| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 10:54:05 AM | Going to attempt to do everything in pots this year as my back yard is greatly lacking space, and sunlight.
Tomatoes,
Peas,
zuchinni - will go in around a tree
carrots
beets
rainbow swisschard - front flower bed
radishes.
So if anyone has pot growing tips I would love to have them
Going to plant next weekend hopefully we wont get any more snow. | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 11:09:18 AM | | zuchinni likes to sprawl out quite a bit3'x3' per plant would be ok...tomatoes can be grown successfully in a large planter...peas take up a fair bit of room too...radishes and carrots dont need a lot of room...keep then thinned out tho...beets need thinning and they grow a bit deep but dont need much room | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 1:44:59 PM | I've decided to grow tomatos in pots on the porch this year and herbs in a couple of window boxes. I think I still have frozen zuchini and kohlrabi leftover from last season. They seem to multiply in the freezer....... | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 1:48:40 PM | That is mommy 2 >>> If you're planning to grow Tomatoes in containers, look for Tomatoes that are "Determinate" (meaning they won't grow and grow taller. they'll stop growing at a certain height but will still produce Tomatoes). Yellow Pear tomatoes do well in containers.
>> Add a handful of Bonemeal or Compost in your containers.
>> Don't use Black Earth or Triple Mix or Top Soil in containers. Use soil that is meant for containers.
>> Don't forget to turn the containers around so one side of the contained vegetable doesn't become stunted.
>> Lastly, make sure your containers are BIG because if you put your veggies in small or medium sized containers, you'll be constantly watering them on hot days; and also on windy days, they'll topple over, and you don't want that. Don't forget to make sure that the containers have drainage holes!
 | |
|
Tramp
|
Joined: 2/8/2007
Msg: 30 | |
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 2:10:18 PM | Well, I have a remedy for the wild little animals, ....of course for us men it is easier.
At night I WATER around the perimeter of the garden, most animals do not like human smell.
For those flying things: gallon of water, ammonia, one beer, one cup of vinegar; it's a good fertilizer as well.
It does not kill birds! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 5:23:56 PM | | *takes a cigar from fistncuffs and puffs away* awwwwwwww soon your babies'll be all growed up and makin fruit! then it's time for da sauce! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 8:13:55 PM | Mommy,
Don't pull your chard, just cut off what you want and it will continue to make new leaves....that variety is awesome....now I'm hungry....
CHeers! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 10:52:02 PM | I'm a Master Gardener. It's a wonderful program through the state universities (in my case, North Carolina State). You can find out about it by contacting the Agricultural Extension office (usually in the blue pages of the phone book) of the state university. In my case, it was 30 hours of class and then 30 hours of volunteer work (plant clinics, landscaping (again, in my case--do I get a prize for overusing that phrase?) the public library and a median triangle separating two converging roads in a small village, etc.). Yeah, there is a test at the end of the class (the book was 517 PAGES!!), but it was an open book test. The agricultural extension office is also an invaluable resource when you need to identify a plant disease or pests of some sort. The advice is free and the people are very, very helpful. Actually, that is one of the first places I hook up with when I move to a new town.
Y'all are making me really, really nostalgic. I live in an apartment now and have to settle for window boxes. 
My gardening guru is Ruth Stout. The last I knew, her books were out of print, but I just googled her and apparently amazon.com carries them, so I guess they are back in print again. She was the "mulch queen".
My ex worked at the Wall Street Journal and he would get me bundles and bundles of newspapers (all black and white; no color) and I would pace my rows with the newspaper in mind. When I planted, I would put whole sections between the rows--totally kept down the weeds and also trapped all of the rain in the ground. One summer, there was a terrific drought and while everyone else was complaining, I was picking a brown grocery bag of tomatoes every day for at least a month.
I also had three compost piles going (surrounded by chicken wire). When one of them was going well, I would plant tomatoes around the perimeter and tie them to the wire as they grew. I never used any insecticides (although occasionally I would spray with a light Ivory Soap and water mix) and never fertilized. Also, in the autumn, I would put all of the raked leaves over the garden; my scam was having my son rake the leaves in the neighborhood for $5/hr. and bring them home to put on the garden!
I always planted enough for the rabbits (I had a big yard), but rhe biggest problem I had were turtles--during that drought year, they would come to my garden, and as one poster said, did not eat the whole tomato, but would take a bite out of a bunch of them.
