Coffee grounds. There is a little place called Bella Latte I pass everyday so I stopped one morning and ask if I could leave a bucket. They were glad to oblige and now I get two 5 gallon buckets of them per week. They make each cup to order so they look like little coffee biscuits.

Its amazing how much free material one can accumulate with Craigslist, Freecycle, and just asking nicely works to. :D

hoop house
 

What type of poles are those in your photo that you are using and where did you find them that long?
Thanks
Mike

20 ft sections of 1\2 inch rebar covered by 3/4 polyethylene pipe (irrigation tubing). I got it all at my local Lowes. It is based off an Elliot Coleman design that I adapted for my needs. My thoughts were it would be more stable with the strong winds we get here than PVC.

Irragation tubing
 

BigV

Thanks for the come back. I had thought about using irr. tubing but was afraid it would be to flexible. The kind at our Lowes is rolled up, wasn't sure how strong it would be. Looks as though its working well for you.


Mike

Urine? Who's urine?

We should be close to same frost date of April 15th. Started my seeds a little over a week ago.

looking great btw!

Greg

[QUOTE=gunrunner;451589]BigV

Thanks for the come back. I had thought about using irr. tubing but was afraid it would be to flexible. The kind at our Lowes is rolled up, wasn't sure how strong it would be. Looks as though its working well for you.


Mike[/QUOTE]

Yes, the rebar gives it all the strength you need, the tubing is more just to protect the plastic from abrasion/off gassing but it does add a little more rigidity to the structure.

[QUOTE=gssgarden;451591]Urine? Who's urine?

We should be close to same frost date of April 15th. Started my seeds a little over a week ago.

looking great btw!

Greg[/QUOTE]

Mine of course :twisted:

Urine is sterile and loaded with nitrogen. 10:1 dilution, or 1 cup/gallon fresh is a good way to use it. Just don't let it sit around. You can also buy crystalized urea (46-0-0) off amazon for about $12/5lb. I use it in a dry mix recommended by Praxxus, but I have used my own before. I just wouldn't mention it while giving away produce to people. "Hey! Here's some tomatoes for you.....btw, I peed on them." :twisted:

Yeah, some people get pretty grossed out by it so I don't advertise it.

I started making my beds this week. I layered them starting newspaper/horse manure/aged hay/coffee grounds/leaves. I will top it with rabbit manure at planting. I got it today from volunteering at a rabbit sanctuary which was kinda fun. I also got some Metro-mix 360 and some fish emulsion with kelp called Dramatic K for my seedlings.

Here are a few pics of the bed making process. These were later covered with 2 mil clear plastic to aid in heating and decomposing the layers into hummus.

Your Garden and green House all look Fantastic! Very well done! Beale.

Been awhile but I have taken a few more pics of my progress which I will post soon. I have been very busy with home/work/family things...plus I got married 8-)

As of today I have 57 Tomatoes in the dirt. Here is the breakdown.

Row 2:
Ozark Orange-6
JB truffle-6
Glacier-3
Big beef-5

Row 5:
Blueberries-6
Pink BB-6
Sunrise BB-5
Sungold-3

Row 6:
HJ Blues-4
Wes-3
Indian Stripe-3
Isis Candy-2
Submarine Blush-3
Malachite box-1
sugar drop-1

I have room for maybe 6 more tomatoes and I am thinking I will plant Bear Creek in that spot or maybe split it between BC and Neves azorean red. I have Carbon and CP plants that are looking gorgeous but no space for them :(

[attach]48360[/attach]
Bell peppers
[attach]48361[/attach]
This was the only Brandywine that didn't succumb to root rot and darned if it didn't give me a megablossom. Sometimes the tomatoes trick you into growing them ;)
[attach]48362[/attach]
The plants I have left, sold around 250 so far which mostly paid for what I put into the garden this year. Still have alot of blacks which haven't been selling well.
[attach]48363[/attach]
This big guy/gal? was hiding in the compost. I told him/her to kill any aphids it sees.
[attach]48364[/attach]
Beds halfway through planting.
[attach]48365[/attach]
My wife and I at the Angel Oak in Charleston. This tree is incredible!
Well I guess that's all for now. Happy growing!

Do at least plant 1 Carbon. You won't be sorry![QUOTE=BigVanVader;467629]Been awhile but I have taken a few more pics of my progress which I will post soon. I have been very busy with home/work/family things...plus I got married 8-)

As of today I have 67 Tomatoes in the dirt. Here is the breakdown.

Row 2:
Ozark Orange-6
JB truffle-6
Glacier-3
Big beef-5

Row 5:
Blueberries-6
Pink BB-6
Sunrise BB-5
Sungold-3

Row 6:
HJ Blues-4
Wes-3
Indian Stripe-3
Isis Candy-2
Submarine Blush-3
Malachite box-1
sugar drop-1

I have room for maybe 6 more tomatoes and I am thinking I will plant Bear Creek in that spot or maybe split it between BC and Neves azorean red. I have Carbon and CP plants that are looking gorgeous but no space for them :([/QUOTE]

I highly respect your opinion on these matters/maters so when it dries out I will stick 2 Carbon in the dirt. The varieties I have to choose from are Vorlon, Carbon, Absinthe, NA red, Stump OTW, CP, Prudens purple and Wapsipinicon peach. Suggestions? :dizzy: