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2012-03-05 5:58 PM

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Master
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Cumming, Georgia
Subject: The BT Garden Thread

My wife and I are trying our first garden this year.  We are going to use 6 4x4 raised beds and see how it goes.  We might be getting a late start for some things down here in Georgia but we are going to give it a go and see what happens.  Seeds were planted today in peat pellets so I can't wait to see them sprout. 

My wife also wants to get 4 chickens (no rooster).  I've confirmed with the county that there is no ordinance against having them as long as they are 25' from the neighbors house.  I have a couple of friends with chickens and for the most part they are quiet. 

Here's day 1:





(Day1.jpg)



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2012-03-06 1:05 AM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

Awesome!  I love gardening.  It's so amazing to me that a little teeny seed with grow a vegetable or flower. 

Last year I got a ton of carrots, peas, beans.  Year before last we had a bumper crop of zucchini, but didn't do so well with that last year.  We also have a bunch of strawberry plants.  I think if we were disciplined, we could make some pie or something, but they just always seem to get eaten as soon as they are ripe!

Good luck with your first year!

2012-03-06 10:27 AM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Lake Norman, NC
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

Chickens are suprisingly easy and nice pets.  We have friends who have about 10.  They're quiet and since you feed them, they don't wander off.  They average 6-9 eggs per day and my friends just give them out.  They're seriously considering selling them at the local farmer's market though.  You have to provide them a proper coop that is built in the proper manner.  You can find plans on the Internet.  Biggest threats are neighborhood cats or wild coyotes (depending on where you live).

Some animals people find strange to keep as "pets".  I have "pet" bats.  North American brown bats that live in a bat-box out back.  They're probably 10 times more effective at mosquito control in the summertime than any spray, candle or CO2 trap.  And their guano is simply the best fertilizer.  Makes the rose bushes explode with color.

 

2012-03-06 10:33 AM
in reply to: #4081711

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Pro
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Omaha, NE
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

my wife is a huge garden nerd and she draws me in a little bit at times.  But being a guy it's all about growing big stuff so I usually steal one of her beds to grow giant pumpkins or something completely impractical but big.

One suggestion on the raised beds is to use 1x6 composite deck boards for your raised bed's.  You don't want to use green treated lumber because it can get in the soil and obviously untreated will only last a year or two.

Also, for the soil setup I think she uses a mixture of perilite, peat moss, and compost for the soil.  It's one advantage of using raised beds is you can make the soil "perfect"

2012-03-06 11:34 AM
in reply to: #4081711

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Elite
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Evergreen, CO
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
I'm so happy it's Garden Thread time!!  My raised beds are still frozen solid, but I need to get busy planning and sprouting.  Hoping to add another 4x12 bed this year and a nice compost bin (as opposed to the flimsy chicken wire mess I have now).  Just renewed my Mother Earth News garden planner subscription Smile
2012-03-06 12:24 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Expert
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Wind Lake WI
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

This is the 3rd year the garden has grown in size. It amazing how much you can harvest from a small garden. The ground is still frozen here, but we're anxious to begin planting.

We also have 3 chickens. They are a blast to watch and fun just to have around in the yard. We get about 18 eggs a week in the summer and it drops to 6-7 a week over the winter.

Finished the incubator last night and plan to start a dozen eggs on Friday. Hopefully I'll have baby chicks in 3 weeks.

Enjoy!



2012-03-06 12:58 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Minnetonka, Minnesota
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Yawn.  Get back to me in May.  I live in MN.....
2012-03-06 1:21 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Champion
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Mine is still a pile of leaves inside a fence at the moment. I may be able to get some onion sets in the ground this weekend, though. I have acquired an old double-pane storm door that I plan to turn into a cold-frame so I can get a jump on things next year.
2012-03-06 1:37 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Somewhere on the Tennessee River
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

I hydro farm now.   Started when I saw the window farming site.   It's grown from there.   I will take some pictures and post them in a day or two.   

Made the move because the dogs rule the backyard.  I don't mind, it's the price I'll gladly pay for unconditional love.

 

Hydroponics is neat and clean and not dirty at all.   There is a learning curve and setting up is the major part.  It also satisfies the mad scientist in me.

I have other ways to play in the dirt so I don't really miss outside gardening. 

Been haunting the dollar stores for cheap seeds.    I'm frugal that way.



Edited by MadMathemagician 2012-03-06 1:39 PM
2012-03-07 1:50 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Charlotte, NC, metro
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

I am so in on this thread!  Started gardening last year when, after DH's retirement from the military and all the related moving, we finally have our own house.  Still pretty new at it, but I don't think I'll get over the thrill the last couple of weeks of pulling up carrots I'd grown from seed and watching flowers emerging from the soil where I'd planted bulbs last fall. 

I did build several 4'x'4'x6" boxes to begin square foot gardening, and I tossed some seeds down last fall just as an experiment.  Nothing happened, and I figured it was too late in the season.  In retrospect, I think it was too hot.  Ignored it most of the winter only to find a few weeks ago that there were little heads of lettuce, broccoli, a ton of carrots, some cilantro, dill, etc.  Hilarious!! 

