This thread is getting so long, I am starting a new thread here for the great responses as to results. I can't believe that something that started with a simple question in July has generated this kind of interest
Continuing from Five gallon bucket system... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1011889/
This message was edited Nov 16, 2009 12:54 PM
E-Bucket thread continued here
Mola, Gessie, et al, where are yall's updates???
11/14/09. Weekend Progress Report: Outfitted 6 more colander eBuckets and planted broccoli seedlings.
I finessed cutting the straw and fill tube holes in the colanders, so they're all uniform and the fill tube hole is a fairly snug fit, to avoid excess soil falling through (without much electrical tape!).
[Managed to slice through the tip of my index finger with my utility knife, whacking off a piece of that electrical tape...this makes two disabled fingers on one hand. Did a cowboy trick and sucked blood so no poison would enter my system (oops -- that's for rattlers...) Bandaged it, wore a rubber glove, kept working...]
Became thoroughly disgusted with all the WOOD CHIPS and SMALL BRANCHES in my purchased Rose blend veggie growers mix (from Living Earth), so I SIFTED about 8 bucketsful and ended up with enough fine stuff to fill the six buckets. Used my homemade compost to fill the top 6" of each bucket. I like sifted soil...
All in all, I have one critical observation regarding eBucket gardening. It is labor intensive, in the beginning, to outfit and fill all those buckets, especially if you DO have a day job. However, I know that after they're all up and cranking out the good stuff, I and my sore body will forget how much work went into filling all those buckets.
The good part is knowing that I won't have to refill them all again for the next several seasons! I'll simply refresh the top layer of my homemade compost! Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout! And, the portability makes following the sun so much simpler!
Ciao' Babies!
Gheeze, you guys are busy bees. I've been moving big things. A little restaurant closed, and the man told me that I could have the bananas, they take some digging! Moved six, and some more today. And then I had some papayas to move, they are biggies, also. But the dark of the moon, and a rainy day said "Do it NOW!" so that's all finished.
The one bucket with collards is happy. I need seeds for chard, kale, and celery and squash, so off to some seed company on the internet--- I'll check who Dave's recommends.
I'm allergic to tomatoes, so I have just three in the ground for sharing with people. Folks here rarely get homegrown tomatoes here, so I am very popular when handing freebies.
Say, squash seems to sprawl, have you ever staked it so it grows up, instead of along the ground?
Molamola I always stake my squash, with the small space I have that's the only way I can have them, even summer squash that are supposed to be bush...for me they are just slow growing vines. Need stout stake and heavy string for tying stem to stake.
Gessie, that's good to know. Can I start them in a 24" container and stake them from there? Or would it be better to let them sprawl over the side and nestle in the grass?
This past summer I grew 2 plants in one 20 inch container and used two stakes, If I let mine nestle on ground they tend to get squash borer damage.
Thanks, Gessie!
Hum, Squash Borers don't like heights? That'd be great! I only tried a leaning stake system last year, about a 45 degree climb, but shieldbugs/stink bugs brought a deforming virus. Ugh! I hate the bad bugs!
My seed order was shipped today, I might have some blablabla to post soon. Celery, bright lights chard, kale, umm, something else... I'm going to turn into a rabbit!
But -- you'll have pretty EYES!
OK, I haven't been able to do anything with a colander, none big enough in the stores here, plus I haven't seen one (two quart) for less than five bucks,
I've been staggering around the house and yard muttering to myself, 'what can I do??? what can I do???'
Ha!!! A two gallon plastic pot upside down in the five gallon bucket. Or at least I'm guessing two gallon, maybe three. It fit perfectly. I punched a hole thru the side of the bucket, and the side of the (upside down) pot inside the bucket, at the same level, and cut & rolled a piece of plastic from a gallon water jug for the overflow hole. Enough soil, and loads of water.
Same for the fill hole, cutting the top of the jug for to hold the rolled up tube of plastic in the rolled up position on top of the soil.
