away from trunk. Rather upsetting. That tree had special meaning here..... it took the lightening strikes, saving the house. Now it is upsetting to see it felled and limbed.....

Need to find a job for all that raw material.......

 

[Marmalade25]

An yone still gardening ???

While I cant claim hugelculture method exactly, no branch or twig is wasted.

A 75 foot pine came down in recent storm, and the endless branches just lay on ground cut away from trunk. Rather upsetting. That tree had special meaning here..... it took the lightening strikes, saving the house. Now it is upsetting to see it felled and limbed.....

Need to find a job for all that raw material.......

It's always sad to lose a significant tree, at least in my book. All those years of growth...

So, although I am not strictly doing hugelculture, I'm utilizing some of the concepts. I had an area behind an older building that we were concerned had lead in the soil within the usual three feet closest. I layered leaves and small brush over the past four years. Its built up maybe seven inches at the most, I was able to plant in it for the first time this year. Still lots of sticks, but things are breaking down ok. Unfortunately I do end up burning a lot of larger brush and branches since our space is small without enough space to really use much. But the charcoal has value to plants and burning does use up lots of material if it's too much for me to use.

Just this week, I used some medium (like three to four inch diameter) logs stripped of little branches to edge that new garden area. It's free and I know it will break down eventually if I need a change unlike plastic or metal.

I sure wish I had some large trunk pieces! I wish I had more room, but I like the idea of "natural" play objects for the kids to climb, balance walk, etc. I did use a few small cut trunk pieces from my FIL to edge a sand pit area, both vertically and horizontally plus a few good sized rocks. I like the way that looks, although they get the sand everywhere. I've seen it done with big trunk pieces at a farm that had a play sand area and it looked cool so did a version of it. I always ask my FIL for any good long straight branches for making teepees for the garden, staking plants like tomatoes or peas. And they last a few seasons... plus Free. I'd also like to build an arbor or something with the nice medium branches from our cedar because I know they will last longer.

I change things all the time so I like the idea of using a material that I can makes something with, edge a garden, etc or if I get sick of it, just burn it and not waste a big investment of bought materials. I am cheap that way, and non-committal I suppose too.

Sounds like you have the same type of philosophy about trees and organic material, there is so much to make with it. Oh, also, I even have shorter sticks stuck around my garden to discourage using it as a shortcut. Also, I used the young suckers from a maple stump and bent them them so that each end stuck the ground making a half loop as a short garden fence, keeps little feet out. That looked so neat, I wish I had more. The young bendy branches work great for that, almost like working with willow.

Well, good luck! I could go on all day, I love this stuff! I cant say my garden and yard look amazing but it's a certain rustic style I dont mind at all. Just get yourself some good jute or something for lashing things together. Fun stuff.

 

[Arielle2]

marmalade......love your frugal ways.

Hate plastic stuff myself, but just cant seem to avoid it. I do keep trying though.


Here we use sticks to hold plywood strips for a raised potato bed. Plywood is scrap put out by local box company. Just never know the size or quantity. Hit or miss.

Would like to sell the young potatoes as new potatoes. Gotta find a local market.

 

[Marmalade25]

I know, I just used an old plastic recycling bin to plant in. It's all around and can be useful at times.
Potatoes, that's great. I hope you do find a market for it, I think this will be a good year to get your foot in. I think more people will be seeking out local food.

I just saw you are from MA... I am too! My older family always used to talk about that good old Yankee frugality. Guess there's something to that!

Hope to hear how your growing season works out.

 

[Arielle2]

yes, I live in MA, but as I say "Im from Maine!"
Where are u, west of Worcester, or east?

lumber....
Bought one ,their last one, 4x4x8 locally for $18!!!! DH zipped to HD , bought 5 for $11 each. Called for availabilty of 4x6..... none at HD.

Gotta be frugal......lumber is sky high. At those prices, projects are on hold.

Just doing enough to prevent vet bills. That is frugal.

 

[Arielle2]

Garlic is turning yellow at the tips.....
they got fertilizer this year: 5-1-1 fishy smelling stuff and a diluted dose of 10-54-10 .

Everything else the same. Put down 2 inch layer of compost and covered with thick layer shavings. Moist under shavings despite little rain this month. Only got a watering when applied fertilizer.

Last year harvest was in mid August.

Is everything ok ?

 

[Arielle2]

Did a bit of research......

nematodes typically attack a few plants turning all leaves yellow while others around it are healthy.

tips turn yellow if problem with fertilizing.... but is it too much or not enough N.....

Im afraid to fertilize more at this point.

scapes harvested just this week. Reading sources say harvest starts in another month for those.

Confused..... softnecks are harvested long before hardnecks.....

afew leaves like one pair, are already dried and brown.

this is confusing as we harvested in mid August last year...