Gardening / Homesteading

[The Guy In Pants]

Not sure how many of you are interested.

 

After years of planting a garden in the local clay/soil and not having the best harvests even with composting and attempts to make the soil more organic, I have decided to use raised beds this year. I have plenty of room around the house for the garden to be large but; I decided on Square Foot Gardening after reading a lot about it. I made the lot 40'x20'.

 

I have access to hundreds of free untreated wood pallets. Lumber prices are pretty high so I am building raised beds out of them. The are 8’ x 4’ x 16” and treated with lin sealed oil. I bought 7 tons of organic compost soil mixture from a local gardening company. I have added wire mesh to the bottom to keep the burrowing animals at bay. I will be filling with leaves and dead tree limbs about 4 inches and then adding 12 inches of soil, compost and peat moss mixture. I will be growing my vining plants verticals with a string trellis concept.

 

I am also constructing a fence to go around the garden. Temporary as we are in process of purchasing land and probably be building within the next couple years. The fence is 4 feet high with a top and bottom rail spaced 34 inches apart to allow me to staple 36” cattle fencing to the wood. I will add an electrified top wire. I have a gate at each end; wide enough to get the tractor through with the trailer.

 

It's all a work in process but my goal is to be more self reliant and can more. I am planning on growing year round. Below is a list of crops I am planning on and I have already started the ones which transplant well.

 

Potatoes

Bunch onion

Jumbo Onion

Spinach

Beets

Corn

Cantaloup

2 kinds of tomatoes

Broccoli

Peppers

Brussel Sprouts

Lettuce

Cabbage

Carrots

Squash

Zucchini

Cucumber

Snap Peas

Pole Beans

Basil

Thyme

Chives

Garlic

 

I’ve been growing peaches, raspberries, black berries and blue berries for a couple years now. Love it. I am collecting rain water now as well. 

 

 

For those who are not familiar with square foot gardening; it’s a neat concept. If anyone is interested to discuss; lets do it. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by The Guy In Pants

[The Guy In Pants]

https://flic.kr/p/2kLcnAj

 

https://flic.kr/p/2kLcMux

 

https://flic.kr/p/2kLcMF4

 

[Ann]

I'm getting itchy. I container garden these days, and in the past I have grown these herbs and vegetables (and sunflowers) in containers:
 

•  Basil
• Chamomile
• Oregano
• Parsley
• Sage
• Spearmint
• Thyme
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Roma Tomatoes
• Cucumbers
• Green Beans
• Lettuce
• Mustard Greens
• Peas
• Peppers (on so many varieties of peppers!)
• Red Lettuce
• Red Onions
• Spinach
• Snow Peas
• Sunflowers
• Yellow Wax Beans

This year will be different as we plan to travel in the summer - something we have not done since hubby retired.  I plant using earth boxes + regular open garden pots. The earth boxes are fabulous when I am home as they provide a "just right" amount of water.  During the heat of the summer those boxes need to be filled daily. I am mulling over what I want to do. I have a garden tower that has a drip system so that one is easy, as well as the pots replying on rain water with someone coming over every five days to supplement.

I also have a plethora of flowers in hanging baskets and potted plants.

Instead of hiring a pet sitter, looks like I'll be hiring a garden waterer. 😛
 

 

[mead107]

2 tomato plants. 
 

maybe couple squash plants 

 

[CarpetCrawler]

Good luck to you, I wish I had the energy to do something like that too....but I don't. You'll need even better luck keeping the woodchucks out, they'll dig under your fence.

[Just Joshin]

On 3/17/2021 at 8:10 PM, CarpetCrawler said:

Good luck to you, I wish I had the energy to do something like that too....but I don't. You'll need even better luck keeping the woodchucks out, they'll dig under your fence.

You will need live traps for the possums, raccoons and woodchuck plus a .22 pistol.

[Foxx]

Will be starting my tomato seedlings today. And with the nice weather that is forecast for the coming week, building a work bench in the greenhouse I rebuilt last year.

