# What are y'all planting this year?



## smithnwesson (Apr 24, 2014)

Red geraniums in the pots in front of the house; Portulacas in the built-in planters on the back deck. 

Okra, Better Boy tomatoes, grape tomatoes, dill, parsley (both curly and Italian), basil, chives, and dill.

I grew the okra in two planters last year for the first time and it was a huge success. I added another planter this year.


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## ScreamingChicken (Apr 24, 2014)

I bet I know what our posters in Colorado are planting this year.


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## HottiMegan (Apr 24, 2014)

I wish i could plant this year. After the deer destroyed my tomato crop, i have put off gardening until i can find a better solution. We also have an annoyingly destructive dog, so until we get a dog run set up, no gardening for me. I am thinking of doing some container herb planting though. I eat a lot of mint, basil and cilantro. The previous owners left some HUGE pots in the back yard, i was thinking of planting some in those on the back deck. Away from the deer.


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## smithnwesson (Apr 24, 2014)

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=venison+tomato+recipes

 -Jim


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## Tad (Apr 24, 2014)

- I'll probably grow my usual couple of huge pots of tomatoes (probably one little ones, one regular). 
- Going to see if we can find some raspberries to refresh our little bramble, which hasn't been yielding so well the last couple of years.
- Might try planting some sunflowers along the back of the house, where we get the most sun. (between various factors most of our yard gets at best partial sun)
- I think it is time to introduce a third rose bush to our front yard. 
- Definitely some new grass in the back, since the glacier we grew over our small area of grass seems to have killed some of it off  Between the cedar hedge to the south and shade at different times of day from house and big trees, even 'shade nook' grass seems to struggle to be really robust back there, but I keep trying.

After that...we'll take the five minutes walk to the farmer's market near us  I've found that whenever I do get something out of the garden, it is typically selling dirt cheap at the market at the same time, without the aggravation of seeing the squirrels or raccoons or slugs eating it all before we can get to it!


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## luvmybhm (Apr 24, 2014)

we moved outside of charlotte onto an acre and a half lot this past fall. now that the weather is nice i have been hard at work (with hubs help) to make the yard pretty. 

the mature peach tree got dormant/hort oil over winter and actually has peaches coming in! now i fight the ongoing war with the aphids. i set 1800 ladybugs free 2 nights ago...and i do believe they all flew away...lol.

made two hanging baskets (got them for a couple of bucks each-with the coconut liners-at a local church rummage sale) with pansies for my back porch. 

i built some planter boxes out of bricks i bought really cheap on craigslist. those each hold:
tropical hibiscus
lavender
some sort of climbing vine that i got at the uncc flower sale because i needed something to climb the trellis i have over that planter (since the cucumber plant died at the last late frost). it will have red trumpet flowers.
dill
the sweet onions i planted survived the frost, so they are still around in the low planter.

I have 3 heirloom tomato plants that i have growing in pots on my front deck. hopefully this set will live (also lost first plant to frost).

I also put in 5 double knock out roses, 1 don juan climbing rose, a yellow jessamine, 10 tulips, grape hyacinth, cosmos,hardy hibiscus, 6 mammoth sunflowers, 4 azalea bushes, 4 morning glory vines,1 hosta (it is in the shade side of the house, so will see if it lives...) and 1 broken wheel barrow turned on it side with verbena and phlox in it. 

there were several plants here when we moved in, so have been working to get them weeded out and growing too. the large azalea that was here got some vinegar water and fertilizer. it just opened (better late than never) with pretty pink flowers. one of the antique climbing roses that i fished out of some overgrown (and since chopped down) holly bushes bounced back and are already as tall as it's trellis. there are what look to be lily greens in around the patio, but no flowers yet. 

there is something my aunt calls a 'bubba bush' growing in the side yard. it has lots of dark green leaves and only 1 large flower bud on it. am waiting to see what that opens up to.

i am pretty much done planting now. the hardest part is the waiting. some of these things were from seed, so now i have to wait until mid/late summer before they will bloom. ug. the waiting is the hardest part for me. i love to watch the growing process tho. my young daughter loves to go out and help me water the plants, so it has been nice to have a together project.


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## Iannathedriveress (Apr 25, 2014)

Spinach and Lettuce


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## Tracyarts (Apr 26, 2014)

I cut back my gardening about halfway this spring. Too many other things going on. And of the things I did plant, not all of them are doing very much. 

But, I planted a lot of colorful annual flowers. So at least there's color around the garden, if not many vegetables.

For vegetables I have some tomatoes, some peppers, some mini eggplants that all seem to be doing really well. Green beans but I forgot to thin them so they look scraggly and might not be worth it at this point. Cucumbers, the same thing, forgot to thin them so their growth has been stunted. I'll thin them tomorrow and see what happens. My citrus trees are doing well, even the lemon tree that got freeze damage is bouncing back. I'll pick off all the baby fruit from that one and let it put all it's energy into leaves this year. Blueberry bushes look good, time to think about buying some bird netting so that we don't have a repeat of the great Blue Jay Catastrophe of last year. Those sons of bitches know the exact morning the berries are fully ripe and by the time I got to them there were only a couple handfuls left. We will not discuss the squirrels. I managed to prevent most of the seed destruction by building little fences with bamboo kabob skewers. But they are still doing a little bit of damage here and there. Broccoli didn't make florets, just a lot of leaves. But they're edible, can be used as greens, so no huge loss. Green onions grew like mad before it got warm, now they're poking along in the heat. Still time to plant my little short-vine mini-melon plant seeds that make softball melons that are a kind of a cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew. Could probably plant some more eggplant if I wanted. Not sure what else can go in this late in the season, but I'll do some research. I still have space to plant, just not sure what. 

Tracy


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## Iannathedriveress (Apr 27, 2014)

Now I added cilantro, basil, strawberry, and sweet peppers to my mix


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## luvmybhm (Apr 27, 2014)

Tracyarts said:


> Blueberry bushes look good, time to think about buying some bird netting so that we don't have a repeat of the great Blue Jay Catastrophe of last year. Those sons of bitches know the exact morning the berries are fully ripe and by the time I got to them there were only a couple handfuls left.
> 
> Tracy



have you tried pinwheels? the key is to put them out only closer to the time that the berries are on the brink of ripening. birds don't like shiny moving objects and they work better than cd's on a string. you just can't put them out too early or the birds will get used to them and not consider them a threat. stick a few up out of your bushes and hopefully you will get to the berries before the birds get used to the pinwheels. good luck!


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## dharmabean (Apr 28, 2014)

I am planting the seeds of:
Good intentions.
Compassion.
Gratitude.
Self worth.
Positive self talk. 

This is going to be a hard garden to tend, but with a lot of good work, supportive workers, and a good solid faith in a fertile ground... I think she'll be blooming wonderfully by next year.


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## luvmybhm (May 9, 2014)

well, one of the rose bushes that were here when we got here and i cut way back did bounce back and opened this week. white roses! i have never seen white roses actually growing...always cut in flowers. cool!

the 5 double knock outs i planted from cane along the end of our house have leafed out and finally started to bloom. woo!

the item my aunt called a bubba bush did get one bud out and opened..it looked more like a peony...i have attached the pic

View attachment 114460


everything is finally starting to grow/open...i am so excited! i am hoping the giant sunflowers i planted in our front yard will go to seed around the time our peaches ripen...hopefully the birds will choose the seeds and not my peaches.


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## Snow Angel (May 11, 2014)

I planted some peppers and green onions.


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## Tracyarts (Jun 2, 2014)

" have you tried pinwheels? the key is to put them out only closer to the time that the berries are on the brink of ripening. "

I didn't have pinwheels, but found a couple of those little colorful disc spinners that have all the slots cut into them. I attached them from tall stakes with fishing wire and put them out right near the blueberries and cherry tomatoes when things were just starting to ripen. 

The birds are staying away and I was able to pick a pint of perfectly ripe blueberries this evening. Once the rest of them have ripened and been picked, I'll pack away the spinners until next year so that the birds don't get used to seeing them around. 

Thanks for the tip!


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## luvmybhm (Jun 3, 2014)

Tracyarts said:


> " have you tried pinwheels? the key is to put them out only closer to the time that the berries are on the brink of ripening. "
> 
> I didn't have pinwheels, but found a couple of those little colorful disc spinners that have all the slots cut into them. I attached them from tall stakes with fishing wire and put them out right near the blueberries and cherry tomatoes when things were just starting to ripen.
> 
> ...



yeah! i am glad they worked for you.


