Upper South Region ~ is there anyone out there?

noticed last entry was in 2015 wondering if there is anyone still around from this area

Your post reminds me of Pink Floyd The Wall! Of course we are out there! goza, glad you came here. I am in Ohio, but there are several active members from your region! You should let us know what your plans are, and post pictures if you have some!

hi thanks for the reply.  Please be patient with me as this is the first time I have
ever joined a forum.  I like to have never figured out how to start a post or reply.

still a little early here. but I'm getting impatient!!!
seeds and transplants are just starting to arrive in stores (in the past week)

I have a small raised garden that I put in tubs on top of milk crates.
I know it sounds strange but it works.

I wanted something that could be moved easy (we rent) and that would be easy
to reach and store if need be (I'm getting old and can't stoop, bend and lift
like I used to)  I guess they would qualify as table top gardens.

I'm hoping to find someone in my area (just outside Black Oak, Ar.) as have problems
unique to my area mostly wind (lots of wind), farmers spraying (drift) and bad water
(iron) and would love to know what others do.

I am lucky that I have a good landlord.  He knows about my little garden and works
with me on spraying as much as he can.

Goza
from Kelejan

Good idea about putting tubs on top of milk crates, seeing as you are renting.
Perhaps one day you will get your own garden.  Best of luck.

Edited to add: We treat newbies very gently as most of remember not knowing much about gardening. No question seems stupid, so ask away.  It gives us a chance to appear knowledgeable.

Hey there, goza, Good to hear about your garden beds, and yes, they are table tops kinda! It works for your situation as a renter. Have you had successes with this system? Or just starting out ? What is in those containers?

Have you read "All New Square Foot Gardening, 2nd Ed" by Mel Bartholomew? In my opinion, you should do that ASAP. Usually you can get it from your library, or interlibrary loan. It will give you a starting point for intensive gardening, and the Mel's Mix that really makes this thing rock!

hi guys thanks for the reply! been doing this for about 15yrs I guess on and off.  I have had a lot of health problems, accidents etc. so it just kinda depends on how I
feel.

had a real good garden for about 5 yrs when I lived at walcot ar.  then moved
to monette ar did some there then moved here (black oak ar) three yrs ago  I always
mixed my own soil but I bought pre mixed first year here between that, the wind, drift
from the farmers and the bad water it wasn't so hot, although once I figured out to
store rain water to use on the gardens it was better till the farmers defoliated which naturally killed everything. so I decided to start over fresh.

last year we had a lot of problems I fell and hurt myself pretty bad then, my hubby fell and broke his hip etc etc etc so I didn't get much in a few pots of herbs that's all.

this year, I'm pretty good and  I hope to have at least my tubs (all 10 of them) going and if all goes well hope to add least another 10.

Good! How many square feet do you get out of your containers? What do you typically plant? Spill it, goza!

the tubs are about 3 x 4 x 9 I just divide it up as close as I can any excess goes to larger plants or a few more smaller ones. Cant grow as much as in boxes but I don't
have to bend and stoop either, I'll just add more boxes.

at walcot you name it I had it.  had aprox 80 boxes 4 x 4  like I said it was a good one!!  corn,watermelon, pumpkin, cantelope, three kinds of onions, garlic, a bunch of herbs,carrot, celery, english peas, snow peas, green beans, lima beans, blk eye peas, spinach 3 kinds potatoes, 3 kinds tomatos, okra, turnips, mustard, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, 3 kinds summer squash, bok choy, chinese spinach, chinese cabbage,romaine, iceburg, what we call garden lettace, cucumbers, green cabbage, several kinds of hot peppers,  3 colors bell pepper, like I said you name it, I had it.

at monette and black oak  just did basics, lettaces, tomatos, green beans, onions, etc.
I hope to expand this year.

OK, wow, is that 3'x4'x9inches? You had a bunch of stuff goin' on in those babies! Escaped Lunatic (he is in China) and a couple other folks are hard core container growers as well. Sounds like a good start...so just shooting for staples? Taters,maters and peppers? Sounds like you have room to diversify, and your landlord is cool, which is a Godsend, having been a renter for many years!

Hello for Georgia! For your wind issues I dealt with strong wind gust in Nebraska when I lived there. Trampolines would fly over fences but my garden stood firm even with a trellis. What are you wanting to need information on?

hi mschaef thanks for the reply!  sounds like my house!  where I live is in the middle of
about 3,000 acre farm, no trees just fields and the wind blows constantly anywhere
from 1mph to 60mph plus. so far the only time anything has blown away is if I get
too tall on trellis's as the weight of the tubs keeps them stable.  my problem is that I
can't put up fences or plant wind breaks as I don't own the property and the owner
doesn't want trees etc. that he'll have to deal with when they tear this house down
which they will eventually as this is a farm. any ideas on how to protect my plants
from this stupid wind?

Goza, Welcome to the Forum from California! The wind sounds like it can be a real problem. The only thing I can think of is to sink strong metal fence posts with shade fabric installed as the fencing. I say shade fabric (like at Home Depot, Lowes) because it would allow some wind to pass through, relieving some stress that a solid clear plastic would create. When the farmers spray, you could put up clear plastic over the shade fabric as a temporary measure.

I wish there were Regional Hosts for each Region, but everyone here is a volunteer. But, don't worry, you will get the same warm hello from folks all over, and we are here to help you navigate this Forum. By the way, this is the only Forum I have ever joined.

hey sanderson, thanks for the reply!
that's a good idea I'll run it by my landlord and see if he'll go for it.
lived in socal till I was 30 am 64 now.  these winds are kin to the santa ana's
will let you know what happens  thanks!

Kelejan wrote: Goza
from Kelejan

Good idea about putting tubs on top of milk crates, seeing as you are renting.
Perhaps one day you will get your own garden.  Best of luck.

Edited to add: We treat newbies very gently as most of us remember not knowing much about gardening. No question seems stupid, so ask away.  It gives us a chance to appear knowledgeable.

   I am laughing at myself.

Hi Goza. Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

Sorry it's taken a few days to jump in. Was out of town with terrible phone/email connections!

Another thing to consider is trellising on the boxes. You can use that to grow vining things that will help block the wind too. But I like Sanderson's idea!