[Foxx]

Pretty neat.

https://twitter.com/Gabriele_Corno/status/1372839411449217025

 

[Ann]

7 hours ago, Just Joshin said:

You will need live traps for the possums, raccoons and woodchuck plus a .22 pistol.

This area could be an episode of chipmunks gone wild. Before we called in the exterminator, we trapped using havahart traps and relocated the chipmunks to a field a few miles away. Until one night, a skunk was trapped...

 

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, Ann said:

This area could be an episode of chipmunks gone wild. Before we called in the exterminator, we trapped using havahart traps and relocated the chipmunks to a field a few miles away. Until one night, a skunk was trapped...

 

Speaking of chipmunks...

 

I had an estimate Thursday for a kind of unique roof/ceiling issue. The homeowner is describing the problem to me and I ask him if he minds if I go outside to have a look at the chimney and the flashing around it. I go out and as I go out I see, or at least thought I saw this string on the ground move. I take a step forward and sure enough it become taught and the end it obscured by a small piece of plywood on the ground. I proceed out further and see that he has caught a chipmunk.

 

He comes out and discovers the caught chipmunk, explains that they have a chipmunk issue and disappears back into the garage. He returns with a flat shovel. I knew what he was going to do, but it took 5/6 jabs to cut the poor rodents head off. He apologized, and I know he wasn't wanting to be inept at the killing but, I had wished I hadn't asked to go outside.

[Foxx]

Unfortunately, I did not get to start those seedlings today (tomorrow for sure!). I started working outside and by the time I got done, my knees were screaming pretty loud. Will have to make sure I do it before heading outside tomorrow.

[Just Joshin]

22 hours ago, Ann said:

This area could be an episode of chipmunks gone wild. Before we called in the exterminator, we trapped using havahart traps and relocated the chipmunks to a field a few miles away. Until one night, a skunk was trapped...

 

Yup the worst.  Usually the best method is to get a blanket over the cage.  They are less scared and if they do spray, then at least there is a barrier.

 

We caught one last year and were going to wait until evening to blanket it.  Went out and already dead.  It still sprayed but less than when angry.  I am not advocating torturing skunks btw.

[Ann]

16 minutes ago, Just Joshin said:

Yup the worst.  Usually the best method is to get a blanket over the cage.  They are less scared and if they do spray, then at least there is a barrier.

 

We caught one last year and were going to wait until evening to blanket it.  Went out and already dead.  It still sprayed but less than when angry.  I am not advocating torturing skunks btw.

That was how hubby got to it to let it out... a blanket, quick unlatching of the cage, and he ran. LOL

 

[Foxx]

[CarpetCrawler]

On 3/20/2021 at 6:26 PM, Foxx said:

Speaking of chipmunks...

 

I had an estimate Thursday for a kind of unique roof/ceiling issue. The homeowner is describing the problem to me and I ask him if he minds if I go outside to have a look at the chimney and the flashing around it. I go out and as I go out I see, or at least thought I saw this string on the ground move. I take a step forward and sure enough it become taught and the end it obscured by a small piece of plywood on the ground. I proceed out further and see that he has caught a chipmunk.

 

He comes out and discovers the caught chipmunk, explains that they have a chipmunk issue and disappears back into the garage. He returns with a flat shovel. I knew what he was going to do, but it took 5/6 jabs to cut the poor rodents head off. He apologized, and I know he wasn't wanting to be inept at the killing but, I had wished I hadn't asked to go outside.

 

Copper wool packed (not too tightly) in voids and crevasses have taken care of any chipmunk problem I ever had. Works for mice too, and bats, but luckily I've never had to deal with them.

[The Guy In Pants]

I finished most of the pallet fence this weekend. I still need to finish sealing the wood and adding the gate latches. It's nice to turn things that would have ultimately been thrown out and ran through a grinder before becoming mulch; into something useful for us.

 

Also built two 16x36 raised beds out of another pallet for my raspberry and blackberry bushes. I am going to be moving them into the fenced in area to keep the deer from going crazy again this year. They're not gentle when they tear into that shit.

