Strawbale Gardening: General Discussions - 2012 - Chapter 39

Me too Digger. LOL, those are things you and I would have done at her age. Whatever it is. Wouldn't it be something if she WERE our age.

So how did everyone's gardens do this year? Connie, haven't heard anything from you for a long time. How did you do? Kent, are you in the middle of canning? Bet you guys are like me and cleaning up everything for the winter. A last watering of outdoor plants and then have to take the hoses in so they don't freeze. Just one of the many chores. Must get busy.

There will be hay bales on the inside of the block 'walls' and outside for stability. The cattle panels will rest on the 2x12's on top of the cement blocks. Plastic will be on the outside of the block wall areas and on top of the cattle panel. It's the third day the drums have all been placed and they're almost warm. By the end of next week they should be putting out a little heat, if the plastic is on by then. My squash and tomatoes had some black leaves today, though I covered them, the frost still got 'em. I picked them off, though, so the plants should be okay. That happened in April with my potato plants, they got good and frosted, but I just picked off the black leaves and the potatoes started growing again. It got down to 29 degrees here in the valley last night. I will put up some more support sticks in the squash/tomato bed (it's not in bales, just in the ground) to support plastic tonight. The sheets were touching the plants, and everywhere it touched got frost. And by the way, I'm no young whippersnapper, either, my kids are in their 20s and 30s. I do have to do things a little at a time, due to back problems and an arm I injured several years ago in a horse accident. I still dream though, and like an ant, eventually we get there if we have patience and stay the course. It takes a while to gather the materials, too, since I'm not rich, but it is what it is, as they say. I will post some more pics as the project progresses. I almost lost my moon and stars watermelons last night, they were horribly droopy when I opened the plastic on the hothouse. I brought them in and put them under a light and they're starting to perk up. Go figure...

If your kids are in their 20's -30's then your young enough to be my child . My grand kids are in their 20's and 30's . Enjoy what you can do now , cuz every day takes you a bit closer to " Can't do that anymore " I would love to hike part of the appalachian trail . Can't do that any more .

Come on Sally, don't discourage her. I do know what you mean. LOL

Yes, do it while you can. Wish I could help you but I would be in your way. Please do send pictures. I love your energy and dreams.

No , don't mean to discourage . Every thing she is doing , looks and sounds so good , just want her to get it done so she will have years to enjoy .
I've only been in a position the last 20 years to do the things I always wanted , and now most all that's behind me .
Pictures , pictures , pictures . And if we get back to your area again , Solace , I want to sit outside with a cup of coffee , visit an hour, and take in Gods creation of a favorite part of Colorado .
I love this country !

Thanks, Jeanette. Sally, that would be wonderful, to sit and visit with you in the cool summer shade here, sipping on coffee. Maybe by then I can get these Saskatchewan watermelons to grow, and we can eat some different kind of watermelon! I like the yellow and red, too. I love all kinds of watermelon. :) My dad's side of the family is from Georgia. His dad left and went out to West Texas, but there are still lots of cousins I've never met down there. The only time I got to go to Georgia was when a flight to North Carolina had a stop there in Atlanta. There sure are a lot of swimming pools there, I noted from the air. I think the Georgia influence is why I like a lot of foods I do.

My daddy used to buy me Black Diamond watermelon for 25 cents each . He always had a coupla cooling with toe sacks (burlap ) wetted down , under the honeysuckle vine . He would cut them and stick in fridge and I could eat all I wanted . To this day , it's my favorite treat (or, french vanilla ice cream and fresh frozen peaches .) BTW , I'm having the peaches and cream tonight . So glad D H doesn't eat sweets much . All mine .Don't know when we'll get back that way , will def . have that coffee .

Instead of lemonade stands, I used to have a watermelon stand, at 10 years old, or so. :)

Here's an update of the greenhouse: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1279134/

Once, again, thank you, Kent. Those straw bales are amazing. Here's progress on the greenhouse - and it will be 'strewn' with bales, for sure, LOL: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1279134/
I hope to have more pics by days end, and will post them in the thread, above. Didn't want to cross-post...

Blessings, everyone.

DJ

Wow Solace it is really coming along great. So good. Hope you get some winter produce. Wouldn't that be cool? Can't imagine how much work it is, but yes, Sally, you and I did that much work, only in other areas maybe.

