Gardens vegetable, flower or other?

[jamespowers]

Same here,,, but it was also our punishment. My brother and I came home tanked one Saturday morning in August, way before we were of age. We were made to work in the fields all day- All 600 hundred square feet of 'em (well, there and the rest of the yard).
I'm surprised sometimes, I have always enjoyed it.

I would figure that you would hate it after the association with punishment. lol lol Although coming home tanked would likely guarantee some kind of punishment.

 

[Warden]

I say I have a question.

We are running out of water my in area. I wondered about diverting the waste water from the washing machine to water the garden, but would the soapy water do more harm than good?

Harry

 

[Puzzicato]

I say I have a question.

We are running out of water my in area. I wondered about diverting the waste water from the washing machine to water the garden, but would the soapy water do more harm than good?

Harry

We used to do this in Australia and had no problems. We always used low-phosphate washing detergent (although given how much super phosphate we put on the plants now I don't know why) and didn't put it on vegetables that we were planning to eat.

 

[John in Covina]

I wondered about diverting the waste water from the washing machine to water the garden, but would the soapy water do more harm than good? Harry

I don't have any solid facts on this but recall that used water such as laundry and dish washing can be retasked for lawns under the right conditions. Here in California reused water I think is refered to as Grey or Gray Water and there maybe some info on reusing grey water on the web someplace like a government source. One of my cousins talked about doing it but I don't recall what the particulars were.

 

[jamespowers]

When I think about it and the washing machine is draining, I put the watering can under the drain pipe. I use it on potted plants with no bad results so far.
I read somewhere that the ingedients in dishwashing liquid help break the surface tension of soil and increase drainage in soil so it just might be good for hard compacted soil as well. [huh]

 

[jamespowers]

I checked and found this link:
http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plant_culture/gray_water_for_gardens.html
It answered quite a few questions that I had as well. I guess I can keep using the washing machine water. I'll just watch out for sodium build ups in the soil but not too likely with a potted plant that gets watered with tap water more than gray water. [huh]

 

[unaspenser]

unaspenser - you sound a lot like us. We just moved this spring and started a garden and we keep chickens, seven right now too. I also keep bees! We plan on expanding our garden as much as possible over the next few years and adding goats. I wonder if the White House garden thing is inspiring to people or if most are just like us, more interested in localism and backyard homesteading as a way of making better communities and healthier families.

Oh bees, you lucky thing! My husband built me two top bar beehives for Christmas, and we were lucky enough to get two swarm calls as part of our local beekeeping group this May. Sadly, they didn't like the smell of the sealant he used on the wood (I TOLD him to leave it bare... ) and left after a few days. What type of hives do you have?

You are so right about making better communities. We rent a tiny house on the biggest lot in the neighborhood, and our hope for next year is that others who don't have space will come take up some of our garden!

I totally agree as far as the health benefits, and I'd say karma benefits don't hurt either.

 

[Puzzicato]

I lifted my spuds today - a good colanderful of lovely maris pipers. 4 or more servings from 2 seed potatoes seems like a pretty good deal to me! We also ate our first 2 ripe tomatoes.

 

[tuppence]

last spring

 

[tuppence]

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[tuppence]

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[Baron Kurtz]

Foraging.

For me, foraging forms just as important a part of the self sufficiency drive as growing my own. Living in an über urban environment this can be hard, but not impossible! We gathered 1.5 kg of brambles (blackberries) yesterday. These retail at about £2.50 per 100g in stores like Sainsbury's. So, we can do the math. we'll collect a similar number or more for the next 4 or 5 weekends until the crop is finished. Through the winter, these form a staple part of our pudding diet. Crumbles and pies galore.

I envy all you country people the fruit filled forests and woodlands that I remember from my youth. Wild strawberries and raspberries, and of course brambles, and all the other stuff you can find - gooseberries and elderberries not the least of them. I have fond memories of family foraging trips in late summer (ripening time is much later in Scotland).

bk

 

[LordBest]

Our local council poisoned off a good 90% of the wild berries around my home city. They claimed it was a fire hazard, but a lot of people were speculating the arrival of a big supermarket had more to do with it, not wanting their fruit prices undercut.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That sucks. Thames Water comes in with a big tractor mounted hedge trimmer in the autumn and once in the early spring, but it does no good. The brambles return within about a month.

Surprisingly I seem to have no competition for the brambles. Other than the birds, of course.

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

hmm, well I was just in the Sainsbury's near work, and the blueberries and raspberries were marked down to £1.99 for 100 grams. That's half price. Unbelievable. I advise people to forage.

bk

 

[jamespowers]

That sucks. Thames Water comes in with a big tractor mounted hedge trimmer in the autumn and once in the early spring, but it does no good. The brambles return within about a month.

Surprisingly I seem to have no competition for the brambles. Other than the birds, of course.

bk

Anyone who has ever had to deal with blackberry brambles gone wild in their yard will sort of feel compelled to cut them down. I have been fighting the darned things along side my garage for years now. It would be fine if it was in an area that allowed me access to them and the fruit but it is a narrow alleyway where I could only get at the end if I let them grow.
I am surprised to hear that spraying them works. It doesn't for me. Even Triox hasn't stopped them---only slowed them down. I have to follow up with Round Up every few weeks to completely keep up with them.
All that being said, if it were on someone else's property, I wouldn't mind getting some fruit off the bush when they are ripe.

 

[Puzzicato]

I had enough blackberries from the brambles in my front yard to make jelly last year. Very shaming lol this year we've done a lot of clearing, so I'll have to forage for them.

 

[jamespowers]

I had enough blackberries from the brambles in my front yard to make jelly last year. Very shaming lol this year we've done a lot of clearing, so I'll have to forage for them.

lol I probably would have last year as well had I not cut the heck out of them. The darned things are so prolific that a small piece that I left at the edge of the roof was growing into a plant when I looked yesterday! It got a nice dose of Round Up. I'll yank every last bit out when It gets brown and dead.

 

[unaspenser]

For me, foraging forms just as important a part of the self sufficiency drive as growing my own. Living in an über urban environment this can be hard, but not impossible! We gathered 1.5 kg of brambles (blackberries) yesterday. These retail at about £2.50 per 100g in stores like Sainsbury's. So, we can do the math. we'll collect a similar number or more for the next 4 or 5 weekends until the crop is finished. Through the winter, these form a staple part of our pudding diet. Crumbles and pies galore.

I envy all you country people the fruit filled forests and woodlands that I remember from my youth. Wild strawberries and raspberries, and of course brambles, and all the other stuff you can find - gooseberries and elderberries not the least of them. I have fond memories of family foraging trips in late summer (ripening time is much later in Scotland).

bk

You are so right! Foraging is a great source of food. We have blackberries and watercress readily available in our neighborhood, and a river full of fish not too far from home either. I bought a great book about U.S. foraging called Feasting Free on Wild Edibles http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811727548/ref=oss_product that is very useful. When I lived in the UK, I got a lot of good advice from River Cottage (the TV series and the books/website). It's amazing how much is out there!

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Oh bees, you lucky thing! My husband built me two top bar beehives for Christmas, and we were lucky enough to get two swarm calls as part of our local beekeeping group this May. Sadly, they didn't like the smell of the sealant he used on the wood (I TOLD him to leave it bare... ) and left after a few days. What type of hives do you have?

You are so right about making better communities. We rent a tiny house on the biggest lot in the neighborhood, and our hope for next year is that others who don't have space will come take up some of our garden!

I totally agree as far as the health benefits, and I'd say karma benefits don't hurt either.

Sorry haven't been to this site in a bit. I am keeping a standard box style hive at the moment. My husband is convinced we should try top bar and attracting a wild swarm - I am a little squeamish though, because I worry about the bees harboring certain maladies. I have been disappointed with the bee keeping process though - as I have had numerous queen issues. I had hoped it would be as easy as everyone implies - but my luck has been less than good. Though my colony seems better now.

We also chose a smaller home for the fact that we were able to acquire a little more land. We are hoping that we will be able to move ourselves into a better position of sustainability in the coming years and turn all of it over into a bed and breakfast venture. I love "backyard homesteading" and I feel like I am learning so much and that life is more real when you have to produce things on your own.