Devota, Thanks for the link to a great garden. I also have very little level ground, but don't have a 'too many large trees' problem. Only have trees that I planted when I moved here 14 years ago. I could not garden with all those steps. I am allmost 83 years old and arthiritis all thru my body, so steps and even garden is difficult for me now. The steps I do have to go up the bank to irrigate, etc. all have hand rails. A photo of a bit of my garden.
Donna,
rutholive, You go girl!
Oh dear, Linda, having seen rutholive's garden, I fear mine will be a disapointment BUT here is a photo from last year that is really more pond than garden.
This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 11:27 AM
Gymgirl, What a fascinating idea about the cutouts for the buckets! I wish I had thought of that. Why don't you live next door to me, huh?
I have thought of taping the buckets with wide masking tape in a lattice pattern and painting flowers and grasses then stripping the tape off to disclose a pretty pot. Not an original thought, I know. I also considered the camo. Come on girl bump it up a notch. We need to hear the gears meshing.
Devota, thanks. I always wanted a water wheel, your building and WW look very good.
Donna
D,
They'd never find us if we lived next door! Your picture LOOKS like my treeline area, although your's is infitely more organized and neat. I'm seeing the strategic use of mulch as a ground cover. I'm gonna need a good chainsaw, and a fishing trip to get my area started. The chainsaw I already have (brand spanking new and never used). The fishing trip is for my DH to be away on long enough for me to start cutting down some trees!
I reread my thread above and I'm seeing more possibilities of using a simple "box" concept for the eBuckets as just Planter Boxes. Even a single, cedar box placed on a nice square brick "palette" would look nicer than just an exposed bucket.
I've been itching to "build" something for quite awhile. Even I know I can construct a simple box with a hinged lid on it!
Giiiiiiiiiiiiiirl, don't get me started here!
Devota & GG I have also thought about how to make the buckets look nicer..Nothing has been finalized ..But Decking lumber is cheaper than cedar..Just FYI Menards just had it on sale,They will again..
Tubby
Gymgirl, I like to get out the power tools now and then too, though I don't want a master carpenter to inspect my work.
When we moved here this looked like a martian landscape...nothing but hardpan clay wherever you looked on this small 110 foot by 110 foot lot. The cottage appealed to me but the "yard" was a joke. However when I made a pact with the DH that the front was his and the back was mine, that limited me in a good way. I am not responsible for that pathetic excuse for a lawn.
I've brought in everything you see including trees, rocks, plants and the good soil to plant them in. My side yard [about 10 by 16] which is reserved for veggies, and has to be containers except for a RB which IS of course a big container.
Tubby, I would probably opt for deck lumber, too. But I do like the look of cedar and I love how it weathers and lasts. {Probably out last me. Tee hee.}
Devota that would make both of us.LOL..I have never seen this.. But after it is good and dry maybe poly finish..Have you seen the floor WUVIE is doing..This is quite neat.On trash to treasure forum..
Brown Bagging the Bedroom Floor
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
November 30, 2008
4:04 PM
Post #5844947
After applying wallpaper paste to plate-sized torn pieces of brown
paper, I simply fold them in half, though not perfectly. When I have a
good sized stack of pasted paper, it's time to begin. No need to be
perfect, just start smoothing them out on the floor like a messy jigsaw
puzzle. Be sure to cover the floor, you can overlap, no problem at all.
Working quickly, after you've placed all the paper, roll over it with a
paint roller dipped in polyurethane and start rolling. Don't put a thick
coat on the first time, but don't be too stingy, either.
The floor will appear very dark at first, don't worry. It will lighten as it dries,
but will keep that splotchy look.
