Lower South April 2015

Starting this a few days early, but with everyone so busy getting the gardens going, you will have plenty of time to chime in.

Getting a late start this year.  Haven't even started my tomato and pepper seeds. Tied up with a gradual move and some major remodeling.  I still have garlic and strawberries at the old house (and most of my furniture), but am only planting at the new house.  The pond beds were not used last year and there is a major cleanup needed there and I've got to get them up to tabletop height.  They will probably get only warm weather veggies or not be planted at all this year. 

 In case anybody is wondering, I've moved to the house where my son was renting from me and taken over all the beds I built for him.  Since he bought a house only 1/2 mile from here, all gardening will be at my house.  His job was not allowing him time to garden anyway.  Biggest problem is all the beds here are on the ground and all my beds at my old house are tabletops.  I'm not doing well.    Tomatoes and peppers will still be in buckets.

Actual gardening will be limited this year, but eventually I plan to move all my tabletops here as well.  With nothing but sand for a yard, I might as well fill it with SFG beds. 

Kay

Wow.  Sound busy...  and a little overwhelming... 

Remember - one thing at a time.

Don't be discouraged... I really have to pace myself.  I've been doing a little at a time and I'm slowly making progress.   If you are looking for any type of seeds in particular, PM me and I'd be happy to share!

Thanks for the offer, but I've got more seeds than I can plant.  Time and the ability to work for no more than an hour at a time is my problem.  But I have 2 beds planted and that will keep me in greens for the spring.  Next project is to weed the strawberry bed.  Then one more bed for summer squash, beans and eggplant.  That will be my garden this year. Just can't take any more at ground level.

I'm moving 1 pickup truck load at a time.  Fortunately I made a deal with my cousin, a disabled Vet who also needed a break , on reduced rent for my house if he will let me move at my pace and keep some stuff in the garage until I know exactly what will fit in my smaller house.  Bless his heart, he and his partner and his 15 YO son are packing up all my kitchen and L/R knick knacks while I'm at the other house waiting for a walk in shower to be installed in the M/BR and the tub/shower to be repaired in the main bath (works as a shower only right now).  I've moved my b/r, next load is the l/r. 

This may take 6 months or more, but we senior citizens have to do what we can. It is actually an adventure and I enjoy the road trips to visit my cousin and get another load.

Kay

[quote="walshevak"]Thanks for the offer, but I've got more seeds than I can plant[quote="walshevak"]  Windmere, Very generous of you.  I think it takes only a couple seasons to load up on too many seeds!  

[quote="walshevak"]waiting for a walk in shower to be installed in the M/BR
[quote="walshevak"]
Kay,  Sweet!  In Sweden, my cousins had a shower that was floor level, slightly depressed towards the middle to the drain, with just shower curtains.  The floors and up the walls were very nice linoleum.  Just a different design.  A squeegee design.

[quote="walshevak"]This may take 6 months or more, but we senior citizens have to do what we can. It is actually an adventure and I enjoy the road trips to visit my cousin and get another load.[quote="walshevak"]
I think I would still be unloading my Mother's house if my husband wasn't in such good shape.  I'm not a hoarder but I had to look at and touch everything thing one last time, then, whisk, he had it packed up and moved.

PS:  I still need to learn how to show multiple snippets of "quotes"

Wow Kay you have a lot going on. For me we are just doing one boxes as my hubby graduate after fall semester this year so we get to move again.

Our box got completely planted today some with start that we started and some seeds for where the first seeds didn't start. We have a tomato, sunflowers, bee balm, yellow bush beans, pumpkins, corn, and cucumber. We also gave a living grid a try this year with carrots and onions.

I think if you can ride a camel, you can definately handle this...good luck!

mschaef wrote:Wow Kay you have a lot going on. For me we are just doing one boxes as my hubby graduate after fall semester this year so we get to move again.

Our box got completely planted today some with start that we started and some seeds for where the first seeds didn't start. We have a tomato, sunflowers, bee balm, yellow bush beans, pumpkins, corn, and cucumber. We also gave a living grid a try this year with carrots and onions.

mschaef - if I remember correctly, you planted peas in early spring.  How are they working out.  Did they get hit with the last freeze we had on 3/28 ??

Not much, but I do have a bit growing.  Didn't even take time to renew my grids, Just plunked in some seeds.  

peas on cattle panel, lettuce and kale in middle



spinach, radaccio, radish, bok choi and mustard greens



strawberries  2nd year



Got a bed ready for pole beans and squash,  Pics later.

and my mater and pepper seedlings.  The lilacs in the buckets are smelling so good.

walshevak wrote:...peas on cattle panel, lettuce and kale in middle

Does the Cattle panel work ok for a trellis?
What are the benefits / downsides of using cattle panel vs netting?

Thanks

Downside for using cattle panel for peas and beans is picking the vines off at harvest end.  With twine I can just cut the jute twine off the supports and throw everything in the compost pile.  I have a pickup truck, so transport is easy, but might present a problem if you don't have access to one.  

Upside is it last for years and wll supports heavier crops not normally grown on a trellis, ie melons, pumpkins.  By orienting my TTs 4 ft apart, I can just slide a cattle panel in between two beds and the spring tension holds it in place.  On a low bed you need 4 stakes to hook the cattle panel to.  

So I use both according to what I plant and if it is already in place.  Cattle panels are not as easy to relocate as EMT trellis.


Kay

yolos wrote:

mschaef wrote:Wow Kay you have a lot going on. For me we are just doing one boxes as my hubby graduate after fall semester this year so we get to move again.

Our box got completely planted today some with start that we started and some seeds for where the first seeds didn't start. We have a tomato, sunflowers, bee balm, yellow bush beans, pumpkins, corn, and cucumber. We also gave a living grid a try this year with carrots and onions.

mschaef - if I remember correctly, you planted peas in early spring.  How are they working out.  Did they get hit with the last freeze we had on 3/28 ??

They are still growing. I think the cold snap slowed them down a bit. Then we had rain for the past week and a half. Hoping the with the sun shine for the next few days they will grow more and start blooming.

walshevak wrote:Downside for using cattle panel for peas and beans is picking the vines off at harvest end.  With twine I can just cut the jute twine off the supports and throw everything in the compost pile.  I have a pickup truck, so transport is easy, but might present a problem if you don't have access to one.  

Upside is it last for years and wll supports heavier crops not normally grown on a trellis, ie melons, pumpkins.  By orienting my TTs 4 ft apart, I can just slide a cattle panel in between two beds and the spring tension holds it in place.  On a low bed you need 4 stakes to hook the cattle panel to.  

So I use both according to what I plant and if it is already in place.  Cattle panels are not as easy to relocate as EMT trellis.


Kay

Thanks Kay, I think I may try the cattle panel for an arch.

My peas are blooming finally!!!

mschaef wrote:My peas are blooming finally!!!

My Alaska peas are blooming and I even see a few pea pods.  Of course this last heavy storm looks like it knocked some blooms off.  The Alaska peas are the only ones blooming of 7 varieties I planted.