Just this one so far, and planted the bucket with several Genovese Basil plants that have had a terrible time in a little bathroom sized plastic trash can with no drainage, and no air to the roots. Tough little plants.
I'm going NUTS not being able to post photos!!!!!!!!!! Must go buy Photoshop tomorrow, and post a 'before; pic, so to compare with what I'm expecting from the Basil. The stems get woody, and the plants might live for years.
Oh, for the sides between the pot and bucket, I filled the space with half rotted sticks for air and whim. And soil. I don't have proper well draining soil, so I hope the sticks work.
Durn burn, I wanna post photos. grrrrrr
I have turned these instructions for constructing these buckets in to a post on my site. Since I link back to this page I don't think I break any rules. If I do they can eliminate this post I guess.
http://mckarion.wordpress.com/
Mola you can download Picasa photo editor 4 free in the meanwhile 2 post ur pics.
My colander eBuckets are doing wonderfully well. Its the crappy HEAT that's not cooperating. And there's nothing I can do about making it get any colder any sooner. Rats! Linda
This message was edited Nov 30, 2009 9:40 AM
Mola,
One tip to help you get your pics uploaded quicker. Start by creating a folder on your desktop and name it PICASA UPLOADS. Inside that folder, create any sub-folders you want. Some of my sub-folders are Growbox Pics, Eggplant Pics, Miscellaneous Pics, Broccoli Fall '09, Bugs, Diseases, etc.
Always put your pictures into the PICASA UPLOADS folder first. (If you have just various, loose pics that don't need to go into a sub-folder, just drop it into the PICASA UPLOADS folder and not into a specific sub-folder). When you open Picasa there's a Folder Manager tab on the top bar. You can go in that and designate that you want Picasa to always look for, retrieve, and update any photos in your PICASA UPLOADS folder. This way, all your pics are in one place for Picasa to find and upload them everytime you open Picasa. The folders you create in the PICASA UPLOADS folder roughly correspond to folders Picasa will drop them into once it sees them. The loose pics will be uploaded to a general Picasa file where you can then drag & drop them where you want them to go in Picasa.
Hope this helps!
Linda
NUTS!!....... Picasa doesn't have an uploader -----that I can find.
Tomorrow!!!
I'm going to go sit out on my deck and have a beer.
This stuff makes me crazy
Sheesh. The internet has become my life, to much to great a degree.
I cannot work my dear blog from this new machine.
OK, I'll be OK in a day or so, I love you.
Melissa
I'm waiting for the updates, too!
Not sure, but it might since the soil will remain perfectly moist and succulent likes dry.
Happy New Year, Everyone!
Mark told me that Linda (Gymgirl) has KOHLRABI. Yum! My favorite new veggie!
Gymgirl, while surfing the forum the other day I remember seeing a post from you showing your seeds started in 1 gallon milk jugs. Exactly how does that work? I remember thinking, gee, I thought a lot of this stuff had to be direct sown, like mustard.
BTW, I am excited that your buckets are doing so well. Eagerly awaiting spring so I can do more.
Gymgirl: I tried the idea of spraying pam around the tip of the containers to seperate them and it worked!!!!! Thanks so much for the tip. I'll make sure not to let that happen again. LOL
joy
Moonglow,
My across-the-street neighbor and her 6 year old Granddaughter were touring my veggie patch so we cut the lone broccoli I was growing cause it was about 2 go to bloom. I also cut 2 kohlrabis. We came inside and steamed and ate the broccoli ceremonial style. Then we peeled and ate the kohlrabis raw. WE LIKE KOHLRABI!!
