A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

Got 1st round of seeds goin and been busy getting planters ready. Bought a load of food grade 55g drums to make few standing planters from them. did a small container garden last year but goin bigger this time,
Anyone else doin garden this year

Very cool and very rewarding when you are able to eat what you grow. I wish I was better at it but I suck. I tried tomatoes in a bucket last year but they did not do too well. I just do not have a green thumb. There could be a tree that's been there for years with no care whatsoever and if I adopted it, it would die.

The kids love planting stuff, but between the squirrels, rabbits and raccoon around here, fat chance of seeing anything grow.

Heck, I found a maple sapling about 8 inches high (and for some reason my wife didn't believe me...). I planted in a planter and the damn squirrels destroyed it. I am ready to go full Carl Spackler on those little critters.

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:32 pm The kids love planting stuff, but between the squirrels, rabbits and raccoon around here, fat chance of seeing anything grow.

Heck, I found a maple sapling about 8 inches high (and for some reason my wife didn't believe me...). I planted in a planter and the damn squirrels destroyed it. I am ready to go full Carl Spackler on those little critters.

Yeah squirrels can be hell i have a few and they have yet to mess with garden yet but im sure it will eventually happen. Im already thinking about making chicken wire cages from 2x2 or pvc pipe to keep them and others out. Pest are the worst part of garden I dont do real pesticides just organic ways and had decent results. They say expect to lose 10% of your food to pests when u plant, well im planting 20 plants and only need 5 to make sure I get results.
About to make few of these 55g drum tower planters that uses worms to feed to plants and u put compost down pipe in middle so all it needs is water.

tonebender wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 1:49 pm Very cool and very rewarding when you are able to eat what you grow. I wish I was better at it but I suck. I tried tomatoes in a bucket last year but they did not do too well. I just do not have a green thumb. There could be a tree that's been there for years with no care whatsoever and if I adopted it, it would die.

Ive never had a green thumb either but youtube is great info. The dirt and nutrients is 80% of it and bugs is 180% of the issues imo. I try and stick to easy stuff some plants like pole beans , cucumber and peppers are so easy u can almost throw seeds down in decent dirt and they always produce. peppers potatoes garlic broccoli kale any green leaf vegs are real easy its bugs on them is the issue. I just grew broccoli 1st time this winter did pretty good since i put it on old dirt in shady spot wet as hell didnt matter still eating broccoli now and plants are 3 months old.
I think garden is like guitar soldering got do it few times to get good at it then its easier i have a lot to learn for sure!

artandsoul wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:31 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:32 pm The kids love planting stuff, but between the squirrels, rabbits and raccoon around here, fat chance of seeing anything grow.

Heck, I found a maple sapling about 8 inches high (and for some reason my wife didn't believe me...). I planted in a planter and the damn squirrels destroyed it. I am ready to go full Carl Spackler on those little critters.

Yeah squirrels can be hell i have a few and they have yet to mess with garden yet but im sure it will eventually happen. Im already thinking about making chicken wire cages from 2x2 or pvc pipe to keep them and others out. Pest are the worst part of garden I dont do real pesticides just organic ways and had decent results. They say expect to lose 10% of your food to pests when u plant, well im planting 20 plants and only need 5 to make sure I get results.
About to make few of these 55g drum tower planters that uses worms to feed to plants and u put compost down pipe in middle so all it needs is water.

pic-8.jpg

My folks used to grow a lot of veggies, and forest critters were an issue My dad went to the dump and got a lot of window glass and made a foot high glass wall around the garden. It actually worked.

They lived on a lake, and my dad would compost the lake weeds that washed up on shore. That stuff was like concentrated Miracle-Gro. It made big veggies. Like, pickling cucumbers that can barely fit in the jar type of big.

I just want the kids to have some successful plants. We may have to start them inside.


And lets not get started on my lawn maintenance capabilities.....

I am a zero with vegetables, but doing allright with flowers.
The dining room has over-wintering geraniums that I grew from seeds (slow!), same with begonias.
All on the deck - I have voles in the front yard, only place with full sun, so forget it! I figure they need to live somewhere.
And occasional visits from local wild turkey flock, sometimes twenty of them - no grubs, no ticks!

EDIT: these 55-gal food grade drums look interesting, where to get such?

PoodlesAgain wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:29 pm

EDIT: these 55-gal food grade drums look interesting, where to get such?