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## Snow Angel (Jun 4, 2014)

I know its late for planting but I got some tomatoes planted a couple of days ago.


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## luvmybhm (Jun 5, 2014)

were they plants or seeds?


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## moore2me (Jun 7, 2014)

This is the first year in my memory that the summer has been rainy, stormy and cool. We have come to expect a tornado every afternoon. One struck nearby today during the Preakness race at the Belmont. I did not get to see the end of the race, I had run to my "fraidy hole". I listened to the news tonight, they said it would be stormy tomorrow and extra special rainy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. So, what are we planting this year?

We traded the old tractor for a water buffalo. It only took a week or two to learn how to drive him and I only got kicked in the head once. We are plant a nice genetically altered brown rice and some lovely watercress. We have doubled our stock of catfish and bream. There is a problem tho, the fish are living in the neighbor's front yard down the street. The fish escaped during the last big toad strangler (last week).

I do not think the neighbors are going to give the fish back either. I smelled fish frying yesterday - I fear the neighbors have already eaten some of our seed stock.

If it continues to rain, I may want to talk to my internal medicine doctor about getting these gill buds taken off and these little flippers reworked into water sandals. And I forgot to mention the flowers - we have planted some very pretty water lilies which are blooming like gangbusters.


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## BBW Betty (Jun 8, 2014)

Tomatoes, peppers (3 kinds), onions, sweet potatoes, green beans, sweet peas, corn, cucumbers, cabbage, kol rhabi (sp?), cauliflower, carrots, beets

Hoping my knees are up to the canning and freezing I'll need to do this fall.


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## luvmybhm (Jun 14, 2014)

bbw betty, your garden sounds wonderful! 

2 of my onions just had their greens fall over. as soon as they brown up i will pull them to dry. first ones of the season. 

i recently had the opportunity to meet a new neighbor from the area. she was thinning out her calla lilies and brought me some yesterday! i have to find somewhere in the yard to put them. they will spread once they get up and growing, so has to be a forever spot.

we have had alot of rain here over the last couple of days. while most of my plants are loving it...i am hoping my tomatoes don't split from the onrush of water growth.

my giant sunflowers are at about 3 ft mark now. i am so excited. i hope they make it to at least 6' before they bloom out.


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## Sugar Magnolia (Jun 19, 2014)

Let's see... tomatoes - Early Girl, Roma, Juliet and an heirloom variety I cannot remember at the moment; peppers - Hatch chilies (several varieties), jalapenos, Anaheim, Hungarian; sweet peas; bush beans; greens galore - chard, kale, spinach, pak choi (bumper crop!), Black Seeded Simpson lettuce; cabbage; melons - water, cantaloupe; cucumbers; squash - zukes, yellow straight neck and Patty Pan. Also, pumpkins.


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## luvmybhm (Jun 19, 2014)

wow! that is awesome! full on garden envy...:bow:


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## luvmybhm (Jun 24, 2014)

excited! today i pulled 3 of my georgia sweet onions that were done! gonna use 1 for lunch tomorrow and let the other 2 dry. woo!


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## luvmybhm (Jul 31, 2014)

well, most of my tomatoes are in and the onions are pulled and dried. my sunflowers came up and flowered...they were not as big as they package said they would be, but at least they opened.

some of my flowers did come in...my hibiscus finally started blooming. thought you would like to see it. when the fall comes i am going to transplant into the ground in the yard. I am hoping next year they will get bigger.

View attachment 115790


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## luvmybhm (Mar 5, 2015)

well, it was in the 70's here yesterday and i was working in the yard. i had a truck load of wood chips delivered from an arborist in the late summer and put alot of them in my yard around my planting areas. i had about 1/2 the pile left and have been composting them over the winter. i finally got them raked out to a 12' sq bed. they are still about a foot thick, but they will continue to break down. by next year they should be some good dirt. 

i read online you can't plant directly into wood chips as they tie up nitrogen. i am going to try to add 'pockets' of dirt into the chips and put my plants into those. then cover with the chips to keep the moisture in. i have added pelletized nitrogen to the chips during the mulching process, so hopefully even if the roots get outside of the dirt, they won't get deprived.

this will be an exciting spring/summer. i put in alot of plants last year and am hoping they will really come to life this year.

anyone else have gardening plans going yet?


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## Tracyarts (Mar 5, 2015)

I haven't been able to get into gardening yet this season. The weather has been strange. Days I'm free the weather is bad. Days the weather is good, I'm busy. 

I did buy a few fairly mature "Sweet 'n Neat" cherry tomato plants yesterday. They are small enough to grow in a flower pot but produce clusters of small tomatoes. Don't have to stake or cage them either, they are just squat foot-tall or so plants. I've been wanting to try that variety but couldn't find them until this year. 

It's actually too late for slow-maturing tomatoes here. By the time they get mature enough to bloom, the temperatures will be too high for them to set fruit. So that leaves out most heirlooms. I'll probably plant a couple more cherry tomato plants and at least a few faster-maturing and heat tolerant full-size tomato plants. 

I'll be planting a lot of peppers. A few jalapenos and several bell peppers. A few of the little super-sweet "yummy" peppers too if I can find transplants anywhere local. My friend wants to try super-hot peppers so I will check the specialty nursery for a bhut jolokia or trinidad scorpion pepper plant. 

Lots of herbs for sure. Basil, mint, Italian parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, chives, etc... In pots here and there where I can fit them in. 

Probably one section of cucumbers on a trellis, and maybe some green beans. Probably eggplant, maybe small trellis-friendly melons too. No squash, I have tried several years and never manage to defeat squash vine borers, so I give up. 

That's all I can think of.


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## Tracyarts (Mar 8, 2015)

Okay, so I finally had a free day that was nice and sunny and warm enough to walk around garden centers. So I bought my vegetable and herb plants, along with a couple seed packets. 

Here's what I will be growing this year:

Tomatoes. Sweet 'n Neat cherry tomatoes, Patio medium size tomatoes, Old German Heirloom tomatoes (kind of a yellow gold with red streaky insides). I got them because they were one of the few heirloom varieties I found that matures fast enough to still be worth planting here this year, and the starter plants were already pretty big. They were only 99 cents each, and I got 4, it's worth the gamble. 

Peppers. Jalapenos, red and orange bell peppers, Gypsy sweet salad peppers. I have a place for a super-hot pepper plant if I find one over the next couple weeks. Maybe another bell pepper plant or two. We'll see if I have space. 

Eggplant. Fairy Tale miniature eggplants. They bear tiny teardrop shaped fruit that you can cook and eat whole, and they are compact plants that do very well in pots. I usually grow Ichiban eggplants because my mother in law loves to cook with them, but the inlaws moved away to retire to a home in the country and she will be starting her own garden now. 

Cucumbers. Marketmore hybrid variety. I always have good luck with them, I don't have a lot of space for cucumbers this year so I wanted to go with something tried and true. Maybe a small section of lemon cucumbers, long Asian cucumbers, or white egg shaped cucumbers. I have old seeds, maybe they'll germinate, maybe not. 

Beans. I've got a bunch of old bush bean seeds. Purple beans, yellow wax beans, green beans, streaked "Dragon Tongue" beans. I'll plant them all and see what sprouts. 

Herbs. Cilantro, flat leaf parsley, dill, oregano, basil, thyme, lemon balm, mint, rosemary, bay, watercress, and chives. Just the basics that I use in the kitchen a lot. I might get a few more unusual ones if I have spare pots that are big enough to sustain them. 

Fruit. I've got some older seeds of miniature melon varieties that can be trellised. I'll see if I can get any of them to grow. Minnesota Midget, Rich Sweetness, Kajari, and Green Machine. Also my poor heat-damaged blueberry bushes have put out some blooms. I'll get something off of them. I'm hoping I can baby them through this season and they will come back some. I had to cut away over half of a couple of them. The orange tree died from the cold, but the lemon trees survived so I'll have more lemons next Fall. 

That's about it. I wanted to plant radishes and kohlrabi but it's too late. Maybe not for radishes. Same for beets and most greens and lettuces. It's going to get too hot too fast for them and they'll wilt or bolt. I'll try again come Fall. 

And then random annual flowers of all colors and kinds wherever I can stick pots of them. I already got some assorted marigolds to plant near the tomatoes. I'd like to get some bee attracting plants too to put in the areas where I have vegetables planted.


