I also use Diatomaceous Earth around the base of the plants. Many recommend dusting the entire plant with it, but I won't because of the bees. It kills bugs through dehydration and bees can carry it back to the colony, creating real problems.
Could this possibly be the cause of all the bees disappearing?
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 436408
Nah. I live in the middle of pristine desert wilderness. Practically no bees this year (I counted four, and they were sluggish.) and the same last year. Normally, the mesquite trees in bloom are covered with wild bees. Something else going on...
Anonymous Coward User ID: 421424 5/20/2008 10:19 PM
I also use Diatomaceous Earth around the base of the plants. Many recommend dusting the entire plant with it, but I won't because of the bees. It kills bugs through dehydration and bees can carry it back to the colony, creating real problems.
Could this possibly be the cause of all the bees disappearing?
Nah. I live in the middle of pristine desert wilderness. Practically no bees this year (I counted four, and they were sluggish.) and the same last year. Normally, the mesquite trees in bloom are covered with wild bees. Something else going on...
Quoting: Anka
I agree, Anka. We had a colony move onto the property last spring, and because of that, I didn't use any at all just to be safe... We had lots of wildflowers so there was plenty of food but by August or September there were only a few left anyway. I live in a rural area and the pollution is minimal here as well.
Diatematious earth...I thought it killed them by slicing them up? It is crushed coral basically.
Quoting: JCD
Basically, you are right. It breaks the softer "skin" at the "joints" bringing on dehydration. Pretty offensive method when I think about it, but ultimately the same outcome without all the residual effects of poisons.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 421424 5/21/2008 8:04 PM
Haven't had time to read the whole thread yet, so someone may have already mentioned this idea... apologies to anyone if it has.
When using raised beds it is Very easy to construct a cold frame for extending your growing season clear through the winter for some things. You're basically creating a mini greenhouse.
Use PVC to easily make frames if you are not the carpenter sort and purchase a roll of 4 mil plastic to cover them with. PVC is somewhere around $5 for a 20' length, I'm not sure what the corner pieces cost these days, plastic comes in a 25' x 100' roll for about $10 with the more durable 6 mill being $25, some PVC primer and glue if you need it sturdy for wind or snow and some good tape like Duct or strapping
Make one side higher than the other so it doesn't puddle water and think about how you will get into it. Some go to the trouble to make a removable top, many just drape and tape the plastic while leaving a corner loose and anchored with a stone. This allows you to open it up when the weather is warm enough for extra sun, watering and picking.
Some eats that work well even in harsh winter weather are peas, snow peas and many of the greens including mustard & chard. I have carried cherry tomatoes and some peppers up into the late fall, early winter this way too, along with a good many herbs.
If it drops into the teens, throw old blankets over the frames for the night. Doesn't Always work, but then again, it often does! :)
Haven't had time to read the whole thread yet, so someone may have already mentioned this idea... apologies to anyone if it has.
When using raised beds it is Very easy to construct a cold frame for extending your growing season clear through the winter for some things. You're basically creating a mini greenhouse.
Use PVC to easily make frames if you are not the carpenter sort and purchase a roll of 4 mil plastic to cover them with. PVC is somewhere around $5 for a 20' length, I'm not sure what the corner pieces cost these days, plastic comes in a 25' x 100' roll for about $10 with the more durable 6 mill being $25, some PVC primer and glue if you need it sturdy for wind or snow and some good tape like Duct or strapping
Make one side higher than the other so it doesn't puddle water and think about how you will get into it. Some go to the trouble to make a removable top, many just drape and tape the plastic while leaving a corner loose and anchored with a stone. This allows you to open it up when the weather is warm enough for extra sun, watering and picking.
Some eats that work well even in harsh winter weather are peas, snow peas and many of the greens including mustard & chard. I have carried cherry tomatoes and some peppers up into the late fall, early winter this way too, along with a good many herbs.
If it drops into the teens, throw old blankets over the frames for the night. Doesn't Always work, but then again, it often does! :)
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 421424
My daughter-in-law's mother buys the heavy clear plastic shower curtains to use on the frames over her beds. They have a dollar store in town, and even though it is a little more expensive this way, it balances out because she hasn't had to drive 30 minutes to the nearest home center or garden supply store. "Until you are willing to organize your friends and neighbors and literally shut down cities - drive at 5mph through the streets of major cities on the freeway and stop commerce, refuse to show up for work, refuse to borrow and spend more than you make, show up in Washington DC with a million of your neighbors and literally shut down The Capitol you WILL be bent over the table on a daily basis." Karl Denninger
Something was munching on one of my tomato plants yesterday. I got down and inspected it closely and found nothing, but the leaves were being stripped.