Really interested in the greenhouse Solace. That reminds me, I have an article, just loaned it to my sister, it was in my Countryside Magazine last year and it is about a woman and her husband, I am sure, that built a tropical greenhouse at 91 hundred feet in the mountains of Colorado I think it was. Do you know her? I will ask my sister for the magazine back when she is done with it and send it to you if you would like to see it and haven't. It was so interesting. She even used it to heat their house. You must have seen it. Jeanette

I would be interested in knowing who that couple is. I don't recall reading the article, but it sounds very interesting. Tropicals at 9100 feet! Amazing! I would love to read the article, Jeanette.

So far, the best inexpensive and simple greenhouse and home heating system I have found is this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a62mZMIMpc0&feature=related which is a solar heat exchange system with a tiny fan in one of the pipes. It simply takes the cold air from your floor, sends it through a series of aluminum square tubing (like downspouts), heating the air and then sending it through another pipe back into your home or greenhouse. On cold cloudy days and at night one would still have to use another heat source, but it would save a lot of money if there was lots of sunshine like here in the Southwest. I hope to get one of these built, someday, but just haven't had time.

Our hens just started laying this week, so that is exciting. Our neighbors came over and toured the greenhouse and their little granddaughter found three eggs so I gave them to them. The little girl put one in her pocket and it was all she could talk about until they left. I think she was thinking a baby chick would come out of that egg. I have a feeling that egg won't be eaten for breakfast, lol. I got a new batch of fertilizer from the coop and hopefully will be moving the compost pile inside the greenhouse. That should help a little with heating and CO2..at least I hope it will. The Moon and Stars Watermelons are going crazy under the light in the house, so not sure if I will take them out to the GH or not. It's supposed to be another very cold night tonight. I will eventually have to put some lights out there, I'm sure. Will have to build an arbor in the middle of the GH to support the hoop, for snow load, and for supporting any lights, shelves, etc. It's never-ending, I guess, but if I can get fresh tomatoes in the dead of winter, I'll be a happy camper. :) Most of the corn on the market, now, is GMO, and it's been years since I've had corn on the cob...so missing it...so I'm sure hoping the corn does well in the GH too.

Sounds good Solace. Listen, when my sister gets done with that magazine I will send it to you. Send me your address in my Dmail. Jen

Arranged to buy some organic wheat straw bales for the greenhouse at $3.50 a bale from an area farmer, which will be delivered on Monday, hopefully. Those should help keep the inside perimeter of the greenhouse warmer and provide elevated 'beds' (and sitting areas, lol). We will be moving the little hoop which will act as an entryway into the bigger hoophouse, and I will (try to) grow brussel sprouts, broccolli, cabbage, etc. in the little one with cooler temps in it. The bigger one is shaping up, and I've moved all the outside plants (after they got hit by frost, unfortunately) inside it into pots. The biggest avocado tree (7 feet) I think got hit with a little frost on the top leaves, as they are looking kinda sick - at least I hope it's that and not the new surroundings. I repotted it with compost/soil mix, so I'm hoping for the best. I also repotted the 'Cold Hardy' avocado into a 7-gallon tub and it doesn't seem to mind the new home. The three I grew from seed are looking fine, so not sure what's going on with the Haas; hope I don't lose it.

I removed all the frost damaged leaves on all the tomatoes and moved them into pots in the greenhouse and they're growing away. The Bantam corn is over a foot tall, now, Okra is about 5 inches tall, but the Moon & Stars are not liking that bed. Hope they'll snap out of it soon. The Moon & Stars melons in the house under a light are growing like crazy, so maybe the ones in the greenhouse need more light. Will have to get some soon, as daylight is waning, plus there's a pine tree that casts late afternoon shadow on the g.h. The 55 gallon drums are not hot (except for the tops) during the day, but they seem to be keeping the temps steadier at night, which is good. We had 23 degree temp the other night, and inside the g.h. it was 40, and when the sun got higher it warmed up to around 95 and I had to open the flap and vent it. When it gets below 20 that will really be the test. I have a little milk house heater with a thermostat out there, but when it gets to -30 or -40 I will probably have to be using a bigger heater. The sides of the g.h. aren't sealed yet, so I figure when the plastic is sealed, it will be much warmer at night in there. The straw bales and compost pile in there should also help, not only with temperatures, but should also add some CO2.

