Lawn to garden - tips

[asurfaholic]

Thanks Carson!

I love working outside, and I planned on doing this last year, but I was so unsure about my original location i had staked out that I just never moved to take action then it was too late. I decided to scrap that idea because it didnt seem to get enough sun, and I'm hitting things early because I don't want spring to come and be gone again. Who knows wife might get preg again, work never really slowed down for the end of year, looking to be another huge year.

So I'm out there getting it ready. I was tilling and it was sleeting last weekend.. I was in short sleeves living it.

There are bunny rabbits who crawl under my fence and so they are my next worry... Trying to figure out a cost effective way to get a chicken wire fence built around it. Would also be nice to keep my dog from going running through it and getting paws muddy and tracking it back in.

[asurfaholic]

Here's a pic from last week

[XNavyNuke]

Here's a pic from last week

Excellent!
XNN

[XNavyNuke]

Maybe it was using an excess of fresh grass clippings.

It could be the manner in which the compost is produced. If it is not aerated enough it will lack available nitrogen even if it looks all black and crumbly.

http://www.oldscollege.ca/occi/media...in_Compost.pdf

This is the problem with most conventional farming. While plowing the crop waste under increases organic matter, the lack or aeration due to earthworms means that the plant matter decay happens anaerobically and much of the nitrogen is lost.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/554.html

This is why I strive to make my garden earthworm friendly!
XNN

[Barrex]

Here's a pic from last week

lol. Sorry but do you really need that machine for that small garden? When I was in elementary school my parents gave me a part of land about that size where I could plant anything I wanted... With Shovel&hoe i planted all possible berries, watermelons, peanuts(dont grow over here but I tried...).

You said garden in facing south? If so you can plant raspberries and blackberries next to the fence(tie them up to it). It should be nearly perfect place for them.

What do you plan to grow in that garden? In gardens of that size people over here usually plant onions, garlic(plant it randomly because it helps to keep ants and snails away from your garden), lettuce/salad(you dont dig it up. Just cut the leafs so that new can grow back. No need to replant it for entire year.), carrots, paprika, tomatoes... spices, teas and herbs

For some reason people dont grow their own herbs,spices and teas like celery,thyme, camomile, parsley,horseradish, radish, mint, sage, coriander and so on.... It is best possible crop (are spices considered crops in US??? stupid English...)... If you consider that small, really small, amount like 100 grams can costs several dollars and that you can grow it in your own garden, then it is most cost effective use of your garden. They dont use much space because you dont need that many of them. Although once you plant them you will use them more often since they cost less and are product of your wifes hands... especially tea.... be a true tea-partier.

P.s.
Keep us updated. I want pictures of you collecting your crops with a combine.

[asurfaholic]

Lol barrex...

[ghengis86]

Lol barrex...

Right.

I could hoe and shovel that by hand too, but I'm not a kid without any responsibilities and my time is a bit more valuable now. If Barrex thought that was overkill, he should seen the unit I rented to put in my garden!!

[specsaregood]

Trying to figure out a cost effective way to get a chicken wire fence built around it. Would also be nice to keep my dog from going running through it and getting paws muddy and tracking it back in.

I used the metal stands from campaign signs. After the primary in 2008 I went and took out old signs from various campaigns. I kept the metal stands, the ones that were 3/4 of a square were perfect for running through the chicken wire. They've been out there ever since, still doing the job.

[oyarde]

I used the metal stands from campaign signs. After the primary in 2008 I went and took out old signs from various campaigns. I kept the metal stands, the ones that were 3/4 of a square were perfect for running through the chicken wire. They've been out there ever since, still doing the job.

Make sure to stay out of the Pine Barrens if you are out putting up signs.We cannot have one of those Jersey Devils running off with you . The Lenni Lenape ( or Delaware ) called the Pine Barrens " Popuessing" , meaning something like " place of the dragon " .

[Carson]

Right.

I could hoe and shovel that by hand too, but I'm not a kid without any responsibilities and my time is a bit more valuable now. If Barrex thought that was overkill, he should seen the unit I rented to put in my garden!!

I've had to resort to a shovel at times. A tiller gives me enough of an edge to get things really mixed in good. I could never go as ape on it as with a shovel. Also every new pass seems to get the depth down a little better.

The only draw back is having to get them back to the rental place in time. Having one on hand is nice but is kind of expensive.

[ghengis86]

I've had to resort to a shovel at times. A tiller gives me enough of an edge to get things really mixed in good. I could never go as ape on it as with a shovel. Also every new pass seems to get the depth down a little better.

The only draw back is having to get them back to the rental place in time. Having one on hand is nice but is kind of expensive.

I try to rent it on Saturday morning for a full day and ask if I can return it first thing Monday. Since they're closed Sunday and its the local place where they know me by now, they always oblige. Gets me an extra day for free; just have to drop it off before 7am.

And yes, you can get down deep pretty quick and really loosen the soil. I've got a fair amount of clay in my area, so the tiller is a godsend. It also makes amending of the soil that much easier. Just spread it and make a light pass and you're done.

[Barrex]

Lol barrex...

Right.

I could hoe and shovel that by hand too, but I'm not a kid without any responsibilities and my time is a bit more valuable now. If Barrex thought that was overkill, he should seen the unit I rented to put in my garden!!

I've had to resort to a shovel at times. A tiller gives me enough of an edge to get things really mixed in good. I could never go as ape on it as with a shovel. Also every new pass seems to get the depth down a little better.

The only draw back is having to get them back to the rental place in time. Having one on hand is nice but is kind of expensive.

Ok, Methuselahs. (this site seriously needs bigger choice of smileys... few should have horns..hint hint...wink...wink)

Is it really cheaper?
How much you earn per hour?
How much does that machine costs?
How much costs renting that machine? Gasoline&oil included.
Does any of you go to fitness center/gym or pay for it?

I never knew that you can rent tiller. Over here your neighbor will borrow it or loan it for a beer.

My garden-land is very fertile. No need to dig it deep. Tiller is needed just to make it less compact (pulverize/break/loose or whatever the word is). It is something like this:

[Schifference]

I am sure this info is too late for your project but if I were to make a garden where grass resides I would first start by getting some large pieces of cardboard and laying them directly on top of the grass area. You could also just place a heavy tarp on top of the grass and put the hay bales on top of the tarp. Have you ever seen worms under rocks or tarps or cardboard that is laying on the ground? Worms will amend your soil over the next year. I would then purchase enough straw bales to cover the area leaving enough room to walk between them. I would drive heavy stakes into the ground or even better dig a few holes and strategically place some 4"x4" x10' posts to which I would attach some chain link or devise some sort of apparatus to support tomatoes or any vegetable that need to be supported. I would grow my garden directly in the straw the first year and then rototill or simply blend the straw with the dirt below with a shovel. The grass would be dead by then. Furthermore, I would start a compost pile immediately and compost as much as possible while I was preparing my straw bale garden and forever from that point forward. Google Straw Bale garden for a wealth of information on the topic.

[asurfaholic]

lol. Sorry but do you really need that machine for that small garden? When I was in elementary school my parents gave me a part of land about that size where I could plant anything I wanted... With Shovel&hoe i planted all possible berries, watermelons, peanuts(dont grow over here but I tried...).

You said garden in facing south? If so you can plant raspberries and blackberries next to the fence(tie them up to it). It should be nearly perfect place for them.

What do you plan to grow in that garden? In gardens of that size people over here usually plant onions, garlic(plant it randomly because it helps to keep ants and snails away from your garden), lettuce/salad(you dont dig it up. Just cut the leafs so that new can grow back. No need to replant it for entire year.), carrots, paprika, tomatoes... spices, teas and herbs

For some reason people dont grow their own herbs,spices and teas like celery,thyme, camomile, parsley,horseradish, radish, mint, sage, coriander and so on.... It is best possible crop (are spices considered crops in US??? stupid English...)... If you consider that small, really small, amount like 100 grams can costs several dollars and that you can grow it in your own garden, then it is most cost effective use of your garden. They dont use much space because you dont need that many of them. Although once you plant them you will use them more often since they cost less and are product of your wifes hands... especially tea.... be a true tea-partier.

