Margali's 2019 Garden

[Ridgerunner]

You might check Craigslist or similar to see if anyone is giving way boxes, maybe someone just moved. Or check with stores to see of they will let you have boxes, appliance stores come to mind with their big boxes but there are probably plenty of others.

 

[margali]

I just ordered seeds so need to get moving on the containers. We haven't frozen yet but the wind is crazy today.

 

[ducks4you]

Will smothering with cardboard and mulch work on St Augustine? I'm pretty sure that is what I have.

Smothering with cardboard works everywhere it is tried. You will have a REAL problem if you cut any lines. Also, you have total control over your garden soil bc it will be what you add. You will need to build a bottomless frame to hold the soil inside. Generally no wider than 4' for a raised bed bc wider makes it almost impossible to pick what is in the middle without walking into it.
FYI, check with your friends to see who has ordered recently from Amazon. Most people are Swimming in cardboard, AND grocery stores here restock on Tuesdays and will give you cardboard if you ask.
There are lots of vegetables that don't require room for super deep roots. Almost all cool season vegetables have shallow roots and tomatoes can be taken from pots, laid on their sides and buried only inches deep and they will grow roots all along the buried stem. They are pretty much the only staple vegetable that does this. Still lots of vegetables grow great in a container and many lightweight containers are pretty deep.
Since this is a back yard you could buy 5 gallon painters buckets for less than $5/each, drill a few holes in the bottom for them to drain (or smack the bottom with a hammer for a crack) and use those for containers. They also have a handle to use to move them. Not too pretty but very functional.
If you also buy a lid for each you can store your supplies off season in them. I use them to carry water for my horses and chickens. Last Fall a friend had a bumper crop of pears and I bought nine of them to use to harvest, they are that sturdy, but very lightweight.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/United-Sol...lutions&CAWELAID=&kpid=1000462835&CAGPSPN=pla{ifdyn:dyn}&k_clickID=bi_272385392_1299622912510932_81226464441985_pla-4584826051602640_c_&msclkid=37f52b40194e1ee681147703a9e31b7c
Since they are so much cheaper than anything labeled a garden pot, you could also pick up a couple of them JUST for your tools.

 

[margali]

Thanks for all the comments and ideas. I called the telecom and received email stating the lines were 6- 12" below grade so if I break a line digging up sod at 3" deep it is on the telcom. But it would be a major pain. I'm only de-sodding this area because it will be in-ground wildflower bed. I just moved and have a plenty of boxes. This is my incentive to unpack. .

As for planters... $10 got me 2 ~30 gallon containers. I am cutting one more this way. The other will be longwise to make 22" x 34" x ~11" deep veg beds. Note that fact that my awesome, tolerant husband put up with me cutting barrels in the house.

 

[baymule]

It is cold and windy here too. Brrrrr….. Supposed to be 24* tonight.

 

[valley ranch]

Hi, I was just going to ask if that was St Augustine grass ~ till is saw it mentioned ~ I had a lawn service once ~ it was terrible in the extreme ~ might be a bear to get rid of ``` When I clicked on your avatar I could see it was a plant ~ I thought it looked like a cat perch ~ with sharpened pikes to impale before~ but ```

Glad to meet you here ~ I must have been away ~ on Jupiter when you first sighed on ~ welcome ~ have fun ```


Richard

 

[thistlebloom]

It is cold and windy here too. Brrrrr….. Supposed to be 24* tonight.

Hey, you're colder than us tonight!

 

[majorcatfish]

the storm is heading our way last night we received quarter inch of rain with a temp of 52* guess it was all the hot air from texas... dont worry the yankee vortex is right behind it winds as high as 38 mph and a low of 6* tonight.....

with all the rain and snow/ice we have received the last couple weeks i smell power outages again with winds that high.

 

[margali]

Low was 34F here but windy so felt like 24F.

 

[baymule]

Wind chill factor is 18* in beautiful northeast Texas this morning!