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Aw, come on Caladium, you will never last till the end of the year, lol.
Well, that could be an interesting thing to find out, too. You never know what you'll discover when you run a experiment. So far it really hasn't been much of a strain to switch from being a "starter" to being strictly a "responder." Sure, in some ways it's more intellectually stimulating to start threads but if I get bored I can always go play with a rubik's cube. That's my theory, anyway. LOL, we'll find out if it holds up....
Just wondering if any of you have a raised garden bed? I am thinking ahead and although I can't make such a garden now (no space - heavily wooded) -- this is what I am thinking would be the easiest method for me to garden in the future. I wondered how it has worked out for others.
I have been back in Charlotte for about two weeks. Can't seem to catch up on things. Gonna call Merry Maids and see if I can get someone in to help me do a deep cleaning on this house. I am still dealing with clients and altho I am not putting in but about 20 hours a week, I can tell it is going to take me forever to get the house sparking again.
Hubby is joining son at a conference in Savannah today. Nice for them to have some father-son time.
Just wondering if any of you have a raised garden bed? I am thinking ahead and although I can't make such a garden now (no space - heavily wooded) -- this is what I am thinking would be the easiest method for me to garden in the future. I wondered how it has worked out for others.
I have been back in Charlotte for about two weeks. Can't seem to catch up on things. Gonna call Merry Maids and see if I can get someone in to help me do a deep cleaning on this house. I am still dealing with clients and altho I am not putting in but about 20 hours a week, I can tell it is going to take me forever to get the house sparking again.
Hubby is joining son at a conference in Savannah today. Nice for them to have some father-son time.
Most and many of my neighbors have raised bed gardens because of the clay soil which I assume you also have in Charlotte. They tend to dry out more quickly but are easier to grow plants in. I fooled around with one at first but have just gone with working the soil and changing the composition so it holds water etc etc. I am a further up north gardener and was unwilling to change to raised beds after experimenting with it. Have you planted along the tree line or thought about shade loving plants if that is possible? That and if you eventually have a sunnier lot there are some good drought resisting plants that will thrive in Carolina.
We have both types of gardens. I like the look of a raised garden, and you have the benefit of not disturbing roots. For vegetables and annuals, raised is the way to go. For fruit trees and perennials, the raised garden bed can sometimes get in the way of root growth. (The roots won't grow down into the clay.)
By the way.... what an amazing year this has been for figs! Fig harvest is going to be a bumper crop. Uh oh... figs a mundo might become a challenge. I'd like to give them to a food kitchen but not sure they'd take them. I may have to start leaving little anonymous care packages at my neighbor's door.
Most and many of my neighbors have raised bed gardens because of the clay soil which I assume you also have in Charlotte. They tend to dry out more quickly but are easier to grow plants in. I fooled around with one at first but have just gone with working the soil and changing the composition so it holds water etc etc. I am a further up north gardener and was unwilling to change to raised beds after experimenting with it. Have you planted along the tree line or thought about shade loving plants if that is possible? That and if you eventually have a sunnier lot there are some good drought resisting plants that will thrive in Carolina.
Greetings, Tuborg!
Yes, clay soil here!
You are right - I can get various veggies to grow in a strip of land I have here. The problem is deer, bunnies, squirrels, moles, and a HUGE raccoon and his various family members.
I tried doing my herbs in whisky barrels and that has been at least somewhat more successful. Evidently the deer like some of my herbs, tho, as I have caught them munching away on lemon thyme and basil!!!
I have tried cages around the tomatoes but the raccoons (I think) are very facile about reaching in and grabbing them. Oh - there are the birds, too. Besides the red shouldered hawk (whom I love cause he grabs up the chipmunks, bunnies and squirrels) it seems I have several birds who like to "dive bomb" my tomatoes, squash and strawberries.
I had such expectations when we moved here 10 years ago - assumed I would have a beautiful garden! We have had a very frustrating experience and I gave up 3 years ago (other than the whisky barrels).
I am thinking it might be worth a try to create a raised bed and put wiring around it and net over it. At least that would help keep the smaller animals out of the garden.
I tried luring them away with pumpkins 3 years ago but the poor things never had a chance - "something" ate all the blossoms.
I also tried putting bell peppers and tomatoes in with foundation plants around the house, but all that stuff was quickly munched in the blossom stage, too.
I have hungry suburban animals, I guess, lol. If others were gardening, it might help but strangely, this is the first neighborhood I have lived in where literally no one even has flower gardens around their houses. I find that so very odd. Folks have foundation plants but no flower gardens.
