Gardeneing Chat

[IfIOnly]

I'm at 3,600' elevation and am having to cover tonight and bring the tomatoes inside. Needless to say we have a short growing season! I have most things planted, there are just a few squares left to plant in my 5' by 18' SFG bed. I also need to move the tomato plants to 5 gallon buckets (container gardening). I'm really excited about this gardening season. With the warmer weather we've been having, hopefully the corn will mature this year. Ha!

 

How's your garden doing?

 

Eta: I love seeing garden pics. Please share yours!

 

 

Edited June 10, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[J-rap]

We don't have a vegetable garden, but I'm slowly fixing up our flower gardens around the house (pretty much starting from scratch) as they have all grown wild over the years.  I started last year with the back yard, and planted perennials that grow well in our area and don't require much care.  We have a short growing season too.  Fortunately, they all came up again this spring and are looking good, so I'm happy about that!  Our really wild south side of the house is my next project to tackle, probably a summer-long project, but I haven't even begun thinking about it.  Will start on that soon!

[IfIOnly]

Oh, how fun to have so many flowers! We usually have such limited garden space, and the veggies get preference here, but I would Love to plant a bunch of lavender, sunflowers, daisies, lupine, and roses. If we weren't renting, I would tear out the ugly ornamental bushes and plant flowers.

[maize]

Dinner tonight included bak choi, beet greens, kale, strawberries, and cherries from the garden. The cherries weren't quite ripe, but if we wait the birds get them. Strawberries are at their peak. Only the bak choi is from this year's planting, the kale was from a plant that survived the winter and the beets are from a volunteer patch that re-seeds itself every year.

 

Tomato and pepper plants are doing well, I've got some squash and melon and pumpkins growing. I planted a few peas in amongst the strawberries and flowers. I want to plant corn but haven't gotten around to it yet. Fruit looks good his year--we didn't get much last year because of a late frost but the trees are making up for it now. We'll have apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines, pears, mulberries, and apples. And raspberries and blackberries. And my nut trees are finally getting big enough to start producing more than a handful, we'll have some walnuts and almonds. I'm hoping for pistachios and filberts next year.

[IfIOnly]

Sounds incredible, Maize. You must live in a temperate area with lots of property.

 

Kale has bolted here, and other cool weather veggies are pretty much not happening anymore. Our nights are cold, but our days are hot.

 

ETA: The only reliable fruit here are some berries. Some years we'll get some small apples, cherries, and plums. Def. no nuts grow here!

Edited June 10, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[KungFuPanda]

I can't share a picture. It's embarrassing. We've had weird weather. Lettuce . . . bolted. Spinach . . . bolted. Bugs are decimating my basil and beans. Critters, under the cover of darkness, eat entire plants. My Hostas look like celery all leafless and sad. They even ate the marigolds! My herbs look decent. The potatoes, onions, and ground cherries might make it. I can grow some tomatoes, but I'm not sure I have quite enough sun for peppers.

 

I just mixed up a soap/oil insecticide yesterday and got some blood meal today so maybe I can combat some critters.

[nd293]

I just mixed up a soap/oil insecticide yesterday and got some blood meal today so maybe I can combat some critters.

We made beer traps when things were getting eaten overnight (mostly by pill bugs). Sink a yoghurt container of beer in the ground (or many of them). The bugs die happy.

[KungFuPanda]

We made beer traps when things were getting eaten overnight (mostly by pill bugs). Sink a yoghurt container of beer in the ground (or many of them). The bugs die happy.

Worth a shot. Thanks.

[maize]

Sounds incredible, Maize. You must live in a temperate area with lots of property.

 

Kale has bolted here, and other cool weather veggies are pretty much not happening anymore. Our nights are cold, but our days are hot.

 

ETA: The only reliable fruit here are some berries. Some years we'll get some small apples, cherries, and plums. Def. no nuts grow here!

 

 

We are at elevation as well, higher than you, and not super temperate--according to our state agricultural university the hardiness zone around here is approximately 5 or 6. I think there's a bit of a microclimate effect going on right where I live though that may make us closer to a 7. We're on about 1/4 acre and I've got stuff growing all over the place.

 

As for nuts, there are varieties that are very hardy. You might look at these (sourced from Canada) http://www.hardyfruittrees.ca/catalog/nut-tree

[maize]

We made beer traps when things were getting eaten overnight (mostly by pill bugs). Sink a yoghurt container of beer in the ground (or many of them). The bugs die happy.

 

I wanted to see if there were an alternative to beer (which I don't keep around) and found this suggestion:

 

Make a non-beer alternative by putting several tablespoons of cornmeal in a small sealed plastic food storage container. Cut a small hole on the bottom of one edge and place the container in your garden near young vegetable plants. The pill bugs will be attracted to the cornmeal, climb into the containers and ingest it. Ingestion problems cause the bugs to die. For a large garden, place several cornmeal containers near groups of plants.

[Ethel Mertz]

We're in zone 6. Our local farmer gave us two tomato plants which are off to a good start in our community garden plot. Our other tomato plants have got a bit of a late start, but I'm hopeful they'll come through. Our peppers are late too. Most folks around here say not to plant anything but cold season crops until June 1st. Our garden plot also has: peas, lettuces, spinach, yellow squash, delicata squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and basil.

 

At home, I've planted more heirloom tomatoes in containers; have herb seed starts as well as kale, chard, and other leafy greens as starts; and have some peas that I've planted in containers that will climb our front porch railing. I meant to plant potatoes, but someone accidentally cooked the seed potatoes and now it is too late.  :glare:

 

By the beginning of August, I'll start some seeds for cool weather crops again.

[MaeFlowers]

I'm trying my hand at gardening again this year. It's been a while as we have been in rentals and I just haven't been having much luck. I used to do huge in ground gardens but am only doing container gardening right now. Tomatoes, various hot peppers and squash. I'm not sure squash is the best for containers but dd really wanted to try and it.

