How does your garden grow????

Poison5119

Okay, my friends, I'm curious --- are you planning to grow anything this year in your backyard? If so, gimme your details if you have any.... size, what your growing, and even if you don't really have much of a backyard, are you going to use XL patio planters to maybe put up a tomato plant or two???

I LOVE to garden, I am still eating butternut squash from last August when I pulled about twenty 11lb fruits from my garden -- looking forward to planning and growing this summer - in a much bigger version of last year (a remarkable growing year even though my garden was only 14'x14!' !!!). I think that every year that I work with the land I have, I learn somthing new about the art of Gardening and I was born to do it!!!!

This year, I'm planning 14x22 ft, and I'd love some cabbage, a broccoli or two, acorn and/or summer squqsh, 2 tomato plants, green peppers, spinach and lettuce, and possibly some green beans and carrots......

who knows what else will end up in there - it remains to be seen, but I derive most of my summer entertainment and recreation out of gardening... chime in, it's been a too long winter!!!!! xoxox

lovemyboys27

I usually grow cucumber, red peppers (although the last 2yrs nothing has come of the plants, bummer), tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, green and yellow beans, raspberries, strawberries, asparagus... And this year I'd like to plant squash.

My garden is only about 3 feet from the fence and about 13 feet across... Not very big but we get a lot of stuff from it anyhow!



ETA: Forgot about my rhubarb!

kcdrake

I would love to plant a garden but I live in apartment and have no yard to myself. I know that I could do a kind of window-garden on my patio but I have no idea what kind of plants would do well in that.
Does anyone have any resources they would suggest to me for that?

shinybonnie

I have a huge space for a garden, but no gardening skills whatsoever! Last year was the first year I was able to produce anything - two large cherry tomato bushes that did GREAT! Each of the prior 5 years, everything I tried failed. The difference last year was that I finally bought plants that were pretty much already established. That, and I was able to keep my dog out of the garden. But even though my two tomato plants survived and flourished, here is what died right away:
peas
carrots
lettuce
squash
basil

I live in a very dry climate with LOTS of hot hot sun and no humidity. I have very little shade in my garden. I was thinking of rigging some tarps to make shady areas because my plants whither in the sun.

I would LOVE to grow cabbage and squash!

But I think this year, I will definitely go with tomatoes. I will also buy lettuce, squash, and basil plants.

I'm very excited to get started!!

Does anybody compost?

shinybonnie

oh yeah, i forgot Strawberries on that list of failed crops from last year.

bennettv

While I would LOVE to have time to garden myself, I just don't. I have a farm membership (check our the Local Harvest website for more information). I do grow strawberries and have a peach tree. When we build our deck (hopefully this year) I plan to plant rhubarb, asparagus, blueberries and an herb garden. I've done herbs in the past, but only currently have chives and thyme. I have started planting the herbs in the perennial garden, they look pretty and produce nicely.

I do compost a lot. With the farm membership in the summer and a fruit and veggie co-op in the winter we have a lot of kitchen scraps. I've done a worm bin in the house that did very well, but I'd rather compost outside in the winter so in the fall I dumped the bin into the regular compost bin. The worms seems to like it and have lived through a few winters. We pay for trash by the bag so composting really cuts down on what we put in the landfill.

I also buy a lot of fruit from local farmers in the summer. I make jam for the kids and freeze it. I am loving having fresh tasting cherries, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries in smoothies in February in Michigan!

pmjsmom

I would love to plant a garden but I live in apartment and have no yard to myself. I know that I could do a kind of window-garden on my patio but I have no idea what kind of plants would do well in that.
Does anyone have any resources they would suggest to me for that?

Here are some good sites to help you start:

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/ContainerVeggie.htm

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/ContainerVeggie.htm

For years I grew veggies and fruits in containers but this year I actually have a small piece of yard that I get to plant! I'm SO excited! My first real garden in over 20 years!

