April gardens

[BeachGal]

I have been removing a ton of wintercreeper this week and am almost done. Leaving some which is worse than removing it all. Hoping to finish up this Wednesday. Blech. It’s long sections of almost leafless vines just crisscrossing everywhere. So thick and rooted down everywhere trapping so much litter and old leaves. Today I found a disintegrating blue scarf embedded in it. Must be many years old.

However! In one spot under a tree, I noticed a dog had left a “calling card” so had to remove that. Gross. But then the spot at the base of the tree looked like the dog had dug it up which seemed weird. So I started removing wintercreeper only to find a nest of… baby bunnies! They were so cute. Like a little Easter present. Just made my day. Yes, they can do a lot of damage when they get bigger but the babies are ridiculously adorable. So I covered them back up and piled some wintercreeper around them. I’ll try to post a picture I took of them soonly. This mid-weekish if no craziness occurs.

[BeachGal]

@SHP How about a mid-sized ninebark like Summer Wine? They are beautiful year round. Plus, deer don’t like them too much. As a bonus, they are great as backdrops for slightly smaller companion plants. They’d need sun though.

I used to have two as well as the bigger and slightly darker Diablo. They are stunning. I have too much shade for them now at this place except for one area which I’m contemplating.

If more on the shady side and you’re willing to baby it a little, kerria are very pretty. They are very early and prolific bloomers. Great for pollinators who are hungry. Then in winter the bark is a sort of light apple green. Cheery when it’s dreary.

[SHP]

8 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

@SHP How about a mid-sized ninebark like Summer Wine? They are beautiful year round. Plus, deer don’t like them too much. As a bonus, they are great as backdrops for slightly smaller companion plants. They’d need sun though.

I used to have two as well as the bigger and slightly darker Diablo. They are stunning. I have too much shade for them now at this place except for one area which I’m contemplating.

If more on the shady side and you’re willing to baby it a little, kerria are very pretty. They are very early and prolific bloomers. Great for pollinators who are hungry. Then in winter the bark is a sort of light apple green. Cheery when it’s dreary.

The area is full sun. I was just looking at Sweet Cherry Tea™ Ninebark, I have zero experience with any ninebark though. 

 

I will look at kerria. I have a small shaded area that needs help. 

[BeachGal]

Happy Easter Everyone!
 

[BeachGal]

8 hours ago, SHP said:

The area is full sun. I was just looking at Sweet Cherry Tea™ Ninebark, I have zero experience with any ninebark though. 

 

I will look at kerria. I have a small shaded area that needs help. 

Ninebark are really easy care. You can prune them all the way down or take out any branches you think are too big or don’t like or just leave them alone. I had two problems occasionally. The first was powdery mildew which would go away quickly with a spray or two in early spring right after leaves emerged. That would only occur if we had lots of mist and humidity. Sun helps prevent it. The second was witch’s broom. It’s a small scraggly growth that would appear on a branch or two. I’d just snip it off. It's caused by a virus. Doesn’t harm the plant.

The problem with kerria is that they are susceptible to some fungal diseases that are difficult to treat. If they get it they tend to get it good which can kill the plant. The Chicago Botanic Garden lost a large section of kerria at one point because of this. I am reading about them now. They are also hard to find in nurseries so might need to use mail order. I think I’m going to get one anyway and just baby it. They really light up shadier areas.

 

[Faith-manor]

Christos Anesti!

My mother is watching my seeds, and nine have germinated. So I got a text today to report this to me,  none had terminated before we left for the Poconos. I am so proud of myself! I have never grown a thing from seed, ever. It is a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. If they make it to actual seedling, transplant size, I will probably be found dancing in the yard, and turned in for appearing to be full on crazy! 👯💃💃💃

[LifeLovePassion]

The snow is melting with the warm weather. So I'm starting to plan my outside spaces for the year. So far I have:

*Add more hosta to the shady area under the pines (getting these from the farm). Figure out what other plants to add to that space. Possibly some Asters

*Expand the sunny native plant area on the south side of the house that is in between the gutters and a pain to mow

*Get some annuals to plant in my planters

*Thin out lilacs some more

*I'd also like to consider getting some raised beds for veggies. Looking at Vego gardens or similar.

This week, we are getting a large ash tree dropped. That won't affect my plants too much thankfully. 

Edited April 9, 2023 by LifeLovePassion

[cjzimmer1]

2 minutes ago, LifeLovePassion said:

 

*I'd also like to consider getting some raised beds for veggies. Looking at Vego gardens or similar.

