I wondering what is the basic structure of folks gardens on here--containers, aquaculture, rows, raised beds, more fruit, flowers, vegies, herbs, an integrated landscape, separate gardens for different things? And what direction might you want to evolve towards?,
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7 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I once thought about aquaculture but decided to leave my dirt garden alone. I didnt want the fuss and mess with tubing, tanks and all the clutter that comes with those I like raised beds with soil. I have 5 of them scattered around the yard. One in the garden is 10 by 25 ft with strawberries. The others are 5 by 20 ft. X 30 inches high
I hated mowing so i killed my lawn and put chips down and raised beds, 2 more planned this year.
HerbertNewsam
Level 6
Dec 30, 2019
0
I an currently using pots with only a couple plants in the ground... pepper plant. I plan to start a real in ground garden in the spring. Here in Fl that means like February. My soil is mostly sand so I must amend it with some compost. I hope to start a compost pile myself to use. Lots to do...gardening wise
Shaggy2018
Level 7
Dec 8, 2019
0
About a third of my plot is the commercial nursery where I earn my living, and two thirds are semi wild landscaped garden, mostly woodland, plus a small veg plot and a side paddock which is rented out to the village sports club. The land is on a slightly sloping site in a valley, and has a stream running through it, which was one of the main reasons for buying the property, the small old falling apart cottage being a good reason not to. Though now I live alone its big enough.
I am now however beginning to think in terms of retirement, and how to cut back on the work, especially in summer. Since though I share the veg plot which cuts back on the work, a lot of the green keeping for the sports club falls to me as well, being the person living on the site and everyone else being happy to let someone else do it. So the nursery will become part time. More of the space will become wild wood, because I am a wildlife enthusiast, and the logs may be useful if I get a wood burner, though I will have to disappoint the friend who helps with the pruning in exchange for logs. Its Eden but one hell of a commitment.
Fernapple
Level 9
Dec 5, 2019
0
I grow vegetables in raised beds or rows. I also have a patch of pineapples. In the rest of our back yard my wife has developed an integrated landscape.
wordywalt
Level 9
Dec 5, 2019
0
@DavidDuhon Growing pineapples is easy if you have a largely frost-free climate. You simple cut off the leafy top of a pineapple and plant it. It will take several years for the emerging plant to produce the first pineapple After a pineapple is produced, the plant will send off side shoots, each of which will eventually produce pineapples. I started with 2 04 3 pineapple tops, and now have 12 plants producing pineapples each year
Once a pineapple bloom appears, it will take at least 2 to 3 months for the bloom to develop into a ripe pineapple. The only care needed is water in dry periods, and periodic fertilizer.
My foundation of gardening experience is forty years of growing roses, for most of that time in pots as a home renter. Modern roses mostly, chemicals, commercial fertilizers, the whole bit. I FINALLY got a house of my own 2 seasons ago. 1/4 acre suburban lot, the large back yard mostly shady in summer, mostly dappled sun in winter. The whole lot is dense alkaline clay. Front yard gets 6-7hours direct sun from March to mid-October. The roses still take center stages, now in a massive raised bed, but that leaves marginal space for other sun-loving plants. I have moved steadily toward more disease-resistant, heat tolerant rose varieties, and I now never spray insecticides and rarely for fungal disease. I am branching out. If I can eliminate all need to spray for disease, I may underplant a few herbs and veggies around the roses. I planted a butterfly garden on my property's front edge last spring. It was a huge hit with all kinds of birds, bees, and butterflies. I have planted a satsuma tree and two rows of boysenberries. I am trying veggies, but the sunlight situation is sketchy. I am on a learning curve with the veggies. Thinking now I may do winter crops like lettuces and carrots in the back yard. I would love to find woodland understory type perennial crops to plant, because those are my conditions. I do have bunches of native dewberry vines popping up all over the back yard. So I have put up stakes and training wire and will give them a couple years to see what they produce. It seems to be a challenge to find actual food crops for these conditions.
MikeInBatonRouge
Level 8
Dec 5, 2019
1
@DavidDuhon Thanks for the nursery tip. I am actually watching a library dvd this moment on perennial food crops. So many I have never heard of, and many thrive in various shade conditions. There is I suppose, a challenge in learning what and how to cook with these exotic crops.
As for the roses, the number one key to success is picking varieties that like your particular growing conditions. There are more and more to choose in recent years, fortunately. Just planted one called Easy Spirit. It is blooming right now. Really gorgeous blush color, and so far not a hint of disease, but time will tell. I learned last year that perennial salvias provide some protective value against blackspot, as the spores don't like the salvia chemistry at all. I planted some blue Texas salvia variety, ...salvia farinacea. Sure enough, my blackspot problem was signficantly reduced. Only problem was the salvia grew over 4 feet tall and blocked sun from the younger, shorter roses. I had to dig up and reposition the salvias, but they are a fantastic hummingbird magnet. 
I am a hodgepodge. I have a total of 10.5 acres - 7.5 is forest, part is pasture, a lot of random flowers & ornamental trees, a couple of young peach trees, grapes, blueberries & blackberries.
Heidi68
Level 8
Dec 5, 2019
2
@CrazyQuilter my horse will be 20 in January. If I am lucky I have 10 more years with him. Once he passes I will rent this house & move to the beach, live in a condo.
All I ever do is work.....
@CrazyQuilter I just sold one of mine. I agree they are expensive to feed! Zack will be with me til he passes (my lifer). He has a few issues and was abused before I got him - I would never take a chance that someone abused him again. My other critters (which there are many) are all under 20lbs.
I have a gardener who takes care of my veggie garden.. All separate little plots...
Cutiebeauty
Level 9
Dec 5, 2019
1
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