Clearly you people have driven me insane

[Celticdragonfly]

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

It's just that I read SO MANY posts and intros by those of you who are chicken people AND gardeners. And here I am, looking at posts about compost and figuring "well that doesn't apply here, I have a black thumb and kill every plant I've ever tried to raise."

I really should take down the dead petunias that are hanging on the front porch, that someone brought for DH Miles' 42nd Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy themed birthday party....

But you guys have gotten to me.

I have two containers on order from Seedsheet, they're these cloth things with handles, I figure I can hang them up from the swingset/fort thing to keep the chickens from eating them during freerange time. I have this vertical wall garden thing in a box that I'm going to try to set up. And DH Karl complained about lack of fresh air at his office, so I looked up ordering him a low light easy care potted plant ... and I've gone ahead and ordered myself two for inside and I'm going to try hanging them and keeping the cats out of them.

Clearly the triumph of hope over reason here.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've never met anyone or thing that can kill Jerusalem Artichokes. Lettuce is also surprisingly easy to raise. Zucchini and rhubarb too, if you're not afraid of using pesticides (Permethrin works.)

Most herbs are pretty easy to raise. Mint of any type is really hard to kill if planted outside.

Those are, of course, in Pennsylvania weather. Good luck on your project.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chickens and gardening do go hand in hand, provided you can keep your chickens from destroying your plants. Obviously compost is a big part of it... poop plus eggshells plus (in some set ups) the chickens can stir around compost for you. Trimmings from the garden can go to the chickens, either as treats or as part of the bedding. Chickens can even help eat some garden pests. And both chicken keeping and gardening provides your family with fresh, homegrown food.

 

[Ribh]

Chickens: the doorway to farming... That includes gardens of all shapes & sizes.

 

[mixedbreeds]

Yes you should make some compost. Just make a wire fencing box line the sides with black plastic and start filling it up with layers. I go to the stores and ask for there old produce I hit 3 or 4 stores and get a bunch then chop it all up so it decomposes faster. So I start with a layer of chicken poo and straw then my chopped produce then grass clippings then leaves and keep going till it’s full add water till it starts to drain out the bottom cover and let it heat up till temp starts to drop then stir itt all up maybe add a little more water if it’s to dry cover and let heat. Just keep doing that till it’s black and beautiful and you can grow anything.

 

[Ribh]

Look into DLM. It will provide all the compost & fertilizer you need with minimum effort.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

The beginning of gardening for idiots with black thumbs ... Seedsheet.

Got two container sheets and the bag/pots for them - which are, cool to know, made from recycled water bottles. They come with saucers for underneath them. I'm not using those - I figured the best way to a) keep the chickens from eating them as they sprouted and b) be able to care for and water them well with my physical limitations (I suck at bending down) was to hang the pot/bags from parts of the old kids' swingset/fort.



One of these has the big one in the center as tomatoes, then around the edge are spinach, lettuce blend, and carrots.

The other is cucumbers (my FAVORITE vegetable), dwarf peapods (those may be for the chickens), and I think again spinach and lettuce.



I'm sure to all the advanced regular gardeners, this is to laugh at. But I have an abysmal record at raising plants. So we'll see how this goes.

 

[Melodychick]

Good luck with you new gardening adventure! I like those bags and how you hung them. Good idea! Since you’re in Tx and growing conditions are similar to here in Ms, don’t be too upset if the lettuce and spinach don’t do well this summer. They prefer cooler temps and I grow them all winter. You are a bit farther north than me though, so maybe things are different.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Interesting, I've never seen these planter bags before. Hope you get some stuff to grow!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

There is some growth!


If I'm correctly remembering which Seedsheet went where, that should be cucumbers in the middle, lettuce blend down left, dwarf pea pods at the top, spinach down right.



And I think this one has spinach and lettuce blend sprouting, no sign of the tomato and carrots yet.
Or I could totally have them backwards...