my hubby will be glad when i tell him i do not want sand anymore,,,,after hearing you say that your garden was hotter now,,,your garden looks sooo lovely now,,so green and happy,,,congrats on a good year
Getting the extra heat is a real plus. The garden looks cleaner and brighter. It means that the shape and design of your veggie lots will stay put for some time. With wood chips, you could make changes more easily. Your garden has come a long way and looks great.
Am planning on replacing all mulch in our backyard adjacent to our sidewalk around our pool with sand due to my neighbors' trees and all the leaves there are to contend with and to eliminate having to replace it especially when it gets removed with the leaves. Am hoping to be able to vacuum and mulch the leaves once the sand is in place because the mulch always jammed the vacuum/mulching machine. Have started gradually adding sand here and there as a test and have even added it around a small bed of plants and have little to no weeding to do! Am also installing small wood pathways to avoid having to walk in the sand too often :)
I put down wood chips in the fall but when it came time for spring planting I scraped up the crumbled material for potting soil. Then I got a bunch of brown leaves (even though it was spring) and mowed them and put them on paths where the wood chips had been. They didn't last long, and now I have hard, slippery mud paths. I slipped and hit the ground the other day, so I threw down a board at that spot. Haha. Went looking for more leaves at the neighbors' curbs, didn't find any.
Good summary Greg. I was wondering if you were still satisfied with the sand decision. BTW as you took us thru the garden I was impressed with how productive it looks, as well as how large it actually is. I know you have often said to us "The plants don't care", but you have a really good looking garden.
maybe a few layers of cardboard before the sand to kill of the persistent weeds?? (like vetch- not sure how to spell that. lol). i'm layering down cardboard in my walking paths and i've found that i have no weeds except the edges where they come through. Very interesting that the slugs won't go near the sand... which makes sense since it essentially little bits of jagged and sharp rock. Really great insight into this. the fact that it increases heat and holds it is amazing!!!
Yes, a layer of cardboard would have helped with that at least for this season. The whole garden got that treatment initially - but the outer edges are always a problem because things migrate in from the outside meadow. It's really not a big deal. A few minutes here or there is all it takes to manage it.
Maritime gardener I saw a plot that the exterior had been completely been bordered with comfrey. The shade of the birder prevented weed intrusion. I was amazed, and the comfrey leaves make great mulch material, as well!
I've had to have several ticks removed. I went with 12"x12" pavers to try and discourage gophers. This year I have volunteer zinnias and California poppies growing in the cracks. I need to go pull a few of those.
That's the problem with pavers - the cracks get weeds and the roots never come out of the cracks. But I suppose with gophers you don't have a lot of options :)
I was always curious about the sand after watching many of your videos. Perhaps my next trip to the beach for seaweed I will get some sand too! Thanks Greg!
I live in Florida, on the coast, my yard is completely sand. I got Lyme's disease a few months ago (which I cured within 2 weeks completely naturally) and two of my neighbors have Lyme's. So there's still plenty of ticks in sand, unfortunately. But the good news is it's more cureable than we're told. Antibiotics are the common treatment from the doctor, but natural antibiotics are so much more effective and no decrease of tolerance or side effect .
They can live near the plants & grasses that grow in sand - but a sand pathway devoid of plant life is pretty risk free. Regarding your claim that you cured it yourself in 2 weeks using "natural" antibiotics; if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get lyme disease, I'll stick with my doctor thanks.
I was wondering how the sand paths seem to be working with slugs, voles, mice, moles & weeds now that it’s been 2 years. I’d love an update video. I’m in AL. We are hot, but not as hot as FL, where my sister did pavers around her beds. My garden is about your size. I’m thinking about trying this as I have all those pests mentioned above and incredible weed trouble. I tried mulch and even with weed block and 4” of mulch, the weeds won by the spring of the next year after putting it down and the mulch had totally decomposed. The voles and moles used the covered mulched paths as a covered highway to the garden bed. I had sand delivered for our barn floor 2 years ago. What is left of the pile only has weeds in the edges where it’s an inch thick. The center 3-4 inches is weed free still with zero maintenance. The grand kids play there every month or so and the cats mostly leave it alone. I have to irrigate or water my beds anyway, so I don’t think the sand will make my wood sided sandy loam natural soil beds drain any faster than they are with the black weed block fabric I have that the moles and voles freely tunnel under where the cats can’t catch them. How about pulling wagons or wheelbarrows on it?
You could try making a 1by2 foot screen with 1/4inch hardware cloth and 2by4s. Pass you ‘dirty’ sand through it and the ‘dirt’ - pieces of wood, wood chips etc. - will be sifted out :)
Interesting! We don't get ticks here in NZ (and hopefully never will), but I wouldn't mind some extra heat in my garden - I'm near the coast and up a hill, so mist and clouds are a thing. Getting some heat so I can grow some other things would be nice - so sand will go on my 'get when I have funds and an exact spot to put it' list.
Catherine McNamara We do have ticks here in NZ. I can remember when growing up in Northland, seeing them on a friend’s dog. They were fat and swollen with the dog’s blood. I haven’t seen them since.
