Already planning next year's garden...

[urban dreamer]

Long story short, my gardens sucks. The first year I tried, I didn't till the ground and I had too few plants so they did not pollenate. This year, I had alot more plants and tilled the yard. The problem this year is, I had too many plants and they are over crowed and they are bloacked most of the day by our neighboor's oak trees. No sunlight, no veggies. Next year, I am determined to have it right. I watched the backyard and discovered the only area that gets direct sunlight all day is in the middle of the yard and a few other segregated spots. So my idea is to start a container garden next year so I can move the plants into the sunlight and have plants in the little separted spots. I did some research and discovered you can use cardboard boxes with a trash bag liner as a container for your garden. At the end of the season, recyle the plastic bags and compost the boxes. The containers would make it possible for me to move the plants around and ensure they get adequite light. Dose anyone eles have a conatiner garden? What tips can ya'll give me to have better luck next time? What do you think about the cardboard box idea? I do have two banana pepper plants in a barrel half (we have lots of barrels that once held soap). They seem to be growing great, but they are not producing fruit. Any ideas for the gardening challenged?

 

[Wildsky]

I don't think you'd be able to move a cardboard box filled with soil and plants.

I'd start working on a pretty raised bed for slap bang in the middle where the sun is, you could make it a fun shape or different shapes and sizes all gathered in the sunny spot!

 

[urban dreamer]

What do you suggest to use for a raised bed? 2x4's or do you use something more creative?

 

[ninny]

What do you suggest to use for a raised bed? 2x4's or do you use something more creative?

I'm using bricks, tires, old wood. If it laying around use it. Cragslist always has bricks, cider block on it for free. I say put it in the middle of the yard. It will say you a lot of headaches. Maybe do it in a horse shoe shape and put a fountain in the middle. Make it nice to look at from the house.

 

[Wifezilla]

Whatever is free and you can scrounge is my strategy as well. I have beds lined with nice pavers (neighbor gave them to me when she moved) I have some surrounded by landscape timbers (craigslist) and one that is bordered with old logs (another neighbor had trees cut).

Here is what I put in the sunny spot in my yard...

 

[Javamama]

I'd either dig up that sunny spot and start preparing it right now, or do a raised bed. It would be a pain to move containers around all the time. It doesn't have to be fancy, and it doesn't have to be very high. Learn from my mistake and either remove the sod or kill the existing grass and weeds before you build the bed, or you will have to deal with it growing up into your garden. I put down a newspaper barrier but did nothing else and it is a ridiculous situation now. We are tearing them out and starting over this fall. :/

 

[urban dreamer]

Im gonna try to up load a picture of the little spot my MIL/Landlord has given me to garden in/ chicken in. I don't really have a great picture of it. She did give me permission this morning to cut down all the little trees and bushes around the fence line. That should help bring some sunlight into that little spot. This weekend, the brush pile and some other things are going to get moved around or trashed. I think it's about 15 by 30-ish mabey 40? The larger fenced in area is for the dogs (to keep them away from the garden and chickens). The little spot in the back is ours. Don't mind me and SO walking Emma our RIR chicken in the forground. You can see the coop and run in the back too. As soon as growing season is over, the area in front of the coop is going to become a bigger run.

 

[framing fowl]

Good for you for not giving up!!! I did hear of someone who put their containers in old wheelbarrows and kids wagons to drag them around their yard. It sounds like you'll be able to get more sunlight soon by doing the trimming. Summer varieties of lettuce doesn't like as much direct sunlight so if you like lettuce, you might try it in some of the shadier areas. You might also consider that it is not too late to consider a fall garden. I've not done one before but I'm sure others can chime in with what to do!

 

[Mackay]

Ldychef2k does a lot of container gardening.

I would think that a tree or two needs to go. Sunlight, next to water, is the most important thing. If you are having pollination problems you might want to get some mason bees. You can find them on line and they are very easy to take care of. plant some flowers for them too.

Take a look at my raised beds... http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2159&p=7

I'm doing the lasagna garden method. Search youtube to find out about that. Now I'm not saying Im a succsesful gardener yet... things are just beinging to sprout up, we have a short season here... but I've tried to follow every rule in the book

My neighbor built raised beds out of old composit board sheeting, which will fall apart eventually, which she lined with plastic and she is on her 3rd year with them, so that is a more inexpensive way to go.

You can plant tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets as well as potatoes. Lots of things can grow in buckets and with the handle they are easier to move around than boxes and they won't fall apart. Wagons and wheel barrow are a good idea but kinda spendy if you don't have them already. Look for old kids wagons at yard sales etc.

 

[urban dreamer]

I'd either dig up that sunny spot and start preparing it right now, or do a raised bed. It would be a pain to move containers around all the time. It doesn't have to be fancy, and it doesn't have to be very high. Learn from my mistake and either remove the sod or kill the existing grass and weeds before you build the bed, or you will have to deal with it growing up into your garden. I put down a newspaper barrier but did nothing else and it is a ridiculous situation now. We are tearing them out and starting over this fall. :/

Would covering the spot where I intend on having that garden with a tarp be a good idea to kill the grass under it (no sun, no plants, right? )? I've been digging around and found where people have gotten those big plastic storage tubs and made containers out of those. I have been thinking about cutting the big plastic barrels we have into 1 foot rings and using those for containers. They are white barrels so I think they would be pretty. I think also, I might leave the tomatoes where they are. They seem to be the only thing thriving back there. So where the garden is now (in front of the coop) could be my tomatoe spot. When should one start planting a fall garden? What are good fall veggies? I have little corn seedlings all ready in the ground for a fall harvest? I really appreciate the input!!! Every little bit helps!