SFG Adventure of a first time gardener in ND

Seriously, nice boxes!

MrBooker wrote:Here is a great site for winter gardening. If I'm not mistaken, this lady is in Canada and gardens all winter long.
http://www.motherofahubbard.com/category/winter-vegetable-gardening/

I have my hoop houses up and ready for fall and winter.

Thanks for the link, MrBooker! I've been trying to go through all of it. I'm still going to at least try cold frames, but it sounds like low tunnels are pretty useful.

I have my hoops up right now with light-weight Agribon over my brassica crops to protect from cabbage butterflies. I already was impressed by what the collards and kale did last year without protection. I'll have to think about getting some heavier stuff, and just switch from the light to the medium/heavy. I was already considering an order from Johnny's for some seeds for dandelion, sorrel, and tatsoi.

Random question: how heavy are the 4x4 boxes once filled withe MM and watered?  My beds are not able to be put in their final resting place as there is currently a large pine tree there.  The tree is scheduled to be removed in 3 weeks, but I was obviously hoping to have some of these fall crops planted by then.   Is it a hopeless endeavor to try  and pick up and move a box with fall crops starting to grow?

Are you growing them from seed?  If so, can you start them inside? But not the radishes....

CC

I honestly don't have anyour window area that would work to start things from seed nor do I have a grow light.   So no where I could grow from seed inside.   For the spring I plan on trying to start my seeds outside using the winter sowing method with milk jugs.  If that fails I had planned on just buying transplants locally, although the selection odd varieties is quite limited....  

Back on topic,  no, I can't really start themy indoors haha

Might be able to start them outside in small containers like milk jugs and transfer them after the tree is gone and the beds in place.   

Since everyone is asking if I can start them elsewhere and transplant them; I take it the 4x4 would be difficult to move once filled?

Robbomb116 wrote:Might be able to start them outside in small containers like milk jugs and transfer them after the tree is gone and the beds in place.   

Since everyone is asking if I can start them elsewhere and transplant them; I take it the 4x4 would be difficult to move once filled?

Yes, you would not be able to lift it and move it with the dirt in it if it has a bottom.  And if it does not have a bottom you could move the box but then you would have to shovel the dirt from the old spot to the new spot.

Yes, you would not be able to lift it and move it with the dirt in it if it has a bottom.  And if it does not have a bottom you could move the box but then you would have to shovel the dirt from the old spot to the new spot.

Well I was also planning on constructing a 2x4 box that would be my strawberry patch next year... would that box be more feasible to move?  Should be half the weight.   Maybe I could use that one for my fall garden this year and strawberries starting next spring?

Too heavy.  But with a bottom and wheels (or maybe 2 people) you could probably move a 2x4 IF the MM is completely dry, which you don't want. Otherwise, you'd move the box then shovel the MM from one spot to the other as mentioned above.  Either way sounds back breaking to me.  I like your idea of growing plants outside in containers better, maybe in the shade of that tree since they would be fall veggies. Then transplant them to the new bed.

CC

Wow! I can't believe it! The tree removal service finished a job early and was near by so they were able to remove my tree today. So much for having to wait 3 weeks,  and so much for having to start in containers outside.   What an awesome surprise!

Robbomb116 wrote:Wow! I can't believe it! The tree removal service finished a job early and was near by so they were able to remove my tree today. So much for having to wait 3 weeks,  and so much for having to start in containers outside.   What an awesome surprise!

 Yay!  Happy for you, Rob!

Rob, You asked how much a 4 x 4 weighs. Some time ago, someone did the math at it was a lot!! I can't remember exactly but something like 250-300 lbs. Can anyone remember? I know this is really vague, but you would have to remove the Mix. Many eons ago, I built a 4 x 4 sandbox on 5 wheels for the kiddies (Sunset Magazine design) and I could roll it around the smooth patio.

Well I had read that top soil could be between 75-110 lbs per cubic foot when wet.  Idk how much lighter MM would be,  with it probably holding more water.   Add the weight of the lumber and the 8 cubic feet of MM and I was starting to get worried.  200-300 lbs would have been no problem to move between me and my brother... now 800-1000 lbs would have been a different story.

Robbomb116 wrote:Wow! I can't believe it! The tree removal service finished a job early and was near by so they were able to remove my tree today. So much for having to wait 3 weeks,  and so much for having to start in containers outside.   What an awesome surprise!

Happy to hear this! My spinach are germinating on the kitchen table so I was thinking of your situation. I look forward to more news of your progress!

Got the MM mixed and the beds filed.   Unfortunately there isn't a lot of choice when it comes to store bought compost locally, and my own compost bin isn't going to produce anything useful until next year. I managed to find 3 types of compost: Cow manure, sheep manure, and yard/kitchen waste compost.   To hopefully fill some of the nutritional gaps, I added in a very small amount of kelp meal and "epsoma biotone starter" which is a mix of feather meal, chicken manure, bone meal, and alfalfa meal.  
Hopefully that won't hurt too much.  I was so determined to fill the boxes I didn't even think to ask for opinions or advice on those products on here first.  Oh well,  we'll see how it goes. 

