Anyone else grown their own food....?

MoooveOverFluffy
MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
edited November 11 in Chit-Chat
This will be the second season for Twelve Hands Urban Gardens (located conveniently in my own backyard). Last year it measured over 1600 sq. feet and may possibly be larger this year. Cmiles23 and Rachel5k are also members. With the weather feeling so mild today, it sparked a conversation about all the things we are going to be planting soon. I'M SO EXCITED!!!! We will have the basics: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, onions, lettuces, watermelons, and lots of herbs. This year we will also try corn and potatoes.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO GROW?
«1

Replies

  • ShmoozyQ
    ShmoozyQ Posts: 390 Member
    Yes, I love to garden! I have a huge garden. Tomatoes, peppers, lots of varieties of winter and summer squash, beans, peas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green onions, lettuce, chard, potatoes and corn. I have it all set on a sprinkler and drip system to avoid watering too many weeds :)

    This year I'm going to try a cold frame to get things started and extend my growing season, since I only get from mid-june to about september as frost free, and even that's sketchy, ha!
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Yes, I love to garden! I have a huge garden. Tomatoes, peppers, lots of varieties of winter and summer squash, beans, peas, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green onions, lettuce, chard, potatoes and corn. I have it all set on a sprinkler and drip system to avoid watering too many weeds :)

    This year I'm going to try a cold frame to get things started and extend my growing season, since I only get from mid-june to about september as frost free, and even that's sketchy, ha!

    Cold frames..........i also want to build some. Not sure if i'll need them this year though, because we've had such a mild winter! I'm in U.S. zone 5b, so we get from May till end of September-ish....... yours sounds wonderful! I'd like to try chard and broccoli..
  • Classalete
    Classalete Posts: 464 Member
    Oh yeah, I'm your average green thumb! I'm really into my herbs and spices...and there is a particular flower that grows year round in my special indoor garden. You can smell it through the walls! ;D
  • ShmoozyQ
    ShmoozyQ Posts: 390 Member
    Chard is ridiculously easy to grow, and abundant. Broccoli too, it just takes more time. I always have to buy broccoli plants started or I won't get more than a cutting off them.
  • ShmoozyQ
    ShmoozyQ Posts: 390 Member
    Oh yeah, I'm your average green thumb! I'm really into my herbs and spices...and there is a particular flower that grows year round in my special indoor garden. You can smell it through the walls! ;D

    :laugh:
  • rllewell
    rllewell Posts: 234
    I had large gardens when I lived in Alaska and Nebraska. My HOA here in North Carolina doesn't allow gardens so I decided to by a Tower Garden. Basically it is a vertical aeroponic growing system. It’s perfect for rooftops, patios, balconies, terraces, any relatively sunny place outside. For us it will be our patio. Check out their website below.

    http://www.towergarden.com/
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Oh yeah, I'm your average green thumb! I'm really into my herbs and spices...and there is a particular flower that grows year round in my special indoor garden. You can smell it through the walls! ;D


    HAHAHA!!! ;0)
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    I had large gardens when I lived in Alaska and Nebraska. My HOA here in North Carolina doesn't allow gardens so I decided to by a Tower Garden. Basically it is a vertical aeroponic growing system. It’s perfect for rooftops, patios, balconies, terraces, any relatively sunny place outside. For us it will be our patio. Check out their website below.

    http://www.towergarden.com/


    COOL! So, what are you going to grow in your tower garden?
  • Peeeeeeeeeej
    Peeeeeeeeeej Posts: 16 Member
    I make my own yogurt and pickles - does that count???
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    I make my own yogurt and pickles - does that count???


