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northspruce

Where do you PUT your containers?

northspruce
17 years ago

I have a WS problem I can't get my head around - where to put my containers so it doesn't just look like I have garbage in my yard. Does anyone have any tricks to make things look tidier? I saw Wendy's pic of the Coke crates (which looks neat) but I have mostly 4-L milk and cranberry juice containers. Do most of you elevate the containers, or leave them on the ground? And is there an ideal amount of sunlight for them to get, I can't remember.

Comments (10)

  • Crazy_Gardener
    17 years ago

    DH built me 2 tables made out of sawhorses and 4x8Â lattice so that theyÂre off the ground. As you know, I donÂt have any neighbors so it doesnÂt matter if it looks like a garbage dump ;)

    I have mine located in full sun.

    Sharon

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    17 years ago

    Mine are on the deck to start - right outside the kitchen door - where they get shade in the am, and then sun in the afternoon. When the snow goes and things start getting warmer, they go in the backyard where during the day they get sun in the early morning 'til about 11 am and dappled shade the rest of the day.

    I work all day and found that keeping them in dappled shade for the noon time and afternoon was great since they don't fry and dry out as much.

  • wendy2shoes
    17 years ago

    Grape/vegetable waxed crates from Food Basics, or any "Bulk" store also work well. That's what I use too. Some of them are sturdier than others. I even found some for blueberries which were made of styrofoam.
    They're usually falling apart by the time you're ready to plant out..then recycle them!

    {{gwi:540900}}

  • alberta_garden_geek
    17 years ago

    I need to figure out something as well. My second year of W/S (last year) was dismal. I set my containers on the ground, but i guess i didn't see the sign that said "Slug-Village" and lost all but 4 (out of around 30) containers of poppies to last years batch of baby slugs. This year, I've started setting my trays in my fenced garden. Which is good for keeping my mutt off of them. But come spring, they will be sitting in mud. Stupid question. . . do you just shovel snow on-top of the tables you put your w/s'ing?

  • trishthegardenmom
    17 years ago

    Hi All,

    I usually resort to filling my large picnic table up with my containers in the backyard. Don't bother with shovelling snow off. Have enough of that to do with the driveway and front stairs n patio. lol.
    Off I go, more sowing to be done...Have fun!

    Trish

  • northspruce
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the ideas. I have put mine on the deck, behind the barbecue for now. I was worried about the dogs rooting in them, but they don't seem interested.

    Which solves much of my problem, because in the fenced part of the yard I can probably get away with looking a little messier. 3/4 of my yard is fully visible to the street in town where everyone walks, has the parade, leaves letters in the mailbox asking me to put up Xmas lights, etc. Oh boy, gardening with an audience now.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    17 years ago

    Wendy, as Sharon once said to me, "Was your shadow smiling?" :)

    Gil, i have two wooden patio tables for my containers. I line 'em up all nicely and they look pretty sitting there. I have another wooden table on the patio - an old workbench dh resurrected from somewhere - and the overflow go there. Of course, we don't have neighbours so i don't worry about what the containers look like. I think they look okay, and that's all that counts!

  • tiffy_z5_6_can
    17 years ago

    Oh gosh, Northspruce, I have to ask - Do folks actually leave notes in your mailbox asking you to put up Xmas lights????? I'm speechless....

  • northspruce
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Tiffy, yes, but it's not as Stepford as it sounds... some community committee decided to host the first ever winter parade this year, and as my house is on its route, they sent around a letter advising of the parade and suggesting that lights on the route might add to the cheer. I totally forgot to turn mine on that night and nobody said anything. Bah humbug! LOL

  • wendy2shoes
    17 years ago

    Yes..my shadow was smiling! I can't beleive that neighbours could be so anal about what you do in your own backyard. They're lucky we wear bathing suits when we get into the hot tub! We can hear those mini-blinds just a snappin' shut!
    "When..exactly..did we become white trash?" To quote Fred Eaglesmith. LOL

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