We have both types of gardens. I like the look of a raised garden, and you have the benefit of not disturbing roots. For vegetables and annuals, raised is the way to go. For fruit trees and perennials, the raised garden bed can sometimes get in the way of root growth. (The roots won't grow down into the clay.)
By the way.... what an amazing year this has been for figs! Fig harvest is going to be a bumper crop. Uh oh... figs a mundo might become a challenge. I'd like to give them to a food kitchen but not sure they'd take them. I may have to start leaving little anonymous care packages at my neighbor's door.
I had two fig bushes many years ago - even made preserves. Tried growing one here at this house but it didn't survive the first winter.
One of my favorite things - figs! You sound like a wonderful neighbor - those care packages would be treasures, indeed!
BTW - did you make your raise beds using -- ?? railroad ties??? or what???
We have both types of gardens. I like the look of a raised garden, and you have the benefit of not disturbing roots. For vegetables and annuals, raised is the way to go. For fruit trees and perennials, the raised garden bed can sometimes get in the way of root growth. (The roots won't grow down into the clay.)
By the way.... what an amazing year this has been for figs! Fig harvest is going to be a bumper crop. Uh oh... figs a mundo might become a challenge. I'd like to give them to a food kitchen but not sure they'd take them. I may have to start leaving little anonymous care packages at my neighbor's door.
My wife has a fig tree she loves and yes it is doing well however we aren't there enough to reap the full benefits of. Good point about vegetable gardens. My wife wanted to do a raised bed one and I didn't want it where she wanted it. Fortunately our summer plans changed and taking care of it was no longer an option.
You are right - I can get various veggies to grow in a strip of land I have here. The problem is deer, bunnies, squirrels, moles, and a HUGE raccoon and his various family members.
I tried doing my herbs in whisky barrels and that has been at least somewhat more successful. Evidently the deer like some of my herbs, tho, as I have caught them munching away on lemon thyme and basil!!!
I have tried cages around the tomatoes but the raccoons (I think) are very facile about reaching in and grabbing them. Oh - there are the birds, too. Besides the red shouldered hawk (whom I love cause he grabs up the chipmunks, bunnies and squirrels) it seems I have several birds who like to "dive bomb" my tomatoes, squash and strawberries.
I had such expectations when we moved here 10 years ago - assumed I would have a beautiful garden! We have had a very frustrating experience and I gave up 3 years ago (other than the whisky barrels).
I am thinking it might be worth a try to create a raised bed and put wiring around it and net over it. At least that would help keep the smaller animals out of the garden.
I tried luring them away with pumpkins 3 years ago but the poor things never had a chance - "something" ate all the blossoms.
I also tried putting bell peppers and tomatoes in with foundation plants around the house, but all that stuff was quickly munched in the blossom stage, too.
I have hungry suburban animals, I guess, lol. If others were gardening, it might help but strangely, this is the first neighborhood I have lived in where literally no one even has flower gardens around their houses. I find that so very odd. Folks have foundation plants but no flower gardens.
As far as deer go try a product called deer scram. It is available from amazon and has worked for me. We have only seen one rabbit in almost 5 years and we assume the snakes in the creek are controlling that population. Squirrels a plenty and I suspect we have had a racoon that would actually take bird feeders down in the middle of the night and drag them to the woods. Tons of birds and I suspect they are guilty of something. Something was coming on the deck at night and eating the portulaca. Oh well close to nature is awesome.
We have both types of gardens. I like the look of a raised garden, and you have the benefit of not disturbing roots. For vegetables and annuals, raised is the way to go. For fruit trees and perennials, the raised garden bed can sometimes get in the way of root growth. (The roots won't grow down into the clay.)
By the way.... what an amazing year this has been for figs! Fig harvest is going to be a bumper crop. Uh oh... figs a mundo might become a challenge. I'd like to give them to a food kitchen but not sure they'd take them. I may have to start leaving little anonymous care packages at my neighbor's door.
I adore figs. I have a basket of them in my fridge right now...I slice them in salads and just eat them out of hand...my favorite dessert. I make this fig appetizer - I place a small mound of fresh goat cheese in the center of the fig, nestle it down a bit, sprinkle with thinly sliced shards of fresh basil, drizzle with local honey, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper - sometimes I throw a few toasted pine nuts on top.
That fig appetizer sounds really good. We built our raised beds with bricks. I like the idea of using railroad ties, though.
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