I got them on facebook marketplace pretty cheap theres always some on there with some for sale. I also got some free 275g totes square ones with cage around them i cut in half for 38x38 planters. the 275g ibc totes are usually 50 or more and the 55g drums 5-20 each depends on seller. Mine are food grade from pepsi had mnt dew in them so they clean easily and no real chemicals in them although id say mnt dew is toxic to humans lol.

I've had a vegetable garden, plus 4 fruit trees for almost 10 years now. I typically don't have a lot of luck growing vegetables from seed, so I've been just buying them instead. Last year, I had good luck with bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, squash and zucchini. Probably do the same this year, but I've expanded the garden area, so I'll move the vines to the new area so they can spread where they want. Probably add some carrots this year (those I'll do from seed) and maybe cucumber?

My folks used to grow a lot of veggies, and forest critters were an issue My dad went to the dump and got a lot of window glass and made a foot high glass wall around the garden. It actually worked.
They lived on a lake, and my dad would compost the lake weeds that washed up on shore. That stuff was like concentrated Miracle-Gro. It made big veggies. Like, pickling cucumbers that can barely fit in the jar type of big.
I just want the kids to have some successful plants. We may have to start them inside.
Lets not get started on my lawn maintenance capabilities.....



Good idea with the lake weeds! I always start inside but i always grow from seeds usually the dollar tree or dollar general seed packs 4 for 1,25 there organic heirloom and always grow . Way way cheaper than 4.00 for 1 tomato plant at lowes , they have 82 plant trays at walmart for 5,00 to grow in and bag of starter mix dirt is 6.00 there to. so can plant 82 tomato plants with dirt and seeds for 15.00 max cost me 350.00 at lowes for 82 plants 5-6" tall. It will take 2 months for tomatoes to get 5" but its a huge savings.

those pre grown plants at walmart and lowes are a total rip off! beans and corn will be 3" in 6 days from seed, I planted garlic from grocery store last monday its aleady 8" tall today in planters. grow pole beans or bush beans they way to easy and you get a ton of them, Just freeze them and eat later. Peppers also grow like mad as well as garlic and any herbs. My basil was 5' tall last year and i grew it in 5g bucket. After drying i dont need any basil for years, same wtih hot peppers I have so much dried im good for 5 years. I end up giving tons away and that was 6 pepper plants and 6 basil plants.
A good trick is buy some green onion from grocery with roots and plant it, ive had the same green onions now for 2 years in same bucket winter doesnt effect them there about 28" tall now. great in chinese stir fry, potatoes , on chicken dishes, spagetti etc they taste like mild onion so can use in a lot of stuff.

bleys21 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 8:52 pm I've had a vegetable garden, plus 4 fruit trees for almost 10 years now. I typically don't have a lot of luck growing vegetables from seed, so I've been just buying them instead. Last year, I had good luck with bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, squash and zucchini. Probably do the same this year, but I've expanded the garden area, so I'll move the vines to the new area so they can spread where they want. Probably add some carrots this year (those I'll do from seed) and maybe cucumber?

I did carrots last year had wrong soil with to much mulch hard stuff in it so they grew but stumpy short fat carrots but who eats a ton of carrots !?. sandy soil with no wood or mulchy stuff works best, im doing carrots now in 5g bucket, a good potting mix with some added peat moss, black cow and perlite works the best imo for most all vegs. drainage is good and soft dirt is good dont want it getting hard it compacts over a few months.

U can grow most vegs from the store, get an ear of corn and put it in tupperware with some water for 4-5 days it will start growing. Same with lettuce, onion, broccoli, boy choy, potatoes mine from store and there already growing, garlic, celery, ginger, even dry beans in a bag like black eye peas will grow when planted. no reason to buy certain seeds if u buy produce often. Im even growing pineapple plants from tops cut off store bought pineapples. Im amazed the stuff we throw away that can be planted in garden after bit inside in water and it will grow in well. mother nature is yin and yang good and evil all at once , its all a love hate relationship like some guitars lol

Serendipity, as I was out burning sticks in my garden area for potash and will soon be hitting it with 12-12-12 fertilizer. i did seeds last year, however I may not get into a garden this year due to a collision of commitments which will likely have me away from the garden. If I do get into it, it will be store bought plants.

Up here we don't even think about planting anything outside until June at the earliest. I have a family heirloom tomato that came from Sweden/Norway with my ancestors that we still start from seed each year. We call it the "Uncle Toland" tomato, named after my uncle of the same name who was the son of our original immigrants in our family. It's a big lumpy beefsteak tomato.

