Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[henless]

My Hydrangea is finally blooming- white. Oh well, I can work on that color. It has never bloomed and it is 4 years old. My Rose of Sharon are doing great too- love them. No comment on the weeds and leaves- holiday weekends are for getting to those things.

Your hydrangea is so pretty! Mine are doing good this year. I gave each bush a heavy feeding of compost. I let them be what ever color they want to be. See my weeds? LOL

Hi. I haven't read through the whole thread and hate to admit that I am old. But, am considering container gardening to save my back. Any advice? Do I need to use certain soil? I am just used to tilling a section and doing back breaking work for some rewards at the end of summer. Thanks!

There are so many different ways you can container garden. I started out with wooden raised beds last year. Termites had a field day. I went with cinder blocks this year. Love them! Mine are only 2 blocks high, but they can be built up higher if needed. I brought in top soil and amended it with peat moss, composted cow manure and chicken compost. They seem to be doing pretty good now.

There are just so many ways to garden. Put in a raised bed or two, maybe some pots and fix you a mulched garden area. That way it will give you an idea of how you would like to garden.

I once helped a gal put in a little garden. I went to her house. Took tools, fertilizer, seeds, tomato plants... We scouted out the perfect place in her yard. I showed her which end of the spade fork to hang on to, and which end to stick into the ground. Showed her how to lift the sod... how to break up the soil. Her response: "I think you'd better do it... it looks too complicated." Next we planted the tomato plants. Her reply... "You'd better do it, I think I'll break them." Then the seeds: "They're too small. I won't put them in the right place." I even took some marigolds to spruce up her little garden. "They smell funny." And, on and on it went. Fast forward to tomatoes setting fruit... She's laughing at work b/c her darling daughter likes the little green balls on the tomato plants and she pulls them all off and throws them. She won't eat the lettuce because it grew in the "dirt". I saw her the next spring, and she asked me if I was going to "come over and help her plant a garden." "Nope. I'm busy that day."

WOW! That is so sad!

I was talking to an acquaintance the other day about my garden. They hinted that they loved fresh produce. Knowing they have a couple of acres, I asked her if she & her husband garden. She said "Oh no, it's too much work!" I laughed. I told her of course it is. Anything worth having is worth working for. Some people just blow my mind!

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Has anyone ever tried to grow tomatillo? If I can find seed, is it too late to try? Anything special I need to know? When I want them, I pretty much have to drive more than an hour to get them... Thinking about growing them and canning the different things I make with them.

I grew them one year from plants I think. Pretty prolific. They made a nice salsa Verde.
I don't think they were any harder than tomatoes to grow. I just planted, watered, and waited.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I once helped a gal put in a little garden. I went to her house. Took tools, fertilizer, seeds, tomato plants... We scouted out the perfect place in her yard. I showed her which end of the spade fork to hang on to, and which end to stick into the ground. Showed her how to lift the sod... how to break up the soil. Her response: "I think you'd better do it... it looks too complicated." Next we planted the tomato plants. Her reply... "You'd better do it, I think I'll break them." Then the seeds: "They're too small. I won't put them in the right place." I even took some marigolds to spruce up her little garden. "They smell funny." And, on and on it went. Fast forward to tomatoes setting fruit... She's laughing at work b/c her darling daughter likes the little green balls on the tomato plants and she pulls them all off and throws them. She won't eat the lettuce because it grew in the "dirt". I saw her the next spring, and she asked me if I was going to "come over and help her plant a garden." "Nope. I'm busy that day."

Oh my. I might have heard it all now!

There are just so many ways to garden. Put in a raised bed or two, maybe some pots and fix you a mulched garden area. That way it will give you an idea of how you would like to garden.

Thank you for the tips and idea. I garden now, it is just I am thinking of switching it up. I actually just found space in a flower garden for my tomato and pepper plants. I decided that I didn't research any container ideas and it is getting really late in the game for me. There was a bare patch that I normally fill with annuals so, I switched it up.
I will continue to research and come up with a plan for next year.
I actually have a really nice tiller, but the thought of dragging it out and working the ground plus readyjng the patch is not as appealing as it once was. I almost got it out today though until I came up with a different area for the plants. I still have some other plants that I want to put into containers, so will work on those this upcoming weekend.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have a tiller. I use it maybe once every 3 years or so. And, it's a rear tine Troy Bilt. Only 35 years old, and still runs great! I much prefer doing my soil prep with a garden fork.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have a tiller. I use it maybe once every 3 years or so. And, it's a rear tine Troy Bilt. Only 35 years old, and still runs great! I much prefer doing my soil prep with a garden fork.

Mine is a husqvarna. It is huge too. It does a good job, but I am getting tired of my old ways. Time for something new. I am the onky one that tends to any of the gardens here. So, wanting to make it easier on myself.

 

[lazy gardener]

Mine is a nice size for me. But, I prefer not to disturb the soil any more than necessary.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I haven't used a tiller in decades. It destroys the soil and the structure. We got rid of ours long ago. I have added all amenities on the soil surface for years. My worms are my tillers, breaking down organic matter and taking it down. I was doing lasagna gardening before it was a thing.

 

[rjohns39]

I made a crazy mistake this spring/late winter... I let the girls out in the garden... They did a great job of removing weeds and making the soil soft and fluffy... All ready for planting... I now have a patchwork quilt of fence (left overs from other projects) surrounding the garden. A couple of them have figured out how to breach the fence, but they don't do too much damage. Before the fence they would dig up anything I planted. One is funny, she nests in my kale patch. She snuggles in and is completely hidden from view and will lay her egg and munch while there.

 

[N F C]

One is funny, she nests in my kale patch. She snuggles in and is completely hidden from view and will lay her egg and munch while there.

That sure paints a fun picture...food and a nest all in one!

 

[bruceha2000]

I once helped a gal put in a little garden. I went to her house. Took tools, fertilizer, seeds, tomato plants... We scouted out the perfect place in her yard. I showed her which end of the spade fork to hang on to, and which end to stick into the ground. Showed her how to lift the sod... how to break up the soil. Her response: "I think you'd better do it... it looks too complicated." Next we planted the tomato plants. Her reply... "You'd better do it, I think I'll break them." Then the seeds: "They're too small. I won't put them in the right place." I even took some marigolds to spruce up her little garden. "They smell funny." And, on and on it went. Fast forward to tomatoes setting fruit... She's laughing at work b/c her darling daughter likes the little green balls on the tomato plants and she pulls them all off and throws them. She won't eat the lettuce because it grew in the "dirt". I saw her the next spring, and she asked me if I was going to "come over and help her plant a garden." "Nope. I'm busy that day."

You are too generous LG! She would have lost me at "I think you'd better do it... it looks too complicated." If using a spading fork is too complicated I wonder how she manages to walk and breathe at the same time.