Too soon to talk about gardening?

[betsygee]

 
All of you have such nice setups. I don't even bother anymore. My house is a plant hospice. They come here to die. I'm the plant grim reaper. I walk through garden centers and I swear I can hear the plants shuddering in fear that I will be bringing them home. 

I managed to bring a small fig tree back to life that my DH's grandfather gave us. It wasn't doing very well. I got it going and planted it in the yard. It started producing figs and I was so proud of myself. I thought I had broken the curse. Well, we never did get one fig. A large possum was eating them as soon as they sprouted and then the landscapers ran the tree over with the mower. I came home one day and all that was left of it was a broken stick on the lawn.  I always wondered if the tree asked them to kill it before I managed to.  

   The curse continues. 

I also tried with a small planting kit made for children. It had seeds for small red flowers and had a little Winnie the Pooh figurine that hung by his paws off the side of the very small pot. I  followed the instructions to the letter and got the seedlings to sprout and then thinned them like they said to. The next day the rest of them were all dead. Ages 3 and up my eye.

   

 DH and DD got a good laugh out of that one. 

Oh that's a pretty funny story.  My stepdaughter says that too--she wants to have flower and veggie gardens, but they just never work out.  I buy her succulents that don't need much water or care so she can have SOMETHING green around her house.  

  

 

[Kat0121]

 
Oh that's a pretty funny story.  My stepdaughter says that too--she wants to have flower and veggie gardens, but they just never work out.  I buy her succulents that don't need much water or care so she can have SOMETHING green around her house.  

  

DH thought so too. 

I even had one of those bamboo plants that you can get at flea markets and such that sit in rocks and require very little care. The ones that are supposedly really hard to kill. I managed to kill it. It was one of those scenarios where EVERYONE was like, "HOW did you manage to kill one of those? They are almost indestructible." I guess the key word there was ALMOST. I found a way. Maybe it didn't like the water I gave it. I have no idea. 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I finished getting my garden ready for planting this weekend.  My sides are sore from using the garden hoe so much.  I took some old soil out and added fresh garden soil plus compost that I bought by the bag.  I transplanted some garlic that was sprouting too.  I told my DH that this is the time of year I pretend I'm in shape! 

I also picked up some flowers and new pots at Lowes.  I forget what kinds off the top of my head.  I'll take some pictures when I get them done; hopefully this afternoon (I need to grocery shop first!).  They had PURPLE flower pots out and I just couldn't resist!  

 

[angels mommy]

My allums I planted have come up & are growing. so far they are about a foot high. My sunflowers have just sprouted too!  My computer is doing something weird, & not letting me load pictures as usual, so I will have to maybe try from my phone. I have a new one & haven't done that yet. My computer is saying I have to defrag the disc, but that will erase all the pictures on it so I didn't.  

 

[Norachan]

The cherry blossom trees out back are starting to flower. It's a bit cloudy today, but as soon as the sun comes out I'll post some pictures.

 

[nurseangel]

I love the pictures.  I ordered four varieties of pluots.  I hope they will be okay.  Around here, fruit trees that have pit-type seeds tend to get black knot disease.  It apparently comes from wild choke cherries.  The pluots have already arrived and will be set out tomorrow.  We are only planning to set out a few tomatoes this year...the garden won't be quite as big.  I also have special permission to bring in flower seeds to the prison, so that one of the inmates who likes gardening can set them out for all to enjoy.  They do a big garden behind the prison, and so they have fresh vegetables for salads in the summer.  

What is Ketchup N Fries?

 

[Norachan]

 
All of you have such nice setups. I don't even bother anymore. My house is a plant hospice. They come here to die. I'm the plant grim reaper. I walk through garden centers and I swear I can hear the plants shuddering in fear that I will be bringing them home. 

I managed to bring a small fig tree back to life that my DH's grandfather gave us. It wasn't doing very well. I got it going and planted it in the yard. It started producing figs and I was so proud of myself. I thought I had broken the curse. Well, we never did get one fig. A large possum was eating them as soon as they sprouted and then the landscapers ran the tree over with the mower. I came home one day and all that was left of it was a broken stick on the lawn.  I always wondered if the tree asked them to kill it before I managed to.  

   The curse continues. 

I also tried with a small planting kit made for children. It had seeds for small red flowers and had a little Winnie the Pooh figurine that hung by his paws off the side of the very small pot. I  followed the instructions to the letter and got the seedlings to sprout and then thinned them like they said to. The next day the rest of them were all dead. Ages 3 and up my eye.

   

 DH and DD got a good laugh out of that one. 

Have you tried cactus? They're pretty much indestructible. Just put them in a pot, put them near a window and then forget all about them.

 

[cataclysm]

Nice to see a post dedicated to gardening.

In my terrace, I've planted lettuces and basil for now, hyacinths which are really easy t grow and smell pretty well.

Inside I've got various kinds of Orchids, but I only get to get new flowers from the Phals. The others are much more dificult to take care of.

Betsygee, your raised bed is awesome.

My raised bed is smaller, more like this ones.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Can I get some advice on cucumber and pea placement?  I have 3 raised beds; each section is 4'x4'; all are 10.5" deep except the one with the arrow below that is 7".  I've used paint to illustrate my garden

Garden layout 2015.jpg

• MoochNNoodles
• Apr 21, 2015

I'm trying to understand what things grow well together and what doesn't and this is where I'm at.  I bought seeds for 3 different kinds of cucumbers (bold considering they have given me trouble!).  The brown rectangles are where I usually put my trellis' for the cukes to grow up and they grow out into the yard.  They also grow out into the yard toward the fence.  

It's too hot for peas to grow for long; but I usually get to enjoy them and then I have planted more cukes in their place.

DH has materials to build me another trellis.

So; do you think I can fit a few rows of peas in the 7" bed?  Then put 2 types of cukes in the top side of those beds and sow the 3rd when the peas are done?  That would leave me with room in the middle of the 7" bed for something else.  

The cucumber varieties I bought are Salad Slicer, Pickle Barrel Hybrid and Picklebush.  I'm hoping to do a good amount of pickles this year since they were such a hit last year.  The Picklebush variety says they are "Space-saving 2' plants"; so they might not even need to be trellised and I could do 2 rows in the lower bed??  The Salad slicer one also says "space saving."  It's a few weeks early for me to plant the cukes; but I need to get the peas in the ground ASAP.

 

[Winchester]

I love your garden designs and pictures! Way cool! 

Nice drawing, Mooch! Man, I hesitate to even think about offering advice on cukes, seeing as how the last couple years, I lost every single plant to blight. But I think you're right on track with your idea about planting the cukes in the top of the bed and then adding another row after your peas are done. You could put your Picklebush (cute name!) in the lower part of the bed, since they don't have to be trellised. One thing.....do not EVER plant your cuke plants in the same area you planted them the year before, esp if you've had issues with blight. Although we changed everything around last year, just so the cukes wouldn't be in the same area....and we lost them anyway. I'm not planting any this year; if I decide I want to make pickles, then I'll buy a bushel from the farmer up the road from us. (Did I mention.....every single plant gone? Blight? I give up.)

Our strawberry plants all came back; we were worried because of the hard winter. The snow cover may have helped them stay warmer in the long run. We may have lost a couple asparagus plants; I've seen a couple male asparagus tips poking through, but thinking there should be more by now.

I'm thinking to grate some horseradish this weekend. Rick will be gone (he's leaving Saturday morning to bowl), so it might be a good time to do some. He said he'd dig some out for me on Friday night and then I can clean it on Saturday morning. I'll have to grate it outside on the picnic table; horseradish is seriously pungent! I shouldn't have any sinus problems til I'm done. I'm not sure, though, if it's grown up enough to dig....it's about two inches in height right now. I may have to wait a while yet (have to get it done, though, before it gets really warm and it bolts).

We are thinking of tilling the first weekend in May and starting to plant. I know that's early for our area, but Rick will be gone for two weeks the middle of May. If we wait til he gets back home, then we're doing the garden Memorial Day weekend and that's too late. He thinks we can till, then get the fencing up, then I can work on planting and seeding while he's gone. I hope it works out that way.

I see you're growing Mariachi peppers. Have you tried Mariachi peppers before? Oh, they are so good! I tried them a few years ago and have been growing them ever since. They are seriously yummy. They have a bit of a bite, but they're not so hot that your mouth burns. They're really good in BBQ sauces. For our green peppers, we grow Lady Belle, I think they're called. They have a thicker wall and seem to be nice and sturdy, esp if you want to stuff them. They're very prolific, too; we always get a ton of peppers that I can chop or slice for the freezer. I've almost used every bag that we froze from last year....we go through a ton of different peppers. Still have a couple bags of sliced jalapenos and one bag of banana peppers left.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I've been trying to think how to switch things around more.  I lost the cukes last year to powdery mildew.  That 7" section has turned out to be a pain because it is lower and I can't plant things like the carrots in it.  And because I've put the garlic in it; I can't do the beans there.  Or I've read I shouldn't anyway.  The carrots have always done best in that bed.  I tried them in the bed on the right and the soil in it is just too thick.  I'm amending it every year; but I'd rather not put those there and have a yucky crop again.  Last year I had beans to the far right and they did good.  I had the summer squash and zucchini in the section next to those and also lost them to powdery mildew.  (I'm stocked up on Neem oil now.)  I had the cukes where you see the trellis' and peas in the right side of that middle bed first.  I had the peppers in the 7" section last year and they did fantastic!  I have done zucchini in the 7" section but they get so big the leaves overtake the next bed.  Last year the garlic was kind of choked out by everything else too so I'm trying to consider that.  

So I figured the summer squashes would do good next to the peppers.  I did buy varieties that are supposed to be more compact.  I'm putting the tomatoes in pots again this year.  

Last night I was thinking of using twine and dowel rods to make a simple trellis for the peas.  My other trellis are just 2x2s made into a square frame with nails  on the outside that I use to string twine up.  I've replaced the twine each year; but they have held up good with the cukes.  When I had my cantaloupe trying to climb it; it was too heavy with the melons.  I'm not even trying those again unless I have an "in the ground" bed.  

This is the first time I'm trying the mariachi peppers.  I saved them from last year at your suggestion. :bigthumb:   I ordered 3 plants from the Burpee website.  I'll get the rest of my peppers and tomatoes in the store.  I looked for something with a comparable description in the stores; but I didn't see anything that interested me.  Everything else will be a sweet pepper.  My kids like to snack on pepper strips!  

I don't plan on sowing anything else until the 2nd week of May.  I had to pull one of the flowers in last night as it is.  I potted some New Guinea Impatiens for the first time.  DD spotted them at Lowes and she was really taken with them.  The tag with the pot says they are hardy to 40; but I'm reading online that they should be pulled in if it's less than 55 out.  I also potted a Gerbera daisy and I'm trying a hot pink geranium with another that I cant think of the name of off the top of my head.  Hopefully they will do ok in a larger pot together.  I found purple pots and I just couldn't resist!!  I'm doing all petunias in my stair-step flower boxes for he front yard.  I've bought them; but not gotten them in yet. They are in the grass where they can get some sun by my potting bench.  I put marigolds in the garden yesterday.  They should do ok.  

image.jpg

• MoochNNoodles
• Apr 22, 2015

image.jpg

• MoochNNoodles
• Apr 22, 2015

 

[Norachan]

Those purple plant pots!

I want some!!!!!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

 
Those purple plant pots!

I want some!!!!!

Aren't they awesome!?  it's about time they had some in purple!!  I absolutely love the shade of purple!!

 

[Winchester]

Did you get those purple pots at Lowes? They are awesome! 

Mooch, do you plant corn? I didn't see any diagrammed, but thought I'd ask. A good place to place any kind of squashes is in your corn patch. They can grow and meander through the patch and they don't harm the corn stalks. We usually plant 5-6 squashes in amongst the corn and let them go to town in the patch. Last year, we put the butternuts in the corn and then after the baby butternuts started to grow, I took squashed plastic milk jugs and put them under the squash to protect them from the soil. I had to squish the jugs just right so that water didn't lay in the nooks and drown the squashes. And then it gives you more room in your garden to plant something else.

 

[Draco]

I want those purple pots too!!!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Yes the pots are from Lowes!  

I've never done corn.  I would like to try it someday if we ever till up some space in the yard.  I had been thinking that maybe I could plant it along the fence line; but I read that it does better in a patch than in a row; for pollination I think it said.  

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Does anyone have a suggestion for covering plants/flowers in cold weather?  We've gotten a cold snap and it got down to 38 last night.

  I carried all my flowers in to the garage; but it's still cool and windy today.  Tonight is supposed to be cold too.  I got an e-mail saying my mariachi peppers are getting ready to ship.  I'm really excited to grow them this year; so I want to be careful with them!  I'm thinking I'll stick my flowers in the kid's wagon so it's easier to bring them in and out! 

 

[sivyaleah]

 
Does anyone have a suggestion for covering plants/flowers in cold weather?  We've gotten a cold snap and it got down to 38 last night.

  I carried all my flowers in to the garage; but it's still cool and windy today.  Tonight is supposed to be cold too.  I got an e-mail saying my mariachi peppers are getting ready to ship.  I'm really excited to grow them this year; so I want to be careful with them!  I'm thinking I'll stick my flowers in the kid's wagon so it's easier to bring them in and out! 

If small enough, you can cover them up with other pots.  Other methods are using a light material (maybe even some landscape fabric?).

Any that can be brought in, even if it's an unheated garage will do better than being outdoors where the wind can get to them.  I brought in anything in pots last night, but put them out for sun this morning.  As far as I'm aware as long as it's not at the freezing or frost mark, they should recover just fine.  

You can also "heel in" plants which is digging a very small hole, and covering up roots with mulch.  I think they suggest watering well also, contrary to what you'd think, having moist soil is helpful.  

Good luck.  I'm sure many of us are just as worried with the recent, very late cold snap!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

 
If small enough, you can cover them up with other pots.  Other methods are using a light material (maybe even some landscape fabric?).

Any that can be brought in, even if it's an unheated garage will do better than being outdoors where the wind can get to them.  I brought in anything in pots last night, but put them out for sun this morning.  As far as I'm aware as long as it's not at the freezing or frost mark, they should recover just fine.  

You can also "heel in" plants which is digging a very small hole, and covering up roots with mulch.  I think they suggest watering well also, contrary to what you'd think, having moist soil is helpful.  

Good luck.  I'm sure many of us are just as worried with the recent, very late cold snap!

Does the size of the pot matter?  I've got some larger plastic ones that I use for growing herbs in the summer; that are currently empty.  My garage is significantly warmer right now.  Unfortunately it's north facing so no good sunlight in the windows.  I wonder if my shed might be warm enough.  It would be simpler than opening the garage door and the fence gates to pull everything  back and forth.  

 

[sivyaleah]

 
Does the size of the pot matter?  I've got some larger plastic ones that I use for growing herbs in the summer; that are currently empty.  My garage is significantly warmer right now.  Unfortunately it's north facing so no good sunlight in the windows.  I wonder if my shed might be warm enough.  It would be simpler than opening the garage door and the fence gates to pull everything  back and forth.  

As long as the pot can fit over the one with the plant in it, you're good to go.

Don't worry about the sunlight in the garage.  Plants can deal with less than ideal light conditions for a few days.  After all, every day isn't a sunny day.    The shed probably is good also.  As long as they are out of direct cold and wind, they should be fine.  Maybe throw a light blanket or something over the whole bunch of them!