Raised Beds | Page 9 | SouthernPaddler.com

Raised Beds

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Bob....

Like you I did not have enough grits to spin that wheel against compression even if it was backed off all the way from the compression stroke. Dad had to get it going and when it was running nothing wold stop it. Just chug , chug , chug ,chugging along. :wink:
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Dad's tractor was not near that pretty. He put a big umbrella on the Farmall so he could ride in the shade. When his Buddy saw it he called Dad a big sissy for having an umbrella on his tractor. A week or so later Dad's buddy had an ocassion to plow with the farmall for part of a day. The next day Dad's buddy had an umbrella on his tractor. Now days you climb into an air conditioned tractor, pop a George Jones CD into the player, and sip on your cup of coffee and go all day long. No Sweat.
Bob
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
The box has been repaired and it's time to fill with more mix. I spread out a poly tarp next to the bed and dumped 2 cu. ft. of peat onto it,


Next I put in 2 cu.ft. of vermiculite.

And last, I put in 2 cu. ft. of compost.

To mix it up I went to one corner and grabbed the tarp down from the corner on each side and started flipping the tarp so the mix on the outside of the pile was flipped to the middle.

Go to he next corner and do it again. Go to the next and the next.

Go around the corners several times and it will be well mixed.

Shovel it into the box.

That filled the box about half way up so I did it all again and got the box full.

Next to the trellis I planted a row of sugar snap peas. Down the middle I planted a row of Swiss chard and in the rest of the space I sowed mustard greens. I planted them Monday and little chard and mustard is popping up. In another bed I put butternut and acorn squash. Yum Yum
Bob
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Jack,
The tomatoes are on hold. I'm keeping them watered trying to hold on to them until it cools off a little so they will start making again. They look o so sad, but they will perk up again. Pretty often my Dad would bring a green tomato or two in and tell Mom to fry them up. The lawnmower, 4 wheeler, or whatnot knocked them off. Got to be a family joke.
Bob
 

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
Green Tomato Relish for all year long enjoyment..............
486045.jpg


Here is how to make it.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/green-tomato-relish/
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
I guess that when I planted my repaired raised bed I did not check with the almanac. After sprouting the mustard has not grown any more so I replanted Sunday. Planted more sugar snap peas also. Every year I have said that I did not plant enough. I even planted peas in among the okra so they can go up the stalks.

My dragon fruit was growing like crazy so I had to build a trellis for it and cement it into the ground. I pruned a lot of side shoots off and just lift them in the tub for now. If we get some freezing weather this year I may be building a tepee over it.

Here is a picture of one of the flowers on my passion fruit vine.

Bob
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
In the bed I repaired I planted sugar snap peas, swiss chard, and mustard greens. Everything started out very slow and the mustard greens finally took off. The peas and chard ire still stunted. In the bed behind this one the butternut squash and escaped the bed and is heading across the yard.

The front tub is full of collards and the tub behind it has acorn squash and freshly planted sugar snap peas.

This is butternut squash growing out of the raised bed around my pear tree.

and from the back side.

Yum!Yum!

This is my cucumber. I cut the sod off a patch at the base of the fence and installed a cinder block with the holes up, filled the holes with compost and planted the cucumbers in the holes. I've did this with cucumbers, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, and chinese okra.

I've already put a passion flower on so here is another flower.

I picked my first butternut squash today. was going to cut it off with a small knife. Gave up on that and got the limb lopers and cut it off the vine.
Bob
 

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
Is that last flower a hibiscus?

Sunday, I saw JUST the tractor for your raised beds - a Rumley Oil Pull steam traction engine. Front axle is solid cast iron, and steers by wrapping log chains around. 4" diameter spindle that runs full width under the boiler. A cast iron steering wheel runs a worm gear to turn the spindle, wrap the chain, pull one end of the axle back, and (finally!) start to move the front axle. It takes damned near 40 actes to do a 180 degree turn.

I don't know if it is rated for Cninese okra or not. :wink:
 

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
+Yes, that is a hibiscus.Guess you've been to another tractor show. That would be neat to see. I might be spinning my wheels but I planted 40 to 50 more sugar snap peas yesterday. If we have a mild winter down here I should be fine with them but if we get a good freeze then Oh Well! Tis better to have tried and lost than never to have tried at all. On that note I may plant a few more butternut squash. I won't be mowing much this winter anyway. As it is I have been mowing around the squash runners.
Bob