What's for Dinner, Fri., July 3, 2015
I swear I put this post up earlier, but now I can't find it, so here it is again.
Cher
= new reply since forum marked as read
I'd be very pleased to have a gallon of garlic, so as a gardener, I think you did OK!
I'm sure your friends will be thrilled to get home-grown garlic, unlike the usual choice of garlic from China or garlic from China that is usually available in the stores.
Sorry about the dogs ruining your onions. Well, that's the thing about cats. About the worst they do is chew on the leaves of a plant or do their business in one of your nice raised beds.
I gardened until dark. I should have a real dinner instead of Cheetos and Mike's lemonade. Maybe I will go heat up some meatballs and have some of the tossed green salad I made for lunch.
Cher
The clay soil was horrible here. I don't know how the people who owned the house before ever gardened, but they did. I spent a lot on each bed, but that would not be necessary, now that I know the tricks of craigslist. People are always giving away lumber here, as most NJ towns have ordinances that prohibit the storing of construction materials outside. I can get all the lumber I want for free.
The other expense was the purchase of good garden soil for each bed. Again, I would do that differently, too, but at the time I had a good job, plenty of money, and it was the spring and I wanted all these beds growing something, so I bought good soil from the garden center.
Another way I'd cut expenses is to buy joiners (L brackets?) at the dollar store. That would cut the cost from $14-15 to $4 per bed.
All my beds are 4 x 10 and they have pavers in between. These are not pavers I bought, either. They are pavers that I accumulated for free via craigslist. It is nice to be able to work any of my beds without stepping in the soil.
I have so many of them--around 12 or 14 raised beds, but they really are nice and they look good, too. I'll see if I can find a photo and post it on the gardening thread.
Cher
I don't bend over to work in the beds. What I do is use a little bench, of which I have four:
I have two of the above, and one of these:
which I never use in the position in front, but it's nice to know it's there.
Also, one of these, with wheels to coast along the work area:
If you can be happy with this system, it will save you a lot on soil. The biggest cost of my raised beds was bringing in good soil.
The reason I have four is that my property is large, and I don't want to be walking all over the place looking for a bench. I keep one in each of my four major gardening areas.
Because it's not so easy to get up in cramped quarters, I will often take a metal pole with me and it goes into the ground easily. I use that as an assist in getting up. The pole is about 6' tall and about 1/2 an inch in diameter. It's made from a heavy metal material, which is important because it's much easier to submerge into the ground and have it be stable when you're ready to get up.
I have to say, though, if you have the funds and want a higher bed, they are nice. Around five of mine are on a terrace, so I can work about half the beds from a four-foot height.
Cher
