sb158’s Valley Garden

sb158 | July 26, 2009

it’s time. (Cue scary music) I have to update my version of Wordpress. If I disappear for a while, you’ll know why. Went fine on my local copy, so I’m hoping…

I keep a copy of my blog running on my PC at home, and always try out new stuff there before I screw with the online version. Anything can happen, and I sure don’t want to kill my blog…

Also time to be making some more monster pots. Been putting this off because it makes a giant mess I have to clean…but it’s time to start the flowers I want, so I gotta do it. The pots I made back in April or so are holding up well so far, so it’s time to try again. I need a few 14″ pots, as well as a small trough in which to plant some creeping thyme and other herbs. I’m gonna use the top of a small BBQ grill as the form for that one. Wish me luck!

Later, time for Hubby’s birthday cake.

EDIT: Well, so far so good. I’ve updated and the blog hasn’t crashed. Now I’m trying a new toy, a video player… just a little e-card for Hubby.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

Category: Experimental, Personal Stuff, containers | 2 Comments »
Tags: Monster Mud, updating Wordpress

sb158 | June 27, 2009

I took some new pics today, as promised, to see what a difference some rain makes. I gotta say, I need to take more macro photos, as I did not see all the bugs on the plants with my old, half-blind eyes. It’s a good thing the garden is scheduled for a bath tonight, anyway, unless it stays too hot.

Pics within: (more…)

Category: Experimental, Veggies, containers, flowers, herbs | 2 Comments »
Tags: basil, containers, garden, Lettuce, Veggies, weather

sb158 | June 23, 2009

We’re finally getting some rain and (slightly) cooler temperatures! Not nearly as much as we need, but, at this point, I’m thankful for whatever we get. I expect my plants will grow a foot overnight!

Here are some pics I took about a week ago that show how much the garden had grown while I was in Colorado. Compare them to these pics.

Pics within (more…)

Category: Experimental, Garden Stuff, Planning, Seeds/Seed-starting, Square Foot Gardening, Veggies, bread-making, containers, herbs | 2 Comments »
Tags: containers, Experimental, Square Foot Gardening, Veggies, weather

sb158 | May 12, 2009

Whew! Can’t believe it, but I’ve worked my tush off and just about finished everything I needed to do before I leave for Colorado. Darn near killed myself out there working in that ridiculous heat, but I did get a nice tan out of it…

My shade arbor is done, SWCs filled and planted, including the pole bean seeds that are supposed to grow up the poles and shade my tomatoes.
Here’s a pic, (more…)

Category: Experimental, Veggies, containers | No Comments »
Tags: containers, Experimental, Green Beans, shade arbor, SWC, Veggies

sb158 | May 10, 2009

Went to lunch with my BIL, SIL, and Hubby’s nephew and his wife for Mother’s Day. We went to Outback, and it was good.

When I got home, I got started on my shade arbor, but it was miserable hot out there, as usual. I did decide where I want to put it permanently, got landscape fabric down, moved it, and fastened all the SWCs to the legs with tie wraps. It seems pretty sturdy, so maybe it’ll work. (more…)

Category: Experimental, Veggies, containers, design/build | 2 Comments »
Tags: containers, design/build, shade arbor, SWC

sb158 | May 9, 2009

It’s working! Cool!
I’ve mentioned that I had an idea for a shade arbor for my tomato SWC’s in previous posts. I got started on it today, and to my great surprise, it’s actually coming together just like I see it in my head.

This post is pretty image-heavy, as I’m posting pics of the W-I-P: (more…)

Category: Experimental, containers, design/build | No Comments »
Tags: containers, design/build, Experimental, shade arbor, SWC

sb158 | April 27, 2009

A very kind blog visitor identified my Mystery Shrub as Ruttya fruticosa. Found some cultural information here and here.

Apparently it’s easy to propagate by seeds or cuttings, so I may try that down the road some time. Got too much other stuff going on right now to deal with it.

Yesterday we went to brunch with my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and his son and wife. (more…)

Category: Experimental, Seeds/Seed-starting, flowers | No Comments »
Tags: containers, Experimental, flowers, geraniums, herbs, Monster Mud, seeds, shrubs

sb158 | April 25, 2009

When I posted last night, I said I’d build a Bean Cage in the next few days, but I had to do it today. It’s been a while since I grew bush beans, and I forgot how fast they grow. When I checked on them today, the first sprouts had already grown as tall as the little green cages. My cage isn’t pretty, but I do hope it works.

Here are a couple pics of my pitiful-looking bean cage. (more…)

Category: Experimental, Veggies | No Comments »
Tags: Experimental, Green Beans, Lettuce, Veggies

sb158 | April 22, 2009

Whew! This is really the first chance I’ve had since I last posted to post again. I’ve either been busy doing, instead of writing, or too wiped to even type. That heat out there is gonna kill me yet, I swear.

I’ve been planting babies into the garden, like cukes, stevia, and bee balm, or tomatoes into SWCs. (more…)

Category: Experimental, Seeds/Seed-starting, Square Foot Gardening, Veggies | 2 Comments »
Tags: Experimental, Monster Mud, seeds, Square Foot Gardening, Veggies

sb158 | April 2, 2009

No, not the Creature From The Black Lagoon, though he might well have been made of it. Monster Mud is Joint Compound mixed with latex paint. Burlap, or some other material, is then soaked with Monster Mud and applied to a form to make whatever you want with it.
I first read about it on the Hypertufa forum at Gardenweb, as I’d been thinking about making some containers with hypertufa. Googled it, and found some very interesting ideas. Check it out here.
Sounded alot easier than messing with concrete, so I figured, what the heck, I’ll try it. One of the forums I read said to use masonry sealer to waterproof it. I have no idea if it will work, but I’m having fun trying it.
Here are some pics I took of the WIP. Warning: This post is image-heavy. (more…)

Category: Experimental, containers | No Comments »
Tags: containers, Experimental, Monster Mud