 

I would move my blueberries but they are already at early pink bud so no longer dormant. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by The Guy In Pants

[The Guy In Pants]

On 3/17/2021 at 9:10 PM, CarpetCrawler said:

Good luck to you, I wish I had the energy to do something like that too....but I don't. You'll need even better luck keeping the woodchucks out, they'll dig under your fence.

 

Deer cause the most damage for me. They're not gentle when they partake. LOL!

 

Also, more and more of societies retarded individuals drive out to our area and dispose of their unwanted pets; I've gained quite the battalion of pissed off cats. Each day, I find moles; squirrels and birds strewn from the back 40 to my driveway ranging from grotesque honor killing where just the head is gnawed off like the Catfather became enraged to the heralded buffet leaving only the indigestible innards for the peasants to finish off.

 

Willy and Caroline are the two who have been around the longest. 

 

Caroline is a bitch and loves to take her rage out on birds. Particularly my cardinals. Which makes me mad because I feed them and like having them around.

 

Willy is the baby of the two. He came around when he was tiny. Caroline took him in. She's still a bitch. Willy is the more loveable of the two. He likes to sit with me outside and &#%$ing carries on with insane meows if I don't acknowledge him.....Every.&#%$ing.Second.

 

BC (black cat) is next eldest. He's kind of a goon. Got hit by a car and his jaw is a little weird; he's got an overbite from hell. But, vet said all good. He spends most days outside but gets to go in my in laws home at night because he is a wuss. 

 

Dipshit is a black and white one who cant seem to grasp the concept of living outside.....or running. 

 

Rocky is a large black cat. He is a dick and beats the shit out of everyone else except when I am around. He keeps his distance. So; when I am dropping off dry food for them in the mornings; I like to hang around a little bit so the bitches get a taste. He is in process of being trapped; neutered and then sent to a local barn. He's much too mean to the others and a massive cat. Biggest one I have ever seen. 

 

We have two kittens living in the garage of one of the neighbors (wife's uncle - everyone who lives around us is family.) He is going to keep them both. They'll be inside cats eventually. 

 

Last night; another cat showed up. He triggered the cameras and I went outside to see. He is also black and white. (yay)

He's small so probably not very old.

 

I am still trying to catch one of these taint whistles throwing them out. Thought I had one a few months back; but the guy was stopping to take a piss. I am glad I didn't start out toward him as I had planned in my mind...... "Hey, mother &#%$er!"

 

Anyway; Willy brought me a massive mole the other day and was so proud. I don't have near the rabbit population or moles or even squirrels really. Which is fine. I certainly know when the cats get ahold of a rabbit. The rabbit screaming is crazy. 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by The Guy In Pants

[Uncle Joe]

Talking to my neighbor the other day and he asked me if I had seen "the" hawk.

I said no, I only see the hawks from afar. Apparently "the" hawk has been sitting on his birdhouse and getting a starling or 2 every day.
I don't have (nor want) cats so I am glad "the" hawk has been thinning the flock that ravages my berries.

[The Guy In Pants]

1 hour ago, Uncle Joe said:

Talking to my neighbor the other day and he asked me if I had seen "the" hawk.

I said no, I only see the hawks from afar. Apparently "the" hawk has been sitting on his birdhouse and getting a starling or 2 every day.
I don't have (nor want) cats so I am glad "the" hawk has been thinning the flock that ravages my berries.

 

I didn't want cats either 🤣

[CarpetCrawler]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:16 AM, Uncle Joe said:

Talking to my neighbor the other day and he asked me if I had seen "the" hawk.

I said no, I only see the hawks from afar. Apparently "the" hawk has been sitting on his birdhouse and getting a starling or 2 every day.
I don't have (nor want) cats so I am glad "the" hawk has been thinning the flock that ravages my berries.

 

The less starlings, the better.

 

There's a hawk that eyes my chihuahua from time to time, it swooped down once when my wife was walking him, but didn't come that close really.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by CarpetCrawler