I found a couple catalog sources, and did not know, until today, that mandrel beets get quite long-- 2 or more feet! Anyway, I am considering putting out the money, and buying seeds for different forage crops, and planting in tubs. I Guess I will be buying a couple garbage cans for the beets!!!! So, comfrey, lambs quarters, different forage grasses, clovers, etc-- all for the bunnies, and some nice stuff for me, as well-- greens, strawberries, raspberries, etc..(I can turn the garbage cans into very large strawberry planters-- hmmmm throw some dandelions in on top, should be an interesting potted garden collection---

Terry, I still have those seeds for you... plantain, shepherd's purse and catnip. I really must get my act together and put them in the mail.

I made strawberry planters out of 15g pots by drilling lg holes in the sides (using a hole saw bit). It didn't work very well. If you do that to the trash cans, I would suggest putting small pots in the holes at an angle (even Solo cups would work), and planting your strawberry plants in those. Personally, I'd cut the bottoms of pots or cups off completely to allow the roots to spread easily.

MamaSheepdog, yes-- a strawberry pot does not work well unless there are little cups/wells for the plants---I was thinking of useing metal cans, cutting 'flaps'. pulling them down at an angle, then using scrap metal to make sides for the little plant spouts... I wopn;t buy a strawberry pot that doesn't have the little cups on it-- they just don;t work right, otherwise!!!

I guess I'm not the first one to try that then! About 1/3 of the plants did okay, but the others lost too much dirt over the top of the roots.

I don't know how hot it gets in Ohio, but metal can heat up too much and burn the leaves and/or roots of the plants. Are you on good terms with any of your local nurseries? I got my 15g pots free from a small hardware chain from the head nursery man, and he said they frequently give away the small pots, but rarely part with the large ones. I bet you could get the 4" pots for free, and they would be easier to work with than cans.

tually, MY Aid's fella works at a nursery in the summer-- he goes bac to work in February-- somaybe, yes, I'll be getting some containers--

If i paint the metal trash cans white, they will be far cooler in the soil area than if I use a plastic container--and the handles will make them easier to move about-- I am slo thinking of Muck Buckets, but they wo't be deep enough for the mandrel beets.

It never occurred to me that you were using metal cans- aren't plastic ones less expensive? You might even be able to get those free if you put the word out to friends and neighbors- we have a couple with cracked bottoms that are semi-retired and used to store our aluminum cans.

In any case, painting them white is a good idea. Isn't it funny how we dream and plan for spring in the winter when we can't plant?

I think that has to do with HOPE!!! Otherwise, we would get so depressed, possibly driven to murder---Yeah, I may be stuck in the city, with a small patio area, but I gotta plant stuff!!! I gotta grow stuff!
I found most plastic cans do not have a good enough grip for me to handle...and if one starts cutting holes in them, they will lose a LOT of sidewall strength...

I'm blessed with a good south window, so this fall we potted up a half dozen Swiss chard plants in a plastic dishpan and I am growing wheatgrass in another dishpan. It certainly doesn't provide much for the rabbits, but it is a green nibble now and again. Marilla appreciates the wheatgrass and also weeds my herb pots of any stray volunteers of catnip. It's not much but it does remind me that winter is not forever... just feels like it.

If you happen to have extras, I need some! That other lady never sent any to me, even though I sent her an SASE and emailed her several times.....

I have lots of south windows... and they're all shaded by two giant Live Oaks...

Down your way, Miss M, I'd think the shade would be welcome. I don't know how you cope with the heat in summer. Do live oaks keep their leaves all year or drop them in the fall?

Live oaks are 'evergreen' and the leaves are not even 'oak' shaped!!! come to think of it, even Swamp oaks havean elliptical leaf--
Funny thing, those 'evergreen' oaks, rhododendrons, etc-- yes, they keep the leaves-- but in the spring, new leaves push the old ones off!!!

For good browse plants you will get a better assortment if you go to the seed companies that specialize in wild animal forage rather than garden seed catalogs. This is a good company to start with.
http://www.greenharvest.com.au/seeds/po ... orage.html

Oh, we definitely welcome the shade! I was just chuckling because y'all were talking about sunny south windows for growing things.

I could probably grow the stuff outside, actually... we haven't had much of a winter so far. A few days in the 50s, a few nights around freezing, and the rest of the time, it's been in the 70s.

Live oaks are actually any oaks that have leaves all year long. There is a particular species called "Southern Live Oak". Terry's right about the leaves; they don't have the typical oak leaf shapes, instead being small and somewhat elliptical, and can be quite narrow.

The new spring leaves push the old leaves out, so they replace all their leaves pretty much at once, and yet are never not green. Gorgeous, majestic things... love them with the Spanish moss hanging from the limbs...