This week, we are getting a large ash tree dropped. That won't affect my plants too much thankfully. 

I added several of those this spring.  They aren't filled yet as there haven't been enough warm days that I was willing to work outside yet but I'm quite happy with them so far.  I bought three kits but have assembled them in a completely different arrangement.  I do need to buy extra rods too but haven't got that far yet.

[LifeLovePassion]

10 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

I added several of those this spring.  They aren't filled yet as there haven't been enough warm days that I was willing to work outside yet but I'm quite happy with them so far.  I bought three kits but have assembled them in a completely different arrangement.  I do need to buy extra rods too but haven't got that far yet.

I'd love to hear your thoughts as you get working in them and filling them. 

[Lady Florida.]

The lettuce is done. It's just too hot already. I'm going to pull what's there (not much) and add it to store bought lettuce in a salad. The zucchini is blooming, basil and carrots are doing well. Broccoli still looks okay so I'm still leaving it alone. My Everglades tomato vine is getting quite tall. There a quite a few tomatoes on it ripening at different times. We put a few in salads each time we get enough. It can stand the heat so hopefully it will continue to produce through the summer. It's my first time growing this variety. @ikslo how are yours doing?

 

Yesterday at Costco I bought a gardenia and a jasmine. This week I'll replant them. 

 

The board won't let me upload any photos until I clean out old ones. Hopefully I'll have done that by the time I have zucchini and some native plants to show you all.

[Faith-manor]

So about those Amish Paste tomatoes? I have never grown those before. I have never had amazing success with any tomato except cherry and grape varieties. Tomatillos do like me very much! Apparently, they are the kind of masochistic plant that sidles up to plant killers and says, "I double dog dare you! Therefore, I need advice. I have given the raised bed that many of them will be planted into two inches of leaf compost that also had some composted apples, carrot, peelings, a small amount of coffee grounds, and some grass clippings. It was fairly well composted when I put it in the bed. These beds have settled, and I will be adding two inches of topsoil on top of the compost. I also sprinkled some composted chicken manure pellets on top, and it has rained since then so I assume that this is breaking down and beginning to infuse the soil with nutrients. I have built some stick frames that I can tie the plants to as they grow and need support. Is this enough? Do I need to do more? Plants will not go in until the 2nd week of May so there is a whole month yet that I could do more prep if it is necessary. I do have some gossamer fabric to put over them if there is a frost predicted. 

Are there more soil amendments that I need to do? Should that bed be fertilized every week or biweekly before the tomato plants go in or do you think I have cone enough?  I am really hoping to grow enough of my own tomatoes to do some canning of salsa. I know in order to make the sheer amount of salsa, pasta sauce, and chilli, I will have to buy in bulk from the farmer's market. But if I could get a half bushel, I would be so thrilled, I would celebrate for a long time. I am going to put in 12 Amish Paste plants.

[ikslo]

3 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

The lettuce is done. It's just too hot already. I'm going to pull what's there (not much) and add it to store bought lettuce in a salad. The zucchini is blooming, basil and carrots are doing well. Broccoli still looks okay so I'm still leaving it alone. My Everglades tomato vine is getting quite tall. There a quite a few tomatoes on it ripening at different times. We put a few in salads each time we get enough. It can stand the heat so hopefully it will continue to produce through the summer. It's my first time growing this variety. @ikslo how are yours doing?

Same - already harvesting!  Even the smaller plants are pushing out blossoms already. 

Edited April 9, 2023 by ikslo

[ikslo]

3 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

The lettuce is done. It's just too hot already. I'm going to pull what's there (not much) and add it to store bought lettuce in a salad. 

I put my last batch of lettuce starts over by the fence where it gets a lot of shade, and it has been doing much better than the other locations. Harvesting quite a bit still.

[itsheresomewhere]

2 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

So about those Amish Paste tomatoes? I have never grown those before. I have never had amazing success with any tomato except cherry and grape varieties. Tomatillos do like me very much! Apparently, they are the kind of masochistic plant that sidles up to plant killers and says, "I double dog dare you! Therefore, I need advice. I have given the raised bed that many of them will be planted into two inches of leaf compost that also had some composted apples, carrot, peelings, a small amount of coffee grounds, and some grass clippings. It was fairly well composted when I put it in the bed. These beds have settled, and I will be adding two inches of topsoil on top of the compost. I also sprinkled some composted chicken manure pellets on top, and it has rained since then so I assume that this is breaking down and beginning to infuse the soil with nutrients. I have built some stick frames that I can tie the plants to as they grow and need support. Is this enough? Do I need to do more? Plants will not go in until the 2nd week of May so there is a whole month yet that I could do more prep if it is necessary. I do have some gossamer fabric to put over them if there is a frost predicted. 

