Denise's Victory Garden

We are in our 3rd year of SFGing. I am more excited about this year because of things I learned this past season. I know if I do things by the book I will do better than I have done in the past. This year we have some goals for our garden. Compost being the backbone of the garden that is the biggest goal for my garden this year. To make sure I always have a 5 way compost. I have made two new compost bins that are portable, we will see how they work out.




Another goal is to build a hoop house big enough to start seedlings, grow mushrooms and worm farm. The hoop house project is just about done. We need to finish the front entrance, but the rest is up waiting for a door. The hoop house is 10'x21'










Seed starting is the most important at this moment in time to me, the hoop house will allow me to do that.I still have a few things to order but I have a lot of seeds to get started with.
Worms and Mushrooms will come a bit closer to my last frost dates.

So Monday will begin my seed starting in the hoop house. I will spend Sunday setting up the hoop house arranging furniture etc. I will eventually have a sink inside as well. Lots to do and fun to think about it too.

Ha-v-v

How exciting! I'm so happy for you. The hoop house is awesome! What seeds are you starting?

Looks like you're off to a great start Ha-v-v. And the hoop house is impressive

nancy wrote:How exciting! I'm so happy for you. The hoop house is awesome! What seeds are you starting?

Thank you so much, I have peppers, and tomatoes, a huge list of things for spring, it seems huge. I will go through it more thoroughly tomorrow. My eyes are tiny slits, been working on photos for the gardens public facebook page and then typing up something here. I will be direct planting carrots, more onions, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, baby pak choi. I have small hoop houses on 4x8 beds to do the direct seeding in. I will start the spring crops in the hoop house. I always feel like each season is the best yet and I am better prepared. This year is a big one of accomplishments so far!!

Ha-v-v

nKedrOoStEr wrote:Looks like you're off to a great start Ha-v-v. And the hoop house is impressive

Thanks rooster It is an exciting time for us here trying to keep a spring like mind set all year was my goal this fall The hoop house is a part of that.

Ha-v-v

What type of mushrooms are you growing? Do you have any details about how to do that?

Beautiful hoop house, do you keep a layer of straw down for the fall?

Janet

Hi Ha-a-v....

LOVE IT I've always done the hoop tunnels but really want to "upgrade" to a real hoop house like yours. Super job. I notice the LED lights up there. Are the simply for light or a heat source?

Great job! I like the dedicated space for it & that you can stand up inside.

GWN wrote:What type of mushrooms are you growing? Do you have any details about how to do that?

Beautiful hoop house, do you keep a layer of straw down for the fall?

Janet

The type of mushroom is still in the air, I definitely want shitake mushrooms. I want to get spring seeds started before I get started on mushroms. . While looking how to grow mushrooms I found that I could buy "spores" I plug into logs I supply. I still have more research to do before I can tell you about the growing of them. I will keep detailed notes to share

These links >>> Click http://www.fieldforest.net/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&chapter=0

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-mushrooms-at-home.aspx
These are a couple of the sites I was reading to get ideas about mushrooms. You can buy logs infused with spores ready to grow as well.

I put pine shavings down on the floor to keep it looking neat and no mud. I really wanted a nice dry place to work in when it gets cold and wet. It is my idea of trying to be neat and orderly. We will see if this is a good idea. This is a first for us, I have high hopes for this

Ha-v-v

staf74 wrote:Hi Ha-a-v....

LOVE IT I've always done the hoop tunnels but really want to "upgrade" to a real hoop house like yours. Super job. I notice the LED lights up there. Are the simply for light or a heat source?

Thank you The lights are for a light source only, they wont generate enough heat for my needs Im sure. I am still that kid at heart with her sister making a "play house" from scrap wood boxes Grampa brought home from work. Hence the lights lol

:-D Cant wait to start the seeds!
Ha-v-v

dixie wrote:Great job! I like the dedicated space for it & that you can stand up inside.

Dixie, thank you !! Yes !! the standing up inside is so nice. I plan for a chair in there too by the door. Dry too ! I dont have to run in when it starts to rain. Having a place to start my seeds makes my gardening so much more of a joy. No stress worrying about a heavy duty rain etc, I can start now instead of later. All for the lovely fruit at the end. Plus !! I can keep that spring like mind set going when its dreary outside, while I wait for spring.
Im still a kid come onnnnn spring !! Is it time to fill that pool yet?
Ha-v-v

"You can buy logs infused with spores ready to grow as well. "

I did that once, and also bought the logs for friends for christmas gifts, followed all the instructions but nary a mushy......
Pehraps the next year??
I will eagerly follow your research on mushys

GWN wrote:"You can buy logs infused with spores ready to grow as well. "

I did that once, and also bought the logs for friends for christmas gifts, followed all the instructions but nary a mushy......
Pehraps the next year??
I will eagerly follow your research on mushys

I will let you know. This is a big "want" on my part. We love mushrooms, and with the appetites of the giants in my land, well I need to grow anything I can.