I'm excited because my full sized tomato plant is covered in buds but I have a recurring problem. Tiny tomatoes. Does anyone know why my slicing tomatoes rarely get larger than a very small plum?

Edited June 10, 2016 by MaeFlowers

[HeWillSoar]

My garden is all flowers/landscape. This one is from a couple years ago.  Right now there are tons of weeds,and I don't have the inclination to deal with them because of the heat and mosquitoes.

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2016 by HeWillSoar

[IfIOnly]

I can't share a picture. It's embarrassing. We've had weird weather. Lettuce . . . bolted. Spinach . . . bolted. Bugs are decimating my basil and beans. Critters, under the cover of darkness, eat entire plants. My Hostas look like celery all leafless and sad. They even ate the marigolds! My herbs look decent. The potatoes, onions, and ground cherries might make it. I can grow some tomatoes, but I'm not sure I have quite enough sun for peppers.

 

I just mixed up a soap/oil insecticide yesterday and got some blood meal today so maybe I can combat some critters.

 

Oh, bummer! Hope you can figure out what's eating your garden. What could it be? I've never had major pest problems. Oh, I remember now, mice ate our strawberries at one house. It was so sad to see bites taken out of the berries every time we checked. Eventually we gave up, but thankfully, haven't had that problem again. 

 

We are at elevation as well, higher than you, and not super temperate--according to our state agricultural university the hardiness zone around here is approximately 5 or 6. I think there's a bit of a microclimate effect going on right where I live though that may make us closer to a 7. We're on about 1/4 acre and I've got stuff growing all over the place.

 

As for nuts, there are varieties that are very hardy. You might look at these (sourced from Canada) http://www.hardyfruittrees.ca/catalog/nut-tree

 

Zone 5 or 6 here too. We have lots of micro climates going on in our area too. Sounds like you have a sweet spot. Unfortunately, ours is colder than some for our area. Ha! We just do what we can though. Thank you for the info. about the nuts. That is really interesting. Our apple tree in our yard is actually producing small fruit this year, and we're all really excited. I'd like to fertilize it this year to help maximize yield and need to look into that.

 

We're in zone 6. Our local farmer gave us two tomato plants which are off to a good start in our community garden plot. Our other tomato plants have got a bit of a late start, but I'm hopeful they'll come through. Our peppers are late too. Most folks around here say not to plant anything but cold season crops until June 1st. Our garden plot also has: peas, lettuces, spinach, yellow squash, delicata squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and basil.

 

At home, I've planted more heirloom tomatoes in containers; have herb seed starts as well as kale, chard, and other leafy greens as starts; and have some peas that I've planted in containers that will climb our front porch railing. I meant to plant potatoes, but someone accidentally cooked the seed potatoes and now it is too late.  :glare:

 

By the beginning of August, I'll start some seeds for cool weather crops again.

June first for frost tender plants here too. I usually plant after Memorial Day weekend. That's wonderful there's a community garden in your area. Those are such wonderful spaces!  :001_wub:  That's really interesting about planting cool weather crops again late summer. I've never tried that, but you've inspired me. I'm going to look into that for our area.

 

 

I'm trying my hand at gardening again this year. It's been a while as we have been in rentals and I just haven't been having much luck. I used to do huge in ground gardens but am only doing container gardening right now. Tomatoes, various hot peppers and squash. I'm not sure squash is the best for containers but dd really wanted to try and it.

I'm excited because my full sized tomato plant is covered in buds but I have a recurring problem. Tiny tomatoes. Does anyone know why my slicing tomatoes rarely get larger than a very small plum?

 

What kind of soil did you fill the containers with? Do you apply anything like compost or other ammendments to add nurtients each year?  My first though is a nutrient deficiency. I'm trying this organic fertilizer this year that's supposed to be great for tomatoes: https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Earth-Organic-Vegetable-Fertilizer/dp/B000VZRV4C/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1465857690&sr=8-8&keywords=organic+fertilizer

 

My garden is all flowers/landscape. This one is from a couple years ago.  Right now there are tons of weeds,and I don't have the inclination to deal with them because of the heat and mosquitoes.

 

 

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Oh, wow! What a beautiful space! Weeding is a pain. I feel ya.

 

 

I didn't bring my tomatoes in ONE night this week and think I may have lost some plants. They had been heavily flowering and even had begun to bear fruit. I'm so irked at myself for forgetting because it's so easy to bring them in the house. Hoping they pull through. If not, I'll be buying some more plants this weekend. 

Edited June 13, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[TravelingChris]

We have flowers in the yard and they are doing well.  We have herbs in pots as well as cherry tomatoes and hot peppers.  THey are all doing fine but nothing to harvest yet.  They do have flowers so not too long.

[BlsdMama]

Can I show only the weeded spots?? ;)

[IfIOnly]

Can I show only the weeded spots?? ;)

Haha! I would love to see pics, weeded or not. :)

 

 

I wanted to mention a wonderful compost I found at Lowes this year. It was recommended to me by a fellow gardener who fills her beds with it. It's an all organic mushroom, chicken and cow manure, and more mix. I planted my tomatoes in it, since tomatoes do well in rich soil/all compost. A bag did 2, 5 gallon buckets, and at $4 a bag, that's pretty good for all organic. https://www.hhg1.com/products/greensmix-1cf-mushroom-compost

 

Eta: I got food grade buckets for $2.50 each at Wal-Mart too. That's less than most places but for food grade! Really stoked about that find. I also picked up a RV drinking/white water hose for not too much. I've been wanting to switch my old one out for some time. The one that came with a cancer warning about drinking from it. :/

Edited June 14, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[cjzimmer1]

