I would definitely be interested in the results... and pictures! I can't even imagine how that works. I mean, the science behind it sounds reasonable enough, but my mind is saying "No Way". Especially if it takes more water than the average garden like the article says. Yupp, definitely need pictures. *grins*

It's been sooooo warm here lately that my basil and tomatoes are hardening off nicely in the shade (so far) and I'm able to be in the garden a lot more. Now all I need is the neighbor to quit hitting on me whenever I'm outside in the dirt with my butt sticking on the air! (But his daughter is almost 2 and she gave me a hug the other day... she is welcome any time!)

Well I'm off to take care of my friend's cats while she is gone this weekend. Have a wonderful day everyone,
~Laura

Dan, I am curious as to why one would do the bale planting and to what benefit? Is it an alternative to soil issues etc? I am having difficulty getting a good vegetable crop with our clay soil and would welcome something that could gaurantee a good crop of vegies and fruits. Has anyone seen this type of growing be successful?

Hi!
Please count me in!
Thanks, Amanda

Welcome Amanda! If you want to play BINGO with us send me your mailing address and I will send you a BINGO card.

Had another beautiful day today. I worked out in the garden. I started digging up the dandelions that have taken over. That is back breaking work. Planted out 6 plants.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter tomorrow. It's supposed to be another beautiful day here.

Swappers:
proudgm_03 (Becky)
linkaruzicka (Linda) BINGO card sent
cryptid (Darrin) BINGO card sent
lilangel181 (Laura) BINGO card sent
gladgourd (Gladys) BINGO card sent
veeja11 (Carol) BINGO card sent
domehome (Dee) BINGO card sent
tn_veggie_gardner (Steve) BINGO card sent
indyjoy (Joy) BINGO card sent
smitties (Margo) BINGO card sent
w9yards (Diana) BINGO card sent
missmshell (Michelle) BINGO card sent
adopt_greyhounds (Amanda)

Lurkers: (Come on, you know you want to!)
mikey-gardner
sassybutterfly_2008 (Wendy)

smitties, I'm going to try it out as my experiment of the season. I always try something new every summer. last year was a disappointment with the hanging flower pouches because I couldn't get enough water into them all the time. from what I can see through my research into straw bale gardening, it's basically a bio-degradable raised garden. it'll eliminate a lot of pests, be easier on my back, the straw will compost itself eventually which will build up my soil, and let's face it, a few bales of hay can only make my place look even more like a working farm...lol! when I was living in the Chattanooga area I had problems with my soil, too much clay in it. I think this would've helped me out a lot if I'd known about it back then. the one issue I can see with s.b. gardening is the watering, which I'm going to take care of with soaker hoses. and, not only am I going to plant veggies at the top of each bale, but also plant some veggies and flowers on the sides too. want to join in on the Grand Experiment?

-Dan

Dan, I think I am going to give straw bale gardening a try again this year. I don't have the materials or the time to do the raised beds that I wanted and it's getting late. I was thinking of using the soaker hoses also. Now, if I could only find the tomato seeds I seem to have misplaced!

Dan, I just might give it some thought. I have a lot of projects in store for this year so may wait til next year. I like the idea of it being easy on the back. I also thought if it were to be planted full, it would make a pretty look at the back of a garden once it filled in. I will definitely explore the idea more.

We bought a shed for me a couple of weeks ago. I won't get it til mid May as the person who will be hauling it home coaches baseball and will be busy until then. A nearby vocational school builds a home for a family every year as a training project. First they have to build sheds and they are like a mini house without rooms. They are vinyl sided and insulated wrap is underneath, they have rafters, a window, 30 year shingles, 50 year floor boards. These are 8x8 and 9 feet tall in the middle. I am so excited to get this in my yard. We are going to put raised gardens in with this at the end of the middle walkway. We are also putting in corner fences at the front driveway entrance so that will need a new garden as well. Thus, the projects.

Has anyone ever planted a "swale" area? This is a moist area that does not dry out very well. Unusually a low area. We have a couple spots like this on our property and grass refuses to grow. Swales usually will host native plants and grasses so we want to try it.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Easter. We are down in Columbus, Ohio visiting our oldest and his wife. The day is beautiful and I helped transplant seedlings, weed, and pot up some plants for my dil. Wish the weather would stick around but a cold front is headed in.
Margo

Got my bingo card on Saturday. Hooray! I always start tomatoes and give my daughter a bunch so that she can plant in her own garden. When she requested that I give her sungolds when the plants are ready, I panicked! No sungold here and since they are hybrid, I did not save seeds. I quickly ordered from Johnny's seeds on Thursday morning. They arrived on Saturday - the same day as the bingo card!
Double hooray!
What a beautiful weekend this was. Some of my ws flowers are peeking up. My "under the lights" tomato and pepper seedlings are starting to say hello. Low temps at night this week are going to be in the 50'S. I just love this time of year!
Gladys

Got a clematis planted out yesterday and started 18 tomato containers. Decided to sit outside and read for awhile and got sunburned. My DGS stayed the night so we're just hanging out today and watching movies.

