Starting from scratch!-Now I'm Excited!

[mrbstephens]

I spoke with my father in law about irrigation. We have a pump for well water that was turned off and right now the house is connected to city water. I'd like to irrigate with the well water so we'll have to see if the pump still works, then run a line out to the garden area.

What irrigation system do you all like? I'm thinking drip irrigation. Not sure if it's expensive or hard to set up.

 

[Joel_BC]

I'm supposing (maybe incorrectly) that the main issue is the residue from the pitch. If this is the issue, then I'd think that a woodburner that ensured high combustion heat and the maintenance of heat through the flue and chimney would be what is required.

Yes, the pines produce a lot of sap that would cause a chimney fire.

So... You've looked into all the current woodburning designs and found no option?

I think there are at least several people here who are very up-to-date on this sort of technology - moreso than myself. So, if you're uncertain, you might want to start a new thread on this topic specifically.

 

[mrbstephens]

I'm supposing (maybe incorrectly) that the main issue is the residue from the pitch. If this is the issue, then I'd think that a woodburner that ensured high combustion heat and the maintenance of heat through the flue and chimney would be what is required.

Yes, the pines produce a lot of sap that would cause a chimney fire.

So... You've looked into all the current woodburning designs and found no option?

I think there are at least several people here who are very up-to-date on this sort of technology - moreso than myself. So, if you're uncertain, you might want to start a new thread on this topic specifically.

Thanks! Never thought about it really. I just assumed it couldn't be burned in an indoor fireplace.

 

[Denim Deb]

One thing you're going to want to remember w/your garden, in all probability your soil is very acidic due to the pines and the oaks. That's typical of this type of soil. So, you may want to get it tested now, and put down some lime to help raise the pH level.

And yes, ground hogs love cantaloupe. That's how we caught one last year. I'll be putting hardware cloth all along the one side of my garden this year and putting electric along the top of the fence-they will climb.

 

[hqueen13]

Oh yes they do climb! I saw one IN a tree a while ago!!

So you put hardware cloth around it, Deb, and then electric on top? What about the possibility of them going under it? And does that help with rabbits?
I am trying to figure out how I am going to protect the tiny garden we are going to have this year, and we've got all manner of critters that will want in!
The groundhogs will get removed if we can help it, they chewed our cable line under the house once, and that is all it took... I've seen a fox hanging around in the woods behind the yard, which since I don't have chickens, I am totally ok with! I'd rather he get fat on the groundhog than me just have to move him around!

 

[Denim Deb]

I haven't done it yet, I'll be doing it as soon as I have the time-and if it ever stops raining. And, I'll be putting the hardware cloth in the ground a few inches. We have chain link around the yard, and on the woods side, we get both rabbits and ground hogs coming under the fence. So, I'll be digging down a few inches to put it in. I tried using some plastic stuff B4, and it didn't last. And, I tried using chicken wire. It rusted out. So, I'll try the hardware cloth.

 

[hqueen13]

Please do keep us posted!! I am very interested in knowing how that works!

 

[TheMartianChick]

Maybe we go against the grain, but we do burn pine in our fireplace insert and haven't had any problems. The pine has to be properly aged and should never comprise the bulk of what you are burning. Also, the temperatures of the fires that you burn make a difference in the amount of creosote that is built up. In order for the blower to kick on, the fireplace insert has to get pretty hot. Hot fires generally do not create a lot of creosote. The cooler fires are the ones that cause the problem. A cool fire is one in which you are trying to make the wood last as long as possible..like overnight.

We often use scraps of lumber that have been discarded to get the fires good and hot. When we order firewood from our usual supplier, we usually get mostly hardwoods with some (15% or so) pine pieces thrown in. We only buy wood that has been aged for at least a year and we usually order it 6 months before we need it, so it has an extra half year to further age.

As for the groundhogs... If you manage to kill one or see a dead one on the road, put it someplace that is highly visible (like outside one of their holes!). I killed a young one last year with a garden hoe and laid the carcass out on top of the compost pile for a few days. All of the adults avoided my yard for the rest of the season. This summer, they came back. I may have to try the cantaloupe in a trap in the spring.

 

[mrbstephens]

One thing you're going to want to remember w/your garden, in all probability your soil is very acidic due to the pines and the oaks. That's typical of this type of soil. So, you may want to get it tested now, and put down some lime to help raise the pH level.

And yes, ground hogs love cantaloupe. That's how we caught one last year. I'll be putting hardware cloth all along the one side of my garden this year and putting electric along the top of the fence-they will climb.

Yes, that's a rule of thumb for anyone living on Long Island. The soil is acidic and sandy. Pretty much anyone with a garden/lawn knows to lime every couple of years or so. This groundhog thing is totally new to me. I moved only 5 miles away from our first home and now we're dealing with wildlife I'd never dealt with before.

 

[mrbstephens]

Maybe we go against the grain, but we do burn pine in our fireplace insert and haven't had any problems. The pine has to be properly aged and should never comprise the bulk of what you are burning. Also, the temperatures of the fires that you burn make a difference in the amount of creosote that is built up. In order for the blower to kick on, the fireplace insert has to get pretty hot. Hot fires generally do not create a lot of creosote. The cooler fires are the ones that cause the problem. A cool fire is one in which you are trying to make the wood last as long as possible..like overnight.

We often use scraps of lumber that have been discarded to get the fires good and hot. When we order firewood from our usual supplier, we usually get mostly hardwoods with some (15% or so) pine pieces thrown in. We only buy wood that has been aged for at least a year and we usually order it 6 months before we need it, so it has an extra half year to further age.

As for the groundhogs... If you manage to kill one or see a dead one on the road, put it someplace that is highly visible (like outside one of their holes!). I killed a young one last year with a garden hoe and laid the carcass out on top of the compost pile for a few days. All of the adults avoided my yard for the rest of the season. This summer, they came back. I may have to try the cantaloupe in a trap in the spring.

We don't have an insert, but my husband is really good at getting the fire really hot. We get hardwood for burning and mix in scrap wood from my husband's work (he's a cabinet maker). I'm going to have to talk to him about burning the pine. I'm also wondering about having some of it milled up. We could use some nice wood floors in the bedrooms!