Author Topic: Cohutt 2014 (Read 84384 times)

cohutt · « **on:** February 03, 2014, 08:24:14 PM »

This year has a bit of a twist:

I've been asked to allow my garden to be part of a charitable fundraiser tour this May.

When I got the phone call asking me if I'd consider it, my response was "have you ever actually seen my garden?"

I explained that my whole scheme wasn't exactly a conventional garden plan, sort of a free style mess of experimentation that is always undergoing some sort of modification, and that it was all done without a landscape architect or power equipment.

Their response was basically yes, we know, people are really interested in the whole self sufficiency/ sustainability thing. So after a meeting and hour long walk through here in the dead of winter, the organizers were genuinely excited and I agreed to do it.

So between now and the first weekend in may, I have a ton of work to do. More than I probably can get done the way I would prefer.

So I've started. Here is the 60% complete Kiwi vine pergola / arbor #1

I'm dreading the amount of work I need to get done in the next 3 months, but it will be good for me and actually quite productive.

I'll report progress here periodically as well as @ cohutt.com

archer · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2014, 09:36:24 PM »

cool! i'm looking forward to your garden-porn!

cohutt · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2014, 09:48:44 PM »

Quote from: Archer on February 03, 2014, 09:36:24 PM

cool! i'm looking forward to your garden-porn!

Haha. OK, Google passed over me again last spring :

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2014, 10:10:53 PM »

Theswerd · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2014, 08:47:43 AM »

Nicodemus · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2014, 01:00:44 PM »

I always look forward to Cohutt's Garden thread.

Zuplex · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2014, 01:21:21 PM »

Wow. That aerial view really demonstrates how much work you've put in!

PorcupineKate · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2014, 07:07:00 PM »

I am looking forward to another year of beautiful photos.

cohutt · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2014, 07:13:24 PM »

I've been wanting to put together a smaller, funky greenhouse from salvaged materials. Mrs cohutt is for this although she always likes to see certain other projects and maintenance activities finished first. She doesn't like stacks of materials for various "in progress" projects scattered about the back. I don't blame her and try keep things on track and neat, but I'm not the best.

With this background, I was surprised Monday morning she texted me about an add for free wooden windows for pickup. I called, get some description and told the guy I'd take them and would pick up after work.
I picked them up and hit it off with the old guy. They had replaced a bunch of windows with (ugly but efficient) aluminum double pane ones. He said ill had about 8 to go and would let me know when those were ready, I could have them too.
Final haul was 25 wooden multi pane windows (no frames, just the sashes and a couple larger fixed windows) of all sizes, total of a little over 200 square feet of glass and frame- a good start.
The bonus was 8 storm window sashes and 1 storm door insert, total of almost 80 square feet of clear quality glass. These are going to be great for cold frames and perhaps some trapped solar heating applications.

I have found free to be better than cheap every time so far.

cohutt · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2014, 07:26:11 PM »

Ha. pretty photos will have to wait a few more weeks, not a lot going on just yet.

I do have a couple of nice stacks of bushel basket gourds from last season that are almost cured/dried. Not sure what I'll make out of them and when exactly I'll have time though.

Cedar · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2014, 08:14:59 PM »

Quote from: Nicodemus on February 04, 2014, 01:00:44 PM

I always look forward to Cohutt's Garden thread.

I do and I sometimes avoid it. I get feeling 'so much behind' when I see his lovely garden.

Cedar

Cedar · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2014, 08:18:32 PM »

Quote from: cohutt on February 05, 2014, 07:26:11 PM

I do have a couple of nice stacks of bushel basket gourds from last season that are almost cured/dried. Not sure what I'll make out of them and when exactly I'll have time though.

May I suggest ...

ISBN-10: 1887374558
See if your local library has it. It is one of my favorite books.

Cedar

Cedar · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2014, 08:25:01 PM »

Quote from: cohutt on February 05, 2014, 07:13:24 PM

I've been wanting to put together a smaller, funky greenhouse from salvaged materials.

Two I ideas I have had floating on my desktop for a year now from salvaged windows you can glean ideas from if you like are:

I was also considering this as a chicken house.

The top left:

Cedar

cohutt · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2014, 08:40:15 PM »

I like the way you think cedar

I actually do have some plans for some of the gourds and have seen that book as well as other similar resources. I like the colorful hanging lights made from gourds in Turkey and central America as well as the finished natural shades of basic bowls and storage vessels.

I've been pinning the window structures as I come across ones that catch my eye and actually had saved that one above (man holding goat). Likely, i won't be starting mine until summer time or even fall.

cohutt · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2014, 08:42:24 PM »

Quote from: Cedar on February 05, 2014, 08:14:59 PM

I do and I sometimes avoid it. I get feeling 'so much behind' when I see his lovely garden.

Cedar

Only because you do real work in yours (and moved last year) while I am just somewhat productively entertaining myself to keep my head from imploding

cohutt · « **Reply #15 on:** February 10, 2014, 08:25:29 PM »

Seed starting is well underway, although I lost one of my 2 hydrofarm 125watt bulbs after 5 years..... $28 + amazon and a new one is set to arrive tomorrow, weather willing.