I mixed up some soil and planted brocolli in starter pots this evening. They're in a little makeshift mini greenhouse in the studio. I took two old bookcases, set them to face each other in front of a big window, put 2x4 board rails across them from bookcase to bookcase, covered the 2x4s with wafer board, attached a light to another 2x4 and that one spans from bookcase to bookcase on a higher shelf than the plant rails/shelf. Works great. I covered the whole thing with old sheets and put lattice panels on the front and back to keep out inquisitive mammals :)

I reckon that's all.

Kent, are you folks doing okay? Haven't seen any posts, lately, and I miss hearing about your progress and pictures of your beautiful garden. I'm going to try a different kind of bale next year, and some in the greenhouse. You were a big part of the inspiration behind the garden and the greenhouse, so thank you so much! Hope you guys are well and happy.

Solace, everything sounds wonderful, but I, and I am sure everyone else, would love to see some pictures of what you are talking about. Would just love to see some.

Yes Kent, did you sell any more plants, produce, or anything?

Russ, how is Jenny doing? Is she laying a lot of eggs for your? For the rest of you, Russ, in Iowa gave me a Rhode Island Red hen, but he is just taking care of her. I think he is going to invite her to Sunday dinner one of these days, and not going to tell me. :0(

Connie, haven't heard a word about your garden and the neighbors this year. Where have you been?

Jeanette

I'll try to put a video together showing more of the plants inside the greenhouse, but here are some pics of the inside. Currently growing inside:
Corn, Okra, Tomatoes of various kinds, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Kentucky Wonder beans, melons, strawberries, sage, watermelon, pineapple, lemon trees, avocado trees, Zinnias, Cosmos, Sunflowers, Cilantro
I'm going to try to get some potatoes and garlic planted in there, too. The little hoop/entryway, yet to be done, will house the brocolli, cabbage, and other cold crops I have planted inside in the bookcase mini-greenhouse. If they come up, they'll be transplanted to the little hoop after a bit of time under the light.

pictures:
1. Looking to the southwest corner, raised bed in the foreground
2. Looking to the northwest corner, barrels filled with water for heat to the right
3. Squash on the southeast end transplanted after it had been frost damaged (it's bouncing back from the frost and from transplanting, putting on fruit
4. Tomatoes in the southeast corner, also got frostbit, but growing fruit now, Kentucky wonder beans in the planter needed more water. My bad...
5. Indoor greenhouse made of two bookcases on each end, rails and board span shelves of each with light above and lattice (that's supposed) to keep out plant-slapping varmints like Braveheart.

By the way, I just got everything transferred from the little hoop (except the lettuce) and the house, so it needs some major neatening up in there, as well as more transplanting and another bed dug. The plastic around the wall bottoms is just being held down with boards and things around the perimeter, but even so, it's staying warm enough for the plants even with 23 degrees the other night. There's a little milk house heater set on cement blocks to knock the chill off at night. We had a thunderstorm with rain and 50 mph gusts of wind yesterday and the hoop withstood it. Blew a bunch of leaves off the trees and many landed on the hoop. Oh, and the hens are laying eggs!! They've given us over a dozen this week! :)

LOL, that is fun Solace. Really neat. What is your altitude? You have really worked in there. And putting it together too!! You are doing a good job. Better watch out, Digger, (Sally) will be there to have the coffee with you any day now. But, you guys will have to move inside the hoophouse. That would be wonderful.

Wish I could be there too. Jen

I'm trying to figure out how to make room for the picnic table and benches in there, lol. Altitude: 7,665

Wow, that is up there. What did you say you guys are doing up there? Jen

We have a worldwide radio ministry based here, with two stations (Solace Radio and Solace Radio 101), and the network will be celebrating a 7-year anniversary next month. My how time flies... My family moved to this valley when I was 16. I moved away and lived in New Mexico and Texas for 20 years, and had a chance to come back and work in newspaper, so I came home. After leaving the paper, I worked in radio again for someone else, then started my own internet radio station that grew into the network and two stations that have reached 120 countries with over 1,000,000 listening hours that listeners tuned in. Solace Gardens is part of the ministry, with a local outreach. Still trying to decide whether to try to provide food to those in need, or to build hoop houses for them and teach them how to grow their own. Maybe both. At least that's my plan, unless the Lord has other ideas.

