The Coffee House

smoke665 · Mar 25, 2018

Gary A. said:
There is a definite line in the cross section of the soil,

I've just about given up on planting fruit trees here. Of the 6 I planted 10 years ago, only 3 remain, and only one of those is actually doing well. Getting the hole right seems to be the biggest issue. If you don't get it big enough that you can add enough good soil, the clay acts like a bowl and holds water. Not big enough and the roots don't have room to expand, because the clay is super hard in the summer when it drys.

SquarePeg · Mar 25, 2018

Gary A. said:
@smoke665: Okay, Gary just read the article. The only and big difference between my yard and the experiment, is Gary has to replenish the water, as the evaporation it is not captured for recycling. But on the flip side, my yard's energy requirements must be significantly less. While Gary isn't growing hydroponically, he is growing most of his veggies in pots with a drip system which is quite efficient water-wise. Gary does use biological filtration for the pond and doesn't use any chemicals for water balance. Gary does want a few chickens for slug & snail control, but the boss keeps vetoing his schemes.

Keeping chickens is popular here in our city. Lots of them go missing, presumably to the coyotes that are getting more prevalent every year. I wouldn’t want to have anything on our property that would attract predators. Also, chickens smell and are so gross. Ever been to a poultry farm? Yuck. I’m with Marylou in this one.

Gary A. · Mar 25, 2018

smoke665 said:
Gary A. said:

There is a definite line in the cross section of the soil,

Click to expand...

I've just about given up on planting fruit trees here. Of the 6 I planted 10 years ago, only 3 remain, and only one of those is actually doing well. Getting the hole right seems to be the biggest issue. If you don't get it big enough that you can add enough good soil, the clay acts like a bowl and holds water. Not big enough and the roots don't have room to expand, because the clay is super hard in the summer when it drys.

Generally, out here, you gotta dig a hole at least twice the size of the container. Dunno about your soil being too compact for roots to grow through, as you seem to have pine trees aplenty. Most likely you nailed it with drainage. Some deep root watering via a deep root watering system would keep the clay moist in summer.

Gary A. · Mar 25, 2018

SquarePeg said:
Gary A. said:

@smoke665: Okay, Gary just read the article. The only and big difference between my yard and the experiment, is Gary has to replenish the water, as the evaporation it is not captured for recycling. But on the flip side, my yard's energy requirements must be significantly less. While Gary isn't growing hydroponically, he is growing most of his veggies in pots with a drip system which is quite efficient water-wise. Gary does use biological filtration for the pond and doesn't use any chemicals for water balance. Gary does want a few chickens for slug & snail control, but the boss keeps vetoing his schemes.

Click to expand...

Keeping chickens is popular here in our city. Lots of them go missing, presumably to the coyotes that are getting more prevalent every year. I wouldn’t want to have anything on our property that would attract predators. Also, chickens smell and are so gross. Ever been to a poultry farm? Yuck. I’m with Marylou in this one.

I grew up in an agricultural community, plenty of chicken farms around. Not a flock of chickens, just one or two ... train 'em to use the doggie door and it should be alright. :cool-98:

smoke665 · Mar 25, 2018

Gary A. said:
train 'em to use the doggie door and it should be alright.

Know of a woman who keeps a rooster in her house. I grew up on a farm, but I hate chickens, sorry.

On the clay. The pine tree has a central tap root that's like a giant spike. Think it could penetrate rock, as apposed to other trees which have smaller roots that spread out. The red clay here is very solid dry, close to 500 kPa load bearing, but add moisture and it expands to become quick sand. When we built the house we had to float the foundations on a bed of compacted rock.

tirediron · Mar 25, 2018

SquarePeg said:
...Also, chickens smell and are so gross. Ever been to a poultry farm? Yuck. I’m with Marylou in this one.

Not true at all. Like pigs and most other animals (and more than a few people I know), animals are a product of the conditions in which they're kept. If you give a pig a nice clean area to live with a dry, covered sleeping area, and sufficient food, other than some minor instinctual rooting, they will be just as clean and pleasant smelling as a dog. Likewise, chickens kept in small numbers in clean conditions will be no more odoriferous than any other bird. Factory-farmed birds smell because they get essentially zero care and generally live in utterly deplorable conditions.

SquarePeg · Mar 25, 2018

Yes, I was referring to a large poultry farm which I guess is not what Gary has in mind for his patio. Still, would not be something I would want running around while I was trying to enjoy some leisure time on the back deck.

tirediron · Mar 25, 2018

SquarePeg said:
Yes, I was referring to a large poultry farm which I guess is not what Gary has in mind for his patio. Still, would not be something I would want running around while I was trying to enjoy some leisure time on the back deck.

Two words: "Shake" and "''n Bake"!

snowbear · Mar 25, 2018

tirediron said:
SquarePeg said:

Yes, I was referring to a large poultry farm which I guess is not what Gary has in mind for his patio. Still, would not be something I would want running around while I was trying to enjoy some leisure time on the back deck.

Click to expand...

Two words: "Shake" and "''n Bake"!

or "stir fried"