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## luvmybhm (Mar 8, 2015)

it sounds like you will have an amazing garden! please update and let me know how they come along. pics would be good!

this is the first week here that it is above freezing at night. i am hoping spring has sprung and the nursery will have plants soon. i did plant some pepper plants from seed and they are up, so the sooner the better. the rest i think i will buy and start from plants. 

my mother in law requested i plant cucumbers. she wants the smaller pickling type rather than the larger ones you are planting. i have not had much luck with them in the past. they vine out, but the cukes always either get a bad spot or never got that big. i will have to try trellising this year. i googled and see several type of support structures. what do you use to trellis? would a string cage be strong enough? wood lat? metal square mesh? please let me know what you think works best.


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## Tracyarts (Mar 8, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> what do you use to trellis? would a string cage be strong enough? wood lat? metal square mesh? please let me know what you think works best.



I have my cucumbers planted in front of a fence, so I attached a full sheet of plastic lattice, turned on its side, to the fence and they grow up it. If the vines get longer than the lattice is tall, I kind of hang them off the top edge of the fence with soft fabric strips. I use old t-shirts a lot for garden ties. Also bags of the cheap stretchy fabric loops from craft stores that kids use on looms to make pot holders. Just something that's soft enough to not cut into the plant stems. The vines put out runners to anchor to the trellis, but when they're full of cucumbers, they sometimes pull away. So I anchor them down every foot or so just to be safe.


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## luvmybhm (Mar 8, 2015)

thanks! will look into getting some lattice!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Mar 8, 2015)

I was a fairly active gardener a few decades ago. For the last ten years or so, everything has been grown in planters on our deck. Like others in this thread, we back onto a wildlife area. Deer, raccoons, other critters all got their share. We got mostly the satisfaction of supporting the local wildlife. Besides, there are lots of farmers' markets nearby who do it better.

But I still enjoy reading about the gardening exploits of others. One of my favorite sources is a blog (distributed by e-mail) by Margaret Roach, called A Way to Garden. At one time, she was an exec with the Martha Stewart organization and chucked it all to buy a farm in upstate New York. Her skills (gardening and writing), imagination and learning curve are all evident in this blog.

She also has a website from which the blog is drawn, and to which it returns in the form of archives. It is also called A Way to Garden I think you will enjoy it. I think she would enjoy some of your posts as well. I have submitted the occasional story to her and, to my surprise, found it published.

I'd tell you about some of my exploits in foraging for, and disseminating, manure, but that's for another day and post. Maybe if you beg and plead . . .


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## luvmybhm (Mar 12, 2015)

begging....pleading....


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## Archetypus (Mar 22, 2015)

Cool thread. I never noticed it last year, otherwise I would've posted pics.

I grew zuchs, squash, chili, jalapeno, spinach, lettuce, onions, grapes, peas, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloup, 3 kinds of tomatoes, 2 kinds of mint, corn & green beans. And about 20 different varieties of flowers.

Also, the peach & pear trees I planted 2 years previous finally yielded some small inedible fruits. The peach tree only yielded one Peach. I named her Prudence. The pear tree gave me 3 fruits, which I named Larry, Darrel & Darrel (if you dont get the reference, i cant help ya).

Last years harvest was the biggest I ever had, I'm still eating some of the preserves.

Unfortunately, I've moved back to the city & now only have a crappy condo balcony to grow on. But I fully intend to do something. Luckily I'm in a state that is literally over-run with farmer's markets & co-ops.

Growing my own food is an amazing thing. It allows me to dictate & modify my diet in a healthy way, without breaking the bank. It's the easiest way to practice self sufficiency & sending up the notion that one is reliant upon forces out of their control. Had I stayed in the sticks, I would have added chickens, goats & maybe some bunnies.

I look forward to you guys sharing some of your harvests this year :eat1:


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## Tracyarts (Mar 22, 2015)

Archetypus said:


> Unfortunately, I've moved back to the city & now only have a crappy condo balcony to grow on. But I fully intend to do something. Luckily I'm in a state that is literally over-run with farmer's markets & co-ops.



Same here with the farmer's markets and co-ops, they are pretty popular. 

I still like to grow what I can. Which in my case, is a suburban container garden. Mostly vegetables and herbs, some fruit, and flowers for color. 

The next few days I am going to be doing a massive amount of planting because we finally got the weather I needed to be able to get work done.


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## luvmybhm (Mar 26, 2015)

Archetypus said:


> the peach & pear trees I planted 2 years previous finally yielded some small inedible fruits. The peach tree only yielded one Peach. I named her Prudence. The pear tree gave me 3 fruits, which I named Larry, Darrel & Darrel (if you dont get the reference, i cant help ya).



first, i have to say this gave me quite a giggle. it sounds like you had an amazing garden. i am sorry to hear you had to move. 

pretty much all my seedlings are up and just sitting in my dining room window waiting for next week. it is supposed to be 29 here on saturday night, so holding off putting them in. technically our freeze date is april 15, but most of these have their second set of leaves already, so not sure they will live that long in the peat pots without getting root bound.

my pea plants that i put in from seed are up! i will have to cover them sat. but excited that most of them made it. the purple iris i put in last week seem to be taking. their leaves are still green and up, so it is hopefully a good sign they will root. i am sure they will not flower this year, but living would be good. the tulips i put in 2 falls ago by my front steps are up, but not open yet. the morning glories i put in from seed by the shed are not up yet. it has rained on/off for the last 2 days, so hopefully that will move things along. the ones i started indoors are up, so will prob put them in the ground next week. they don't transplant well, so i started them in peat pots. hopefully they will take and climb the support.

i am really worried about my peach tree. the blossoms are starting to open and it will be 29 here sat. night. i have been trying to think of a way to keep them warm that is actually possible for me to do. it is a fully mature tree and wayyyy too tall for me to get a sheet over or put christmas lights on. i don't really want to leave a fire unattended all night. any suggestions? if the buds/blossoms freeze there go my hopes of peaches... 

i was out at the store yesterday and found a crazy blue hosta called blue elegance. it says it likes partial to full shade...so it will be perfect for the side of our patio that falls under the big tree. it says it is a hardy perennial, so it should come back and spread each year. that would be cool!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Mar 27, 2015)

"Gimmie spots on my apples, but give me the birds and the bees - Please!" Joni Mitchell 'Big Yellow Taxi'

Another good reason to grow your own stuff.

*FDA Approves GMO Apples And Potatoes*

By Dan Nosowitz on March 25, 2015


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## luvmybhm (Mar 28, 2015)

i am 50/50 on gmo foods. sometimes they alter foods to help fight disease within the product. i am ok with that. i would rather eat a genetically engineered banana than have them get wiped out by disease and never have one to eat again. i agree with many of the folks saying people have been altering plant genetics through cross breeding plants for hundreds of years. science is just doing it more efficiently. 

i don't however agree that we should modify the plants just to make them prettier. i am not sure that taking the browning out of the apple is a smart move. you can delay the browning short term just by adding citric acid powder or simply some citrus juice if you need to have them out for a bit. they will eventually brown which lets me know they are old and already breaking down. if they never brown how do you know how old they are?

ps. tonight is the 29 degree night. i covered my peas and strawberries. the peach tree blossoms are at nature's mercy. here's hoping it does not stay below freezing for very long.


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## Tracyarts (Mar 28, 2015)

I impulse bought a couple more tomato plants today. Black Cherry variety, which makes dark burgundy colored cherry tomatoes. Where I live, it's really too late to plant tomatoes and expect a good summertime harvest because by the time most small starter plants mature, the temperatures are too hot for blooms to set and become fruit. But these starter plants were already a foot tall and that variety matures in 64 days, so I probably didn't waste my money on them. Cherry tomatoes tend to be a little bit more heat tolerant anyway, so I'll get them into the ground tomorrow and see how they work out for me. 

I also finally found a Thai basil plant to have Thai basil leaves for when I make spring rolls. I have been looking since the nurseries started getting new stock and nobody had them. Home Depot had them!


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## luvmybhm (Mar 29, 2015)

wow! i have never seen this variety before. i googled it to find out more. they look like red grapes! it says they have a smoky under taste with a sweet finish. please let us know how they actually do taste!


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## Tracyarts (Mar 29, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> wow! i have never seen this variety before. i googled it to find out more. they look like red grapes! it says they have a smoky under taste with a sweet finish. please let us know how they actually do taste!