I find it interesting that some of you in warmer zones than I have later recommendations for planting.  We are on the edge of zone 4/5.  For us planting happens after the "ice days" which happen right around the middle of May.  Basically we get a couple of days where the weather dips really cold and after that the frost is past.  Some years it might happen by the 10th other years more like the 17-18th. I've been using that guide for 20 years and haven't gone wrong yet.  That said I didn't finish planting my tomatoes until yesterday because I work during May and just don't have time to get much done early.  My "garden" has 24 tomatoes that I planted yesterday.  Earlier I got 7 tomatoes along the side of house, 3 tomatoes in pots on the deck.  Basil and Kale are growing in an old kids swimming pool.  Peppers in random assorted sized pots on the top of my rockwall and two storage totes planted with cucumbers.  I have pots of chives that come back every year and my cilantro nicely reseeded itself in it's pots as well.  I also have volunteer lettuce plants growing in one bed.  However this bed also has the peppermint growing in it so if I don't get the lettuce early, it gets drowned out by the mint.  I have a batch of sage and my oregano springs up all over the grass every year.  I have a cherry tree planted.  I haven't got cherries from it yet but for the first time every it actually bloomed.  I also have red and black raspberries growing as well as 5 honeyberry bushes.  I just bought two blueberry bushes and that is all I have left to plant for the year.  I also have to finish installing the fence around the tomatoes in the garden but I was too tired to finish last night after all the work of working up the soil and planting.

[Ethel Mertz]

What does everyone do with the soil in their containers at the end of the season? Can it be re-used?

[gardenmom5]

What does everyone do with the soil in their containers at the end of the season? Can it be re-used?

 

it can . . - I also will dump it in a garden bed.

 

fred meyer has a 'planting event' every spring.  buy your starts, bring your pot (pretty sure there is a size limit), and they will fill it with good quality planting soil.  it was a beautiful sunny day this year.  not bad considering they do it in early april.

 

I do four fuchsia baskets every year, so I dump out the previous year's soil into a garden bed.  I also have seven geranium 'hay'baskets that hang off deck railings - I get the geraniums from Costco.  I have to take some dirt out every year or they over flow with soil.   again - I dump the excess into a garden bed.  this year I made an herb garden that is very convenient to my kitchen.  I'll be able to dump excess dirt there for a few years before I have to find a new bed in which to start dumping.

[Bluegoat]

I'm in a relativy northern latitude, but a coastal region, so we are fairly temperate, but things don't heat right up either, like they do in the interior of the province.  My zone is considered 6b (Canadian zones are slightly different than American ones, but pretty comparable.

 

Anyway, we can usually get in things like beets as soon as the soil can be worked, say at the beginning of May or a little earlier depending on moisture, and last frost date is June 1st to start putting out more sensitive plants.  I actually feel like I am close to on schedule this year, my dh did the digging I wanted because I am not up for it while pregnant, and was much more efficient than I would have been.

 

Out front I have two perennial borders which are easy and always do well.  Also a peach tree with some perennials around it, but the tree is suffering a little.  Even though it's young, until last year we always got at least 25 peaches, the most recent good year we had about 50.  Then last year there was a crazy winter that affected pollination, so we had only 12.  This year, the peach leaf curl is being an issue.  We always have some, but it generally clears up as it gets warmer and drier - this year it is still very cool and wet, so it is really affected.  I don't know how it will do for peaches.  This is why we don't tend to have them on the coast, I guess.

 

My front yard veg bed is doing well, I planted peas, a few brassicas, beets, chard, carrots and parsnips.  New things in this bed are my dh made a new pea climbing structure out of plumbing supplies, which is so impressive people keep stopping on the sidewalk to peer at it.  Odd things in this bed - I planted a block of mixed sunflowers, but broccoli raab, which I did not plant this year, seems to be what is mostly coming up.  And, the whole thing is coming up with a bunch of netles, so I will probably weed them out today or tomorrow and make nettle soup.  I also planted something new - radishes for pods, which you pickle.  I am interested to see how they will turn out.

 

My dh also dug me a few new things out front. A squash bed, which has a pumpkin and some squash plants.  A bed by my fence to the back yard - I think in the future I'll do some kind of arbour and try grapes or hops here, but for now I've planted hollyhocks, bachelor's buttons, and nasturtiums.  And he finished digging the bed under the front window which has a butterfly bush and other perennials - I've just added some borage here, which seems to be wanting more heat.

 

Out back I've had to be very minimal, as my dh's young dog is being rather garden-destructive.  I have one raised bed where I have tomatoes, basil, and some bought pepper plants, but before I perfected my fencing she managed to bite a pepper plant in half.  I also have some chives, oregano, and a huge angelica plant which I thought was finished last year, here.  I did have rhubarb but dug it up, divided it, and put it in another bed, so next year I should have a lot.  My thyme plant seems to be on it's last legs.

 

I am a little excited by fruit out back.  My blackthorn bush was covered in blossoms, so I will have a lot of sloes - so fall will be lots of jam and gin.  It generally only produces every second year.  The cherry I planted two years ago blossomed.  It's bed is hopeless though, there is a weed I can't irradicate, and the goutweed is horrible, so I planted some wormwood that needed a home, at least it doesn't care about weeds.  I also tried some morning glories to go up the fence, but they actually seem to have become lost in the weeds, which I did not think was possible.  Last year dh actually found a second cherry tree in our hedge, which was being oppressed by lilacs, and pruned some space, and it also flowered this year.

 

I've put herbs, lettuce, and hot peppers in pots in the driveway by the garage, and some annuals for colour in pots out front.  Right now the garden looks low key - the honeysuckle hedge is blooming, and some aliums, but that is about it.  But the peony and weigelia are about to go into bloom.

 

Right now though what we need is some sun and heat!  It is just so cold, everything is so slow!

[Bluegoat]

What does everyone do with the soil in their containers at the end of the season? Can it be re-used?

 

Sometimes I reuse half, but I find I need to fertilize a lot more.

 

I tend to dump it in the hedge, or other bits of the garden that are slightly more wild.  I have a corner with a holly bush and hostas and forget-me-nots, where the goutweed tends to be rampant, and I get some satisfaction from dumping used dirt on the goutweed.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

 I also picked up a RV drinking/white water hose for not too much. I've been wanting to switch my old one out for some time. The one that came with a cancer warning about drinking from it. :/

 

:scared: The safety of our hoses has never even crossed my mind! That's so upsetting, considering that I choose everything in our garden for food safety. Grrr...

 

What does everyone do with the soil in their containers at the end of the season? Can it be re-used?

 

We do raised bed gardening, so we re-use our soil and just add lots of composted manure at the beginning of each season. This year I'm also adding some organic fertilizer. I added Chickity Doo Doo to our landscape plants along the outside of the fence a few months ago and I couldn't believe the improvement, so I'm sold on using something in the veggie garden as well. Still working on what! Possibly what someone mentioned above, or something in the Jobe's line, which seem to get very good reviews. 

Edited June 14, 2016 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

We got a late start this year and just managed to finish getting the later-season plants (peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) in before we left for vacation last Sunday. I expected to come home to peas galore, but instead I came home to dead, chewed up pea plants, beets and carrots with all the tops eaten off, and my little lettuce table half chewed up  :crying:  My heart is really broken over the peas. I planted loads of them, and I was eagerly anticipating harvesting peas on a daily basis. I did get to eat a couple of pods that were left on the vines, and they were as delicious as I expected. That almost made it worse! I'll be able to plant more in a few months for fall harvesting, but man, that was a depressing way to come home from vacation!

 

I thought at first it was our yard bunnies, but when I saw the lettuce table, which is four feet off the ground, I started wondering if it might be squirrels or chipmunks, or maybe a groundhog? I feel like a groundhog would have done a lot more damage than that though. I don't know. 

 

On the upside, our tomatoes (6 plants), peppers (18-20 plants), green and borlotto beans (lots), potatoes (lots), eggplant (9), watermelon (4),  pumpkin (6), and cucumbers and squash (lots) are looking pretty good. Something tried to eat the pumpkin leaves but gave up pretty quickly! It looks like most of the soy beans never even sprouted  :glare: But I can plant those all summer long, thankfully. We don't get a huge amount of sun in the back, so things don't grow prolifically, but I have enough space to grow a lot of plants, so we get more than we need :D

 

I have basil growing in another raised table, but I think I may want to plant more. Our cilantro is already bolting, even the "slo bolt" kind, which is a bummer. Parsley is doing well, and the little bit of lettuce in that table is doing beautifully. We're loaded with little weeds because we were gone for a week and I need to get some leaf mulch down, but I'm making slow and steady progress there. And the flowers in my hanging baskets did pretty well while we were gone, in spite of not being part of the watering system. I'll have to baby the verbena back to full strength, but the torenias did beautifully  :hurray: The little portulacas are pretty much self managing--it's one of the reasons I love them so :lol:

 

I'll see if I can get a picture to load.

Edited June 14, 2016 by ILiveInFlipFlops

[Bluegoat]

We got a late start this year and just managed to finish getting the later-season plants (peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) in before we left for vacation last Sunday. I expected to come home to peas galore, but instead I came home to dead, chewed up pea plants, beets and carrots with all the tops eaten off, and my little lettuce table half chewed up  :crying:  My heart is really broken over the peas. I planted loads of them, and I was eagerly anticipating harvesting peas on a daily basis. I did get to eat a couple of pods that were left on the vines, and they were as delicious as I expected. That almost made it worse! I'll be able to plant more in a few months for fall harvesting, but man, that was a depressing way to come home from vacation!

 

I thought at first it was our yard bunnies, but when I saw the lettuce table, which is four feet off the ground, I started wondering if it might be squirrels or chipmunks, or maybe a groundhog? I feel like a groundhog would have done a lot more damage than that though. I don't know. 

 

On the upside, our tomatoes (6 plants), peppers (18-20 plants), green and borlotto beans (lots), potatoes (lots), eggplant (9), watermelon (4),  pumpkin (6), and cucumbers and squash (lots) are looking pretty good. Something tried to eat the pumpkin leaves but gave up pretty quickly! It looks like most of the soy beans never even sprouted  :glare: But I can plant those all summer long, thankfully. We don't get a huge amount of sun in the back, so things don't grow prolifically, but I have enough space to grow a lot of plants, so we get more than we need :D

 

I have basil growing in another raised table, but I think I may want to plant more. Our cilantro is already bolting, even the "slo bolt" kind, which is a bummer. Parsley is doing well, and the little bit of lettuce in that table is doing beautifully. We're loaded with little weeds because we were gone for a week and I need to get some leaf mulch down, but I'm making slow and steady progress there. And the flowers in my hanging baskets did pretty well while we were gone, in spite of not being part of the watering system. I'll have to baby the verbena back to full strength, but the torenias did beautifully  :hurray: The little portulacas are pretty much self managing--it's one of the reasons I love them so :lol:

 

I'll see if I can get a picture to load.

 

 

I would also consider rats, or birds - crows might do something like that.

