It doesn't look much like Spring outside, but birds are checking out the gourds and other houses so it won't be too much longer maybe till we can get out and dig in the dirt....As I went to get the paper this morning I noticed the buds of the hybrid daffodils were laying on the ground....but the old timey buttercups buds were standing up fine . I had to take a closer look, because cheek to jowl with those 'buttercups' was one of the sweet smelling little jonquils I thought had been lost forever already bl;oomed , lying on the mulch....It's wee bulb must have been tucked in with Mama's buttercups and has taken years to mature enough to flower..Or is it just a little 'hello' from Ma ? Awhile back I wrote an article about growing plants in containers , etc,and thought I would print it again in case we have new readers or forgetful people ! I added a bit...*grin* We have a big garden but don't use most of it so last week I got some rolls of black plastic to cover the unused area and plan to make planting holes here and there and plant gourds, punkins, melons, cukes, etc and just let them ramble. Beats mowing, I think, and if it's doesn't work out, not much loss. I was thinking I needed to prop up the plastic in an arc behind the holes to funnel rainwater coming down the gentle slope....Maybe use stacks of newspaper or flattened tin cans ? Bermuda grass is a curse, so can't use bare dirt ...Plus hubby hates to mow it and refuses to till it. *grin* Needs must....Any ideas to share ? We already have one area covered with plastic...the width of one of those big rolls....Put two rolls end to end..We set up a planting bed in the middle....cut out the plastic after several months and hauled in dirt to fill half of it and are working on making dirt in the other end with scraps, clippings, etc.... Since many of you live in the mountains or have little gardening space I thought you might get some good out of this article I wrote recently when someone asked me how you'd go about gardening or raising plants on rock, shale and clay . Theres several things you can do , such as ; Haul in woods dirt from the nearest place and make planting pockets among the rocks...Look around and see where weeds and grass are growing ... root them out and put in flowers or veggies...Grow vining veggies on trellises made of sticks wired and nailed together . Hook strings to nails on poles , buildings or trees if there is enough sun,and train beans up the strings...Or cukes, gourds, morning glories...etc. You can grow a lot of things in boxes of woods dirt.... You can buy bags of dirt and plant things right in the bag...Potting soil is best, but cheaper top soil or compost will work. Just lay it on the side where you want it to stay , make some slits around the bottom for drainage, and cut X's in the top to set out tomatoes, whatever...You'll have to keep it watered....Cover with leaves or other mulch to look better..If you embed some rag strips in the bottom before you set the stuff out, you can run that strip down into a jug of water mixed with a little fertilizer....Just re fill the jug when empty...Have a series of bags or 5 gal buckets of dirt in a row...walk along with the hose and water them all at once...Don't want to use a wick, just make a little hole in one side of the bottom of a milk jug, and set it at the base of your plant or bush...The water will drip out slowly and not be wasted....Mulch with anything that has ever been alive...shredded paper, old hay, leaves, grass clippings you have dried first...newspapers torn in strips....Tear them from top to bottom, with the grain of the paper...{Think it don't matter ? Try it...paper towels are the same way.} You CAN use whole sheets of newspaper , but must weight them down good... Set a few vegetables among your flowers if you have limited space...A border of carrots, onions, or strawberries looks pretty...Set clumps of asparagus in your flower beds....when you are through cutting for the summer it will grow into an airy beautiful plant..Grow garlic around your roses...helps them and is handy to dig when you need it...Rainbow Swiss chard is pretty growing, as are beets...Radishes left alone will get huge and grow tall plants with dainty pink or purple flowers on them. The seed pods taste just like radishes, and are mild flavored...They will keep growing and blooming till frost, usually... My cousins who live on a farm tried growing tomatoes, egg plant, etc. in a series of buckets and were well pleased with the results...The dirt out of them can be mixed with mulch and fertilizer and used again...OR , you can dump it all on a place you want to build up dirt....stack the buckets and start all over again next year. You could even paint the buckets, I guess...You could line those plastic milk crates with heavy plastic and use that...One cousin planted cucumbers in a childs plastic sand box...or you could use wading pools with a hole for drainage. All the grass underneath will be killed out...so don't set it in the middle of your lawn ! You can make your own dirt by hauling in bags of discarded leaves, spoiled hay, weeds, ,etc....If you can get the tree trimmers to dump their load of chips....Just mix with nitrogen fertilizer to break down the fibers and some dirt ...This works better the second year the chips are there..Sawdust is good,{ Again, use some nitrogen fertilizer to break it down }.. hen house debris...rotted manure ...Lawn services must dump the bags of grass clippings...If your place is closer than the dump.....well ! Your County extension agent might be able to help youfind sources ...Haul sand from a handy creek to mix with that clay...Also till in lots of leaves, sawdust, whatever...Garden on the shares with a neighbor...Wish I had someone to do that with...Have a big garden and just keep it mowed..Garden in corners here and here ... Oh me, I've made myself tired with all this work ! Gonna pour myself a big glass of tea and rest awhile ! Jeannie T ************************************************************************* *****