I've found that all the "black" tomatoes I have tried have a smoky undertaste and a very rich deeper flavor to them. One year I grew a variety that was just labeled "Russian Black Heirloom" and the tomatoes it produced were amazing. The plants also did really well in 5 gallon containers which makes them perfect for container and patio gardens. I didn't get any this year, I never had a chance to get to the one nursery I know of that carries a lot of specialty heirloom varieties. But yeah, black variety tomatoes are awesome and I rarely see them in supermarkets, even Whole Foods and other specialty supermarkets. 

They make incredible marinara sauce too.


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## luvmybhm (Apr 3, 2015)

i found a great commercial dirt place about 20 min from my house. got their potting soil for 2.25 a cu/ft bagged. i was very excited to plant stuff today and then i saw we are due for frost saturday night. so now i have to wait. ug. i might put in some of the flower seeds tomorrow. the frost won't bother them.


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## Tracyarts (Apr 4, 2015)

I impulse bought 3 9 packs of little impatiens plants today because they just looked bright and cheerful. The flowers are red with white centers. They look very tropical, like something off of a Hawaiian shirt. I'll plant them in pots and put them in all the shady places where the sun never directly shines to have some pops of color to brighten up the yard and patio. 

Tomorrow I get to work off and on all day in the yard. It's going to be the perfect temperature to be outdoors and active and no rain. I hope to get all my baby plants planted along with the seeds I'll be planting this year. I've got herbs, flowers, peppers, and some ivy to plant. And then green bean, cucumber, and melon seeds.


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## ecogeek (Apr 4, 2015)

I am revamping our back garden at the moment. We have roomies moving out Friday and so it won't be getting the current abuse anymore. Completely replanted all the hanging plants, got some ground cover in and gave my special plants a good going over.


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## dharmabean (Apr 6, 2015)

This is cheesy, but everytime I see this thread this is what goes through my mind. This year I am planting seeds of strength, love, and self-acceptance. :blush:


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## luvmybhm (Apr 8, 2015)

Tracyarts said:


> I impulse bought 3 9 packs of little impatiens plants today because they just looked bright and cheerful. The flowers are red with white centers. They look very tropical, like something off of a Hawaiian shirt. I'll plant them in pots and put them in all the shady places where the sun never directly shines to have some pops of color to brighten up the yard and patio.
> 
> Tomorrow I get to work off and on all day in the yard. It's going to be the perfect temperature to be outdoors and active and no rain. I hope to get all my baby plants planted along with the seeds I'll be planting this year. I've got herbs, flowers, peppers, and some ivy to plant. And then green bean, cucumber, and melon seeds.



good luck with your impatiens! i have never been able to grow them well as an outside plant. i have had them in a pot indoors, but they always seemed super fussy outside and died off. let me know how they do for you and if you have any hints for me. i do have a shady area by my back porch under a tree that i ended up putting hosta in, but i would love to put some color there if i could get something like impatiens to live there.



ecogeek said:


> I am revamping our back garden at the moment. We have roomies moving out Friday and so it won't be getting the current abuse anymore. Completely replanted all the hanging plants, got some ground cover in and gave my special plants a good going over.



good job! i am sure it will be a lovely space to relax in now. 



dharmabean said:


> This is cheesy, but everytime I see this thread this is what goes through my mind. This year I am planting seeds of strength, love, and self-acceptance. :blush:



aww...sweet. thanks for sharing!



i finally got my planting done the day after easter. i stopped at lowes today to pick up the only plant i have not started from seed...a zucchini plant. i put it in the center of the bed so it has tons of room to leaf out. i am very proud that i got the stuff from seed to come up. other years most of what i planted i went to lowes to purchase the pre-started plants. we will see how they do. it is going to rain on and off here for the whole week, so they should get the daily water they need naturally. bonus for me as i have not bought my dripping lines yet, so this will buy me a few days to get them figured out. 
the baby is so excited to see all the little plants in the dirt. i am looking forward to having her watch the plants grow and getting to pick them. she really has been into the whole garden adventure and even uses her own little shovel/rake/hoe to help!


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## Tracyarts (Apr 8, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> good luck with your impatiens! i have never been able to grow them well as an outside plant. i have had them in a pot indoors, but they always seemed super fussy outside and died off. let me know how they do for you and if you have any hints for me.



I think maybe it's the heat and humidity here that the impatiens really love. I plant them in the shade and they grow and make flowers and only require light fertilizer like Miracle Gro now and then.


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## luvmybhm (Apr 24, 2015)

so far so good in the garden/yard. we had about a week straight of rain last week then cooler weather here this week...so plants are ready for summer i think. rain tomorrow, but hey, i won't have to water 

i am going to have to space out some of the plants i put in. i over seeded/planted hoping that at least some of them would live...but turns out most of them are. will have to go next weekend to get some more dirt. will prob take some over to my aunt as well.

i put up a pic of my azalea bush on my clubhouse blog, but will re-post it here too. this used to be a huge bush that they cut back right before we moved in here. last year we only had flowers on the bottom 1/3 and they went out fast. as you will see, it has bounced back and really blossomed this year!

View attachment 119696


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## luvmybhm (Apr 24, 2015)

oh, forgot. got some grape tomatoes for the baby in my shopping last week. they were called scarlet pearls. bigger than most of the grape tomatoes i have seen and super sweet. baby loved them! i squished the guts of one into a seed pot and i am going to see if i can grow some. i found the grower website and it says they are non-gmo heritage seeds...so it may work!


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## landshark (Apr 24, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> so far so good in the garden/yard. we had about a week straight of rain last week then cooler weather here this week...so plants are ready for summer i think. rain tomorrow, but hey, i won't have to water
> 
> i am going to have to space out some of the plants i put in. i over seeded/planted hoping that at least some of them would live...but turns out most of them are. will have to go next weekend to get some more dirt. will prob take some over to my aunt as well.
> 
> ...



Nice looking azalea. Ours haven't started to bloom just yet. They're getting closer, though.


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## luvmybhm (May 2, 2015)

well, i gave away some of the tomato plants that i didn't have room for and spaced out the ones i kept. my zucchini plant is twice it's size already! the baby is very excited because the first strawberry is almost ready to pick. i put the wire mesh cage over the plant and so far it has kept the birds out. i hope by later today it has finished getting red and she can eat it.

it is supposed to be beautiful here this week, so i am going to finish off re-staining the decks. i don't have much more i can do in the garden other than water it. 

i am glad to see that the hibiscus that i accidentally ran over with the mower late last summer is going to come back. it has some new shoots coming up around the old ones that got cut back. 

i did put some wire mesh up around the bush peas. hopefully they will climb up that and not get knotted up in each other.


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## stampy (May 16, 2015)

I am trying to start some container gardening in my small apartment. So far i only have a few rosemary plants and basil. I live in the basement and don't get good light so I might need some special lighting.


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## Ho Ho Tai (May 16, 2015)

I can't believe it has been five years since I bought that plant and sent the description to Margaret Roach (Away to Garden). I may have posted it here too since I used my Ho Ho Tai appellation. What prompted the thought is that we have had several others over the years and were out looking for another today.

Well, I hope you enjoy it.

Ho Ho Tai says:
October 24, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Im not a gardener by any means. Not the least tint of green to my thumb. If I stick my thumb in the dirt, everything in a 2&#8242; radius dies. None the less, we do like some plants around. Were limited to what we can grow on our deck or patio (townhouses  no available dirt for gardening.) We will usually buy 4 -6 pots of this and that at the Farmers Market, usually stuff to attract hummingbirds  petunias and cigarette plants.
Out shopping by myself, spotted this wild-looking thing in a garden shop. Turned out to be a Bonfire Begonia. I had never seen, nor heard of them before. It was on sale and I had to have it. It was in a hanging basket, which works best for us.

I brought it home and went in to tell my wife that I had a new friend for her, waiting int the car. Her name was Bonfire Bag-o-nee-a. She was cheap and flashy, homeless, didnt eat much or make noise. Given a good home, she would spread cheer and delight. Wifey, not knowing what to expect, came out to have a look  and was as delighted as I was.

I dont really care for plants  I triage them. I move them around from sun to shade, water every other day or so, depending on temp and humidity, and give them a shot of Schultz or Miracle-Gro about twice a week. Most of our plants to OK on this regimen: Bonnie thrived!
She soon sent out long vines, hanging from the basket, several feet long. The blossoms went from a few dozen to well over a hundred. At first, I was dismayed at how rapidly the blossoms fell off, but they were renewed just as rapidly. It turned out to be the best hummingbird plant we had ever had. With the blossoms constantly renewed, there was always a fresh supply of nectar for the birds.