PinguimPraiero

I am starting a garden of sorts sprouting beans and seeds in my kitchen. I didn't buy any fancy supplies except for a low thread count gauzy-like ktichen towel. I just use spare jars and rubber bands I found around the house.

Right now I am growing sesame seed, sunflower seed, and soybean sprouts!

spritie

its summer here at the moment

we are growing tomatoes, lettuce, rhubarb, parsley, basil, chives, mint

we recently had kale and english spinach

I also harvest rosehips and lavender to make into tea, but thats not really a specific crop, they are just there and can be used.

and once we did corn, backyards are not made to grow corn.

PinguimPraiero

My back yard gets virtually no shade. I have good fertilizer from my brother's homemade compost bin!

Any recommendations for what will grow in direct sun light? Rosemary and chilis seem to be the only thing I can grow there. I live in the southern hemisphere, for what it may be worth. Any ideas would be great!

sssrip

:flowerforyou:

shinybonnie

My back yard gets virtually no shade. I have good fertilizer from my brother's homemade compost bin!

Any recommendations for what will grow in direct sun light? Rosemary and chilis seem to be the only thing I can grow there. I live in the southern hemisphere, for what it may be worth. Any ideas would be great!

I have the same problem as you! My tomatoes did great last year, but everything else withered under the blistering sun.

upsy

Its a winter here, but i have cherry tomato plant on one windowsill (and its producing tomatoes all the time, self-fertilising) and greens on other (radishes, dill, parsley, lettuce, thyme, peppermint, chives). Def will plant more in greenhouse.

♥Faerie♥

I always have herbs growing, and plan to expand my garden this year. I have rosemary and lavender that are still growing from last year! So I will be planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, maybe some type of pea, and lots of herbs!
Will also have a lot of flowering plants as I am starting my beehive this year, we just built it this weekend and can't wait to get some honey bee's in it!

TheMaidOfAstolat

The two plants that I'm very lucky to have in my yard are my blueberry bushes and blackberry canes! I can't imagine paying the prices that most people do. I also have a fig tree, crab apple (very tasty jelly), a veg garden-everything from squash, peppers, peas, beans, radishes, lettuses, and carrots. I also have herbs everywhere!-most of which are medicinal not culinary. I am hoping to get a meyer lemon tree this year and see what I can do with that. I also grow pansies, daylilies, lavender, violets, and nasturtiums for the edible flowers.

Oooh-I forgot to mention that I have a bat house-the little darlings are my main source of mosquito control. :bigsmile:

♥Faerie♥

The two plants that I'm very lucky to have in my yard are my blueberry bushes and blackberry canes! I can't imagine paying the prices that most people do. I also have a fig tree, crab apple (very tasty jelly), a veg garden-everything from squash, peppers, peas, beans, radishes, lettuses, and carrots. I also have herbs everywhere!-most of which are medicinal not culinary. I am hoping to get a meyer lemon tree this year and see what I can do with that. I also grow pansies, daylilies, lavender, violets, and nasturtiums for the edible flowers.

I would love to get a fig tree this year, thanks for the reminder! I do have a pear tree and an apple tree, and one little blueberry bush. Also have two grape vines, one green and one red, they look so wicked in the winter with no leaves on them!

Nikiki

I'm actually really excited about this! I have limited space because I live in a townhouse with one small 6ftx4ft garden and a long skinny one, about 14ft by 1ft garden. I also have a black thumb, truly I kill everything. I'm convinced its because of a lack of knowledge so I got these books from the library:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875968864/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0875969623&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=17PG2K873G82Y4PEGYEP * just got this one yesterday, havent had a chance to look at it yet

http://www.amazon.com/Microgreens-Growing-Nutrient-Packed-Greens/dp/1423603648/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266877752&sr=1-1 *read this one cover to cover, and have started broccoli, lentils & arugala, very excited about it!

http://www.amazon.com/Grow-Great-Grub-Organic-Spaces/dp/0307452018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266877809&sr=1-1 **this ones on order from the library, hopefully it gets here soon!

