Category Archives: DIY

The Straw Bale Pallet Crate Garden – Simple, Attractive – And Cheap!

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A simple crate planter made from pallets and using a straw bale for a growing medium

A simple crate planter made from pallets and using a straw bale for a growing medium

So you have little space, little time, little money and you still want to garden.  Or maybe you would like to add a great looking focal point to your existing garden or landscape to grow something unique.   Even better, maybe you know of someone who still likes to garden but can’t get out or handle as much of the physical activity anymore.

Here is a great solution to all three!  Create your own Pallet Straw Bale Crate Garden.  It’s attractive, simple to build, and best of all, low or no cost to make.

To build on the cheap, you can create the straw bale frame using the slats from a single pallet

To build on the cheap, you can create the straw bale frame using the slats from a single pallet

With a single pallet, (3) 2x4x8′s, a bale of straw, and a bag or two of soil and compost – you can create an instant garden space that can provide fresh vegetables or flowers all summer long.

You can purchase all the materials you need for under $15.00 – or build for virtually free using pallets and scrap lumber.   We made a few single bale boxes last week for our garden – and will use them along our fence row to grow our cucumbers in.  You can also double the measurements to make a double bale box and plant to your heart’s content.

The straw bale crates have a lot of built-in advantages!  They are easy to maintain – with little weeding ever needed.  The 2’ high design lends itself to less stooping and bending while tending, and the combination straw, compost and soil make for a great instant growing medium – without the hassle of digging up the earth.

The best part of all – at the end of the season – you can add all of the contents to the compost pile –or start a compost pile right in the pallet box to have fresh compost next year when you’re ready to grow again!

Here is how we made ours:

Start by assembling 2 rectangle frames from scrap wood or 2 x 4's.

Start by assembling 2 rectangle frames from scrap wood or 2 x 4′s.

Next - attach the two rectangles with four of your slat boards in each corner

Next – attach the two rectangles with four of your slat boards in each corner

Next - screw in additional slat boards to create the crate "look".

Next – screw in additional slat boards to create the crate “look”.

Materials List:

(1) Straw Bale
(4) 2 x 4 x 20”
(4) 2 x 4 x 44”
(1) Pallet – for vertical boards – be sure to use untreated pallets to be “food safe”
(1) bag of compost – substitute your own for free material
(1) bag of topsoil – substitute your own for free material

***The straw bales we use measure 20″ wide, 18″ high and a little less than 46″ long. Bales can vary in length – so be sure to measure your bale to adjust the length and width of frame boards.  You can also reference our previous post’s on How To Disassemble A Pallet Quickly, and How To Make Your Own Compost for more info.

Building The Garden:

Assemble 2 rectangles from your 2×4’s – screwing or nailing together 2 of the 20” pieces and 2 of the 44” pieces.   Once you have both rectangles together – use your pallet boards to attach vertically to connect the two rectangles to create your straw bale box.

We cut our pallet slat boards into 18″ lengths, (we got about 2 boards for each slat) and then screwed them into the inside of the two frames to form the crate. The spacing is up to you – we put about 4” between each board for ours – we wanted the look of an “old-time” crate.

Planting The “Garden”

Next -use a sharp knife, reciprocating saw or shovel to dig out a 6 to 8" planting hole

Next -use a sharp knife, reciprocating saw or shovel to dig out a 6 to 8″ planting hole

Simply place your plant in the hole and cover with more soil.

Simply place your plant in the hole and cover with more soil.

We like to put a layer of compost or mulch over the top of the bale to complete the look.

We like to put a layer of compost or mulch over the top of the bale to complete the look.

Now it’s easy – place the bale down inside the frame – you may need to wiggle a little and cut a little off here and there to get it to fit depending on the size of the bale.

Simply use a sharp knife or blade to cut out your planting holes – we went about 8” deep and 5” around– filling them with a good mixture of garden soil and compost.  Plant, cover up, water – and the garden is in!  Depending on what you plant – you can fit in 5 to 6 tomato plants, or a combination of pepper and tomato plants per bale, etc.  You can plant a little closer than traditional garden rows because of the raised beds.  Only your imagination is the limit to what you want to grow!

You will get some compression of the bale as the season progresses – the bale will slowly decompose, giving even more nutrients to the plants.  Your plant and roots will thrive in the soil, compost and straw because the garden is off the ground – there will be very little weeds that develop, and should be easy with the added height to pick and maintain.

End of the Season :

If you have a compost bin already set up – you can certainly take the contents and throw them into the pile.  The decomposed straw and soil mixture are great for a pile – adding a lot of carbon material. If not – use the crate box as a compost bin!  Mix up the bale and contents right in the pallet box structure – and start adding some shredded fall leaves, coffee grounds,  vegetable scraps , lawn clippings and more.  By next spring – you will have enough compost made to use in the next bale for planting, with extra if you need it.

So how about trying a straw bale pallet crate garden this year!  And if you have a neighbor or relative that loves garden but finds it difficult now – it’s a great gift to let them have their very own garden

Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary

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Creating A Simple And Inexpensive Rain Water Collection System

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Our entire farms watering needs are met 100% with reclaimed rain water

100% of our watering needs are met using collected rainwater

Our barn's metal roof is our supply of water for the entire farm

Our barn’s metal roof is our supply of water for the entire farm

Visitors to the farm are usually surprised to learn that we water the entire garden and landscape with reclaimed rain water. Our system, which collects and stores rainwater from our barn’s metal roof, provides 100% of our annual watering needs. The best part, it was extremely easy to install, and can be inexpensively adapted to almost any home, shed or roof with a gutter.

We spent the past week hooking our tanks back up from winter storage – and within 24 hours  - we had just over 150 gallons stored from a single rain.  It’s been over a year now since we first completed the rain collection system – and I honestly don’t know how we survived without it.

It gives us access to free water, and with our two plastic tote tanks, can collect as much as 550 gallons from a single downpour.  And that’s only using rain from the back portion of the roof!  This spring, we will add a third tank fed by the front gutter – increasing our storage to just shy of 900 total gallons – enough to handle our watering needs for nearly two months of complete drought.