I thought, "Oh, HELL no!"
I made a garlic/pepper tea for spraying.
I'm out of fresh cloves right now, but I have plenty of garlic powder. I mixed 4 TBSP of garlic powder with 2 TBSP cayenne pepper in a quart jar that I then topped off with water. I shook it well and set it in the sun to brew for several hours. I strained it into another quart jar. I put the strained matter back into the original jar and topped that off with water again. It's not as strong as the first jar, but it's still useful.
I poured 1 cup of the "garlic/pepper" tea into a sprayer and added 2 gallons of water. I sprayed the heck out of everything in the garden. Everything.
The leaf muncher stopped munching.
I sure did stink after that. Ugh. "Until you are willing to organize your friends and neighbors and literally shut down cities - drive at 5mph through the streets of major cities on the freeway and stop commerce, refuse to show up for work, refuse to borrow and spend more than you make, show up in Washington DC with a million of your neighbors and literally shut down The Capitol you WILL be bent over the table on a daily basis." Karl Denninger
We have an urban garden, but quite a bit of room. One bed runs the length of our house, and is a mix of flowers, mint teas and loads of tomatoes (good sun on this side).
I've got a big raised bed that's up against a shed wall. This holds several rows of peas and beans. I was happy to plant seed this year from last year's harvest. Very satisfying to be saving my seed again, which I did for years while living in the country. Between the tomatoes I have several big peony bushes. They die off just in time to let the tomatoes take off and hog all the sun. I also tend to stick lots of bulbs in the corners of my beds, so the 'edges' are marked with color.
On the shady side of the house is another long raised bed, which is completely tucked up under the eaves of the house. It gets only filtered sun and no rain! I have a drip house arranged so it gets daily water. This is home to many kinds of greens: spinach, lettuce, radishes, and chard, along with numerous gladiolus and bleeding hearts. Because our climate is quite mild (Vancouver BC), everything keeps growing on this side until a hard frost hits. Even then, my chard keeps going year round.
I added a new raised bed this year, using what I call the "down & dirty" method. Basically, I bought 9 bags of rich composted soil ($2.49/each). I laid down a piece of weed-stop cloth, and poured the bags out into 'hills'. I covered all the cloth so I could pretend it was an actual dug garden. On each hill, I put from two to six seedlings (depending), of cucumbers, squash, broccoli, eggplant, zucchini, and brussel sprouts. These will grow pretty densely, and I'll add numerous stakes and frames as the vines and plants grow, to support them all and give them maximum sun. Unfortunately, I was rushing to get this bed in and forgot to cut hill circles out of the weed cloth beneath each hill. This means I'll lose some of the moisture transfer to the roots and will have to do a bit more watering (but I generally water twice daily, anyhow). And, the little roots won't have much luck shoving their way down into the hard sod. (I didn't till this section). So, I may have to add more dirt around the hills to give the roots plenty of room to spread out. We'll see how this works out…
I'm planning to do some above-ground potatoes, as well. The spuds are busy growing long legs in my sawdust box, and I've got to put them outside 'to bed' soon! (Just wish that sun would shine…) I'll just lay down a big, long hill of straw and a little compost on top of the ground, right overtop the potatoes, which lay on the ground. This is the easiest way to grow taters I know. You just have to keep after the potato bugs, who also love the straw.
In a partial shade section of the back yard is our herb garden, which I love. It's a bit of a wild place, with various herbs and long, leggy poppies that I'll replant again this year. I put lots of big pottery saucers (from planter pots) here and there in the yard, on stumps and the porch corners. The birds, squirrels and cats are so appreciative, and I love their company.
My biggest challenges here are snails, which we have zillions of, and keeping the cats from pooping under every plant… many of which they dig right out of the ground in their feline zeal.
One interesting new annual flower I'm trying this year is called a "toothache plant". The flowers are a bit like small pompom mums… little round buttons. Wisdom has it that if you get a toothache, you just pick one of these flower heads and stick it on the afflicted spot, and it takes the pain away. I'll let you know how that works out.
Photos coming soon!
Thanks for starting a great thread, Redhead. May you all reap what you sowed, and be happy.
Your urban garden sounds wonderful. If you get a chance, link us to pictures? Don't worry...my yard is imperfect and I am not looking for someone who could make "Better Homes and Gardens" front page. I'm just curious and interested.
<<<I'm planning to do some above-ground potatoes, as well. The spuds are busy growing long legs in my sawdust box, and I've got to put them outside 'to bed' soon! (Just wish that sun would shine…) I'm doing them above ground this year, too… just pouring a big, long hill of straw and a little compost on top of the ground, right overtop the potatoes which lay on the ground. This is the easiest way to grow taters I know. You just have to keep after the potato bugs, that also love the straw.>>>
I do not know if I'm succeeding, but I've got potatoes, too. Hubby was a project manager with a firm that did a "town center" shopping area...with landscaping. The landscapers discarded a few of their sturdier black tree pots. I have 2 big ones, 1 medium pot, and one that is not small...but not large. I have potatoes started in the latter two.
In the big black tree pots I placed my seed potatoes on top of a layer of dried grasses and straw, covered them with commercial dirt, added more dirt (and moisture) after the seeds started sprouting. I covered each, and every time the stem popped thru the top of the dirt, I added more dirt. Now the pots are full, the plants are lush and green...and we'll see. I could end up with NO potatoes, but at least I have the large beautiful plants. LOL...okay, I'd be just a bit perturbed if I didn't get any potatoes.
In August, I'll start again with another set of plantings in two additional large tree pots (larger than the first).
This method does work for stacked tires, but I haven't any tires. We shall see.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 368888 5/23/2008 9:00 AM
When using raised beds it is Very easy to construct a cold frame for extending your growing season clear through the winter for some things. You're basically creating a mini greenhouse.
If it drops into the teens, throw old blankets over the frames for the night. Doesn't Always work, but then again, it often does! :)
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 421424
Has anyone mentioned having two chickens for fresh eggs?
If you have this green house set up, you could put two girl chickens in there as well. Their body heat will help keep veggies warm. (And, if you live in town, people may not see your chickens - since no one is allowed to have chickens in town - you have to be careful).
Anonymous Coward User ID: 368888 5/23/2008 9:22 AM
Last year I purchased seed potato and the plants grew to approx 3 ft tall. Beautiful flowers and many small potatoes.
Probably would have better crop if my soil wasn't so dense.
I purchased a variety of seed potatoes this year and planted them outside under milk jugs (to protect from temps going under 50 at night).
This year, i will save some of the seed potatoes to plant again.
Also last year I purchased peanuts and those plants grew to about 2 feet tall. I planted peanut seeds this year from those plants. Again, crop wasn't great, but it's a start.
(Those are planted outside now under milk jugs as well).
Anonymous Coward User ID: 425789 5/23/2008 10:01 AM
We built 5 raised beds this year - each is 4' x 10'x 12" high. Made out of cheap 2x12 fir. We topped each one with 2x4's to create a ledge to sit on while weeding.
We went to a local horse farm and got several pickup truckloads of horse manure. They load it for you for $5.
We are growing tomatoes, chard, spinach, lettuce, carrots, eggplants, etc. in PURE manure and they are doing really well. We will mulch the top with layers of clean straw ($5/bale).
We also have 6 dwarf fruit trees that give us delicious fruit. It can be frozen or dried for winter eating.
Spending summer early mornings in the garden is awesome. A great way to start the day.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 160240 5/23/2008 10:14 AM
We are now creating a climbing bean teepee! Tall bamboo poles tied at the top, with a trench around the outside for the plants and weepline for watering. It will hold beans and some pretty morning glories. And the inside will be perfect for our garden cat (or me!) to sit in and hide (or pick beans).
We also built a small raised bed from the top of an old beat-up redwood picnic table. It is 5'x5' and will be filled with strawberry plants.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 361818 5/23/2008 10:45 AM
Haven't had time to read the whole thread yet, so someone may have already mentioned this idea... apologies to anyone if it has.
When using raised beds it is Very easy to construct a cold frame for extending your growing season clear through the winter for some things. You're basically creating a mini greenhouse.
Use PVC to easily make frames if you are not the carpenter sort and purchase a roll of 4 mil plastic to cover them with. PVC is somewhere around $5 for a 20' length, I'm not sure what the corner pieces cost these days, plastic comes in a 25' x 100' roll for about $10 with the more durable 6 mill being $25, some PVC primer and glue if you need it sturdy for wind or snow and some good tape like Duct or strapping
Make one side higher than the other so it doesn't puddle water and think about how you will get into it. Some go to the trouble to make a removable top, many just drape and tape the plastic while leaving a corner loose and anchored with a stone. This allows you to open it up when the weather is warm enough for extra sun, watering and picking.