I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Gardman-Rainbow-Garden-R687-Greenhouse/dp/B000NCTGQE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1266878082&sr=1-3
to start my seedlings in (i wanted to start everything from seed) and my husband set it up for me on Saturday, thats where my greens are growing right now. I needed protection for the plants from my cats, they devour houseplants like they're tuna!


If all goes well I will have: red & green bell peppers, banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, a larger tomato called a yellow stuffer? not sure on that one, it came free with the other seeds... and then the sprouts.

TheMaidOfAstolat

I'm actually really excited about this! I have limited space because I live in a townhouse with one small 6ftx4ft garden and a long skinny one, about 14ft by 1ft garden. I also have a black thumb, truly I kill everything. I'm convinced its because of a lack of knowledge so I got these books from the library:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875968864/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0875969623&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=17PG2K873G82Y4PEGYEP * just got this one yesterday, havent had a chance to look at it yet

http://www.amazon.com/Microgreens-Growing-Nutrient-Packed-Greens/dp/1423603648/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266877752&sr=1-1 *read this one cover to cover, and have started broccoli, lentils & arugala, very excited about it!

http://www.amazon.com/Grow-Great-Grub-Organic-Spaces/dp/0307452018/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266877809&sr=1-1 **this ones on order from the library, hopefully it gets here soon!

I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Gardman-Rainbow-Garden-R687-Greenhouse/dp/B000NCTGQE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1266878082&sr=1-3
to start my seedlings in (i wanted to start everything from seed) and my husband set it up for me on Saturday, thats where my greens are growing right now. I needed protection for the plants from my cats, they devour houseplants like they're tuna!


If all goes well I will have: red & green bell peppers, banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, a larger tomato called a yellow stuffer? not sure on that one, it came free with the other seeds... and then the sprouts.

Also...since I see you have organic books...try Organic Gardening Magazine, my library carries it...but I'm sure it's not too expensive to have a subscription to it.

Nikiki

Also...since I see you have organic books...try Organic Gardening Magazine, my library carries it...but I'm sure it's not too expensive to have a subscription to it.

oh cool, I googled it and it looks interesting, if I get out of work early enough I'll swing by the library tonight to see if they have it. I really want to do everything organic, which is a bit of a battle with my husband because he has an extremely green thumb but grew up with "traditional" gardening which includes pest killers, fertalizers ect... I'm having a hard time convincing him that all of that is not organic, and that it does make a difference.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Also...since I see you have organic books...try Organic Gardening Magazine, my library carries it...but I'm sure it's not too expensive to have a subscription to it.

oh cool, I googled it and it looks interesting, if I get out of work early enough I'll swing by the library tonight to see if they have it. I really want to do everything organic, which is a bit of a battle with my husband because he has an extremely green thumb but grew up with "traditional" gardening which includes pest killers, fertalizers ect... I'm having a hard time convincing him that all of that is not organic, and that it does make a difference.

I too grew up like that. My mother actually had a nursery and would sell most of her flowers to high end retailers...they have been used in multiple magazines and she can't get past the fact that I don't want to use round-up and other weed killer in my garden. Oh well...at least she now lives a state away and can't comment on it as often.

Nikiki

I too grew up like that. My mother actually had a nursery and would sell most of her flowers to high end retailers...they have been used in multiple magazines and she can't get past the fact that I don't want to use round-up and other weed killer in my garden. Oh well...at least she now lives a state away and can't comment on it as often.

the biggest battle will come when he wants to fertalize. He doesnt understand that even if it does in the short term make plants grow nicer, in the long term it can effect the health of the soil & can be carried off by rainwater and effect ground water & the health of Lake Erie (we live less than 1/2 mile away) and the rivers & streams that are pretty much in our backyard. So far he's humoring me and my "little project" so hopefully that keeps up

TCASMEY

My garden is on the several year plan. A few summers back I put in some Apple trees (will be a few years before I see the fruits of my labor on those). Last year I put in a blueberry patch with several varieties. This year I am planning a strawberry patch. Then the next year raspberries. I also have several rhubarb plants. Then I have a small vegetable garden that I usually grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, peas green beans, squash, carrots...most did not do too well last summers too wet in the spring, then dry and hot and then too wet towards harvest. Hopefully this year will be better!

