Garden thread

nanerkay, You can grow more or less anything in pots. Much depends on the things you would like to grow, be they flowers, veg, or maybe column fruit trees. Could even be something for screening from being so over looked. The amount of time you have available for plant care/watering/availability of water too could be critical. Using post the cost of compost and other mediums could impact too. You may be looking for flowers to decorate your home or may be for beneficial insects to improve your environment. Your location will control your expected weather conditions, temperature and the like which will also have an impact.

I'm sure there are many others who will be aware of what grows best in your local approximate area, where as I'm in the UK. I'd love to read some of the planting ideas you already have. I suppose I've been longwinded getting to that point. Hope to see another post from you.

We still have snow on the ground lol. It's been a bit unseasonably warm... might get as high as 10C today, but we're still getting flurries on and off and below-freezing overnights. Not really smart to plant outdoors here until after the May long weekend.

That said, I'm transitioning this year from planting in the ground to raised beds made of repurposed stock tanks, so there's a fair bit of planning happening right now. Dimensions of the tanks vs seeds I have on hand vs what I want to add in terms of additional seeds & bedding plants -> what should end up going where. Both in terms of what goes where in each tank and where to put each container in the yard vs light conditions & exposure to wind & rainfall. So there's more going on than there often is at this time of year!

Lettuce is a good crop to grow. I expect you will be doing successional sewing's. By that I mean sewing a few seeds every couple or three weeks depending on the number of lettuces you consume in a week. I have seen some lettuce seeds, titled "cut and come again" so you can have fewer plants because they tend to put up regular leaves so you can take them as you wish and not destroy the whole plant. I do not know how often a repeat sewing would be of advised.

Tomatoes are good to grow too. Again different types of tomato varieties can crop earlier or later so you can extend your cropping time. Some crop early others later. Something to consider another year if you enjoy getting your hands dirty. Seeds can be good for a couple of seasons as long as the seeds are re-sealed tightly and they are kept dark. Tomato's will require a good regular supply of water. Some people put their "potted on" plants in saucers, trays to hold water so the soil can take it up as it needs, they should not stand in water all the time though. Others use cut off plastic bottles sunk into the plant pot, or compost sack through which to supply water.

I don't know bush beans, other side of the Atlantic, giggle. They might be what we call Haricot beans. I can't really help because I've not grown them. Someone else should be able to advise you. All beans to my knowledge, fix nitrogen in the soil which means they add nitrogen to the soil as part of their growth practices. Its a particularly useful function if you have soil on the poor side and grow them in open ground.

In the UK its still rather cold for many things outside but starting off inside is helpful. We are on clay which is a real problem this year so much rain after a dry February.

You are off to a very good start. Happy planting. Wishing you all the very best for your first crops.

MsCzar wrote: »

Hmm. I may simply prune back my "dead" eggplants from last year and see what happens. I can't plant much outside until May. Indoor seed have just sprouted.

They were brand new plants, this year, and I put them in the raised garden beds. We had rain and winds so hard that it took part of our fence down. The plant looked dead limp after that and turned brown. Then they surprised me.

I'm not sure if you could revive plants from last year, but it's worth a shot.

How can I best keep my just-sprouted seedlings alive while I am away on a 5 day business trip late next week? Right now they are in paper egg crates and small plastic cups. No, I don't have any watering timer devices. I'll have a better idea about the weather mid week and it might stay above frost temps while I am gone.

Fuzzipeg wrote: »

How often are you watering the tiny plants?

Thanks! since the paper egg crates offer only a small bit of soil (~1/4 c), I've been watering them every other day or once a day when it is warm enough for them to spend the day in outdoor sun. I was thinking of simply setting them into a shallow tray of water, but perhaps adding a towel would be better?

Thank you! The cardboard does hold some water - so the towel-in-water tray will probably work. Good thinking about moving them away from direct sun while I am gone. I've been successful with standing water with deeper pots, but wouldn't chance it with the shallow egg crates.

Do you spray the chamomile onto the plants and soil or add it to the water?

I live in central Texas. Last year because of extremely low lake levels, we were unable to swim. This year, our lake levels are 67% lower than this time last year (as of a few weeks, month ago).

However, we have recently got a little rain and I'm hoping for much, much more which is a possibility and forecasted for this week.

I see tiny straightneck or longneck squash starting to pop out and it also looks like Bell Peppers will pop soon. I want some sauteed squash and peppers.

Congratulations - I'd not realised you'd be away so long. Its good the little plants are so well. I can't remember the sprouting time for peppers and eggplant so I can't help there. I'd say as a first attempt one pepper overwintering successfully is really good. Like you say, a few more leaves left on could really help with what photosynthesis they can do over winter when its all rather difficult, there are some special day light systems which could help. Enjoy your gardening.

kshama2001 wrote: »

Hahaha 🤣

Does anyone know what veggie grows well in perpetually wet soil? Seeing the first volunteer tomatoes pop up here and there. I have space in the Rising Damp Zone, but know tomato roots will surely rot there. If that area won't host veggies, I may just move some mint there. Any ideas?