Are there more soil amendments that I need to do? Should that bed be fertilized every week or biweekly before the tomato plants go in or do you think I have cone enough?  I am really hoping to grow enough of my own tomatoes to do some canning of salsa. I know in order to make the sheer amount of salsa, pasta sauce, and chilli, I will have to buy in bulk from the farmer's market. But if I could get a half bushel, I would be so thrilled, I would celebrate for a long time. I am going to put in 12 Amish Paste plants.

That should be fine.  I really don’t do much with them besides some  fresh made Guinea pig/rabbit fertilizer.   They will produce very well and you will know when they are not happy easily. I usually make sure about 1/2 or a bit more of my tomatoes are them.  You will definitely get a least a 1/2 bushel.  

[SHP]

Dug up and moved almost 20 wheel barrows of dirt. 

[SHP]

On 4/3/2023 at 2:50 PM, Rosie_0801 said:

Chickweed has a row of hairs down its spine. And it is edible so that'd be a win.

I cannot recall if I posted or not. No hairs down the spine, so thyme speedwell it is. I plan to divide it and use it for ground cover elsewhere. 

[SHP]

I bought a Rose of Sharon Althea tree last year after seeing a mature one in a local garden and doing a lot of soul searching due to it being invasive in some areas and our limitations. I liked the shape of the one at the garden and felt it would look nice and since I am so limited, I went ahead and bought one.

Fast forward. I am unsure how they can be invasive. The rabbits, I assume, ate mine. They don't care that they internet claims it is toxic. For a plant that people are freaking out about, it seems rather fragile.

I guess I have space for another max 12' tall tree/bush. Vase shape preferred. 

[BeachGal]

8 hours ago, SHP said:

I bought a Rose of Sharon Althea tree last year after seeing a mature one in a local garden and doing a lot of soul searching due to it being invasive in some areas and our limitations. I liked the shape of the one at the garden and felt it would look nice and since I am so limited, I went ahead and bought one.

Fast forward. I am unsure how they can be invasive. The rabbits, I assume, ate mine. They don't care that they internet claims it is toxic. For a plant that people are freaking out about, it seems rather fragile.

I guess I have space for another max 12' tall tree/bush. Vase shape preferred. 

Here is an article explaining how Rose of Sharon are invasive.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/rose-sharon-invasive-68734.html

Japanese beetles looove them. They will tell all their friends about them. If your flowers are not double flowers with lots of petals, regularly spraying them with neem oil when you see them in mid summer will keep them at bay. If they are double flowers, the little buggers are able to hide in the many layers of petals where it’s hard to spray with neem. In that case you can put down some Bonide insecticide granules in spring which will make the plant toxic to the beetles. I think it might also kill the grubs. Not sure. The label states which insects it will kill, including grubs. You could also water in beneficial nematodes in spring which will kill Japanese beetles at the grub stage only. It’s a little involved but does work. I used to have some double flowering Rose of Sharons. The beetle problem was such a hassle and eventually I just got rid of them.

Interestingly, Rose of Sharon has a deep tap root.

[BeachGal]

On 4/9/2023 at 9:34 AM, LifeLovePassion said:

The snow is melting with the warm weather. So I'm starting to plan my outside spaces for the year. So far I have:

*Add more hosta to the shady area under the pines (getting these from the farm). Figure out what other plants to add to that space. Possibly some Asters

*Expand the sunny native plant area on the south side of the house that is in between the gutters and a pain to mow

*Get some annuals to plant in my planters

*Thin out lilacs some more

*I'd also like to consider getting some raised beds for veggies. Looking at Vego gardens or similar.

This week, we are getting a large ash tree dropped. That won't affect my plants too much thankfully. 

Epimedium might be nice. They look dainty but are quite tough and fairly easy care once established. Perfectly happy in dry shade.

