Hello....and Help...

Twin Momma 3/4/2012, 8:15 pm

Just moved to Colorado from Florida...I have soo much to learn! I'm having a terrible time waiting! I'd be fully underway by now...Frost date...what is that! :scratch:

I'm in the process of planning a new layout at a new house. My problem
is that I'm in military housing and we are landscaped with rocks...I
have seen the NASTY stuff they spray on the rocks to kill weeds and I do
not want to plant in their soil...

....soo I'm thinking 12" Square pots in 3 squares of 16 (and yes I
realize that's 48 pots)...and a cold frame and then some 10 gallons for
tomatoes.

Definitely not the most cost effective way, but do you think I can be successful? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

CindiLou 3/4/2012, 8:31 pm

Welcome! Sounds like your method will work. But your tomatoes only really have to have a pot also. Although I plant mine in 5 gal buckets with the top 6 inches as mel mix.

Which zone are you in? I know Rooster is in Loveland -zone 5b. We are starting cool weather seeds now.

**WardinWake** 3/4/2012, 8:35 pm

Twin Momma wrote:Just moved to Colorado from Florida...I have soo much to learn! I'm having a terrible time waiting! I'd be fully underway by now...Frost date...what is that! :scratch:

I'm in the process of planning a new layout at a new house. My problem
is that I'm in military housing and we are landscaped with rocks...I
have seen the NASTY stuff they spray on the rocks to kill weeds and I do
not want to plant in their soil...

....soo I'm thinking 12" Square pots in 3 squares of 16 (and yes I
realize that's 48 pots)...and a cold frame and then some 10 gallons for
tomatoes.

Definitely not the most cost effective way, but do you think I can be successful? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Howdy: What a change. I recommend that you set up Table Top beds as stated in the "All New Square Foot Gardening" book. By using Table Top Square Foot Gardens you will keep your plant roots from any possible contact with the poisoned rocks. For those crops that grow tall you can use the same idea as table top height beds just use shorter legs. Also use solid bottoms such as untreated plywood. That subject is also covered in the ANSFG book. Let us know how you will be doing your garden and we do like pictures. And ask lots of questions. The folks here love to help.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

quiltbea 3/4/2012, 8:46 pm

Welcome and don't give up on the plantings. You can grow all sorts of things in pots. I have nine 4x4 raised beds and three berms but I planted some pots last year of determinate tomatoes (they stop growing at a particular height for their variety), peppers, and some herbs like parsley, chives, thyme, Basil, stevia, lemon balm and rosemary. They all did well. This year I'll be also planting eggplants in pots. I'm in Maine in 5a zone so we have short summers.

Hello....and Help... 06-17-17

above: Most of my potted tomatoes and peppers in mid June. Note: The orange netting are isolation bags to save seeds.

The thing to remember is in pots they need more watering than in the garden beds. So give it a go.

shannon1 3/5/2012, 1:10 am

WardinWake wrote:Howdy: What a change. I recommend that you set up Table Top beds as stated in the "All New Square Foot Gardening" book. By using Table Top Square Foot Gardens you will keep your plant roots from any possible contact with the poisoned rocks. For those crops that grow tall you can use the same idea as table top height beds just use shorter legs. Also use solid bottoms such as untreated plywood. That subject is also covered in the ANSFG book. Let us know how you will be doing your garden and we do like pictures. And ask lots of questions. The folks here love to help.

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

I have both TT's and pots, and let me be the voice of expierance it takes me a lot longer to water all the pots than the same amount of plants in the TT's.

**walshevak** 3/5/2012, 7:12 am

Count me in on the tabletop vote. It is easier to keep a 4x4 tabletop hydrated than 16 pots.

Kay

**Furbalsmom** 3/5/2012, 4:36 pm

Twin Momma

You certainly could be successful by gardening in 12 inch pots.

Not that we are trying to influence you in any way Smile

to make a Table Top Smile

but, here are a couple of threads you might want to read.

REASONS TO USE A TABLE TOP

BUILDING IDEAS FOR TABLE TOPS

Many of us do use pots, for whatever reason (location, using small areas of available space, chasing the sun) and we also use lots of 5 gallon buckets.

Welcome and please keep us posted on your progress. Feel free to ask questions too.

quiltbea 3/5/2012, 5:05 pm

I only use pots because I need more space and I can't build my own tabletops like I'd love to have. Its an alternative that works for me.

If you can build some tabletops or a raised bed above your terrible soil, then do so. It would be the best way.

UnderTheBlackWalnut 3/5/2012, 5:15 pm

Hi Twin Momma!

Tabletops don't have to be fancy - I have the same problem as you...bad soil due to a natural chemical secreted by black walnut trees that many veggies don't like. I didn't even put legs on my boxes. I just made 2x4 frames and we attached a piece of untreated plywood to the bottom with drainage holes per the ANSFG book. Then I set them on cinderblocks (only 1 block high - just raised them enough off the ground to avoid contact since I didn't have a need at this time for them to be higher). I did 1 4X4 this way as well. I put 4 cinderblocks under the 2x4s and 6 cinderblocks under the 4x4. I'm using them for the second year and so far so good. I, too, have other things in pots as well. Smile

I do find the boxes easier to water, cover, trellis etc. Smile

$glad you\'re here$

Twin Momma 3/17/2012, 9:49 pm

My honey will finally be home in 2 weeks and he's agreed to make me some boxes! Yeah!

I Love to grow everything UP...so we are going to do 2x4's or 8's along the fence(probably 4's for easy transport if we have to move) and a 4x4 in the middle for all my low growing herbs and veggies.

I have a cold frame currently warming my seedling trays with stuff just waiting to be planted...These little buggers were supposed to take 10-14 days to sprout...after 3 they were making their appearances...hope they are happy in those trays for now and are not too early, but since they aren't in the ground yet, I can always bring them inside if necessary.

Can't wait to get going...So excited for DH to come home...for reason's other than the garden Laughing

Twin Momma 3/17/2012, 9:53 pm

I put a lock on my gate since it was feeling like spring....Good timing!...they came around and covered everything with that awful yellow herbicide...the whole base reeks!

Good news is it's not in my back yard!

I've moved 30 x5 ft of landscaping rocks to put weed cloth under them(only have 30ft more to go affraid

)...trying to reduce chemicals...my crocus came up all mutated, most likely from years of all those awful chemicals still in the soil....

shannon1 3/18/2012, 3:28 am

That is a bummer. I am so glad my land lord does not do that sort of thing. He knows how important my organic SFG is to me:D and I pay him off in tomatoes. I used milk crates stacked 2 high for my TT "legs" they are holding up just fine. I have to have it that tall as bending down for a long time is not good for my finicky ticker. You could use just one high. Got them for free from the stores I go to it is amazing what they will give you if you just ask.

**sfg4uKim** 3/18/2012, 7:54 am

Hey TM. I must have forgotten to hit SEND when I replied to your first post. DUH!

One thing I said was that the next time your PCS, it would be SOOOOO worth it to add some vermiculite to you HHG shipment (if you go overseas). You'd have to get a reading on whether or not they'd allow peat since it LOOKS more agricultural than the vermiculite. Wish I'd done that when we went to Germany.

Anyway, just wanted to say Hello....and Help... 61949

**walshevak** 3/18/2012, 8:59 am

Vermiculite is a certified shipping medium recommended for cushioning liquids. My friends in the Philippines have asked me to "cushion" the care packages I send them with vermiculite. He actually has 2 tomatos blooming now in some compost and vermiculite in Topsy Turvey type planters. We have high hopes. Only small amount each care package, but I send about 6 per year. One cushion was about 2 cuft in the 2 1/2 gallon zip lock baggies. Razz

Coir bricks would make it past easier than bales of peat. Not as good but better than nothing.

Kay

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