2012 Gardening Thread

[MOTU_Maniac]

I planted several varieties of tomato and pepper plants yesterday, along with cucumbers and pole Green Beans (that I am going to run up sections of metal fencing).

I started gardening in a new area this year, so my garden will be a lot smaller than in previous years, but I will hopefully have enough yield to eat from, can/ freeze, and enter into the State Fair in August.

[Dave-Man]

I will have to photograph my garden again this year. I had a rather expansive documentation of my efforts to grow things in buckets last year, mostly because I wanted to see if I could start an "urban garden" for a church if I ever get hired by one. But this year not so much.

[a-star]

No garden for me this year. I just don't have the time and nobody ever wants to help, although they sure like eating my preserves and soups and whatnot. It's too much work by myself partly due to the fact I always go overboard and plant too much of everything.

I was going to try to get into flowers this year, too.

I hope everybody who does plant has a fruitful season!

[Judith]

MOTU_Maniac, Wow! You and Nutnog are at a level I wish to be one day. This is a smaller garden!?!

Dave-Man, can you use it as an out-reach and also networking? Surely you can volunteer at some local urban farming redevelopment site and maybe sow some 'other seeds'.

a-star, you don't have to go so extreme with it. Mine is only three little 4'x4' beds and after the early push to plant in May-June I only spend about 30 minutes a few times a week weeding, watering, and harvesting. It's relaxing and rewarding. But to deny it takes work is a lie. You just have to managing size vs reward vs resources (time) available.

[MOTU_Maniac]

MOTU_Maniac, Wow! You and Nutnog are at a level I wish to be one day. This is a smaller garden!?!

Yeah, it is smaller to me. I grew up on a 52-acre fruit and vegetable produce farm and as an adult I am accustomed to 0.5-0.75 acre garden. This year I somewhat downsized due to changing garden locations and time/ motivation constraints.
I currently own 4 acres of land, but it is really hilly and wooded, so very little of it is manageable for gardening/ farming. I HOPE to one day have about 5 acres of land that I can garden. I really want a large pumpkin patch for kids and families to come and pick their own pumpkins

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UPDATE 5/25/2012:

~Just planted 2 types of corn, yellow squash, and zucchini this morning
~Green beans are growing good. Will try to post a picture later.

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UPDATE 5/30/2012:

Here are some pics of my garden (and landscaping).

I dug a hill of Red potatoes to see their size and this is what I got. I also dug up 1 White Potato


Here is my Potato patch. I have 5 total rows of potatoes.


My Tomato and Pepper plants are growing like weeds


Pole Green Beans are starting up my fence trellis


My cucumber plants that I am also going to grow up a fence trellis


And my front landscaping


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UPDATE 6/2/2012:

Rabbits are now enjoying a cabbage buffet in my garden

[Judith]

I'm sorry to hear that, the garden is looking well. Have you tried planting dusty miller near the cabbage, my mom says rabbits don't like that.

[MOTU_Maniac]

I'm sorry to hear that, the garden is looking well. Have you tried planting dusty miller near the cabbage, my mom says rabbits don't like that.

Thanks for the advice, Judith. I will have to plant some since the coyote urine I am using isn't working.

[Dave-Man]

I got some peas and new potatoes last night - first fruits of my 2012 cultivation
Got some tomatoes that aren't going to be long either.

Right now I've got tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, peas, and beans. I'd have watermelon too but something keeps digging it up. Don't know why - its too small to even have melons yet.

Never had much luck with coyote urine either. Tried planting some marigolds, which some critters don't like. Garlic also is supposed to work pretty well. We'll see how they do. I also got some netting to put over the plants to keep the birds off.

[MOTU_Maniac]

I got some peas and new potatoes last night - first fruits of my 2012 cultivation
Got some tomatoes that aren't going to be long either.

Right now I've got tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, peas, and beans. I'd have watermelon too but something keeps digging it up. Don't know why - its too small to even have melons yet.

Never had much luck with coyote urine either. Tried planting some marigolds, which some critters don't like. Garlic also is supposed to work pretty well. We'll see how they do. I also got some netting to put over the plants to keep the birds off.

Would love to see some pictures of your harvest and garden.

I am not growing any vine crops this year (i.e. cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins, butternut squash, etc), aside from cucumbers... simply because I don't have the room after downsizing.

- - - Updated - - -

As for me, I currently now have corn, lima beans, wax beans, yellow squash, and zucchini coming up to go along with my tomatoes, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, garlic, and potatoes actively growing.

Also, a few days ago, I planted some eggplant, more green beans, and more cucumbers.

[wolfsfang]

Mint is nice and bushy and I have actually just used some to make some nice mint sauce. My tomatoes are starting to turn red and ripe, my cabbages and lettuces are doing quite well, my potatoes will probably be getting dug up shortly and my strawberries, cabbages, lettuces, beetroot, onions and spring onions, carrots and peppers are all coming along nicely and hopefully should be done in the next few months.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Mint is nice and bushy and I have actually just used some to make some nice mint sauce. My tomatoes are starting to turn red and ripe, my cabbages and lettuces are doing quite well, my potatoes will probably be getting dug up shortly and my strawberries, cabbages, lettuces, beetroot, onions and spring onions, carrots and peppers are all coming along nicely and hopefully should be done in the next few months.