I am almost done reducing huge beds of 40 year old wintercreeper and will be interplanting epimedium sulphereum soon with the intention of removing the wintercreeper altogether as the epi spreads in the next few years.

https://www.wildgingerfarm.com/plant-list/plants-e/epimedium-x-versicolor.html

They are pricey but a few 4” pots (should be less than $10 each) will spread every year and you can just divide those and maybe add a few more 4” pots each year if you like it.

New foliage in spring after cutting back is green with borders of burgundy. Then yellow flowers appear. In summer the foliage becomes more of an all over green. In fall it turns burgundy and remains that way through winter. It is evergreen but becomes tattered in winter which is why cutting off the top — mowing high or shearing by hand — is recommended. Leaving a high stem makes for a high ground cover. A low stem — a low ground cover.

This is one of my favorite plants.

[SHP]

43 minutes ago, BeachGal said:

Here is an article explaining how Rose of Sharon are invasive.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/rose-sharon-invasive-68734.html

Japanese beetles looove them. They will tell all their friends about them. If your flowers are not double flowers with lots of petals, regularly spraying them with neem oil when you see them in mid summer will keep them at bay. If they are double flowers, the little buggers are able to hide in the many layers of petals where it’s hard to spray with neem. In that case you can put down some Bonide insecticide granules in spring which will make the plant toxic to the beetles. I think it might also kill the grubs. Not sure. The label states which insects it will kill, including grubs. You could also water in beneficial nematodes in spring which will kill Japanese beetles at the grub stage only. It’s a little involved but does work. I used to have some double flowering Rose of Sharons. The beetle problem was such a hassle and eventually I just got rid of them.

Interestingly, Rose of Sharon has a deep tap root.

I forgot that my strange humor doesn't come across in text at all. Rose of Sharon Althea is considered to be toxic to animals if eaten yet the local wildlife went crazy over it when I planted it. That leads to me attempting to joke about how an invasive version could manage to spread if the local wildlife views them as dessert.

I had a sterile variety, I wouldn't be so careless as to have anything highly invasive. As I mentioned above, finding plants that fit my requirements has not been easy at all. 

I have city ordinances restricting height in just over half my yard, width restrictions due to how buildings and fences are in other areas. It’s a very small yard so my options are already limited. It is why I have so many bulbs and small tuber plants like irises. I can get a lovely display without worrying about violating any restrictions or finding out that a plant that was only supposed to be 10ft actually reaches 20ft and having to remove it. If an iris grows to exceed the height limits in my city I will register it as a cultivar and patent it and sell it, I am confident that I could make a few bucks off of a tree size iris plant. (That there is an attempt at a joke). 

[SHP]

I am back to needing a 10-12 foot tall tree or plant standard. We want flowering. 

Non invasive. Non agressive. Well behaved preferred.

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, SHP said:

I am back to needing a 10-12 foot tall tree or plant standard. We want flowering. 

Non invasive. Non agressive. Well behaved preferred.

 

 

dwarf fruit tree? I know you aren't wanting to feed the wildlife, so an apple or pear? Cherries seem to draw more critters here. 

Or, what about a camellia? Our neighbor's is in bloom right now, and it's at about 12'. They keep it trimmed down.

[LifeLovePassion]

We love our sour cherry tree 

[popmom]

On 4/8/2023 at 8:16 PM, SHP said:

Today was incredibly productive. 

 

Time for advil.

I can so relate to this! My back is still not happy with me after my weekend yard work.

[gardenmom5]

In March - I stuck some vinca cuttings in a bed where I'd like to get them growing.  Just a cuttings so that at least one leaf node was in the dirt, maybe two nodes.  a very scant few had roots.  Many of them have new growth, and are blooming.  It's been less than a month since I stuck them in the ground. . . 
Now - I'm back to putting in more cuttings in this bed . . . hopefully- they will do as well.

and - dh can do the block border I want between the bed and the lawn so it's easy to tell what goes where . . . 

[popmom]

I went to a native plant sale last weekend and bought several plants for my front yard landscaping project. Chrysognum Viginianum (Green and Gold), Schizachyrium Scoparium (LIttle Bluestem), and Spigelia Marlandica (Indian Pink). I got two or three of each, but I'm probably going to have to go back for several more.

Yesterday I had a load of stone delivered for the landscape project. We’ve got a slope that is eroding. Nothing will grow there. Lots of shade. I’m going to terrace it and add a mix of native plants and some deer resistant herbs and flowers. Some ferns maybe. Not a huge area, so not terribly daunting. 
 