How it works:

Our system starts with the rain coming into simple gutters and downspouts

Our system starts with the rain coming into simple gutters and downspouts

Through a simple in-line diverter - the rainwater is carried to our main capture tank

Through a simple in-line diverter – the rainwater is carried to our main capture tank

The water then empties into our main storage tank

The water then empties into our main storage tank

This is from one single rain last week - about 125 gallons

We quickly filled almost 150 gallons from a single rain last week, the day after we hooked the totes back up.

A second tank sits above the garden for watering all of the plants with simple gravity and a hose

A second tank sits above the garden for watering all of the plants with simple gravity and a hose

We connect a standard garden hose to the tanks with a simple threaded adapter

We connect a standard garden hose to the tanks with a simple threaded adapter

The system collects rain water from a simple adapter made to fit our existing barn’s gutter. The barn has a standard gabled metal roof measuring 13 wide’  x 32′ long on each side.  A  32′ section of guttering runs along the bottom of each side of the metal roof, slanted slightly to carry all of the water to the eastern side of the barn.   From there, both sides empty into standard downspouts.

The front downspout (not used currently), runs down and out to the field for normal drainage. On the back downspout however, we installed a simple 2-way in-line diverter (See Picture). When the metal lever is slid to the left, rain water is diverted into a 275 gallon storage tank located below the downspout. When all tanks are full, the switch can be slid back for normal drainage.

From the main storage tank, we pump and fill a second 275 gallon tank installed above our garden. With that, we can water all of our plants quickly, using gravity and a standard garden hose connected to the tank.

To increase capacity and mobility, we are adding a second diverter to the front gutter this year.  That will fill a 3rd tank mounted on wheels – giving us the ability to pull water anywhere it’s needed with our tractor.  That will be a huge time saver when it comes time to water the newly planted grapevines and fruit trees on the hill this year.

Here is a look at the system’s components and cost:

Totes: $40 each  We found ours for $40 each after searching on Craigslist.  You can also check with local food plants that may receive their raw materials in them.  One word of caution – make sure you know what was originally in your tanks and that it is safe.  Our tanks were used to hold maple syrup and molasses – simple food products that can be cleaned out and re-used.  You will want to avoid using tanks that held harsh chemicals. Most tanks come with a 6″ threaded cap on top, and a 2″ threaded outlet valve at the bottom.  You can convert the bottom 2″ valve to accept a standard garden hose with a few adapters found at your local hardware store.

Diverter Switch :  $15  You can find standard gutter diverters at your local home improvement store for about $15 – they install in minutes with rivets or screws.

Threaded Valve and Hose Adapter: $15 Your local plumbing or hardware store can hook you up with a simple threaded connection valve to convert the 2″ drain at the bottom of your tank to handle a regular garden hose.  We also installed a ball valve ($10) on our tank for an extra shut off point.

A couple of final notes on collecting and using rainwater:

Keep It Dark:  You will want to keep the water from getting direct sunlight to keep algae from growing in the stagnant water. Algae can only grow if there is light.  If your tank is translucent like ours, you will want to cover it.  We use a black covering like a grill cover to cover them up once the sun and algae become a problem. Not only does it dress it up, but it keeps the water and the flow line crystal clear.  For the pictures here, we have the covers off to show the tanks.

Keep It Covered: No matter what system you use to store your water, you will want to keep closed.  Water that sits is an open invitation to mosquito larvae .  Our totes came with 6″ caps and lids on the top.  We simply cut out the hole for the downspout, and then sealed the edge with some inexpensive foam.

Know What To Use The Water For:  We only use our reclaimed water for watering plants or washing off equipment ,etc.  Since we do not treat it in any way, we do not use it for drinking.

Check to make sure your allowed to collect rain water.  Although it sounds crazy, in some states out west you are not allowed to collect rain water, as the water rights still belong to the state.  So to be on the safe side, check with your local or state government to make sure it’s legal where you live.

Happy Gardening!! - Jim and Mary

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8 Great Tips For Finding FREE Compost Materials

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Organic matter makes the difference - especially when it comes to making and adding compost.

Compost is the key to great gardens and great plants – the key is finding materials to make it with.

Great Soil = Great Plants

Great Soil = Productive Plants

Compost is a necessity if you want to have great soil and healthy, productive plants.  Along with cover crops, compost is one of the two major components that are critical to our garden’s success year after year. However, for many people, finding sources to create that compost can be difficult.  Today’s post is all about finding endless supplies of cheap (meaning free) materials to build any size compost pile you like!

Every single day, in communities all over the world – millions if not billions of pounds of compostable materials are wasted by heading to a landfill.  Although many cities and townships are beginning to have their own composting facilities – most still don’t. And among those that have them – only a small portion of those materials actually make it to the facility.  So, what does that mean for you? It means that with just a little planning and leg work – you can have all the materials you want for free.

Whether you compost in 5 gallon buckets, fancy bins, barrels or in a huge pile “out back” – finding the resources to fill your pile should never be a problem.  A quick word of caution when finding materials – make sure the materials you collect are from a safe source.  Wood shavings made from treated lumber, or grass clippings from a chemically treated lawn are not good additions to your compost pile.  Just using a little common sense goes a long way when collecting.

The following list is by no means the end-all to finding free material – but it’s a great start:

1. Breakfast Diners and Cafes

Diners and Breakfast Eateries are prime places to pick up egg shelves, coffee grounds and vegetable peels for composting.

Cafes are prime places to pick up egg shells, coffee grounds and vegetable peels.

Diners and cafes can be the mother-load of free composting materials!  Most restaurants plow through dozens of eggs and potatoes each day, and left-over egg shells and vegetable peels make fantastic additions to your pile.  Once again – it’s all about asking – most places are more than glad to give their scraps away.  A local cafe here goes through over 12 dozen eggs during a single breakfast rush – not to mention pounds of potato peels and coffee grounds. One single pick up of a few five gallon pails of materials can be the beginning of a great compost pile.