Here is a small section of the room which is still wet, thus very dark:
Thumbnail by WUVIE
Calling all carpenters!! Before ya'll get all carried away buying that decking lumber, which is very expensive, difficult to work with and has a tendency to warp if not firmly screwed (not nailed) together, check locally for cedar or treated lumber fence boards. Fence boards are great for small projects. I have even built 6 inch high raised beds from them that have lasted for 5 years now. In our area a fence board that is 1/2 inch thick by 6 inch wide by 6 foot long cost about $2.00. One lumber yard is selling what is called "imported" fence boards for about $2.75 each that are 3/4 inch's thick. I had my whole privacy fence made from the 3/4 inch stuff as it has less tendency to warp as it ages. But for smaller projects, the cheaper 1/2 inch fence boards are great. I used them for raised beds that are 6 foot long by 3 foot wide. That took 3 boards at about 2 bucks each for a total of 6 bucks per bed. Its slightly thinner wood so you just put good strong cleats in each corner and if you wont to you can strengthen it with a divider across the middle of the bed. The boards may tend to bow out a little if you fill the beds with heavy dirt, which is a no-no nohow. And then there is the mighty stob, the gardeners best friend. Just drive stobs into the ground to strengthen the side boards of a raised bed. I am attaching a photo of one end of my greenhouse/workshop enclosed with fence board type archetecture. My son did this and I refer to him as a "make do" carpenter. He ran out of full length fence boards so he decided to "make do" with some short pieces which left a few gaping holes along the side and roof line. We will replace those areas but of course we will save those shorter pieces for some other "make do" project. Our motto is, "never buy expensive lumber when you can "make do" with a fence board."
This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 2:27 PM
Here is another example of one of my son's make do projects using left over jiblets of fence board. I suppose it is some kind of window box design......which he hung from a tree.......naturally.
Jay, that is a great idea, which I will file away. I never thought about that but then I never had occasion to put up a cedar fence, either.
D,
Can't you just see those ePlanters with scalloped edges!
You experienced carpenters can just eat your hearts out over this photo of the inner workings of my greenhous/workshop. The arrangement of this shop reflects my motto of, "A place for everything, and everything in its place." Notice the neatly arranged fence board jiblets stacked precisely on the floor to your left, not to be confused with the larger dimension lumber farther down. On the right is various pieces of gardening flotsom and jetsom cataloged alphabetecally and labled "TO DO" and "screwed up" and "bad idea" and "forgedaboutit". And just inside the door on that table is every tool you might wont to reach for plus every nut, bolt, nail, screw imaginable. Whenever I need it........its right there.......somewhere.........I know I saw it a minute ago........dagnab it!
This little plant stand gizmo is made from 3/4 inch fence board notched together. Our motto is, "Never let a fence board jiblet go to waste."
One girl's scallops is another girl's dog ears. Linda are you thinking about building in all that lovely shelving along the fence? [By the way I will be down to help with the trees when your DH goes fishing. TIMBER! If you only knew how many, "that will never work" projects I have done thru the years while himself was away, from putting in dryer vent through a brick wall to adding a new air vent to a downstairs bedroom. He goes away he knows something will change before he returns.
Tubby, I finally got to read WUVIE's project. Thanks for that link. I had never looked at the "trash to treasure" forum. They put a lot of time into that and they probably won't have too much traffic since it is a bedroom. I have seen that done on walls that make it look like old leather.
Jay that little gizmo is so cute. I'm glad you've got your son to thank for the place where you can't find anything, I have only myself.
Here is some flower beds built out of fence boards. They are 5 years old, maybe older. The room being built onto this side of my mobile home is only two days old as of today. My carpenter refused to build it out of fence boards so I am having to pop for that expensive stuff.
Jay your green house looks like my shop.To small and to many projects..LOL
didn't know about 3/4" fence boards..I used 1/2" and like you said warp and split so easy..I'll definitely check into the 3/4" ..Neat plant stand no such thing as garbage wood, always gizmos to build
What supports the poly on green house roof & walls???? Thanks for the heads up
Devota WUVIE has it in the hallway too.I think it looks sharp.like to see it up close
Jay when you having your Saturday night HOEDOWN in the new add..??????????????
You'll need to allow Devota & I a little more time when ya send out the invitations
This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 4:18 PM
Speaking of flower beds.......here are some typical ridge type flower beds. This ridge I live on only has about 1 to 2 inches of topsoil over limestone rocks. The way you build flower beds is to buy an expensive steel bar 6 foot long that weighs at least 20 lbs. It has a sharp pointed end on one end and a small blade on the other. You jam the pointed end into the ground and BANG!!, you hit solid rock. It can be a huge boulder......or something smaller. Eventually you will stick the bar between two rocks and pry them out of the ground.........if possible. You keep poking and prying in whichever direction it is possible to go untill you have a reasonable sized flower bed. You stack the pried up rocks around the circumference of the bed, fill in the rock holes with some decent bags of grow mix and you got a flower bed. You do that as many times as you wont to or your back willl stand.