Conventional wisdom says to remove flowers and berries from first year strawberries, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I have one that is ripe. Probably should throw bird netting over it. @Faith-manor I planted one strawberry per square foot. It feels like a lot of wasted space, but I have been assured they will spread quickly—put out runners, etc. I am going to plant some herbs in with them though. Probably rosemary because that's what I've got started already.

I planted 3 good, long rows of okra seeds. Then we had a brief cold snap. I check every day. Hoping they don’t rot.

I am in the process of setting up my t posts for pole beans. I have approximately 24 bean seeds sprouting there. More to be planted. I’m also going to plant Dragon’s tongue bush beans right in front of the pole beans. I want more than enough this year. 🙂

Next up are zinnias. I want more flowers this year. My roses are looking pretty good. One bloom just opened. They are David Austin English roses. I adore them. 
 

I added 3 small raised beds. 4x4.  I have been digging and moving compost to mix with my peat moss and coarse vermiculite on a big tarp. That’s why my back is not happy with me. A lot of work left to do on that before I can set out my tomatoes. I’m also doing Amish paste this year. And a couple of hybrids. And then several heirlooms. I have a bunch of basil to put in the beds with them.
 

My lettuce is trying to bolt, so I’ll harvest it today. I have started more in the Aerogarden. @prairiewindmomma I just ordered generic grow sponges! We’ll see. I won’t get my hopes up about those. 
 

Still marveling that I am healthy enough this year to do all of this. I don't take a single minute of it for granted. 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by popmom

[Sneezyone]

My arugula is bolting but I pinched off the stems and will harvest after DHs work trip. My spinach is ready too. The kids don’t like either one. Harrumph. I started Merveille lettuce and Chijimisai seeds to replace them.

[BeachGal]

Today was Taco Tuesday for me and then the weekly Costco run so a light gardening day. Our Costco has huge, beautiful Boston ferns in now for $20 each so I bought two and just hung them up.

Seedlings are doing well. I am growing 

• High Scent Sweet Pea which lives up to its name. Planting it as soon as our buildings finally turn on water outside next week.
• Purple Tear Honeywort. Love this.
• Orange Wonder Snapdragon which is a pretty salmon color. Planting it with some fritillaries, ligularia and golden bleeding heart.
• Himalayan Celosia
• Painted Tongue, this has beautiful flowers, kind of metallic/iridescent but a tad bit fussy. I put it with marigolds in pots.
• Phyllis Marigold
• Gem Blend Marigold
• Bottle Brush Grass
• Alpine Columbine
• Frosted Explosion Grass
• African Bride Love-in-a-Mist, direct sowing
• Cardinal and Purple Petra Basils

This afternoon’s chores are going to be rose pruning and some manure spreading.

I still have to plant about a dozen Casa Blanca lilies and some caladium but I want to put them in large containers and then sink those in the ground just for this summer. Caladium will have to come inside for winter. Begonia tubers are doing great and overwintered wax begonias are ready to spend some time outdoors to harden off. Waiting for some other perennials and epimedium which will be available to buy this Thursday. Watering in nematodes to kill off root weevils next week, I hope. My area has a very short window to do this in spring.

Tomorrow I am hoping to reduce the last humongous bed of wintercreeper. It will probably take at least eight hours but will finally be done. Altogether those beds have taken easily 100 hours of time. I am so very, very over them.

Edited April 11, 2023 by BeachGal

[popmom]

Got one of the new beds filled today. I put two wheelbarrows full of half composted leaf and lawn clippings down first. Then 1 and a half wheelbarrows full of my compost/peat/vermiculite mix. It’s full, but I know I’ll want to add more after a good rain. I can go ahead and plant tomatoes though since they need to be planted deep anyway.

[Sneezyone]

My in the ground melon and cucumber seedlings are thriving. Also, why are San Marzano-ish tomatoes so fickle?! Every other tomato seedling is thriving but those closest to San Marzano are being eaten alive by pests and leaf spots/fungus. On the hunt for Amish paste…SMH.

[SHP]

4 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

dwarf fruit tree? I know you aren't wanting to feed the wildlife, so an apple or pear? Cherries seem to draw more critters here. 

Or, what about a camellia? Our neighbor's is in bloom right now, and it's at about 12'. They keep it trimmed down.

It looks like only one (easily available) is hardy in my zone, Korean Fire Camellia, very pretty. Sadly, it looks like it will not like the location I have. 

[cjzimmer1]

@popmom

I've been following Guten Gradening because he does a lot of indoor garden in actual soil (I'm not a fan of the taste of hydroponics).  Happened to see this video and had three very sprouted potatoes in my basement plus a bunch of empty buckets sitting around outside and just a short while later I had planted potatoes.  Since this was just an experiment, I didn't want to invest in lights for them so while I have a very high quality light in the room over my greens, the potatoes are just propped up next to the main growing area getting the light that overshoots the main area.  So I do have to turn the potatoes about once a week because they definitely lean in.  They spouted quite quickly 9I think it 3-4 days).  I haven't harvested yet because the vines haven't fully died off but I have seen a couple of potatoes poking out of the dirt and I just cover them back up. I believe I planted them after Christmas or very early January so they've been growing 3 or 3.5 months now.  

 

[popmom]

@cjzimmer1 thank you for sharing! This is super interesting. 

[math teacher]

Every spring I start wanting to plant things, and this year is no exception. Here's my problem-ok one of my problems.

Nearly every morning I see Peter Cottontail in my yard. This little cutie would eat any vegetables I tried to grow, wouldn't he?

[itsheresomewhere]

1 hour ago, math teacher said:

Every spring I start wanting to plant things, and this year is no exception. Here's my problem-ok one of my problems.

Nearly every morning I see Peter Cottontail in my yard. This little cutie would eat any vegetables I tried to grow, wouldn't he?

Human hair is an excellent repellent for most bunnies.  Sprinkle it in the garden and replace after a heavy rain or every couple of weeks.  Really east if you cut your families hair or ask a shop for some of the hair trimmings. 
 

[SHP]

2 hours ago, math teacher said:

Every spring I start wanting to plant things, and this year is no exception. Here's my problem-ok one of my problems.

Nearly every morning I see Peter Cottontail in my yard. This little cutie would eat any vegetables I tried to grow, wouldn't he?

I use pine pellet cat litter (the cheap stuff, not the stuff marketed to cat owners) and sift out solids and spread the wet stuff on the edges of areas I want rabbits to stay out of. It works as well as commercial repellent. 

Our rabbits are not the most intelligent though. They eat plants listed as toxic. 

[SHP]

On 4/8/2023 at 10:43 PM, BeachGal said:

@SHP How about a mid-sized ninebark like Summer Wine? They are beautiful year round. Plus, deer don’t like them too much. As a bonus, they are great as backdrops for slightly smaller companion plants. They’d need sun though.

I used to have two as well as the bigger and slightly darker Diablo. They are stunning. I have too much shade for them now at this place except for one area which I’m contemplating.

If more on the shady side and you’re willing to baby it a little, kerria are very pretty. They are very early and prolific bloomers. Great for pollinators who are hungry. Then in winter the bark is a sort of light apple green. Cheery when it’s dreary.

I went to pick up materials for hard scaping, decided to grab a ninebark then saw and fell in love with a Flaming Silver Pieris, did almost no research on it and brought it home. 

[SHP]

I saw a cold Hardy tea plant online today and I really wish I was just a wee bit further south and safely in zone 7. 

 

There are so many plants that are zone 7 that I would love to have. It is hard being zone 6 that acts like zone 7 knowing that even though I could probably grow them without issue in the current winters, a real winter would kill them. There is no way to know. 😞

[SHP]

DP

Edited April 12, 2023 by SHP

[wintermom]

I'm thrilled to see some signs of new life in the yard FINALLY! It's exciting to see, and also a relief that the first bloom is NOT a weed. 😅

 

[Faith-manor]

13 hours ago, math teacher said:

Every spring I start wanting to plant things, and this year is no exception. Here's my problem-ok one of my problems.

Nearly every morning I see Peter Cottontail in my yard. This little cutie would eat any vegetables I tried to grow, wouldn't he?

I thwarted the mother rabbit who nests and has a litter here every single year, by doing raised beds. They aren't hard to build. Check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and local businesses for pallets. We have been gifted pallets just because the owner needed to get rid of them, and purchased them other places for $1.00-2.50 each. Cheap wood. We keep our veggies two feet off the ground which seems to thwart all the regular critters. I fill the bottom of the beds hugelkulture style with sticks, branches, leaves, logs...yard and tree refuse, 12" deep, and then compost and top soil for the other 12".

Ground hogs were the bane of my existence until we went to raised beds.

