What did you do in the garden today?

[lazy gardener]

Hi gardening folks.
We recently bought a new home. Our soil is super sandy. I am trying to come with ways to improve my soil for free. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
I think I've already spent my 2 cents. But, here's an other thought: I'd recommend that you focus on building one bed at a time. Aim to get it built up about 12" or higher with added organic matter, then start on the next bed. You'll see a huge difference by the next gardening season!

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Oh my! You have no idea how often I've wanted to toss a rake and some buckets/bags into the car when we take a trip to the coast or lake. Hubby rolls his eyes when I get going about collecting compostables or chicken food scraps! I can just see it now. I'd be standing in the parking lot with my garbage bags of oozing plant debris, and hubby would be laying skid marks of rubber, in a hasty retreat from the crazy chicken/garden lady!!!

 

[bamadude]

I do have some pond weeds. Excellent idea Hen.
Lazy: Thank you

 

[darina]

Oh my! You have no idea how often I've wanted to toss a rake and some buckets/bags into the car when we take a trip to the coast or lake. Hubby rolls his eyes when I get going about collecting compostables or chicken food scraps! I can just see it now. I'd be standing in the parking lot with my garbage bags of oozing plant debris, and hubby would be laying skid marks of rubber, in a hasty retreat from the crazy chicken/garden lady!!!

I have to stop myself too, from not turning everything into an opportunity to improve the garden/chicken setup.

At some you have to draw the line before everyone else sees you as the deranged dame digging and dumpster diving for decomposed debris and dung! Hahaaa!

 

[hennible]

I'm not alone
Thank goodness!

 

[Amberjem]

transplanted some plants had propagating in the greenhouse around.......didnt get to making the compost area I wanted..sure wish it was spring already

 

[erinszoo]

I think I've already spent my 2 cents. But, here's an other thought: I'd recommend that you focus on building one bed at a time. Aim to get it built up about 12" or higher with added organic matter, then start on the next bed. You'll see a huge difference by the next gardening season!

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Originally Posted by hennible

I use fresh chicken manure in my garden, well fresh bedding with fresh manure in it and it doesn't burn my plants I think it's because it's heavily mixed with hay and wood shavings... Carbon seems to balance out the big nitrogen load...
Hey Bama are those ponds full of pond weeds? Lake weed, sea weed what ever... Piles some of that crap on your garden it'll be super nutrient packed and you can clean out some pond weeds (if you have them). I mean the loose weed types that stay completely submerged in the water ( they flower above water though ) not grasses, the stuff I'm talking about you can rake out with a gravel rake and it will just break off... if you have water plants like that, that is...
Like this stuff

Oh my! You have no idea how often I've wanted to toss a rake and some buckets/bags into the car when we take a trip to the coast or lake. Hubby rolls his eyes when I get going about collecting compostables or chicken food scraps! I can just see it now. I'd be standing in the parking lot with my garbage bags of oozing plant debris, and hubby would be laying skid marks of rubber, in a hasty retreat from the crazy chicken/garden lady!!!

yeah, if you have enough other matter with your fresh chicken poop, you're probably okay. But it's best to let it compost for a few months first. I never thought of pond weeds, although I've used the muck from the bottom of my dad's fish pond before. Smelly and rich.

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I draw the line at dumpster diving for things ... well usually. I have dug out a box of lettuce and cabbage from the grocery store a time or two. But my neighbors all rake their leaves and deposit them in our yard for us. They know they will reap the rewards with garden produce the next spring, I guess. I've never asked for it. They just do it. Lol. I guess I'm already that deranged neighbor!

I'm not alone
Thank goodness!

That's exactly what I was going to say!! We go camping or hiking or just out for a drive and I make sure we have empty buckets in the car, scissors, clippers, and shovel. My husband and kids just roll their eyes at me.

 

[hennible]

Wow! Me too... From wood mulch to drift wood to plants and rocks... I always a shovel and some buckets in my truck... We drive the logging roads looking for goodies lol...

 

[lazy gardener]

Ok, you guys are going to love this one: I went to pick up my 13 y.o. G.S. from school Tuesday. He came running out to the truck, and before I could get around to the rider side to clear a spot for him, he had the door open... and was all ready to pile in, when he realized that he couldn't... because the floor and seat on that side were taken up by computer towers, which happened to be in pieces, rather than whole... So, he went into a rant. Grammy, what's this junk?
Me: Computer towers.
G.S.: Tell me it's not something to do with CHICKENS!?
Me: (Smile sweetly, and say nothing)
G.S.: What on earth are you going to do with that junk. What's that got to do with chickens?
Me: They have fans in them.
G.S.: What do you need fans for?
Me: Incubator.
G.S.: You already have an incubator.
Me: Gonna build a bigger one.
G.S.: Couldn't you just BUY the fans, like normal people?
Me: Bingo! Nope! Look at the adjective you just used.
G.S.: Had steam rolling out his ears the rest of the way home. But, I wasn't too bothered by that. He is, after all 13 years old! And, he obviously has no sense of appreciation regarding the thrill of a good and free find!

 

[nayeli]

I have to stop myself too, from not turning everything into an opportunity to improve the garden/chicken setup.

At some you have to draw the line before everyone else sees you as the deranged dame digging and dumpster diving for decomposed debris and dung! Hahaaa!

I saw free rabbit poo on craigslist and I was like FREE POO! My husband laughed and thought I was making fun of the add, until I was like AWE it's too far away! That stuff is gold and my rabbit passed away about a month ago =(

 

[lazy gardener]

You need a new rabbit. You got the cage. You got the worm bin under it. You need the poo. You really need a new rabbit!