I soon realized how readily the fallen blossoms stained whatever came in contact with them  after I had inadvertently tracked a few onto the carpet. No problem for my handy steam cleaner, through. My original annoyance soon turned to the endearment one feels for the idiosyncrasies of any Loved One.

I am guilty of over-anthropomorphizing this plant! She has always seemed female, and has turned into a wild gypsy dancer, swirling this way and that in the wind, skirts flying, shedding a bit of herself on all comers.
It is now late October, here in Minnesota. The winds and rain are upon us and she dances on. I want to bring her in, but not sure how to prepare her for winter. Should I let it freeze, so that the sap goes back to the tuber, cut off the tendrils, keep it on the sun porch? It would probably bloom in spurts throughout the winter, just as my Christmas Cactus does. I cant quite bring myself to consign it to the dark basement.

By the way, my other crop this year was a half dozen pots of hot peppers red chili habaneros, bananas  all prolific. I have enough frozen peppers for years of hot chili. But Ill grow more tomorrow.

Not bad for a guy who can kill a bush at ten yards, just by pointing my thumb at it.

35
Margaret says:
October 25, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Welcome, Ho Ho Tai. I am at least as guilty of anthropomorphizing plants as you are, and dont intend to ever stop doing so. They are really like friends and family, arent they?
I love your story, and am glad to meet another who has been badly bitten by the same bug as I. Welcome, as I say; welcome!

36


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## luvmybhm (May 17, 2015)

that was a nice comment ho-ho. 

it is easy to get attached to plants. odd but true. take for example my tomato plants. i bought the seeds, nurtured them while they poked their little leaves through. waited while they got big and strong. then i worried when i moved them outside that they would be ok. you go out every day to water and tend them. when they wilt or get sick it is heartbreaking. when they do their job and provide food for your loved ones, it gives you pride that you got them through their life cycle. it always breaks my heart a bit to have to turn under a plant once the season is over. i take solace in knowing it will break down and help the next season's plants grow. circle of life i guess. it also gives me great joy to have my young daughter help in the garden. she is learning how to raise food and where her food comes from. it teaches her responsibility. that if you work toward a goal and have some patience, it can be very rewarding.


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## luvmybhm (May 26, 2015)

so we finally got some real rain here this evening. i watched the 10pm weather and it said a line of thunderstorms was heading our way. i went out and threw some epsom salts in my tomatoes and peppers in hopes that it would rain in. i had just finished when the front blew through. it was a heck of a wind. i am not sure i will have any peaches left on the tree after that blow through...but it looks like most of my plants are intact. i will just have to wait an see tomorrow. 

so far so good on most of my plants. i was surprised to see that the tomato plant i put right into the wood chips-without any dirt mind you-is still alive. technically i don't think it is supposed to be able to do that. i know that a ton of the wood chips underneath have already broken down, but i am surprised that the chips have not sucked the nitrogen right out of that plant by now. well, i will just let it be and see how it does. 

i have a few more pea pods left that i am just leaving on there to fill out. i think the pea plants are pretty done for the season. after i pull them i will add some fresh dirt and miracle grow to that set of planting holes. then i can space out some of the tomatoes i put in late.


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## MsBrightside (May 27, 2015)

Backyard blackberries are coming on strong this year (I live within a couple hours of Houston, and they've certainly gotten plenty of rain this spring!), which makes me happy because they're one of my favorites. 

In the past I've made jam with wild blackberries, but they're good by themselves or sprinkled with a little bit of sugar, too. And they're amazing with ice cream. :happy:


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## luvmybhm (May 27, 2015)

oh yeah! they are one of my hub's favorites too. he likes to put sugar on them and let them juice out then pour over a biscuit. 

my brother lives outside of austin and when i spoke to him earlier this week he said it has been raining for like 2 weeks there. while it has done wonders for their garden and it has not scorched out yet, he will be glad when it lets up. 

i saw there was alot of flooding down in TX. i hope you are not in that zone. 

good luck with the blackberries!

ps. the plants survived the thunderstorm. on of the tomato plants was over, but i just righted it and tied it off to a stake. it should be ok.


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## MsBrightside (May 28, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> oh yeah! they are one of my hub's favorites too. he likes to put sugar on them and let them juice out then pour over a biscuit.


That sounds awesome, plus no jars to sterilize. 



> _my brother lives outside of austin and when i spoke to him earlier this week he said it has been raining for like 2 weeks there. while it has done wonders for their garden and it has not scorched out yet, he will be glad when it lets up. _
> 
> _i saw there was alot of flooding down in TX. i hope you are not in that zone. _
> 
> ...


It's rained a TON, and we've had some temporary flash flooding; but most people here (between Houston and the LA border) have been pretty fortunate. It seems like we've gotten just enough time in between the rains for most of the water to drain away and evaporate a bit, although some of the rivers, creeks, and bayous are expected to crest a few feet above flood stage by Monday and walking on the grass reminds me of a giant wet sponge. The rains will probably be followed by swarms of mosquitoes; but our homes have stayed dry, so I can't really complain. 

I'm glad that the rains haven't posed too big a threat to your brother and that your plants made it through the storm.


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## Tad (May 28, 2015)

I am frustrated. We re-did our patio, which left a spot where I thought putting in a few sun-flowers would be perfect. A couple of years ago it seemed that baby sunflower plants were all over the farmer's market and the garden centres, but this year I can't find any at all! Probably far too late to be starting them from seed for this year, I'd imagine. I guess I need to find something else to fill in that spot.


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## Ho Ho Tai (May 28, 2015)

Tad said:


> I am frustrated. We re-did our patio, which left a spot where I thought putting in a few sun-flowers would be perfect. A couple of years ago it seemed that baby sunflower plants were all over the farmer's market and the garden centres, but this year I can't find any at all! Probably far too late to be starting them from seed for this year, I'd imagine. I guess I need to find something else to fill in that spot.



We have lots of baby sunflowers around here. Be happy to send some to you - by the box car load. 

Around here, we call them Dandelions. So - what's not to like?


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## Tad (May 28, 2015)

Ho Ho Tai said:


> We have lots of baby sunflowers around here. Be happy to send some to you - by the box car load.
> 
> Around here, we call them Dandelions. So - what's not to like?



My wife calls those (dandelions) spontaneous miniature marigolds.


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## luvmybhm (May 28, 2015)

hi tad. dont give up on your sunflower dream. they make some seeds that have a 60-65 day maturity. i grew sunflowers last year and chose not to this year. they attracted birds to my yard that never left. 

besides, i would plant something there that is a faster growing perennial. that way you get more enjoyment out of them and you only have to plant them every few years, depending on your zone.

i tend to plant roses and bulbs. i like any plant with a bulb or rhizome that will multiply all by itself. less work over the long haul.

you will need to find out what zone you are in. then hit the internet and work from there.


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## Tad (Jun 1, 2015)

Hmmm, depending on what map I look at, we are labelled either a 4b or a 5b, but the map that said we were a 5b didn't define what that meant, and the one that said we were a 4b had a scale in degrees F, so I'm not sure I trust it 

Looking at Home Depot Canada, they talk about getting your seeds germinating inside a few weeks before the the last likely frost date, which would be.....a month or more ago. Still, we can give it a shot--it is just for fun and the birds anyway.

In my son’s biology class they did the classic bean plant experiments (each group tested a different variable—his group was &#8216;how deep the seed is planted, keep everything else the same’), and he brought a couple of the more successful plants home on Friday, so we slapped those in part of the space I was eyeing for sunflowers, we’ll see how they do. (Given that we plant stuff to amuse ourselves, in a mad scientist sort of way, more than we do to achieve a particular outcome, this is basically our usual approach.)

But there is still a bit of room I could put in a couple of sunflowers. It is right next to a small bit of cedar hedge that some city birds like to hang out in, and less then feed from our bird feeder, so I’m assuming that if the sunflowers grow and mature, the birds will find them eventually. Just not sure if sparrows (I think that is what they are) can/will pull sunflower seeds out of a plant, or if that takes something larger? I'm curious to see!


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## luvmybhm (Jun 3, 2015)

good luck on your bean experiment. it's nice you planted them. it is always fun to watch plants grow! your son will enjoy seeing the fruits (or beans) of his labor.


