Calling all gardeners.

I'm starting my seeds late Jan. inside this year and am planning on building a small greenhouse so I can grow things that I can't normaly grow in the dry heat we get in NM and keep the bugs out. I just love gaurdening and really like eating freshly grown veggies, they just tast so much better than anything you can buy in the stores. I'm still no sure exacatly what I'll be growing this year but I do enjoy seed shopping online.

The plans for my greenhouse is really cheap and simple, it's mostly thin PVC pipes with a plastic cover. Most of my plants will be potted. I'll also do a little bit of upsidedown hanging plants. I did this last summer with tomatoes, I took a foam cooler and cut a hole on the bottem then plant the tomatoe upsidedown and it grows hanging down and I don't get bugs that way. I'm thinking about trying the same with pepers but not sure if it will work the same. For thoes I use water crystals to keep the soil from drying.

Xebby, where in NM are you?  My cousin lives in Corrales.

Xebby, where in NM are you?  My cousin lives in Corrales.

I live in Socorro NM but my college is 70 miles north so I live partly in Los Lunas with my parents and family during the week. It's kinda close to Albuquerque.

My Grandpa is a chile pepper farmer and has been a farmer all his life, he has a huge guarden on a few acers of land and grows almost everything that he can grow in the desert. He really passed on his green tumb to me. Befor I was born he had an apple orcherd and rased pigs.

That is cool! And I love the unside down tomato idea. The situation is unique here, we have the larger side of a house that has been split into 2 rentals, and we share a drive with the house next door. So we have a yard, partially fenced(temp fence up till derby for Kord, will take it down for 2 weeks then up it goes again), a long drive with large section between both houses, a garage for both houses and section between them. I am going to clean the section behind the garage and between them so that I can plant some of the squash I want. The renter on our other half parks his car in there but I think there is enough easement to get away with it.
 
But I still need idea's on how to cram an acre garden into city limits and containers![]
 
Dawn

We've grown tomatoes in containers, as well as lots of herbs (rosemary, basil). My husband is the gardener in our house, so I'll ask his advice, but I do remember some catalog or magazine talking about planting several types of plants in one container, plants that are beneficial to one another. Like shade loving veggies underneath the tomatoes, etc. I'll have him look it up and get you the link, it sounds perfect for your situation.

Here's a couple of links. We don't have this book, but have seen many articles on the subject of companion planting:
http://www.amazon.com/Carrots-Love-Tomatoes-Successful-Gardening/dp/1580170277

And these Earth Boxes are great for small spaces:
http://www.earthbox.com/

How about 1/2 whiskey barrels?  They're sturdy and they hold up forever.  I know they have these things with wheels that are meant to hold heavy planters - makes it easier to slide them around from place to place.
 
Joyce

Ohhh I love the earth boxes! Hmmmm, now to convince the hubby that they are worth it.[]
 
I do companion planting and have had great success with it, the only plant that seems to get left out of the huddle so to speak is dill, the only one that really loves it are the pickles!
 
I like the whiskey barrels idea, and the upside down hanging idea as well. Maybe I can get my husband to build me a  totally movable garden bed? Now wouldn't that be something to see? I guess I need to do some more research to see if it is possible.
 
Oh and sure enough I think plants and they put snow in the forcast....I do so wish mother nature would not listen in!
 
Dawn

Ah, what a lovely thread.
 
I'm afraid I don't have any stellar suggestions to offer.  Last year I did put some tomatoes in pots of the deck.  When we moved in May there was just too much to do to worry about a proper garden so some were in pots, some were in what used to be flower beds.......the potted tomatoes did incredibly well, as did the hot peppers and herbs.
 
Now, if I could just find the time to take the Christmas tree down so I can put the plants back in the livingroom I could put my bakers stand up in the office and get some veggies started........I haven't been home for a full day, except when I was deathly ill, in weeks.......
 
However, I do have a major garden planned this year.  I personally like the tomatoes better that I start from seeds.  Those take a lot of time and nurturing.  The zuchinni, yellow squash, peas and beans are real quick.....in a couple weeks time those are ready to go into the ground.  Wuss that I am I fully intend to provide places to climb for all the viney things so I don't stick my hand in to pick a squash and touch a snake!  And, I've never been able to start any variety of pepper from seed succesfully.  If I surround the garden with sunflowers the birds will eat the seeds and leave the veggies alone, altho I've had years when I've covered my tomatoes with nylon net to keep the birds out.
 
My compost won't be ready this year so will buy manure, or maybe talk a farmer into donating some.....often I see it on freecycle.  DS will just love loading manure into the back of his pickup truck!  I'm all about organic gardening......I just plant a bit extra so that the bugs don't eat all of MINE.....hmmmmm, I think I'll go get some herbs started.........

You could consider a hyrdo approach using l.e.c.a. stone.  It is very lightweight.  It might be possible to quickly drain, move and refill if you had containers with plugs and a method to save and reuse the water.  [linkhttp://www.cropking.com/pages/index.shtml]http://www.cropking.com/pages/index.shtml[/link]
 
That is where I got mine.

Hmmm, some interesting items there. I like the grow bags. There is a Hydro store right around the corner and I have never set foot in it, guess I will this week.
 
Thanks!
Dawn

I just gotta have this:
"Less Space Planters"


I saw it yesterday in Skymall while on the airplane but the price is so high I've been thinking of how I can make something similar myself.

I also placed my seed order yesterday I'll be growing about 4 different varites of tomatoes, squash, califlower, pumpkin and a varitey of herbs.  I might add more to my list as I start thinking of ideas.

Wow, now if I can trade in wife points for one of those on wheels I would be in heaven!
 
I have already started negotiation with the DH for building something for me, I could darn well do it myself but I have a house husband and I might as well use him!
 
I am toying with the idea of growing several types of beans to dry, I have never done it before so looking into that and expanding on squash and other veggies. I might even try to grow honeydew this year.
 
Dawn

ORIGINAL: Xebby

I just gotta have this:
"Less Space Planters"


I saw it yesterday in Skymall while on the airplane but the price is so high I've been thinking of how I can make something similar myself.
 
The prices in Skymall are totally outrageous, but Skymall is just a compilation of different catalogs from other companies.  Sometimes if you go right to the catalog of the particular item, it will be cheaper than it is going through Skymall.  And ... if you ever need to return something, having to go through Skymall 
can be a flippin' nightmare. I'm betting you could get directions for making something like this at Home Depot or Lowes. []
 
Joyce