Vian
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Posts: 8
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Post by Vian on Apr 11, 2014 23:12:20 GMT -5
My garden is pretty small, I have four 4x4 raised beds, plus several large planters, and I'm working on getting a long 30"x 12' bed setup against the house. I have herbs planted on one side of the fish pond with flowers on the other side. The 4x4 beds are going to have romaine lettuce, zucchini, yellow straight neck squash and pickling cucumbers. The large planters will have rainbow carrots, and the long bed will have garlic and onions. For herbs, I have sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary.
I'm already thinking about how I can expand next year. I'd like to add two more of the 4x4 beds for broccoli and cabbage, and maybe try to find a place for some acorn and butternut squash.
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Post by Carolyn on Apr 14, 2014 9:02:05 GMT -5
Planning our garden and getting ready to plant cool-weather stuff this weekend (last frost is April 15th on average here). Thanks for posting what's in your garden -- it's inspiring to me! I am eating cooked greens right now, as I cannot currently tolerate raw greens. Kale and chard cook down (shrink) so much when steamed and/or sautéed! I feel like I need a whole garden full of kale and chard! I may become adventurous and try mustard greens. Are they strongly flavored ("assertive" greens), though? I'd love to try bok choy, but I'm wondering if you have the same bug & slug problems as with cabbage? Hi Robinf! I don't know about the bok choy. This year is our first year with it, so we'll find out!
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Post by Carolyn on Apr 14, 2014 9:03:20 GMT -5
Seriously can I hire one {or all} of you to come work your green thumb magic for me? I'm renting, unable to plant in the ground - can't have planters on the lawn. Options are ridiculously limited and I have a black thumb! Growing herbs from transplants in a sunny window is a great place to start!
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Post by Carolyn on Apr 14, 2014 9:03:48 GMT -5
I just read this thread and sigh. I've never planted a thing. I am so impressed with all of you! Maybe we need a thread for "black thumb" gardeners! ;-)
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on Apr 15, 2014 10:50:55 GMT -5
Well, I have been trying for the last 5 years to grow a garden. I’m still trying. I’ve learned a few things in this process:
1) gardening isn’t as easy as it sounds! 2) rebuilding depleted and poisoned soil is a major task 3) weeds grow where nothing else will
My fruit plantings are doing pretty good, finally. I have three plum trees, a fig sapling, 4 blueberry saplings, blackberries and elderberries, mulberry saplings, pomegranate saplings (which I thought were dead but now have green leaves), and the roses are taking off as well. (I also have some support trees planted—dogwood & mimosas.)
This year, I am creating growing beds around my fruit trees (food forests…sorta). I am also trying to establish forage beds for the rabbits and chickens.
Some of what I HOPE to grow this year are:
Cucumbers Butternut squash Cantaloupe Watermelon Beets Carrots Radishes Cilantro Parsley Basil Lemon balm Lavender Mint Chamomile St. John’s Wort Motherwort Mugwort Nettle
For the rabbits/chickens: Willow Roses “deer plot” seed mix Sudan grass Mulberries Sunflowers Millet Amaranth
Who needs a gym? My mini-homestead IS my exercise!
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helenjb
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Post by helenjb on Apr 19, 2014 20:20:38 GMT -5
Frecs i like the sound of a rabbit/chicken garden i may have to try do one never heard of deer plot seed mix thou. I just planted today weather is getting nice i am having to re dig it but that's my exercise got cauli, brocc,beets and Brussels and strawberries and my herb garden done with rosemary,marjoram, parsley, mint,basil,thyme and coriander.