2.  The Black Friday Composting Bonanza – Straw, Pumpkins, Gourds & More…

Black Friday – that crazy day after Thanksgiving.  Well, we think it should be called “Black Gold Friday”.  Why?  Because all of those people that decorated for Harvest Fests and Thanksgiving suddenly have no use for those straw bales, pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks.  They can be yours simply for the asking – and a quick way to get great material for your pile.  We scored over 7 bales of free straw and a slew of pumpkins and gourds from friends and family just this past year.

3. Coffee Houses

Coffee grounds are a great add to compost piles

Coffee grounds are a great addition to compost piles

Coffee grounds are a perfect choice for adding to your pile – and small coffee shops are a great place to find them!  In fact, many coffee houses routinely save their grounds for customers.  Some bigger chains even create a list of customers to save grounds for –  insuring that the by-product of all of their brewing doesn’t end up in the local landfill.  Many of those same coffee shops serve breakfast and lunch as well, so they might be a good source for additional materials.  Either way, you can get a great cup of coffee and get free compost materials!

4. Landscapers & Tree Companies

When you see those tree trimming and landscaping trucks in your neighborhood with the big shredders attached – ask them to drop off a load to your house.  You’ll be surprised how many are more than happy to accommodate you with tons of shredded goodness for free – many times saving them a costly fee and a trip to go dump them.  This is where that dose of common sense comes in handy –  it’s a good idea to see what will be in the load.  Shredded leaves and wood chips are a good source – but you might shy away from a tree company shredding up poison ivy vines :) .

5. Grocery Stores & Produce Stands

old produce is a great add for compost piles

Expired produce is an easy add to your pile

Small grocery stores and produce stands can be a goldmine for composting materials.  You might have luck with large chain stores as well,  but smaller mom and pop locations are usually easier to deal with on the local level, and more than happy to help.  Simply ask the store manager what is currently done with expired produce – and you might be surprised that they are willing to save it for you.  Those rotten tomatoes, potatoes and fruit may be past their prime as a food source – but they make great additions to any compost pile.

6. Local Horse Stables, Hobby Farms and Farmers

Get to know your local farm community.  Many local hobby farmers and owners of small horse stables are more than glad to give away their manure to gardeners.    And so what if you don’t have a truck –  keep a couple of five gallon buckets handy (with a lid of course :) ), and take some home to your compost pile.  The high nitrogen sources in chicken, cow,  horse and rabbit manure really helps to heat your pile to make quick compost.   For those that worry about the smell or odor – if you blend manure into your compost pile – little or no odor can be detected.

7. Fall Leaves & Clean Up Time

Fall is a great time to collect tons of falling leaves

Fall is the perfect time to collect tons of falling leaves

We talk about this one a lot, but fall is the easiest time to gather free materials for the compost bin!  Just take a short trip around a few wooded neighborhoods, and you can have an endless supply of leaves for your pile.  Most of the time, they are already bagged at the curbside for easy pick-up. We collect as many as we can each fall and store the extra for use throughout the season.  Its a great way for us to have a year-round supply for use in future compost piles or mulching garden plants.

8. Neighbors & Friends

Yes, neighbors.  You know the people that live beside and down the street from you?  The ones you have never met but wave to every day.  They are a great source of composting materials – and this is a great way to get to know them!  They eat eggs, they have morning coffee, and they have potato peels and grass clippings.  Now if they compost already – you may be out of luck.  But you would be surprised how many of them just might save and supply you with more scraps than you can handle.  What can it hurt to ask?  You might make some new great neighborhood friends!

So there you have it – 8 great tips to finding free compost materials. The list of ways to find free materials could go on and on, and with just a little work on your part, you can have an endless supply of materials to build your pile.  Your garden will thank you and reward you with great plants and produce!  If you want to know more about composting, you can follow the link here to our post on : Composting 101.

-  Jim and Mary

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How To Build A Rustic Barn Door Headboard

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Our completed "new" old barn door headboard

Our completed “new” old barn door headboard

One of our first recaimed projects -the building of our barn doors from old barn flooring

One of our first recaimed projects -the building of our barn doors from old barn flooring

We love the look of old barn doors. Ever since building doors from salvaged barn flooring for our barn –  we have wanted to build two more to make into a headboard.

So with the weather still snowy and cold over the weekend, and no ability to work on the chicken coop or recycled greenhouse project – it was time to cure the winter blahs with a building project! And yes, as the garage became a temporary workshop, sadly Mary’s vehicle was once again the victim and banished to the driveway :) .

The headboard can be made with a variety of materials.  If you want a rustic look – you could easily use pallet boards and old barn wood to create it completely from recycled materials.  It can also be built from simple framing lumber. Ours is a combination of both, along with some salvaged barn hardware saved when we deconstructed two old barns.

Since this was built for a king sized bed – we built it as two separate door frames and then attached them together once in the bedroom. It made it easier to move and work with, not to mention fit through tight hallways!  When finished – it measured 6′ high x 83″ wide.

Here are the basics on how we made ours:

Door Materials:
(4) 2 x 6 x 72″
(3) 2 x 4 x 80″
(4) 2 x 10 x 29″
(2) 2 x 4 x 29″
(12 to 16 pieces) of 3/4″ or 1″ thick, 48″ long boards
Tongue and groove wood, old barn siding or pallet wood would work great for this, we used some 3/4″ x 8″ wide tongue and groove boards we bought at the lumber yard for around $40.

Trim Boards:
(2) 2 x 4 x 72″
(1) 2 x 4 x 85″

Tools Used:
Tape Measure, Circular or Chop Saw, Drill, JigSaw, Nail gun, (30) 2 1/2″ screws, Biscuit Joiner (overkill)

IMG_0258

We cut all of our pieces to length to start, including the cured cuts for the top of the doors.

We then laid out the frames on the floor upside down.

We then laid out the frames on the floor upside down.