[IfIOnly]

I find it interesting that some of you in warmer zones than I have later recommendations for planting.  We are on the edge of zone 4/5.  For us planting happens after the "ice days" which happen right around the middle of May.  Basically we get a couple of days where the weather dips really cold and after that the frost is past.  Some years it might happen by the 10th other years more like the 17-18th. I've been using that guide for 20 years and haven't gone wrong yet.  That said I didn't finish planting my tomatoes until yesterday because I work during May and just don't have time to get much done early.  My "garden" has 24 tomatoes that I planted yesterday.  Earlier I got 7 tomatoes along the side of house, 3 tomatoes in pots on the deck.  Basil and Kale are growing in an old kids swimming pool.  Peppers in random assorted sized pots on the top of my rockwall and two storage totes planted with cucumbers.  I have pots of chives that come back every year and my cilantro nicely reseeded itself in it's pots as well.  I also have volunteer lettuce plants growing in one bed.  However this bed also has the peppermint growing in it so if I don't get the lettuce early, it gets drowned out by the mint.  I have a batch of sage and my oregano springs up all over the grass every year.  I have a cherry tree planted.  I haven't got cherries from it yet but for the first time every it actually bloomed.  I also have red and black raspberries growing as well as 5 honeyberry bushes.  I just bought two blueberry bushes and that is all I have left to plant for the year.  I also have to finish installing the fence around the tomatoes in the garden but I was too tired to finish last night after all the work of working up the soil and planting.

I love the swimming pool garden! Basil is the one thing I decided to do this year that I haven't planted yet. I need to do that soon.

 

What does everyone do with the soil in their containers at the end of the season? Can it be re-used?

 

It can totally be reused. I like to shred up whatever plant was in there and mix it in for extra nutrients, as well as add a couple inches of rich compost the following year. 

 

I'm in a relativy northern latitude, but a coastal region, so we are fairly temperate, but things don't heat right up either, like they do in the interior of the province.  My zone is considered 6b (Canadian zones are slightly different than American ones, but pretty comparable.

 

Anyway, we can usually get in things like beets as soon as the soil can be worked, say at the beginning of May or a little earlier depending on moisture, and last frost date is June 1st to start putting out more sensitive plants.  I actually feel like I am close to on schedule this year, my dh did the digging I wanted because I am not up for it while pregnant, and was much more efficient than I would have been.

 

Out front I have two perennial borders which are easy and always do well.  Also a peach tree with some perennials around it, but the tree is suffering a little.  Even though it's young, until last year we always got at least 25 peaches, the most recent good year we had about 50.  Then last year there was a crazy winter that affected pollination, so we had only 12.  This year, the peach leaf curl is being an issue.  We always have some, but it generally clears up as it gets warmer and drier - this year it is still very cool and wet, so it is really affected.  I don't know how it will do for peaches.  This is why we don't tend to have them on the coast, I guess.

 

My front yard veg bed is doing well, I planted peas, a few brassicas, beets, chard, carrots and parsnips.  New things in this bed are my dh made a new pea climbing structure out of plumbing supplies, which is so impressive people keep stopping on the sidewalk to peer at it.  Odd things in this bed - I planted a block of mixed sunflowers, but broccoli raab, which I did not plant this year, seems to be what is mostly coming up.  And, the whole thing is coming up with a bunch of netles, so I will probably weed them out today or tomorrow and make nettle soup.  I also planted something new - radishes for pods, which you pickle.  I am interested to see how they will turn out.

 

My dh also dug me a few new things out front. A squash bed, which has a pumpkin and some squash plants.  A bed by my fence to the back yard - I think in the future I'll do some kind of arbour and try grapes or hops here, but for now I've planted hollyhocks, bachelor's buttons, and nasturtiums.  And he finished digging the bed under the front window which has a butterfly bush and other perennials - I've just added some borage here, which seems to be wanting more heat.

 

Out back I've had to be very minimal, as my dh's young dog is being rather garden-destructive.  I have one raised bed where I have tomatoes, basil, and some bought pepper plants, but before I perfected my fencing she managed to bite a pepper plant in half.  I also have some chives, oregano, and a huge angelica plant which I thought was finished last year, here.  I did have rhubarb but dug it up, divided it, and put it in another bed, so next year I should have a lot.  My thyme plant seems to be on it's last legs.

 

I am a little excited by fruit out back.  My blackthorn bush was covered in blossoms, so I will have a lot of sloes - so fall will be lots of jam and gin.  It generally only produces every second year.  The cherry I planted two years ago blossomed.  It's bed is hopeless though, there is a weed I can't irradicate, and the goutweed is horrible, so I planted some wormwood that needed a home, at least it doesn't care about weeds.  I also tried some morning glories to go up the fence, but they actually seem to have become lost in the weeds, which I did not think was possible.  Last year dh actually found a second cherry tree in our hedge, which was being oppressed by lilacs, and pruned some space, and it also flowered this year.

 

I've put herbs, lettuce, and hot peppers in pots in the driveway by the garage, and some annuals for colour in pots out front.  Right now the garden looks low key - the honeysuckle hedge is blooming, and some aliums, but that is about it.  But the peony and weigelia are about to go into bloom.

 

Right now though what we need is some sun and heat!  It is just so cold, everything is so slow!

 

Loved reading about all you've got going on! Yes, I'm looking forward to the warm weather and things taking off! I was shivering watering the garden this afternoon. Brrr.

 

:scared: The safety of our hoses has never even crossed my mind! That's so upsetting, considering that I choose everything in our garden for food safety. Grrr...

 

 

We do raised bed gardening, so we re-use our soil and just add lots of composted manure at the beginning of each season. This year I'm also adding some organic fertilizer. I added Chickity Doo Doo to our landscape plants along the outside of the fence a few months ago and I couldn't believe the improvement, so I'm sold on using something in the veggie garden as well. Still working on what! Possibly what someone mentioned above, or something in the Jobe's line, which seem to get very good reviews. 

 

I know, right? Googling pulls up all kinds of chemicals found in hoses like lead. Grr.

