Planting Pots On The Cheap - Part 2

The bricks have dried now to a mellow, earthly red color and they are looking as is said in gardening lingo , "more better".
Now to get them filled with soil for the Cardinal climber vine's new home.
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Young Cardinal climber vine from seed started on April 11. Ready to be moved out in the sun in the planter block......... The seeds I picked up in 2007 from Wal-Mart Gardens. The set me back ninety seven cents for the package.


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My Faithful garden assistant is ready to get started. She is on watch for any bugs or lizards that might jump out while I am digging.....


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I have learned that it is best to dig about 5 inches further under the block holes into the ground. That way the plants roots will have plenty of uncompacted soil to grow down into. Then fill the block up with soil and you are ready to add the plant.


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The cardinal Climber plants go in and are soaked in with water.



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Since these plants are by the two 4x4 posts of my bird feeder I have to cover them with some old chicken wire for protection. The doves knock bird food onto the ground then trample the young plants otherwise.


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Now the young plants just have to survive the birds, dogs and wind until they can grow big enough to hold there own. --- --- sanddune---
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NOTE: DON'T BE STINGY SHARE YOUR COMMENTS, IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS, THANKS!!! I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET.
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Planting Pots on the Cheap Part 1

I have been experimenting with an idea that I read on an gardening forum. Unfortunately I do not recall where I read it or I would give the proper credit to the author. In the post the author suggested that he planted in old concrete blocks turned with the holes facing up. They suggested using the blocks as a way to keep the soil warm from the sun.

In South Florida which is a sub-tropical region I have no issues with the soil warmth however the idea of planting in the blocks appealed to me on several levels to address the problems that I do face. One problem is my animals are forever chasing birds, ducks , stray cats, and lizards through my garden and knocking over my smaller pots.

Another issue is the wind . We usually have a daily sea breeze here 10-15 knots and stronger in the thunderstorms. The other pots tend to dry out and get blown over by the wind whereas the block pots don't move even surviving several hurricanes in the two years I have been testing them.

Even better I got all my blocks for free where someone was trying to get rid of them by the roadside or you can buy them for a couple of bucks each at your local hardware store. I painted mine with a semi-transparent stain in a earthly color called Redrock and use them in my rock garden. I think they look really good and they are indestructible so far.

My latest project is to fix up some unstained blocks that were below my bird feeder and plant Cardinal climber vine vines to go up either post on the bird feeder.
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This is the old unstained block that I used last year at the base of my bird feeder. Time for a face lift.


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I Pulled the blocks out of my garden and applied a good coat of stain on them.















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Blocks looking good after final approval inspection by Odette.....


Now to let them dry . Part 2 later. ... sanddune...
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NOTE : Comments, ideas or suggestions are always welcomed, THANKS!
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Back to Basics

It appears that the only way to have healthy soil that plants thrive in is to get back to the basics.

First my soil here is sand which is alkaline and mainly without any nutrients. So it stands to reason that my options are either buying the soil (potting mix) from a retail store (an assault against my frugal nature) or improving my own with organic material .

The answer that might work is to save my yard trash into a compost pile and use the finished organic matter heavily mixed with my sand as a growing medium. What is to lose in trying. If it works I gain not having to buy other peoples dirt (commercial potting mix) and pay the state of Florida sales tax. As an added plus I can dispose of my yard trash into the compost bin and not have to bag it and take it out for the trash.

Its organic, saves money on buying soil and trash bags and recycles my own trash. Sounds like a victory for the little man. What could be better its a win win proposition. It only remains to take the plunge.

The first step is research looking up compost bins on the web. After viewing some on the web and seeing their prices (wow) I decided to make my own.

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A quick trip to Home Depot got me some chicken wire and four 2x4x 8foot boards. I buried the 2x4's half way into the ground with my post hole digger and wrapped the chicken wire around it.



Quick , simple and fairly cheap. I'm going to name this the poor mans compost bin.
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Note: Four feet into the ground for the posts sounds like excess but one must remember that in South Florida things tend to blow away with each passing hurricane.
... sanddune....
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NOTE: GOT A GOOD IDEA THAT CAN HELP ME TURN MY YARD INTO AN URBAN OASIS? YOUR COMMENTS, IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED, THANKS.
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MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of this blog is to document my challenges in establishing my home garden .

I readily admit to being a novice gardener however I do possess a pioneer spirit and hold onto hope that I can transform my backyard into an organic oasis.

I have learned that my piece of Paradise has none of the rich, friable, earth that other gardeners possess to grow in. It is basically made up of sand devoid of all nutrients. Hence my signature display name - sanddune.

My goals are:

1- To transform my garden without spending a lot of money on plants, supplies and products.

2-To reuse materials I have on hand that I would have previously just thrown away.

3- To gradually convert my Gardening methods to organic ones.

4-To make friends and gather knowledge from other gardeners on the web who actually know how to accomplish the above listed goals.

5- To improve my limited skills and knowledge in how to use this stupid computer!

So therein lies my challenge.

Keeping these lofty goals in mind and my steadfast Yorkshire Terrier, (Odette) , by my side I'm ready to get get started.

--- sanddune------