This past week I've dug out all the beds from teh original growing mixture and relocated the soil to the bed I created on the other side of the house.  In the process now of filling up the raised beds with the "Mel's Mix" soil:  1/3 each of coarse grade vermiculite, peat moss or coconut fiber, and 5+ types of compost.  I start planting fairly soon, so I'm eager to see what happens.

The front walkway of my house is nuts, though.  Squirrels ate all of the daffodils on the left side and all of the hyacinths on the right side of the walk, so now I have the other bulbs growing.  Looks like I planted while drunk.  But it's fun living in the South where I'm watching flowers explode in February!! 

 

And making some popcorn to hear more about hydroponics.  I'm fascinated!!

2012-03-07 2:22 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

alright! so my wife and I just moved into our house last fall and have been busy trimming, cleaning, and working on the inside of the house but now it is just about time to start planting. The previous owner had a little garden plot and a nice strawberry bed. we are going to leave the strawberries for now and hope they bloom and ripen just fine on their own (weeded of course) but we are at a loss for what to plant in the other spot. We live in the Pacific Northwest and the ground is still in the freeze thaw cycle for now. the other issue we have is we live in a very wooded area so the sunlight is not very good (probably only an hour or two of direct sunlight a day.

we are hoping to plant carrots, maybe potatos, and some form of peas/beans/peppers/corn etc but are really not sure what is going to grow best in limited sunlight. any suggestions??? (this is not a raised bed by the way, eventually I am going to do raised beds but for now I am going to work with what we have.)



2012-03-07 3:09 PM
in reply to: #4083249

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Omaha, NE
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
MadMathemagician - 2012-03-06 1:37 PM

I hydro farm now.   Started when I saw the window farming site.   It's grown from there.   I will take some pictures and post them in a day or two.   

Made the move because the dogs rule the backyard.  I don't mind, it's the price I'll gladly pay for unconditional love.

 

Hydroponics is neat and clean and not dirty at all.   There is a learning curve and setting up is the major part.  It also satisfies the mad scientist in me.

I have other ways to play in the dirt so I don't really miss outside gardening. 

Been haunting the dollar stores for cheap seeds.    I'm frugal that way.

This reminds me of when my wife played around with Hydroponics several years ago.  There's a store in town that sells Hydroponic gardening supplies and she went down there.  When she got home she was rather scared because she said she was pretty sure everyone in the store was growing marijuana at home and would not be going back. lol

2012-03-07 7:29 PM
in reply to: #4083202

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Dodge County, MN (out in the corn)
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

ride_like_u_stole_it - 2012-03-06 1:21 PM Mine is still a pile of leaves inside a fence at the moment. I may be able to get some onion sets in the ground this weekend, though. I have acquired an old double-pane storm door that I plan to turn into a cold-frame so I can get a jump on things next year.

Talk to me about how to use a storm door as a cold frame. We have an old door hanging around. We also have an old glass shower surround. I would love to find something to do with this junk that's hanging around in my garage.

2012-03-14 8:05 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Cumming, Georgia
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Things were looking good then today most of my sprouts fell over . I was hoping to move them to the garden this weekend but it looks like they may die. I guess I'll skip the peat pellets and try planting straight into the beds?
2012-03-14 9:01 PM
in reply to: #4096768

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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
csharp1171 - 2012-03-14 8:05 PM

Things were looking good then today most of my sprouts fell over . I was hoping to move them to the garden this weekend but it looks like they may die. I guess I'll skip the peat pellets and try planting straight into the beds?


Rats! Do you know why they fell over? Did you take off the clear plastic lid once the sprouts came up? Do they have enough water, and are you watering from the bottom up? When is your last frost date? I just finished starting the rest of my indoor seeds a few days ago, but I am up in zone 5 and won't be out of danger from frost for at least another month or maybe longer.
2012-03-14 9:08 PM
in reply to: #4081711

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Master
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Cumming, Georgia
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
I followed the instructions but it sounds like they "dampened off". I did notice a strange web like material growing inside the container just before I took the lid off. I'm in Georgia so I think I'm all clear for frost. That's why I'm thinking I plant the seeds in the garden instead of messing with those peat pellets. Does anyone have any thoughts on peat pellets versus planting the seeds outside?


2012-03-14 9:19 PM
in reply to: #4096886

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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
I think the only reason you'd need to start indoors is if your growing season isn't long enough. If you are already past the last frost date and temps are not dropping below 50 degrees at night you could probably go ahead and start them outdoors. I've never done this because it wouldn't give plants around here enough time to grow and start producing though.
2012-03-14 9:44 PM
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Denver, CO
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

Guess you could call what I have a "garden" although its only purposes are to look pretty, keep the pollinators happy, and keep me sane. All important, I know, but not as overtly productive as veggies, etc.

My yard's all xeriscaped (low-water) and chemical-free, so I spend most of my gardening time weeding and trimming stuff. Couldn't do much last year due to injuries and it drove me bonkers. Now I'm almost 4 wks post-hip surgery, it's 70 degrees, everything's starting to sprout and I have Spring Fever like you wouldn't believe. Might break down and do a little raking this weekend or buy a flat of pansies to tide me over until I can be more active.

