Gardening

[Chuck Nessa]

Besides stuff in the back yard, for 3 years Ann has rented a plot in the country. All organic - here is a pic of her onion harvest today.

[vajerzy]

Wow- nice haul!! What else are you growing?

We have one- but have a terrible deer problem- they eat everything. We finally put up 6 ft poles with wire strung across it with lime green ribbons- they are keeping the deer away.

We have tomatoes, watermelon, green beans, and cool weather crops will be going in another month.

[JohnS]

We hava garden, mostly lawn and shrubs to keep the work load down. Quite a lot of lavender to attract bees. All we need to do is trim a hedge, mow the grass and go round with the hoe occasionally. The shrubs need cutting back annually so it doesn't become too much of a jungle. We are growing cherry tomatos in baskets for the first time this year, looks like there will be a decent crop.

[Jazzmoose]

I used to garden quite a bit. When I had an apartment I did a lot of container gardening (tomatoes, bell peppers, catnip of course) and then at the house I had veggies growing every year. Now, alas, I'm in an apartment with no back yard, so the gardening at least for now, is over. To be honest, I think my knees are grateful...

Then there was the crop in the closet back in the early 80's, but we won't talk about that.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Jazzmoose

[sidewinder]

Then there was the crop in the closet back in the early 80's, but we won't talk about that.

Bonzai?

Just about to tackle my 'overgrowth' today. The excess rain of the last few years have caused everything to grow at quite a rate of knots so I'm constantly doing battles with hedges, ash sapplings and the proverbial grass and weeds. Part of my plot has remnent of old native forest - and it is forever trying to revert to type. Good job I have a skip out front.

[Chuck Nessa]

Wow- nice haul!! What else are you growing?

Out in the country:

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Bush Beans

Pole Beans

Lima Beans

Peas

Lettuce - 9 varieties

Swiss Chard

Kålrabi

Radishes

Carrots - 2 varieties

Eggplant

Red Cabbage

White Cabbage

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

and all manner of herbs

Can't believe I forgot the 3 rows of potatoes - red and white.

Here at the house:

Tomatoes - 4 more varieties

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Strawberries

Red Raspberries

Black Raspberries

Winter Onions

Peppers - various

Squash - 2 varieties

Pumpkin

and more herbs.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Chuck Nessa

[Pete B]

I'm a tomato nut - 12 varieties of heirloom, just starting to ripen. Also green peppers (4 varieties), 8 kinds of basil to go with the tomatoes, parsley, thyme, leaf lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes, snap peas, collard greens. Raspberries, blueberries, a sour cherry tree, and a strawberry patch.

[Dan Gould]

Back in May my wife decided to start a vegetable garden. I'm glad I convinced her to start small in the little courtyard by the front door rather than the big garden she wanted to do along the fence line in back, because the Florida sun has pretty much killed it all. Everything started fine - tomatoes, green pepper, radishes, green beans but it all got cooked by the sun, even after she installed a canvas covering that is supposed to protect from the sun but let the rain in. Total harvest to date:

2 peppers

3 radishes

2 green beans

the only thing that grows and keeps growing are the herbs. Everything else is kaput, and she's given up. Like I said, I am glad she didn't do what she planned, which would have been 10Xs larger and equally burned to a crisp.

[Quincy]

Yup, I've been gardening for 20 years. Harvested garlic a few weeks ago and it's now cured. Tomatoes are just starting to ripen, at least with an early variety. In the Willamette Valley this can continue on thru early October, and it may take that long for some of the heirlooms. The pole beans are finally slowing down. Good thing as I was ready to turn into a bean. Peppers are coming along, have had summer squash for awhile and the sugar pumpkin and other fall squashes are growing nicely. Have carrots and some greens going though the latter had it rough with the 2 days of 105 heat, and all sorts of herbs (legal kind moose) going. I have about 2 dozen sunflowers of different types, all volunteers so lots of goldfinches & chickadees keep us company. Already have winter carrots and kale just starting and come October I'll plant garlic again and cover crops (probably fava beans and/or clover) and keep the circle going.

[Jazzmoose]

Wow- nice haul!! What else are you growing?

Out in the country:

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Bush Beans

Pole Beans

Lima Beans

Peas

Lettuce - 9 varieties

Swiss Chard

Kålrabi

Radishes

Carrots - 2 varieties

Eggplant

Red Cabbage

White Cabbage

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

and all manner of herbs

Can't believe I forgot the 3 rows of potatoes - red and white.