IMG_0283

We attached the tongue and groove boards to the back of the frame with a nail gun

We repeated the process until both doors were assembled

We repeated the process until both doors were assembled

We secured the doors together by attaching (3) 2 x 4 x 80" boards to the back of the doors

We secured the doors together by attaching (3) 2 x 4 x 80″ boards to the back of the doors

We added 2 x 4 trim boards to each side and the top for extra detail

We added 2 x 4 trim boards to each side and the top for extra detail

We added a single coat of stain, and it was time to attach the old barn hardware

We added a single coat of stain, and it was time to attach the old barn hardware

Step 1 – Cut Materials
We started by cutting all the materials to length – using  a mixture of scrap lumber and purchased wood from the local lumber yard. Scrap wood is actually a great choice, even if it is nicked up – adding a rustic feel to the finished piece.

Step 2 – Making The Top Curved Boards
Taking the two 29″ 2 x 10″ pieces – we traced a long curved line on one and cut it out with the jigsaw.  We traced the cutout to the second board to match, and made our second cut.

Step 3 – Laying Out The Doors:
Next, we assembled the two doors – one at a time. We built the doors face down, assembling it from the back.

We started with (2) 2 x 6″ x 6′ rail pieces. We then laid  (2) 29″ pieces between the 2 x 6″ side rails for the doors. We put the curved board at top, flush with the top of the 2×6′s.  We placed the other 29″ board  24″ from  the bottom of the door , and the remaining 2x4x29″ board  42″  from the bottom.

Step 4 – Gluing the Frame:

I applied glue to all of the joints and clamped them together while nailing on the backing boards.  I did take an extra step and added simple biscuits to the joints for added strength  - It’s a habit of “overbuilding” that I tend to have :) .   Simply applying glue to the joints and clamping would have been enough, especially with the backing boards and 2 x 4″ braces we attach later.

Step 4 Assembling the Door

Using a 2 x 4 as a guide on the outer edge of the back of the door frame – and with a nail gun, we nailed in all of the 48″ tongue and groove boards across the door opening – nailing on the top and bottom, and to the 29″ 2 x 4″piece as well.  You could use pallets or reclaimed boards here just as easily. By nailing in to the door frame boards, the door becomes one solid piece.  Once done, we repeated the process and built door #2.

Step 5 – Assembling The Headboard:

We took both doors to their permanent location before assembling into the final headboard. Placing both doors side-by-side with the fronts facing the wall – we screwed in the top 2 x4 x80″ piece to connect the two doors.  Then we installed the remaining two 80″ boards – one at the very bottom and one at the bottom of the 2 x 10 x 29″ board located below the tongue and groove boards.

Step 6 – Trim and Hardware:

Next, we flipped it around, and added a couple of 2 x 4″ trim boards on each side as well as the top to trim it out and give a little depth.  All that was left was to stain, and add the old barn hardware.  We finished it off with a couple of old lanterns, and the headboard was complete!

From start to finish – the entire project took about 4 hours.  Well, 4 1/2 if you count cleaning the garage back up :)

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- Jim and Mary

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The doors with lanterns and reclaimed barn track pulleys attached

The doors with lanterns and reclaimed barn track pulleys attached

Why NOT To Use A Rototiller – And How To Have A Great Garden Without One.

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no rototiller

Rototillers can cause more harm than good to your garden soil.

Most people are completely shocked when they find out we don’t own a rototiller…and never will. The most common misconception about a rototiller is that they save time  - and that you need one in order to have a great garden.  It couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, you can save a tremendous amount of money, time and garden work by not owning one. That’s not a misprint – in addition to the cash saved by not having to purchase and maintain a tiller – you really can save time and work by not having one at all.  A rototiller can cause a great deal of harm to a garden’s soil structure, which in turn creates more than their share of weed and maintenance problems for the home gardener.

Here are 4 major reasons why NOT to use a tiller in your garden:

1. They Cause Soil Compaction:

Good healthy soil takes on the components of good compost - teeming with all types of microbial life and structure.

Good healthy soil takes on the components of good compost – teeming with all types of microbial life and structure.

Good healthy soil is all about its structure.  Great soil should be teaming with all sorts of organic matter in various stages of decay.   Those little bits and pieces of organic matter allow for water, air and nutrients all to be carried down through the soil to your plants.  Great soil is filled with billions of helpful bacteria, worms and microorganisms that play important roles in bringing nutrients to your plants. Tilling the soil can ruin all of that.

As soil is tilled over and over, that all-important structure is destroyed.  The active life in the soil is disrupted and exposed – and it becomes reduced to lifeless fine grains of sterile dirt. Without structure – the soil also becomes easily compacted around the roots of your plants – keeping out vital nutrients.   That makes it harder for water and air to get through - resulting in under performing plants. Poor structure also makes it difficult for the soil to retain moisture –  also a critical factor in a plant’s growth and success.   And last – whether you have a rear tine tiller, front tine tiller – you still have to walk behind it or beside it – compacting even more of the very soil you are trying to break up.

2. They Create More Weeds

Mulching is the better option than tilling between rows. Here carrots benefit from straw mulch - keeping in moisture and keeping back weeds

Mulching is the better option than tilling between rows. Here carrots benefit from straw mulch – keeping in moisture and keeping back weeds

Rototillers actually cause more weeds than they ever come close to eliminating.  When a tiller is run through the garden rows or walking rows – every time those tines flip that soil, guess what else they are flipping?  That’s right – hundreds if not thousands of tiny weed seeds.  Seeds that have blown in from all over. Seeds that can now be buried  under enough soil to have a chance to germinate – and double if not triple the amount of weeds you had before you ever ran those tines  in the first place.   Thistle and quack grass are a big problem in our area  and we are often asked how are garden seems to stay free of them with little work.  The answer – we don’t own a rototiller.

3. They Create The “Bare Soil” Problem 

Bare soil makes it easy for soil erosion to occur, and for weed seeds to blow in. Cover crops solve both problems.

Barren soil makes it easy for soil erosion to occur, and for weed seeds to blow in. Cover crops solve both problems.