I did also plant 8 squares of veggies! But I'm not getting my hopen too high as it is pretty late in the season here for most of them and it is my first ever attempt at any gardening... with some protection they might just have a chance!

All varieties I planded were recommended for my area except for the arugula which I couldn't find info on.  What I planted was: 2 types of spinach - space and double choice,
2 types of Swiss chard - bright lights and forthook, cherry belle radishes, arugula,  toy choy bok choy, and premier kale. 

Fingers crossed!

So nice!      
CC

Nice!

The boxes look great! But the rocks look like ankle-grabbers. You'll remember to step over them every time -- but sometimes they'll reach up and grab your ankle while you're doing it. 

I'm hypothesizing here, others may know better than I: you might want to put something up to block airflow under the boxes during the winter so the wind going underneath isn't pulling away as much heat/moisture (or maybe your top cover will go all the way down and accomplish that?)

Milestone.   My arugula has germinated.   First sign that I might be able to grow something after all! Surprised by how quick it was,  and surprised it was the arugula and not the radishes or spinach that came first.   Planted everything Sunday,  first sprouts of arugula Wednesday morning.

Robbomb116 wrote:Got the MM mixed and the beds filed.   Unfortunately there isn't a lot of choice when it comes to store bought compost locally, and my own compost bin isn't going to produce anything useful until next year. I managed to find 3 types of compost: Cow manure, sheep manure, and yard/kitchen waste compost.   To hopefully fill some of the nutritional gaps, I added in a very small amount of kelp meal and "epsoma biotone starter" which is a mix of feather meal, chicken manure, bone meal, and alfalfa meal.  
Hopefully that won't hurt too much.  I was so determined to fill the boxes I didn't even think to ask for opinions or advice on those products on here first.  Oh well,  we'll see how it goes. 

I did also plant 8 squares of veggies! But I'm not getting my hopen too high as it is pretty late in the season here for most of them and it is my first ever attempt at any gardening... with some protection they might just have a chance!

All varieties I planded were recommended for my area except for the arugula which I couldn't find info on.  What I planted was: 2 types of spinach - space and double choice,
2 types of Swiss chard - bright lights and forthook, cherry belle radishes, arugula,  toy choy bok choy, and premier kale. 

Fingers crossed!

good choices.  You will probably get at least something.  Yes on the protection and just to extend it just a bit, try old fashion christmas light bulbs under the plastic.  It helps here in the south for our much milder winters and just might give you enough heat to get a crop before the really deep freeze arrives.

Kay

Robbomb116 wrote:Milestone.   My arugula has germinated.   First sign that I might be able to grow something after all! Surprised by how quick it was,  and surprised it was the arugula and not the radishes or spinach that came first.   Planted everything Sunday,  first sprouts of arugula Wednesday morning.

Arugula (and lettuce when it's cool enough) come up so rewardingly quickly! Do you know if it's 'wild' (Diplotaxis) arugula or rocket (Eruca) arugula? Spinach can be pokey/finicky. Space germinated pretty well for me, but I planted it a bit late this spring so it bolted - you won't have that problem! I'm not familiar with Double Choice. I put in Bloomsdale, Butterflay, and Renegade spinach for my first fall round. I'm going to include Space in my cold-frame round since it has mildew resistance.

I don't love Swiss chard, but when I eat it anyhow, I've preferred the Bright Lights blend. The photos of the toy choy bok choy are cute! I just started seeds for my third succession planting of Joi Choi bok choy (a taller variety) yesterday.

I agree with walshevak -- looks like you've made some good (cool-season, quick-to-mature) choices and you should get something to harvest.

It's normal rocket arugula, not wild arugula I think.   The packet literally only says "arugula".  

At this point , pretty much everything has germinated!  Only waiting on like 2 spots I seeded spinach and 1 swiss chard.  I'm pretty confident they will come up soon too!  Its been a nice cool week, but no frosts yet of course (although we did dip into the 40s at night already).  No rain this week, but we are supposed to get evening thunderstorms today and tomorrow. 

Also, I already go some tulle around the bed! My mom decorates weddings on the side and has a whole bunch of ivory tulle left from a wedding she won't need again!  Free stuff!  

Lastly, I forgot to mention I also built my mom 2 3x2 boxes to go on either side of the tool shed.  Its about the only place in the backyard she has room yet to build any more garden.  She's not as adventurous as me and doesn't want her garden to be in the front yard.  Well she had planted 3 squares of radishes last week and will plant another 3 this weekend.  She also has 100% germination rate!