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on Apr 21, 2014 8:13:04 GMT -5
Frecs i like the sound of a rabbit/chicken garden i may have to try do one never heard of deer plot seed mix thou. I just planted today weather is getting nice i am having to re dig it but that's my exercise got cauli, brocc,beets and Brussels and strawberries and my herb garden done with rosemary,marjoram, parsley, mint,basil,thyme and coriander. Hi Helenjb! "Deer Plot" seed mix comes in different mixtures. The mixes are intended for hunters to plant in areas they want to attract deer, get them well fed (high protein to grow big racks), and then...well...you know. A typical mix would contain several types of clovers, rape and/or kale, perhaps some radish or turnips. I raise both chickens and rabbits and want to get the rabbits completely off pellets (the chickens already are) and on sprouted grains and forage. I took a four-day weekend for Easter. Thursday was gardening day -- I finished constructing the first ring around a plum tree and planted it with beets, carrots, dill, radish. I made a bed for butternut squash and peas. Filled 6 tires and planted them with cucumbers (to trellis on my fence) and basil and another tire of calendula. Also added lavender and St. Johns Wort to a couple of beds (around/between some small sapling lilacs and dogwoods)....and lemon balm in my daylily/daffodil bed. Friday was mowing -- I push-mowed my 1/2 acre property. Feed some of the better grass/weed clippings to the rabbits, put the rest under the rabbit hutches for the chickens to pick through and the rabbits and chickens to turn into garden soil for me. I have a lot more to plant but it rained heavy Friday night/Sat morning and then was gale-force winds the rest of the weekend. Once I can get back out...I'll get okra, millet, sunflower, and peas out...I have so much more to plant but the rabbits need to produce a lot more poop....
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helenjb
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Post by helenjb on Apr 21, 2014 11:58:15 GMT -5
i was wondering what to do with our chucks to get them off pellets and still get eggs, frecs i will have to look for those and my yards fenced so hopefully i will not get deer too
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on Apr 21, 2014 12:31:20 GMT -5
i was wondering what to do with our chucks to get them off pellets and still get eggs, frecs i will have to look for those and my yards fenced so hopefully i will not get deer too Do you raise just chickens/chucks? If yes: look into doing sprouted grains (for me, cheaper than pellets), plus either oyster shell or eggshells for the calcium they need for egg formation, plus free ranging so they can eat grasses and bugs. If no: let the chickens/chucks clean up after the other livestock. My chickens eat spilled food from the rabbits (sprouted grains and pellets and forage) plus they free range. I feed them back the eggshells for their calcium needs. They also get the spent bones from making bone broth...table scraps...
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helenjb
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Post by helenjb on Apr 21, 2014 23:12:11 GMT -5
what grains are you going to sprout frec's our birds are free range too we have a rabbit too it roams with the chickens during the day but were trying to get it so its friendly its only a baby (satin)
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on Apr 22, 2014 7:44:47 GMT -5
I sprout a mix of wheat, oats, sunflower, and flaxseed for the rabbits. That gets the protein level up to about 17% which is acceptable but would be better at 18%. I'm also planting mulberries and bush willows as high protein forage for them. The chickens will enjoy the mulberry fruit. Everything I plant, really, is aimed at feeding someone as well as being "pretty" which is Mother's requirement.
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helenjb
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Post by helenjb on Apr 25, 2014 10:50:12 GMT -5
well i woke up to find Benjamin bunny (my sons rabbit) in my garden i'm like if its eaten my herbs and i was capable of killing it would be in the pot now but i'm too soft and i'am searching for deer plot at the stores other wise i wonder if clover seeds would work seen those on amazon
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on Apr 25, 2014 12:27:15 GMT -5
well i woke up to find Benjamin bunny (my sons rabbit) in my garden i'm like if its eaten my herbs and i was capable of killing it would be in the pot now but i'm too soft and i'am searching for deer plot at the stores other wise i wonder if clover seeds would work seen those on amazon Yes, clover is enjoyed by rabbits. As are many weeds...and yes, some culinary herbs as well....and roses! My rabbits think roses are the best thing ever! Willow is also slurped down with gusto. There is a very good book available about what to feed rabbits rather than pellets. It's called "Beyond the Pellet" by Boyd Craven Jr. Very worth the $.
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Karin
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Post by Karin on May 1, 2014 6:50:17 GMT -5
Don't forget the dandelion leaves for your rabbits. They love it!
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frecs
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Posts: 80
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Post by frecs on May 1, 2014 7:50:55 GMT -5
Don't forget the dandelion leaves for your rabbits. They love it! Yes! And, plantain (not the vegetable, but the weed)...and willow, and dogwood, and brambles, and nettles, and...well, lots of things that are growing right now! :-) (Actually, if you are in the US, I have a chart I've been compiling with edible plants, herbs, weeds, flowers, grasses, bushes, and trees that I can email to you if you want to message me your email addy. OR, there is a book I highly recommend: Beyond the Pellet that goes into the art and science of feeding rabbits without dependence on pellets or in addition to pellets depending on how you decide to do it.)
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