Time to start the BINGO game. If you don't have your card yet you can get caught up when it gets there.

The first number is G60.

I got my BINGO card in SaturdayÂs mail. We drove to Chicago and back on Easter so I didn't get a chance to do any gardening. The daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom. I noticed this morning that the magnolias are in bloom. DidnÂt notice that yesterday. I picked up some mushrooms (garden art) at Tuesday Morning for the little garden outside the family room window. My to-do list in the garden is getting longer and longer. I might have to give up working to find the time to do all of the things on the list. Ha ha
Indianapolis is full of visitors for the final four-basketball tournament. IÂm glad the weather has been hospitable.
Happy Gardening all ~ Joy

"chewing on pencil"...hmmm...no number yet!

Yay, I have that number! =)

How does one go about signing up to be a group member and participate? Thanks :)

Just introduce yourself and say "Hey, I want to join! Sign me up!" :)

Awriiight,...my BINGO card arrived today! No G60, though. - Cold, windy and rainy, here. Been meaning to post sooner, but we've been having "Roy Days", lately, with our autistic son and it can leave you pretty drained and basically sour the entire day sometimes. Eh,...c'est la vie. :/

Just got back from class. I do like having Roxanne as a prof, because she lets us vent about other profs!

Darrin, are "Roy Days" bad days I take it? I spent a summer as a mainstream counselor for an autistic (and non verbal!) 9 year old boy a few summers ago. It was great but exhausting! For some reason he had an aversion to me wearing my hair in a braid or bun of any kind, so if I was sitting low enough he would pull the hair band out and put it in my lap. I could tell what kind of a day he was having by how he did it. A hard yank on the band was a bad day but on good days he would unwind it carefully instead. He also liked cheez-its and being naked! That was about 8 hours a day, 5 days a week so I can't imagine full time!

Beautiful day here and to top it off, I have the first Bingo letter called.

I started my day by cleaning my gardening shelves in the garage. Everything will be put into my new shed once it arrives. I put all my garden ornaments out. I then went out and started cleaning and trimming back more dead growth in my gardens. I am working my way around the house. I must have spent five hours doing this and so far, I am half way around the house. I will try to finish that job tomorrow and then do the herb garden and raised garden. Then I will be ready for when the mulch arrives in two weeks. We ordered from a school fund raiser and they deliver!!! I really shouldn't be gardening right now as I have an aversion to gloves. My nails are going to be horrible for my sons wedding on Saturday. After tomorrow, I won't have time to get out there so I will soak them for a while.

I have been having a huge germination rate with the seeds I bought including the cotton. I have lemon basil that is ready for its second transplanting. Very exciting for me as this is the most success I have ever had.

I am going to go outside and finish my evening listening to the night sounds. Good night everyone. Margo

Hiya, Laura! Yep, "Roy Days" (or, rather I should say "Roy Daze") are most decidedly un-fun, and obviously you know whereof I speak. To top it off, Roy is also developmentally disabled in other ways, is epileptic and 25 yrs old. Fortunately, since he's been on Dilantin (Phenytoin) he hasn't had a seizure for many years, whereas unfortunately, he has a very contrary personality in many ways, particularly when it comes to taking meds. Sooo,...we have to trick him, and believe me it's a real challenge. When he first started taking Dilantin it was in orange-flavored, liquid form, allowing us to mix it with orange juice (twice a day). Then, after a while, he caught on to that ruse, somehow, and began putting up increasingly strenuous resistance,...we think mainly because it was basically something "we" wanted him to do on a regular basis that he flat didn't want to do for that contrary reason. Anyway, before long he was switched over to the pill form of the same and we had to work out whole new strategies, but it also put us beyond the strictly orange flavored option. In short, we've been through this, that and the other, currently culminating in an infused piece of chocolate-caramel candy for the morning, and a mixture of Dilantin and fudge frosting sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies for the evening dose. Thing is, calcium, as it turns out (as I learned from online research of my own), is a neutralizing antagonist of Dilantin, or else we could put it in a rotation of chocolate milk, pudding, ice cream, morning cereal, mac-n-cheese maybe, etc. Before morning chocolate candy, we were putting in deviled eggs (might go back to that on a rotational basis of some sort). Main thing is, without his meds, Roy goes absolutely Vesuvius, with total emotional/behavioral meltdown! Ie, it's not just about seizures anymore. It's all really hard to guage, anymore, just what works best, and when, or what provokes what. Sometimes I wonder who the heck I might've ticked off in a "past life", LOL! And y'know, sometimes it's not just the meds, it's whatever grievance he may have stuck in his craw. Bottom line: He's our kid and we do the best we can for him, even if it leaves us nearly broke some months. Again,...c'est la vie. :)