Sounds like you are doing real well lady. Busy!! Got lots of energy.

Solace , you have a full life , and sounds sooooo rewarding .
I may never get that way again but certain if I do will go away with a valued friend .
Jnette mentioned Russ and Barb . We were so fortunate to spend a few days with them , camped out on the Arkansas river. I may never see them again , but have wonderful memories of wonderful friends . And some pictures .

I have a friend that lives up near Salida on the Arkansas River. It's very nice up there, and that's a beautiful river I think. I live a couple of miles (as a crow flies) from the Rio Grande. Haven't been able to go fishing this year, though...drats! Been too busy and lots of back pain this summer/fall - the aspirin companies must love me. You are welcome anytime Sally and Jeanette. I never seem to get out of this valley to go anywhere, so I know how it can be, finding time to travel. I have radio-, animals-, and garden-tending that pretty much ties me down...

Solace. YOU ARE STUCK. LOL, That is the same way we are. Animals and gardening do tie you down. So, you either go all out and have a lot of both, or none of the above. We don't have the radio.

Well, a lot to do today. The weatherman is calling for snow this weekend or early next week. The ground is not cold enough for it to stick, but getting there. Must get things taken care of before. ttyl

I peeked out the door at the thermometer a few minutes ago. 12 degrees. Sure hoping the plants in the greenhouse are okay. There are now strawbales next to the outside 'walls' of the greenhouse, which has cut down on wind leaks through the plastic sides. Still needs a little bit of air leak proofing, though. Don't have a door up, yet, so will wait until it warms up a little, and the sun climbs higher, to go open the side to check it out. It has sustained 50 mph winds so far, but that's nothing to what the east coast of the U.S. is receiving over the next few days. I pray for those folks' safety. I hope all is well with you all, wherever you are in Straw-bale-dom.

What is the temp in your greenhouse Solace? 12 degrees outside, with 50 mph winds!! Sure makes me wonder. Are you using heaters to help? You must have a remote thermometer? jen

It was 12 this morning, but the wind was a few days ago. Wind this morning is about 3 mph. I have a little milk house heater and an oscillating fan that both run (heater on high, fan on low) at night. I just went in and it's around 70 degrees in there now from the sun. I had turned the heater down two hours ago. The only thing unhappy in there is the large avocado tree, but it was transplanted into a bigger pot when I moved it in there. My son thinks it's a touch of frost from being so close to the plastic in the little hoop it was moved from. It also could be too much sun in the greenhouse, as it had the shade of the stack of two straw bales in the little hoop on its trunk. Persnickity plant. I hope I can get a remote thermometer someday for the GH. The corn, squash, tomatoes, beans, and other things are doing well. I did get a jug of yeast/sugar/water going to add a little Co2 in there. It's a'brewin'.

Solace, what is the yeast/sugar/water concoction for? Do you water the plants with it or what? How much of each? Interesting. I have never heard of that.

Those are very good temps.

Does that little heater do much to your light bill? The remote thermometers don't really cost that much and you can get them with more than one remote so you could put one in the hh and one in the gh. That would be very interesting. And some of them you can set so they will let you know what the coldest and hottest it gets in them at night, but you have to clear them each morning or evening I think. They are really very nice. But there are always priorities.

