2013 Gardening Thread

[MOTU_Maniac]

It's that time of year again. Time to get out the tiller (or pots) and start planting. After growing up on a 100-acre fruit & vegetable farm, I always LOVE this time of year!!!

Well, I don't know about you all, but I got started about 3 weeks late this year due to cold weather, but this past weekend I got the tiller out and tilled up my garden area and started planting. So far I have only planted cold crops (cabbage, broccoli, red & white potatoes, yellow onions, spinach, and lettuce). Once May arrives I will start planting my other vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, cucumbers, etc.)

Just today I picked my first Asparagus and can't wait to eat it for supper tonight.

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*So, what is everyone else planting this year?

[Bear-at-Arms]

MOTU_Maniac, what area of the country do you live in? We don't have any signs of our asparagus yet. My wife and kids have promised me more help this year so I am looking forward to the fresh veggies.

[Dave-Man]

Weather has been pretty rotten in Kansas City for gardening until recently. I'm getting ready to put in some blackberry bushes and build some raised beds for my vegetables this time. But I haven't got anything much planted yet.

[MOTU_Maniac]

MOTU_Maniac, what area of the country do you live in? We don't have any signs of our asparagus yet. My wife and kids have promised me more help this year so I am looking forward to the fresh veggies.

I live in the Ohio Valley (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, etc). My asparagus just popped up 2 days ago as the weather started to warm up

Weather has been pretty rotten in Kansas City for gardening until recently. I'm getting ready to put in some blackberry bushes and build some raised beds for my vegetables this time. But I haven't got anything much planted yet.

I have very fond memories of picking roughly 1 acre of blackberries with my mom...except when we found snakes sleeping on the branches.

[rhea]

Never have gardened before, but this year I'm trying several hanging basket tomato and strawberry plants, a couple pepper plant pots, a cucumber pot and an onion bed. I'm calling it my lazy farm!

[MOTU_Maniac]

Never have gardened before, but this year I'm trying several hanging basket tomato and strawberry plants, a couple pepper plant pots, a cucumber pot and an onion bed. I'm calling it my lazy farm!

Lots of people use hanging baskets and pots. NOTHING lazy about it!

But good for you though! I am proud to have you join the gardening ranks.

[hadley]

Oh man, I need some gardening help. English Ivy has exploded all over my land and it has choked the life out of everything. Aside from some gas and a match, what should I do?

[flutterina]

We just moved almost a year ago. When we got here, the garden was completely overgrown and just about everything was dead. I spent all last summer, and all this spring (so far) just weeding, pruning, tilling, and uprooting dead trees. I've planted some blueberries, daffodils, and an azalea bush so far. I also sprinkled some flower seeds into my garden box about a month ago and they're starting to sprout. My goal is to have a nice yard by next year. I started with an abomination, but I've poured much love into it and I'm sure I'll have something to be proud of in time.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Oh man, I need some gardening help. English Ivy has exploded all over my land and it has choked the life out of everything. Aside from some gas and a match, what should I do?

The only way I know to handle it is to cut it and dig up as much as you can by hand. Then use a herbicide like Roundup Poison Ivy & Tough Brush Killer. Last, if you are still having a problem then you can add about 8-12 inches of mulch on top of the plants, BUT you have to leave it on top for at least 6 months so it will drown it out.

We just moved almost a year ago. When we got here, the garden was completely overgrown and just about everything was dead. I spent all last summer, and all this spring (so far) just weeding, pruning, tilling, and uprooting dead trees. I've planted some blueberries, daffodils, and an azalea bush so far. I also sprinkled some flower seeds into my garden box about a month ago and they're starting to sprout. My goal is to have a nice yard by next year. I started with an abomination, but I've poured much love into it and I'm sure I'll have something to be proud of in time.

Good for you. Hard work always pays off. I would love to see some progress pictures

[Judith]

Just started with planting some indoor seeds of cold weather plants. I could direct seed, but the squirrels and chipmunks really did a number on them last year. So hopefully when they are larger they will not be so enticing to pull out. I also really feed my beds so I hope to have a better harvest than last year. Thanks MOTU_Maniac!

So far I have started lacto kale, collards, spinach, rainbow Swiss chard, pak choi, mustard greens, French breakfast radishes, and poppies.

I did clean my beds up and planted some violas, tulips, and a golden bearded iris to entice the bees to my strawberry flowers.

I would love to plant asparagus, but I'm only renting. Perhaps when I one day buy a house...

MOTU_Maniac, I am jealous. Perhaps some photos along the way of your crop can appease me.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Just started with planting some indoor seeds of cold weather plants. I could direct seed, but the squirrels and chipmunks really did a number on them last year. So hopefully when they are larger they will not be so enticing to pull out.

I hear ya. They always do their best to ruin my vegetable garden, but specilly my daffodil bulbs. Squirrels LOVE to eat them. I am also having lots of problems with moles right now as well

I also really feed my beds so I hope to have a better harvest than last year. Thanks MOTU_Maniac!

