It's time ~ the garden goes from hobby to necessity

**Spirit Deer** · 02-28-2012, 11:39 PM

Our vets told us they're seeing a lot of tick-borne illnesses this WINTER. That was the first thing they tested for when we took our sick dog in last week.

Keep in mind we are in northern Minnesota.

We've already started Frontlining our dogs and cat.

**pollypurebred39** · 02-29-2012, 12:57 AM

The mention of ticks makes me nervous. My DH was infected twice last gardening season and he has not looked good since. He's aged from it, I swear, you can see it all over him.

So I pulled up a Q & A page from our favorite garden supply place. I thought it might be of some interest to some here on this thread.

<b>Let’s Tackle Ticks!</b>

**valerian** · 02-29-2012, 09:35 AM

I have a much bigger garden this year. It's been tilled, weeded, and planted. So far I've put in mustard greens, two kinds of turnips, onion, potatoes, and sugar snap peas, but I have more to plant later. I'll be adding tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, cowpeas, peppers (various kinds), cukes, brussel sprouts,yellow squash, spaghetti squash, pumpkins, and possibly watermelon. I have plans for three seasons of plantings til the fall. We still have a chance of frost so I can't plant anything else til April.

By the way, you can plant potatoes in used tires. My Dad has done that several times. I have mine planted in a raised bed.

**Labontet** · 02-29-2012, 10:59 AM

I went out and took some pics of our "Green Acres" just to watch the progression.

Picture 1 shows our ground crop: Blackeyes (cowpeas) and squash then our raised beds.

Picture 2 shows the raised beds with a little fig tree in the front.

Picture 3 shows our little banana tree. The ground around it marked by the water hose will be tilled up today to be able to transplant the herbs to when they get big enough.

Picture 4 shows our rain barrel. Not sure if it is good enough but it looks ok. We put screening on the top so I am not sure if that is ok or not.

Also, note the clothes hanging out on the line. Yeah!

**Spirit Deer** · 02-29-2012, 11:26 AM

Love the table gardens. I want to make some more of those myself.

Check into whether or not it's safe to use your roof run-off water to water veggies. You may prefer to use that water only for flowers. There is a lot of info online.

**Labontet** · 02-29-2012, 11:33 AM

Thanks SD. I thought about the roof runoff when we were installing it, but have not thought about it any more. I do need to go into the websites and read up on rain barrels further. Thanks for reminding me. I hope all the hard work installing guttering, etc was not in vain. Hmmmmmm.

**Labontet** · 02-29-2012, 12:21 PM

Thanks again SD.
According to an article (that I can't get to attach on this thread) DO NOT use roof runoff on fruits and vegetables.

Trees and flowers, OK. Vegetables and fruit, NOT OK.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-29-2012, 03:26 PM

That was why we ultimately decided against a catchment system.

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-29-2012, 08:53 PM

It rained like crazy last night and the ground was a soggy mess this morning. No tilling for sure.

Later this afternoon I went out and spread peat moss on the tilled & un-tilled beds. I used up what I had from last year and need more. But I put on my thinking cap on how to not have to buy anything. I went in and called the local rabbit rescue and asked them if I could have some POOP and they said "sure, take ALL the POOP you want" - woohoo! (Actually I started looking for horse manure but the rabbit rescue is in more dire need to get rid of THEIR poop so I am taking theirs)... (and YES, I researched rabbit poop for the garden and decomposed (not fresh) is excellent. And they have plenty of decomposed they said.

Then I weeded & tidied up some beds that used to house shrubs and flowers that are going to become edible beds this year. Every bed is going to work this year.

Tomorrow after work I am going to get my POOP! (Never thought I would be so excited about POOP)...But now I don't have to buy any peat....weeee.....

**sabrelvssammy** · 02-29-2012, 10:26 PM

I just learned a new planting trick and I am so excited about it!

I have a really hard time when the new seedlings are coming up telling which is the plant and what are weeds. So I am sure when I am weeding that I am pulling half the seedlings back up (ok, ok - I told you I was a challenged gardener)...

Here's what I am going to do:

I posted about the home made seed tapes. They will give me my straight lines when I plant. Then the rest of the bed will be covered in a thin layer of newspaper (except for the seed lines) and then covered with a thin layer of topsoil. Then the weeks cannot come up and the paper will eventually decompose and all I am left with is little baby seedlings.

How easy is that....

**ladytoysdream** · 03-01-2012, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by sabrelvssammy

I posted about the home made seed tapes. They will give me my straight lines when I plant. Then the rest of the bed will be covered in a thin layer of newspaper (except for the seed lines) and then covered with a thin layer of topsoil. Then the weeks cannot come up and the paper will eventually decompose and all I am left with is little baby seedlings.

Use several layers of newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with straw or grass clippings. If you put a thin layer of topsoil on top of the newspaper, then it is possible to get weeds on top of your newspaper layer. I been picking the brains of two people I know who have wonderful productive gardens locally.

**Mr Fixit** · 03-01-2012, 08:16 AM

I plan on starting my garden in about three weeks, and I am going to get lot's of horse poop, because here in Northern Ohio there is lot's of clay. The clay gives everything a wonderful flavor, but it doesn't drain well and some plants does not grow well in it without compost and other nutrients.
We really enjoy our garden. The girls use it as an excuse to get a tan because they wear their swimsuits to pick beans, tomatoes, squash, and whatever else I plant. I do the weeding while they do the picking, and I enjoy the scenery!

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-01-2012, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by ladytoysdream

Use several layers of newspaper. Then cover the newspaper with straw or grass clippings. If you put a thin layer of topsoil on top of the newspaper, then it is possible to get weeds on top of your newspaper layer. I been picking the brains of two people I know who have wonderful productive gardens locally.

Thanks! That makes sense.

**freebs** · 03-01-2012, 08:41 AM

I think the not using the rain water that you collected on your plants is all gonna depend on what kind of roof material you have. We have metal roofing so no reason not to use it. In fact that is all i have used so far to get my seeds started this year.

Also for the pp that had the raised garden tables what do you have for bottoms in them??? TIA

**Spirit Deer** · 03-01-2012, 10:55 AM

Roofing material is one part of the concern with using roof run-off. There are other factors such as pollution. Anything that lands on the roof is going to go into the water, and then into the plants and into the food.

We used old doors for the bottom of our table gardens. Doubt they'll last as long as good sturdy 2x lumber. Don't use anything pressure treated.