Re-Newbie from Ohio--Hello

Hi SFGers!  I am new here, however am revisiting SFGing from the late 80s early 90s after decades of July defeat by the jungle that my well-intentioned regular garden inevitably turns into!

I have re-purposed wooden flower boxes that are about 12 inches deep.  Filled the bottom with rake out leaves from my perennial bed, and the top half with Mel's Mix after activating the leaves with some blood meal before the MM.

I have arranged them in a rough square with a walk-in.  I have also trellised the north side and have pole beans there, with Swiss Chard in front of those.  4 Brandywine tomatoes, 2 Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, one cherry tomato, beets, and done with radishes (interplanted around the cherry tom.) and spinach just replaced by a Sweet banana pepper.

Hopefully, I can figure out how to deal with my compost "hole" (former location of a tree leaving a hole)  which is very soggy and wet and not inspiring confidence!

See you all around!

:welcome9:Scorpio Rising!  Sounds like you have a great start on the season.  I came upon SFG by accident and knew it would be the solution to MY July Jungle as well!  This is my 5th season and I will never go back to traditional gardening.  Post pics if you can.  We LOVE pictures!  Before, after, mid, dilemmas (your tree/compost hole), etc.  You will be amazed at the creative ideas this bunch can churn out!

Hi GG, thanks for the welcome, I think you are my regional expert as well!  I know I will never ever go back to conventional gardening.  I own the original book, and rented the new version, but will be buying my own once I take this back to the library.  

My biggest concern right now is the compost "pit".  Originally, I just was going to fill the hole left by the vacant tree rootball.  But I forgot how cool and satisfying organic compost is!  I am a Rodale gardener.  So, now my compost area is about 1/2 under water since it has been raining and raining here.  

The garden looks great.  I need to work on tying up my tomatoes better to their poles. And finding come great cultivars again.  I was not happy with my radishes but I may have been too late...

Will try to figure out how to get pics on here from my iPad!

Scorpio,  Welcome the the Forum and to All New SFG, from California! 

Welcome back Scorpio!

I compost the easy way, red wiggler worms in a Worm Factory 360 lol
I feel your pain with the rain.

Yeah, that is pretty close to how my backyard looks, River.  Thanks for the kind welcome, Sanderson!  I really like the "New" changes Mel discovered in the course of his gardening journey.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Hi GG, thanks for the welcome, I think you are my regional expert as well!  ...

Expert - NO!  More like Regional Cheerleader!  Some of our Regional Hosts really ARE experts, but most of us are just willing to take the lead in keeping everyone in our region encouraged to keep at it.  Because we live in the specific region we are sometimes more aware of the difficulties that arise in the area - like our region has shorter growing season and harsher winter conditions than some areas so season extension is different here than in CA; the southern regions may have to take a break because of the heat in what we would consider our prime growing season; our spring is about 2 minutes long; San Diego needs a dictionary to define 'frost' but may have pest issues that we will never experience - and so on!

Oh, OK, I am figuring it out!

also, Scorpio Rising  
from Kelejan  

Like Goosegirl, I consider myself a cheerleader and defer to all who know more than I do. I believe our job is to keep the conversation going and make people feel at home and not afraid to ask what they feel are sometime dumb questions. Many of us started with none or very little knowledge.

I agree with Goosegirl, I believe our spring is two minutes long so I am usually behind in my endeavours.

Thanks, Kelejan, I feel very welcomed here.  Where would you suggest I ask some questions about my new milkweed plantings?  Am trying to support Monarch population.  It is off topic however.

Scorpio Rising wrote:Thanks, Kelejan, I feel very welcomed here.  Where would you suggest I ask some questions about my new milkweed plantings?  Am trying to support Monarch population.  It is off topic however.

Go to the HOME PAGE and there is a list of topics.  Scroll down until to come to "Off Topic" and you will find Helpful Critturs.  Click on that and you can start a new topic, headline it with something Like Monarch Butterflies and away you go.  I hope.

Below is the message I was typing as Kelejan was answering your question as well!



Scorpio - we do have a section for SFG - Everything Else, and a section for Non-SFG questions and postings.  Go to the home page and find one of them that looks like it might be where to post, then start a thread.  If it really is in the wrong place, one of the Administrator (Sanderson) will move it and post where it ends up!  Our Administrator and Moderators do a great job at keeping us out of trouble!!!

Awesome, thanks for your help you guys!

Welcome from another central Ohioan!  I just looked out my back door at my rain guage which is measuring 2.5 inches since overnight last night.  And that is after 2.5 inches since last Sunday.  My impatiens are happy.....

Hi herblover!  I literally waded in 2 inches of standing water to where my SFG is.  The boxes are wet but above water, growing like mad.  Cut some Swiss chard from the outer stalks (and accidentally uprooted an entire yellow one, dang it!). I bet your impatiens are happy!