I actually DID plant more than tomatoes--I have pretty much planted everything along the way--but . . . what can I say? I love tomatoes! 
Rx | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/10/2007 11:40:01 PM | P.S. There is an Agricultural Extension office in most counties. They also have home economists (yes, they still exist) who can answer questions about canning, freezing, etc. (Don't know about cleaning--I so don't want to go there!). I called one time to find out what the deal was if, instead of baking muffins in a regular muffin tin, I used one of those HUGE muffin tins. Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer (possibly why they don't teach home-ec anymore), but it is a place to go to when you have a question like that.
But now, I have you guys!! 
So, what is the deal with the cooking time and temp of baking a standard muffin in a HUGE muffin tin?? | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/11/2007 1:21:35 AM | | Basically you want to cook them longer at a lower temp so you don't dry them out. Too much long term heat can crack them as well. Say 50 degrees less and watch them until done or use the old toothpick trick. Then note the time for your next batch. Believe it or not I have cooked and baked for so long now I can be in another room and tell when they are done by smell. Somehow my mind figured that out without me even trying to find out another way to tell when things are done. | |
|
vr1960
|
Joined: 3/24/2007
Msg: 36 | |
| gardening
Posted: 5/11/2007 7:10:18 PM | Gardening season at last. Waited all winter for this. I do enjoy being out there.
I'm looking forward to planting lots of basil to make pesto, last year it didn't do so well. Also tomotoes to make salsa and freeze lots for winter use. Garlic is coming up nicely already.
I will also put in zuchinni (had a problem with squash bug getting into the plants last year - any ideas how to prevent them?), hard to believe I couldn't get enough of them, the plants died one by one.
I have raspberries too and a fig tree (does that count?), which I bring in each fall. Last year I got over 40 figs off it. It's still in the basement under a grow light and getting very big. I better get it out soon or I may have a problem.
I could go on and on, I just love gardening.  | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/11/2007 11:05:01 PM | Very cool! I have been so tempted to try that, growing a fig tree, but after hauling a tomatillo plant in and out and then a hibiscus plant in a heavy clay pot for three years to get one single big white bloom(but I did take many pictures of it!) I just don't have the enthusiasm to do that again. Now the big clay pot stays put in the hallway with a rubber plant in it. I threw in a spath and some more ground loving plants. Just had concrete put in, new steps, and they killed my Yucca plant!!! I had been growing that for two years waiting for a bloom(and hoping to maybe harvest some rootstock for herbal uses) but looks like I will never get to see it bloom.
I wonder if they just tore it out would the resulting shredded roots down there maybe grow again? Should I give them some diluted miraclegrow? | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/12/2007 2:58:20 AM | | For the most diverce seed catalogue see www.stokeseeds.com | |
|
vr1960
|
Joined: 3/24/2007
Msg: 39 | |
| gardening
Posted: 5/12/2007 5:13:18 AM | Instead of using clay pots buy plastic ones. The fig tree is still heavy though, because there is alot of dirt in it, but I try to let it dry out before I need to move it. It does take two people to bring it in and out. Probably if I didn't get good results though I wouldn't do it for too long because it wouldn't be worth it for just the leaves, lol.
I've also grown cherry tomatoes in big pots using some potting soil, some garden compost and soil and even a bit of manure. They grow quicker than in the garden and start earlier but I do have to stake them. I think I'll go shopping today, see if I can pick up some plants, get them started. | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/12/2007 4:16:13 PM | | Last year I grew 5 kinds of peppers ( did you know they have purple peppers??), zuchinni, tomatoes,beans, beets, sugar snap peas, eggplant,...my own herbs, such as basil, dill, parsley, rosemary, mint, lavender ( yes you can use it in cooking) and then I had my flowers....this year though I live in a different house that doesn't get enough sunlight to grow veggies, but I'm still growing my herbs and flowers! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/13/2007 9:05:10 AM |
Going to attempt to do everything in pots this year as my back yard is greatly lacking space, and sunlight.
Tomatoes,
Peas,
zuchinni - will go in around a tree
carrots
beets
rainbow swisschard - front flower bed
radishes.