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jun 8, 2015)

Friends -

I don't grow anything anymore - except older. But i still enjoy reading articles such as this, just as I enjoy reading articles on astronomy and astrophysics, even though I don't own a slice of time on a space telescope. But my imagination still works, even if I don't.

*How To Grow Fruits, Vegetables And Herbs In A Container Garden*

I also enjoy reading the contributions to this thread. There are many here who have the sort of knowledge to share that only comes from dirty hands. I have mentioned this before, but I think that the blogger Margaret Roach (Away to Garden) would enjoy hearing from you.

By the way, Modern Farmer has many articles on manure, including this one:
*Get A Load Of Our Manure Guide*



Googling this string [modern farmer manure] gets you this list:


Modern farmer manure articles


Maybe I should change my handle to Winnie-the-Poop


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## luvmybhm (Jun 9, 2015)

i took the below pic of my garden in my clubhouse blog, but didn't put it here. :doh: i do a variation of the eden garden or in simple terms, woodchip gardening. i planted my plants in pockets of dirt as the wood chips had not decomposed enough yet to make the black dirt underneath. i have recently stuck 2 small tomato plants i had left over and put them directly into the wood chips. the underneath must have broken down more since the little plants actually lived and are thriving...even without any additional dirt added.

the second pic is just one i snapped yesterday. there were 2 pretty lilies here when we moved in and i am glad to see we had a third one come up this year.

View attachment 120344


View attachment 120345


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jun 12, 2015)

I heard this piece today on a replay of Performance Today. It is new music - fresh, innovative and quite beautiful. Not music for corporate farms and thudding tractors but for the kind of gardening that you do, and I would do if I could.

* Urban Gardens for Piano and Orchestra  *

*Nicola Campogrande 
Composed 2012 *

This is from the SPCO archives, performed in Ted Mann Auditorium.


Here are some comments by the composer:
"The third movement hails from an urban garden created _On a Studio Terrace_ and the general form, the musical materials, and some specific orchestral solutions are connected to the job of recording and editing in a studio. Probably our imaginary plants are now big and strong, because their sound is full of energy and rhythm, and if you think youre listening to a tomato or to some string beans ready to be picked, youre not completely wrong" 
Nicola Campogrande ©2012

The Performance Today version is the same recording but with access to the entire program.

To hear it you need some sort of streaming audio. Let me assure you: no manure is involved.


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## luvmybhm (Jun 13, 2015)

hi ho ho! thanks for sharing. i really enjoyed the first one. it did give you sense of breeze and all the energy that comes with a garden when it first comes up. the second one was a bit mellow for me, but lovely none-the-less. the last one was more intense and almost sounded like it belonged in a chase scene somewhere...but it was great to listen to. i have always enjoyed how orchestra music can paint a picture and create a mood, even without lyrics to guide you. i think it leaves it open to personal interpretation that way. 

so far i have picked several pickling cucumbers and 3 zucchini. the baby likes the cucumbers as is, which is great. i did cheat a bit and cut up a few of the smaller ones and throw them in the jar of pickle juice i had saved when she finished off the pickles the other day. they worked out well. my hub tried a few too and said they were not as strong as the ones that came in the jar, but the fact they stayed crispy was a bonus. the baby ate them up, so i will have to have my mother in law save me her pickle juice too. 

i have 3 little tomatoes, 2 peppers, 2 watermelon and a cantaloupe started so far. the baby is really liking watching them grow. i am excited because we have just started the 'stuff actually starts showing up' phase. i like to watch the plants grow, but it is much more satisfying watching the actual food grow.  it is very exciting to go out every day and see the changes and get to pick things!

the weather has turned very hot here in the last week and it will be very warm (mid 90's F) for the next several days. the garden is loving it! i think i will string the grape tomatoes that i put into a container since they are growing fast with the heat. 

hope everyone has a great day in their garden! or head to a local farmer market and eat fresh!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jun 14, 2015)

Crankshaft is one of us (the gardening for you, the curmudgeon for me).

*Crankshaft*

By Tom Batiuk and Chuck Ayers





Published on June 14, 2015
View recent entries:​


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jul 31, 2015)

OK - it's been over a month since the first tomatoes and cucumbers first started coming in. Your gardens should be quite plentiful by now. Go ahead! Make us non-gardners' mouths water. Tell us what you are reaping, how you prepare it, anything else to titillate us lazy bums.

Oh, by the way, when are you inviting us over?


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## luvmybhm (Aug 1, 2015)

well, i will gladly give you a quick update

peas came in, got a few dinners worth and then died off when the weather got hot.

my green peppers are not doing great. it has been very hot 90F+ here for most of july and they are scorching before i can get them to full size.

i have tomatoes coming full strength now. my young daughter eats at least 1 tomato with every meal. i have eaten them with sandwiches, i made homemade spaghetti sauce, i used them for a base in cowboy beans, i used them on a pizza in lieu of sauce. delish! still have tons coloring up every day. i put some grape tomatoes in late and i should have those come in until probably october. 

i ended up with several of the sugar baby watermelons. the first one was not ripe enough, but the several i have had since are good. i am still waiting for a decent cantaloupe. i had several set, but they did not form right and i ended up having to pull them. i have 2 or 3 on there now that i am waiting for and should be soon. 

i got a ton of the pickling cucumbers. i used some as cukes, put some in the pickle juice for the baby and gave some away. i finally had to pull the plant as it was starting to yellow and i was just sick of cukes. lol. 

i had several zucchini. i made zucchini bread, sauteed with some onions, ate grilled and put some in spaghetti sauce. they were good. 

i am glad to report the peach tree actually gave me some peaches this year. i am sad to report that i made a homemade peach pie to take to my inlaws today but we were in a car accident today and it got glass in it. i did not even get to taste it. i did get a pic of it yesterday, so i can at least enjoy that it looked good. i do still have a couple dozen peaches to use, so i am going to make peach crisp and cobbler tomorrow. 

View attachment 120949


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## Ho Ho Tai (Aug 1, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> well, i will gladly give you a quick update
> 
> peas came in, got a few dinners worth and then died off when the weather got hot.
> 
> ...



LMBHM -

Here's an old song that I first heard on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion show. I thought he wrote it but perhaps it was John Denver. Years ago, in a monologue, Keillor also had a story about tomato fights with his sister. ("She was bending over. I picked a big rotten one, took careful aim, and . . .")

The link takes you to the lyrics and streaming audio version of it.

*"Homegrown Tomatoes"*

There ain't nothing in the world that I like better
than bacon and lettuce and homegrown tomatoes.
Up in the morning, out in the garden, get you a ripe one, don't pick a hard one.
Plant 'em in the spring, eat 'em in the summer. All winter without 'em is a culinary bummer.
I forget all about the sweating and the digging every time I go out and pick me a big one.
Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes, what would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can't buy and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes.

You can go out to eat and that's for sure, but there's nothing a homegrown tomato won't cure.
Put 'em in a salad, put 'em in a stew, you can make your own, very own tomato juice.
You can eat 'em with eggs, eat 'em with gravy, You can eat 'em with beans, pinto or navy.
Put 'em on the side, put 'em in the middle, homegrown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle.
Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes, what would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can't buy and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes.

If I was to change this life I lead, you could call me Johnny Tomatoseed.
'Cause I know what this country needs is homegrown tomatoes in every yard you see.
When I die, don't bury me in a box in a cold dark cemetery.
Out in the garden would be much better 'cause I could be pushing up homegrown tomatoes.
Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes, what would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can't buy and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes,
homegrown tomatoes, what would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can't buy and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes*."

*By the way - sorry about the glass in the pie (not to mention the accident). What a disappointment!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Aug 2, 2015)

Margaret (Away to Garden) Roach currently has a piece on the joys and heartaches of growing tomatoes, along with links to many helpful sites. See her remarks at:

Whats wrong with my tomatoes? with dr. meg mcgrath

Her entire post of August 2015 may be found here.

How to diagnose and manage tomato troubles, plus the august garden chores

I was moved to leave this comment on her web page.


"At 78, I don't grow mu(l)ch of anything anymore, except older. But I do like to read column and comments from and about gardeners and gardening because gardening is nurturing. Growing anything - plants, children, ideas - requires a dedication to life itself. In the process of growing and nurturing, one grows their own soul as well. Such people are interesting, as writers, as communicants, and as friends.

I occasionally stick my nose into a bulletin board thread on gardening, passing on Margaret's comments and encouraging them to share their comments with Margaret. I do have some experiences of my own to share from days past ("Why is this guy coming on with all these manure stories?") and have a pair of boots which will never be completely clean. Garden-stuff sticks to boots the way that gardening sticks to the soul."


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## luvmybhm (Aug 2, 2015)

hi ho ho. thank you for the link. it was very informative. i was aware of many of her hints such as don't wet the leaves, mulch keep the moisture in and disease down, etc. The pictures were helpful though. i don't have much in the way of blight or such in my tomatoes, but these will be good to have for the future. 

i am actually doing a garden experiment as we speak. i planted some indeterminant grape tomatoes from seed. they came up and i planted in a large container. in order to keep them from trellising up to where i can't reach them, i am training them along a string horizontally. before starting this i reached out to our extension office master gardener for my region to see if this would work. they did not have much advice as they did not know of anyone who had done it. i decided to go for it anyway. so far so good. the vines are still producing and have grown about 3ft along the string so far. they are still producing tomatoes...and surprisingly more than the ones i planted and have growing along a 5' stake. i will keep you up to date on how it goes.

best regards!


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## luvmybhm (Aug 7, 2015)

we had the second to last watermelon from the garden for dessert tonight. once the last one is done i am going to pull up all those vines.


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## luvmybhm (Aug 26, 2015)

well, the summer garden is almost done. i have a bunch of regular tomatoes still on the vine and a few turn red every day. some of them are only putting on the smaller tomatoes now, so they are almost done. i might pull those tomorrow. 
i have already pulled the green pepper plants. got a whopping 1 edible pepper this year. was just too hot. they were scorching before i could get them to size. i was thinking of putting more in, but once the weather gets cool i want to turn over the wood chips, so decided against it. will try again next year in another location. 
pulled the watermelon and cantaloupe vines. had several watermelon this year, but didn't get a single edible cantaloupe. the bugs got most of them. i had 1 really nice one, but i went out the other day to see if it was finally done and either some sort of wildlife got away with it (doubt it as my tomatoes were untouched) or one of my neighbors decided it looked too good to pass up. oh well...if they needed it that bad that they had to steal it then they must be in a bad way and i am glad they had something to eat. 
i did yank the vines that were giving me the small cherry tomatoes. my baby did not like them and i want to give the container a chance to compost the little leftover roots before i put the spinach in. i can't put spinach in until it cools down a bit or it will just bolt. 

overall it was a 50/50 year for the garden. using the wood chips worked out well, but the high temps and almost constant sunny days were against me. most plants sort of shut off once the temp goes over 90, so this was a tough year for my plants. i think next year i will leave that bed to just tomatoes.

i was really pleased with the peach crop this year. i had enough to make a pie and 2 dishes of peach crumble...plus some to eat. not bad for a tree that gave none last year and was near death the year before when we got here. i am going to continue to treat it over the winter and see how we do next year. 

next comes the scourge of the black walnuts. the entire back tree line of our property is covered with black walnut trees. they drop hundreds of them a year. i have to pick them up so hub can mow and not have them shoot out everywhere. i am allergic to tree nuts, so i have to wear gloves to pick them up. they are alot of work and not many people want them these days. i gave a bunch away last year and am hoping if i put them on freecycle and they are willing to work for them, someone will have a real treat.


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## MsBrightside (Aug 27, 2015)

Glad your tomatoes and peaches did so well.  Your bell pepper experience sounds very familiar ; it's probably even worse in Texas. It was a good year for blackberries and cucumbers here, though.

Sorry about your black walnut dilemma. They have a nice smoky flavor, but having so many of the trees to deal with when you're allergic to the nuts sounds like a real pain. I've also heard that they can be particularly hard to shell. My grandfather had some black walnut trees, and he used to crack the walnuts open by backing over them with his car.


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## luvmybhm (Sep 4, 2015)

well, garden is almost done. the watermelon and cantaloupe are done. pulled the vines and tossed in to break down once i turn over the wood chips. once it gets a bit cooler here i can start turning the top chips under to let them compost down. (will require A LOT of shoveling and too dang hot for that right now). that end of the garden is pretty empty now. the other end only has the last of the tomato plants in it. i have some that are just waiting to ripen up. i will pull them before i start shoveling so they can provide green stuff to fuel the wood chip breakdown. am going to throw in some pelleted nitrogen to keep it going as well. hopefully by spring the entire bed will be composted down for use next year. it will give me alot more planting area if i can just plant directly into the compost/dirt instead of having to do the pockets in the fresh wood chips like i did this year. it worked out ok this year, but hopefully all the good compost/dirt that the wood chips will break down to will give me an epic garden for next year.

i see the farmer down the road prepping his field for his fall garden. i know he grows turnip greens during the fall/winter. i am still going to hold off on putting in my spinach tho. it will still be up near 90 later this week, so still too hot. 

the container i prepped for my spinach seems to be breaking down pretty quickly. all the little roots from the previous tomato plants that were in there seem to be gone. we are due some rain today/tomorrow so i will throw some more fertilizer in there to water through.

we need the water bad here. not as bad as california, but we are way down for our year. the reservoir that i pass not far from my house is starting to look like a mud flat. the water level is way down and there is an entire ring of mud bottom all along the shore lines for about 25 ft in toward the middle. i hope the rain coming in the next couple of days will be more than the 10 minute pop up storms that have been hit/miss over the last week. we need a good drenching.


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## luvmybhm (Sep 7, 2015)

well, i was just on the national weather service site. it says it should be in the 60's at night this week. if i get the gumption up to get outside in the mornings, then i can probably get a little something done before it gets hot each day. we are still going into the mid/upper 80's during the day, so for right now mornings are it.

during the last couple of weeks i did get the weeds pulled along the edge of the house and sprayed the grass/weed killer. i don't like having to get so close to the house with the mower/weed wacker. this should keep the weeds down until spring i hope. 

i think i am going to put some marigolds out in the yard in the wheelbarrow i have out there. (there was one with a broken handle behind the shed when we got here. i turned it on it's side and put flowers in front of it. it looked cute. the annuals finally died, so i need some fall flowers.)


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## Ho Ho Tai (Sep 7, 2015)

luvmybhm said:


> i think i am going to put some marigolds out in the yard in the wheelbarrow i have out there. (there was one with a broken handle behind the shed when we got here. i turned it on it's side and put flowers in front of it. it looked cute. the annuals finally died, so i need some fall flowers.)



Pix, please! Lots and lots of pix!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Oct 29, 2015)

This thread is just too good to lose - a message of hope as the harsh blasts of winter finally descend.


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## luvmybhm (Nov 21, 2015)

well, here's an update. 

the spinach is done. it bolted and i had to pull it. we got several meals worth out of the little containers worth i planted, so overall i am pleased. the carrots are still happily growing away in a container. i think by next month i will pull one up and see how it is going. 

after a nice fall surge, most of my plants have gone dormant. my double knock out roses still have flowers on them, but i think with the very cold weather this week they are not long behind. 

luckily it looks like some of the lilies that i received from a fellow gardener and transplanted in my yard have rooted enough they will survive the winter. 

when i first moved here there was a nice brick patio out under the other side of the tree off our back porch. it had been overgrown. the one corner had a bunch of overgrown holly with a climbing rose tangled in. i cleaned it up and the rose flourished. i have been fighting an ongoing battle with the holly. they keep trying to grow back. i trim them back but those suckers hurt when you try to pick them up. i will win though!

the last time we replaced the blades on our riding mower we bought the super mulching kind. i am so glad we did. the big tree in our yard is dropping its leaves. i found if i mow in a circular pattern with the leaves blowing in toward the center of the yard by the time i mow over them every pass they are pretty much gone. 

the ones in areas i can't mow got raked up and put in my compost pile.

my next project is friday. putting up the christmas lights! :bounce:


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## Ho Ho Tai (Nov 21, 2015)

As you once told me "So much rep! You need so much rep!"


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## luvmybhm (Jan 27, 2016)

i ordered my heirloom tomato seeds online this week!


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## BountifulBabs (Jan 27, 2016)

I'm into herbs, but I'll probably do some cucumbers and peas too.


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## luvmybhm (Jan 28, 2016)

do you grow them inside or in a garden setting? i tried growing herbs (my husband loves pesto) inside but could not really get great results. any tips?


