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Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 4:43 pm
by MsCowpea
I did this for couple years but strictly raised bed now.
(Pool filled with potting mix, homemade compost, organic fertilizer)

You can either plant transplants.

Or direct seed (next post)

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 4:48 pm
by MsCowpea
This is broadcasting the seeds. (my preferred method)
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Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 4:58 pm
by MsCowpea
couldn't resist showing you ' Northern Folks' what miniscule pest problems you have. I emptied these pools and came back to this. Iguanas LOVE LOVE LOVE lettuces and greens.
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Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:14 pm
by Nan6b
Do you drill holes in the bottom of the pool for drainage?

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:42 pm
by MsCowpea
Yes, drill lots of holes. Make sure it has good drainage. I also liked it up on pallet or table but this is not necessary.
I got them off season for $3.00 so I could even double them, again not necessary. I have used them both ways. But they are too flimsy to drag around filled with mix. I have also used children’s sand boxes. They are very study.

Once you cut your greens, experiment with regrowth, but I found regrowth irregular and preferred to just pull and refresh the box and reseed or replant.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:07 pm
by Ginger2778
MsCowpea wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 5:42 pm Yes, drill lots of holes. Make sure it has good drainage. I also liked it up on pallet or table but this is not necessary.
I got them off season for $3.00 so I could even double them, again not necessary. I have used them both ways. But they are too flimsy to drag around filled with mix. I have also used children’s sand boxes. They are very study.

Once you cut your greens, experiment with regrowth, but I found regrowth irregular and preferred to just pull and refresh the box and reseed or replant.
Where do you get the kiddy pools? I've been looking for them.
We are about to eat some of your fabulous greens when we eat in a few minutes.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 6:41 pm
by Ginger2778
We just finished dinner. I can honestly say that I have never in my entire lifetime tasted better greens than yours Elaine. They were absolutely perfect. Now I'm going to have to try your technique because I'm spoiled!

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 7:29 pm
by MsCowpea
Thank you Marsha, makes all the hard work worth it.

But what you need is a raised bed. Can't you squeeze one in someplace? A teeny, tiny place Maybe 2 or 4 feet by 6 or 8. Could even be part shade. Or you saw that I have those round raised beds where I picked the lettuce. I think
raised beds are easier than containers but this may be just me. Or try both!

When I was into pools, which was quite a few years ago , I would pick them up at the end of summer. Containers are great if you don't have the space for a raised bed though.

This pic is a long time ago, but it shows the sandboxes. I bought one and then saw the identical one in someone's trash. Yippee. The one on left is conventional fertilizer, the right organic.
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Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:32 pm
by eyegrotom
For years I had a Kiddie pool that at first I grew greens in. Then melons, I also had a old laundry sink that I used for carrots. Now I have all raised beds. Mike

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:36 pm
by AZGardener
I planted some peppers in a kiddie pool last year. It was an experiment that worked ok, not well enough to do it again. Now that it's empty I am going to try your greens method [mention]MsCowpea[/mention] . Thank you for the idea, I like it.
[mention]Ginger2778[/mention] I found my kiddie pool at Walmart. HTH

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:42 pm
by Ginger2778
AZGardener wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:36 pm I planted some peppers in a kiddie pool last year. It was an experiment that worked ok, not well enough to do it again. Now that it's empty I am going to try your greens method @MsCowpea . Thank you for the idea, I like it.
@Ginger2778 I found my kiddie pool at Walmart. HTH
Wal Mart. Thank you, good to know and it did help. I'm looking for one for the summer so my Labrador can cool off, even if I never use it for gardening.

[mention]MsCowpea[/mention] MsCowpea, your property is just dreamy! Thank you so much for the visit. [mention]Barb_FL[/mention] you gotta come down and see it.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:29 pm
by Barb_FL
It looks great. Are those iguana's real? I did the kiddie pool thing a couple of times. Actually I had 2 pools. Walmart has them outside for $10. At first I did lettuce which was successful, then strawberries, and finally I tried using it with the root pouches for wicking; one pool for tomatoes and the other for melons. There was a guy on you-tube promoting it years ago.

