Still Plays with Dirt

[fureverywhere]

That was a caption on a gardening shirt and I think it sums it up well. Only as I've gotten older do I realize how much pleasure we can get from growing things. The outside plants were usually something just to be decorative. I'd put them in and by the Fall everything would be pretty much overgrown or dead. But then when I started working in a garden department I could start experimenting with different plants and growing techniques.

A few tomatoes here, some peppers there, lavender lavender everywhere. I took a cutting of lilac and come to find it roots pretty easy. I think that sprig has grown enough to last the winter. The house plants are the most fun. I got one of those trellis thingies and have a vinca climbing up in a pot. A money tree, a geranium that is a miracle plant. This geranium has been tipped over, dropped off the porch, left unwatered, put upright missing most of it's dirt, frozen and rewarmed...and it's still huge and very much alive.

Two secrets I discovered. Recycle soil from pots, unless a plant has died of disease or bugs keep the soil and use it again. The remaining fertilizer and all will make for healthy dirt. Second is our kitchen window. So much sun I could sprout rocks. I built in three shelves and will soon add a fourth. Along with a houseful of critters, the plants are another rewarding sign of life. Our library has added a seed catalog. That is if you have leftover seeds you can add them or take an envelope of your own. I'm trying green beans and sorrel in pots. This window allowed a gardenia to bloom all last winter. You never know what might pop up next

 

[Don M.]

I love to play in the dirt. I have a 30x50 ft. garden behind the house, and one of the primary pleasures of Spring/Summer is growing all sorts of good "organic" vegetables. We usually get so much out of it that I pass the excess to the neighbors and the local senior center. I spent many hours in the past week spading it all up...a shovel and brute labor...and am already looking forward to next April/May to start planting again. My biggest problem has been keeping the deer and raccoons out of it, but I set up a couple of motion sensor sprinklers that do a pretty good job of discouraging the deer, and a couple of traps baited with baby marshmallows usually gets the coons before they destroy the corn. I let the leaves "marinate" through the Winter, and just add a couple of sacks of Nitrogen fertilizer before I till it all up, prior to planting. I usually grow corn, cantaloupe, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, green beans, and green onions.

 

[Shalimar]

Hmmm. Here we put up fences to keep out deer and raccoons. It is frowned on if one kills raccoons merely to keep them out of our gardens.

 

[NancyNGA]

Raccoons can climb fences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAdAO6Xzmr8

It takes an 8 foot fence to stop a deer.

 

[Don M.]

A strong tall fence will keep the deer out, but to keep the coons out it would have to be completely enclosed at the top...and cost a bundle...coons are very good climbers. My sprinklers do a good job on the deer, with a noisy burst of cold water, but I defy anyone to keep coons away from corn as it nears ripening.