P.s.
Keep us updated. I want pictures of you collecting your crops with a combine.

I never meant to just respond with a LoL and never come back, but I haven't been able to get back to this and actually respond to your post, so here goes.

lol. Sorry but do you really need that machine for that small garden? When I was in elementary school my parents gave me a part of land about that size where I could plant anything I wanted... With Shovel&hoe i planted all possible berries, watermelons, peanuts(dont grow over here but I tried...).

Quick question, was the area previously overgrown with a highly invasive and persistent lawn grass, which is a weed grass to more meticulous lawn keepers? Centipede grass is extremely difficult to kill and control without the use of herbicides. It came up from underneath cardboard and 18" of garden dirt in my raised beds. I thought it would die under all that, but nope. They grew, with root systems as strong as hemp rope, all the way from below that. You can't pull it out without digging down.

I needed a solution that 1) didn't involve the use of herbicides, because donnay wouldn't approve. 2) removed as much of the existing grass as possible, and 3) left as much of the fertile topsoil as I could leave.

Using that massive massive tiller there in that them there pic, which I could also lift onto my trailer by myself, I was able to accomplish all three goals. And it only took about 3 or 4 hours of work, with lots of breaks. I had a little curly blond hair, blue eyes helper who was very interested in playing in the freshly turned up dirt.

But please don't give up on me, I used my shovels and rakes, as I always have. They still served a purpose. However the hoe was working that day, and probably wouldn't have been much help if that wasn't the case anyways.

You said garden in facing south? If so you can plant raspberries and blackberries next to the fence(tie them up to it). It should be nearly perfect place for them.

Yes, the picture I took was facing almost due north. Almost. It gets all morning sun, all mid day sun, and afternoon starts to get filtered by the tree in the foreground of the picture, and the fence.

As far as raspberries and blackberries, Im not much of a fan. But I do love strawberries with cool whip on them, so I have a raised bed that I plan to move from one location to somewhere near the new garden area, and I will grow cool whip in it.

What do you plan to grow in that garden? In gardens of that size people over here usually plant onions, garlic(plant it randomly because it helps to keep ants and snails away from your garden), lettuce/salad(you dont dig it up. Just cut the leafs so that new can grow back. No need to replant it for entire year.), carrots, paprika, tomatoes... spices, teas and herbs

Well, tomatoes grow pretty much wild in all my flower gardens and in the beds around the trees and shrubs around the house. But some tomatoes, okra (yum yum), field peas, squash, zucchini, onions, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers. I tried lettuce and salad greens last year in the raised beds, didn't do so well, so maybe I'll try again. Maybe not. I'm still in the process of trying to decide everything I want to do in it, but the above list is likely to be in there. Also plan to throw some marigolds and nasturtiums in there as well, never tried that before, but supposedly it helps the cool whip stay cool.

Herbs I currently grow are basil, rosemary, thyme, and some mints. I'd love to learn more about herbs and how to use them, currently I don't do much with them except the rosemary and thyme and basil.

P.s.
Keep us updated. I want pictures of you collecting your crops with a combine.

This is where the LOL came from. I literally did laugh when I read this.

[asurfaholic]

I try to rent it on Saturday morning for a full day and ask if I can return it first thing Monday. Since they're closed Sunday and its the local place where they know me by now, they always oblige. Gets me an extra day for free; just have to drop it off before 7am.

And yes, you can get down deep pretty quick and really loosen the soil. I've got a fair amount of clay in my area, so the tiller is a godsend. It also makes amending of the soil that much easier. Just spread it and make a light pass and you're done.

This is what I did. I felt so sneaky

[asurfaholic]

Ok, Methuselahs. (this site seriously needs bigger choice of smileys... few should have horns..hint hint...wink...wink)

Is it really cheaper? Than what? hiring some Mexicans? Maybe
How much you earn per hour? $0 of course, since I'm working at my house
How much does that machine costs? $45/day
How much costs renting that machine? Gasoline&oil included. $50 maybe? Drove my truck >10minutes to pick it up, and drop it off. Gas was free, since its offseason the equipment rental place asked me not to refill it with gas when I brought it back...
Does any of you go to fitness center/gym or pay for it? I am a firm believe that I should intimidate my opponents with aesthetic looks.