So if anyone has pot growing tips I would love to have them
That is Mommy2: I've been doing tomatoes in pots for years. The main thing tomatoes really like in that case is constant moisture to the roots. I've used shredded newspaper, cotton batting, peat moss, and lately I recycle the dryer lint. I keep a small plastic bag near the dryer and put the lint in that until summer comes around and that goes in with and below the tomato plant roots. Tomatoes like those roots constantly moist but the foliage itself should not be watered as much as it is more prone to disease and problems.
You will have to experiment with the others. Also self watering pots with the resevoir in the bottom work well. The ones to avoid using the above additives are the ones that need dry roots, mostly the ones typically mounded like cukes or melons.
It works for flowers, too. Some of those clay pots can dry out severely in just one day so as much moisture holding capability as it can get helps assure good plant health! Hanging pots seem to dry out even worse. Probably because of the breeze blowing on and all around them.
- Random Entry
- Inventor of a use for Dryer Lint! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/15/2007 2:43:02 AM | | pot growing tips mmmmm shure LOL | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/16/2007 4:19:56 AM | Although I have not attempted this .............. my neighbor has..................
growing tomatoes and peppers in a bale of hay..............yes a bale of hay!
just plant them in the top of the hay and keep moist. You can't believe the size of these tomatoes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am going to try the upside-down thing this year. Simply because I am on a new acre of land and haven't gotten any space garden ready. | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/16/2007 7:58:28 AM | | Until the last few years when I had to work again I had three gardens, two of which were about 35x35, with the other being about 25x25. I always grew a lot of everything. I once picked 250 litres of berries from one of the bigger gardens. I wanted to say that we tried dipping squash flowers in tempura batter one summer but it was not impressive. I saw a recipe for stuffed flowers somewhere once that sounded good though. My favorite book is'Proven Tips For Lazy Gardeners' by Linda Tilgner (McKenzie 1985) I see there are old copies on some of the used book sites. That book saved me an incredible amount of stress. | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/16/2007 5:29:29 PM | I've never grown anything in a bale of hay, so I can't comment on that, BUT . . . .
Straw is better than hay for mulching; hay has seeds that will sprout and take over your garden (yeah, yeah, once more I speak from regrettable experience!!). | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/17/2007 8:54:24 AM | | I started my herb garden this week. I am in an apt but I love sitting out on my deck in the evening, it smells wonderful. I grow some in railing and wall planters as well on the surface. | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/17/2007 1:56:54 PM | Don't grow food, but I love all the colors of a flower garden. Try to make it anual so I don't go broke every year...lol  | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/30/2007 5:05:31 PM | | There are tons of things that can be grown in bales of straw they are great for anyone with limited mobility as it creates an instant raised bed. Just take a knife and carve out a well to plant in the bale. Keep it good and wet. and pick when your ready! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/30/2007 5:09:15 PM | I have the square foot gardening book, and it is nice. But a book that i have found even better is called "the vegetable gardeners bible" it is awesome for getting more produce out of smaller areas, addresses raised beds and composing.
The basic system is WORD...
Wide rows
Organic methods
Raised beds
Deep soil
Great pictures and explainations for even the beginners. My father is a master gardener and i've had gardens for years, but this is the book that i am now recommending to anyone who asks for advice! | |
|
| gardening
Posted: 5/30/2007 11:59:53 PM | There are chives and rhubarb growing in one of my fields somebody put here. I've established lemon balm and "pink" currents (which look clear to me). Usually I'll grow ruffled purple basil and yellow pear tomatos in containers. I need to get some wild black rasperries and put a few canes in.
One year I had about a dozen different kinds of mint. I put them in small pots so they wouldn't take over, but the pots were too small and they croaked in the winter. Chocolate mint and orange mint were my favorites. The latter moreso than the former - it has a sort of bergamot flavour to it and makes an utterly sublime tea.
I'm not much of a vegetable gardener really. I prefer hostas and slipper orchids which I seem to have pretty good luck with. And ferns. And daylilies. There's a lot of spring ephemerals here, bloodroot, trilliums red and white. false solomans seal, bellwort. There's wild roses growing all over the place, and wild grapes and blue iris at the edge of the pond - in some years in great number. My dad does the traditional English vegetable garden: spuds, carrots, lettuce, tomatos, peas. Mum does the herb thing with an emphasis on basil. | |
|
Home
login 