Sounds like you have a very nice garden. Would love to see some pictures

[Dave-Man]

Would love to see some pictures of your harvest and garden.

Let's see if this works:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=2cad46d1ec

[MOTU_Maniac]

Let's see if this works:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=2cad46d1ec

Very nice Dave-Man! Thanks for sharing! I love seeing the different ways people garden. Like the bucket garden

[Dave-Man]

The buckets are partly an "I wonder if this would work" experiment, and partly because the soil in my backyard leaves a lot to be desired. I have tilled in compost and soil that I bought at the hardware store, but it still has a long way to go.

[wolfsfang]

Sounds like you have a very nice garden. Would love to see some pictures

Actually I am growing my stuff in containers and stuff all in a couple of different sized green houses. The actual garden is a quite a mess

[MOTU_Maniac]

The buckets are partly an "I wonder if this would work" experiment, and partly because the soil in my backyard leaves a lot to be desired. I have tilled in compost and soil that I bought at the hardware store, but it still has a long way to go.

I used to have a container garden when I was in college and really enjoyed it. It is a great idea for those low on space and/ or have undesirable soil. I just love seeing people garden. No matter what format they use. And again, thanks for the pics. I loved looking at them!

Actually I am growing my stuff in containers and stuff all in a couple of different sized green houses. The actual garden is a quite a mess

Come on, don't be shy. I would love to see pictures of your containers and green houses If you can't tell, I love seeing people garden. Fewer and fewer people seem to garden every year, so it is a blessing to see those that do.

[wolfsfang]

if I get a new camera I shall consider it.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Here are some pics of my garden from 6/20/2012:

Cabbage
Attachment 77161

Cucumbers
Attachment 77162

Green Beans
Attachment 77163

Tomatoes
Attachment 77164

Corn
Attachment 77165



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UPDATE:

Picked my first blackberries and cucumbers yesterday, both very tart/ bitter from the 100+ degree heat we have been having for 2 weeks now.

Also, been picking some tomatoes and a handful of green beans.

Right now my garden is struggling due to the heat as I am sure others can attest to also, but I will try to post some updated pictures later.

[GeologyMule]

UPDATE:

Picked my first blackberries and cucumbers yesterday, both very tart/ bitter from the 100+ degree heat we have been having for 2 weeks now.

Also, been picking some tomatoes and a handful of green beans.

Right now my garden is struggling due to the heat as I am sure others can attest to also, but I will try to post some updated pictures later.

I went out a few weeks ago to pick some blackberries but they were not ready yet. I figured they were toast by now with nothing left. I don't have time now to go back out for a few weeks

[MOTU_Maniac]

Pictures of blackberries, cucumbers, green beans, and tomatoes from my garden.

Attachment 77156Attachment 77157Attachment 77158Attachment 77159Attachment 77160

[MOTU_Maniac]

Here is a picture of 4 different types of tomatoes and some cucumbers I picked yesterday.

Attachment 77352

[Judith]

Wow! What kind of tomatoes are those? The cucumbers look big!

I'm hoping your suggestion with the Miracle Grow can turn my pitiful garden around.

[MOTU_Maniac]

My cucumbers and tomatoes are doing really well. I always like to give away most of my extra produce to my neighbors and wife's co-workers. It makes me feel all warm inside

Corn and green beans are not doing well. Most of the blooms feel off my green beans due to the heat and lack of rain. Corn just didn't do well and only about half of it tassled out so far, which will lead to poor pollination

Here are a few more pics of my garden. Hope no one is tired of seeing pictures. Since I don't have kids, my garden is my baby.

Today's Harvest (3 Cucumbers, 3 Tomatoes, 11 Cherry Tomatoes, and 1 Yellow Squash)
Attachment 77380

Sweet Corn
Attachment 77381

Tomato Plants (about 6-feet tall)
Attachment 77382

Cucumber Plants (running up wire fence trellis)
Attachment 77383

Kentucky Wonder Green Beans (running up wire fence trellis)
Attachment 77384

Wow! What kind of tomatoes are those? The cucumbers look big!

I'm hoping your suggestion with the Miracle Grow can turn my pitiful garden around.

Types of tomatoes are: Better Boy, Early Girl, Cherokee Purple Heirloom, and Husky Cherry Red.

I hope the Miracle Grow helps also

[Divia]

I went out a few weeks ago to pick some blackberries but they were not ready yet. I figured they were toast by now with nothing left. I don't have time now to go back out for a few weeks

The black caps came early here and ppl r worried there might b a lot of apples. I have one tomato plant and it isn't growing. Damn heat

[Dave-Man]

My tomatoes went nuts because of the heat. They all turned red at once.