Ardentfrost

In the early 90’s, my dad had a large red truck with dual gas tanks. I remember going to middle school in this truck, riding on the bench seat between him and his carpool partner. When dad was home, the truck would be parked on the street in front of our house in Belvedere, SC, maybe 15 feet away from the mail box.

It was in this truck one summer Saturday when my father needed to run an errand and invited me along. We were near the Augusta Mall driving down a road that would spend the subsequent decade becoming more and more developed. At the time, however, there wasn’t much around. The road was only a mile or two long: on one end a relatively busy road, on the other a shopping center containing the “good” movie theater at that time (now the mid-fare theater).

Half-way down the road we come across an older model Cadillac sedan pulled off to the side with a flat tire. The 60-something black lady inside was in no shape to walk down the road to get help on this sweltering day, and she certainly didn’t know how to change her tire.

We pass this situation and my dad asks me if I’m in a hurry to get our errand done. I say “no,” and dad turns the truck around. We park behind the lady, and after talking to her for a minute, pull out her spare tire and car jack while she stays in the car so she doesn’t overheat.

I remember once getting the car jacked up, we realize the hub cap must be removed with a key. Dad tells me to find the key, so I open the passenger door, ask the lady if she knows where the key is (explaining what it would look like), and finding it after she pointed me to the glove compartment.

Not only did I feel good about helping someone, but my dad also taught me how to change a tire that day. It’s one of those fond memories I have from my childhood, and for some reason, popped into my head today so I thought I’d share.

Finally started building our fence. We need everything except the back, and the right side has a chain link so that’ll be last priority.

So I decided to start by putting a gate on the right side. That is the same side as the drive way, so it needs a double gate through which cars/trucks can drive. It’s 24 (ish) feet between the house and the chain link fence.

Here’s the list of materials I bought:

• 5 count 4″x4″x8′ posts @ $6.97 each ($34.85)
• 15 count 2″x4″x8′ rails/gate frame @ $1.97 each ($29.55)
• 6 count 80 pound bags concrete @ $3.30 each ($19.80)
• 50 count 1″x6″x6′ pickets @ $1.39 each ($69.50)
• 2 count 2 pack 8″ hinge @ $14.96 each ($29.92)
• 1 count gate latch @ $12.46
• 1 count 12″ cane bolt @ $8.96
• 1 box pressure treated screws @ $28.24
• Tie plate hardware @ $12.92

So after sales tax, this 24 foot length of privacy fence with double gate was about $260. Not horrible, but more expensive than I was expecting, especially since I have 90 feet of fence to make on each side plus a gate for the left side. Ugh.

Anyhow, more on that later. For now, the right gate will do. I got a friend with a truck to help me tote all this crap from Lowe’s and Home Depot (price checking materials at each location saves money). After borrowing my father-in-law’s post hole digger, I’m ready to go!

For this part of the project I only had 4 holes to dig, one next to the house, one next to the fence, and one on each side of the gate. Using the post hole digger was some real work. My rate was about 2 a night at 9 to 10 inches wide and 2′ 3″ deep. It wasn’t horrible, and I’m planning on doing the rest this way (about 25 more to do total).

Making and pouring the cement was actually more work than the post holes. The night I chose to start them (after work) just so happened to threaten rain (despite forecasts telling me I had another couple sunny days). I had already put dry cement in the bottom of the holes, so I picked up the pace. Six 80 pound bags of cement mixed one at a time in a wheelbarrow using a hoe. By the end it was dark, I was sweating like crazy, and the rain stayed to our south… grr.

Ended up doing the whole length over a week mostly after work. I think it turned out pretty good, and I guess so did the next door neighbor on that side… he decided to come meet me one of the evenings I was over there, tell me he used to be a contractor and was impressed with my handiwork, and invite me to three different local churches. So, that was nice/weird I guess.

Check out my pictures. This has actually be done for about a week, but I’ve been super busy.

700BST Backyard Fence

I hate doing too many posts in a row about the same subject, but I’m getting this garden started and want to share about it. Especially since Square Foot Gardening can really help people who don’t have a lot of space, time, or a green thumb to produce food.

Anyhow, so I built the trellis, which I mentioned in a comment (response to Chris) in the previous post. Here’s a pic of the finished product:

It’s made of three 5-foot pieces of 1/2″ conduit connected with 90 degree corners. It’s held into the ground with two 18″ pieces of rebar hammered halfway into the ground. The netting is made of nylon with 7″ squares. In all it cost about $10 to make, and will last for years. The nylon won’t need replacing for 5-6 years, longer if I bring it inside during the winters (to reduce sun exposure).

I’ll show training vines up the trellis later.

I also planted mint and strawberries already. Mint is a hell of a plant (and so tasty). It’s a fantastic companion plant repelling ants, rodents, fleas, aphids, and attracts hoverflies and predatory wasps (both of which are good pollinators and eat bad insects). However, it’s also incredibly invasive. Left to its own device, it’ll send out roots and mint plants will start popping up everywhere. Not exactly what you want in a confined 4′x4′ area. To fix this problem, you plant it into a bucket and bury the whole thing. It’s a perennial and difficult to kill, so you buy one plant and you have it for quite a while, even if you suck at keeping stuff alive.

