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~Rachel~
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COMPOST: I did manage to find some at Home depot and Lowes both... they were next to the topsoil... you may be able to ask them to get some in for you. I adapted the SFG method by using just the one bag. I hope to amend it some with rabbit manure (we have a pet rabbit) and garden compost when I make it. The SFG looks pretty good anyway  If you can't find it in Manassas, come down to Richmond as I know there is Cock-a-doodle-doo, Black Kow and a couple of others here.
Mix in the peat moss and vermiculite just to keep the soil friable and moist in dry weather. The vermiculite keeps the water arouns
As for LG:
Get some newspaper, open it out and place in a water bath.
Take THICK pads of wet newspaper, place over the bed... making sure the paper edges overlap. Build the garden on top of it.
I recommend going slightly over the edge where you will put your bricks or wood edges. That way Bermuda grass can't creep in so easily. The newspaper just replaces the weedblock in Mel's method... nothing to it.
hth
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JennGM
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~Rachel~ wrote:
COMPOST: I did manage to find some at Home depot and Lowes both... they were next to the topsoil... you may be able to ask them to get some in for you. I adapted the SFG method by using just the one bag. I hope to amend it some with rabbit manure (we have a pet rabbit) and garden compost when I make it. The SFG looks pretty good anyway If you can't find it in Manassas, come down to Richmond as I know there is Cock-a-doodle-doo, Black Kow and a couple of others here.
Mix in the peat moss and vermiculite just to keep the soil friable and moist in dry weather. The vermiculite keeps the water arouns |
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I'm tired of garden store crawling. I think I'll get a few more of the composts I did find and then add the organic soil and others. Thanks for the input!
~Rachel~ wrote:
As for LG:
Get some newspaper, open it out and place in a water bath.
Take THICK pads of wet newspaper, place over the bed... making sure the paper edges overlap. Build the garden on top of it.
I recommend going slightly over the edge where you will put your bricks or wood edges. That way Bermuda grass can't creep in so easily. The newspaper just replaces the weedblock in Mel's method... nothing to it. hth
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It does and thank you, Rachel! I borrowed the LG from the library and didn't have the details. I had decided to use that approach instead of the weedblock. Thanks for the extra tips. 
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Jennifer G. Miller
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~Rachel~
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JennGM wrote:
I'm tired of garden store crawling. I think I'll get a few more of the composts I did find and then add the organic soil and others. Thanks for the input!
It does and thank you, Rachel! I borrowed the LG from the library and didn't have the details. I had decided to use that approach instead of the weedblock. Thanks for the extra tips. |
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You are very welcome... I have made gardens both ways and decided with my brand new SFG (yes I had the new book too... MUCH better than the old) to try the weedblock. Mainly because DH keeps throwing out all the old newspapers...
Personally, I prefer the newspaper to the weedblock... I accidentally got some weedblock in one of my other gardens... and yes, it does keep out the weeds and allow me to remove the other weeds easily... but it doesn't let my plants get down to the old soil in time of drought.
I do love the new SFG 'Mel's Mix' though... I just couldn't see traipsing all over Christendom trying to get 5 different compost mixes. So I used one 
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Elizabeth
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I wanted to plant hostas and day lilies to border the front walk. Now, I think it's too sunny for hostas. What could I substitute that is hosta-like?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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~Rachel~
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You mean something roughly the shape and size of a hosta?
You could try something like yarrow... it has feathery leaves rather than full ones, but can easily fill in an area 
Or you could get some grasses... I see a number of speciality grasses used around here to border a walk.
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JennGM
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~Rachel~ wrote:
You mean something roughly the shape and size of a hosta?
You could try something like yarrow... it has feathery leaves rather than full ones, but can easily fill in an area
Or you could get some grasses... I see a number of speciality grasses used around here to border a walk.
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I'm trying to identify what I have in my front garden. It looks like the houseplant I grew up with the nickname "spider plant". It's planted in a very sunny location...variegated leaves, about 1 1/2 inches wide, and grows in clumps. I couldn't find it in my gardening books or online for a name.
Rachel...I just saw your post about your herbs and the Saints and Marian Garden. Bravo! I want to browse your herb library. I don't have extensive as you...but I got interested at the age of 14 and picked up books along the way.
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~Rachel~
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Jenn: you'll have to provide a picture
A nice plant that looks kind of daylilyish is spiderwort... beautiful flowers, native plant...
As to the Saints and Marian gardens... I'll take a photo of my library and let you browse it *rflol*
Maybe I'll make a list and post it
Seriously though, I got into herbs at about 15 too... I was fascinated with them, and came back to looking at them in depth more as an adult. LOVE them ... which is why I keep suggesting herbs for Elizabeth's walkway border...
