Easter Update: Ordered my orchard...

[Rozzie]

You're welcome. I've been reading about the various hydroponics methods. I think I'm going to start two: a deep water culture and an ebb/flow (also called a flood and drain). Later, I might try a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) and see how it goes. This looks like one of those things that can be done at a "basic" level, or one that you could spend all day at. It's only feasible for me if I can do it without too many hours of work. I can't invest MORE into test kits, testers, etc. for PH and other things than it will produce in food. That seems to be something that some people do. Others seem to have decent results with only basic setups. That's my hope...

 

[Rozzie]

So, it's time for my most recent update for my orchard & garden.

My Boomerang Lilac arrived today. It's a hair beat up from shipping, but should survive.

My knocked (by accident) my pretty patio tomato plant from a table to the concrete today. Urp. Lost a few leaves & it was loose in the pot, but it seemed to have enough roots attached that I think it should come back. I'll baby it and keep it a bit dark for a day or two so it can recover.

Two of the four grapes from (blech) Wal-mart seem to have some life! I'm seeing what appears to be the start of some budding on those two. Perhaps there is hope for the other two, as well. I did "not" order replacement grapes, so we'll hope.

The blueberries + 2 of the raspberry plants from Wal-mart, though, are undeniably DEADER THAN A DOORNAIL. I ordered their replacements. I also suspect that the last raspberry from Baker Creek is not going to make it. I've had such good plants from them that I can swallow the occasional one that doesn't make it. What I've learned is that if their raspberries are not already showing buds or leaves, they don't survive for me. Those that are already showing signs of life transition just fine. I'm not sure why this is, but it's been my experience. Great fruit once established!

Gurneys mailed me a sale catalog. BAD GURNEYS! BAD!

Here's my most recent order. The blueberries are to replace the ones from Wal-mart. By the way, I'm kind of GLAD those didn't come to life. I like these varieties better. Whoops, I ordered 5 blackberries and raspberries to replace 3 of them. HA HA. My son will be unhappy (he gets to dig!) Oh well, he will survive and he doesn't pay rent....

Somehow, those two super cheap butterfly bushes sneaked into the order. I mean really, they were only a couple of bucks each and they are normally $20. I should be able to find some nook or cranny in my backyard jungle to put them! Maybe I'll need to construct a rooftop garden.

1 BLUECROP BLUEBERRY
1 BLUEBERRY ELIZABETH
1 CHANDLER BLUEBERRY
1 BLUEBERRY JERSEY 12-18"
1 RASPBERRY ANNE (PP10411) 1 YR
1 RASPBERRY CAROLINE (PP10412) 1 YR
1 BLACKBERRY NAVAHO (PP06679) 1 YR
2 BLACKBERRY ARAPAHO POTTED
2 KALEIDOSCOPE BUTTERFLY BUSH

 

[lesa]

If you plant anything else, a rooftop garden, will be necessary!! Happy Gardening!

 

[Rozzie]

I still have the pool area and I haven't TOUCHED the front yard yet. The pool will be converted someday for more growing space. It's huge -- with all of the cement that surrounds it we're talking about an area that's something like 40x30 foot of more space. (Or maybe it's 32x24...haven't measured the distance between fence posts to see if it's 8 foot or 10 foot.) That's space for a LOT more stuff...

I have space set aside to expand the veggie garden by about 4 times. I can probably squeeze in some more tires, too, to make my redneck tire gardens. Basically, that's a piece of landscape cloth with a tire full of dirt on it. Easy to move somewhere else when shade changes with the growth of trees...

My goal is to eventually have so much stuff growing out there that it's a virtual jungle. Might as well. Grass is useless stuff in a yard. I would stomp on the grave of whoever decided it should be in a yard...

 

[Rozzie]

There is one more row of small fruits to the left here, that you can't see. That is for blueberries. The two rows of wire cages on the left of this picture are for bramble fruits. The back row has some brambles and several gooseberries. You can't really see it, but at the very back there is also a row of six lowbush blueberry, toward the fence. I have room to put in a couple more brambles, too. These are ordered and will go in as soon as they get here.

All the way toward the shed you can see the AWFUL concrete block compost pile. It needs to be rebuilt with something that provides a lot more air. That's a project for later this summer. To the right of the compost pile is the asparagus bed. It gets a few hours of light a day, but not as much as I would like. It will have to do. An advantage is that the extra shade will keep it from trying to come up too early in the spring. That will help protect it from frost damage.

 

[Rozzie]

Turning the other direction, you can see my very crooked garden bed. This is temporary and will be greatly expanded in the next couple of years. Hence my lack of concern about the poor aesthetics.

The garden currently has spring crops: greens, lettuce, radishes, onions, peas, etc. The tires have been planted with an early (risky) planting of summer crops. I've also risked some bean seeds at the base of the beanpoles and between pea plants. Peppers and tomatoes have NOT been risked yet.

If you are noticing all the fencing where you wouldn't normally have it, this is because I have a 5-6 month old pup who chews on strange things. Rose plants, for example, are tasty treats. Raspberry thorns? Not a problem. He'll eat the leaves right off the plant. Thus lots of fencing for this year.

Behind the garden along the fence, and in the corner, you can see my new flowerbeds. I temporarily tucked the rhubarb into one for this year and will have to move it next spring. I didn't have a place prepared and figured I was about to lose it.

Yes. The tires are a bit redneck. Good thing I have a privacy fence. (I grew up in the country, on a farm. I then lived in Arkansas for 17 years after that, in the country. I can use the word redneck. I'm allowed, even though I now live elsewhere!) However, I had them in my basement and was NEVER going to put them back on my car. I decided I needed them in the garden more than as possible spares (especially since I don't have a full sized rim for a spare tire...)

 

[Rozzie]

A couple of views of the main fruit area. A number of the small fruits -- currants, gogi berries, and manchurian bush apricots, are in another corner. Hopefully, they aren't in an area where they get too much shade. I had to risk it a bit, though.

 

[Rozzie]

Another view. You can see the lowbush blueberry in this one. Way over by the blue hammock is where the gogi berries, currants, and bush apricots are (well the gogi berries aren't here yet.)

The Fig & Hazelnuts are yet to be planted. They will go in the main orchard area. I have no idea where I'm cramming the butterfly bush and lilac yet.

You can't really see it in the picture, but the grapes are on two sides of the chain link fence. It's not perfect, but its' what I have and will have to do!

 

[Rozzie]

For $12, I bought this aerogarden as an experiment in whether or not I wanted to try hydroponics gardening. I found it at a local thrift store. I promptly spent more than that to order the parts I needed for it (the inserts to hold seeds).

Here is a series of pictures to show what I've done in the last 2-3 weeks. I can't remember when I started it. The last two pictures were taken today, twelve hours apart.

 

[Rozzie]

Here is the garden about three days ago:

Today, though a bit blurry:

A close up of one flowerbed:

Oink!

The other flowerbed:

Some of the other plants, waiting for warmer weather:

Asparagus Bed: Bricks are beside each planting, so I know where to watch. Yes, they are a bit close together. I tend to intensively plant and will thin weak stuff later here, rather than waste space in my limited yard. I see different opinions on asparagus and decided to try a closer planting.

Mystery plant. I wish I knew what the heck it was. Trying to decide whether to keep it or rip it out:

Close up of mystery plant. For its own health, it needs to flower or DO SOMETHING this year. I don't like stuff that doesn't flower or produce food...