Here at the house:

Tomatoes - 4 more varieties

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Strawberries

Red Raspberries

Black Raspberries

Winter Onions

Peppers - various

Squash - 2 varieties

Pumpkin

and more herbs.

Uh...Chuck, at this point, it's not called "gardening", it's called "farming"!

[Chuck Nessa]

Uh...Chuck, at this point, it's not called "gardening", it's called "farming"!

Though I was raised on a farm, I didn't have that gene. My bride however has it in spades. Now that she's "retired" all bets are off!

[Free For All]

My bride however has it in spades.

....as well as hoes and shovels.

[Chuck Nessa]

My bride however has it in spades.

....as well as hoes and shovels.

Careful choosing words big fella!

[catesta]

Wow- nice haul!! What else are you growing?

Out in the country:

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Bush Beans

Pole Beans

Lima Beans

Peas

Lettuce - 9 varieties

Swiss Chard

Kålrabi

Radishes

Carrots - 2 varieties

Eggplant

Red Cabbage

White Cabbage

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

and all manner of herbs

Can't believe I forgot the 3 rows of potatoes - red and white.

Here at the house:

Tomatoes - 4 more varieties

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Strawberries

Red Raspberries

Black Raspberries

Winter Onions

Peppers - various

Squash - 2 varieties

Pumpkin

and more herbs.

Damn, that is something.

No garden for me but I did help my parents get one started this year. Not quite as spectactular as your wife is doing but they did turn out some nice tomatoes, eggplant, radicchio, fennel, and basil. Next year we will be more ambitious trying rapini, artichoke, cannellini and plenty of berries.

[Jazzmoose]

No garden for me but I did help my parents get one started this year. Not quite as spectactular as your wife is doing but they did turn out some nice tomatoes, eggplant, radicchio, fennel, and basil. Next year we will be more ambitious trying rapini, artichoke, cannellini and plenty of berries.

I thought cannellini was a noodle...

[vajerzy]

Chuck- that's very impressive!! My wife is jealous!! Something ate our green beans last night.....

Our beekeeping endeavor started as an off-shoot of gardening. Now I'm heavy into it- and my wife does our gardening.

[7/4]

Chuck- that's very impressive!! My wife is jealous!! Something ate our green beans last night.....

Our beekeeping endeavor started as an off-shoot of gardening. Now I'm heavy into it- and my wife does our gardening.

Beekeeping sounds fun. Steve Vai is into that too.

I'm too clumsy for that kind of stuff.

[vajerzy]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

[Quincy]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

Another foot to a foot & a half.

I know some people do okay with just a 6 foot fence, but I think it's a bit on the low side. As far as dog urine, peeing around your garden and all that, thankfully I haven't had to experiment with such things.

[Jazzmoose]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

No, seriously, when I was gardening the largest critter I had to deal with was a raccoon. Then there was the time I awoke to find my catnip plant in tatters and twenty cats passed out on the back porch...

[WorldB3]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

Not sure if it works but I love the name.

Luckily for us the six foot high fence is working. Planting stuff they are not supposed to like didn't.

[Chuck Nessa]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

Many deer roam freely on the farm where Ann has her garden. This year she seems to have had good results using something called Fertrell - Plant Food From the Sea. It is marketed as an organic fertilizer but someone told her to spray it on the plants to keep deer away. Something about the smell.

[Serioza]

Deer jumped our 6 foot high wire fence and ate our green beans....what do people use to keep deer out of their garden?

Many deer roam freely on the farm where Ann has her garden. This year she seems to have had good results using something called Fertrell - Plant Food From the Sea. It is marketed as an organic fertilizer but someone told her to spray it on the plants to keep deer away. Something about the smell.

best fertilizer is pigeon excrements

Edited August 11, 2009 by Serioza

[Royal Oak]

Just been in the garden, inspried me to resurrect this thread.

Despite the cold and the dead foliage, there are signs that Spring is coming. Hamamelis and Hellebores about to flower, plus the first snowdrops are showing their faces. Such a hopeful time of year.

[A Lark Ascending]

Just been in the garden, inspried me to resurrect this thread.

Despite the cold and the dead foliage, there are signs that Spring is coming. Hamamelis and Hellebores about to flower, plus the first snowdrops are showing their faces. Such a hopeful time of year.

Yes, last two days have been lovely (and impressive full moon in a clear sky at night).

I've spotted the first snowdrop too.

Sadly, also spotted five dead frogs floating atop the pond - clearly killed in the bad weather. Had to bury them with full honours accompanied by a Ravel adaptation - "Pavane Pour Les Grenouilles Defunte". And a bugle playing "The Last Croak".