You are welcome

So far I have started lacto kale, collards, spinach, rainbow Swiss chard, pak choi, mustard greens, French breakfast radishes, and poppies.

I did clean my beds up and planted some violas, tulips, and a golden bearded iris to entice the bees to my strawberry flowers.

Yum. Sounds so good. I always love that you grow such a variety of leafy vegetables

I would love to plant asparagus, but I'm only renting. Perhaps when I one day buy a house...

If you lived closer I would give you some asparagus because I always end up with way too much. I think I am on year 5 and get to pick it all season long for around 6-8 weeks.

MOTU_Maniac, I am jealous. Perhaps some photos along the way of your crop can appease me.

Sure, I will share photos along the way. That's why I made this thread. I hope others, including yourself, will share photos along the way as well

[Dave-Man]

I would love to plant asparagus, but I'm only renting. Perhaps when I one day buy a house...

Don't let that stop you. I have successfully grown asparagus in five gallon buckets the past couple of years. You do need a few buckets to get a good crop, but it does work.

[Judith]

I hear ya. They always do their best to ruin my vegetable garden, but specilly my daffodil bulbs. Squirrels LOVE to eat them. I am also having lots of problems with moles right now as well

Noooooo! Not the bulbs too! Sorry to hear. Thankfully the squirrels have kept to the birdfeeder and out of my crocus bulbs.

Yum. Sounds so good. I always love that you grow such a variety of leafy vegetables

Thanks! They just grow so prolific with so little space, they help keep satiated and engaged in the garden as I wait the good 2-3 months before tomatoes appear.

If you lived closer I would give you some asparagus because I always end up with way too much. I think I am on year 5 and get to pick it all season long for around 6-8 weeks.

That would rock, but for now I will support my local farmers market. Thanks. *hug*

Sure, I will share photos along the way. That's why I made this thread. I hope others, including yourself, will share photos along the way as well

Hopefully we both have gardens brimming for those photos then.

Don't let that stop you. I have successfully grown asparagus in five gallon buckets the past couple of years. You do need a few buckets to get a good crop, but it does work.

Good to know, perhaps next move. (I hope the next move will be far away enough that I can leave my current pots behind.
Come'on CA, no wammies, warm weather and longer growing season, no wammies!

[Divia]

Its horrid in Central New York. Too much rain and a whole lot of cold. burr!

Last year I didnt have one, and I missed it so this year I'm gonna give it a go again. Tomatoes, Indian corn, beans, watermellons and I'm gonna give pumpkins a go again. Sometimes theyw ork sometimes they dont. Oh and cucumbers.

[Dave-Man]

Weather in KC is still rotten for gardening. Got nothing planted. Built a couple of raised beds but just when I think the cold weather and snow chances are over, more comes. And if it is not snow it seems it is rain. Not fun to think of planting in the rain.

[MrRoboto]

I'd planted Miniature Watermelons a little while back. The pic below is when one of them started to grow, i ended up getting three real nice sized (not as big as full size of course) miniature watermelons. Two didn't quite make it. Had strawberries as well but birds ended up eating them instead! Will try again when season is right. Looking for some new veggies to plant now!

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[MOTU_Maniac]

Here is another pic of my Asparagus. This is the 2nd picking.

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Don't let that stop you. I have successfully grown asparagus in five gallon buckets the past couple of years. You do need a few buckets to get a good crop, but it does work.

Very good idea Dave-Man

Thanks! They just grow so prolific with so little space, they help keep satiated and engaged in the garden as I wait the good 2-3 months before tomatoes appear.

I definitely need to start growing more leafy veggies.

That would rock, but for now I will support my local farmers market. Thanks. *hug*

And thank you for supporting local farmers markets. When I was growing up on our vegetable farm we sold at 2 different farmers markets and had a U-pick.

Hopefully we both have gardens brimming for those photos then.

I hope so. I love seeing what other people are growing

Good to know, perhaps next move. (I hope the next move will be far away enough that I can leave my current pots behind.
Come'on CA, no wammies, warm weather and longer growing season, no wammies!

Why California?

Its horrid in Central New York. Too much rain and a whole lot of cold. burr!


Last year I didnt have one, and I missed it so this year I'm gonna give it a go again. Tomatoes, Indian corn, beans, watermellons and I'm gonna give pumpkins a go again. Sometimes they work sometimes they dont. Oh and cucumbers.

Glad you are back. I told myself last year that I wasn't going to grow a garden this year, but here I am doing it all over again. I wish you much success. Keep us updated of the progress and we would love to see pictures.

Weather in KC is still rotten for gardening. Got nothing planted. Built a couple of raised beds but just when I think the cold weather and snow chances are over, more comes. And if it is not snow it seems it is rain. Not fun to think of planting in the rain.

I was luckily able to plant a week or so ago, but I was still 3 weeks behind normal due to weather. Thankfully, the weather has warmed up here. I hope KC weather gets straightened out for you so you can get some planting in. *Fingers Crossed*

I'd planted Miniature Watermelons a little while back. The pic below is when one of them started to grow, i ended up getting three real nice sized (not as big as full size of course) miniature watermelons. Two didn't quite make it. Had strawberries as well but birds ended up eating them instead! Will try again when season is right. Looking for some new veggies to plant now!


IMG_2136.jpg

Very nice. Thanks for the picture and welcome to the gardening thread. Last year we had about 20 watermelons that God grew. lol. We just threw our old watermelon rinds and seeds over the hill and then the next thing we knew we had tons of watermelons.

[Dave-Man]

Hopefully this year I will be able to grow some leaf lettuce without some rotten little critters eating it all before I get any. Last year I finally managed to get rid of our Groundhog, Mr. Cheney. I call him that because he has been moved to an undisclosed location. But by then the drought was in full swing and my lettuce was one of the first casualties.

[MOTU_Maniac]

Hopefully this year I will be able to grow some leaf lettuce without some rotten little critters eating it all before I get any. Last year I finally managed to get rid of our Groundhog, Mr. Cheney. I call him that because he has been moved to an undisclosed location. But by then the drought was in full swing and my lettuce was one of the first casualties.

I hear you about the leaf lettuce. Any time I grow any leafy vegetables insects eat it up . I hate to use to much pesticide, so its a no win situation. Either insects eat it up or you don't remain eco-friendly.

I had a problem with 3 groundhogs a few years ago, but they just up and left. THANK goodness as they were reaking havoc on my yard and garden. Now I am having lots of troubles with moles.

[Judith]

Gorgeous crop there MOTU_Maniac!

As for CA, I just want something warmer than here... Ocean is a plus.

[MOTU_Maniac]

I worked on my landscaping yesterday, so thought I would share some photos of my flower garden.

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Gorgeous crop there MOTU_Maniac!


As for CA, I just want something warmer than here... Ocean is a plus.

Thank you


And I totally understand about the warmer weather in CA. I just thought maybe you wanted to become an actress or a pro surfer. Just kidding.

[Judith]

Over the top!
How long did it take you?

[MOTU_Maniac]

Over the top!
How long did it take you?

Thank you.

That is my existing landscaping that I did a few years ago, but I worked on it for about 2 hours yesterday. I trimmed the rose tree, cleaned up dead leaves, added new black mulch, and planted an azalea bush.

In the back of my house (not pictured), I built a large rock wall last year. So, today I planted 8 Phlox plants (4 pink and 4 purple) and staggered them every other rock. I also bought a 5-foot Weeping Cherry tree that I planted in a small landscaped area in the back made up of rocks I have found on the hillside. Then I added mulch around my trees. In total I used 16 50-pound bags of mulch total...and I could use about 4 more bags.

Whew I am tired. lol.

[Heeeere's Olesker!]

This is the year that Kim and I are going all out. When I learned potato growers spray a chemical on potato crops to inhibit potatoes from sprouting eyes while bags lay in the grocery stores it was enough for me. Heaven knows what other kind of garbage is on the food I'm putting into my family's bodies. We like the idea of being able to control what goes into our foods and raising a moderate amount of our own foodstuffs seems to be the best way to do it. Plus I think it's going to be a fun, on-going family project and our children are really excited about it.

Now we're not going overboard. It's just too much for us to jump into it and go completely organic with all that entails. But what we do want to do is grow our basics and grow them in as healthy a manner as possible -- potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, asparagus, onions and three or four other crops -- crop suggestions are welcome. We've plenty of room to raise what we need for our family. But here's some advice a novice in this area would like to ask for:

1. Do we need different kinds of soils or fertilizers for the different crops? Are there fertilizers that aren't healthy? Do we have to worry about insect and, if so, what's the healthiest thing to do about them? (We know we need bags for the seed potatoes.)

2. We don't want to fall in the trap of doing one planting, then harvesting and finding out we only have enough for a month's worth of food. Do we make three or four plantings of each crop and how do we know how long to stagger them between plantings to do a harvest every month?

3. We've got a lot of squirrels and chipmunks. Last year they consumed our entire crop of strawberries. Is chicken wire around and over the crops enough to protect them?

4. What about irrigation? We've got a water line near where our plantings will be. Is a dripper enough, do we keep it going night and day or only once or twice a week? Is it the same amount of water for all the different crops? Is it better for us to get out there and just hose the areas two or three times a week?

5. Finally, if this works out well then we'll want to do it all year 'round. We like in northern Indiana, so it gets cold here in winter. I'm willing to put in a full greenhouse if that's what needs to be done. Any thoughts on that -- i.e., will we still be able to raise those basic crops all year 'round?

Sorry if this sounds basic, but it's our first time doing this and I know there are a number of orgers that are familiar with this so we'd really appreciate any and all input.

[Patreek]

I'd like to have some stuff on my porch this year. I've also be starting a succulant garden indoors. Having trouble with spider mites though