Spring Gardens - Page 7

vickie h · 08-14-2009, 07:44 PM

We've picked tons of tomatos so far. The squash is doing good but not a big yield so far and the cukes are delicious. I'm going to the farmer's market to get everything else since I grow in containers or pots.

Love,
Vickie

ElaineM · 08-24-2009, 04:05 PM

I know it is not spring, but I live in Hawaii where we can plant almost all year long. I finally got some seeds that I will be putting in big containers with fresh potting soil this week.
The new selection is Pak Choy, Spinach, Manoa Lettuce,
Shiso, and Green Onions. I will let you know what happens to this crop at a later date.

Bill · 09-21-2009, 05:29 PM

I've planted butternut squash this year. How do you tell if they're ready to pick?

harrie · 10-19-2009, 11:51 PM

We have butter lettuce, grn onions, corn, cilantro, egg plant, spinach, and I think that is about it. Not much luck with the tomatoes. Oh yes and we do have papaya, longon (which is a variety of lichee) and jabotekava. (these are all fruits)

StephN · 10-30-2009, 11:00 AM

Yesterday was the LAST local farmer's market of this year. I can go a little farther away on Sat. mornings and see some of my fav farmers til Dec., but the parking is not very plentiful at that location.

Stocked up on some fall greens, heirloom tomatoes, heirloom potatoes (the guy grows about 18 different kinds!), asian and bosc pears, and last of the decent eggplant.

Got two kinds of fingerling potatoes to roast with sweet organic carrots. Can make a big pan and keep some for another night.

chrisy · 10-30-2009, 02:49 PM

Steph you have made me really hungry...

I think I'm going to plant some garlic this weekend. It will go well with, well everything!

Joe · 10-30-2009, 06:07 PM

We had about 100 figs, a few tomatos and some middle eastern squash.

No avacados, I have to plant another tree in the spring so that they can cross pollinate.

Joe

Bill · 03-22-2010, 03:33 PM

Welp, I think it's a good time to start spring! Usually, Pinkgirl is in charge of it, but this year I'm wresting control of the season again....with a question...Now bear with me, Ladies and Gentlemen. I'm the kind of person who only likes to pay for things once, if at all. In the winter, when I'm done cooking a meal in the oven, I leave the oven door cracked open to help warm the house. I've already paid to heat the oven, so the leftover heat is FREE, right? I can hear some of you now, "Bill, you're a tight-wad!" Been hearing that my whole Life. But, honestly, I'm merely frugal. Here's my new dilemna- for some time now, I've watched as my basement sump-pump sorta floods/irrigates a portion of my yard and it's really got me worked up. I sez to myself, "Bill, you've already paid to pump that water over to that part of the yard. All you're doing is growing better grass. You should plant a water-loving edible garden over there." I quickly agree with myself, but I'm not sure what to plant. Any ideas? Maybe rice?

Jackie07 · 03-22-2010, 03:49 PM

Rice needs a lot of water. Yeah, go for it.

StephN · 03-22-2010, 05:01 PM

Now you have me thinking, Bill. How about putting in a nice water feature and using the water for that? Maybe a pond?

Some kinds of berries like "wet feet" and you don't need go so far as creating a BOG.

I also leave the oven door open as ours is an open type kitchen and we have lots of single pane windows that let the heat out!

I am recovering from "yard work back" that I gave myself getting up close and personal with a lot of weeds this weekend.

Trimmed down the raspberry patch 10 days ago and the canes are already shooting leaves. Blueberry bushes are also getting tiny leaves.

harrie · 03-22-2010, 11:48 PM

Bill, two suggestions:
you might want to consider growing hydroponically and secondly would be to make a compost for recycling.

Dont ask me any questions about that though because I have never done either one and I know little, close to nothing about each. hahaha! so maybe it's not that great of and idea. Who knows?! Prob not me!! hahaha!@!!

Jackie07 · 03-23-2010, 12:20 AM

Harrie,

So good to hear your laughter again. Where have you been?

Bill,

Be very careful about cracking the oven door open... Ever heard of Carbon Monoxide? It can be fatal... [That's the reason why it rhymes with 'pesticide' and 'fungicide'...

]

PinkGirl · 03-23-2010, 06:11 AM

Hey Bill
Thanks for taking over Spring this year ... you guys would get tired
waiting for me to chime in ... it's still kind of frosty here.

I like your idea of recycling your sump pump water. Just some
suggestions: if the outside pipe is above ground you can re-route
it and put that water anywhere you want ... I extended the pipe with
some solid weeping tile and then dug a little trench and buried it ... the
water now travels across part of the yard to where I want it to go ..
I use the word "I" very loosely ... my husband did this as per my instructions.

As for plants that like tons of water: tomatoes, cucumbers, squash,
zucchini ...

Happy planting ... I'll let you know when our snow is gone.

Henny · 03-23-2010, 07:26 AM

There was a great article in the NY Times a few weeks ago about a guy who had a hydroponic garden. He also had tapilla (?sp) the fish, in the water part. The fish fertilized the hydroponic plants and after the system was going he ate the fish and the veggies that they had fertilized. Looked like a lot of work but fascinating

Becky · 04-02-2010, 01:28 PM

I am taking Monday off and putting in the seeds for my greens (swiss chard, spinach, romaine and mesclun).

If you like other cool loving veggies - broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, peas can all be put in too (for zone 6)

StephN · 04-03-2010, 02:00 PM

Enjoy the day, Becky - hope the weather will cooperate.

Bill - Do you know about "Rain Gardens?"

Here is a great website with various plans for creating such gardens:
http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/...raingarden.htm

Besides design guidelines, there is an area of the site with best plant lists for specific areas of the country.

karen z · 04-03-2010, 06:51 PM

Thanks Steph,
Looks like a useful site!
karen

juanita · 04-03-2010, 07:02 PM

gotta do container gardens this year on my small little porch at my apartment. anybody done those before? what works either flowers or veggies?

Marlys · 04-22-2010, 08:22 PM

Well, I've finally caught up. The garden has been rototilled, the compost spread(phew!), and the badgers have moved in next door. I hear they eat gophers so we won't kill them. Especially since I heard they are vicious I have decided they can live where ever they want. Do you remember the badger that chomped onto the guy's boot in the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy 2"? When I first noticed them there was only one and he was kinda cute! But yesterday I looked out and there were 4 of them. Pray for my safety this growing season!
If you look at the pictures I posted when TipToe and Tex were here you will see my yard backs onto the desert. (Yep. In Idaho we have desert!)
Love & hugs ,
Marlys
P.S. Bill, Ellenya is absolutely beautiful! Aren't Grandkids great?

ElaineM · 04-22-2010, 08:58 PM

I decided to grow herbs this year. I have really gotten into using a wider variety of herbs in my cooking, so I would like to have nice fresh herbs for that.