Pearly's RF outdoor enclosure in Texas

[Pearly]

Hey guys, I'm starting this thread in hopes of attracting some feedback with ideas and building tips, as I'm NOT by any means handy (God help me!!!) nor am I physically strong. Persistent/tenacious PIA is what I am and I promissed my daughter we'd have the babies spend few hrs outside daily by this summer and by golly, we will. Now I just need to make sure the place is safe, escape/predator proof, and free of anything that they could eat and get sick from it. so back in Winter I started tearing down the 3 raised beds that I had here for my children. the enclosure plot, view into the part of my backyard. there is and edged flower bed that wraps around the house. I'm thinking now of using it for my babies' run. Eventually will make their enclosure bigger and bigger. and view from the backyard. there were 2 big oleander bushes there by that big window... The are gone. I've already started bringing new plants in

 

[Pearly]

Hello again! Gotta put all those pics on this thread bfr my husband uploads the iPhone and iPad, I take too many pictures (apparently!!!!) and it "clutters the device memory... )
Home Depot had pretty interesting edgers, much nicer looking than cinder blocks. And... They put them on sale couple of days ago!!!!
I made 4 trips to Home Depot in my car with little trunk, loaded/unloaded everything myself and brought it to the backyard!
this is what they look like.
and this is kinda what it's going to look like.
I just put them down without leveling/digging or anything. I will do all that little bit every time I get opportunity.
While I work the babies can spend time there with me without me having to watch them every second of every minute.
One layer would be enough, but for young bored determined tortoise... Who knows? So I'm doing two layers.
I'll start planting the area as well at this same time.
Very excited!!!

 

[Rue]

Nice yard. Lots of possibilities!

The digging will be the hardest (would be for me), to bury wire or wood...

***edit

I didn't see the blocks! Very nice ...if you 'bury' those, that would save some digging, or maybe be easier to dig in and have straight.

Er...don't you have your own phone/computer for phots? Just curious. Hubby and I keep our own albums...easier that way.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey guys, I'm starting this thread in hopes of attracting some feedback with ideas and building tips, as I'm NOT by any means handy (God help me!!!) nor am I physically strong. Persistent/tenacious PIA is what I am and I promissed my daughter we'd have the babies spend few hrs outside daily by this summer and by golly, we will. Now I just need to make sure the place is safe, escape/predator proof, and free of anything that they could eat and get sick from it. View attachment 170625 so back in Winter I started tearing down the 3 raised beds that I had here for my children.View attachment 170626 the enclosure plot, view into the part of my backyard. View attachment 170628there is and edged flower bed that wraps around the house. I'm thinking now of using it for my babies' run. Eventually will make their enclosure bigger and bigger. View attachment 170627 and view from the backyard. View attachment 170629 there were 2 big oleander bushes there by that big window... The are gone. I've already started bringing new plants in

your house is lovely!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hello again! Gotta put all those pics on this thread bfr my husband uploads the iPhone and iPad, I take too many pictures (apparently!!!!) and it "clutters the device memory... )
Home Depot had pretty interesting edgers, much nicer looking than cinder blocks. And... They put them on sale couple of days ago!!!!
I made 4 trips to Home Depot in my car with little trunk, loaded/unloaded everything myself and brought it to the backyard!
View attachment 170630this is what they look like.
View attachment 170631and this is kinda what it's going to look like.
I just put them down without leveling/digging or anything. I will do all that little bit every time I get opportunity.
While I work the babies can spend time there with me without me having to watch them every second of every minute.
One layer would be enough, but for young bored determined tortoise... Who knows? So I'm doing two layers.
I'll start planting the area as well at this same time.
Very excited!!!

I really like using blocks like that because you can plant trailing succulents inside them and it really dresses up your little 'fence.'

 

[Pearly]

Nice yard. Lots of possibilities!

The digging will be the hardest (would be for me), to bury wire or wood...

***edit

I didn't see the blocks! Very nice ...if you 'bury' those, that would save some digging, or maybe be easier to dig in and have straight.

Er...don't you have your own phone/computer for phots? Just curious. Hubby and I keep our own albums...easier that way.

Nah! I don't bother with electronics or cars other the USE them. My husband does the upkeep
Everybody in my house has their own PC, iPad and iPhone. My husband keeps all of them working for us.
I was not going to burry anything in the ground. Been told and read that RF's don't burrow, and in almost a year of keeping mine I've never seen them did other then making a little dip in substrate or moss to nestle in.

I was planning on just laying the blocks and the only digging I'd have to do would be to level the ground for them.

My soil is next to impossible to dig without heavy digger equipment. We are on the edge of Texas Hill Country which sits on the bedrock of limestone....

Beautiful area, but impossible for me to till/turn/amend/aerate the soil. That's why I'm doing this 1/2a$$ gardening where things just HAPPEN with very little human intervention and no planning

 

[Pearly]

your house is lovely!

Thank you Yvonne. It was already under construction (someone who was building it had to change plans at the last minute) back in 1996 when we had to pack up and leave our home in Boca Raton, FL. I didn't really want to leave my family and friends for the second time. Already done a big move to the US from Poland back in 1989. But ended up falling in love with Texas and the people here

 

[Pearly]

I really like using blocks like that because you can plant trailing succulents inside them and it really dresses up your little 'fence.'