Darrin, give you all the credit in the world. I have twin uncles with autism. When I was a kid my grandmother babysat me every day after school so I was with them a lot. Like mentioned before, there were good days and then there were bad ones. I remember that sometimes the smallest little things could set one of them off. Couple smart cookies they are tho! My grandmother can no longer take care of them so they live in group homes now and I dont get to see them much anymore. Sure miss em.

Oh Darrin, That is quite a plate-full! Hugs and all the support I can offer to you and your wife for everything yall do! Have you ever tried doing a weekend respite program? Where someone else looks after the child for an afternoon, or a day or even a weekend to give parents time to just relax.

I need to turn off the computer now... apparently we're having a tornado watch/warning. I'm not worried... I grew up in tornado alley!
~Laura

Hope everyone is having wonderful weather and great gardening days.

BINGO number for today is: O62.

HA! got one!

WOW, as I have been lurking you all have been having a lot of fun. BUT I BEEN BUSY BUSY BUSY. So far I have planted and fertilize my front yard with new grass seed, and planted alot of flower seeds:
Baby breath, bachelor buttons, strawflower, snapdragons, hollyhocks, native asters, foxglove, purple bellflower, chamomile, siberian blue dipnthus, red coreopsis, anthemis, pink musk mallow, mariglods , calendula, not to mention tulip bulbs, and hycinths. Still have morning glory, columbine, Gaillardias,clemantis and several more before it is all over. Converting my backyard to a VERY LARGE FLOWER GARDEN. Not to mention that I already have thornless blackberry plants (30), blueberry plants (3) gooseberry plants (2), and a big bed measures 4 foot by 4 foot rubarb plants, and last but not least raised bed of everbearing straberrys. WHEE I am tired now. The hummers, b-flies, and the bees will love me this year. DON'T HAVE TO MOW MY BACK YARD THIS YEAR TOO

Hello! My name is Deborah, I'm a stay at home mom, and I wanna join in! Sign me up(if it's not too late!!!)! Thanks!

Hi Deborah!.."handing you a cup of tea and some brownies"..welcome!

Hey, I'm Terry from NC. I'd love to join in on the fun! Please count me in!

It's been years since I've been on GW due to family health issues, then the city planted grass seed in my gardens after they took part of our yard for sewer lines. I just haven't been able to concentrate on the yard. But, this year, I'm making it a priority! I want my beautiful yard back! I had some wonderful trade boxes back in 2002 and some of those plants are still living! Yea! I really need to fill in my friendship garden since I lost almost all of my plants due to the grass seed. I'm so looking forward to this!
Terry

Welcome people! Pull up a seat and help yourselves to the snackage. Tell us more about yourself, Deborah, and what kind of plants do you have in your friendship garden Terry?
~Laura

Hello again! Well, I have 4 children, they are 7, 5, 3, and 1, a dog named Shiver, and a guinea pig named Hammie. I live in Northeast Georgia, and we don't have an outdoor space to garden that is safe from the neighborhood kids, so instead of stressing over it, everything is inside. I like to crochet in my spare time(what's that? lol), and the little ones love helping me tend to the many different plants we have. I have 42 plants right now, and my living room looks like a jungle(as my oldest says). I love how airy it makes the room feel. My favorites right now are Jade and Wandering Jew(my daughter has 2 different varieties that she started by herself :)), and my Philodendrons! I have a green philo I started from a baby that is now 4-5 times the size it was a couple of weeks ago. I also got a purple velvet philo in a trade that wasn't rooted, but it seems to be perking up and putting out a couple new leaves, so I think it is finally rooted. I love viney things and things with interesting foliage, like the purple passion or purple velvet plant, or the different varieties of pilea. Whew! That was long! If you'd like to konw anything else, just ask!

Hi Terry! Have some tea and brownies!.."passing brownies along and refilling Deborah's cup"...glad to see some new faces!

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...brownies. =)

OKAY OKAY OKAY I GIVE UP!!! Too much working and not enough socialization with old friends and past time for me to meet some new ones. Sign me up if not too late and the tea and brownies are gone. Time to let my fingers do the walking on these keys instead of all the dirt therapy I have been having. Had a lot of fun last time and I ask myself "why not again"
I'M BACK AGAIN WITH YOU ALL NOW

Welcome Terry, Deborah and Mike. See, Linda didn't even have to bring out the rubber hose! If you want to play BINGO with us email me your mailing address and I'll send you a BINGO card.

BINGO number today is N31.

Another beautiful day today so it's off to the garden for me.

"hiding bush beating stick"..nope didn't even have to beat the bushes this time...okay, putting on coffee, tea, bringing fresh baked chocolate coookies to the table...okay everyone, dig in!!

I sent my address... does that sign me up for a bingo card or do I need to do something else?

BTW I'm Amanda. I am a recent Detroit transplant to middle Iowa for my husband's job(still adjusting!). I am a microbiology student and a nurse's aide at a facility for people recovering from head injuries. I have 2 greyhounds, 1 husky mix, 4 cats, 9 pond fish and 2 big horses. I am super excited to get started on my new garden this year :)

Swappers:
proudgm_03 (Becky)
linkaruzicka (Linda) BINGO card sent
cryptid (Darrin) BINGO card sent
lilangel181 (Laura) BINGO card sent
gladgourd (Gladys) BINGO card sent
veeja11 (Carol) BINGO card sent
domehome (Dee) BINGO card sent
tn_veggie_gardner (Steve) BINGO card sent
indyjoy (Joy) BINGO card sent
smitties (Margo) BINGO card sent
w9yards (Diana) BINGO card sent
missmshell (Michelle) BINGO card sent
adopt_greyhounds (Amanda)
mikey-gardner (Mike) BINGO card sent
lovingmy4babies (Deborah)
gr82bgrammy (Terry)

Lurkers: (Come on, you know you want to!)
sassybutterfly_2008 (Wendy)

Amanda, for some reason I didn't get your mailing address. Email it to me again, please.

Have I forgot anyone? Let me know.

Swappers:
proudgm_03 (Becky)
linkaruzicka (Linda) BINGO card sent
cryptid (Darrin) BINGO card sent
lilangel181 (Laura) BINGO card sent
gladgourd (Gladys) BINGO card sent
veeja11 (Carol) BINGO card sent
domehome (Dee) BINGO card sent
tn_veggie_gardner (Steve) BINGO card sent
indyjoy (Joy) BINGO card sent
smitties (Margo) BINGO card sent
w9yards (Diana) BINGO card sent
missmshell (Michelle) BINGO card sent
adopt_greyhounds (Amanda) BINGO card sent
mikey-gardner (Mike) BINGO card sent
lovingmy4babies (Deborah)
gr82bgrammy (Terry)

Lurkers: (Come on, you know you want to!)
sassybutterfly_2008 (Wendy)

Frost warning tonight. Go figure!

BINGO number today: O69

wow! Nice crowd we have going!..how about scones with the tea and coffee this morning?.."placing scones on table with homemade jelly and whipped butter"

We had a heavy frost warning last night, and when I went to uncover my potted plants this morning I found a mouse-house! I feel kinda bad for moving the pots someplace else and stealing mousey's warm cozy place, but I don't want to have it burrowing next to the base of the building. Maybe I'll give it one more night of warmth though... it's supposed to frost badly tonight too! (I think I'm a softie.)

You're always such the elegant hostess, Linda! *Sets down pitchers of juice and bowls of fruit.* What ever happened to the MNF conservatory (read: bio-dome) though? I had a dream I was laying on the warm moss and chasing butterflies through the native grasses.
~Laura

Hey everyone, just to let you know that this is the big weekend that my son is to be married on. The wedding is tomorrow at 2 and in about two hours, the festivities begin. I will have a house full of people so probably won't be on til Sunday night. I work a more than normal schedule this week coming due to inventory but I WILL get my box off as scheduled, that you can be sure of.

I hope everyone has a good weekend. It is going to be 65 tomorrow and sunny. Much better then the damp cold today.

