How does your garden grow????

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!

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?

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!

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!

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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!

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

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!

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).