    well, sort of, LOL. you should try growing some cucumbers! They are ridiculously easy, and you can do it in a flowerpot if you dont have a yard! We made pickles too last year, and LOVED them.
  • ScottyNoHotty
    ScottyNoHotty Posts: 1,957 Member
    Is 2 acres considered a garden?? I have enough carrots and green beams canned to be on Doomsday Preppers...hehe
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 483 Member
    I hope to have one this year...I wanna grow everything!!!!
  • tappae
    tappae Posts: 568 Member
    I love gardening! I'm working about 500 square feet this year and hope to expand next year. I'm planning tomatoes, chiles, beans, peas, corn, amaranth, sunflowers, squash, carrots, greens, and lots and lots of herbs. So far, only the peas are going, but I'll be starting my nightshade seedlings soon.
  • plumnbagel
    plumnbagel Posts: 184 Member
    I've grown carrots (which didn't really seem that much tastier than the organic ones in the store, but were fun and easy to grow), radishes (ditto), peppers, and lettuce, but the most satisfying and delicious things I've grown are sweet corn and tomatoes. I love watching the corn stalks grow taller than me, even though they don't yield as much as I wish they did.
    And comparing a garden tomato to a store tomato is like comparing a Ferrari to a Yugo - I suppose they're the same thing, but they are in no way alike.
    Ooh, man, now I can't wait for fresh tomatoes!
    PS The one regret I had was the year I planted fresh herbs too close to the garden. They just shot through everything else and it ended up more work than pulling weeds.
  • plumnbagel
    plumnbagel Posts: 184 Member
    Cool! How do you grow peas? (I'm in Kansas City, by the way)
    I love gardening! I'm working about 500 square feet this year and hope to expand next year. I'm planning tomatoes, chiles, beans, peas, corn, amaranth, sunflowers, squash, carrots, greens, and lots and lots of herbs. So far, only the peas are going, but I'll be starting my nightshade seedlings soon.
  • kirianna55
    kirianna55 Posts: 459 Member
    Tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, green onions, lettuce, chard, potatoes, radishes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, watermelons, blueberries, huckleberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, plums, lots of herbs. AND MUCH MUCH MORE.
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Is 2 acres considered a garden?? I have enough carrots and green beams canned to be on Doomsday Preppers...hehe


    heeheehee! yes, that's AWESOME. i did my first canning last year. Can't wait for this growing season to begin!! (how do you manage such a space? a tractor??)
  • bcr1559
    bcr1559 Posts: 62 Member
    We have a huge garden! I grow lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, snow peas, green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, acorn squash, beets, carrots, radishes, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries, rhubarb, garlic, onions, pumpkins, cabbage, cauliflower, and this year I am adding broccoli. We also planted two apple trees and two peach trees last year so in a few years we will get to enjoy those too!

    I start most from seeds in march and put them under grow lights in the basement (I swear one day the cops will show up thinking I'm growing something else).

    This year we are going to have a produce stand in our front yard because we always end up with so much. My mother-in-law is a wonderful at canning so she keeps us all stocked with jelly, beans, beets and cabbage all year round. We also freeze tons of food. It is so great to make spaghetti sauce from frozen tomatoes in the winter because it taste like summer :).

    Ok, I'm going to stop now. This post made me really excited for the spring!
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    I love gardening! I'm working about 500 square feet this year and hope to expand next year. I'm planning tomatoes, chiles, beans, peas, corn, amaranth, sunflowers, squash, carrots, greens, and lots and lots of herbs. So far, only the peas are going, but I'll be starting my nightshade seedlings soon.

    nightshade seedlings??? do tell...
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    I've grown carrots (which didn't really seem that much tastier than the organic ones in the store, but were fun and easy to grow), radishes (ditto), peppers, and lettuce, but the most satisfying and delicious things I've grown are sweet corn and tomatoes. I love watching the corn stalks grow taller than me, even though they don't yield as much as I wish they did.
    And comparing a garden tomato to a store tomato is like comparing a Ferrari to a Yugo - I suppose they're the same thing, but they are in no way alike.
    Ooh, man, now I can't wait for fresh tomatoes!
    PS The one regret I had was the year I planted fresh herbs too close to the garden. They just shot through everything else and it ended up more work than pulling weeds.

    AMEN ON THE GARDEN TOMATOES!!! So, please tell me.........how many ears of corn per stalk? 3 or 4??? This year will be my first go round with corn...
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, green onions, lettuce, chard, potatoes, radishes, corn, carrots, cucumbers, watermelons, blueberries, huckleberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, plums, lots of herbs. AND MUCH MUCH MORE.

    so last year, someone gave me some June Bearer (?) strawberry runners and i planted them. They grew, but produced no fruit, as expected for the first year. Any idea what to expect this year??? i have no experience in growing berries...
  • ScottyNoHotty
    ScottyNoHotty Posts: 1,957 Member
    Is 2 acres considered a garden?? I have enough carrots and green beams canned to be on Doomsday Preppers...hehe


    heeheehee! yes, that's AWESOME. i did my first canning last year. Can't wait for this growing season to begin!! (how do you manage such a space? a tractor??)

