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Post by dg on Jun 29, 2010 19:39:11 GMT -5
Hey Jim:
This year I am growing my garden on my sundeck, since I can't defend the garden plot from the groundhogs. I bought 7 18 gallon plastic tubs at $6 each from Home Depot, punched some holes in the bottoms, filled them with garden soil and potting soil, and planted 2 tomato plants per pot. Some are nearly as tall as me now, and some of the first cherries are ripe. Thirteen varieties in all (red, yellow and orange).
I would have taken a photo today to add, but the camera battery was dead. (recharging it now) Photos tomorrow.
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Post by bankedout on Jun 29, 2010 19:45:59 GMT -5
Excellent! I have always wanted to try that.
This year with moving I was way behind in putting them in. Basically I just dug holes in my lawn about the size of 5 gallon buckets and dropped in the small plants I purchased at the local plant dealer. They took a while to get settled, but now they seem healthy. However they are behind where they should be for this time of the year.
This is my first experience with sandy soil. I'm living in the former Wisconsin river valley. Previously my soil was clay based. Anyway it is very easy to work this soil. I have planted rasberries, blackberries, blueberries, tomatoes, basil, sweet peppers, cucumbers, and broccoli. I guess this year is experimental. I plan to do it right next year.
With the container gardening, I bet you don't have to worry about weeds very much. Also pretty easy to water I imagine.
Thanks for sharing your results and please keep me informed.
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Post by dg on Jun 30, 2010 13:26:17 GMT -5
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Post by bankedout on Jun 30, 2010 19:47:58 GMT -5
Wow, they look great! Very healthy and far along for this time of year. Has it been extra warm in your neck of the woods since you planted? Did you get an early start?
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Post by dg on Jun 30, 2010 20:40:37 GMT -5
yes and yes. I started the plants (as 9 inch tall plants from Home Depot) for 4 of the seven large containers nearly a month ago. The last three during the last two weeks. It was kind of a last minute decision since I initially had decided not to even try for any garden this year. Ground hogs had totally destroyed my basic gardens each of the past 3 years; and I was tired of wasting time and money for zero results.
I also have pots of herbs and salad greens out there that I have been using for more than 2 months. Time for me to tear out and replant the salad greens pots. I may also plant some cukes.
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Post by dg on Jul 13, 2010 11:24:26 GMT -5
RATS! the f***ing ground hog found a way around my gate onto the sun deck and wiped out my lettuce beds and broccoli plants. I have since modified my blockade of the sun deck stairs. So far so good. Additionally, my high powered air soft machine gun is fully loaded, battery charged and standing by. I suspect that with my gate at the top of the stairs, it was able to maneuver around the gate and through the deck rail openings. I therefore moved the gate halfway down the stairs and blocked all passages around it. If groundhogs can climb like cats or chipmonks, it won't help; but I don't think that they can. I'm using the remains of the lettuce beds as bait (and indication of a return visit). I hate groundhogs!
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Post by bankedout on Jul 13, 2010 19:13:28 GMT -5
Not good! My garden is starting to take off now. Early on I had problems with rabbits and my broccoli plants, but since I put the fence up I have been OK.
Good luck to you.
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Post by dg on Sept 7, 2010 11:26:35 GMT -5
Now it's september. Just look at this one of seven tomato container gardens. Those fruits are 2-1/2 to 3 inches across. What a yield! (two plants per 18 gallon pot). I think I'm sold on container gardening. NO WEEDING. CONVENIENT MOVABLE GARDEN. NO GROUNDHOGS!
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Post by bankedout on Sept 7, 2010 16:38:21 GMT -5
Those look excellent! Were the containers in the garden section of Home Depot? $6 for an 18 gallon sounds like a good deal. I would like to try this next year. If you have a photo of the container, that would be great if you could post it.
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Post by dg on Sept 8, 2010 10:39:16 GMT -5
bankedout:
Yes; but they are sold as rubbish containers. I punched four small holes in the bottoms for drainage. I will take a photo later today and post it.
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Post by dg on Sept 8, 2010 13:06:18 GMT -5
here is the photo with a standard coffee mug for comparison ....
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Post by bankedout on Sept 8, 2010 14:01:20 GMT -5
Thanks dg! I'll try to find them at my local Home Depot.
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Post by bankedout on Sept 23, 2010 9:53:44 GMT -5
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Post by dg on Sept 23, 2010 11:02:09 GMT -5
I will have to get that book. But I will tell right now that you can't grow summer type crops in my region in the winter using unheated greenhouses. (and your climate almost perfectly matches mine in NH). When it gets below zero with 20 mph winds my greenhouse is well below 32 degrees at night (although nice during sunny days). You need heaters to get through the winter nights, even if you have tons of water storage for thermal moderation and an insulated solar design like I have.
Other things to know: tomatoes of your favorite variety will look perfect but be tasteless and mushy in texture if grown in a greenhouse. Hot peppers will be mild like bell peppers. And eventually, slugs will get started and ruin everything. At least that's been my experience.
I say thank GOD for grocery supermarkets! HE HE HE
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Post by bankedout on Sept 23, 2010 19:20:28 GMT -5
No, you can't grow warm weather crops. They are in zone 5, the same as me.
They have portable greenhouses made out of plastic sheeting and a frame structure. Inside they have wire cages that hold crop cover material over the rows. Kind of like a greenhouse within a greenhouse. They say this gets them to a zone 8 equivalent.
They have grown about 30 different cold weather crops. They say that the food actually tastes better grown outdoors in winter.
A cool thing that happens is on cold nights the leaves get a layer of ice on them. It looks like everything is destroyed. But within a few hours even on a cloudy day, all is warmed up and everything looks great.
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