That's exactly the plan! Filling the spaces with compost (it has to retain water in Texas heat) and plant trailing herbs and succulents! My daughter also wants to decorate (paint maybe? The outside of the wall) I'll let her! Those are her pets. She can do whatever just as long as this helps her bonding closer with them

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you Yvonne. It was already under construction (someone who was building it had to change plans at the last minute) back in 1996 when we had to pack up and leave our home in Boca Raton, FL. I didn't really want to leave my family and friends for the second time. Already done a big move to the US from Poland back in 1989. But ended up falling in love with Texas and the people here

...and the southern accents! When Maggie travelled to Texas last week, I talked to a couple of Texans on separate occasions because she was having phone problems and borrowed folks' phones. It was all, "Ya'll and ma'am and instead of 'ing' it was 'in'" My son moved his family to Texas about 10 years ago and my granddaughter (in her 20's now) has that Texas drawl too.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

IMO you won't have to dig down.
Correct.
I like that the top block slightly overlaps because little Redfoot CAN climb. A lot.

 

[Rue]

...

I was planning on just laying the blocks and the only digging I'd have to do would be to level the ground for them.

My soil is next to impossible to dig without heavy digger equipment. We are on the edge of Texas Hill Country which sits on the bedrock of limestone....

Beautiful area, but impossible for me to till/turn/amend/aerate the soil. That's why I'm doing this 1/2a$$ gardening where things just HAPPEN with very little human intervention and no planning

We have awful soil...almost pure sand, and saline to boot. I call it the acreage of death. So it's not so bad to dig...but it won't grow anything I want to grow. I'm trying raised beds now...and filling with 'good' soil. See what happens. Our water also isn't great. I don't know how much that contributes to our gardening issues...

Good thing for tortoises that certain edible weeds luv it here...

And since I have a Polish branch of the family: Dzień dobry!

...however most of my Polish I picked up listening to my Aunt talk to her chihauhaus...lol...

 

[Yvonne G]

We have awful soil...almost pure sand, and saline to boot. I call it the acreage of death. So it's not so bad to dig...but it won't grow anything I want to grow. I'm trying raised beds now...and filling with 'good' soil. See what happens. Our water also isn't great. I don't know how much that contributes to our gardening issues...

Good thing for tortoises that certain edible weeds luv it here...

And since I have a Polish branch of the family: Dzień dobry!

...however most of my Polish I picked up listening to my Aunt talk to her chihauhaus...lol...

When the leaves fall instead of tossing them or burning them, put them into your sandy flower beds and dig them in. Eventually you will have a nice, rich soil instead of sand.

 

[Rue]

Thank you! I'm open to all suggestions...

As I get into my little bit of gardening this year...I'll post some pictures of our place. I'm sure there are solutions out there...but we are having a hard time finding them. Even xeriscaping isn't the answer...

And back out East...I had a beautiful garden. Gorgeous tea roses...Gingko tree...so yes, I can garden. But this little patch of hostile nature we live on...whole 'nother story...

Mulching has really been the only thing that's made a visible difference. We are due for a whole load of fresh mulch this year...

 

[Jacqui]

I love that your doing curvy, rather then straight. I agree with seeing no need to do any digging in.

 

[Pearly]

...and the southern accents! When Maggie travelled to Texas last week, I talked to a couple of Texans on separate occasions because she was having phone problems and borrowed folks' phones. It was all, "Ya'll and ma'am and instead of 'ing' it was 'in'" My son moved his family to Texas about 10 years ago and my granddaughter (in her 20's now) has that Texas drawl too.

Accents are big part of my life. Even in my small native Poland people in different regions had different accents. Florida was full of them from snowbirds and cuban/haitian immigrants, and now it's "ya'll and ma'am"... And, I had never left my strong foreign accent. Glad to know you have family in this beautiful state of Texas I call home

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Accents are big part of my life. Even in my small native Poland people in different regions had different accents. Florida was full of them from snowbirds and cuban/haitian immigrants, and now it's "ya'll and ma'am"... And, I had never left my strong foreign accent. Glad to know you have family in this beautiful state of Texas I call home

Maybe we need an accent thread.
I have a mild South Carolinian...And I'm nuts about English "type" accents.
(It was recently pointed out to me that they differ throughout the U.K.)

 

[Pearly]

Maybe we need an accent thread.
I have a mild South Carolinian...And I'm nuts about English "type" accents.
(It was recently pointed out to me that they differ throughout the U.K.)

Yes, it may be a great idea to have an "accent chit chat" in this far reaching community.

 

[Pearly]

plants ready for the tortoise garden. Still looking for some taller shade plants. I'll be planting as I go with placing/leveling the edging stones. Oh joy! My poor back!

 

[Pearly]

Hello again! Gotta put all those pics on this thread bfr my husband uploads the iPhone and iPad, I take too many pictures (apparently!!!!) and it "clutters the device memory... )
Home Depot had pretty interesting edgers, much nicer looking than cinder blocks. And... They put them on sale couple of days ago!!!!
I made 4 trips to Home Depot in my car with little trunk, loaded/unloaded everything myself and brought it to the backyard!
View attachment 170630this is what they look like.
View attachment 170631and this is kinda what it's going to look like.
I just put them down without leveling/digging or anything. I will do all that little bit every time I get opportunity.
While I work the babies can spend time there with me without me having to watch them every second of every minute.
One layer would be enough, but for young bored determined tortoise... Who knows? So I'm doing two layers.
I'll start planting the area as well at this same time.
Very excited!!!

@NDevon, I think you were interested in following the progress of my work

 

[jaizei]

Maybe we need an accent thread.
I have a mild South Carolinian...And I'm nuts about English "type" accents.
(It was recently pointed out to me that they differ throughout the U.K.)

I was surprised when I found out the same about Spanish/Mexico. Like they can tell where someone is from; and some parts of Mexico don't like others. In retrospect, it makes sense when you think about the different accents in the US, but I never thought about different/local accents in other languages.