Margo

Going to have a very busy day tomorrow digging and transplanting crimson red rhubarb. A friend is getting rid of ALL of it and ask me if I wanted it, Of course I said HEAVENS YES. Will be getting plenty of what I call DIRT THERAPY, or just plain old manual labor. Everybody have a very good day tomorrow. Oh by the way Laura, where there is one mouse, they are plenty more where it came from.

Posted by missmshell z4 Carthage,NY (My Page) on Tue, Apr 6, 10 at 9:23

Darrin, give you all the credit in the world. I have twin uncles with autism. When I was a kid my grandmother babysat me every day after school so I was with them a lot. Like mentioned before, there were good days and then there were bad ones. I remember that sometimes the smallest little things could set one of them off. Couple smart cookies they are tho! My grandmother can no longer take care of them so they live in group homes now and I dont get to see them much anymore. Sure miss em.

Michelle,...Totally appreciate your emotional and moral support bunches!! Whoa, twin autistic uncles?! Now there's a sobering eye opener, as it were. Never heard of or even remotely considered twin autistics before! Moreover, to me, the concept verges on inconceivable. That said, not every autistic individual is like Roy. That's why the condition(?), anymore, is referred to as "Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)", aka "Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)," thereby addressing a wide range of perceptual, cognitive and otherwise sociobehaviorally debilitative possible combinations. Some individuals are "high functioning", some non-verbal,...some this, some that. Trouble is, all too often, when you try to explain what the deal is, all too many still seem to be locked into "Oh yeah,...like Rain Man," **shrug** Then, y'gotta go "Yesss,...but," which is actually good, in a way, because it is a way to enlighten those who are actually willing to listen. But, it can also be a bit tedious, and sometimes y'wonder if you actually got through, or if they were just playing be nice to it and it'll go away. **again - shrug** - Anyway, elsewise, with Roy, we've become fairly adept at anticipating what is-or-is-not likely to set him off (commands, demands and probing questions, mostly). Actually, I am generally better than Elly at finessing Roy into behaving properly and doing what needs to be done. Like your uncles, in many (sometimes sneaky) ways, Roy is indeed quite the "smart cookie"! Although we learned, long ago, never to underestimate his potential creative/cognitive capacity, Roy still surprises us at times! For one thing, he's totally wizard at playing video games!

==========

Posted by lilangel181 zone 5 (lilangel181@aol.com) on Tue, Apr 6, 10 at 11:30

Oh Darrin, That is quite a plate-full! Hugs and all the support I can offer to you and your wife for everything yall do! Have you ever tried doing a weekend respite program? Where someone else looks after the child for an afternoon, or a day or even a weekend to give parents time to just relax.

I need to turn off the computer now... apparently we're having a tornado watch/warning. I'm not worried... I grew up in tornado alley!
~Laura

Laura,...Thanks uber muchly for your emotional support!! While respite service has been made available to us, and we seriously considered it, ultimately we chose to decline, for several...

((HUGS)) to you Darrin. Raising a bi polar daughter was challenge (and still is) enough. I can't even imagine how you do what you're doing!

Hello all, happy April!
Looks like rain outside but I still have hope it will clear up. Received my bingo card so I'm in on the fun now too! Hope everyone has a pleasant weekend.
Dee

BINGO number for today is I23.

I fell on the parking lot at school yesterday. Bummed up both knees and am sore as all get out. Won't be doing any gardening this weekend. It's supposed to be nice. Oh well. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Just came in for a glass of iced tea and HURRAY I got my bingo card today.
A big THANK YOU BECKY. Do hope you are feeling better after that nasty fall and both knees are letting you walk around without too much trouble Do hope that everybody gets outside if weather permits this weekend and has a very pleasant one..
Mike

Too windy for any gardening here today : ( Spending the day with logarithms n quadratic equations : ( My brain hurts...

WOW WEE missmshell, I haven't heard those terms since I graduated from high school and found it a little tough figuring out algebra problems. Now that I drive a truck for a living, wonder why I took it in the first place, let alone messing with logarithms and quadratics equations. I read that and did my brain ever go into a spin.. Thanks for sharing..
Mike

Bingo numbers so far:
I 23
G 60
O 62
N 31
O 69
Did I miss any?
How can I only have one number so far?
sniff sniff

Don't worry, I only have one number also... Partners day is coming, partners day is coming! *Hops up and down.* Sorry, I'm rather excitable today it seems,
~Laura

Becky, looks like you ate too many of Linda's special brownies, hope your knees are getting better more bingo numbers I have please. can't wait for partner. big hugs to all carol