A lady stopped on the road one day while I was working the flower beds and complimented me on how "Aesthetically Pleasing" was my arrangement of the flower beds. I thanked her profusely and then went in the house to get the dictionary to see what it was she had said. That lady actually thought I had arranged the shapes of those flower beds due to some plan in my mind. Actually I was just poking, prying, and stacking wherever it was possible to do so for as long as my aching back would stand it. But who am I to refuse a lady's compliment.:-)
Speaking of flower beds.......here are some typical ridge type flower beds. This ridge I live on only has about 1 to 2 inches of topsoil over limestone rocks. The way you build flower beds is to buy an expensive steel bar 6 foot long that weighs at least 20 lbs. It has a sharp pointed end on one end and a small blade on the other. You jam the pointed end into the ground and BANG!!, you hit solid rock. It can be a huge boulder......or something smaller. Eventually you will stick the bar between two rocks and pry them out of the ground.........if possible. You keep poking and prying in whichever direction it is possible to go until you have a reasonable sized flower bed. You stack the pried up rocks around the circumference of the bed, fill in the rock holes with some decent bags of grow mix and you got a flower bed. You do that as many times as you wont to or your back willl stand.
A lady stopped on the road one day while I was working the flower beds and complimented me on how "Aesthetically Pleasing" was my arrangement of the flower beds. I thanked her profusely and then went in the house to get the dictionary to see what it was she had said. That lady actually thought I had arranged the shapes of those flower beds due to some plan in my mind. Actually I was just poking, prying, and stacking wherever it was possible to do so for as long as my aching back would stand it. But who am I to refuse a lady's compliment.:-)
oops posted twice... don't hit the back button
LOL
About the double post........I always figger if it is worth saying once, its worth saying twice.........plus I dont know how to erase one of them.
Tubby......That is a greenhouse kit bought from Tractor Supply Company (outlets nationwide). It is 12x24 and cost about $700 a couple of years ago. Look close in the picture and you will see the tubular framework in the photo. The kit is complete with cover and all parts. The company that makes the kits is called........Coverit.....and TSC is just one of their dealers. I cant seem to attach a link....just google Coverit. One good thing about them is you can order replacement covers, cut to fit.
Jay Thanks I figured you handmade it out PVC or conduit You have done so much other clever stuff..
Devota.........I like your back yard. It really looks comfortable. I was just thinking that with some stobs and some more Stacking pots, you could fit some more stuff back there.
Im a little suspicious of that waterwheel though. Are you using it to make the mash for your corn squeezing's?
I'm busted, Jay. But you bein' the pot grower that you are, outta know that corn squeezin's ain't the cash crop in TN no more.
My veggie garden is around the side yard. Can't see it from thar.
This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 6:18 PM
I have found a new use for those one buck dish pans from the dollar store. I got some seed tapes as a "free gift" along with a gardening order I made. They are about 12 inches wide and 7 foot long. I cut a strip just long enough to fit in the pans, sprinkle on a thin layer of dirt, water, and very shortly I should have a wild flower garden.
You just don't quit do you, Jay? Well, I have to go sit in the hot tub for awhile. See all y'all another day. D in TN
This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 6:47 PM
Jay, as per your post and picture, when I went to Omak, 30 miles, nearest 1.00 store, yesterday, I bought only 2 of the pans. Can't find grow bags anywhere here. So may have to make my own to try out your planting idea. You are smart to use every snippet of lumber you find. There are no pieces lying around my place, so now when I want any lumber I have to buy it.
Thanks for the pan idea.
Donna
Great idea! I use old plastic nursery flats under my winter sowing containers very similarly... I'd suggest either drilling a drain hole no more than 1/2 inch up the side or making two very small drain holes in the corners... my old flats generally have small leaks (so they no longer are suitable for indoor use); the water drips out slowly so that everything gets a good drink but doesn't end up sitting in water.
Growbags online cheap here (scroll down):
http://homeharvest.com/containergardenpotsplastic.htm