I never knew that you can rent tiller. Over here your neighbor will borrow it or loan it for a beer. Yea, wish I could say I had more friends with tillers, but the only ones I know of live over 30 minutes away. One hour of drive time is not worth it to me.

My garden-land is very fertile. No need to dig it deep. Tiller is needed just to make it less compact (pulverize/break/loose or whatever the word is). It is something like this:
THAT IS SEXY

Here's how I looked at it in all seriousness. The work I do is valued at $95/hr. So this tiller really only cost me about 30 minutes worth of my labor. Without going into specifics, my wife and I hit a pretty impressive milestone financially ($/year) this year. Im not going to say $45 is a drop in the bucket, but its not much of a bother. Especially given now that I've done the work. It saved me tons of time and I was able to have fun while working and watching my daughter play. When I made the other beds around my house for shrubs and trees, I shoveled it. Its hard work, not that I mind, but it is also very time consuming to remove that much sod with hand tools.

[asurfaholic]

I am sure this info is too late for your project but if I were to make a garden where grass resides I would first start by getting some large pieces of cardboard and laying them directly on top of the grass area. You could also just place a heavy tarp on top of the grass and put the hay bales on top of the tarp. Have you ever seen worms under rocks or tarps or cardboard that is laying on the ground? Worms will amend your soil over the next year. I would then purchase enough straw bales to cover the area leaving enough room to walk between them. I would drive heavy stakes into the ground or even better dig a few holes and strategically place some 4"x4" x10' posts to which I would attach some chain link or devise some sort of apparatus to support tomatoes or any vegetable that need to be supported. I would grow my garden directly in the straw the first year and then rototill or simply blend the straw with the dirt below with a shovel. The grass would be dead by then. Furthermore, I would start a compost pile immediately and compost as much as possible while I was preparing my straw bale garden and forever from that point forward. Google Straw Bale garden for a wealth of information on the topic.

Awesome, Yea its a little late for my project, but who knows who might search this thread and be taking in ideas for their own project. Never too late to share personal experiences!

I did consider what you suggested prior to starting though. If I understand, the method is called "sheet composting" and is in fact popular to go lawn to garden. I experimented with it in a limited basis when I created my raised beds. I built the frame from 2x12s and plopped it onto the area of grass I wanted the bed to be. Got some cardboard and newspapers and covered the bottom with that, then filled up over the top with dirt. Unfortunately, the centipede grass grew right through the bed by the end of the first season so I wasn't sure if sheet composting would be effective enough with the large area I planned to turn to garden this year. Maybe it would have worked though. I haven't completely ruled it out as a poor idea.

Cool vid on straw bale gardening though. The stuff people come up with is really cool.. I saw gardens out of old tractor tires once.

[ghengis86]

Ok, Methuselahs. (this site seriously needs bigger choice of smileys... few should have horns..hint hint...wink...wink)

Is it really cheaper?
How much you earn per hour?
How much does that machine costs?
How much costs renting that machine? Gasoline&oil included.
Does any of you go to fitness center/gym or pay for it?

I never knew that you can rent tiller. Over here your neighbor will borrow it or loan it for a beer.

My garden-land is very fertile. No need to dig it deep. Tiller is needed just to make it less compact (pulverize/break/loose or whatever the word is). It is something like this:

Lol.

To answer your q's:
Yes
A lot
$44 (add maybe $3 for gas)
No; I've got a workout room in the basement.

I'm in an odd situation with my neighbors and borrowing their land implements; they either have those tiny, cheap, 2-cycle junk tillers from big box stores or I'd need to borrow their International Harvester to pull the other neighbors plow/disc combo. Though our neighbors would still let you borrow their tools for a beer (or maybe a keg for the tractor!). Nice thing with all this snow is that they come by and take turns plowing or blowing the snow from our houses/driveways! I've thought about buying a big, self-propelled snow blower a few times, but why? I barely have to use a shovel and they always take beer for payment!