Then I planted some strawberry plants I bought. Those actually go 4 plants per square foot, which seems pretty tight. I guess I’ll see in a month or two when I start getting berries. Those are good for 3-4 years, too, so that’s awesome. I spent maybe $10 on all four and they’ll be good for a while. Although, I guess that’s not as good as the mint which cost me $3 and will last forever (or at least as long as I keep it going). Anyhow, to plant strawberries you’re supposed to soak the plants in a bucket, cut off the lower 1/4th - 1/3rd of the roots, and put it in the soil. That seems weird to me too, but I’m just following directions here

Most everything else I have is going from seed. Some require a bit of work to get them started, but most just go directly in the ground. I’ll probably do that this weekend. I went ahead and put these in the soil because they’re really hardy and don’t need the soil to be warm.

I wanted a vegetable garden last year, but it didn’t happen since we moved into the house in March and by the time everything settled, it was well into summer. This year, as spring time approached, I got the garden bug once again so started studying up (like I usually do when I take on new things).

While doing the research, I came across a method of gardening called Square Foot Gardening which was developed by a Georgia Tech alumnus and retired Civil Engineer named Mel Bartholomew. Well, his credentials were solid and after studying what he was suggesting, it all just made sense.

To get a full idea of what he suggests, you should really read his site (or his book which I also bought). However, here’s a quick synopsis. Basically you build a 4′ x 4′ raised bed (6-8 inches high), fill it with his special blend of soil which is equal parts peat moss, vermiculite, and high quality compost, and apply a grid. The grid, which is actually really important, lays out the 4′ x 4′ box into sixteen 1′ x 1′ squares. In each of those square feet, you plant a different crop.

The claim is that in 20% of the space of a normal row-style garden, you can actually get MORE yield while using less water. There’s no need for fertilizer or weed killer, and pulling weeds (when they occur which is supposedly rare) is quite easy since the soil is incredibly friable. The point of the limited size of the container is so you can easily reach in to all of your plants without stepping into the bed (another important aspect).

So, I bought cedar boards with which to make the container, then today I mixed the special soil (which is called Mel’s Mix, by the way) and laid out the grid. A few days ago I also ordered seeds online, including ones for companion planting.

So here is the list of plants I’ll be putting in the garden this year (ones specifically for companion planting are denoted with CP, though some are also edible):

• Baby Spinach
• Marigold (CP)
• Cherry Tomato
• Sweet Basil
• Italian Parsley
• Cilantro
• Roman Chamomile (CP)
• Borage (CP)
• Various types of Lettuce
• Okra
• Cantaloupe
• Microgreens (this one is a test)
• Garlic (CP)

It seems like a lot, but a couple will actually get more than one square (I will plant 2 squares of marigolds since they are such an effective pest deterant).

Some of the plants not marked as companion plants are accidental companion plants as well, I just marked the ones I chose specifically for their ability to deter unwanted bugs and animals (garlic for rabbits).

Here’s the album that I’ll be using to keep up with my progress. I’m sure I’ll be making periodic posts on here as well. I hope it goes as well as advertised.

Square Foot Garden

On the way home today traffic was not abnormal, but it was moving the whole way (which is good!). Going down 316 which is fairly close to home I am in the left lane behind a Blue Malibu who is behind a long line of cars. We’re all going 50-60 mph. It’s pleasant.

Suddenly, over the crest of a hill where I can’t see, people stop. The explosive nature of stochastic events unfold unknown to me, and before I know it, the Malibu in front of me has slammed on her brakes and come to a stop. It happens too quickly for me to stop in time.

A shot of adrenaline hits my bloodstream.

I am focused. What was too quick before is now slowed.

I know the lane to my right is empty.

I hit the brakes and turn my wheel sharply.

My tires turn to skis. I am no longer steering as much as I am giving slight direction to my momentum and hoping friction heeds my desire.

In the right lane, I realize there is another empty lane to the right (what was just an off ramp) in case I need it. It open the possibility of safely turning 180 degrees. Only as a last resort.

I am moving into the far side of my new lane.

I counter-steer.

Everything in the back seat hits the floor.

I am nearly past the Malibu now, and beginning to face that direction. I know facing other cars will be a bad thing if I regain traction.

I counter-steer again.

Facing forward, I pump the brakes.

Traction is regained, I am next to the car that was in front of the Malibu. The need for adrenaline has passed, and the euphoric aftereffects kick in.

20 car lengths ahead and over a bit of a hill (where I couldn’t see before), a car was off the left embankment and a cop was over there with his lights on. People had stopped to gawk and nearly cost me a wreck and possibly a lot more.

A minute later, the Malibu catches up. She gives me a smile and a thumbs up (for not hitting her and maintaining relative control in a bad situation, I assume).