Well, ttyl, jen

Jen, I put about one and a half cups of sugar in a big soda bottle, along with several tablespoons of active yeast and filled it 3/4 of the rest of the way with slightly warm water, put the top on, put it in the greenhouse and let it ferment for a day. I took the top off and put the bottle in front of the fan so it could disperse Co2 that that mixture creates. It's supposed to help plants grow faster, and one thing I've noticed on the third day with the bottle in there with the cap slightly open most of the day, is the flowers have just burst into bloom, and some things seem like they're already growing faster. Hard to believe, though, that Co2 would cause that so soon. I don't think the plants were getting enough Co2 with the greenhouse all closed up due to cold weather. I open the side and pin the plastic up with clothes pins from about 10:30 in the morning until about 2:30 in the afternoon, with the fan running. The heater only runs late afternoon and at night. The temperature last night was around 15.
1. Cosmos transplanted after frost into ground of greenhouse
2. Sage and Cilantro
3. Cosmos and corn in raised bed (cosmos is in the holes of the cement blocks)
4. Squash formerly known as outside-and-frozen-squash, transplanted into pots
5. Wide shot of the southwest corner of greenhouse- foreground is the bottle of yeast mixture, zinnias in the block, avocado from seed in the black pot with Bantam corn behind it. Background (yes, I did manage to get the picnic table in there, lol) on the table are yellow pear tomatoes, a 'hottest pepper in the world' plant gift from my son and on the right more avocado trees and tomatoes. More avocados on the blocks in the foreground and lettuce in the big container.

This message was edited Oct 28, 2012 2:06 PM

Hard to imagine how big your hh is and keeping it from freezing, let alone plants growing and blooming!! And 15 degrees out at night. Amazing. You've done a great job!

I have never heard of the sugar, yeast, and pop bottle theory. Whatever works!!

Solace, what altitude did you say you are? Surely you must have snow by now. We have snow in the mountains all around us but we don't have any here in this valley.

Well, must get busy. Love the pictures Solace. They are amazing. Jeanette

The elevation is 7,665 here in the valley. The mountains east of here have a little bit of snow, but the rest of them have received dustings, but nothing that stayed, and nothing, yet, here in the valley. It's pretty dry here right now. I go in and do spot watering during the week, then drench everything once a week. I have some Smoke Signals (Indian corn) popcorn seedlings I need to find a place for in the GH, and a bunch of garlic yet to plant. With that garlic disease a potential problem in some areas, I may just plant my own garlic (from this year's harvest) inside the greenhouse, and the other garlic in an isolated place outside on the property perimeter. SeedSavers.org had a notice about the disease, but not sure if it's isolated or will be a big problem. I have no idea where I'll plant potatoes, but am saving a big container for the sweet potatoes (about 8 slips, looks like). Thank you, Jeanette. I love seeing everyone's pictures, too. I added some old calcium citrate tablets that were expired in the vitamin collection, epsom salts, and compost to the raised bed before planting anything, plus into the container mixtures. There's some Happy Frog soil conditioner from last year's potato bed that I also added in to give the sandy soil some 'body'. So far the Lord has blessed this project, so all the credit goes to Him.

No, Solace, I think you worked pretty hard to get that project going. And it sounds like you did one good job. Maybe some help, but you did a lot.

Thank you, Jeanette. Here's a pic of the outside of the south side of the GH, lined with the strawbales I used this summer, moved to the current location, along with short logs around them (thanks to Eric for the muscle work needed here). Pic taken at 11:30 am. The forecast is looking grim, this weekend.
1. Straw bales recycled (will plant garlic in topsoil that I'll pile on top of the bales), will have to find a place inside the GH or house for things that will go in those pots.
2. Grim forecast for Sun. night...argh...

Good grief , this is a good time to be in S Texas !

The forecast says there'll be a foot of snow just west of here at Wolf Creek Pass area in the San Juan Mountains (I am near the San Juan range foothills), so we could get either a dusting or 6 to 8 inches. I don't have the arbor support in the GH yet, so will maybe put a tarp over the top of the hoop, sweep off the snow, if possible, or aim the heater up so it will melt as it falls. Not looking forward to this weekend. Trying to get some more hay around the chicken coop so my babies don't get cold when the temp reaches 2 degrees. I'll also load the floors of the greenhouse and coop with wood shavings I got yesterday. Winter's coming quickly. South Texas sounds really good right now, Sally!

I remember the snow sheds on Wolf Creek Pass . Ahhhh, memories , and the chipmonks at the pull off and overlook , going down .

They built a tunnel on Wolf Creek Pass, a few years ago... http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/21994818.jpg

Wow would think you would have snow by now Solace. We might get some Monday and Tuesday and we are really low. I really dread it. More since I am in the middle of possible surgery, and many testing etc. and we have to drive a hundred miles for all. They do not seem to try to make it easy either. We will make it tho. Despite them. :0) jeanette