Growing tomatoes, goats and rocks!

13 years ago

Yes, I adore tomatoes but also keep pygmy goats which are the worlds best get where they don't belong critters and they have managed to get to the small square foot garden I stocked years ago and gave up. I do have a space out front that gets plenty of sun that will be secured when the plants I just got are ready to go out. Sitting on solid rock! We bent steel fence posts a few years ago trying to keep my lawn mowers in. Got plenty of compost thanks to the goats but not sure that trying to dig a hole will work. I can probably get a hole dug deep enough for these seedlings and maybe go another couple of inches before I hit rock. So just try and plant them like that or go with a container? I have enough space there to move the old square foot stuff in there and will cover the top with a cattle panel to discourage them from jumping in there. Can't move anything outside anyway for at least two weeks. If I do the square garden thing again which worked just fine about 12 feet away from this spot would appreciate any advice as what to use for the potting mixture.

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Comments (5)

digdirt2
13 years ago
Rather than all that digging why not just make a raised bed on top of the area and fill it with the compost and some soil taken from somewhere else? Say 8" deep and that plus the soil under it would give you plenty to work with. Then fence it to keep out the goats. ;)

Dave
timberrt
Original Author
13 years ago
Sounds like a plan. I'll get the old square foot stuff moved, it's made from Trex boards and I can reuse some of what was in there for dirt and also have some other stuff in the back from years ago that should be ready to go. Would you also add something in the bottom for better drainage? I was thinking a layer of perlite or something like that. The original square foot was made with Trex 2 x 10's which we don't make anymore but they have held up well over the years. I only bought 4 bush type plants that are resistant to wilt. Might give me enough room to plant a few more things.
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digdirt2
13 years ago
Would you also add something in the bottom for better drainage?

Don't think it would hurt anything but I probably wouldn't. I'd rather save the $$ for some extra soil amendment goodies for the bed, maybe a drip watering system or some good mulch - something to save me some work. ;) There should be adequate drainage given the soil below the bed I'd think and it can always drain off laterally.

We have a lot of buried slab rock here too with nothing but glacier scrub on top and it still drains well.

Dave

PS: So with your Trex stuff how deep will you be able to make the raised bed?
timberrt
Original Author
13 years ago
I should be able to make it the full 8 inches or 9. Got to looking around yesterday after I got up and I think I have everything here I need. Now I have never grown this type of bush plant before. How much room between 4 plants? The bed would be a 6 foot square. I was thinking a tomato plant in each corner with the middle left for either some type of cucumber plant or some lettuce. It is still to early here to put much of anything outside yet so I can get the rest at a local nursery when it gets warmer.
daryljurassic
13 years ago
Hey timbertt, We are strongly considering getting some pygmy goats and chickens in the next year or so once we fence in an area and get a section of our barn ready. Somebody sells them a few miles from us. Just curious, do you know of any helpful websites? We're new to goats(and chickens). Thx