Hey, I want to try digging up a veggie patch with a 4-wheeler! Sounds like a blast.

Be sure to site your garden well away from any trees, though. Tree roots invading will give your plants less and less water and food until they give up altogether. The trees will reach out to all that great food and drink, like it's a gourmet buffet.

As a guideline, the root system of most trees extends further out from the trunk than the branches reach. Oh, and trees keep on growing for years and years . . .

Actually, using a four wheeler probably isn't such a good idea since it will probably just compact the soil. And make a mess.

abhege said:Actually, using a four wheeler probably isn't such a good idea since it will probably just compact the soil. And make a mess.

Sorry...sounds like fun, but

I actually cringed at even the thought of it, especially now when the ground is undoubtedly wet.

>> Sometimes it gets me in trouble because I tend to see the humor in things that others do not.

Yeah ... you know you're in trouble when someone frowns and says
"THAT's not FUNNY!"

Might as well give up and agree with them, because they won't change their mind.

RickCorey said:
I drool every time I go to those websites. But the shipping charges for a box big enough to hold 11"x21" trays are high, and I have all need for this decade, so I try to curb the shopping impulse.

Weedwhacker said: You can pretty much find the same kind of stuff on Amazon, with free shipping for orders over $35 (I think that's the amount).

Thanks, I never hunted the Amazon for seedling trays.

However, I found a local "wholesaler" to nurseries and farmers, so I tend to go there now. I get to fondle each gadget before buying it, and I can buy onesies if I want. Now I know whether a tray is going to too flimsy to use for two years, or solid enough that it will outlive me.

And speaking of seedling trays, my standard nursery trays have a bad habit of getting damaged or developing pin-hole leaks (BAD trays! Couldn't possibly be MY fault for crunching them!). So I tried a can of that spray Flex-Seal stuff. Works great for fixing those small leaks! And you can buy it at Wal-Mart.

I figure that these flimsy 1020 trays have almost NO strength so I try to remember to keep something under them to help support the weight, before I move them or lift them. Maybe only a sheet of corrugated cardboard.

I keep planning to buy a 4x8 panel of cheap wood paneling. I could cut that up into `16 1'x2' sheets, and give each 1020 tray its own support system.

That would also keep the tray from abrading when it rubs against a rough surface, like if I take it outside to harden something off.

dyzzypyxxy said:Hey, I want to try digging up a veggie patch with a 4-wheeler! Sounds like a blast.

HA ha!! It does, doesn't it!! lol.

dyzzypyxxy said:Be sure to site your garden well away from any trees, though. Tree roots invading will give your plants less and less water and food until they give up altogether. The trees will reach out to all that great food and drink, like it's a gourmet buffet.

Uhhh... that might be a problem because we have trees EVERYWHERE. But the space I have in mind has full sunlight all day, except on cloudy days. LOL!!

The red line is the general vicinity of where Id like to put the garden.

dyzzypyxxy said:As a guideline, the root system of most trees extends further out from the trunk than the branches reach. Oh, and trees keep on growing for years and years . . .

Well, I reckon we'll be building raised beds then.

abhege said:Actually, using a four wheeler probably isn't such a good idea since it will probably just compact the soil. And make a mess.

I don't think the four-wheeler is going to be a factor since tree roots are going to prevent me from putting the garden in the ground. I KNOW!! The back of my pickup is loaded with compost. Maybe I'll just plant the seedlings in there. Then I can move the truck around so it's in the sun!

RickCorey said:I figure that these flimsy 1020 trays have almost NO strength so I try to remember to keep something under them to help support the weight, before I move them or lift them. Maybe only a sheet of corrugated cardboard.

I keep planning to buy a 4x8 panel of cheap wood paneling. I could cut that up into `16 1'x2' sheets, and give each 1020 tray its own support system.

That would also keep the tray from abrading when it rubs against a rough surface, like if I take it outside to harden something off.

I used a cookie sheet to move mine! lol!! I used what I had on hand at the moment. Hmmm... the sounds familiar.

Okay everyone.. I have to confess that my husband was just joking about the four-wheeler. One of the strengths of our marriage is that we joke around and laugh a lot! Anyway, he was planning to use the tiller, but I told him we should probably build raised beds, not only because of the tree roots, but also considering the quality of our soil, I mean red clay, it's probably not a bad idea.

Tori, did you mean that my name sounds familiar?

There is a Peter, Paul and Mary song, as well as a poem by Edward Arlington Robinson, titled "Richard Cory" (sp).

However, they could not have been talking about me, because THEIR Richard Cory was "Tall, and imperially slim".

Also, "And he was rich—yes, richer than a king"

http://www.bartleby.com/104/45...

The song was written by Paul Simon, and recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their album "Sounds of Silence".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Hmm ... I had forgotten all about "the orgies on his yacht". I was never invited to those!

Raised beds are great, and you'll certainly have better soil that way, but - arrgh - the tree roots will still find their way to the water and goodies in those raised beds eventually. I'd start out with maybe 4 beds right in the middle of the open area there, as far from the trees as you can get.

Don't forget to make them narrow enough so you can reach to the middle of the bed without stepping into the bed. We made our raised beds at the school garden 4ft. x 8ft. and the little kids couldn't reach, so we put in two more that were 3ft. x 10ft. and they're much better for everyone!

RickCorey said:Tori, did you mean that my name sounds familiar?

There is a Peter, Paul and Mary song, as well as a poem by Edward Arlington Robinson, titled "Richard Cory" (sp).

How interesting -- there's an old western movie, "The Missouri Breaks," where the first person to die (by hanging) is named "Sandy Chase"... which just happens to be my "maiden name"

The novel or series of novels called "Nine Princes In Amber" starts with a mysterious figure waking up from heavy sedation in a psychiatric hospital with total amnesia ... named "Corey".

As he keeps remembering things like his being a Prince and having magical powers and superhuman strength, agility and sneakiness, I kept thinking: "YEAH! when is MY amnesia going to go away?!?"

RickCorey said:Tori, did you mean that my name sounds familiar?

Wow, that was a blast from the past! Actually, what sounded familiar was that someone else had said something about using what they had on hand. Sorry for the confusion. =]

dyzzypyxxy said:Raised beds are great, and you'll certainly have better soil that way, but - arrgh - the tree roots will still find their way to the water and goodies in those raised beds eventually. I'd start out with maybe 4 beds right in the middle of the open area there, as far from the trees as you can get.

We have plenty of tree roots!!

dyzzypyxxy said:Don't forget to make them narrow enough so you can reach to the middle of the bed without stepping into the bed. We made our raised beds at the school garden 4ft. x 8ft. and the little kids couldn't reach, so we put in two more that were 3ft. x 10ft. and they're much better for everyone!

Great idea! Thanks!

Weedwhacker said:How interesting -- there's an old western movie, "The Missouri Breaks," where the first person to die (by hanging) is named "Sandy Chase"... which just happens to be my "maiden name"

What did she do that they hung her?!! Yikes!!

<a lightbulb flashes on over my head> Maybe you could 'encourage' your DH to ride his 4-wheeler around the veggie patch on a regular basis. It might tear up the soil and compress the tree roots which would slow them down from invading your veggie garden area . . . a win-win??

Looks like a rather rural area. Do you have deer and rabbits around? You also may need a fence in that case or the critters will be the only ones enjoying the fruits of all those seedlings.