| Blog series by Scott Hildenbrand consisting of 17 parts so far |
Part 1: My "Getting In" List 03/08
The following is a list of some of what I have on order that is coming in for the garden. 3 TOAD LILY BLUE WONDER 3 SCABIOSA BUTTERFLY BLUE 6 DAISY SUPER SHASTA 3 TOAD LILY MIX 2 CRAZY DAISY 2 DAISY SHASTA ALASKA 1 CARNATION HARDY BARGAIN BAG 3 DAISIES BOLD PAINTED 2 KIBA GIANTS CANDY LILY 2 RUDBECKIA SUMMER MAGIC MX 3 GAILLARDIA ‘ARIZONA SUN’ 1 IRISH MOSS 3 MAXIMILLIAN SUNFLOWER 2 GOLDEN MARGUERITE 3 GA...
Part 2: Planning the back run hedge.
Well, I’ve been spending alot of free time lately digging through the catalogs and online stores trying to figure out just what I want to do with the back run. For privacy reasons we want to do a live fence along the back. Live because it’s cheaper, and better for the wildlife. It’s not exactly a short run, but it’s not that long either. At about 110’ I figure I’ll need 17-18 bushes. My main idea all along has been to do a row of Elderberries. To be p...
Part 3: Garden Shed, This one's still tops.
I’ve looked all over the net for shed plans and really keep going back to a certain one. http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/home_improvement/1766661.html There are several reasons why I like this one.. The clean form of it. The attached open section.. The fact that it reminds me of a horse barn… At any rate, it’s the one I like the most. I’ve never been one to follow a plan exactly though so I’ll be making changes to the size of the str...
Part 4: Itchen' for Chickens
I’ve been wanting to keep a few chickens for ages, even before I moved down here and got married. Not too many mind you, but like 5 to 8 or so. I’d actually mentioned it to the wife a few times and she seems to like the idea. I swear half the stuff I think up that she seems to like is just her humoring me. From what I’ve read I’m leaning towards Buff Orpingtons since they’re so well natured and can be easily handled. I’ve no use for a rooster.. I h...
Part 5: Harvesting Seeds
Next year we’re planning on keeping track of what we plant alot better and harvesting seeds.. I found this resource for tomatoes.. Anyone have any advice for the other common vegs? http://www.yougrowgirl.com/thedirt/2006/09/14/saving-tomato-seeds/#more-311
Part 6: Propagating St. Johns Wart
Well, I’d been doing research into propagating St. John’s Wart so I can provide a good food source for the bees in the area. There are always tons of bees on our bushes, around 200 or more at a time. Sadly, the bumble bees outnumber the honey bees. Anyway, research says that you can propagate via semi ripe greenwood harvested late summer. Has anyone done propagation via greenwood cuttings like this? My understanding is that you cut a 6” section of tip stock from a nice...
Part 7: New Flower Bed
Well, I went to Lowes again. This time for hardware, but I made the mistake of going through the garden center. I picked up several kinds of speedwell as well as some sage and coreopsis. I got most of it for $2/pot, with a couple that were 75 cents. Add to that the chokeberry and those 4 unknowns I’d got for 50 cents a pop and I’ve got a full bed. To add to the mix, our friend David who does the daylily farm had someone come in and move some large trees, so h...
Part 8: Contemplating Sheds - Found a Cool Site
Well, I was busy browsing the web, contemplating things to do for a shed and I stumbled onto straw bale building. It’s nothing new.. I’d read up on it years ago and stored it back in my brain. I however did not give it any thought beyond that. Now that I actually need a shed, I’d been giving more and more thought on how to do it on-the-cheap. I’ve got to admit, straw bales look like a great idea. They’re cheap, stack like Legos, are their own insulation and th...
Part 9: The Obligatory 2009 List
I’m not sure how this year will be as far as outdoor work since I really need to turn my attention to the inside. Especially since my 12yo daughter is wishing to move down here with us now. In the event that it turns out to be a long term plan, we will be finishing the attached garage as a living space to increase the number of bedrooms and not split the upstairs into two rooms again. So.. What I would like to accomplish…. Not in any particular order at all. I highly doubt I...
