So I am need of wisdom from the group mind.
One of the projects I am considering this year is to use a space in my backyard - specifically a slab in my backyard (pictured below with local supervisor Poppy the Brave).
From what I can guess (there is a concrete riser to the left of the picture), whoever installed this intended to do something else with it at some point, be it a workshop or a hot tub. It consists of three sections, each slab 39" by 50", or 120" by 100" total.
Being located where it is at the corner of the yard and largely shade free, it tends to get a great deal of sun, more than my current garden does.
I am wondering if I can put more garden there - it would have to be raised beds, as the slabs themselves are 3" deep (pictures below). There is no way I am breaking those up and hauling them away.
The thought would be to use something like retaining wall paving stones laid over weed cloth both for cost and for the fact that if and when we do sell, I can essentially sell it "with a pad" and new owner can decide if they want to keep the beds or build something else.
What would I use for the garden? I have a good three years of wood pellets which have been used as rabbit bedding, broken down and combined with old hay and rabbit droppings.
Does this sound like any kind of plan at all? Should I consider something else?
Raised bed or container growing sounds like good OTJ experience to me. Maybe vines could be grown on a 'cattle panel' set on side and allowing the vines to climb on it ? I think grape vines require sandy soil though.
ReplyDeleteI discovered some time back my gardening skills woefully lack. The plants not only barely survive the encounter, but the yield is mediocre at best. Valley lemon and orange trees in the backyard have so far been stronger than others, they are over 20 years old and still survive even my black thumb skills.
Good luck with your decision on what to do with the space.
Anonymous - I have struggled with gardening for years, but sometimes wonder if at least part of the issue is the fact that I do not get enough sun and make bad plant choices. Or, maybe I am just really bad at it.
DeleteAnother raised option could be something like half wine barrels. My experiences with smaller containers is that they do not retain the water as well as I would like.
Thank you for your suggestion!
Do you get much rainfall during the growing season?
ReplyDeleteOne solution would be to plant pole beans, indeterminate tomato vines and melons or squash around the perimeter and use the slabs as mulch. The plants can "mine" the runoff stored in the soil (like swales in permaculture) and the tall, vining plants trained over the slabs on feedlot panels or "tee-pees" of poles.
Rather than attempt to turn slabs into fertile soil, exploit what they are with plants that mitigate the downside and can take advantage of what they are in their current state.
ERJ, Rain here in the summer is kind of a non-reliable thing: some years we are awash, some years we are in drought. So it is not reliable.
DeleteHmm. Training the vines over something in that space. That bears thought.
Thank you!
My high labor thoughts on your paved patch. I would box it with concrete blocks and use it as a compost pile. That would mean moving your current pile of beautiful compost. The area where it has been would make a great garden area. I notice part shade. That should not be a problem for full sun vegies. Everything needs a little shade from our laser summers. Good luck. Julia
ReplyDeleteJulia - Thank you so much. I have tried to garden in that patch before with fairly limited results in that past but perhaps it was my selection of plants.
DeleteI've had mixed results with raised beds. Years ago, I built some 4x8 planters out of wood, filled them with mostly soil, and never could get anything to grow because it was impossible to keep them from drying out.
ReplyDeleteBut, I also had some 20 gal. black pots that had been used for trees that worked reasonable well. I filled those pots with a mix of compost, soil, and a lot of biochar as an experiment in making terra preta and also trying to grow peach trees from seed. Those pots seemed to hold the moisture and worked alot better than I thought they would.
So after all that, my advice would be to try something simple and cheap like big pots or tubs filled with good soil and compost and you should be able to grow things like peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, etc.
Rich - Thanks for the suggestions. With our summer heat, drying out is a real issue. It is more likely a cheaper option overall that a raised bed per se - as you suggest, I just need to choose the appropriate vegetables.
DeleteNo advice from me. I'm just happy to be able to put a face to the name (Poppy the Brave)!
ReplyDeleteYes, that is Poppy the Brave. She is not the best listener, but is otherwise a good dog.
DeleteI'm trying to think it through as "If it was MY yard..." ...I would bust that concrete out of there. It's not that hard. I doubt that it's three inches thick except at the edges. But even if it is, it's unlikely that it has rebar or wire mesh in it. If you're not into trying a large sledge hammer on it, you can easily rent an electric jackhammer for an afternoon and cut it into manageable pieces. Harbor Freight has three sizes of them, and I bought the middle size when I "needed a bigger hammer" and it would dice up those slabs in an hour or so.
ReplyDeleteAfter that, I'd go with raised beds, their only drawback for me is that they tend to dry out quickly, so they need frequent watering. If you choose the leave the slabs, I agree with Rich above that large plastic container pots are the least labor intensive way to go. Thanks to a local tree service that needs a place to unload their chipped material, I have an endless supply of mulching chips. I have set up rows of container pots and surrounded them with chips which insulates them on all sides from both cold and excessive drying heat.
Greg - Not being knowledgeable about concrete you could be very right about the depth. That said, the more I think about it, the more I think leaving it in might make for a better resale value on the house - and I can work around the rest.
DeleteThe water is a really issue here. Agreed that larger pots might help offset the potential issues with drying out - although your practice of insulation has merit.
I meant to add that rabbit mulch is probably the best manure fertilizer there is. Unlike chicken manure which is too "hot" and must be composted first, rabbit fertilizer can go directly on planting beds. Mixed with a topsoil blend, you have the makings of ideal garden soil.
ReplyDeleteGreg, I am fortunate in that I have as much rabbit mulch as I could use and then some. It is just a matter of finding a way to use it effectively.
DeleteTo me, it looks like a good spot for a small greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jess. That thought had occurred to me as well, and is something I had thought of. My only concern is the fact that the slabs are tipping up a bit, which might more some unevenenss - although I suppose there are effectively "Portable greenhouses" one could stake down.
DeleteLike Rich, I’ve not had great success with raised beds. They dry out to quickly and also soil temperatures tend to get much higher due to heating on the sides along with the top. I also suspect having concrete underneath, I.e. a large heat sink, will make things even more difficult. I would bust it up and remove it. I think it would have limited resale value being in sections, probably not the right size for a building, etc.
ReplyDeleteEd, I think you are right about the heat sink portion - and given the heat here in the summer, it is probably a real thing.
DeleteSigh. I so hate removing concrete...
If you do go the container route I've had good luck with deeper pots or containers. Like 14"+, lining the bottom with cardboard and in the case of using 5gal buckets I drill drain holes up the sides 3 or 4". I put well rotted pieces of wood in the bottom... Up to the bottom 1/4-1/3 of grow medium. It acts as a sponge. I've had decent luck growing potatoes, tomatoes and peppers in pots. Even here in uber hot and humid n central fl. I can move them to have afternoon shade as needed and get a bit longer grow time from them. Because again, I'm late with getting them planted....
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I think if I were to go that route that makes a lot of sense. I had not thought of something like rotted wood in the bottom, but from what you say that sounds very smart.
DeleteThank you for stopping by! (And good luck with the planting!)
Container vs raised bed.
ReplyDeleteContainers require a lot less dirt than a raised bed, and can be moved as necessary.
Most of my garden is now containers, raised to hip height so weeding is easy.
Mark - That was one thing I had thought of vis-a-vis container gardening, that one could raise them up. It might also help a bit with the heating of the concrete.
DeleteThank you for the comment and stopping by!
Oh, and rabbit forage can be grown in containers as well.
ReplyDeleteSave your non gmo seeds.
Good point - and interesting, as I do have rabbits. Being able to raise my own hay would be a thing I would greatly welcome.
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