Grow Getters & Mad Potters (Gardening Thread)

[FortCluck]

Thanks Fort Cluck! Leon is a sweet old man who runs a small commercial farm in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was directed to his YouTube channel from another video that I was watching on self-watering tubs. He is fun to watch and does a lot of things to engage children into gardening. He is also very knowledgeable... My garden is quite a ways from my house. I need 4-5 hose lengths just to water the garden so I needed other options. I did drip jugs for a while but that was a pain to fill 15-20 milk jugs and run them back and forth. There isn't many options out that direction of the property to collect rainwater either.... The self-watering tubs are a great idea and actually MUCH better for my plants. Leon started me on the hunt to use self-watering containers, but since I've started I've found numerous ways to make this usable in my earth garden, container garden, and inside my house and flowerbeds.

Do you have pics of these containers?

 

[TJAnonymous]

I don't have any pics handy because I'm actually traveling at the moment. But if you check out Leon's channel, he has quite a few videos on there that explain the concept with all kinds of containers - plastic tubs, tires, 5 gallon buckets, coffee cans, just about anything. When I get back from traveling next week, I will be putting together 5-10 new self-watering containers. I'd be happy to document the process, step-by-step, and share it.

 

[FortCluck]

Anyone have any good canning recipes?

Mostly for tomatoes

 

[FortCluck]

I don't have any pics handy because I'm actually traveling at the moment. But if you check out Leon's channel, he has quite a few videos on there that explain the concept with all kinds of containers - plastic tubs, tires, 5 gallon buckets, coffee cans, just about anything. When I get back from traveling next week, I will be putting together 5-10 new self-watering containers. I'd be happy to document the process, step-by-step, and share it.

Yes, that would be wonderful. I will look into his channel because it is always nice to find new watering methods.

 

[TJAnonymous]

The other big gardening agenda for me to was reducing costs. Each year I typically spend $100-$300 on gardening STUFF (seeds, soil, insecticide, fertilizer, etc...). I cringe when I think how many vegetables I could buy with that money. Is it really worth it? So this year, I decided to educate myself on better, cheaper, or free sources. I could write an entire article with what I've learned... My goal is to take $30 next year and CAP my gardening budget to that amount. Can I make it? Who knows....but I'm going to try!

 

[FortCluck]

The other big gardening agenda for me to was reducing costs. Each year I typically spend $100-$300 on gardening STUFF (seeds, soil, insecticide, fertilizer, etc...). I cringe when I think how many vegetables I could buy with that money. Is it really worth it? So this year, I decided to educate myself on better, cheaper, or free sources. I could write an entire article with what I've learned... My goal is to take $30 next year and CAP my gardening budget to that amount. Can I make it? Who knows....but I'm going to try!

That sounds like something fun to do. I found a bunch of seeds from 2018. I used them and they still grew. Many people chuck their seeds and I honestly don't. They are still good! I am going to put all my seeds into envelopes this week and organize them. I have so many.

Maybe we can do some sort of seed swap or something if anyone else wants to join. I have a lot of seeds that are coming directly from my plants this year. I think it is fun to swap with others.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I'd love to do a seed swap...and I do think that is a good way to diversify your garden without spending a ton of money. I don't throw out seeds either. Now that it's the middle of summer, I've noticed a lot of seed stores have mega sales going on. I purchased a bunch of items that I want to use for next year's spring garden. I store them in the refrigerator until it's time to plant. I've read that prolongs their life and improves germination rates, but I don't know if that is really true or just a myth. Either way, with a few exceptions, my seeds seem to germinate more than they don't so either they have a longer shelf life than what the stores claimed or the frig solution works!

 

[FortCluck]

I'd love to do a seed swap...and I do think that is a good way to diversify your garden without spending a ton of money. I don't throw out seeds either. Now that it's the middle of summer, I've noticed a lot of seed stores have mega sales going on. I purchased a bunch of items that I want to use for next year's spring garden. I store them in the refrigerator until it's time to plant. I've read that prolongs their life and improves germination rates, but I don't know if that is really true or just a myth. Either way, with a few exceptions, my seeds seem to germinate more than they don't so either they have a longer shelf life than what the stores claimed or the frig solution works!

Mine have been in the shed for 2 years. I grew peas, green beans, and cherry tomatoes.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Mine have been in the shed for 2 years. I grew peas, green beans, and cherry tomatoes.

Well there you go! I just don't see the point in throwing out seeds without at least trying to see if they sprout.

When I get back home next week, I'll post what seeds I have to trade and see if any of them interest you or anyone else who wants to participate.

I buy seeds in lots of different places but try to find heirloom seeds as much as possible. I saw a video on pinterest (https://pin.it/1h31VAt) that shows a method of growing a pomegranate tree that I want to try from store-bought fruit. I know many store-bought fruits are GMO for the purpose of preventing things like this, but I want to try anyway...

 

[ShrekDawg]

That sounds like something fun to do. I found a bunch of seeds from 2018. I used them and they still grew. Many people chuck their seeds and I honestly don't. They are still good! I am going to put all my seeds into envelopes this week and organize them. I have so many.

Maybe we can do some sort of seed swap or something if anyone else wants to join. I have a lot of seeds that are coming directly from my plants this year. I think it is fun to swap with others.

I don’t chuck mine either lol mostly cause I think oh I’ll plant it next year and don’t and wind up with like 5 years worth