Some eats that work well even in harsh winter weather are peas, snow peas and many of the greens including mustard & chard. I have carried cherry tomatoes and some peppers up into the late fall, early winter this way too, along with a good many herbs.
If it drops into the teens, throw old blankets over the frames for the night. Doesn't Always work, but then again, it often does! :)
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 421424
To make a pvc frame for the plastic, stick rebar in every four feet or so on both sides of the bed. This works for foot-wide beds of solid plants also. Then cut the pvc and bend, slipping the ends over the rebar. You now have a series of hoops for the plastic. No need to try to crawl inside! lol Just flip the plastic off, which on hotter days you'll do anyway. Opening it up to light and air now and then helps with any bug problems.
Plastic jugs filled with water inside this row cover keep it warm at night.
This will extend your growing season on both ends.
I used this to start my seedlings in spring, had LOTS to give to neighbors.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 361818 5/23/2008 11:10 AM
Borage near strawberries is good. The leaves and blossoms are nice in salads, it attracts bees and is excellent compost.
Repel bugs with companion planting. I stick garlic, nasturtiums, cosmos and marigolds everywhere throughout the garden, NO BUGS.
Nasturtium blossoms are good in salads, taste a bit peppery. Day lily blossoms are edible, very showy placed on the plate. Viola (Johnny-Jump-Ups) blossoms are pretty in a green salad.
Mint and jerusalem artichokes are invasive. So is comfrey (root tea is good for the lungs and smokers).
Comfrey and jerusalem artichokes also make good compost.
I compost my kitchen scraps by simply digging them into the garden. Compost needs nitrogen and moisture to "cook", so add a little chicken manure or whatever and keep watered.
I use old alfalfa hay and bedding from the sale stockyard for mulch - and I mulch a LOT, saves on the weeding and produces healthy plants. When this old hay is still green-colored, it's loaded with nutrients. That's all I'm using for fertilizer this year.
Fairgrounds could be a good source of aged manure and old bedding straw.
Got bats? Build a bat house or several (I talked to a prof at the local university to get the plans.), then place containers underneath to catch the VERY HOT guano, which is FANTASTIC fertilizer. Bats will eliminate mosquitoes.
Can you grow potatoes in a 5 gallon bucket? If so, what kind of results can be expected?
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 425789
I guess it's about scale. A friend of mine used to plant potatoes in stacked tires, and she averaged about 50lbs of potatoes per stack (if I remember correctly...it's been years).
But I'm told that a 5-gallon bucket will do a grand job if properly managed. I've never tried potatoes in buckets yet, but I've done tomatoes and other veggies. Drainage is an issue. Drill holes all around the bottom edge of the bucket, about 3/4" to 1" from the bottom.
I'm a country girl at heart, but there's NOTHING intuitive about gardening for me. I have to read, and watch. So I've spent quite a bit of time trying to learn, and YouTube is my friend. LOL!
[link to www.youtube.com]
This guy has an entire row of 5-gallon buckets filled with potatoe plants.
[link to www.youtube.com]
Same guy a few weeks later. I don't know his yield, but his plants look gorgeous.
[link to www.youtube.com]
Jamie Oliver (FoodNet)
Potatoes in raised beds, buckets, and garden soil bags...
We are now creating a climbing bean teepee! Tall bamboo poles tied at the top, with a trench around the outside for the plants and weepline for watering. It will hold beans and some pretty morning glories. And the inside will be perfect for our garden cat (or me!) to sit in and hide (or pick beans).
We also built a small raised bed from the top of an old beat-up redwood picnic table. It is 5'x5' and will be filled with strawberry plants.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 160240
COOL!
We are using bamboo, old wooden pallets and just found a beautiful old headboard the beans really like to climb.
We live in an area where a lot of people planted the running bamboo, and they are glad to let you come chop it down if you don't have some of your own. It is incredibly useful in a garden, not to mention you can make flutes and fishing poles from it too!
To make a pvc frame for the plastic, stick rebar in every four feet or so on both sides of the bed. This works for foot-wide beds of solid plants also. Then cut the pvc and bend, slipping the ends over the rebar. You now have a series of hoops for the plastic. No need to try to crawl inside! lol Just flip the plastic off, which on hotter days you'll do anyway. Opening it up to light and air now and then helps with any bug problems.
Plastic jugs filled with water inside this row cover keep it warm at night.
This will extend your growing season on both ends.
I used this to start my seedlings in spring, had LOTS to give to neighbors.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 361818
Yep, we're about to do that for a larger version... use the rebar that is. The wind has been relentless this year and it's not only beating the garden to pieces, but drying.