Besides the kiddle pool, I made a tulle room, I use to collect the wooden pallets and grow tomatoes one them so the root pouch always had quite a bit of air on the bottom so try truly did air prune. I did this for a couple of years. After a year, those pallets would start breaking down badly. But I continued to raise all Root Pouches - broke down the bunny cages and placed them on bricks.

My raised beds were in such poor shape this year that I covered all of it with weed barrier this year and am letting the mix settle. I have a new one that is only 4*4 but the others were in a horseshoe 12 * 16 * 12 (all 4 feet)

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:52 pm
by pondgardener
[mention]Barb_FL[/mention]
Your comment about using the kiddie pools for wicking, growing melons in one sparked my interest. I assume you used grow bags or something similar. And just one plant per bag or container?

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:25 pm
by Barb_FL
pondgardner wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:52 pm @Barb_FL
Your comment about using the kiddie pools for wicking, growing melons in one sparked my interest. I assume you used grow bags or something similar. And just one plant per bag or container?
Yes, I used Root Pouches (felt like fabric bags). One plant per bag. I totally gave up on melons later on though (caterpillars).

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:38 pm
by pondgardener
Well, I have a large patio area laid with pavers in full sun which would seem ideal to put a kiddie pool with a few grow bags to grow melons, as there is ample room for vines to spread. And I have at least 5 or 6 of the felt-like bags, at least 10 or more gallon capacity.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:28 am
by MsCowpea
Barb, unfortunately the iguanas are real. Little ones are as bad as the adults and they are harder to fence out.I had 4 pools but put them by the water side of my property. I put fencing around them but still had to move them to a distant part of my lot away from water. No problems there except for peacocks.🤪

I can honestly say I don’t have any problems with them now. They are in my neighbors yard sometimes 5 or 6 lounging in the sun. South Florida is overrun with them as we haven’t had any freezes to kill them.

My peacock population has decreased too. Just see one or so-don’t know where they all went but good riddance. I was thrilled when they first came , so incredibly beautiful, but then I planted my garden and battled them for years. I had to fence in the greens section something I never had to do.
(Barb, if you are ever down here , come with Marsha for a look around.)

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 9:43 am
by TheDante
Elaine, I am still bemused, amused, speechless, gobsmacked, flabbergasted, aghast (think you can imagine my reaction) by those iguanas in your garden. Not sure how my cats would really react to them! Cat food or iguana food? :lol:

Btw, would it be alright with you for me to share some lettuce and greens pictures in your thread too? I am dying to show them as well. I was lettuce crazy for 2 years, sowed and planted oooooodles of them (especially after our visit to Charles Dowding´s garden) :lol: And they are soooooooooooooo pretty.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 3:06 pm
by MsCowpea
share some lettuce and greens pictures in your thread
For you Karen, absolutely!! Share away.

My cats steer clear of them and I believe they are total vegetarians but they will bite if cornered and their bite is supposed to be nasty. I am completely grossed out by them. I once had a border collie who basically ‘herded’ a huge one on the driveway. Mollie was never trained with sheep or anything, just working on instinct. If the iguana stepped forward Mollie ran around to keep it from moving forward, the iguana would then step this way and that and Mollie would keep running around and block any movement. Only when I called Mollie off was the iguana able to run off.

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:47 am
by TheDante
oh wow Elaine! Those iguanas remind me of the infamous Komodo dragons. And I do believe these can even kill a human being. Sounds like Mollie was a trooper! :D

Ok, imma gonna share tons of pics from seed sowing to mature plants. You will see a lot of similarities from Charles work too. I remembered I harvested about 150kg (330 pounds) worth of salads from March to September. Was a lot of work - harvesting and washing them. The salads are pick and come again, like what Charles does as well. Wasn´t worth the effort, the locals aren´t huge fans of salads! :roll:

Re: Greens and Lettuces in Kiddie Swimming Pool

Posted: Wed Jan 08, 2020 5:53 am
by TheDante
ok here goes, gonna post pics to death! :lol:

Lettuce seeds sown - btw, I now cover a very thin layer of potting mix when I sow lettuce seeds and not leave them entirely exposed - works better this way and with plenty of vermiculite too. Lettuce seeds detest soggy conditions.
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