Homegrown is the way it should be.......Gardening!

[searchinbig]

[size=20]It's the first day of SPRING!!!!!!!![/size]

Where all my gardeners at?

I took my class on a field trip to an organic farm yesterday.  We got free cabbage seedlings and entered a contest to grow the biggest cabbage.  I got my first load of compost last weekend and I'm planning on going again this weekend and making my final amendments to my front perennial bed before I plant in it.  My tomato seeds came up nicely but my pepper seeds aren't doing as well. I think I may start over on them this weekend. I have snow peas poking above the surface as well as two kinds of greens. I love this stuff!

I'm so glad spring is finally here!

Brother, I'm here! Woke up to snow this am. Freakin' Spring just is being stubborn this year. I got all my seeds lined up. cept my pole beans. Gotta order them from Johnny's yet.

[size=20]C'mon Spring.[/size]

[Penny Lane]

that's what i thought, too. i ended up running in the snow this morning LOL

[mjkoehler]

The area where I have my seeds looks like a rainforest right now as they are tall. I had some loss on the maters but picked up more and those are sprouting nicely. Maters, cucumbers, several kinds of basil, 3 kinds of bells, and 3 or 4 chilis. Plus I looked last night and my rhubarb is coming up nicely and my grapes are budding. I also planted a raspberry plant my friend gave and by fall that thing was several feet tall. I looked and there are tons and little shoots coming up. I must have picked a great place for it.

I have to dig the area up where we are expanding this weekend and lay down the lumber/border. I have to nail up a low fence to keep the rabbits out. My area is seriously like a damn forest. I have insane theiving as squirrels, moles, and a giant pack of foxes. Also, building my rain barrels. My local farm and feed store had these awesome premade ones with spigot and wheels and shit but they want $65 each. I can make one for less then 15. Going the homemade route.

[wharf rat]

I'm here, my man.  I've been home two days now with sick kids.  3 year old has a sinus infection and 7 year old has strep throat!  
We have been able to do some fun stuff, though.  We made pine cone bird feeders.  Spread 'em with some peanut butter, then roll 'em in  bird seed.  We'll hang them up after dinner.  They love that stuff.  We also started some bush beans and peas this morning in their little peat-dome.

[ycartrob]

Ground is broken for White House 'kitchen garden'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090320/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden

[wharf rat]

Awesome.  Thanks, Tracy.  What an awesome lesson for those students to be involved with, as well as the family.  

[mjkoehler]

Foundation for the extension is layed. Need to attach my bean fence so we have another area to grow more green beans. Mmmmm homegrown green beans. Also building my 2 rain barrels. Total cost for the barrels is less then $30.

[TheBigChicken]

Foundation for the extension is layed. Need to attach my bean fence so we have another area to grow more green beans. Mmmmm homegrown green beans. Also building my 2 rain barrels. Total cost for the barrels is less then $30.

sweet ...we love our rain barrel ...my bean plants are looking good as well.. got 2 of those topsy turvy hanging growers and they are rocking

[mjkoehler]

Foundation for the extension is layed. Need to attach my bean fence so we have another area to grow more green beans. Mmmmm homegrown green beans. Also building my 2 rain barrels. Total cost for the barrels is less then $30.

sweet ...we love our rain barrel ...my bean plants are looking good as well.. got 2 of those topsy turvy hanging growers and they are rocking

2 barrels all set as it should rain on Tuesday. Still a little too cool to plant the beans. Those are the only seeds we do not start indoors. We've had good luck that way. We gave up on the hanging tomato basket. Plants got too heavy and would fall out or just break off.

[aMillionDreams]

Ground is broken for White House 'kitchen garden'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090320/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden

That is a beautiful thing, indeed.  Here is a video on the history of White House Gardens.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm8y1oNdmoE[/media]

[TheBigChicken]

Ground is broken for White House 'kitchen garden'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090320/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden

That is a beautiful thing, indeed.  Here is a video on the history of White House Gardens.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm8y1oNdmoE[/media]

that was GREAT

[mjkoehler]

OK, here is the gaden after I tilled and installed the bean fence. Since mother nature is being a biotch right now, nothing is planted.