Nikiki

My garden is on the several year plan. A few summers back I put in some Apple trees (will be a few years before I see the fruits of my labor on those). Last year I put in a blueberry patch with several varieties. This year I am planning a strawberry patch. Then the next year raspberries. I also have several rhubarb plants. Then I have a small vegetable garden that I usually grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, peas green beans, squash, carrots...most did not do too well last summers too wet in the spring, then dry and hot and then too wet towards harvest. Hopefully this year will be better!

did your blueberry's get big enough to produce last year? thats one of my favorite treats in the summer, wish i had room for one! My dad planted several for me in his yard but unfortunately the deer in the area think blueberry bushes are the tastiest treat around (2nd only to the apple treas he's been trying to grow) and eat them within a few days of planting.

TheMaidOfAstolat

My garden is on the several year plan. A few summers back I put in some Apple trees (will be a few years before I see the fruits of my labor on those). Last year I put in a blueberry patch with several varieties. This year I am planning a strawberry patch. Then the next year raspberries. I also have several rhubarb plants. Then I have a small vegetable garden that I usually grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, peas green beans, squash, carrots...most did not do too well last summers too wet in the spring, then dry and hot and then too wet towards harvest. Hopefully this year will be better!

did your blueberry's get big enough to produce last year? thats one of my favorite treats in the summer, wish i had room for one! My dad planted several for me in his yard but unfortunately the deer in the area think blueberry bushes are the tastiest treat around (2nd only to the apple treas he's been trying to grow) and eat them within a few days of planting.

Firstly (is that even a word?)- you have to have at least two blueberry bushes so that they can cross polinate (I have 5).
Secondly- use netting. I'm including a link-I use these around my blueberry bushes-the rabbits, squirrels, and bird love mine).
http://www.gardeners.com/Pop-up-net/GardenPests_DeerRabbits,37-446RS,default,cp.html

Nikiki

Firstly (is that even a word?)- you have to have at least two blueberry bushes so that they can cross polinate (I have 5).
Secondly- use netting. I'm including a link-I use these around my blueberry bushes-the rabbits, squirrels, and bird love mine).
http://www.gardeners.com/Pop-up-net/GardenPests_DeerRabbits,37-446RS,default,cp.html

good to know on the cross polinating, and is the pop up net easy to get on and off for harvesting? dad's got a wild life preserve in his back yard (not literally, but it seems like it!) and regularly is visited by: deer, raccoon, squirels, chipmunks, birds of all shapes & sizes including hawks (need more of those to eat all the rodents!) and blue heron (who reek havoc on the fish pond) flying squirels, bats (need more of those for the mosquitos) about the only thing that really floureshes in his yard is the blackberries, black, red & gold raspberries because they have vicious evil thorns that jump out and attack any creature foolish enough to pick them. inlcuding me

shinybonnie

Any tips for apple trees? I have an apple tree that has produced nice apples the first two years I lived here. I didn't do anything to it. Last year (the 3rd year here), no apples; only tiny shriveled thingies where the apples should have been!

sdwelk11

BUMP..

LOOKING TO PLANT MY FIRST GARDEN THIS YEAR AND AM GREATFUL FOR ALL THE GREAT LINKS ON THIS POST

:flowerforyou:

TheMaidOfAstolat

Any tips for apple trees? I have an apple tree that has produced nice apples the first two years I lived here. I didn't do anything to it. Last year (the 3rd year here), no apples; only tiny shriveled thingies where the apples should have been!

I've never had an apple tree but I do have a crabapple. Did you prune back last year? You may need to do that (I can't be sure, check out some gardening sites).