Tried to attach a pic but can't figure out how. Just use your imagination to create the garden of your dreams. I'm sure it'll far surpass the reality but what the heck.



Edited by laffinrock 2012-03-14 9:54 PM
2012-03-15 8:00 AM
in reply to: #4081711

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Elite
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Now that I finally have my own house, I will have my own garden too. We have been clearing the grass, it was a foreclosure and the yard was just tall weeds. I've got probably 2/3 cleared and will be putting up 5 garden beds. 3 are 3'x12' and 2 are 6'x12. I am also clearing a smallish plot to put my pumpkin/cucumber/watermelon/squash patch. I'm hoping to get finished this weekend and will post pics when I'm all set up. We already have seedlings going in our house.
2012-03-24 9:12 AM
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Here are some pics of what I have going so far! I haven't planted anything outside yet because even though it hasn't dropped below freezing in several weeks, the next 6 weeks are still game for freezing weather.

Here is a pic of my indoor growing station. I started lots of onions from seeds. This is my first year doing that, and I know I'm doing it rather unconventionally but I figured if it doesn't work out then I'll just buy sets. There is still plenty of time. I have some tomatoes, hot peppers, and some herbs too. I tried planting some old flower seeds I had but so far those aren't working out. Oh and also all the seeds I planted (except for the onions) were 3 years old. I used the same seed packets I used when planting my first garden. It's amazing to me that they are still so viable!

This is the asparagus bed I put in 3 years ago. This is the first year I can really harvest from it so I am pretty excited! Only a few spears poking up so far but it's gonna be awesome.

The chives are just going insane. When I planted them I didn't realize they come back year after year, otherwise I never would have planted so much of them. I dug up some last year but those spots have already filled back in!

And last, trusty reliable rhubarb.

Edited by brynn 2012-03-24 9:16 AM




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2012-03-24 08.48.55.jpg (47KB - 32 downloads)
2012-03-24 08.51.38.jpg (63KB - 36 downloads)
2012-03-24 08.51.54.jpg (71KB - 36 downloads)
2012-03-24 08.52.14.jpg (66KB - 39 downloads)
2012-03-26 3:13 PM
in reply to: #4085667

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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
rowdypaint - 2012-03-07 7:29 PM

ride_like_u_stole_it - 2012-03-06 1:21 PM Mine is still a pile of leaves inside a fence at the moment. I may be able to get some onion sets in the ground this weekend, though. I have acquired an old double-pane storm door that I plan to turn into a cold-frame so I can get a jump on things next year.

Talk to me about how to use a storm door as a cold frame. We have an old door hanging around. We also have an old glass shower surround. I would love to find something to do with this junk that's hanging around in my garage.

Right now, it's just propped against the stone wall, facing south. It's been so warm that I really don't need it yet. I have back-burner-ed the project.

Put down onions, garlic, spinach, lettuce, collards, and some euro-greens. I believe I'm going to try for the rest of the plants this weekend. Tomatoes, squash, cukes, peppers, and basil.



2012-03-28 12:01 PM
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Master
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White Oak, Texas
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

This year I started Square foot gardening and am building a new greenhouse ill try to post some pictures tonight

 

2012-03-28 12:05 PM
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Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

brynn - 2012-03-24 8:12 AM Here are some pics of what I have going so far! I haven't planted anything outside yet because even though it hasn't dropped below freezing in several weeks, the next 6 weeks are still game for freezing weather. Here is a pic of my indoor growing station. I started lots of onions from seeds. This is my first year doing that, and I know I'm doing it rather unconventionally but I figured if it doesn't work out then I'll just buy sets. There is still plenty of time. I have some tomatoes, hot peppers, and some herbs too. I tried planting some old flower seeds I had but so far those aren't working out. Oh and also all the seeds I planted (except for the onions) were 3 years old. I used the same seed packets I used when planting my first garden. It's amazing to me that they are still so viable! This is the asparagus bed I put in 3 years ago. This is the first year I can really harvest from it so I am pretty excited! Only a few spears poking up so far but it's gonna be awesome. The chives are just going insane. When I planted them I didn't realize they come back year after year, otherwise I never would have planted so much of them. I dug up some last year but those spots have already filled back in! And last, trusty reliable rhubarb.

 

That's awesome. I think we are planting chive's this year so I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

2012-03-31 3:51 PM
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Elite
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Boise
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread
Does anyone here use rain barrels? My wife wants us to get some but I just wonder about how much use they actually are.
2012-04-01 2:00 PM
in reply to: #4122375

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Elite
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Reno
Subject: RE: The BT Garden Thread

JoshR - 2012-03-31 3:51 PM Does anyone here use rain barrels? My wife wants us to get some but I just wonder about how much use they actually are.

I would - if it actually rained here....

That's awesome. I think we are planting chive's this year so I'll be sure to keep that in mind..

0they multiply, spread, and the seeds blow everwhere, and multiply and spread;...

 

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