Back on point, the large tiller I had was a workout in itself to control. But I got through this clay soil, got deep, aerated and amended a big chunk of once useless land (overgrown with grass, brush, etc.) in short order. Like to work smarter, not harder!

I've come to appreciate good top soil for not just its nutrient density, but the ease in which you can work. You're lucky if you have good dirt!

[Barrex]

This one is really really really cool: For literally less than 5 dollars (at least over here) you can start growing in dark corner of your garden oyster mushrooms, champignons and other mushrooms. We tried them last year. It was 80% success (someone "forgot" to water some of them). Oyster mushrooms are really easy to grow. You can use log, stump, bucket or already prepared mushroom bag. Logs can produce for few years before you need to put new mycelium in it.




I always love reading how people are producing their own food. I dont do it because of financial trouble or anything like that. I love producing my own food and my retreat if final collapse comes(uuuuuuuUUUuuu scary ). Saving money is just side effect. Good luck with your little project.

[ghengis86]

This one is really really really cool: For literally less than 5 dollars (at least over here) you can start growing in dark corner of your garden oyster mushrooms, champignons and other mushrooms. We tried them last year. It was 80% success (someone "forgot" to water some of them). Oyster mushrooms are really easy to grow. You can use log, stump, bucket or already prepared mushroom bag. Logs can produce for few years before you need to put new mycelium in it.




I always love reading how people are producing their own food. I dont do it because of financial trouble or anything like that. I love producing my own food and my retreat if final collapse comes(uuuuuuuUUUuuu scary ). Saving money is just side effect. Good luck with your little project.

Ok, you can't just post that without a link for more! Come on, man...I'd love to have a couple of those going, a variety in each. Those would pair nicely with those small tomatoe box/pots and herbs for a porch/patio/deck garden for those without a yard.

[Barrex]

Ok, you can't just post that without a link for more! Come on, man...I'd love to have a couple of those going, a variety in each. Those would pair nicely with those small tomatoe box/pots and herbs for a porch/patio/deck garden for those without a yard.

I doubt that web page on Croatian language would be helpful to you guys.

Those are not mine. I just took them from the web as an example how it looks like. Mine are in big logs. We just cut down 30 meter tree and used it for growing mushrooms.Forgot to make pictures... It is something like this (only a lot bigger):



It is really simple. Buy mycelium/spawn(seed) of mushrooms that you want to grow. It comes in different containers wooden dowels, wheat grain, coffee grain etc... Insert it in log, straw/used coffee grounds or sawdust and some other things and cover it with dark plastic bag to keep humidity and keep it in dark. Allow some air. not too much. Keep it moist. It should not be swimming in water but there should be enough that it will condensate on plastic cover. Wait (depending on mushrooms that you are trying to grow) before removing plastic bag. That is it. If you are doing it in a laundry basket make sure that all off straw/coffee ground is moist. Only in moist parts mushrooms will grow.

If you startpage "growing mushrooms" you will get enough sites with information how to do it.

[asurfaholic]

Darn rain and snow is making it near impossible to work in the garden.

There's alot left to do, and there are several plants that are ready to go in the ground feb 15- march. Onions, some greens, peas stuff like that.

And I am also planning on growing asparagus. I have been looking into buying 2nd or 3rd year roots and maybe by next year it will be good to harvest.

[bracknelson]

To build an effective way to get a chicken wire fence, follow these steps;


1. Create an outline of how big you want to make your chicken pen. Be sure to apply spray paint or some sort of marking tool to do this so you can clearly see where you will be working.
2. Insert your fence posts (use either U-Posts, T-Posts, or Wooden Fence Posts) around the perimeter. Before doing this, make sure to choose fence posts that meet your size demand. T-Posts run between 5″ 6″ to 7″ 6″ per stake, U Posts are sold in sizes between 3′ to 6″ per stake, and Wooden Fence Posts are often 7′ per stake. Keep in mind that some chickens can fly over a 5′ fence.
3. Drive the Fence posts into the ground with a post driver, or sledge hammer if you keep one. Make sure to set your fence posts at least 6-8 inches into the ground so that the soil plate is completely buried. Each post should be placed no more than 10 feet apart.