Here is another simple fact – bare soil in your garden is not a good thing:  In fact – in our garden – during all four seasons – we try hard to never have any of our garden soil or the row’s exposed.  Why?  For a couple of reasons.  Exposed, barren soil is primed and ready for two things…fresh weeds seeds to be blown in and become established – and wind and water to wash it away quickly through erosion.  We use large amounts of natural mulch like straw and shredded leaves in the rows and around our plants to keep the soil covered and mulched – keeping weed seeds from becoming established and erosion to a minimum.  In the fall and winter – cover crops then take over and provide protection.  I know that a lot of people think that those nicely tilled rows between the garden are a neat “clean” look – but they really lead to more weeds each season – and a huge loss of topsoil due to wind and water erosion.

4.  They Can Delay Gardening Season

Early season crops like lettuce and radishes can go in the ground earlier in raised row beds

Early season crops like lettuce and radishes can go in the ground earlier in raised row beds

How many times have you heard someone say – “I couldn’t even get my tiller in the soil until late Spring because it was so wet.”  With a no-till approach – your soil structure drains better, can be worked sooner, and leads to earlier harvest times.

Not only that – but tilling at the wrong time can do serious additional damage to your soil structure.  If it’s too wet – it can result in clumpy and muddy soil. If it’s too dry – a rototiller only serves to destroy the little soil structure remaining – making it less likely to hold in moisture and nutrients.  That in turn leads to the need for more watering and probably having to add synthetic fertilizers to the soil to make up for the lack of naturally available nutrients.  It becomes a vicious cycle that only causes more work for the gardener.

Gardening Without A Tiller…

Most visitors are surprised we never use a rototiller in our garden

Most visitors are surprised we never use a rototiller in our garden

Our low maintenance raised row garden requires about 10 to 15 minutes a day to keep weed free.

Our low maintenance raised row garden requires about 10 to 15 minutes a day to keep weed free.

No matter what type of garden you have – a raised bed, raised row, or traditional garden plot –  the more you can leave your soil alone and undisturbed – the better off your plants are, and the less overall weeds you will have.

We are big proponents of raised beds, or in our case, raised row beds (raised soil without wood or metal sides).   The benefits of raised beds or raised rows are that you only need to work the soil you plant in – and can concentrate adding organic matter and cover crops to that small portion – leaving your walking and maintenance rows for just that…walking in.  There is never a need to till the soil in the walking rows, and you can keep weeds out with thick layers of organic mulching materials such as straw, grass clippings or shredded leaves that keep the garden looking neat and healthy – and require little work.

The soil in our actual planting rows is only about 18″ wide.   This allows us to concentrate all of our soil building work in just that area – and not wasting effort and hard work all over the garden.  Why dig in and use up valuable compost or cover crops in the rows used only to walk in?  Now you can put it exactly where it’s needed – right in the soil where your plants grow!  Even our fall and winter cover crops are only planted in the 18″ wide raised rows – not the entire garden – allowing for maximum replenishment of the garden while conserving our cover crop seed.   With such a small area to work - they are easily turned over with a pitchfork to incorporate back into the soil for great organic matter.  For more on raised row gardening – you can check out our 4 part series on raised row gardening here :  Growing Simple – Raised Row Gardening

Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary

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How To Breathe Life This Spring Into Your Tired Garden Soil

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The bright green texture of 4 week old annual rye - a great green manure crop

The bright green texture of 4 week old annual rye – a great green manure crop to plant in the early spring garden

No matter how healthy your vegetable plants start off in the spring – no matter how carefully you water – how perfectly it rains, or how much of the sun’s rays find their way to your garden  – your plants are only going to turn out as good as the soil you plant them in.   Period.

Vegetable crops like tomatoes, peppers, corn and cucumbers take a heavy toll on the soil’ structure and make-up.  They devour valuable nutrients as they grow to produce the very fruits and vegetables we love to eat.   Eventually, after a few years – even the best of soils will begin to break down and weaken if not replenished and re-energized.  Soil that becomes weak in nutrients will result in successively weaker crop yields that are also increasingly prone to disease and pests.

So what is the best way to keep your garden strong?  Feed your soil!

And no – we’re not talking about heaping on generous amounts of expensive synthetic fertilizers.  Those are temporary fixes to a problem that can leave your soil weak, unstable, and full of excess salts and chemicals.

The real answer lies in adding back natural nutrients to the soil – and one of the best ways to do that is with a “green manure crop” in the spring – before you plant your garden or raised beds.

Planting A Green Manure Crop In Your Garden Or Raised Beds In The Spring

Barren soil makes it easy for soil erosion to occur, and for weed seeds to blow in. Cover crops solve both problems.

Barren soil makes it easy for soil erosion to occur, and for weed seeds to blow in. Cover crops solve both problems.

We talk a lot about cover cropping in the fall – and for good reason.  Fall cover crops plays a vital role in developing and keeping garden soil beds full of rich organic matter.  They minimize soil erosion and hinder the establishment of weeds, and then feed your soil with organic matter when turned over in the early spring.

But in the spring – we add a green manure crop to put back even more organic material prior to the vegetable garden planting.  It’s quick, easy - and pays huge dividends!

A lot of people are confused by the term “green manure”.  First of all, it doesn’t smell and it’s certainly not a by-product from animals.

So why the name?

Green manure is the term given to a cover crop that is grown specifically to be turned right back into the soil to replenish valuable nutrients and organic matter.  Much like a farmer spreads horse, cow or chicken manure on his fields to fertilize and replenish – growing and digging in a bright green cover crop has the same effect and benefits.  It’s the same concept as why fresh-cut green grass is great to add to a compost pile.  In its fresh-cut green state, grass is a valuable nitrogen source that heats your compost pile up.  Green manure crops do the same, releasing nitrogen back into the earth as they slowly decompose.   Consider it almost a sacrificial offering to the soil :)

To have healthy tomato plants - you need healthy soil

To have healthy tomato plants – you need healthy soil

When a cover crop such as annual clover, rye or hairy-vetch are young, vibrant and bright green – they are at their absolute height of nutritional value.  Their root nodules below the soil help to “fix” nitrogen levels – and the green matter that is turned back into the soil gives off additional nutrients and nitrogen as it decomposes during the summer months.  All of which serves to replenish the soil and feed your summer crop of vegetables.

Green manure crops also provide many of the same benefits that fall cover crops give – helping to loosen the soil with their fast and deep growing roots and protecting the surface topsoil from heavy spring rains and erosion.  All the more reason to incorporate them into your garden plan!

