New from OK City

I did an SFG about 10 years ago, but myriad other tasks sapped me of my energy and motivation. I'd like to do it again this year.

My first one gave us some nice lettuce for a few salads and to go on some burgers. Got a few small carrots for said salads. I don't remember what else I planted except for broccoli that gave me a head the size of a bowling ball…and not a children's ball either. It took us a week of nightly broccoli to finish that thing!

So I'm going to start again this year. One bed - two at most. I don't want anything complicated. I just want to get the hang of it again.

For my compost I think I'll ask around some local gardening groups. Something about buying the stuff from "Lowe's-Depot Mart" makes me uneasy. Maybe too many "seeds for weeds." Of course, I'm on 20 acres in the rural section of OK City so there are weeds and "wildflowers" a plenty! And the weeds a tough. They came right up through the cloth last time, and I thought I'd cleared out the ground beneath it well. Oh well, one of the challenges for this year!

Hi Phoeg. Welcome from Atlanta, GA.

You'll find that before Mel passed away, he made things even easier for us. Have you read the All NEW SFG 2nd Edition? I'd highly recommend it!

And there's LOTS of information in our archives to go along with the friendliest bunch of folks you'll be happy to meet. :-)

Looking forward to seeing your garden grow!

Phoeg, Welcome from Coastal NC.
Glad to have you back with SFG'ing. Hopefully you will have even more success this time around.
One solution for the weeds could be to put in a plywood bottom.

Thanks, all. I have the newest SFG2 on Kindle. I had the previous version 2 in hard copy but I can't find it! I've seen it here but don't know where I put it. LOL

 Phoeg!  Ohio here, glad you found us!  We are in the midst of planning/starting stuff here in the Midwest.  

Sounds like you have gardened, so fill us in when you can on your plans, experiences, etc.  

The compost can bea challenge, especially until you get your own pile cooking...make farmer friends, for sure!  

Would love to see some pictures!

Hi, Scorpio -

Well, I wouldn't call myself "experienced"! LOL

MY PLAN IS ONE, MAYBE (oops) two boxes. I have one of the vermiculite suppliers from the database near me. I bought there the last time.

Once I build the box s I'll get some pics up. Which forum area inmost appropriate for that?

Phoeg,  Right here.  The name of this thread identifies with you. I'll move it under Upper South Region.

sanderson wrote:Phoeg,  Right here.  The name of this thread identifies with you. I'll move it under Upper South Region.

Thanks much!

 Phoeg.   from Redding, CA. Glad you found us. Good luck in your gardening adventures from one who can't grow broccoli any bigger than her thumb.

countrynaturals wrote: Phoeg.   from Redding, CA. Glad you found us. Good luck in your gardening adventures from one who can't grow broccoli any bigger than her thumb.

I wanted to enter that head of broccoli in the state fair! 

phoeg wrote:

countrynaturals wrote: Phoeg.   from Redding, CA. Glad you found us. Good luck in your gardening adventures from one who can't grow broccoli any bigger than her thumb.

I wanted to enter that head of broccoli in the state fair! 

Did you take a picture of it? We love pictures. 

I do have a pic! I'll have to find it tonight!

phoeg wrote:I do have a pic! I'll have to find it tonight!

Yay!  Glad again that you are here, hope you enjoy!

Hello and from central Pennsylvania!

Thanks!

I got 2 frames made this weekend and bought the ingredients for the Mel's Mix. Bought seeds but forgot to get broccoli - the one I had the most success with! LOL

Since I made this mistake on the first bed: Don't forget that the peat moss fluffs up, and the 4cu ft bag therefore contains more than 4 cu ft relative to the 1/3 volume of it going into your beds!

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:…the peat moss fluffs up, and the 4cu ft bag therefore contains more than 4 cu ft relative to the 1/3 volume of it going into your beds!

I hadn't thought of that. I bought two 3 cu. ft. bales and I will need 5.3 cu. ft. total for my two beds. I actually have enough wood for a 3x2 bed that I may use for pumpkins, so any extra material I have will go towards that.

A 3 cu. ft. bale will fluff up to almost 6 cu. Ft. You may find uses for the second bag beyond another little box, like Mel's Mix for pots, storage totes, under azaleas, etc.