I also have few other varieties of heirlooms I've accumulated over the years that you cannot buy in stores that I start each year just to keep the lines going. One is called a "Matt's Wild Cherry" tomato which is a tiny little cherry tomato about the size of your pinkie tip, but the plants grow wild like weeds, and they came from a guy named Matt lol.

artandsoul wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:31 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:32 pm The kids love planting stuff, but between the squirrels, rabbits and raccoon around here, fat chance of seeing anything grow.

Heck, I found a maple sapling about 8 inches high (and for some reason my wife didn't believe me...). I planted in a planter and the damn squirrels destroyed it. I am ready to go full Carl Spackler on those little critters.

Yeah squirrels can be hell i have a few and they have yet to mess with garden yet but im sure it will eventually happen. Im already thinking about making chicken wire cages from 2x2 or pvc pipe to keep them and others out. Pest are the worst part of garden I dont do real pesticides just organic ways and had decent results. They say expect to lose 10% of your food to pests when u plant, well im planting 20 plants and only need 5 to make sure I get results.
About to make few of these 55g drum tower planters that uses worms to feed to plants and u put compost down pipe in middle so all it needs is water.

pic-8.jpg

Omg I did almost this exact same thing years ago. My way I just cut big 3" holes in the side and wrapped the inside w weed fabric then loaded with compost. Had different tomatoes poking out the holes.
Unmittigated failure. Just all started to bulge and sag and it seemed I couldn't water it enough as water channeled into way down.

If you get it to work I'd like to see how.

Makes me sad as I really want to and my grandfather had an award winning garden bu he died before I learned to learn and enjoy it with him.

nomadh wrote: ↑Sat Mar 04, 2023 2:15 am

artandsoul wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 7:31 pm

Rollin Hand wrote: ↑Tue Feb 28, 2023 5:32 pm The kids love planting stuff, but between the squirrels, rabbits and raccoon around here, fat chance of seeing anything grow.

Heck, I found a maple sapling about 8 inches high (and for some reason my wife didn't believe me...). I planted in a planter and the damn squirrels destroyed it. I am ready to go full Carl Spackler on those little critters.

Yeah squirrels can be hell i have a few and they have yet to mess with garden yet but im sure it will eventually happen. Im already thinking about making chicken wire cages from 2x2 or pvc pipe to keep them and others out. Pest are the worst part of garden I dont do real pesticides just organic ways and had decent results. They say expect to lose 10% of your food to pests when u plant, well im planting 20 plants and only need 5 to make sure I get results.
About to make few of these 55g drum tower planters that uses worms to feed to plants and u put compost down pipe in middle so all it needs is water.

pic-8.jpg

Omg I did almost this exact same thing years ago. My way I just cut big 3" holes in the side and wrapped the inside w weed fabric then loaded with compost. Had different tomatoes poking out the holes.
Unmittigated failure. Just all started to bulge and sag and it seemed I couldn't water it enough as water channeled into way down.

If you get it to work I'd like to see how.

Makes me sad as I really want to and my grandfather had an award winning garden bu he died before I learned to learn and enjoy it with him.

i see some people putting irrigation lines in there 55g drum towers to keep them wet, seems like the waterr would always go strait to bottom to me as well. im still researching the 55g drum before i go through trouble to build.

Decided to blow off the 55g drum tower planter idea after getting 120+ free old cinder blocks today. It probably take me 4 hours of heating up holes with heat gun to make all the pockets anyway. Id rather just build a big 4x12 bed for 4 hours and it last for years. It was fun loading and unloading and moving around 120+ 45lb blocks. Got enough for a garden bed and can build a nice sunken fire pit. Its gonna be one hell of a yard work week lol.

That's kinda what I did as well...I had a bunch of old pavers, blocks, bricks, etc, so I made two 4x8ft garden beds out of them, dug up the old soil in the beds and replaced with good soil and steer manure. Been working ok for years, just added some drip line irrigation (I live in the SoCal desert, watering is a requirement lol ) and off she went...

Started some herb seeds indoors in the plastic salad mixes come in, 02 March, cilantro, parsley.
Three days ago, cilantro popped up. Same care, but no action from parsley.

Now comes the critical time to keep them hydrated before true leaves develop.
Eastern MA, here, it will take a while to think of taking them outside to harden up a bit.

Other/funny: I have a lousy soil on left of long driveway, prior owner's idea of a good time. I set spare strawberry plants as a filler foliage, incidentally producing some fruits, at times. The cutest thing was watching a skunk taking his time to eat a strawberry or two right on the driveway!

Ironic problem to have, considering the drought and all , but I kinda need it to stop raining here in California long enough so I can work on my gardens!