Off Topic Any Green Thumbs Here?

[Linsul]

My daughter bought sunflower & cherry tomato seeds, gardening tools, and a seed starting kit with her allowance recently. I honestly didn't think so many of the plants would germinate (BAD MOM!) but they did! So, now I have a field of sunflowers to plant, and about 20-ish tomato plants. That's the count as of now, they are about 2 inches high.

My soil is clay and terrible. So I'm thinking of getting natural stone and mortar and digging out a trench to make a raised garden bed. My flower beds around the house are stone and mortar, but the house came like that. Lop the sod off, get some compost, topsoil, and mulch, plant and hope for the best. I can't use chemicals because Ashley is involved, so it's all organic.

Has anyone here built raised beds? Youtube makes it look easy, but actual experience would be great! Also, my dog is fabulous, but a JERK when it comes to the backyard. She eats sprinkler heads, digs, and is a general pain outdoors. I'm thinking of getting a motion detecting sprinkler to spray her if she gets near the plants. I have to do something or she'll go into destructo-mode!

 

[Cynical-Chick]

To keep critters at bay, sprinkle on some cayenne pepper. Squirrels, chipmunks, and other bothers CAN taste it (birds cannot, so it also helps you with a bird feeder).

 

[Gymdad2]

I don't know how much you care about landscaping and appearances, but a much easier way would be to try 'container gardening'. You can use old washtubs, kettles, or even plastic milk jugs (whatever will hold soil), and plant your seedlings in these. It may not be as attractive as the stone/mortar fix but a lot less work and if this is one-time project they would be much easier to dispose of when you are done with them.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

The rainwater tank style have been very popular in Australia. They are very easy to work with and come in different heights. Hopefully they are available in your area.
Corrugated Metal Raised Garden Beds

Do they sell kit sets where you live?

Be careful of the mortar, sometimes when watering elements will seep out and ruin the health of your plants
We are renting so we have avoided spending money on gardens. We picked up a load of pavers off the side of the road (free). We sunk them halfway to create our edges. It looks really good.

For the dog, is it a sign of separation anxiety? I would give the dog a frozen stuffed Kong to keep it busy in the back yard. Failing that, sink a large shallow container somewhere, fill it with dirt and hide kibble in there from time to time. Friends did this and the dog only ever dug in the same spot after that.

 

[Linsul]

Thanks for the responses! I spent the weekend with a shovel in my hand and reading books by Howard Garrett.

I'll use the chili pepper thing for sure! I also read spraying garlic oil deters dogs so trying that too. She has toys in the backyard too, they last a week, maybe 2. She goes insane outside, for real. I can't even describe the chewing power this dog has, but her Kongs last about 2 weeks. I don't think it's anxiety since she's never outside alone for more than 5-10 minutes, she's just crazy. I'd rather her be that way outside than in, so it's not all bad I guess.

I'm not using containers since I already ripped the flowerbeds bare. Ashley's project was the catalyst, but I was over it. We didn't change the plants when we bought the house, and it's all crazy flowering shrubs that have to be pruned like mad. They're field stone and mortar, so I'll just edge some space in the back for 3-5 sunflowers and a few tomato plants. I want it to match the others we have.

 

[Linsul]

Posting to brag! After 2 weeks of researching sprinklers along with soil amendments and plants, I have fixed my sprinklers!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOUTUBE! Seriously, they probably saved me 300-500 bucks. Irrigation people around here charge 70 an hour plus parts (seriously marked up) so I am thrilled with the internet.

I learned the proper way to start the system after winter

Replaced 6 sprinkler heads (after checking the nozzle filter, they were busted)

Replaced 4 solenoids

Cleaned out the valves and re-centered the boxes around them


I am now ready to plant, as soon as my husband assembles my tiller. It's a small flowerbed one by Black and Decker that was rated a consumers best buy. My neighbors are all waiting patiently for me to debut this thing so they can laugh at me pushing it along lol!

Going to plant 4 Double Knockout roses in front, and a loooooong hedge along my back fence like these:

I love these! Black Magic hollyhock

Thinking about Persian Shield for my side yard, not decided yet though. They're annuals and can be quite picky from what I've read

 

[Linsul]

Oh I love these too:

Pink reliance grape (cold tolerant!)

Pink Salvia

May Night Salvia

Lavender

 

[Cynical-Chick]

WOW! Stunning.

Smart of you for thinking about youtube - I probably wouldn't have.

 

[hunde2]

I'm jealous. Love your flowers.

 

[Linsul]

I wish I could claim those, but they aren't mine lol! Well, I have some of them but the pictures aren't from my yard.

In the front I went with a hedge of Belinda's Dream roses (pink) 2 red double knockout rose bushes, 3 caradonna salvia, 2 mini boxwood plants (by the walkway, so people aren't passing thorns), a burgundy cotton crape myrtle tree, and a bunch of blackfoot daisy's on the border. I think I may need to move one of the double knockout bushes, not looking forward to that! Thrips were munching on my roses, but a dusting of chili powder handled that!

Also that tiller works great. If you have obscenely large flowerbeds it's fantastic! It just digs up weeds and plops them on the surface roots and all. I only use it once a month though. In between DD is surprisingly good about pulling weeds out when she's out front riding her bike. She gets offended at them growing close to the flowers and mutters to herself while doing it. I usually pay her in the form of extra popscicles, it's an excellent summer currency lol.

I'll probably do more with the backyard next year. I want an arbor for the grape vine. I took too long with the front/side yards to get it together in time. It's strictly a project between me and my daughter, my husband wants nothing to do with plants, dirt, or bugs. I'm ok with that until it's time to move something heavy, then he's choiceless in the matter!

This pic is from my yard, it's my first Belinda's Dream bloom!

When they grow up they'll look like this: