Quarantine Vegetable Gardens

[LadyL]

We call them “volunteers”. Pine cones will release seeds. You’ll see new trees as tiny hairlike plants. Bright green. Oaks from acorns. I have several new pecan trees from squirrels planting them in the front yard. Crepe myrtles spread easily by bird droppings and by roots. They can become invasive. Please don’t top them off by cutting them across the top! Or I’ll start a thread called “crepe murder.” Check gardening sites for correct methods. Cut out suckers. Leave 3 or 5 or 7 main trunks. Odd number. Trim extra branching efforts from the bottom of the main trunks going up for clean up and aesthetics. Pictures in most gardening sources. There are dwarf, semi dwarf and standard height varieties. 30 plus feet. If you’re starting out with planting from a garden center, pick the ones that are blooming to make sure of the colors that you’re buying. I’ve seen beautiful rows where they meant to have all of the same color, but with one white one off center from a long row of hot pink. If that happens to you, move the wrong color out as soon as you see it. Replace it with a new one in the correct color. Unless you are pleased with the color combo. Of course.
As an aside, when I purchase new plantings of bushes or trees, I get one or two extra containers. Maybe three, depending on area to be filled in. (Always the smallest size, too. Easiest to plant. They grow up. Trees grow better from smaller sizes and faster.)
It’s like a dye lot. Can never get the exact same plant if one dies, or is wrong in some way. Otherwise, I have to dig up one on the edge of a bed or end of the row, move it to fill in the wrong color. Or dead one. Yes, I know. Perfectionist. Not good all the time. Lol.

whoa that's a lot of work
probably too much for me at this point
but thanks for the tips

 

[Midgie2]

My garden/yard has been my saving grace this year. I’ve always loved to garden, but only trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. This fall I’m thinking of making some 24”- 36” high raised beds for veg. (I have a bad back and arthritis), hope the height will make it a bit easier.
It’s been lovely watching my old faithful plants bloom...in a world of chaos, it’s so comforting. First came the tulips, peonies, lilacs, some clematis, iris, hollyhocks. Soon there will be new blooms of daisies, roses, geranium, hydrangea, veronica, agastache, alliums, daylilys and more clems. I sowed some zinnias and cosmos and they should add some cheerful color. Loving this time of year in the garden : )

 

[watergirl62]

We have an organization here, TreeFolks who give away trees several times a year, and organize stream restoration planting projects, etc. Wonderful group! Anyways, I planted an Eve's Necklace and an Arroyo Sweetwood this past year. They are both flowering trees, and should help keep my bees busy once they bloom. I also planted a pomegranate tree about three years ago. They are all relatively small trees, since we have plenty of large oaks, but I have found them to be just as rewarding to grow as veggies and landscape plants. Long-term goals...

DD and I made a batch of Gardenista's relish this weekend - delicious - thank you for the recipe! Very colorful, and I threw in some red onion to add more.

Also made a batch of salsa. Our jalapenos are hotter than our ghost peppers right now, am hoping they get hotter as the season progresses. We grew some Carolina reapers last year but those were crazy insane hot. I just discovered a chile pequin bush that is about 3 ft x 3 ft in the back corner of our yard where we recently trimmed some trees. Who knew?

I learned this week that black swallowtail butterflies are attracted to my fennel plant. Cool.

That's it from my corner of the garden...

 

[Gardener1850]

We been trying to stop a mole that has been tunneling up under my winter squash plants and killing them. Good thing I planted a second wave of winter squash because I have lost all except 2 plants out of 10 I had out there. The new seeds I planted have just sprouted, so now we have to stop this mole or he will kill the new ones too. After trying deterrent spray, pushing in his tunnels, burying chicken wire around the garden bed perimeter and attempting to trap him in a no-kill cage we are getting to drastic measures now. My husband brought home a cone of mole bait that you stick into the mole's tunnel, he eats the poison and dies. I hate to kill wildlife but I'm not messing around this year. This mole has taken out most of my squash plants.

I thought we would be fighting rabbits and deer more but they have stayed away so far. I did see a female deer eating unripe peaches right off my peach tree this week. I was happy to see her and she looked like she was pregnant. Hopefully the deer will stick with eating the peaches and leave the garden alone. My DH doesn't like peaches very much and I like them but can only eat so many, so we don't do much with the peach trees which were here before we bought the property. The deer can have as many as they want if they stay away from my garden.

 

[SA55]

Check out plastic tubs with rope handles while you’re there. Drill a few holes in the bottom and you’ve got a huge pot for very little money. Besides, if you’re really handy, attach rollers to the bottom and you can pull the tubs around where ever you want to position them.

I love ideas such as this! You sent me shopping online for tubs with rope handles and casters. Thankfully, garden and potting soil is on sale at our Lowes this week. I see a pickup in my afternoon plans!

 

[Midwestmom2019]

I love ideas such as this! You sent me shopping online for tubs with rope handles and casters. Thankfully, garden and potting soil is on sale at our Lowes this week. I see a pickup in my afternoon plans!

pssst:
If the bags are broken, they will give you a discount off the price of the bag. Even a rip without much missing. Depending on who I catch in the store, I have gotten up to 50% off. One time I took the entire pallet of broken bags, $1.00 a bag. One time deal. But it was great. Must have been 30? Maybe a few more bags.
Some stores are more lenient. Some total not nice people. Same with potted plants. Sale prices are usually half price. Plants can look good to half dead. Water is what they need the most.
ETA: Thursday’s seems to be the best day for bargains. New shipments arrive. They need to make room for new plants, containers and bags. Out with the old.

original post:
That’s it for tips. Other than I NEVER buy garden bags of any garden stuff at national stores that cater to cheaper merchandise, veggies that are from the second pick, low cost clothing. Can’t say any names. Their soil is garbage. Looks like it was dug out of a caleche bed. Rocks. Weed and seeds.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

More Tips:
Mulch pile.
Worm container.
Green sand.
Chicken poop.
Horse manure
Cow patties.
Lucky you if you live close to farmers, their animals and their gardens.
The bags of manure that I check at national do it yourself stores have manure but it just doesn’t ever seem to be real. When purchased and blended in my garden, nothing spectacular happens. Actually, nothing happens.
Experiment. Your soil. Weather. Rainfall. Sun exposure. Trees that shade the garden. Even same garden in three separate areas can have different ph levels. Master Gardener info.
The absolute best class that I have ever taken.

 

[mickey2942]

I have limitations on space, can't do a compost pile. But so far, everything looks green. If only it would warm up here a bit.

 

[LadyL]

I'm happy to announce that now my potatoes are sprouting. I feel like a proud mama.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

I have limitations on space, can't do a compost pile. But so far, everything looks green. If only it would warm up here a bit.

Nows the time to work the soil. Incorporate some manure, peat moss, sand. Whatever will make it porous. And smell heavenly. The worms will love you, too.
It’ll be so hot in a few that you’ll be wishing for cooler nights. Everything should be done to prep the garden before scorching weather comes in to stay. Ask the old timers.

 

[mickey2942]

Nows the time to work the soil. Incorporate some manure, peat moss, sand. Whatever will make it porous. And smell heavenly. The worms will love you, too.
It’ll be so hot in a few that you’ll be wishing for cooler nights. Everything should be done to prep the garden before scorching weather comes in to stay. Ask the old timers.

No, I have a limited container garden, not much "working soil" in the containers. But I put in two more tomato plants, Sweet Cherry 100. They already have baby tomatoes!

I guess that I am very lucky to live in an apartment, where you can do whatever you want with your front yard area. Some places would probably never let me have 10 grow bags, and a motley collection of various containers. Flowers, vegetables, bird feeders, bird bath...all I need is a pink flamingo! (I do have a very naughty gnome).

 

[Midwestmom2019]

I have limitations on space, can't do a compost pile. But so far, everything looks green. If only it would warm up here a bit.

Looking green is the best news. As I recall, you weren’t much into gardening before. So congratulations.
I put mulch stuff in the bottom of big containers before layering with filler and good soil. If I think of it, once the plant is growing steadily, I’ll put pine bark mulch around the plant. One to two inches deep. Less weeds. Less watering. By the end of the growing season, when it’s time to pull out dying plants, or frozen ones, I flip the planter to rework the soil. Mulch has composted. And gets mixed in for the next season. Pine bark gets mixed in, too. That way you get benefits. And no real mulch pile to fork over. Works for me!
I think pine deters some insects. If you can find cedar mulch, so much the better for keeping insects away. Like a cedar chest.

 

[CeeCeeCat]

We’re having a small heatwave. I was out in the garden with the cats at 6am and even then, it was uncomfortably hot. I’ve watered everything, potted a(nother) courgette, and ate more strawberries, right off the plant.
The tomato plants are full of yellow flowers and so much taller than I remember them from last year- well over five feet tall. I just love the smell of tomato leaves - in fact, the whole garden this morning smelt lovely. There was a very faint breeze and every time it washed over me, I caught a waft of fragrance from the coriander plants. Lovely.
I’ve just ordered a 3kg box of heritage tomatoes - to eat of course, but also to save the seeds. I am already thinking ahead to next year - considering a small raised bed to make the most of the space.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

Coming here is great. Getting away from crime is even better. Thanks for all the tips. Thinking tomatoes in pots need to be moved up against a fence and tied to the wiring. Five feet and growing. They’ll be too long in another few days.
I’m going to pull one branch down into the dirt. Secure it and wait for new roots to emerge. In a month or so, I’ll cut it off from the main plant stem. I’ll have a fresh plant in the middle of the summer.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

We have an organization here, TreeFolks who give away trees several times a year, and organize stream restoration planting projects, etc. Wonderful group! Anyways, I planted an Eve's Necklace and an Arroyo Sweetwood this past year. They are both flowering trees, and should help keep my bees busy once they bloom. I also planted a pomegranate tree about three years ago. They are all relatively small trees, since we have plenty of large oaks, but I have found them to be just as rewarding to grow as veggies and landscape plants. Long-term goals...

DD and I made a batch of Gardenista's relish this weekend - delicious - thank you for the recipe! Very colorful, and I threw in some red onion to add more.

Also made a batch of salsa. Our jalapenos are hotter than our ghost peppers right now, am hoping they get hotter as the season progresses. We grew some Carolina reapers last year but those were crazy insane hot. I just discovered a chile pequin bush that is about 3 ft x 3 ft in the back corner of our yard where we recently trimmed some trees. Who knew?

I learned this week that black swallowtail butterflies are attracted to my fennel plant. Cool.

That's it from my corner of the garden...

WOW!!!!

 

[CeeCeeCat]

The first tomato of the season has formed! It’s about the size of a cherry tomato, and clearly has a lot more growing to do, but it’s ridiculous how happy it made me to see it this morning.
My favourite time of day, between 5-8am. After all the chores are done, I make a coffee and the cats and I head outside. It was raining really hard this morning - such a relief after the humidity of the past few days - and we all huddled under the parasol, the cats happy to watch raindrops and mama happy to gaze at the tomato and drink coffee. Nobody else is up at this time, so the world is quiet and peaceful, the only sound that of birdsong.
This afternoon, I will be making focaccia - rosemary and garlic from the garden. And I have a glut of coriander, so a big red lentil dhal will be on the menu, too.
Happy weekend, everyone!

 

[zecats]

My first "harvest." I have so many more about to be ripe, as well.

 

[LadyL]

The first tomato of the season has formed! It’s about the size of a cherry tomato, and clearly has a lot more growing to do, but it’s ridiculous how happy it made me to see it this morning.
My favourite time of day, between 5-8am. After all the chores are done, I make a coffee and the cats and I head outside. It was raining really hard this morning - such a relief after the humidity of the past few days - and we all huddled under the parasol, the cats happy to watch raindrops and mama happy to gaze at the tomato and drink coffee. Nobody else is up at this time, so the world is quiet and peaceful, the only sound that of birdsong.
This afternoon, I will be making focaccia - rosemary and garlic from the garden. And I have a glut of coriander, so a big red lentil dhal will be on the menu, too.
Happy weekend, everyone!

My first "harvest." I have so many more about to be ripe, as well.

Yay you both got tomatoes! Mine aren't there yet. We bought some more planters and seeds and will be planting a bunch of herbs too. I snuck cat grass and cat nip into the purchase too lol.

 

[zecats]

Yay you both got tomatoes! Mine aren't there yet. We bought some more planters and seeds and will be planting a bunch of herbs too. I snuck cat grass and cat nip into the purchase too lol.

I mentioned here before, I used to have a Guinea Hen (male) named Boyd, and DH built him a coop. That's where I keep the tomato and pepper plants, inside so no medium or large critters can get to them. Even the chipmunks, which we suddenly have in our yard and who live in the flower garden, wouldn't be able to squeeze through the chicken wire spaces. The plants, however, have grown so tall that the tops of some of them are pushing through the top of the coop and growing outside of it. I suppose the birds will be helping themselves to whatever blossoms out there.

I feel like Jack and the Beanstalk (with tomato plants).

 

[mickey2942]

WTH?! It rained all weekend, and is about 45 right now. At this rate, maybe I will get a few tomatoes by September.