Part 10: Woot! Windows! (maybe)
I sent out a REQ on Freecycle for windows, not expecting much of anything in reply. I’ll be if someone didn’t answer offering a 5’x5’ window with storm window and offered possibly more since her husband does window replacements. I may very well be the step I need closer to building a greenhouse. Woot! :D
Part 11: New Beds & Fence Material
Well we worked in the yard more today, though not on the coop. Today was a cleanup day and was spent cutting the Crape Myrtle (trim) and building two new raised beds. The Crape Myrtle was getting way WAY too big, so we decided to cut out the old limbs. They’re a good size to use for a rustic fence, which I’ll be doing down along the driveway. Love that pealing bark. This is one of the raised beds. It took 20 bags of soil @ around 800lb of dirt to fill it up. I’d g...
Part 12: Coop, Poop and Garden Fun
Father in-law and I picked up the lumber I needed to finish up the coop and have that standing by for over the weekend. With luck I’ll have it to the point where I can sheet the roof and get a layer of roofing felt down.. I doubt it though since I have a bit of a complex plan for the roof. I’d decided that instead of a standard roof that I will be putting a 4’ wide dormer on the side facing the house as well as a louvered cupola at the peek for ventilation as well as a ni...
Part 13: Pole Beans
So we’re trying pole beans this year (we’ve already got 100+ tomato plants in the ground since we tilled, so need to move on) and I’m planning on how to support them. What I’m thinking of is making some tripods out of 2×4x8’s ripped down the center that can be set up, and then collapsed at the end of the season. I’ll need two tripods for either side, as they will support a 10 or 12’ aluminum fence pole. Tied off of this pole will be lines t...
Part 14: Yay.. More Windows!
Well, I put another shot in the dark ad out on Freecycle for windows, followed by one for spoiled hay or straw.. Had two people email me back offering windows.. One of which actually works @ Pella. Sooo… Between the two I’m hooking up with “two wood white interior painted and white exterior aluminum clad with muntin grids measuring 48×42” and “a bunch of old windows, wood, metal, storm”. Now just have to see about setting up a time to pickup. ...
Part 15: Wineberry Bramble
Managed to get my hands on five Wineberry plants for free, and a killer deal on more if I want them from a friend of ours so been digging around for information on them. Seems like they’re a bit invasive, but from what I know are already in the area. I’m wondering about doing a line at the back of the property with 20+ plants, contained in a dual wire setup and topping each second year cane to a certain height to keep it in order. I’ll be making a trellis with a dual w...
Part 16: The Rain Doth Come
Well, we’ve got one day to get the garden out before a week of rain blows through.. I spent yesterday evening tilling the remaining rows so that we could get the seeds in the ground. So far for the tomatoes, we have these set up and in the ground. Row 15: Jet Star TomatoRow 14: Jet Star Tomato, Cherokee PurpleRow 13: Better Boy, Rutgers, Golden Jubilee, Celebrity, Carolina Gold, UnknownRow 12: Unknown, Mountain Fresh, Sweet 100s, Eggplant We had around 20 to die though in vario...
Part 17: Garden's Out! Updated Row Layout
Here’s everything that we have out and which rows they’re in. Row 1: Potatoes, Red onions, Yellow onions, Spinach seed Row 2: Pimento, Red Bell Pepper, Yellow Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Banana Pepper, Spinach, Broccoli, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts Row 3: Sugar Snap Peas Row 4: Corn Row 5: Zipper Peas Row 6: Okra, Kentucky Wonder Row 7: Limas Row 8: [free space] Row 9: Cushaw, Butternut Squash Row 10: Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Early Cucumbers, Pickling Cucu...
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Blog Series
- Around the Yard - 29 parts
- Canning Room - 4 parts
- Chickens - 14 parts
- Garden Maintenance - 12 parts
- Garden Plannings - 17 parts
- Harvest Time - 14 parts
- Irrigation - 3 parts
- Just Blooming - 17 parts
- Planting & Landscaping - 19 parts
- Wanted - 1 part
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