So when and how do you plant them? 

Bright green annual rye about to be turned under to provide nutritents make room for tomatoes!

Bright green annual rye about to be turned under to provide nutrients for our tomatoes!

We will turn our fall cover crop over in the soil beds about 4 to 6 weeks before we plan on planting our vegetables (about mid-march if the weather allows).  At that point we will plant the spring  ”green manure” cover crop seed right into the soil, raking the soil out lightly after turning it over and spreading our seed. The new seedlings emerge in as little as 7 to 10 days, and by the time we are ready to plant our vegetables  in Mid may – it has filled in with a strong thick stand of growth. Then, we simply turn them under again with the pitchfork – and plant our summer garden.  As the green manure crop starts to break down – it releases its energy back into the soil and provides nutrients for the new crops.  If you didn’t plant a fall cover crop, a spring green manure crop can be even more valuable to getting your soil back on track!

Annual rye, annual clover and hairy vetch are all great choices as green manure crops – and can usually be found at your local feed store.

Will I get weeds from them later?

In short – no!  These are annual varieties  – so once you till them into the soil as young green plant material – they wont come back like stubborn weeds.  Furthermore – you incorporate them back into the soil quickly – so the plants don’t have the ability to establish seed heads or seeds that could become a problem.  In fact – using cover crops in the fall and spring can greatly diminish your weed problems by keeping the soil from being barren and open to drifting weed seeds – and the thick, fast growing growth crowds out competing weeds.

Cover crops and green manure crops simply work.  They keep your soil healthy and alive, let your plants thrive – and most importantly, are 100% natural.

If you would like to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Posts – be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Twitter or Facebook in the right column.

- Jim and Mary

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Ornamental Peppers In The Landscape..Spice Up Your Flower Beds and Your Taste Buds!

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Poinsettia Ornamental Peppers

Poinsettia ornamental peppers Used as main hedge planting around our upper pergola last year.  Peppers are a big part of our edible landscape.

The Sangria Ornamental Pepper

The Sangria Ornamental Pepper- bright purple in early summer turning to a fiery red by late fall.

The red peppers and green foilage make for a great landscaping plant

The red peppers and green foliage make for a great landscaping plant

The early purple color of the sangria

The early purple color of the sangria

Peppers have become a big part of our garden and our landscape at the farm.  Yes, our garden plan still calls for a large planting of the old regulars – like  the green and red bell, jalapeno, banana and chili peppers we love to eat, cook and can with.  However, as each year passes, we find ourselves using more and more new varieties of pepper plants in our landscape as well – and not just for the great taste – but for some great looking flowerbeds!

Whether it’s a mass planting of ornamental Poinsettia peppers at the upper pergola, a few tri-colored mini belles planted among a stand of ornamental grasses, or a hanging planter loaded with poinsettia peppers – it doesn’t take long for visitors to the farm to notice the unique plants.  That is almost always followed by the question : “What kind of flowers are those?”   Most are astonished to find out they are pepper plants – and even more amazed to find out almost all of them are delicious to eat!

Ornamental and specialty peppers really are the ultimate dual-use plant.  They provide  beautiful color, texture and variety to your flower and landscape beds…and can do the same for your taste buds!  Most ornamental and specialty peppers are edible – but some definitely have more taste than others.  Some, like the Orange Tequila and Cajun Belle, are great to add color and taste to salads, salsas and soups – and can be used to make some incredible appetizers!

As ornamental and specialty peppers continue to grow in demand each year – the varieties seem to expand along with them.  You can find them in almost any size and color – from purple, red, green, yellow and orange to all shades in between.

A couple of notes of caution though. they can be really hard to find in greenhouses in the spring – and if you are lucky enough to find them – they can be costly.

Mini Bell peppers tucked into the landscape bed

Mini Bell peppers tucked into the landscape bed

For that reason alone – we grow the majority of our ornamental peppers from our own seeds that we save from year to year.  We will usually order a few seed packs each year to try something new.  If we do happen to be out and see a new variety at a greenhouse – we’ll plant it once and save the seeds in the fall to grow ourselves next year.

So, as we get the soil pots ready to start growing our peppers here in a few weeks, think about adding some great new varieties of peppers to your plan. And better yer – instead of thinking they belong only in the garden – place them in small groupings in your flowerbeds or in a mass planting to add  a splash of vibrant color to your landscape!

Here is a quick run-down on 5 great ornamental and specialty peppers we used last year and will be putting out again this coming year:

Sangria

Sangria Turning From Purple To Red

Sangria Turning From Purple To Red

Sangria is my all time favorite! It’s incredibly versatile plant in the landscape.  We use them in mass plantings, pots and hanging baskets, all with great success.  They are strong growing and tolerant plant – and can get by with much less watering than other annuals. The best part- it’s really three plants in one.  You get beautiful dark green foliage in the early spring…followed by hundreds of slim dark purple peppers by early to mid – summer.  As the fall come on strong – they turn to a brilliant red and orange for incredible new color to the landscape.  The seeds are easy to save for the next years planting as well.

Poinsettia

Poinsettia Peppers Turning Bright Red In August

Poinsettia Peppers Turning Bright Red In August

Poinsettia peppers are another favorite of ours.  These are a little taller and bushier plant than the sangria – growing to about 16 to 24″ tall – with the pepper pods coming on in late June.  Each plant is covered in hundreds of the pepper pods.  They start out as an ordinary slim green pepper – and then turn to an incredible fiery deep red from early August until well after the first frost.  They are a tasty little pepper that can be added to stir fry to give off some deep heat – or you can put them in olive oil to have hot pepper oil.  Poinsettia peppers are another easy seed to save and require little maintenance.

Mini Bell

Mini Belle Peppers, along with some of our Tequila Orange.

Mini Belle Peppers, along with some of our Tequila Orange.

