Hey Token!

I'm going to try to keep total containers (perennials and annuals) to less than 1000 this year - so as long as you are over that you should have more than me. 560 containers have been sown so far. That leaves me 440 to play with.

Most of what's left to do is hardy annuals, but with a few stray perennials and tender annuals in there too.

I am very ready to be done with sowing for good. Time to settle in and enjoy the growing instead. Well, of course I'll still need to save every seed and direct sow that up in the hills - but that's different. :)

Lynda

Hey Lynda:

When you say you will save seed and direct sow up in the hills (in goatland), this brings up a question I've been meaning to ask. Since your cow and goats are so effective at land clearing, mainly by eating everything within reach, how will you protect your plants in goatland?

Won't the animals view the new plants as a wonderful, non-prickly salad bar and tuck into the feast, leaving nothing?

How will you prevent your efficient land-clearers from continuing to do their jobs? Inquiring minds ...

Pam -

The goats and Connie do eat a lot, but they don't everything to the ground. Things that aren't their favorites have a chance to naturalize.

They don't touch the native pawpaw trees so long term we will have a very impressive pawpaw orchard here.

Years ago I sowed a ton of bulbs out there, and there are a couple types of daffodils that they don't like much. Those ones survived and are slowly spreading.

I should have a good chance of getting pyrethrum daisies established out there eventually. Mint family types should also have a chance - the goats eat them, but in moderation and they spread well enough to survive. Lemon balm is not a goat favorite - I've got a couple of them out there that have survived for several years.

As long as I have a ton of seed being produced in the main garden I should be able to sow it by the bucket full in areas of goatland - and then we'll see what happens. :)

Lynda

We will want pics eventually. I wonder if your goats and connie have similar taste to deer. In the mean time good luck with your buckets of seeds.

I know you've thought this out. You observed goat food preferences, and developed a plan that has a decent chance of success. I admit to worrying ... several goats and a huge number of tasty treats.

I cannot imagine having buckets of seed (or handfuls).