Can you push a wheelbarrow through your garden if you have sand as a mulch? When I was a teenager, I got my car stuck on a sandy beach one day. The car sunk in the sand. If I have a heavy load, will my wheelbarrow sink in the sand? Does the depth of the sand increase the sinking risk? And, does the depth of the sand make it harder to push a wheelbarrow? Is the sand better as a base when it is wet or dry?
I think I have. I just pull anything that doesn't belong. Some things are more tenacious than others so you need to be even more tenacious :) I might spend 5 minutes a week dealing with weeds thing time of year.
I've never had them but BTK is supposed to sort them out. There's links and a coupon code in the descriptions box if you want to buy it from one of my sponsors
Remove them with you hands. Use a glove if you are squeamish. Then throw them on the driveway, street, woods (if you have woods) or anywhere else away from you garden. Some other life form will come around and eat it or they will die. You can also throw them in a large jar filled 1/4 full of running alcohol. They will die quickly that way.
Pretty good - but remember, here I'm not using it as a mulch in my gardens, but rather as a mulch for my walking paths, where water retention isn't the goal. That said, my herb garden, which is mulched with sand, never gets watered, and the soil never seems to dry out.
Sand ticks are from the beaches. But the sand you got for the path looks great. Here in the Mojave desert we have dog ticks or deer ticks but i call them sand tick. Sorry i was not clear in my text. I guess there are ticks everwhere. Love your channel.
my hubby will be glad when i tell him i do not want sand anymore,,,,after hearing you say that your garden was hotter now,,,your garden looks sooo lovely now,,so green and happy,,,congrats on a good year
Thanks
I can’t stop staring at that sun. So pretty. I never would have thought of using sand. This is really neat.
Thanks :)
Have a great evening Mr and Mrs Maritime Garden!
You too thanks :)
Getting the extra heat is a real plus. The garden looks cleaner and brighter. It means that the shape and design of your veggie lots will stay put for some time. With wood chips, you could make changes more easily. Your garden has come a long way and looks great.
Thanks!
Am planning on replacing all mulch in our backyard adjacent to our sidewalk around our pool with sand due to my neighbors' trees and all the leaves there are to contend with and to eliminate having to replace it especially when it gets removed with the leaves. Am hoping to be able to vacuum and mulch the leaves once the sand is in place because the mulch always jammed the vacuum/mulching machine. Have started gradually adding sand here and there as a test and have even added it around a small bed of plants and have little to no weeding to do! Am also installing small wood pathways to avoid having to walk in the sand too often :)
This is the same thing I have considered. Were you able to vacuum up the leaves the way you though you would be able to?
I put down wood chips in the fall but when it came time for spring planting I scraped up the crumbled material for potting soil. Then I got a bunch of brown leaves (even though it was spring) and mowed them and put them on paths where the wood chips had been. They didn't last long, and now I have hard, slippery mud paths. I slipped and hit the ground the other day, so I threw down a board at that spot. Haha. Went looking for more leaves at the neighbors' curbs, didn't find any.
Your garden always looks lovely, Greg. And living so far north, the thermal properties of the sand definitely outweigh any negatives.
Good summary Greg. I was wondering if you were still satisfied with the sand decision.
BTW as you took us thru the garden I was impressed with how productive it looks, as well as how large it actually is. I know you have often said to us "The plants don't care", but you have a really good looking garden.
Thanks Chuck. Yes it's a hot summer for sure and everything is growing well.
maybe a few layers of cardboard before the sand to kill of the persistent weeds?? (like vetch- not sure how to spell that. lol). i'm layering down cardboard in my walking paths and i've found that i have no weeds except the edges where they come through. Very interesting that the slugs won't go near the sand... which makes sense since it essentially little bits of jagged and sharp rock. Really great insight into this. the fact that it increases heat and holds it is amazing!!!
Yes, a layer of cardboard would have helped with that at least for this season. The whole garden got that treatment initially - but the outer edges are always a problem because things migrate in from the outside meadow. It's really not a big deal. A few minutes here or there is all it takes to manage it.
Maritime gardener I saw a plot that the exterior had been completely been bordered with comfrey. The shade of the birder prevented weed intrusion. I was amazed, and the comfrey leaves make great mulch material, as well!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your experience with the sand mulch so far.
Your garden looks great. I like the look of the sand. I hope one day mine is as tidy looking as yours.
Toads are so good for the garden! They eat all the bad bugs! We encourage them here in Nevada!
Agree!
What a great idea. So glad it's working well for you. 🤗
Your gardens look awesome Greg!
Thanks
I've had to have several ticks removed. I went with 12"x12" pavers to try and discourage gophers. This year I have volunteer zinnias and California poppies growing in the cracks. I need to go pull a few of those.
That's the problem with pavers - the cracks get weeds and the roots never come out of the cracks. But I suppose with gophers you don't have a lot of options :)
I was always curious about the sand after watching many of your videos. Perhaps my next trip to the beach for seaweed I will get some sand too! Thanks Greg!