 

We got a late start this year and just managed to finish getting the later-season plants (peppers, eggplant, tomatoes) in before we left for vacation last Sunday. I expected to come home to peas galore, but instead I came home to dead, chewed up pea plants, beets and carrots with all the tops eaten off, and my little lettuce table half chewed up  :crying:  My heart is really broken over the peas. I planted loads of them, and I was eagerly anticipating harvesting peas on a daily basis. I did get to eat a couple of pods that were left on the vines, and they were as delicious as I expected. That almost made it worse! I'll be able to plant more in a few months for fall harvesting, but man, that was a depressing way to come home from vacation!

 

I thought at first it was our yard bunnies, but when I saw the lettuce table, which is four feet off the ground, I started wondering if it might be squirrels or chipmunks, or maybe a groundhog? I feel like a groundhog would have done a lot more damage than that though. I don't know. 

 

On the upside, our tomatoes (6 plants), peppers (18-20 plants), green and borlotto beans (lots), potatoes (lots), eggplant (9), watermelon (4),  pumpkin (6), and cucumbers and squash (lots) are looking pretty good. Something tried to eat the pumpkin leaves but gave up pretty quickly! It looks like most of the soy beans never even sprouted  :glare: But I can plant those all summer long, thankfully. We don't get a huge amount of sun in the back, so things don't grow prolifically, but I have enough space to grow a lot of plants, so we get more than we need :D

 

I have basil growing in another raised table, but I think I may want to plant more. Our cilantro is already bolting, even the "slo bolt" kind, which is a bummer. Parsley is doing well, and the little bit of lettuce in that table is doing beautifully. We're loaded with little weeds because we were gone for a week and I need to get some leaf mulch down, but I'm making slow and steady progress there. And the flowers in my hanging baskets did pretty well while we were gone, in spite of not being part of the watering system. I'll have to baby the verbena back to full strength, but the torenias did beautifully  :hurray: The little portulacas are pretty much self managing--it's one of the reasons I love them so :lol:

 

I'll see if I can get a picture to load.

 

No pic! I'd love to see. Thanks for sharing!

[Laura Corin]

Our salad is almost ready to start harvesting. I only sowed it in mid May, but it has been warm. Apart from that, the Swiss Chard is bolting (probably because of the early warmth) but all else is fine: purple French beans, peas, Brokali, carrots, broccoli for the spring. I'll try to take a picture and put it on my blog.

 

The flowers are happy and lush. The alliums, azaleas and irises are in full flower.

Edited June 14, 2016 by Laura Corin

[IfIOnly]

Our salad is almost ready to start harvesting. I only sowed it in mid May, but it has been warm. Apart from that, the Swiss Chard is bolting (probably because of the early warmth) but all else is fine: purple French beans, peas, Brokali, carrots, broccoli for the spring. I'll try to take a picture and put it on my blog.

 

The flowers are happy and lush. The alliums, azaleas and irises are in full flower.

I've visited your blog several times. Your garden is just gorgeous.

 

I didn't realize Swiss chard bolted in warm weather. I hadn't planted it in a couple of years but specifically planted it this one to have greens in the summer since lettuce, spinach, and kale bolt pretty early here. Oops. I did plant it in partial share though, so maybe it'll be okay.

[Laura Corin]

I've visited your blog several times. Your garden is just gorgeous.

 

I didn't realize Swiss chard bolted in warm weather. I hadn't planted it in a couple of years but specifically planted it this one to have greens in the summer since lettuce, spinach, and kale bolt pretty early here. Oops. I did plant it in partial share though, so maybe it'll be okay.

I've just been told that the green kind is less prone to bolting. It's the fancy coloured ones that are more likely to.

[IfIOnly]

I've just been told that the green kind is less prone to bolting. It's the fancy coloured ones that are more likely to.

Oh, that's good to know! I planted a 12" square each (4 in a square) of red, green, and rainbow. Maybe I'll replant the others with green since they're just now sprouting.

Edited June 14, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Laura Corin]

Oh, that's good to know! I planted a 12" square each (4 in a square) of red, green, and rainbow. Maybe I'll replant the others with green since they're just now sprouting.

Do some research about your local conditions first. It might be different with you.

[creekland]

Our garden plants have thoroughly enjoyed the weather we've had this year.  It's the first year where literally everything has been doing well so far - we're not at harvest season yet for summer crops, so time will tell if it continues.  

 

Broccoli and spinach are done now, but I'm about to plant another row of beets because I discovered how delicious beet greens are sauteed in garlic and olive oil...   Growing up mainly with my dad apparently left significant gaps in my education.  Up until this year, we just discarded beet greens...  :glare:  We still have plenty out there, but I want more for later in the season.

 

Our fruit trees took quite a hit from the late hard freeze we had.  We won't be getting much from them this year (sigh).  Berries, like the garden, loved it - AND - there are fewer bugs - a nice bonus.

[IfIOnly]

I'm getting some squash! Pics:

 

3 crookneck, 3 slicing cucumber (10 picking cukes elsewhere), 3 zucchini (planted a dwarf variety by accident!) There's also peppers, cabbage, and broccoli in the photo.

 

 

Getting some crookneck!

 

 

Pak Choi

 

 

Bush green beans are coming up (9 per square and I planted 16 squares, I think.)

 

Edited June 15, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Renai]

I'd been following this thread and just realized I never posted.

 

We have a small raised bed (about 3.5 x 7) and two plots on either side. On the sides, we planted corn, which is growing nicely. The first bed contains carrots, cucumber, watermelon, round squash, and cilantro. The second bed has zucchini, Amish romas, Japanese black tomatoes, tomatillos, and three types of chiles - serrano, jalapeno, and one we've never had before...what's the name... I'll get back to you on that. I also have sugar snap peas growing in pots alongside a fence. Everything was put in as seed outside except the chiles, which we purchased.

 

I don't know what's wrong with the tomato and tomatillo plants this year. It seems they just don't want to grow. I forgot to start them indoors this year, so had to wait until the middle of May to plant the seed outside. They are still really tiny. Everything else seems to be doing well.

 

Have to go now, though, as I'm late to communing with my garden. :D

[cjzimmer1]

 

 

I don't know what's wrong with the tomato and tomatillo plants this year. It seems they just don't want to grow. I forgot to start them indoors this year, so had to wait until the middle of May to plant the seed outside. They are still really tiny. Everything else seems to be doing well.

 

 

 

Have you ever started them directly outside before?  I just know in the greenhouse where I work, we start tomatoes in March for sale in May.  So it takes 6-8 weeks just to get them big enough to sell (and at the 6 week mark that are still quite small).  And that's with the warmer, more controlled environment in the greenhouse.  I'm thinking that with it only being about 4 weeks since you planted and the fact that outdoor temperatures are naturally cooler than indoors (or a greenhouse) that's it pretty reasonable that your plants are still tiny. Hopefully you live in a warmer climate and will have lots of time in the fall.  Where I live tomatoes planted from seed in May, aren't going to have enough time to produce before the fall frosts.

[Renai]

Have you ever started them directly outside before?  I just know in the greenhouse where I work, we start tomatoes in March for sale in May.  So it takes 6-8 weeks just to get them big enough to sell (and at the 6 week mark that are still quite small).  And that's with the warmer, more controlled environment in the greenhouse.  I'm thinking that with it only being about 4 weeks since you planted and the fact that outdoor temperatures are naturally cooler than indoors (or a greenhouse) that's it pretty reasonable that your plants are still tiny. Hopefully you live in a warmer climate and will have lots of time in the fall.  Where I live tomatoes planted from seed in May, aren't going to have enough time to produce before the fall frosts.

 

Yes, most years we actually did plant seed outside. Our last frost date is around May 10-15 (we've had snow on Mother's Day!). We live in the midwest at a high altitude. It had been a while since we'd started tomatoes outdoors, so maybe my expectations are just unrealistic right now (I forget what they are supposed to look like?). It's hard when comparing to the fast-growing cukes, squashes, and corn that were planted at the same time though.

 

It could also have something to do with tiny seeds and having my 5 year old help plant them.  :mellow:  :leaving:

 

In good news, though, I saw the first baby praying mantis as I was watering a little while ago!

[EmseB]

I started a spur of the moment container garden a couple weeks ago that looked great for awhile...and I don't know if it was the heat over Memorial Day or what, but things just...stopped.  My cucumbers looked awesome for awhile, but have not flowered yet and don't seem to be getting bigger anymore.  They have a great amount of leaves and such that got big, but then nothing. Same with my peppers.  They don't look dead at all, so something might still happen.  Maybe I didn't spend enough time on hardening my starts.  :(  I might try to put in some carrot seeds and see what I get, though.

 

Since we rent and can't really till up the yard or destroy the grass with beds maybe next year I will try an Earthbox or similar system.

Edited June 17, 2016 by JodiSue

[IfIOnly]

I started a spur of the moment container garden a couple weeks ago that looked great for awhile...and I don't know if it was the heat over Memorial Day or what, but things just...stopped. My cucumbers looked awesome for awhile, but have not flowered yet and don't seem to be getting bigger anymore. They have a great amount of leaves and such that got big, but then nothing. Same with my peppers. They don't look dead at all, so something might still happen. Maybe I didn't spend enough time on hardening my starts. :( I might try to put in some carrot seeds and see what I get, though.

 

Since we rent and can't really till up the yard or destroy the grass with beds maybe next year I will try an Earthbox or similar system.

What did you use for soil in the containers? I make sure to use super rich compost in my beds and containers. My bed is 50% plant compost and 50% well composted manure, and my plants love it. Because of a climate that freezes late spring and late summer and for covering reasons, I need to grow a lot of food in a little space, so my soil has to be rich. My containers have plant compost, cow, and chicken manure in them too, so there are lots of nutrients for plant growth.

 

I'm also using an organic fertilizer this year linked in a post above. It smells awful like fish (major ingredient) and sewer for a few days, ha, but I think I'm seeing positive results with it. It's hard to say yet though because it hasn't really warmed up yet, so growth is slow still. But my plants have great color, growth, and flowering so far. My kids reminded me about the Native Americans teaching the Pilgrims to plant fish with the corn. :)

 

In the past I've done a compost tea, which is another way to get nutrients to plants throughout the growing season. Put some compost in a bucket, fill with water, strain, and water the plants with the tea. Or adding an inch or so per month of compost (not hot, well composted) to the soil (just spread or sprinkle on top) works for giving nutrients. Hope that helps some.

Edited June 17, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[IfIOnly]

Hopefully tonight will be the last night of our late spring frost, and I can take a break from covering everynight. I need to get my temperature alarm set up through my bedroom window now though. Love that piece of technology. We do get a couple random frosts throughout the summer, and it'll wake me up if it gets near freezing, so I can go out to cover. I try to pay attention to the weather forecasts, but just in case, I don't want to lose my garden! :P

Edited June 18, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[BlsdMama]

 

I've put herbs, lettuce, and hot peppers in pots in the driveway by the garage, and some annuals for colour in pots out front.  Right now the garden looks low key - the honeysuckle hedge is blooming, and some aliums, but that is about it.  But the peony and weigelia are about to go into bloom.

 

 

 

 

Ooh weigelia!  Are we talking flowers and bushes too?  My sister decided to take everything out of her yard and make her life more simple.  I applaud her, and not just because I dug everything up and moved it to my house, though that's a good reason. ;)

 

We moved a weigela to the chicken coop edge.  I also dug up two dwarf lilac bushes and transplanted them here. I tried to transplant a bleeding heart but it died immediately.  I transplanted her peony - but it isn't looking so good.  And then we transplanted about 3 dozen raspberry canes in addition to another dozen we had here.   At least the lilacs look good.  Her hostas were shade lovers and did great in the back but not so great in the front. Bummer.

 

This last week was hot, hot, hot with two thunderstorms and it feels like a greenhouse outside... But it did the plants wonders! They've doubled in size.  My tomatoes look AMAZING this year.  They will be coming out my ears!  The peppers look good and we just got done eating radishes and kohlrabies.  The broccoli plants are looking good too.

 

Wal-Mart has their peach trees on clearance for $5.....  They really aren't meant for our area but I keep thinking $5?!?!

I did pick up a weeping willow for DH - He's wanted one since we moved in here.  And another birch because, well, $5 and birch.

 

The peas are the only sad spot this year. ;)  Old package of seeds and it's okay - we'll plant again in late July for a fall crop. 

[EmseB]

Hey, I spoke too soon, one of my cucumber plants sprouted a vine finally! One tiny little spiral, but I'll take it. :)

[IfIOnly]

Ugh. No freezing the last few nights, but now my pak choi bolted. They were so healthy and beautiful! That must be a cold weather plant too? This was my first time growing it. Time to make some kimchi with what I can harvest.

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain

[Happy]

I've enjoyed everyone's posts. It's always interesting to me to see how people garden north of where I am.

 

I'm not doing a veggie garden this year. I was just tired of dealing with weeds and bugs. We are letting all four of the raised beds lie fallow this year...keeping the weeds out is about all I'm doing. I regret not having fresh tomatoes....gotta find a better farmer's market.

 

My perennials are doing spectacular--we had a cool, wet spring after a mild winter. I have a dozen or more varieties of daylily--and, oh my, have they been blooming their heads off. Love, love, love.

 

I'm in zone 7B. A mild winter meant some tender zone 8 plants that I plant as annuals came back this year. LOVE bonus flowers.

 

We happened upon a clearance rack at Lowes a few weeks ago...got a couple of ornamental trees for less than $5 dollars each....so those will have to be babied through our hot summer. A trickle of water a couple of times a week until they have roots under them. One is a weeping cherry--I have no idea whether it will grow here, but I planted it where I can see it from my office window.

 

Everything is so green...including weeds. Wow, I was on top of those then we had a week of wet weather...time to beat the weeds back again. It's so hot that you have to get up early and do a little weed patrol before the heat gets going.

 

 

[Ethel Mertz]

Ugh. No freezing the last few nights, but now my pak choi bolted. They were so healthy and beautiful! That must be a cold weather plant too? This was my first time growing it. Time to make some kimchi with what I can harvest.

 

Our pak choi bolted too, early in the season. A local farmer told us that the pak choi is not a cool season vegetable; it doesn't like the vacillation between low temps and warmer temps that mark the late spring and early fall seasons. Does anyone else have any input on bolting pak choi?

[Ethel Mertz]

I'm try to figure out when to start plants for the fall garden and ran across this article on growing year round. Anyone else got fall garden plans?

[MIch elle]

I'm having success with my grocery store vegetable stubs.  2 bok choy plants, 3 celery and and few lettuce stubs are growing well.  I've never done this before and it is very satisfying!  Not a large yield but enough to cut some off and cook with my eggs or soup. 

[Renai]

I will be trying my hand at a fall/winter garden. I'd read about it and always proposed to do it, but after we dug up some carrots from under a light snow last winter, I decided we'd do it for sure (and on purpose) this year. I haven't really planned it out yet, but know I want to try lettuces and cabbage, carrots, and other stuff. We have a plastic that we can use to cover if need be. I have a printout from our county extension office with plants that do well at different times of the year, so I'll be consulting with that.

 

I have a book called "Grow all you can eat in 3 square feet," and I got the idea to do a stand-up herb garden using a wood pallet. We picked up a (free- we asked) pallet at Home Depot yesterday, and finished prepping it tonight. Now, I just need the herb plants. The grocery story usually has some, but when I went shopping today, there were none.

[BlsdMama]

 

 

I have a book called "Grow all you can eat in 3 square feet," and I got the idea to do a stand-up herb garden using a wood pallet. We picked up a (free- we asked) pallet at Home Depot yesterday, and finished prepping it tonight. Now, I just need the herb plants. The grocery story usually has some, but when I went shopping today, there were none.

 

I assume they are heat treated, but just in case, do you check your pallets before using them for gardening. :D

 

http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/

[Renai]

I assume they are heat treated, but just in case, do you check your pallets before using them for gardening. :D

 

http://www.1001pallets.com/pallet-safety/

Nope, never heard of such. :) Dh told me he didn't like the one we got from HD, so he switched it at work yesterday. Other than the US-based company name, the other numbers and letters don't line up to any information on the site. I went to the company website, and since they're only in US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, I'll assume it's heat-treated. They're used to haul around cement bags. Dh told me that the ones chemical treated have a certain color mark on them. He didn't get one of those.

[IfIOnly]

Our pak choi bolted too, early in the season. A local farmer told us that the pak choi is not a cool season vegetable; it doesn't like the vacillation between low temps and warmer temps that mark the late spring and early fall seasons. Does anyone else have any input on bolting pak choi?

 

Thank you for sharing that. I was expecting the rest of the plants to follow suit, but so far, the remaining 3 haven't bolted. I won't pull them now and will wait to see if they continue growing!

 

I'm try to figure out when to start plants for the fall garden and ran across this article on growing year round. Anyone else got fall garden plans?

 

I would love to year from others, as well. Thank you for the link. I look toward to reading it.

 

I'm having success with my grocery store vegetable stubs. 2 bok choy plants, 3 celery and and few lettuce stubs are growing well. I've never done this before and it is very satisfying! Not a large yield but enough to cut some off and cook with my eggs or soup.

 

How neat! Really. I want to look into that. Edited June 23, 2016 by ifIonlyhadabrain