I saved the leaves cause I think you said to sautee them in olive oil with garlic, is that right? I will be growing MORE kohlrabi. Is it too late to start more now? Do they need cool/cold like the cabbages? LMK soonest. And send me some of your seeds, please. These were not on my list. They were labeled as cabbages when I bought them! Good mistake! Linda
Linda: I've never tried kohlrabi either, what do they taste like?
joy
I'm so glad I found this thread. I was planning to do a bucket garden this year and have been contimplating the best way to do it. Thank y'all so much for your input and experimenting. Now I can't wait to get started. Y'all should make this an article or sticky :)
catzgalore, be sure to check original thread for more details. Gymgirl is our head cheerleader! Welcome aboard.
GO EBUCKET !! Thanks guys. I've never been a cheerleader but it was worth a try .LOL I'll let you know how it works for me. K
Hello, Everyone!
catzgalore - Welcome!
gessieviolet - not only that linda is head cheerleader...now also ambassador...
Hi, Linda! So glad you loved KOHLRABI. I have a feeling you will be Kohlrabi's Ambassador in your region. I'll send you some seeds out this weekend.
Sauteed in garlic works. Braising, too. If you have done stir-fry, the best! I'll have Mark (Ray_Der_Phan) do a cooking demo.
You guys are too much! ^^_^^_^^
I guess it's in my blood. When I'm sold on something, I become a consummate salesperson! And, I'm running into more and more people who want to grow their own food to supplement dwindling incomes, eat healthier, and just generally become better citizens!
So, I'm doing my part to spread the word about what we do over in Dave's Garden!
I called an old church member just this morning. He'd been thinking of me too, 'cause our last conversations were about growing stuff in buckets. He told me his family doesn't eat beef anymore, and they are doing mainly veggies, fruits, fish, turkey and chicken. And that he'd been wondering what I was up to in my bucket garden!
So, now he's coming over to see my operation and get a tutorial. Which got me to thinking about holding the same tutorial for some of my co-workers who want to grow stuff...
And about that vacant lot on my block, that would just make a fine garden patch for our neighborhood....etc., etc., etc...
See what ya'll started?
Ya'll are turning me into a total eBuckethead!
Joy,
Kohlrabi is the consistency of an apple slice, and tastes like a mild raddish. It's delightful, and I can see it as a grab 'em snack on my WeightWatcher's menu! We didn't put anything on the slices either, although later, I did put a little salt on one. I like it better w/o the salt! Which is even better for me! I totally see it in salads, and stir fried, too!
I've found seeds for a GIANT KOHLRABI (8" DIAMETER) at Johnny's Select Seeds, and will be ordering these for the fall plantout. Moon, I'll be sending you some of these seeds!
Catz,
This pic's for you!
This message was edited Jan 26, 2010 9:59 AM
One more for you, Catz!
P.S.
Welcome aboard, Catz!
Wow Gymgirl! I'm so inspired! Thanks for the great welcome everyone. I've got my seeds started in the little peat pots right now and will make my ebuckets this weekend. I can't wait to get started. I still need to get my tomatoes though (seeds on order). Here's my line up so far:
Cucumbers Strait Eight
Sugar Snap Peas
Cilantro
Brussels Sprouts
Chives
Green Onions
Pepper Jalapeno
Pepper Red Cayenne
Pepper Anaheim
Pepper Ancho
Tomato Cherokee Purple
Tomato Roma
Tomato Red Brandywine
I'll probably try a few hybrid tomatoes as well, not sure witch ones yet though.
Oh, I've got a lot of ebuckets to make :0 Looks like my weekend will be full. How exciting:) Keep cheering.
Steph
Steph,
Since you're about to start seeds, I couldn't NOT show you these, too. Come on over to the Winter Sowing forum under the threads that have "2010" in them and see what we're up to.
So far, most all of my tomato seeds have germinated. It's just a matter of uppotting and keeping them happy
These are the mustard green seedlings!
And, Wando Peas!
Start collecting milk jugs from your local coffee shoppe (Starbucks!). You can sow seeds now, and they'll be ready when you're buckets are done!
LMK if you need a tutorial!
Linda, you have to BLOG what you know!
Moon,
Do NOT enable me!!! ^^_^^