Organic Gardening and composting in the city (fencing, garden)

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Any organic weed killer recipes? Or tips?

I use vinegar, sea salt, and dish liquid mixed in a spray bottle. It works but takes a long time to kill the weed.

That's what I use. I tried an organic spray last year but the results were poor. I ordered another one this year but haven't tried it yet.


As for the ivy..I vote to wait too. Mine is coming out now but it is semi protected. I have noticed my boxwoods took a beating and are quite brown. May be a good excuse to rip them out anyway. I have never been a boxwood fan...or any scrub that doesn't have some variation in color.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

Definitely worth the effort - brick is hard to top for looks!

It is beautiful but its time to relay them. My neighbor did it and it looks amazing. I have tree roots buckeling the bricks in certain places. Can you kill a tree root without killing the tree? Hmmm

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by ferraris

Be careful with the salt; I'd only use it in areas where you don't want any plants, like sidewalk cracks and patios and such. "Salting the earth" is a good way to kill everything, not just weeds.

I use harsh chemicals on thorny things and poison ivy, but otherwise I pretty much just learn to live with the weeds, some of them look nice! If I get a spot with a bunch of weeds that looks bad, I take it as a sign to plant something nicer looking and more suited to the conditions, otherwise it's a never ending battle.

I have an older friend. She taught me to bathe my tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers in epsom salt water twice a growing season. It makes a juicier fruit or veggie.

[wpipkins2]

Its officially growing season!

[Hopes]

It is! I'll start planting my vegetables this week!

I'm researching new plants for my retaining walls. I'm thinking of doing an elaborate herb garden there. I might divide the rest of my gardens and transplant there to help fill it out. The first two years of a garden bed are usually sparse.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Hopes

It is! I'll start planting my vegetables this week!

I'm researching new plants for my retaining walls. I'm thinking of doing an elaborate herb garden there. I might divide the rest of my gardens and transplant there to help fill it out. The first two years of a garden bed are usually sparse.

You should try green beans. I was shocked by the beauty and thickness of my neighbors. He grew them along his rear fence. About 20ft.

[Hopes]

This will be my third year growing green beans. They're amazing on a 15-20 foot length of fence for them to climb. I'd love to relocate them to a sunnier spot, but that will have to wait until next year. I may try one of those wood teepees. I freeze them.

I'd like to try pees this year.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Hopes

This will be my third year growing green beans. They're amazing on a 15-20 foot length of fence for them to climb. I'd love to relocate them to a sunnier spot, but that will have to wait until next year. I may try one of those wood teepees. I freeze them.

I'd like to try pees this year.

I have a townhouse so my space is limited. I have two full sun spots in my yard and i may try to grow green beans. I can move some of the tomatoes to the front yard and use large pots. The con to that is moving them twice a day for more sunlight.

[Hopes]

Beans don't take a lot of space. If you have a fence, plant them along the bottom of the fence and use twine from the ground to the top of the fence.

I'm thinking of leaving my dead ivy vines and planting clematis. The clematis can use the old ivy vines to creep and latch onto.

[JimboPGH]

My grass is sorta starting to grow. Huzzah!

I'm hoping to have my garden beds laid out in a couple of weeks. Tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions to start, gonna keep it simple. Still have a lot of landscaping to do. May just have to make a treaty with some of the weeds 'til next year...