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[Denim Deb]

TOR, I don't till either. I've found if I keep the garden mulched, the ground is nice and fluffy w/out it.

 

[mrscoyote]

Thanks for the advice, We are new to it all so the help is good. What do you use for mulch?
Nancy

 

[Denim Deb]

Anything that I can. I'll put plain, corrugated cardboard down in areas where I'm going to be walking. I put leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, old hay, straw, etc around the plants as well as over top of the cardboard. If you do this, you'll also find that you don't need to water as much, nor weed and the plants are normally stronger and healthier.

 

[abifae]

Beautiful pic!!!

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day, you already have chickens,turkeys and ducks,so you have got a great source of fert..If you can make yourself a big compost bin(about 3ftX3ft X3ft high)and fill it with anything that will rot (not meat by products)if you can fill it to the top at the start ,put about4ins of sandy soil on top it will hold in the "heat" and will speed up the process.As it sinks just add more litter and stuff,its great if you can have two of these side by side because after a couple of months you can put the top on the bottom and the bottom on the top in the bin along side it...................I'm sure there is lots of stuff about "composting" on here somewhere ,but I'm to new to know where it is...........................good luck,T.O.R.......................

 

[Marianne]

If I haven't said it before, welcome!

I use straw, grass clippings, weeds that aren't seeding and leaves (if I can get 'em) for mulch, but primarily straw.

Ditto on what everyone says about no till. I don't use cardboard or paper as I have a hard time keeping it on the ground in this wind. For some reason, the straw stays down. I mulch heavily on top of weeds and think of them as being free mulch. Here, it doesn't take long and they're dead. At the end of the gardening season, the hens scratch the straw to little bits and do the garden clean up and fertilize. Yay, chickens! I don't do traditional composting any more, just pitch everything into the garden except for egg shells. They dry, then are smashed and given back to the hens. Every so often, I pick up the coffee filters.

I don't have hot coop litter too often, but when I do, I just pile it in a corner of the garden and it's ready to go the next year.

We're not trying to beat you up about using a tiller. My husband prefers the pretty picture tilled garden too, but he's not the one doing the work.

Gorgeous property!

 

[mrscoyote]

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[popcorn chicken]

Welcome to SS

We're back home again in IN (sounds good, someone should make that a song ) But we lived in St Pete for 12yrs, moved back here so the kids would be closer to family, that way all the Gpa's & Gma's & the rest of the family weren't just a pic in the photo album. But I still miss being down there, I'm a water person and I LOVE to fish, swim, dive, whatever!!! Just sit and listen to the waves!!!

Good luck w/ the garden, we didn't have much luck w/ one when we tried, to dry and HOT. We did grow tomatoes in 5gal buckets one winter, and that worked out great!! If we were expecting a cold snap, we'd move them in, onto the screened lanai until it passed and then back outside.

We also became BIG Gator fans!!!!! Loved going to Gainsville,it's just awesome their on game days!!!

 

[mrscoyote]

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[sunsaver]

Don't feel pressured to entertain, Mrs.C. No one can compete with OFG in that department, so all the pressure's on her. Alas, duty calls! But there's plenty of organic gardening experts like me and all my friends who have commented so far, in mutual agreement about the benefits of mulching and the dangers of toxic chemicals and toxic gmo foods. We are all more than happy to give advice, and after all, seeking a multitude of council is the wise choice. There is no such thing as a dumb question. Some days i just read journals, when i have nothing substantial to offer. But i still enjoy hearing about the daily ups and downs of my SS friends!