Raised Bed Gardening - Cement Blocks > Greenhouse!

[DrkAngel]

New page!
Will try to be careful to reduce picture size.
Present forum format allowed extreme picture size for high definition but sloooww page loading.

2022 posts start here

Garden overview shows beds for families to the top.
Pantry produce near center and High Tunnel, also for Pantry distribution, at the bottom.

Family beds have ~1200sq/ft of growing beds.
Pantry beds has well over 800sq/ft of raised beds and well over 200sq/ft of raised fence beds for 1000sq/ft ++.
High Tunnel has 400sq/ft of growing bed.

 

[calab]

Gardening is an expensive hobby, I seen the bill from the garden nursery I could have gotten a new battery from Grin

 

[e-beach]

Gardening is an expensive hobby, I seen the bill from the garden nursery I could have gotten a new battery from Grin

Do you have a garden. Show us your garden.

 

[calab]

Garden right now is pretty bare, since we are coming out of the cold winter. The receipts are yet to be. Basically 2 garage light hangar plants, a main floor patio tomato type deal with raised garden 3'x7' two of those. Then planters on the walkout patio. The front garden is 5'x10'
Plants are expensive

Gardening is an expensive hobby, I seen the bill from the garden nursery I could have gotten a new battery from Grin

Do you have a garden. Show us your garden.

 

[e-beach]

.....
Plants are expensive

There is a time investment in gardening, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Going grocery shopping is a time investment as well, not to mention the gas if your are burning it.

So I say Seeds, seeds and more seeds! They are cheap considering the money you save compared to purchasing store bought produce. Can even grow fruit trees from seed if you got the spot for them to grow. I have 6 fruit trees that I started from seeds. Then, compost, compost and more compost! Composting worms are expensive but they reproduce if treated properly and make a lot more worms.

If you don't have much space to grow, maybe you can get some ideas from this family. I have been over to their house a few times. They started very modestly and now have a really interesting place that feeds them and others.

https://www.urbanhomestead.org/

 

[calab]

It is a pleasurable hobby for some that makes the house look good, Costco will be the receipt printers this season in the coming month or 2.
For me, fake grass and fake plants is good enough along with fake fruit in a bowl on the table or counter.

There are hydroponic gardens that are renting commercial space to grow food, its crazy.

What would be cool is to own a big ass farm and hire people to work it. I wonder how many cuts of meat and burger paddies one can get from one cow, milk is an option if I drank it, but could sell it. I heard Texas is one place you can sell meat and milk without FDA approval.

 

[tomjasz]

rototill

An unfortunate practice when used willy nilly. Mind you not a criticism. Just the result of microscope time counting and identifying beneficial bacteria and fungal populations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiAFrSEryek

 

[CONSIDERABLE SHOUTING]

rototill

An unfortunate practice when used willy nilly. Mind you not a criticism. Just the result of microscope time counting and identifying beneficial bacteria and fungal populations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiAFrSEryek

Odd question, but I'm about to make new beds in a new region of my yard and the soil I'm using is going to be a mix of composted material, leaf mold, soil from planter beds, and packaged stuff. Any way Ya'll know how I can get the soil as healthy as possible this year without making compost tea? I can look at Darkangle's past posts to see how, but I just don't know if I have the time to do so.

My hope is, that said mix along with mulching will work really well.

 

[DrkAngel]

Worked on the High Tunnel today, concentrated on revamping the water collection system.

Plastic sheet replaced with aluminum coil stock.

Boxing tape replaced with exterior grade tape.



Rainwater from high Tunnel roof transitions over tape down aluminum flashing into J channel that directs it into 250 gallon cube for irrigation.



Getting prepped for seed starting and planting.



Leftover Onions, Garlic, Cilantro and Parsley.



Fall planted Garlic grew through the Winter.



Ready for seed starting, mulch for Garlic and Oregano recovering.



Panted Radishes and Dill. Will be planting Lettuce, Beets, Peas and more Radishes this weekend, mostly in HT.

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... Week -6 of 2022 "growing season"

Got a lot done Saturday:
Open house April 2 and 9, noon till?

Getting green already


Onions and Radishes growing


Tomatoes, Peppers, flowers etc. started
Probe measures 75℉ with 1 60w incandescent as heat. LEDs provide minimal warmth.


Stand up beds cleared and prepped


Pantry beds "prepped"
Beds 1 and 3 are covered with Nasturtium vines, smothering any weed growth. Will pull off just before planting.


Fence bed nicely weeded, will add compost to all beds and rototill before planting.


Tomato beds about ready


Rhubarb and Strawberry beds have been rejuvenated!


Rhubarb
Grew visibly during the day


Family beds to be prepped by their own caretakers, some already got started


This years compost is in the rear, the dark rich rectangle, freshly rototilled.


Caught a cold, or something, so will be puttering around inside, getting better for this Saturdays Garden Open House.

 

[Hillhater]

How/what do you get a rototil into those raised beds ?

 

[DrkAngel]

How/what do you get a rototil into those raised beds ?

