Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Bag Gardening Experiment

I've been reading/seeing a lot of bag gardening lately. People buy topsoil/potting soil/compost from the garden centre in bags, take it home, lay it out on the ground, cut holes in the bags, and plant right in them. Not a bad idea, really, if you're just starting or expanding your garden. The weight of the bags kills the grass underneath. The bags keep your new soil mostly weed free, and help retain moisture.

 I, however, am cheap. I don't need to buy soil, I just need to get it relocated from the compost piles in the pasture to where I want my plants to grow.

 Last I checked, there was only one pumpkin plant in the back field.  The weeds/grass/natural vegetation was taking over the freshly plowed mass of clay.  It'll be a lot of work before it starts to resemble a garden.
A bag garden is tempting.  But the expense, and then the plastic clean up were turn offs.

Then it occurred to me that paper bags should work just as well.

The Littles helped fill the bags.  We put squash and sunflower seed in them, loaded the trailer and took them to the back field.

We placed the bags out in spots that were more clay and less weed.  The plant roots will grow through the bags and the bags will deteriorate on their own.  No clean up.  The compost will add to the soil in the back, and maybe we'll get a few squash.  Win-win-win.

Surprise, surprise!  There are pumpkins and squash all over the place.  I guess they decided to just take their sweet time coming up after all.  There are even a few bean plants here and there.  The birds didn't get all of the seeds.  Looks like the back field will be productive after all.

Walking back, I picked a bunch of clover tops.

For a jug of of clover juice. I made a triple batch of simple syrop yesterday, and added some to the rhubarb juice. The boys love it. I think it's too sweet. The clover is sitting in simple syrop in the sun today. No lemons at the moment. I'll add some frozen, pureed blueberries to that jug tonight.
Pretty little white flowers peaking out from the bushes along the trail.

4 comments:

  1. hey Wendy - i think your paper bag idea is to die for and might just steal it! i just made cucumber water this afternoon and we will be drinking it all day tomorrow - it has to steep in the fridge first - it's so refreshing!!! we have those little white flowers all over our land here, too...i still don't know what they are called - bahahhaha!

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Go for it!

      Cucumber, eh? I'll have to try that one once the cukes are growing. Do you do it with a simple syrop as well, or just plain water?

      I looked through google images and I believe they are bunchberry. Check it out.
      http://ontariowildflowers.com/main/species.php?id=35

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  2. Wendy,
    Now, I know the problem--I need littles. When I had littles at home, I just did not take proper advantage of them. Swim team and baseball and dance lessons did not put dirt in bags!

    I'm glad you found so much growing in the back field. I was thrilled to find a few potato plants in my 4x4 box. Harvest for you will be wonderful.

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    1. No, I wouldn't imagine so, lol. Swim team, baseball and dance leads to living in your car, trying to be in three places at once! I am so glad we don't do all of that extra stuff anymore. It's hard enough keeping up with cadets some weeks!

      Thanks. I'm hoping so. It is pretty far back though, so subject to wild life munching- and goat invasions.

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