[Faith-manor]

17 hours ago, Sneezyone said:

My in the ground melon and cucumber seedlings are thriving. Also, why are San Marzano-ish tomatoes so fickle?! Every other tomato seedling is thriving but those closest to San Marzano are being eaten alive by pests and leaf spots/fungus. On the hunt for Amish paste…SMH.

Right there with you. I have bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli which have sprouted from seed indoors. San Marzanos? Not a single one. And reading about their snarky, snowflake attitude makes me think I will be buying Amish paste to transplant.

[Faith-manor]

Popmom, okay so 4- 12" round pots would be just one plant per pot, but for the little 2'x2' square planter, 2 plants or do you think it could handle 3?

Anyone know what I can expect, harvest wise from 6 June bearer strawberry plants?  Would I get a whole quart? I mean, not exactly cost effective over buying, but it will make me happy to grow them, and happiness is important! 😀

[itsheresomewhere]

39 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Popmom, okay so 4- 12" round pots would be just one plant per pot, but for the little 2'x2' square planter, 2 plants or do you think it could handle 3?

Anyone know what I can expect, harvest wise from 6 June bearer strawberry plants?  Would I get a whole quart? I mean, not exactly cost effective over buying, but it will make me happy to grow them, and happiness is important! 😀

You should get at least a quart.  Maybe less of if it is their first year but I usually get a quart on first plants. Have you thought about adding some everbearing ones? I have both and it really keeps the production up and I get a lot of berries.  

[itsheresomewhere]

49 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

I thwarted the mother rabbit who nests and has a litter here every single year, by doing raised beds. They aren't hard to build. Check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and local businesses for pallets. We have been gifted pallets just because the owner needed to get rid of them, and purchased them other places for $1.00-2.50 each. Cheap wood. We keep our veggies two feet off the ground which seems to thwart all the regular critters. I fill the bottom of the beds hugelkulture style with sticks, branches, leaves, logs...yard and tree refuse, 12" deep, and then compost and top soil for the other 12".

Ground hogs were the bane of my existence until we went to raised beds.

Animals here don’t care if it is a raised bed or not.  The groundhog and squirrels here just think you were kind to help keep out some of the others from their buffet.  
 

I use some fencing to help keep out the pests and my dogs help. The one dog is has a gift of the sneak attacked.  Along with other natural animal repellents.  
 

Now they go to my neighbors garden. 

[popmom]

1 hour ago, itsheresomewhere said:

Oops meant to quote @FaithManorDefinitely put 3 in the 2x2 planter. I think that would be fine.  Mine are already growing a lot since it has warmed up. I’m really curious to see how many more flowers (if any) I get off the new growth. 
 

I picked the one ripe berry. It was delish. Very sweet. I’m happy. I’ll have a bunch more ripening soon. 
 

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by popmom

[Faith-manor]

3 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

Animals here don’t care if it is a raised bed or not.  The groundhog and squirrels here just think you were kind to help keep out some of the others from their buffet.  
 

I use some fencing to help keep out the pests and my dogs help. The one dog is has a gift of the sneak attacked.  Along with other natural animal repellents.  
 

Now they go to my neighbors garden. 

Oh my goodness! I must have either well fed critters or lazy, stupid ones. To be honest, seeing them in action makes me think "Really stupid"!

😂😂😂

[Faith-manor]

3 hours ago, itsheresomewhere said:

You should get at least a quart.  Maybe less of if it is their first year but I usually get a quart on first plants. Have you thought about adding some everbearing ones? I have both and it really keeps the production up and I get a lot of berries.  

That is a thought. Let me see how many containers I have. I was thinking that if I only had room for six, I would just get June bearers, harvest, and that would be that. However, I have a whole corner of the garden shed that I have not cleaned out and I have been saving pots and buckets and what not. I might be able to do more than I was planning.

[math teacher]

17 hours ago, SHP said:

I use pine pellet cat litter (the cheap stuff, not the stuff marketed to cat owners) and sift out solids and spread the wet stuff on the edges of areas I want rabbits to stay out of. It works as well as commercial repellent. 

Our rabbits are not the most intelligent though. They eat plants listed as toxic. 

How often does it need to be replaced?

[Sneezyone]

20 hours ago, math teacher said:

Every spring I start wanting to plant things, and this year is no exception. Here's my problem-ok one of my problems.

Nearly every morning I see Peter Cottontail in my yard. This little cutie would eat any vegetables I tried to grow, wouldn't he?

We have a new dog. I walk her around the yard and through my planting space. That seems to do the trick.