    Child labor....J/K! I have a small Bobcat with attachments
  • cekeys
    cekeys Posts: 397 Member
    Probably a dumb question, but can I grow vegetables in pots or is it better to do so in the soil? I'm thinking those larger orange pots you see at every store.
  • ScottyNoHotty
    ScottyNoHotty Posts: 1,957 Member
    Probably a dumb question, but can I grow vegetables in pots or is it better to do so in the soil? I'm thinking those larger orange pots you see at every store.

    How much space do you have...google small garden areas
  • bugtrain
    bugtrain Posts: 251 Member
    Is 2 acres considered a garden?? I have enough carrots and green beams canned to be on Doomsday Preppers...hehe


    heeheehee! yes, that's AWESOME. i did my first canning last year. Can't wait for this growing season to begin!! (how do you manage such a space? a tractor??)

    Child labor....J/K! I have a small Bobcat with attachments

    We have a large garden like this too......we use a Farmall Super A tractor.......
  • TalosValheru
    TalosValheru Posts: 5
    When you say grow your own food, do cows count? :)

    We have 10 acres and raise some cattle for beef. I've found it so much tastier than beef purchased at a grocery store, and our butcher makes them so lean we have to add a litle crisco to the ground beef for it to stick together to make hamburger patties!

    We do have a small area we sectioned off for a garden, and grew various spices, corn, sunflowers, carrots and peas last year. My son really enjoyed doing that. This year he wants to do more including potatoes & watermelon! :)
  • ScottyNoHotty
    ScottyNoHotty Posts: 1,957 Member
    When you say grow your own food, do cows count? :)

    We have 10 acres and raise some cattle for beef. I've found it so much tastier than beef purchased at a grocery store, and our butcher makes them so lean we have to add a litle crisco to the ground beef for it to stick together to make hamburger patties!

    We do have a small area we sectioned off for a garden, and grew various spices, corn, sunflowers, carrots and peas last year. My son really enjoyed doing that. This year he wants to do more including potatoes & watermelon! :)

    I would love to be able to raise some cattle and hogs. guess I'll just have to settle for shooting deer....
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    Probably a dumb question, but can I grow vegetables in pots or is it better to do so in the soil? I'm thinking those larger orange pots you see at every store.

    you can grow veggies in any kind of container that has holes in bottom and ample room. i once saw a person use 10 empty paint cans (they lined them with plastic and poked holes in bottom).........and they grew all sorts of things on their balcony ledge. They had no yard.

    I've also seen people buy a bag of dirt, cut holes in it, and sprinkle seeds in it. they just left the bag of dirt lay on the ground!!! IT'S SOOO EASY, YOU MUST TRY! (cucumbers and lettuces are no fail)
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    When you say grow your own food, do cows count? :)

    We have 10 acres and raise some cattle for beef. I've found it so much tastier than beef purchased at a grocery store, and our butcher makes them so lean we have to add a litle crisco to the ground beef for it to stick together to make hamburger patties!

    We do have a small area we sectioned off for a garden, and grew various spices, corn, sunflowers, carrots and peas last year. My son really enjoyed doing that. This year he wants to do more including potatoes & watermelon! :)

    I wasn't thinking along the lines of meat, LOL, but yeah.....that totally counts! My mom joked last year that all i needed now was a pig in the corner of the yard.....;0)
  • bcr1559
    bcr1559 Posts: 62 Member
    When you say grow your own food, do cows count? :)

    We have 10 acres and raise some cattle for beef. I've found it so much tastier than beef purchased at a grocery store, and our butcher makes them so lean we have to add a litle crisco to the ground beef for it to stick together to make hamburger patties!

    We do have a small area we sectioned off for a garden, and grew various spices, corn, sunflowers, carrots and peas last year. My son really enjoyed doing that. This year he wants to do more including potatoes & watermelon! :)

    Raising cows definitely counts! My brother-in-law hobby farms and raises a couple cows every year. The meat is way better and way better for you. And I know some people are going to think I'm crazy but I'm all for giving animals good lives before we eat them. I figure it's the least we can do :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories