Gardening and Greenhouse

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Here is a photo and description of the one we built this year…

We used 8′ landscaping timbers we got at Home Depot for $3 each (cost effective, too!). Our area is 8′x16′, and is 2 boards deep. We filled it with 50 bags of topsoil and 5 bags of manure, as well as about half a bag of 12-12-12 fertilizer. It took about 2 days total (we had to dig up the sod there first…). We did everything by sight as opposed to precise measurements, we wanted a sort of rustic feel to it.

Here is a link to the photos of it:
http://flickr.com/photos/stahlsgarden/517232759/

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I use old things like old cottage cheese containers, old cans from soups or chili, deflated balls cut in half work too, get creative. Have an old jar? Use it! Old plastic containers from yogurt or face cream? Use that too! You can also find pots and stuff at thrift shops usually. You could probably even use an old fish bowl, or a basket that was tightly woven or even old hosiery!

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Some of the best vegetables to grow are spring onions which you can start during March-July, lettuces which you can start during April-May, tomato seeds can be sown in April, cucumber seeds can be sown in late May early June.

It all depends on which vegetables you’re growing because different vegetables are best sown at different times of the year. Check the list of vegetables you intend to grow and you can refer to some gardening magazines or catalogs to have an idea as to when to start.

Container gardening is an excellent choice of gardening as it’s easy and less back breaking. Hope this helps good luck with you container garden!

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Being a fellow native to my state… You probably see as much of it as I do down here Out at Two Rivers Park they actually have public land staked out for gardens… People have them planted everywhere! My family has always had a garden growing up… But they have expanded it now that both of my parents have retired.. Instead of a little thing.. We have 3 massive gardens.

Can’t beat the food picked there.. And yes, I do think we’ll see more and more of this.

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Round up does the trick and you can plant as soon as the weeds, etc are dead. It doesn’t affect the soil, so you can feel safe in using it. Once it is clear, prepare the soil correctly, not hurrying the process. You then will be rewarded with lovely flowers and vegetables.
We just re- landscaped our back yard, turning it over, and even sifting the dirt to get rid of all stones, etc. We then built 3 enclosed beds of soil, and have planted tomatoes. Herbs go in tomorrow and soon lettuce. We already have beans growing, and plan to have the entire back yard growing things to eat, or in between the raised beds, lovely flowers.

We simply got tired of weeds, etc. And will have less work to do. We tried the black plastic but got impatient and wanted to start long before the grass would have been dead.

When I say we, I mean my husband. He immigrated from Holland this year to live in the house I own, and so he brought all of his lovely skills from Holland. They sure know how to grow flowers and veggies over there.

Good luck. It is all worth it. No shortcuts.

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Cucumbers are pretty aggressive- you might want to try growing them on a trellis. I have grown them on fences, but find the metals/ or wood inhibits their growth .This year I am constructing nylon trellising to try. In Buffalo, as a new gardener 15 years ago, i adhered to the advice of growing them in a “hill” Cukes are easy- throw the seeds in the ground, sun, H2o, keep them off the ground while they develop- and wala! Good advice? Plant a few seeds each week to have the best season. Good Luck!

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The second book from the bottom is specifcally about queensland, but the rest might help a bit. (See link in Sources)