Hey Elizabeth... what about CHIVES??
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~Rachel~ wrote:
Jenn: you'll have to provide a picture
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They aren't looking too pretty right now, but maybe I can borrow my sis' camera for a shot. I'm still researching which digital camera. It's definitely a Mother's Day gift, but I have to decide!
~Rachel~ wrote:
| Hey Elizabeth... what about CHIVES?? |
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Chives are so lovely....and so resillient. I love those purple flowers. I love that suggestion.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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~Rachel~ wrote:
| COMPOST: I did manage to find some at Home depot and Lowes both... they were next to the topsoil... you may be able to ask them to get some in for you. |
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This is a very basic and embarrassing question.  I did see bags of hummus at the stores. Would that count as a type of compost?
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JennGM
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Oops...even more embarrassing and ignorant. It should be HUMUS, not the bean dip hummus!
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JennGM
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JennGM wrote:
| I'm trying to identify what I have in my front garden. It looks like the houseplant I grew up with the nickname "spider plant". It's planted in a very sunny location...variegated leaves, about 1 1/2 inches wide, and grows in clumps. I couldn't find it in my gardening books or online for a name. |
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Here it is:
Variegated Spider plant, Airplane Plant 'Variegatum' (Chlorophytum comosum). The top picture is what mine looks like.
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~Rachel~
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JennGM wrote:
This is a very basic and embarrassing question. I did see bags of humus at the stores. Would that count as a type of compost? |
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Yes... it is a fancy word for COMPOST
Humus is the term that defines simply, the top layer on the ground of a forested area... you know, where all the leaves compost themselves...
So if they are saying 'humus' it is nearly the same thing as 'compost'. At least as close as necessary for a SFG!
Definition here
hth
Your plant BTW, is the sort of thing I was trying to describe but I can't remember what they call it in the stores...
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marihalojen
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Jenn,
I wonder if your plant is Liriope? That is the best picture I could find, I know they are pretty hardy, while the spider plant is a tropical.
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marihalojen wrote:
| I wonder if your plant is Liriope? That is the best picture I could find, I know they are pretty hardy, while the spider plant is a tropical. |
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That's it!!!! Thanks. Perfect picture, displaying the lighter/whiter colors that come with the early growth.
Thanks for all the gardening help and advice....you moms rock!!!
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~Rachel~ wrote:
JennGM wrote:
This is a very basic and embarrassing question. I did see bags of humus at the stores. Would that count as a type of compost? |
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Yes... it is a fancy word for COMPOST
Humus is the term that defines simply, the top layer on the ground of a forested area... you know, where all the leaves compost themselves...
So if they are saying 'humus' it is nearly the same thing as 'compost'. At least as close as necessary for a SFG!
Definition here
hth |
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Well, I feel very ignorant. I was pretty sure when I saw it in the stores, but I didn't have the complete confidence to buy it. I doubted myself! Thanks, Rachel. I'm so embarrassed that I'm so ignorant...I need Remedial Gardening!
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Elizabeth
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Jenn,
I think I may be inhaling too much of said humus . I went to post a new blog entry today and read the Typepad tab "Compose Post"aloud to my daughter as "Compost"
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Rebecca
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Elizabeth, I know this is way late but I have hosta in my full sun beds and they are the most gorgeous ones in my yard. I think they need at least part sun to grow beautifully. The hosta in my full shade beds are scraggly. Just my $.02
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Elizabeth
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Rebecca wrote:
| Elizabeth, I know this is way late but I have hosta in my full sun beds and they are the most gorgeous ones in my yard. I think they need at least part sun to grow beautifully. The hosta in my full shade beds are scraggly. Just my $.02 |
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I just bought day lilies, shasta daisies, gaillardia, peonies, and the most amazing-smelling cotton lavedner to plant by the front door so that my skirts brush it as I go inside. Now, where do I find "gyspsy skirts," Rebecca?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Rebecca
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Elizabeth wrote:
I just bought day lilies, shasta daisies, gaillardia, peonies, and the most amazing-smelling cotton lavedner to plant by the front door so that my skirts brush it as I go inside. |
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Sounds lovely, Elizabeth! I think peonies are so romantic. I have peonies from my grandmother's yard that belonged to HER grandmother. They are special to me. I especially love the image of the lavender and your skirts! (Sounds like a post to me! )
Elizabeth wrote:
| Now, where do I find "gyspsy skirts," Rebecca? |
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Well, since you asked ...
Some that are lovely but out of my price range, even on a good day
Here are some with an Indian flare
but the reality is that I bought most of mine at Passport to Peru (a little import boutique in my town) and WalMart.
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Donna Marie
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Can anyone tell me the best place to get organic seeds/seedlings??
God Bless!
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Gardening Questions
