Garden thread

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    amtyrell wrote: »
    Easy to start and can provide meal iscut and come again lettuce. You densely sow lettuce seeds and then aboutv6 weeks later start being able to chop it back to 1 inch high. Think fancy spring mix lettuce.
    For sees my favorite online source is migardener.com

    One problem I used to have with lettuce was rain splashing the dirt all over it. I started using straw to mulch strawberries and realized it makes excellent mulch for lettuce as well, and no more dirt splatter! (And less watering.)

    For mulch made from grasses, you want something that was sterilized, so there aren't any seeds that would sprout and defeat a main purpose of mulching - weed reduction.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »

    (snip)

    The biggest issue I have had growing herbs is with cilantro. I planted it two years in a row and we got a June hot spell which made it bolt each time. I gave up.
    (snip)

    It is fast to bolt, for sure, even for me here in the North. I hope it at least grew on enough to give you the coriander seed? Toasted in a cast-iron pan, it's so tasty (aromatic, citrus-y) in rice/grain or mild-flavored veggies like zucchini. Also a staple spice in Indian cuisine. Home-grown has so much more flavor - a flavor not at all like cilantro leaf/plant - compared to anything I've ever gotten commericially. Thinking much of its goodness must be volatiles.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »

    (snip)

    The biggest issue I have had growing herbs is with cilantro. I planted it two years in a row and we got a June hot spell which made it bolt each time. I gave up.
    (snip)

    It is fast to bolt, for sure, even for me here in the North. I hope it at least grew on enough to give you the coriander seed? Toasted in a cast-iron pan, it's so tasty (aromatic, citrus-y) in rice/grain or mild-flavored veggies like zucchini. Also a staple spice in Indian cuisine. Home-grown has so much more flavor - a flavor not at all like cilantro leaf/plant - compared to anything I've ever gotten commericially. Thinking much of its goodness must be volatiles.

    Yes, I collected the seeds. I love coriander, I even have a peppermill with a special mix of black pepper, coriander, allspice, and Szechwan peppercorns. I need to pick through the allspice because some berries are too big for the grinders.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Katmary71 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Gardening is something I can do without being around others, but I have no idea how to get started other than I'd like to plant things I'd like to eat.

    I'm horrible with plants, though. Any suggestions for how to get started and what resists killing? There's so much information out there and it's kind of overwhelming.

    Start with checking your space to see how much sunlight you get and become familiar with your growing zone. Pretty much any vegetable needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily.

    If you are in the US, check the website for the agriculture department of the closest university to you. Many have extensions in various counties. They can give you great advice as to what veggies, or variety of common ones, do well in your area. Pick out a couple of things to try from a local garden center. Start small and build on that.

    I am sure other countries have similar helpful sites to get gardeners started.

    I agree with this, great tips! I've found at one of our local centers (not one of the hardware ones but the gardening centers with healthier plants and more variety) the people that work there love to talk gardening and usually give great tips. I've had an embarrassing amount of conversations with people about plants, no one wants to go with me there anymore! I agree with others about herbs, for the most part they're pretty strong plants. The only one I've struggled with is dill and that's due to aphid infestations. I currently have rosemary, lavender, parsley, tarragon, marjoram, oregano, mint, thyme, chocolate mint, and have basil and thyme in my aerogarden inside, about 30 mixed basil seedlings and 4 sage ones (had old seeds and didn't think they'd grow), plus just started stevia seeds and a few are popping up. Cherry tomatoes are real easy too. I have radishes growing and they grow fairly fast and I don't have to do anything but wait for them to grow.

    Something else I thought of for @clicketykeys See if you have a local garden club. Members are often happy to mentor a brand new gardener and you should be able to find someone to offer advice and even help pick out a space, whether you choose in-ground or start with pots/grow bags. Gardeners love to talk plants and gardens. Even beginners and small scale ones like to talk about whatever they are growing.

    The biggest issue I have had growing herbs is with cilantro. I planted it two years in a row and we got a June hot spell which made it bolt each time. I gave up.

    [snip]

    Yes, cilantro has always been a short-lived annual for me, and I'm just not used to the need for regular replanting/resowing, so gave up as well.

    @clicketykeys - I have a wonderful local facebook gardening group which is just a delight. In addition to advice, we give away extra plants and pots and things.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    last year my cilantro came up all by itself. i see my mint but i do not see the cilantro yet.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    We had such a mild winter my parsley made it and is growing new from the base! Last year it survived until a bigger snowfall that nipped it, guess it was buried too long (dustings would wilt it, but it would survive). Chives are already back and several inches long as well!
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    edited March 2020
    My chives are back too.
  • moonangel12
    moonangel12 Posts: 971 Member
    Going to try rhubarb for the first time, my son really likes the jams and jellies my uncle makes with it so I figured it would be worth a shot (good way to stretch other pricier ingredients as well)... bonus that it’s a perennial! (For some reason I didn’t know that until recently)
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,449 Member
    I am so happy I just made a salad for lunch with garden lettuce, radishes, and italian dressing made from home grown herbs. It makes me happy.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    mbaker566 wrote: »
    last year my cilantro came up all by itself. i see my mint but i do not see the cilantro yet.

    Ya, my cilantro-self seeded itself one year, but the basil hid the seedlings, which I found when I harvested the basil before a frost. I dug up the cilantro seedlings and tried to winter them over inside, but promptly killed it :lol:
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    We had such a mild winter my parsley made it and is growing new from the base! Last year it survived until a bigger snowfall that nipped it, guess it was buried too long (dustings would wilt it, but it would survive). Chives are already back and several inches long as well!

    Parsley is actually a biennial plant so second year growth is common if the roots aren't dug out.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    Anyone else live in zone 9?

    Besides citrus, what fruit trees do you find the most productive and low maintenance?

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
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  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,568 Member
    Where's my 'Wow' reaction? XD
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,449 Member
    edited March 2020
    Ladyreva lettuce is pretty easy you want to sow rather dense and do cut and come again