Have a friend help me lift it up, (24" gas rototiller), then I can run round all the beds.
Will tip the Tomato towers into next beds, then back up.

April
1. Clear last 2 beds
2. Roll up soaker hose irrigation
3. add Fall of 2020 compost to all beds
4. Rototill
5. re-lay irrigation
6. Plant some Radishes, Beets, Carrots, Peas, Lettuce, Cilantro, Parsley etc.

Also have a 12" electric rototiller for some small or awkward beds.

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... Week -5
1 week after open house-planting party.

Rhubarb really taking off


1 week from seeds into soil!
Top shelf is Peppers
Center shelf Tomatoes
Bottom shelf, Flowers, Squashes and Melons


Composted all beds, planted Onion sets and Beets in far end, on right, bed.

Hooked up rainwater collection and watered all populated beds.
Watering system includes:
Timed soaker hoses (not initialized yet);
Sprinkler can fill (siphon hose);
Watering hose (moderate pressure);
Clear siphon hose (only used as water level meter);
ps covered water cube with 2 layers of black ground cover fabric, to block light, paint chipping off.

On the right, base of the second bed is Tenacious P, Parsley plant that survived the Winter and is prospering on the bits of dust and dirt that trickled between the carpet and the ground cover fabric.


Radishes and Onions doing well.
Foreground Radishes at 2 weeks,
Left, behind package, at 1 week.

 

[Matt Gruber]

Hi guys,
with fertilizer prices going up fast, i found one low price with 6 flavors 10-10-10-5-10-3
My beach sand needs everything except the calcium - last at 3%
I had a nearly dead broccoli = leaves looked horrible, i was going to pull it out, but i tried it 2-4-22 and a month later the new leaves look beautiful Arizona Best All Purpose 10-10-10 but check the label see 3 more.
get it from homedepot or ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/185366739933?hash=item2b28b7fbdd:g:qm0AAOSw~eViRwmb
i took a paper punch and punched 1 leaf on each plant so i can see that it got some. i'm not doing all the plants.
reports say if it needs lots of nitrogen, it likely needs the sulfur.
iron oxide helps with stress.

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... Week -4
2 weeks after open house-planting party.

Progressing nicely.


No spectacular gr8wth, just getting started.
Did put a fresh battery in the clock.


Radishes at 2 (left) and 3 (right) weeks. Basil transplants suffering a bit. What doesen't kill you makes you stronger?


Rhubarb ... Rhubarbing?

 

[CONSIDERABLE SHOUTING]

Rhubarbening, is the term.

 

[nicobie]

Tidy garden

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... Week -3

Beds cleared and ready for compost. Wrapped up soaker hoses to prevent any rototiller mishaps.


Rhubarb progressing nicely and added additional "everbearing" Strawberry plants.

Who is the sicko ... inviting rabbits into the garden?


Some plants not optimized for grow tower so, moved into HT with partial shade. (under bench)


Onions and Beets coming along.


Radishes will be ready for harvest next week, pulling Cilantro as fast as I can, guess I'll be drying some. Transplanting Parsley to ... everywhere.


Just had to add this.


Rogue pilot doing doughnut around cloud!

Just got lost?
GPS system fluctuations to make Russian missiles miss Ukrainian targets. Noticed my phone (gps) map-tracking was off by 100+ feet!

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... 2022 Week -2


Ornamental gardening?


Onions already flowering!
High Tunnel climate alteration?


Moved some seedlings into protected HT.


Onions and Beets.


Harvested the 1st pounds of Radishes today.


Need to transplant Sunflowers, Nasturtiums and Dill.


Rhubarb doing nicely.
Tire wil be cut in half for rounded endcaps of 4' wide block bed.


Lucky Bee found the Pansies in the High Tunnel for it's 1st meal.

 

[DrkAngel]

.
... Supplement

Forecast is urging us to plant early.


Added compost and rototilled in.

Heavy vibration loosened motor bolts, lost 2. Will replace tomorrow.


Soil mostly prepped, forecast looks good ... will likely be planting Monday.


Rhubarb doing nicely, 1st flowers on Strawberry plants.
Rhubarb already flowering!?

 

[calab]

You really get shit done, me's like's
I rode by Lowes, hangar planter fifty bones
Indeed, fresh garden/flower smells are wonderful.

I hope to go to the famous gardens on Vancouver Island and hopefully Justin can have walk-in customers by then (on the mainland).
I will have to enquire by email, cant say, I want it first

 

[DrkAngel]

Someone caught me "in the act".

 

[nicobie]

Someone caught me "in the act".

Nothing prettier than a fresh tilled row ready for seed.

 

[gobi]

Bunnies, yeah those cute furry animals, I tried to plant stuff in my little backyard, these vegan animals keep chewing up right at the base of the newly planted stuff.

Any ideas on keeping em out of my vege patch?

 

[CONSIDERABLE SHOUTING]

Someone caught me "in the act".

YOOOO Grandad's got guns!