Ha-v-v

Ha-v-v,
The hoop house looks great!

You definitely want the worm housing space for your beds. We have now 2 Worm Factory colonies working away in our laundry room. They have been been my compost addition to SFG for 2 years now and that seems to be a good thing, i.e. for productive seasons.

I wish I could put them outside from a space point of view (narrow space in laundry room), but the heat here in the Dallas metroplex, and my area specifically makes that a bad choice.

The worms are great and you will love them!

Jane

Jane

janefss2002 wrote:Ha-v-v,
The hoop house looks great!

You definitely want the worm housing space for your beds. We have now 2 Worm Factory colonies working away in our laundry room. They have been been my compost addition to SFG for 2 years now and that seems to be a good thing, i.e. for productive seasons.

I wish I could put them outside from a space point of view (narrow space in laundry room), but the heat here in the Dallas metroplex, and my area specifically makes that a bad choice.

The worms are great and you will love them!

Jane

Jane

Thank you Jane
I have one bin of worms, a few of them but I know they will multiply. We just got them not too long ago. I havent harvested anything from them yet. Too new and they are in the travel trailer with us. One bin less will be so nice in here! I will take them out to their new place in the morning. I look forward to more worms
Ha-v-v

Door to the hoop house in the making.







I have a piece of plastic duct taped to the top over the door, it has a piece of wood stapled to the plastic at the bottom that covers the screen part of the door. I keep it closed inside the door and it keeps the heat in nicely.

Very sweet!

rod champion wrote:Very sweet!

Thank you its me living a dream

WOW!

The hoop house is awesome!
Your seeds will pop early in that structure. This is my 3rd year for SFGing too. I like how you set some goals.
I would like to get a compost system going and perhaps a worm bin too.

Spring is close. Enjoy

It's looking great Ha-v-v
I know you're not fully enclosed yet, but still curious what your temps have been inside.

nKedrOoStEr wrote:It's looking great Ha-v-v
I know you're not fully enclosed yet, but still curious what your temps have been inside.

Thank you
Im fully enclosed now have been for a while. The other day with a 150 watt bulb, a sunny day 35 f.. it was 95 f in there.. it was hot! My sons wont go in there when it is warm. I do know it gets below 60 so far, Im not in there in the evenings and nights, YET. But it is sure nice to go to in the mornings its so cold and its toasty inside.

Lavender Debs wrote:I didn't know you were Denise. This is kewl, will you keep this same thread for your Victory Garden? I would love to follow that. LOVE the hoop house. We are trying to find room for one to put aquaponics into. This is Awesome!

Debs.....who is also fixen to start her third year.

Yes I am Denise I do plan to keep this thread going, got that idea from this lovely thread "The Toy Box" lolol

Thank you
The hoop house has helped me keep spring mentally here I needed it and it has worked out quite well. I have red nordlands in a bucket in there and they are now coming up! Well I saw one pop up and Im seeing the signs of others trying. I also have seedlings to go into their beds when ready.
Oooo aquaponics.. is that plants or fish? hydroponics is plants? I want fish too!!! That is our goal as well. Another person on here ribarr4 , he and his family have a lovely set up, fish, veggies, chickens etc and has a blog http://www.green-cityzen.com/. Their ideas are stuck in my mind as they do the fish.

I cant wait for a tomato !!

Ha-v-v

Lavender Debs wrote:

Ha-v-v wrote: ...snip... Oooo aquaponics.. is that plants or fish? .... I cant wait for a tomato !!

Ha-v-v

There is a guy with a blog here who does aquaponics (can't think of his name, just his avatar of him and his daughter). The blog is called Green City Zen but his SFG name slips my mind. The fish feed the plants until they are big enough to feed the people. The plants filter refresh the water for the fish. The hoop house makes it so girls like me can grow eggplant and peppers in the cold North-Wet.

Debs.... I got my EYE on YOU <3 (hugs and happy Valentines!)

Yes we are talking about the same fellow ribarr4 !! I love his site, its done well. I keep sites until Im ready to do the job. We have always wanted to be as self sufficient as possible. We see fish as that possibility. And to let them feed our plants!!! Yes the whole reason for the hoop house was to have tomatoes and peppers year round, among other lovely things like starting seeds and keep them in one place.

Debs.... I got my EYE on YOU <3 (hugs and happy Valentines!)

Thank you so much, happy valentines to you too !!

Ha-v-v