Let's See if Deer eat Petunias. 4.21.18

I planted a "tree ring barrel" with petunias.  Deer are the main gardening challenge in my area.  I'm trying to find plants that they wont eat.  This year the deer pressure is higher than ever, with 2 families regularly crossing my yard. 

The "barrel" is a stack of concrete or cinder block type crescents that connect together into a ring, used to protect trees.  They stack nicely, and in that way make a barrel-type planter.  I like them because they last far longer than oak barrels, and can be disassembled easily and relocated in pieces, much easier than moving a big barrel.

We'll see what happens.  This may just be another deer salad bar.

Tulips. 4.16.17

Container Grown Tulips Second Bloom Season.  4.16.17

 These containers contain tulip bulbs, planted deep, and daylilies planted more shallowly.  Last year, deer ate the tulips.  So far this year they have missed them.  So we get to enjoy the tulips.

Container Grown Tulips Second Bloom Season.  4.16.17

KItchen Garden. Fava & SnowPea seeds, Chinese Chive & Perennial Onions. 2.21.17

Today was nice, no rain, sunny and warm.  I  just now got around to planting Fava bean seeds, which I intended to plant last week.

Planting Fava Bean Seeds, photo from Feb 2015

The photo was from feb 13 last year, but they look exactly the same now.  These went into a tomato raised bed with deer protection fencing.  I added about 1/2 pound of lime to the 4 X 8 bed due to known acidity and calcium deficiency, mixing the lime in thoroughly before planting.  It would have been better to lime the soil a month or two ago.

I also covered with chicken wire to prevent bird foraging.

I also planted those mixed Snowpea seeds, in the same way.  As an afterthought, I am soaking some to see if they are actually viable.  Some are more than 5 years old.    Apparently, they are only viable for 3 years.  I may buy some more and plant them to be safe.

Tree ring container with onions, May 2016

I also dug out 6 clumps of Chinese Chives from the cement block raised beds, teased out grass infestation, and planted in raised tree-ring containers.  Photo is the same tree-ring containers last year, containing Egyptian Walking Onions.  These are stacked 3-rings high, reversing up-side-up with up-side-down to make a somewhat tight stack.  These are convenient height to work with, remove weeds, and cultivate the soil with a large heavy-duty kitchen fork tool.   Again, this time I mixed a trowel of lime with the soil.  That is not necessary for these alliums, but I thought maybe it would boost their growth or add nutrients, given how acidic my soil is (pH 5.3 to 5.5).

I also divided several clumps of Egyptian Walking Onions, replanting in raised beds as separate plants.  That is not required but makes for better individual scallions.

Second photo for illustration is a tree ring planted that I set up in 2015 for daylilies.  These are put together using re-used cement block - type edging, designed to place around trees.  They are not expensive, comparable or less than most whiskey barrel planters but last longer, are easier to take apart and move, and will last longer than I live.  I do put chicken wire on the ground before placing the first ring, to keep moles out.

Concrete Tree Ring Raised Planter for Daylilies. 9.18.15

 This is the "Tree Ring" planter I put together over the past couple of weeks for some daylilies.  This is a spot that I often drag the garden hose across, damaging plants.  The planter will stop the hose from causing damage.  The planter is raised, which is nice for an old guy  to weed and trim the plants.  About the same size as a half wine barrel.  Especially since I had them sitting around.  This is between a container and a raised bed, in concept.

I leveled the ground for the base.  Arrange first ring, right side up.  Arrange second ring upside down, so the scalloped edges mesh.   Arrange the top level right side up again.

I mixed together yard soil with about 1/4 kitchen compost.  The yard soil is mole hills that I collected in the wheelbarrow.  The soil is finely ground, and taken from deep under my yard.  My soil tests low in magnesium and calcium, so I added about 1/4 cup of lime and 1/8 cup of Epsom salts.  Not rocket science, did not use a measuring cup.  I saved some coffee grounds, added about 4 cups of those for ongoing organic matter and nitrogen.

The daylilies were from other parts of the border where they were difficult to see and difficult to weed.  I wanted one bigger one - the maroon, almost coffee-brown one with darker eye, no name other than "Vigaro" from Home Depot.   The other two were incorrectly labeled or mutant, a very compact, very light yellow and taller, finer sort of apricot pink.  All of these will be easier to view and enjoy at this higher level, about 18 inches higher than the garden border.

I filled soil to the point where I could set in the daylily clumps on the soil.  Between the daylilies, I set hyacinth bulbs and pushed into the soil slightly  Those will have roots deeper than the daylilies.

Then I filled in the rest of the soil, watered in, and mulched with chipped tree trimmings.  Almost no transplanting trauma to the daylilies,  I imagine they will need dividing in one or two years.  No problem.

I saw some of these tree ring sections on the web for about $4.00 each.  That would make it $36.00 if I bought them new, roughly the same as a half wine barrel.  I think I bought them on sale a few years ago for about half that.  They should lase a lifetime.  A half wine barrel seems to last about 10 years in this rainy Pacific NW climate.  Compared to a wine barrel, the rings are easier to carry, can just carry one at a time.  I don't know about insulating properties.  Might not be as good as wood.