The grow box continues to amaze me, providing perfect temperature conditions and lots of direct and reflected light for early growth. Germination times are short, generally a lot less than the seed packages guidelines state.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2014, 08:18:58 AM »

i need to get my seeds started... did you make those with the soilcube? if so does it work pretty well? and what grow box setup are you using? i have looked into doing something like that but haven't done enough research.

cohutt · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2014, 04:55:44 PM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on February 11, 2014, 08:18:58 AM

i need to get my seeds started... did you make those with the soilcube? if so does it work pretty well? and what grow box setup are you using? i have looked into doing something like that but haven't done enough research.

Yes, soil cube and regular commercial seed starter mix. Works like a charm if you wet to the consistency of runny oatmeal first.

Seed box- http://cohutt.com/2012/02/13/fully-foiled/

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2014, 05:06:08 PM »

cool, i ordered a soil cube a couple hours ago before i left work. hoping it ships pretty fast, i want to get my seeds started and don't want to make a bunch of newspaper pots.

your grow box is neat too. i don't have room nor time to do a project like that, plus i think i have fairer weather where i am and the plants can tolerate things better.

cohutt · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2014, 05:45:49 PM »

I'm zone 7 here. I have a great sunroom I used once but mrs cohutt wasn't so cool on the mess I made so I moved to the rough basement with this setup. I wanted something automated that was consistent enough to only check to water once a day. Amazingly this worked very well with minimal adjustments.

I'm moving these two flats out to the hoophouse this weekend with the shallots already out there.

cohutt · « **Reply #20 on:** February 13, 2014, 08:00:05 PM »

The second winter storm of the year came through this week.

The hoophouse contorted itself into odd shapes under the weight but it shed the snow on its own eventually. No damage

Kale, the bullet proof winter crop....

Cedar · « **Reply #21 on:** February 13, 2014, 09:28:41 PM »

Quote from: cohutt on February 13, 2014, 08:00:05 PM

Kale, the bullet proof winter crop....

Isn't it though?

And on your hoophouse, if you get any accumulation on it, try to knock it off. You won this time.. next time...... ?
We lost a few around the area lately, including one with a bunch of citrus it it.. *Yikes* That was a sad loss I bet.

Cedar

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #22 on:** February 15, 2014, 03:16:26 PM »

cohutt, when you mix soil for the soil cube do you follow the 'recipe' with all of the peat moss, vermiculite, etc...? i need to pick up more soil for my second bed, but i don't know if i want to get all of that, because then i'll have a bunch of stuff left over. i'm hoping i'll be good with plain soil as long as i keep it at the 'oatmeal' consistency... or do i need the other stuff to make it happen?

cohutt · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2014, 08:46:00 PM »

Quote from: thewarriorhunter on February 15, 2014, 03:16:26 PM

cohutt, when you mix soil for the soil cube do you follow the 'recipe' with all of the peat moss, vermiculite, etc...? i need to pick up more soil for my second bed, but i don't know if i want to get all of that, because then i'll have a bunch of stuff left over. i'm hoping i'll be good with plain soil as long as i keep it at the 'oatmeal' consistency... or do i need the other stuff to make it happen?

I'd just get a bag of potting mix at wally world- it will work fine by my experience

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #24 on:** February 15, 2014, 09:16:53 PM »

Cool, I had time today and picked up some soil and compost, I'll try it tomorrow.

cohutt · « **Reply #25 on:** February 17, 2014, 07:27:30 AM »

Getting ready for spring, I found a large garbage can full of unprocessed luffas that I had forgotten about (thought it had compost in it....).

Sunny and 50 degrees for a change, I took a break from the kiwi arbor/pergola project and prepped a few. Only about 50 to go.

All of these were from volunteer vines in their 3rd year.....

We use them for all sorts of things; they are tough and don't wear out like sponges. Additionally, they don't go funky in about 3 days like normal kitchen sponges.

Just don't ever accidentally chew one up in the disposal or else you'll be disassembling everything below the sink and removing one small piece at a time- I know from first hand experience.

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #26 on:** February 17, 2014, 08:14:19 AM »

Quote from: cohutt on February 17, 2014, 07:27:30 AM

Just don't ever accidentally chew one up in the disposal or else you'll be disassembling everything below the sink and removing one small piece at a time- I know from first hand experience.

lol, one time my wife thought about a half pound of mint STEMS would be better served to go down the disposal than the trash. she clogged the whole system up. i had to disassemble and remove what i could from the pipes and disposal opening, put it back together, run water and the disposal to throw more into the pipes, rinse and repeat, had to do it about three times...

cohutt · « **Reply #27 on:** February 27, 2014, 06:48:47 PM »

Great weekend to prepare for the season, 65-70 and sunny. I moved two beds a little, thinned and replanted strawberries, put in a small bed of shallots and prepped and scrubbed a couple of the gourds from last year that were finally dry enough. (Also, the strawberry gutter experiment is visible on the bench in the background, when I get the new section of fence up it will be attached).

Cold snap mid week put lows last night and tonight near 20, so the makeshift cold frame had to give up contents to the sunroom for 48 hours.

Roswell · « **Reply #28 on:** February 27, 2014, 06:50:16 PM »

Looks good Cohutt!

theBINKYhunter · « **Reply #29 on:** February 28, 2014, 06:44:06 AM »

that's a cool tray, did you make that or buy that? and what's in there? a bunch of lettuces?

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Author Topic: Cohutt 2014 (Read 84384 times)