These plants will grow to be about 18″ to 24″ high and are covered in 30 to 40 1″ to 2″ mini bell peppers at a time.  They have a super small seed core that is easy to remove, and are perfect for salads and salsas.  This is also one of our favorite peppers to use for making  great appetizers.  We use a good spicy sausage and cream cheese stuffing that makes for an incredible paring with the sweet taste of the peppers.   They look great in the landscape too as an accent plant – adding a splash of color wherever you put them.

Cajun Belle

Cajun Belle Pepper. An abundant producing pepper that can best be described as sweet heat.

Cajun Belle Pepper. An abundant producing pepper that can best be described as sweet heat.

The Cajun Belle is the ultimate pepper to have if you love the combination of sweet with heat.  They average about 2″  in size, and have a seed core that is easy to remove.  They make an incredible stuffed appetizer, are great to chop up in salads and salsa or chili, or to use on a sandwich.  An added benefit of the Cajun Belle – they  freeze really well and are great to pull out for use during those cold winter months.   The plants are absolutely beautiful in the garden or landscape – filling up with 50 or more brightly colored peppers ranging from green to orange to bright red when fully ripe.

Black Pearl

The dark peppers and foialge of the black pearl pepper plant

The dark peppers and foliage of the black pearl pepper plant

These peppers are not only dark purple and black in color – but the dark foliage really can give accent to your flowerbeds.  They grow to be about 14 to 20 inches high and about 15″ wide.  The plant produces tons of  3/4-inch fruit that is round with a sharp point near the bottom. The peppers start our black in mid summer, and then turn to a beautiful shade of dark, deep red in the fall.  It is very tolerant as well, like almost all peppers, and most insects do not want any part of the hot and spicy peppers.  They are certainly edible – but very, very hot!

If you would like to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Posts – be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Twitter or Facebook in the right hand column of the blog.

- Jim and Mary

How To Build An Indoor Seed-Starting Rack – Cheap!

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Our seed-starting rack stand - room for over 500 seedlings!

Our seed-starting rack stand – with room for almost 600 seedlings!

The dining room table / mini garden area last spring

Our dining room table / mini garden area last spring.

For the last few years, in the late winter months, our dining room table transforms into our seed starting area – or as we like to call it – our mini garden. We actually had it down to a science, using a few inexpensive shop lights to grow our plants healthy and strong. The mini garden set-up unfortunately also rendered the dining area useless for the 6 to 8 weeks it took to germinate and grow all of the ornamental pepper and garden plants we use.  Not to mention, some strange looks from company wondering what we were “growing” in there under the dim glow of flourescent lights :) .

So, for this week’s DIY segment –  we thought we would design and build our very own lighted seed-starting rack. The rack will allow us to move the entire seed starting operation out of the dining room – and into an unused portion of our basement.  It also allows us to double the seeds and plants we can start indoors in less space – from the 4 flats we could start on the table, to a full 8 flats.

We wanted it to be simple, strong, and of course, as always – cheap!

Using just nine simple  2 x 4 x 8 pieces of lumber, a single sheet of particle board and 4 inexpensive double-bulb shop lights – this can be made from scratch for around $50 to $70. Even less if you happen to have some old shop lights or scrap lumber laying around!   It will accommodate up to 8 full size seed trays on the two growing shelves – and can grow up to 576 plants if using the 72 pack cell inserts.  There is even shelf space at the bottom to store gardening supplies – or if you are really ambitious – another layer of plants!  The best part of the project – it can be assembled with simple tools in less than an hour or two. In our case –  we cut, built and assembled it in the time it took to watch the Houston Texans take our Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoffs! It’s also strong and can double as a great storage shelf when not in use the rest of the year.

Here is how we built it:

Once you have your 3 rectangles assembled - screw in the four 6' vertical boards to the bottom shelf first

Once you have your 3 rectangles assembled – screw in the four 6′ vertical boards to the bottom shelf first

Materials List:

(9)  ea. 2  x4  x8′s
(4) ea. Hanging Shop Lights
(1) 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/2 strand board or plywood
(50) 3″ screws
(8 to 12) 2″ screw hooks

Tools Needed:

Circular or Chop Saw
Screw Gun
Tape Meassure

How We Built It:  

(We have included extra photos at the bottom to help show the building process)

Start by cutting all of your pieces:

You will need to cut the 2×4′s into the following sizes:
4) ea. 6′ long
8) ea. 4′ long
8) ea. 2′ long

Taking the 4′ x 8′ sheet of plywood or strand board, cut three pieces, each 27″ x 4′ wide – these will become the shelves of the stand.

Next - attach the sceond rectangle wood square to the top of the 4 6'support legs

Next – attach the second rectangle wood square to the top of the 4 6′ support legs

The actual building process is a snap – especially if you have two people for an extra set of hands. We normally use construction adhesive when we build anything for extra durability – but we forewent that on this project in case we ever want to disassemble and relocate the shelves.

Start by building your 4 rectangular shelf supports from the 4′ and 2′ pieces.  Create a rectangle by placing two 2′ boards flush at the ends of two 4′ boards.  Drive a single screw in the middle of each connection to create a solid rectangle.  Repeat until you have all four rectangles assembled.

Next, we will assemble the bottom shelf first. Take one of your 6 foot boards and place it flush on the end of the outside edge of where the 2′ and 4′ pieces meet. (see pictures)  Then – making sure your 6′ board is straight in the air at a 90 degree angle – we screw it in place with a total of 4 screws.  We put 2 screws that sink into the 2′ board and 2 more than sink into the 4′ board. Repeat for the other 3 “legs” and you are on your way to your plant stand.

Next – we screw in one more of the rectangles the same way – this one at the top – flush with the top of the 6′ boards. Once you have this screwed in – your stand will start to become very stable.

Attach the final two shelf rectangles for your two shelves.

Attach the final two shelf rectangles for your two shelves.

Now, we just simply repeat with the final two rectangles, screwing them in to form the bases for the growing shelves. For our set-up, we set our two shelves at 23″ apart – this allows us plenty of room to adjust the lights up and down with chains as the plants grow, and lets our plants have plenty of room to grow big.  As another option you could also evenly space the two middle shelves and actually grow on the bottom shelf as well for 3 growing areas.  For us, two is more than plenty – and we will just use the bottom shelf as for storage items.

Next, slide in the 3 27″ x 4′ shelf boards you have cut from the plywood or strand board to make your shelves.  Simply drive a few screws into the support frame to secure.

Once you have all of your shelves in, its time to hang your lights. Simple screw hooks work great here.  A small pre-drilled hole will help you screw them in.  We install 2 hooks on each side – spaced evenly on the 2 foot end bars.  Most of the inexpensive shoplights at the big box stores will come with a small chain and S hook for the light – just install and your set.  To make ours even easier to operate – we are going to install a small power strip on the side, allowing the lights to be turned on with a single flip of the switch.

There you have it – an inexpensive seed-starting stand!  If you want more information of starting seeds – you can see our article from a few weeks back – How To Easily Start Seeds Indoors

If you would like to receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Posts – be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Twitter or Facebook in the right column.

-  Jim and Mary

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Close up of the rectangle shelf supports attached to the post. We attach 4 screw on the outside of each shelf angle support to add extra strength to each

Close up of the rectangle shelf supports attached to the post. We attach 4 screw on the outside of each shelf angle support to add extra strength to each

Four screws are driven in to the outside of each post at every shelf corner

Four screws are driven in to the outside of each post at every shelf corner

Side View of the shelf supports

Side View of the shelf supports

Measuring Down For The Shelves

Measuring Down For The Shelves

Use a level to make sure your shelf supports are level when attaching

Use a level to make sure your shelf supports are level when attaching

Use Pallets To Build Your Own Double Compost Bin for under $15!

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Our 2 compartment compost bin made from pallets for under $15

Our 2 compartment compost bin made from pallets for under $15

Compost Bin before staining to match the barn. We only stained the exterior - leaving the interior free of all paints and stain

Compost Bin before staining to match the barn. We only stained the exterior – leaving the interior free of all paints and stain

There are few things that can make your garden more successful than compost. Compost, or “Black Gold” as it is so often called, improves soil vitality and structure – and significantly bolsters your plants health and yields. The best part of all – you can use your own coffee grounds, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and leaves to make great compost right in your own backyard.

The market place is flooded with all kinds and type of compost making systems – from wood and plastic bins, to compost tumblers, barrels and buckets. Although they all work – they also can be expensive to buy.  So here’s a way to use a few a pallets and 2 x 4′s to make a great looking double bin system for under $15.

The double-bin pallet composter is a simple structure that looks and works great! We built our 2 bin system from 3 free pallets and (5) 2 x 4 x 10’ boards in just a couple of hours.

Here’s how we did it:

Materials Needed:
3 or 4 pallets
5 ea. 2 x 4 x 10’ lumber – cut into the following lengths : 2 ea. @ 72″ long, 9 ea. @ 27″ long, 6  ea. @ 30″
2 ½” screws or nails – approx. 40
1.5″ screws or nails – approx. 50
Tools Needed : Reciprocating saw, screw gun, tape measure and hand saw or circular saw.

Building The Frame:

If you can, find 3 similar pallets to help make the project go smooth

If you can, find 3 or 4  similar pallets to help make the finished project look great!

Once you have disassembled the pallet - you will end up with nice slats to cover your compost bin with

Once you have disassembled the pallet – you will end up with nice slats to cover your compost bin

blah blah blah

The front frame of the compost bin

blajh balh ablah

One of the (3) three square frames

You can attach the 3 squares to the back with screws to the front panel - then cover with the pallet boards to finish

You can attach the 3 squares to the back with screws to the front panel – then cover with the pallet boards to finish

You will want to try to find 3 pallets that are in decent shape and similar length and size. First – disassemble the pallets to end up with about 30 or so slat boards. It’s an easy process and can be accomplished in minutes with a reciprocating saw.

(Click Here to view our post : How to Easily Disassemble A Pallet In Minutes)

The frame is a simple assembly of 2 x 4 rectangles and squares. A 6′ front rectangular frame, and 3 smaller square frames attached to it to make up the 2 bins. You will want to use regular framing 2 x 4’s and not treated lumber. We get a lot of questions about using treated lumber – but we use standard everyday framing lumber. I don’t like to use treated because we are making compost to put on our garden plants –  and I don’t like the thought of any chemical byproducts leaching into the soil and compost.

The front frame is made from 2 pieces of 2 x 4 that are each 72″ long. They will lay flat and make up the top and bottom of the frame. In between we add three sandwich boards that are each 28” long. Simply screw the top board into the three sandwich boards on the top and bottom. When all assembled – your front frame will be 6’ wide x 30” high.

Next – we need to make the three square frames for the two ends and the middle section. Once again – it is simple assembly. Using two (2) 30″ boards for the top and bottom and two more 27” boards on each end. Assemble all 3 squares,  and your ready to put your quick 2 bin compost bin together.

Simply assemble each of the 3 squares to the front frame with a few screws.  One on the end of each side, and one directly in the middle attached to the middle support of the front frame.   The flat 2 x 4′s should be centered right on the middle of the vertical front board.

Now you have your compost bin carcass. The rest is easy. Starting on the front side – lay out your pallet boards all along the front – leaving about ¼” to a ½” space between boards. I lay all of mine out first so that I can get it to work out perfectly even on the ends.  You want the spacing so that your compost can get air flow.
Once that is done – I lay out the boards for each side using the same method – and finish by putting up a double set of board in the middle section to separate the two bins.  With a two bin system – you can make twice as much compost.  Or, even better, you can have one side to store finished compost – and the other to keep “cooking” the next batch!

When finished – you can leave the compost bin completely natural and unstained and it will weather to an “old barn wood” grey.

Finished compost ready to use!

Finished compost ready to use!

To make it even more pleasing to the eye – you can paint or stain the outside of your pallet boards. We never stain anything inside – once again to not allow any paint or chemicals near the pile.
There you have it – an inexpensive yet beautiful 2 bin compost system that you can use for years and years – all for under $15!

If you would like to follow along through the coming year and receive our weekly DIY and Gardening Posts – be sure to sign up to follow our blog via email, Twitter or Facebook in the right column.  -  Jim and Mary

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