Hello all

Tilth here, coming to you from sunny, San Diego, Southern California, the land of fruits and nuts, at least until the water runs out.
  First, let me say that I am not, at this point, an SFG gardener. That said, I am planning on maybe a 4x4 table top for next year. Currently, I am a container gardener using sub irrigated planters (SIPs) and growing the few vegetables that I like to eat. I am currently growing two types of bush string beans, cucumbers, zucchini, cantaloupe and two types of tomatoes. My main reason for using SIPs is that I tend to over-water and drown plants, killing them with kindness. The less I have to interact with them, the better off they are.
  That said, I have been lurking here for quiet some time, have learned a lot from this forum and feel that I can positively contribute on some subjects. There are many similarities between SFG and container gardening. 
  I have had a long time interest in gardening, but when I was working, there just wasn't time. Now that I am retired, I have the time, so here I am.

Welcome aboard, Tilth!  I am jealous of your never-ending growing season!  I moved from NorCal 16 years ago to SD, only 4+ months of growing.  Look forward to your gardens!

Thank you Goosegirl. Wow, NorCal to SD! It must have been a shock. I was born and spent my formative years in Norcal. I wish I was still there.

 Yes, we do have a "never ending" growing season here. Now, if I can just collect enough rain water to keep it all going. Lol

Tilth   to the Forum where you will find heaps of advice and knowledge and friendly people.

Many are envious of your year-long gardening season but for myself I appreciate our winters, at least in British Columbia, for the break it gives me and the keen anticipation of spring. Perhaps the winter could be a bit shorter but then I would have to leave the BC Interior and move to the West Coast.

Look forward to hearing of your progress. All the best.

from Kelejan in

Tilth!
What are you using for mulch on your containers? Do you have any photos of them?

CC

Tilth wrote:Thank you Goosegirl. Wow, NorCal to SD! It must have been a shock. I was born and spent my formative years in Norcal. I wish I was still there.

 Yes, we do have a "never ending" growing season here. Now, if I can just collect enough rain water to keep it all going. Lol

What part of NorCal?  I grew up in Ukiah, but I moved to Santa Rosa right after high school and was there until my 30's when we moved to SD.

Kelejan - I agree with you totally. I am a four season guy. Fall and winter are my favorite times of year. I would love to live further north and out of this state. Unfortunately, "life" and wife prevents my departure, so as long as I have to be here, I might as well garden. I also do some quilting.

CapeCoddess - I use black plastic in the early months, than the empty compost bags. No sense throwing them in the trash.  Let me see if I can post a pic. So far, I am not growing much as I got a late start due to my medical condition. Also, this is only the second year. This pic is more than a month old. There are four more containers now.



As California is in a drought and has a GIANT water problem due our political situation, I have been focusing on a rain water collecting system which will catch the rain water from my roof. In the end, 540 gallons when full. Also getting some composting drums set up. The containers, except the blue bag, are all sub irrigated planters. Very water efficient.

Goosegirl - I was born in Oakland and spent much of my youth up and around Napa, then Red Bluff. My dad was born in Sebastapol and my sister currently lives there. Between the wife and I, we have family all over the Bay Area and Northern Cal. My daughter currently lives in Morgan Hill. My brother used to live just outside of Willow Creek, but he passed a few years back. I would love to move back up there, but life has other plans.

Tilth, perhaps one day life will allow you to move where you want to end up.

Meanwhile one just makes the best of things.

What do you use as the main filler for your containers? Mel's Mix?

We all know now about the water shortage in CA and that is going to be an ongoing headache for everyone.  If you are allowed to collect rainwater from your roof, consider yourself lucky, as in some places even that water is not available to the householder and I think you can  end up being a criminal. 

I live in a good water province, but even this year I think we are going to have a water shortage due to the very low winter snow-pack on which we rely during the summer. Expecting a long, hot fire season and rationed water for car washing, lawn watering etc. We also get alternate  days using the hoses during the very hot months although one can just stand holding the hose, but not leaving it running unattended.

Kelejan, you are so right when you say:"Meanwhile one just makes the best of things." It is what I have done all of my life and generally, life has been very good to me.  
  I am not using MM at this time, though definitely where I am headed.  I started out following Larry Hall (YouTube) and the grow bags and "self watering" (I wish!), sub irrigated containers, which mine are. The grow bags are great and I was going to go with them, but they are not real water efficient. Given our drought, I am now going with the sub irrigated planters, which are VERY water efficient. As time goes by and the gardening continues, I will move to MM, hopefully sooner rather than later as I feel good soil is the key. I also want to go totally organic, but am not right now. I am currently using potting mix, garden lime, Epsom Salts and a general chemical fertilizer. It works pretty well.
  As I think I mentioned, I am also currently installing a rain water catchment system, which if my buddy gets me the second tote, will store some 540 gallons when full. I have also established a worm bin and will be doing more of these, for sure. In addition, I am in the process of testing a compost tumbler to see if it will work for me.
  I know what you mean about the water days, times and restrictions. Been there, done that and it's going to get worse, for all of us I am afraid.

Tilth, Welcome from The Right Coast - near Surf City, NC. 
I have been to San Diego 1x and will be out there again for some work training in July. I am looking forward to getting my Corvette Diner fix in. Also there is some Italian joint in Little Italy that was great - I remember having Spaghetti and MeatBall (singular) because that 1 meatball was the size of a softball  .

ralitaco, I think the place you are talking about in Little Italy Is Filippi's Pizza. They do have good pizza but some great Italian food too. And yes, they serve you a single meatball the size of a softball. Yummy! I was a Network Admin for a number of years and when the Microsoft rep. would visit, that is where we went for lunch. Outstanding Italian food!
  In my time I have visited NC a couple of times. I passed through there numerous times on flights, drove through once going from Alabama to Maryland (1973) and went deer hunting there with a friend in 1991. Nice country, nice people, at least back then. As you can see, it's been a while.

Tilth wrote:ralitaco, I think the place you are talking about in Little Italy Is Filippi's Pizza.

That's it. 
I remember standing in line in the Deli/Grocery area waiting for a seat in the "back room"...I felt so Mafioso

ralitaco wrote:

Tilth wrote:ralitaco, I think the place you are talking about in Little Italy Is Filippi's Pizza.

That's it. 
I remember standing in line in the Deli/Grocery area waiting for a seat in the "back room"...I felt so Mafioso

I had EXACTLY the same thought the first time I went there! GREAT food though and if you get there at the wrong time, a loonnggg wait. Well worth it.