New part

New part from other side

Old part


Here are the seeds about 2 weeks after starting them

Here they are now.


Oh and here is one of the rain barrels I built. I need to build a stand to get it up off the ground a bit.

[Bigsky]

OK, here is the gaden after I tilled and installed the bean fence. Since mother nature is being a biotch right now, nothing is planted.

New part

New part from other side

Old part


Here are the seeds about 2 weeks after starting them

Here they are now.


Oh and here is one of the rain barrels I built. I need to build a stand to get it up off the ground a bit.

Nice work...I live up in CT, so it's still early spring. I got my seeds going this past week, and I've been turning the dirt. We also have been composting all winter. I like your rain barrel and you do need to get it off the ground for some added water pressure. You also might want to add a screen to it before the water enters the barrel (this will keep all the crap out of it and prevent your hose from getting clogged (that's what she said).
Grow seeds grow...

[Bigsky]

Oh, nice...thanks for the information.

Funny, we live on five acres but I have to grow veggies in pots.  We have too many animals here (deer, rabbits, etc.) and I don't want to have to fence in a garden.

You need some coyote urine...egg shells in the garden help as well. The sulfur hides the smell of the food your growing.

[mjkoehler]

Nice work...I live up in CT, so it's still early spring. I got my seeds going this past week, and I've been turning the dirt. We also have been composting all winter. I like your rain barrel and you do need to get it off the ground for some added water pressure. You also might want to add a screen to it before the water enters the barrel (this will keep all the crap out of it and prevent your hose from getting clogged (that's what she said).
Grow seeds grow...

I like the screen idea. I do have gutter guards up, but they do not block 100% of the crap.

[searchinbig]

Nice work...I live up in CT, so it's still early spring. I got my seeds going this past week, and I've been turning the dirt. We also have been composting all winter. I like your rain barrel and you do need to get it off the ground for some added water pressure. You also might want to add a screen to it before the water enters the barrel (this will keep all the crap out of it and prevent your hose from getting clogged (that's what she said).
Grow seeds grow...

Yup...I live in NYS and I just turned the soil yesterday and added all my compost. Beautiful black stuff!! Still too cold to put the seedlings out. Can't wait.

[ALady]

Ground is broken for White House 'kitchen garden'

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090320/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_garden

That is so cool!

I went to the garden center yesterday with good intentions, but it started snowing while I was there.  Guess spring's not here yet   ;D

[aMillionDreams]

Looking good, MJ!  

I've got 32 tomato seedlings already potted up and 24 peppers seedlings ready to pot up.  I'm starting my sunflowers in the seed sprouter this weekend.  I went to a daylily farm this past weekend and picked up some great hybrids.  Next weekend I'm going to pick up some compost from the Zoo made from composted animal manure.  Looking forward to that, compost is magical stuff.

I also started a worm bin this week.  I received 1000 red wiggler worms in the mail today.  I'm going to keep them as class pets and as a demonstration of decomposition and composting.  Excited about that, too.

[searchinbig]

And so it begins. Got the little guy turning soil a few weeks ago. Still too cold to plant outside.



Gotta keep it fenced for deer, bears etc.  ;)

[aMillionDreams]

And so it begins. Got the little guy turning soil a few weeks ago. Still too cold to plant outside.



Gotta keep it fenced for deer, bears etc.  ;)

Looking good!  Is that a rain barrell I spot in the background?

Garden and gates go hand in hand.   In David Pollan's book Second Nature he has an entire chapter titled "Nature Abhors a Garden" in which he implores all gardeners to embrace the idea of a fenced garden.  I just don't have the money.  I'm just hoping I grow enough to feed us and most of the critters in the neighborhood.