| Author | Content |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 15, 2012 6:15 AM Post #9333694
| I would love to hear and see pictures of how driftwood has been used in your garden. Thanks! :) |
cytf
Staten Island, NY
November 18, 2012 8:17 AM Post #9336161
| I have used branches to have a pole beans grow up on and also for my morning glory vines. |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 18, 2012 9:00 AM Post #9336185
| Howdy! Glad to hear from you! I have a nice long sturdy piece of driftwood that I am going to use on cut cross branches( from the storm ) for my 4 type buttercup squash seeds I an getting. And a nice tall piece of driftwood in an L shape. The small piece is just right to hang a garden flag on. I found another that I am going to use for bromeliads! I'm turning my backyard from grass to mostly garden! Can't wait for spring!!:) |
kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
November 18, 2012 12:23 PM Post #9336308
| watch the driftwood use. Seems roly poly pill bugs jobs are to eat decaying vegetative matter, and in the abscence of decaying matter, why gardens succumb fast. Keep pieces dry and up off the ground. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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WeeNel
Ayrshire Scotland
United Kingdom
November 18, 2012 1:19 PM Post #9336355
| Think there's a huge difference between true drift wood, and branches that have dropped from trees in a storm recently.
Real driftwood has been weathered for ages as it floats about and then it either sits on the shore drying or we gather it up and dry it off, by that time there are no insects / beetles etc interested in eating, laying eggs or burrowing as the wood is completely dead.
The wood we find fallen from tree's and still what is called GREEN wood, lots of insects / beetles and burrowing wildlife find this wood lovely as a feed, moist for habitat or green enough for other plants to root into as support or mushrooms find this habitat great as it offers dampness, woody pulp as fertilisers for mushrooms and insects that bury / lay eggs and then leave for their hatchling's to create havoc IF we use it in our gardens or porches, remember all mushrooms are not nice one's and some even spread like lace threads and spread to other trees or woody plants and this kills them off,
IF you want to gather fallen wood branches then you would be best to either hang it up in a garage or stack it where air can circulate BUT make a light loose cover (like a tent) to keep rain from making it wet again. sound like a load of work but it really is not and you get nice pieces of wood either bark free or with bark, after a season you can make either supports for plants OR sculptures for the garden, they look nice with say ferns Hosta's etc growing infront, or over the wood. if you place plants in/on the wood use wood chips around the plants to make it more natural.
Good luck, WeeNel. |
kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
November 18, 2012 1:27 PM Post #9336360
| Some driftwood is also treated to lime water treatments, tho I dont especially remember the process, which helps the wood resist stuff. It is just that being there in Staten Island, where you are, be sure of your driftwood choices after Sandy blew thru... |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 19, 2012 2:45 PM Post #9337383
| Hi everyone!
Thank you for your answers!:)
I leave driftwood out on the cement patio to let rain, snow, and the hose leach out the saline from the sea. I never pick up any w the bark still on it. I do know what you mean about bugs getting into the wood.
My fresh wood is from trees taken down by the storm. I'm going to hang these on my fencing to dry out over the winter. I will an occasional bug spray on them. During this time ill see about chopping off the bark. I like about the hostas and fern, but the mulch may attract bugs and mushrooms.
So here's to giving it a good try!
Oh! The squash I mentioned above~ I meant 4types of acorn squash. Ill keep posting on this thread as I work everything out. :) |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 20, 2012 8:46 AM Post #9338046
| Good morning, folks!
I'm adding a pic of piece of wood that I am whittling the bark off of. I figure it will make it easier to see any lil critters as I let it season over the winter for my garden. I am using a paring knife I bought at a dollar store very sharp, pretty tough piece. A hacksaw in some spots, a sanding and it will be finished. A lot of work, but I have all winter!! :D this is what I want!! :)
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
November 20, 2012 6:51 PM Post #9338628
| Looks more like stakes- I always see tree limbs when I go hunting driftwood, go figure. Have fun, chuckl |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 20, 2012 7:34 PM Post #9338694
| Hi Chuckie!
The vampires are gone, so ill be using these as teepee stakes!!! :D I'm also going to crutch them on tree limbs. I hoping they'll pick up a nice weathered look come spring. The little chips I'm adding to my compost tumbler. Hope all my work pays off in keeping bugs off the wood. Thanks! Carol =^•.•^=__? |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 21, 2012 9:32 PM Post #9339571
| Ok! I finished this one and another! Get pics on Friday. I'm really getting the the knack of whittling, and the knife is still pretty sharp! Wish I had thought of this sooner before all the broken trees were carted away. Wonder if my friend who is hosting dinner tomorrow would mind if I whittled?! :D I know she would not be surprised!! XD 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 22, 2012 3:28 PM Post #9340078
| Here's the 2 pieces I have finished. :) 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
November 23, 2012 2:16 PM Post #9340675
| looking good! |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
November 24, 2012 5:18 PM Post #9341531
| Thanks! Finished a third one today, starting on a heavier branch. :) |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
January 13, 2013 9:06 AM Post #9383601
| Hi everyone!
I last posted in November about the wood I am whittling the bark off of to use in the garden. I've finished 4 pieces. Yay me! Tho I had hoped to be more ahead than this. They are abit damp and dirty from lying down to keep them straight. They all have this beautiful light brown patina of the large piece. It's really pretty. 45 outside now, and ill start another today. Thanks for looking! Have a great day! Carol
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
January 14, 2013 6:33 PM Post #9385213
| They do look good. Its been 32* all day for me while I drove from Ohio to Tennessee. thanx for sharing. |
pirl
(Arlene) Southold, NY (Zone 7a)
January 24, 2013 9:57 AM Post #9396066
| This piece was on the beach in January of 2006 but now it's in our courtyard. It's about 8' long (too cold to go out and measure it today!) and totally hollow. I've used it with roses, annuals, perennials and caladiums in different years. 
Click an image for an enlarged view.
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kittriana
Magnolia, TX (Zone 8b)
January 24, 2013 1:35 PM Post #9396322
| Oooooh! That is gorgeous! |
Sailstheseas
Staten Island, NY (Zone 7b)
January 27, 2013 9:34 AM Post #9399067
| WOW! This is a treasure! How did you plant in it? Thanks!
Carol =^•.•^=__? |
pirl
(Arlene) Southold, NY (Zone 7a)
January 27, 2013 9:52 AM Post #9399080
| It's totally hollow so I just put plants on bricks and chunks of wood to get them to the right height. We collect a lot of driftwood out here and I use it in most of the gardens.
1. Pots inside driftwood.
2. Another piece in a garden.
3. A small piece with Eastham (Cape Cod) done in broken clam shells bought on Cape Cod.
4. The bird piece we found!
5. I used this piece to create a boundary. The coreopsis is not allowed to travel beyond it.
Click an image for an enlarged view.
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