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[Beekissed]

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I like those pipes around the edges! But those panels look much taller than 4 ft.

Is the rust bothering you ladies?

Mary

Wouldn't bother me if I had them a long time, but I do mind BUYING a rusty piece of wire. Just doesn't seem right to buy a brand new piece of fencing that's already rusty. Now, if I picked them up second hand and got them really cheap and they were rusty, I'd not mind it.

 

[Nyboy]

That's not rust, that is patina.

I love the look of rusty iron in the garden. makes it look like it been there for generations

 

[ninnymary]

I like those pipes around the edges! But those panels look much taller than 4 ft.



Wouldn't bother me if I had them a long time, but I do mind BUYING a rusty piece of wire. Just doesn't seem right to buy a brand new piece of fencing that's already rusty. Now, if I picked them up second hand and got them really cheap and they were rusty, I'd not mind it.

Panels are 4 ft wide by 7 ft tall but my husband cut them down to 6 ft. No point in them being 7ft if I can't reach that high.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Panels are 4 ft wide by 7 ft tall but my husband cut them down to 6 ft. No point in them being 7ft if I can't reach that high.

Mary

Why wouldn't he just lay them on the side and lift them up a foot off the ground for trellising? Then you'd have a 7 ft long panel that is 5 ft. tall? That's how we do the CPs here...just lift them a foot off the ground to gain more height from them.

 

[ninnymary]

Why wouldn't he just lay them on the side and lift them up a foot off the ground for trellising? Then you'd have a 7 ft long panel that is 5 ft. tall? That's how we do the CPs here...just lift them a foot off the ground to gain more height from them.

I wanted them as high as I could reach. As it is even at 6 ft. the top falls over and starts crowding what I planted in front. This falling over also makes it thicker for me to get in there. I can fit in the back to weave them in but usually once they are tall, I don't fit there anymore.

Mary

 

[ninnymary]

Bee, I have a question for you. You know how chips sometimes leach nitrogen from the soil. If I change to straw will I have the same problem?

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, I have a question for you. You know how chips sometimes leach nitrogen from the soil. If I change to straw will I have the same problem?

Mary

I'd say yes, but not as strongly, I wouldn't think. As the worms incorporate the wood chip material down into the soils, I think it has a harder time being broken down and steals more nitrogen in the process. Hay and straw are woody but not as woody as wood, so are more easily broken down by the various organisms and microorganisms to be found in the soils.

The faster the breakdown of the material, the quicker it binds with nitrogen and is then neutralized, whereas the long, slow process of breaking down wood chips would likely bind up that nitrogen for much longer and also require more nitrogen for the binding.

Straw is woodier than hay even, so it takes a longer time in a compost pile in which to break down...this I know.

I've used hay around my veggies for years before I ever did the BTE and I never noticed any kind of nitrogen depletion from the use of it. Just good moisture control , weed suppression, and good addition to the soils when it broke down.

 

[ninnymary]

I want to stop using wood chips. The problem is that I have a lot of rice straw which I use for my nest box. I don’t want to buy hay when I already have straw even though it may not be the best thing. Seems wasteful and that straw is going to last me a long time. I also don’t have a place to store hay.

Mary

 

[ninnymary]

I'd say yes, but not as strongly, I wouldn't think. As the worms incorporate the wood chip material down into the soils, I think it has a harder time being broken down and steals more nitrogen in the process. Hay and straw are woody but not as woody as wood, so are more easily broken down by the various organisms and microorganisms to be found in the soils.

The faster the breakdown of the material, the quicker it binds with nitrogen and is then neutralized, whereas the long, slow process of breaking down wood chips would likely bind up that nitrogen for much longer and also require more nitrogen for the binding.

Straw is woodier than hay even, so it takes a longer time in a compost pile in which to break down...this I know.

I've used hay around my veggies for years before I ever did the BTE and I never noticed any kind of nitrogen depletion from the use of it. Just good moisture control , weed suppression, and good addition to the soils when it broke down.

Thank you Bee! When I grow up I want to be smart like you.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Thank you Bee! When I grow up I want to be smart like you.

Mary

Oh, honey....don't aim so LOW. I'm only smart enough to know I'm not smart!