You can get the UV covers here along with plans for building, I think.
When using raised beds it is Very easy to construct a cold frame for extending your growing season clear through the winter for some things. You're basically creating a mini greenhouse.
If it drops into the teens, throw old blankets over the frames for the night. Doesn't Always work, but then again, it often does! :)
Has anyone mentioned having two chickens for fresh eggs?
If you have this green house set up, you could put two girl chickens in there as well. Their body heat will help keep veggies warm. (And, if you live in town, people may not see your chickens - since no one is allowed to have chickens in town - you have to be careful).
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 368888
Not all breeds but, most chickens will eat your young greens (or scratch them right out of the ground) and fruit... Guineas are the exception, but they are Noisy!
Where chickens are a real bonus (besides eggs and meat) is if you use a "Chicken Tractor". You can use one of these to build new beds with a deep mulch method or to clean and fertilize at the end of growing season. They can also be used in conjunction with a coldframe for winter growing. Check out the links below.
You can often get away with chickens in town if you only have a few and keep only hens. It's the roosters that are so noisy and likely to stir up neighbors' ire. A couple of links to backyard chicken info too...
We are using bamboo, old wooden pallets and just found a beautiful old headboard the beans really like to climb.
We live in an area where a lot of people planted the running bamboo, and they are glad to let you come chop it down if you don't have some of your own. It is incredibly useful in a garden, not to mention you can make flutes and fishing poles from it too!
Great pictures! I wish I had a nice flat space like that.
There's a fencing company just off the Interstate here that gives away old fencing they've removed during jobs. Sometimes there are piles of 8ft panels of old, gray, grape-stake type fencing. We've been picking it up (free) here and there, and part of our staking will be from that.
We've also been salvaging their old 4x4's...some of them are 8ft long. Hubby wants to build a sturdy greenhouse with them. Free is free. "Until you are willing to organize your friends and neighbors and literally shut down cities - drive at 5mph through the streets of major cities on the freeway and stop commerce, refuse to show up for work, refuse to borrow and spend more than you make, show up in Washington DC with a million of your neighbors and literally shut down The Capitol you WILL be bent over the table on a daily basis." Karl Denninger
Don't blame me; I voted for Ron Paul.
Silence is consent.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 436575 5/24/2008 11:37 AM
Here's a nice source of open pollinated seeds. They specialize in the three sisters, corn-squash-beans, for maximum nutritional value. They have also taken into account various growing climates, and seed reliability.
We are now creating a climbing bean teepee! Tall bamboo poles tied at the top, with a trench around the outside for the plants and weepline for watering. It will hold beans and some pretty morning glories. And the inside will be perfect for our garden cat (or me!) to sit in and hide (or pick beans).
We also built a small raised bed from the top of an old beat-up redwood picnic table. It is 5'x5' and will be filled with strawberry plants.
COOL!
We are using bamboo, old wooden pallets and just found a beautiful old headboard the beans really like to climb.
We live in an area where a lot of people planted the running bamboo, and they are glad to let you come chop it down if you don't have some of your own. It is incredibly useful in a garden, not to mention you can make flutes and fishing poles from it too!
NICE garden!!!!! Mine is a little rough around the edges,lol.....
:grnd05081: :grdn060800: Handguns are a skill; shotguns an art; rifles a science.
_____________________________________
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on whats for dinner.
Disarmament is the precursor to Genocide.
Better to take action now rather than chances later. Your choice.
NICE garden!!!!! Mine is a little rough around the edges,lol.....
:grnd05081: :grdn060800:
Quoting: Omega
Wow, OMEGA, that garden is lookin' mighty good!
Mine is still poking along. The squash are not so great.
Oh, my daughter gave me corn seeds for Mother's Day, and I soaked them for a few days and then planted them last Sunday evening. The danged things have taken off, and are already out-pacing the growth of the ones I planted earlier (that the damned rat got most of the seeds).
We had our first green beans the other day, and they were yummy. We are having steamed green beans again tonite. "Until you are willing to organize your friends and neighbors and literally shut down cities - drive at 5mph through the streets of major cities on the freeway and stop commerce, refuse to show up for work, refuse to borrow and spend more than you make, show up in Washington DC with a million of your neighbors and literally shut down The Capitol you WILL be bent over the table on a daily basis." Karl Denninger
NICE garden!!!!! Mine is a little rough around the edges,lol.....
Wow, OMEGA, that garden is lookin' mighty good!
Mine is still poking along. The squash are not so great.
Oh, my daughter gave me corn seeds for Mother's Day, and I soaked them for a few days and then planted them last Sunday evening. The danged things have taken off, and are already out-pacing the growth of the ones I planted earlier (that the damned rat got most of the seeds).
We had our first green beans the other day, and they were yummy. We are having steamed green beans again tonite.
Quoting: Redheaded Stepchild
Thanks RHS. I did get a lot of squash, however the heat is starting to wear on them....so I expect in the next couple weeks with the temps in the 90's they will go bie bie,lol.....
My beans ain't come in yet, I do love beans-good for ya-I cook them down with some salt pork......
Take care!!!! Handguns are a skill; shotguns an art; rifles a science.
_____________________________________
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on whats for dinner.
Disarmament is the precursor to Genocide.
Better to take action now rather than chances later. Your choice.
The problem with tillers is they produce dead pan at the bottom of the tine stroke.
What is "dead pan"? :scratch:
Quoting: Peter Pan 429261
At the bottom of the tine stroke the dirt gets compressed and can become extremely hard. It can get hard enough to keep roots from growing through it.
What you end up with is the plants growing only in the top 6"-12" of soil it also makes it so water evaporates off very fast so you need to water more often.
This can also happen when you walk in your beds. The ladies of the house run the kitchen garden and forbid anyone to walk in the beds. That's why all the beds are 4' wide they can easily be taken care of from either side.
Tillers might produce dead pan(?) but compared to a fork and shovel they really do the job. I recently bought a Sears rear tine tiller (8.5 torque) after making the mistake of thinking that a Mantis would do fine-wrong-too light jumps around and is by comparison very slow and labor intensive(gave up on it and went to a fork and shovel). Might work fine for loose soils but not for breaking new ground. The new tiller really did the job-if you have 1/8 acre or more you can garden get the right equipment. I keep looking for cheaper ways of doing things and often discover that what is newer or cheaper is just hype. If you have land and arn't afraid of a days work get a good tiller. Don't forget fruit trees and blueberry bushes-most can survive cold winters. Learn to make your own compost-it easy-no need to spend $150 on a composter, chicken wire around a few posts is all that's needed. Use Youtube alot of good advice (expert gardener etc.). No matter what happens within or to our country we all have to eat. A hungry country is already a defeated country. We are blessed here in the US with alot of very good farm land. We can eat, many countries are far less fortunate. I hope the food situation doesn't get any worse, but hey we're already taking in on average about 4 pounds of pestacides per year per person-want more freedom and security, lower bills and fewer cancers-grow your own! It's no secrit our government is too dumb and corrupt to govern-all governments are-you must govern yourself. Food is a difference maker-without it your just surfs.
Underground_Dude User ID: 437485 5/24/2008 4:15 PM
Tillers might produce dead pan(?) but compared to a fork and shovel they really do the job. I recently bought a Sears rear tine tiller (8.5 torque) after making the mistake of thinking that a Mantis would do fine-wrong-too light jumps around and is by comparison very slow and labor intensive(gave up on it and went to a fork and shovel). Might work fine for loose soils but not for breaking new ground. The new tiller really did the job-if you have 1/8 acre or more you can garden get the right equipment. I keep looking for cheaper ways of doing things and often discover that what is newer or cheaper is just hype. If you have land and arn't afraid of a days work get a good tiller. Don't forget fruit trees and blueberry bushes-most can survive cold winters. Learn to make your own compost-it easy-no need to spend $150 on a composter, chicken wire around a few posts is all that's needed. Use Youtube alot of good advice (expert gardener etc.). No matter what happens within or to our country we all have to eat. A hungry country is already a defeated country. We are blessed here in the US with alot of very good farm land. We can eat, many countries are far less fortunate. I hope the food situation doesn't get any worse, but hey we're already taking in on average about 4 pounds of pestacides per year per person-want more freedom and security, lower bills and fewer cancers-grow your own! It's no secrit our government is too dumb and corrupt to govern-all governments are-you must govern yourself. Food is a difference maker-without it your just surfs.
Quoting: Bob White 432031
We have 22 people in our household and grow all our own food and the food for the animals.
I use a mule to turn in 80 acres of grain a year and the ladies use shovels to make their beds each year. They run around an acre for the kitchen garden but usually only half that in production. The rest is under green manure crops to improve the tilth of the soil.
But hey if you like your tiller go for it I'll stick to the shovel and the mule. I really don't want to use gasoline which pollutes the air and the ground.
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