2012 gardening goals...and new experiments you might try?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I'm going to try:

- Growing cucumbers up an inclined frame with lettuce sown underneath. Lettuce always seems to fare badly in this climate, so I'm going to try giving them just a little shade;

- Use two litre milk bottles with perforations in the bottom, buried up to the neck, as a means of irrigating tomatoes. This will be a limited trial since I grow tomato plants by the hundred and we don't drink THAT much milk;

- Grow carrots in a trench 20cm deep back filled with a mix of compost and builders' sand. We have quite stoney soil, so I want to see if we can do better in this;

- NOT grow aubergines from seed. Never seems to produce good results compared to the plants I can buy at about 25 cents each;

- NOT grow lots of potatoes and concentrate entirely on stuff that is either difficult to find or much better when home grown;

- Take full advantage of horse ownership and bring in as much manure as I possibly can.

[Flo]

I'll try a lot of things once. This year the once is self blanching celery.

I've decided that brassicas in the shape of cabbage, cauliflower and kale take up too much room. So I was going to try a year without them - till I acquired 6 primo cabbage seedlings. Oh well.

[wabbit955]

to grown a carrot more than 1 inch long
not sure it will work thou been trying for years hehe

[julie_lanteri]

1st year with a real garden so my main goal will be to fill the beds that we've dug with flowers and veg and see what happens... I'm also starting pretty much everything from seed. I know there will be failures but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some successes! (and have some back up plants to hide the failures :p )

[chuck_n_grace]

Hi,
I've finally taken some pictures of our 'experimental' ideas we've implemented. Nothing too exciting.

You'll find...

* Raised beds with black plastic and PVC inserts (plants inside).
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... arden3.jpg

* PVC supports
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... arden2.jpg

*Black plastic without PVC inserts
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... arden1.jpg

*Edible landscaping in front yard: raspberries, herbs, and more
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... tyard1.jpg

*Outdoor aquaponics - Goldfish, Installed 4.29.2012
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... /pond5.jpg

*Patio aquaponics
http://i1226.photobucket.com/albums/ee4 ... ofish1.jpg

Regards,
Chuck n Grace