Hello from the Black Hills of SD!

This is what I am working on today! I saw it on Mel's website and showed my husband and he built it for me! I have the edges on the outside all lined with rocks and got the weed barrier in now I am going to mix my compost, make my MM and fill it up! It has 49 squares!

What a neat design! That's happy.

Hello neighbors!

Casper here. Just wanted to jump in and share my 1st time sfg adventures with you. I did buy compost from the city dump here but it was well mixed and looked nice and rich to me. I know they add woods and grasses to it and it composts for several years. I then added 2 other types (steer and sheep) to make up a nice mixed compost (Mel states minimum of 5 different types).

The vermiculite I bought from Menards. You do want to look for the Sunglo brand vermiculite insulation, it was a coarse size and safe to use in gardens. And so much cheaper than the little bag stuff!

We have been warm too and but have not planted anything yet. We just finished my raised beds and got the MM in them. Since mine are 16" high we did regular city dump compost in the bottom half and put the MM in the top half.

Hope all my SD neighbors have a wonderful garden season and I hope to see some of your garden pixs here!

Evelyn in Casper



I have 3 4x4 and 2 2x6 raised beds

They look awesome Casper! I have almost got mine filled but the kids wanted a break and hubby will be home soon to help finish!

cheyannarach wrote:

I love the design, but at 4'11" I would NEVER be able to reach those center squares!

It's not that bad, I am only 5'4" and I can reach pretty well, But I will just have flowers that won't need a lot of hands on attention on the top one!

cheyannarach wrote:This is what I am working on today! I saw it on Mel's website and showed my husband and he built it for me! I have the edges on the outside all lined with rocks and got the weed barrier in now I am going to mix my compost, make my MM and fill it up! It has 49 squares!

(The emoticon says this is "shocked" but I prefer it to be "awed". That is BEAUTIFUL!

efirvin wrote:Hello neighbors!

Casper here. Just wanted to jump in and share my 1st time sfg adventures with you. I did buy compost from the city dump here but it was well mixed and looked nice and rich to me. I know they add woods and grasses to it and it composts for several years. I then added 2 other types (steer and sheep) to make up a nice mixed compost (Mel states minimum of 5 different types).

The vermiculite I bought from Menards. You do want to look for the Sunglo brand vermiculite insulation, it was a coarse size and safe to use in gardens. And so much cheaper than the little bag stuff!

We have been warm too and but have not planted anything yet. We just finished my raised beds and got the MM in them. Since mine are 16" high we did regular city dump compost in the bottom half and put the MM in the top half.

Hope all my SD neighbors have a wonderful garden season and I hope to see some of your garden pixs here!

Evelyn in Casper



I have 3 4x4 and 2 2x6 raised beds

Evelyn in Casper that looks so great! It's gotten to just below freezing the last couple of nights so maybe I jumped the gun a little on my cold weather crops. But the packets say "as soon as soil can be worked" . Of course, MM can probably be worked when it's 30 below!

Oh and I certainly did not mean to exclude you from my invite to friend me on Facebook, if you like!

[quote="elysia"]
I'm not big on radishes either but this recipe seemed promising :
quote]



I just Pinned this recipe--it does sound promising. Thanks!

cheyannarach wrote:It's not that bad, I am only 5'4" and I can reach pretty well, But I will just have flowers that won't need a lot of hands on attention on the top one!

As long as you're not planning on CORN in that top square!

GG

So I bought the insulation grade vermiculite from menards and I haven't opened the bag yet but it really feels like a finer grade than I want for my Mel's Mix...This brand was FAR more cost-effective than any other vermiculite I was able to locate though... Annamagpie didn't you say this was the kind that you were going to use? What did you think of it?

We just bought some at Menards in the insulation department as recommended. My husband said it's finer than the coarse we used in our first boxes, but we had to dash out and get some small bagged stuff and it was really fine. So it's kind of in between, but I like the price!

I accidentally started out with the small horticultural vermiculite and then found out it was the wrong stuff. We have been using the insulation vermiculte now and there is a huge difference. I think it will work just fine. I also checked Lowes and they don't have any at all.

elysia wrote:So I bought the insulation grade vermiculite from menards and I haven't opened the bag yet but it really feels like a finer grade than I want for my Mel's Mix...This brand was FAR more cost-effective than any other vermiculite I was able to locate though... Annamagpie didn't you say this was the kind that you were going to use? What did you think of it?

I originally got 2 bags from Menards - thought they were the same until I opened them up to make my MM! I have not had any difference in the beds from the different size of vermiculite (batches mixed in each box, so some have big, some have little).

GG

Well, maybe it isn't coarse but it seems to be working well. I went to a nursery the other day just to mosey around and their giant pile of potting soil looked just like what mine made up. Plus it was either use that or not use it at all coz I sure wan't going to pay for those tiny bags.

Is it raining for ya'll? raining in Piedmont--hooray!

Thanks all! Really, really appreciate the info and subsequent confidence that what I have will work just fine...

Yes, it is raining here! Our irises are emerging too...wait a second...not so fast spring - there's a chance snow in the central hills tonight I hear!

It rained here yesterday, supposed to rain again tonight. My irises are at least 8" tall and we have the s-word for Sunday night into Monday! Hopefully it will just be a few flakes mixed with the rain. I have been spoiled with this non-winter and early spring. I don't want it to go away!!!

GG

wow Goosegirl - I bet your irises are beautiful!

I know the prospect of the s-word is tough to face after the unseasonably warm temps...at least it won't stay long if it does arrive...

Have been meaning to ask - are those cornish rex kitties?

elysia wrote:wow Goosegirl - I bet your irises are beautiful!

Right now they are gorgeous landscape greenery. When they bloom the leaves are 18-24" and some of the flower stalks top 36". I'll have to post a pic when they bloom.

elysia wrote:Have been meaning to ask - are those cornish rex kitties?

They are my little baldy-butted Sphynx Puddy Tats! Spoiled Rotten and Absolutely Adorable! (not the LEAST bit partial! )

GG

Goosegirl wrote:Right now they are gorgeous landscape greenery. When they bloom the leaves are 18-24" and some of the flower stalks top 36". I'll have to post a pic when they bloom.

Please do!

Goosegirl wrote:They are my little baldy-butted Sphynx Puddy Tats! Spoiled Rotten and Absolutely Adorable! (not the LEAST bit partial! )

GG

They're super cute. There are many times I wish my three were of the hairless variety!