A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 500 dollar Challenge

I know my dad used to say that if there are worms in the soil it means it's really rich. So, I usually don't disturb them when I encounter them, but I guess I'm going to have to check the organic forum to figure out how to get started on this fun project!

Lattice! Yes. That is a bit of a challenge to do cheap. I just made one today, as a matter of fact, out of my free bamboo. A small one. Lots of work, though--experimenting with traditional Japanese knots. Very slow going. I think Japanese gardeners must have a LOT of time on their hands, and also that they must have someone to take care of their two-year-olds while they garden. But it *was* free except for the cost of the tools, the lashing cord and wire, and the Motrin for my aching back.

not sure if the mods here allow links to be posted but if you go to directgardening.com at the top of the page they have a link to a section titled '1 c sale'. You still have to pay shipping but there is no minimum order required to get plants in that section and there are some amazing deals to be had on that site.
And all their plants are guaranteed for a year if you hold onto the shipping labels when they arrive.

THanks for the tip, sue. I see some really good deals. Now, whre esle can I plant trees/flowers?!? I'm fresh out of ground, but containers???

If you want to get some hanging baskets, try getting the plain wire ones and buy a bag of spahgnum(sp?) moss to line it with before filling it with soil as usual and planting it up.
This is something I don't see often over here in the US but is common practice in the UK where I'm originally from. You'll see the coconut matting with wire baskets or plastic baskets mostly.

The moss allows you to plant not only in the top of the basket but to poke small gaps through the sides of the basket itself to plant all the way around the sides. The end result is literally a ball of flowers and is just gorgeous in my opinion.

I've had a hard time finding the moss until this summer and most places want to sell you the wire baskets with the coconut matting, rather than just the baskets. But if you can find a place to get the supplies, the results are fantastic :-).

I did the moss thing. My plants dried out too fast. The water runs out so fast. A baggy could be torn apart and layed in the basket between the moss and the dirt to possably hold some of the water. I didn't try it ,but it sounds good to me. What do you think?

oh, and the lattice sound like the ticket.
Reading this post from the beginning, reminded me of me in the spring. So many plans my head swims. The winter dolldrums need chased away. I'm halfway thru my plans I made this spring. A new pond and secret garden.
I hope your plans are working out.

Thanks, Sue. I have been having problems finding the moss you're talking about. I find the other wirey one.
So what part of the UK are you from and how long ago did you move here?

Buzylazy, your pond is gorgeous!

OOOPS! I meant - Buzylady!!! Sorry..

Thanks. I really enjoy working with the pond. Hope to get another started soon.
The type-o didn't bother me. It was rather funny.

Iam living in an area where builders are taring down old homes to make way for condos and if you talk to the builders they will let you dig up the shrubs and haul them off. So you can check out the primets being issued by the building depts in your area and get in touch with the builders and see if you can remove the vergatation for them, before they go in to take the houses down.
swin

sue if you go to a florist you can get them to order you a box of sheet moss form their suppliers, whole sale it goes for about $35.00 a case, but it has enough moss in it to line a lot of baskets, just keep the box moist until you use it all up . When you are talking to the florist make it clear that you want fresh moss and not the preserved sheet moss.
swin

buzylady: Yeah they probably dry out a bit quicker than a plastic hanging basket.
As far as the water running out too fast, you may need to make your moss layer thicker. They say to soak the moss and squeeze it out before lining the basket, and make sure that the moss is thick enough and densely packed all the way up to the top of the basket to where you can't see any of the wire at all.
The adding a baggy to the inside to line it may help, but probably depends on the plants you want to put in it since the water would then not drain out much and might cause some waterlogging, especially in wet weather. I haven't tried it though.

rucrazy: I grew up in Reading, about 50 miles west of London, and then lived in Cambridge for a few years before I moved here in 1992 with my USAF hubby :-)

so rebecca...hows things coming with your garden now? Any new photos?

Buzylady - OK - gotta know about those puppies! They are adorable. What breed are they?

Oh, my babies are Rottweilers. I now have 2 females adults and 1 male puppy. Our Daddy male 'Hooch' died this summer. The puppy we kept is one of his. They are great.(Though the puppy is driving me crazy)
Diane