You should!
I live in Florida, on the coast, my yard is completely sand. I got Lyme's disease a few months ago (which I cured within 2 weeks completely naturally) and two of my neighbors have Lyme's. So there's still plenty of ticks in sand, unfortunately. But the good news is it's more cureable than we're told. Antibiotics are the common treatment from the doctor, but natural antibiotics are so much more effective and no decrease of tolerance or side effect .
They can live near the plants & grasses that grow in sand - but a sand pathway devoid of plant life is pretty risk free. Regarding your claim that you cured it yourself in 2 weeks using "natural" antibiotics; if I'm ever unfortunate enough to get lyme disease, I'll stick with my doctor thanks.
Your garden looks beautiful 😍 I like the sand...
Thanks so much
Very informative. Thanks
You're welcome
I was wondering how the sand paths seem to be working with slugs, voles, mice, moles & weeds now that it’s been 2 years. I’d love an update video. I’m in AL. We are hot, but not as hot as FL, where my sister did pavers around her beds. My garden is about your size. I’m thinking about trying this as I have all those pests mentioned above and incredible weed trouble. I tried mulch and even with weed block and 4” of mulch, the weeds won by the spring of the next year after putting it down and the mulch had totally decomposed. The voles and moles used the covered mulched paths as a covered highway to the garden bed. I had sand delivered for our barn floor 2 years ago. What is left of the pile only has weeds in the edges where it’s an inch thick. The center 3-4 inches is weed free still with zero maintenance. The grand kids play there every month or so and the cats mostly leave it alone. I have to irrigate or water my beds anyway, so I don’t think the sand will make my wood sided sandy loam natural soil beds drain any faster than they are with the black weed block fabric I have that the moles and voles freely tunnel under where the cats can’t catch them. How about pulling wagons or wheelbarrows on it?
Great idea for a video thanks !
You could try making a 1by2 foot screen with 1/4inch hardware cloth and 2by4s. Pass you ‘dirty’ sand through it and the ‘dirt’ - pieces of wood, wood chips etc. - will be sifted out :)
..and then screen my entire garden? A rake seems to do the job good enough for me :)
Interesting! We don't get ticks here in NZ (and hopefully never will), but I wouldn't mind some extra heat in my garden - I'm near the coast and up a hill, so mist and clouds are a thing. Getting some heat so I can grow some other things would be nice - so sand will go on my 'get when I have funds and an exact spot to put it' list.
Right on - good luck :)
Catherine McNamara
We do have ticks here in NZ. I can remember when growing up in Northland, seeing them on a friend’s dog. They were fat and swollen with the dog’s blood. I haven’t seen them since.
@@kathrynkidd7828 Interesting. I'm in Wellington, and never heard of them here. Northland is very different in terms of environment though.
Swapping the wood-chips with sand because of ticks...
Gets sandworms.
Be careful dude... be careful :D
"He who controls the Spice, controls the universe!"
The sun beams look like a pyramid cool look
Totally by accident, but thanks anyway :)
Can you push a wheelbarrow through your garden if you have sand as a mulch? When I was a teenager, I got my car stuck on a sandy beach one day. The car sunk in the sand. If I have a heavy load, will my wheelbarrow sink in the sand? Does the depth of the sand increase the sinking risk? And, does the depth of the sand make it harder to push a wheelbarrow? Is the sand better as a base when it is wet or dry?
It seems to be ok. Not as easy as woodchips, but its manageable.
Have you ever had to deal with bindweed? What's your thoughts on getting rid of it in raised vegetable gardens?
I think I have. I just pull anything that doesn't belong. Some things are more tenacious than others so you need to be even more tenacious :) I might spend 5 minutes a week dealing with weeds thing time of year.
Nice video,i have gotten 7 tomato horn worms on tomatoes,whats your suggestion?
I've never had them but BTK is supposed to sort them out. There's links and a coupon code in the descriptions box if you want to buy it from one of my sponsors
Remove them with you hands. Use a glove if you are squeamish. Then throw them on the driveway, street, woods (if you have woods) or anywhere else away from you garden. Some other life form will come around and eat it or they will die. You can also throw them in a large jar filled 1/4 full of running alcohol. They will die quickly that way.
Interesting!
How would sand be compared to woodchips in terms of moisture retention ?
Pretty good - but remember, here I'm not using it as a mulch in my gardens, but rather as a mulch for my walking paths, where water retention isn't the goal. That said, my herb garden, which is mulched with sand, never gets watered, and the soil never seems to dry out.
Be careful there are sand ticks, too.
What is a sand tick?
Sand ticks are from the beaches. But the sand you got for the path looks great. Here in the Mojave desert we have dog ticks or deer ticks but i call them sand tick. Sorry i was not clear in my text. I guess there are ticks everwhere. Love your channel.
Thanks.
Stinking RUclips unsubscribed me from your channel.
That's crazy! Thanks for letting me know about that. It wasn't me that's all I can say :) Please re-subscribe!!!