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## BountifulBabs (Jan 29, 2016)

luvmybhm said:


> do you grow them inside or in a garden setting? i tried growing herbs (my husband loves pesto) inside but could not really get great results. any tips?



I do mine outside in pots and they do well. I have cats and they tend to eat them if I leave them inside. Plus, most herbs need full sun and it's hard to get inside. I sometimes skip watering them once or twice and then give them a huge drink. Cutting them back often helps too.


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## luvmybhm (Jan 30, 2016)

i might try some outdoor in containers this year. thanks for the tips!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jan 30, 2016)

luvmybhm said:


> i might try some outdoor in containers this year. thanks for the tips!



We have friends who plan an extensive garden each year. They asked us to save egg cartons for use as seed starters. I have quite a few and intend to partially fill one with these LED 'eggs'. We gave them to our grand children as stocking stuffers. They were the hit of the day. They turn on and off with a tap. If I partially fill an egg carton with them and 'accidentally' drop it on the floor, they should light up. I do intend to experiment with this first.


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## luvmybhm (Jan 31, 2016)

the led egg looks cool. let me know how it goes.

yes, the press board egg cartons are great for starting seeds. once they germinate you can move them either to a bigger pot or into the ground. they will biodegrade and let the roots spread without the shock of yanking them out of a plastic tray.


it was beautiful out today, but super windy. it pulled half of the plastic i put on the garden up. the wind got under it and puffed up. it had several bricks on it and they just went tossing. luckily i had lined the outer edge with bricks and it did not blow away. i got it back down but will go out tomorrow to tape it up and put it back down. hopefully sealing the seams instead of just overlapping them will help keep the wind out.


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jan 31, 2016)

luvmybhm said:


> the led egg looks cool. let me know how it goes.
> 
> yes, the press board egg cartons are great for starting seeds. once they germinate you can move them either to a bigger pot or into the ground. they will biodegrade and let the roots spread without the shock of yanking them out of a plastic tray.
> 
> ...



We had fun with the LED eggs at Christmas. The kids loved them, even more than the ten lb. can of loose change or the promise of that telescope. We had expected to have some fun watching them figure out how to divide the coins. There must have been close to $100 in there. We had expected it to be something of an object lesson but they just set it aside and took it home.

We think those eggs might be fun on a first date, or coffee date. Each takes an egg and rolls each gently into the other. Much rather titillating conversational 'hay' could be made from which, or both, light up.

The weather is weird everywhere, one way or another. We have had a very mild winter in Minnesota. Right now, there is a huge storm system extending from the West Coast to the N.E. part of the USA - rain, snow, summer-like storms, blizzards, all wrapped up in the same nasty package. Looks like it will just clip the southern portions of the T.C. I suppose we have residents here who will be disappointed by the lack of snow.

Not me!


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## luvmybhm (Feb 3, 2016)

i was looking for bulk coffee grounds for my garden. turns out one of our local starbucks is part of a program that saves coffee grounds for the gardeners. i called yesterday and they said they would be glad to save some for my hub to pick up on his way home from work.

he came home today with 30+ lbs of coffee grounds! i am so excited!

i think if i can get some more next week i might even start a new compost pile. 

i can also put some of these around my roses.


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## luvmybhm (Feb 4, 2016)

well, the little one and i had a fun time spreading coffee grounds today. so many things here are sprouting up. maybe the groundhog was right and we will get an early spring.

tomorrow and saturday are going to be a bit hectic with other things, so not much yard time. i am hoping on sunday to go out and spray my peach tree with some dormant oil before it wakes up.


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## luvmybhm (Feb 15, 2016)

warmer weather arrives tomorrow. going to spray the peach tree. also going to put in some spinach. yeah spring!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Feb 15, 2016)

Spring? What is this concept of which you speak? In Minnesota (at least this time of year) 'Spring' is just a hypothetical construct with no referent in recorded memory (except in the weatherman's records, which are suspect anyway). I'll believe it when I see the first dandelions, or hear the tornado siren for the first time (usually a day or two after the last blizzard).


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## luvmybhm (Feb 18, 2016)

no worries...just in case you forgot....

View attachment minn.jpg



spinach is in and spent yesterday afternoon spreading compost on my garden bed. hub is bringing me newpaper and coffee grounds home this afternoon so i can continue my layers.

it is supposed to be in the mid 60's here this weekend. it should be beautiful!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Feb 19, 2016)

luvmybhm said:


> no worries...just in case you forgot....
> 
> View attachment 123581
> 
> ...



_Cowardly Lion_: I *do* believe in spooks, I *do* believe in spooks. I do, I do, I do, I *do* believe in spooks, I *do* believe in spooks, I do, I do, I do, I *do*! 

To paraphrase: _Cowardly gardener_: I *do* believe in spring, I *do* believe in spring. I do, I do, I do, I *do* believe in spring, I *do* believe in spring I do, I do, I do, I *do*!


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## luvmybhm (Feb 21, 2016)

lol ho ho. yes, i am chomping at the bit to start planting things. my onion sets arrived yesterday so today i am going out to build a raised bed to put them in. i still have tons of brick around, so i will just use that. it will be 20" wide, 20 ft long and probably 2 or 3 layers high. i only need 6" of dirt to grow onions, so it does not need to be super deep. 

i need to get those in today so the rain we are due the next several days will keep them moist to root.

i got the coffee grounds into the garden yesterday. hopefully the worms will get a whiff of them and come up toward the top of the bed. 

in about a week i will start my tomato seeds in the little pots. i watched a great video about using the larger starter pots and only filling with dirt half way. once the plants get taller, you fill in the rest of the pot and it can continue to grow roots while inside. this makes for a stronger starter plant.


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## luvmybhm (Feb 21, 2016)

well, i did not get to my onion bed today. we had on/off rain all day. i did get to dig a bit into my garden. the bad news is that the creeping grass has pretty much formed a web across the top of my garden bed. 

the good news is i put a shovel in today and ripped up a piece of the garden bed. the wood chips have pretty much all decomposed and the soil is gorgeous! i even have worms! 

i did along the 20' side for about a foot or so in. so much creeping grass. the good thing is that it comes up pretty easy since the ground under it is so soft. i am going to try to get out as much as i can this week to do the rest of the garden bed and get it cleaned up before i want to plant.

i think i am going to wuss out and build the onion bed out of 2x6 lumber. i am really not looking forward to moving all those bricks again. 

today i learned nature has a way of getting back at you. the coffee grounds that i have put all over my yard has done a good job of keeping the local feral cats at bay. the bad news...the bunnies know they are gone. i saw 3 in my yard today.


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## Cobra Verde (Feb 22, 2016)

Seeds of discontent. And they're starting to germinate...


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## luvmybhm (Feb 22, 2016)

be careful cobra verde...keep in mind that you reap what you sow.


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## nitewriter (Feb 23, 2016)

With this being an election year, I hear a lot of Rumors being planted. looks like it will be a bumper crop.


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## luvmybhm (Feb 28, 2016)

well, i did get my onion beds built. the onions are going in tomorrow. we had a couple of nights of cold weather here earlier this week, so i think that has passed for a bit. want to get them in tomorrow before the next round of rain moves in.

i am soaking my peas overnight tonight. they will go in my woodchip bed tomorrow with some chicken wire lattice for them to climb. i have to get those going before it gets too hot. 

hoping everyone has a good night!


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## martinnathalie92 (Feb 29, 2016)

Basil and Strawberry plants! I heard the two make a lovely cocktail combo....


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## luvmybhm (Mar 1, 2016)

martinnathalie92 said:


> Basil and Strawberry plants! I heard the two make a lovely cocktail combo....



 sounds like you will really enjoy the fruits of your labor


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## Tad (Mar 1, 2016)

Luv, you are reminding me that this year I should plan ahead, instead of thinking in June what I should have planted. Probably another 11 weeks before I'd put anything in the ground, and I don't have a window sunny enough to really start things too early, but can at least get thinking.

And for my birthday I got some new tomato cages (well, a promise of them, they weren't in stock mid-winter), so at the very least I know I need to do my usual pots of tomato-thickets.


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## luvmybhm (Mar 5, 2016)

hi tad! yeah! i am glad you are looking forward to planting things. home grown tomatoes are the best! 

this is the frost date charts from farmer almanac. 
http://www.almanac.com/content/frost-chart-canada

it should give you an idea of what your last frost date is for your area. you will want to start your tomato seeds about a month ahead of time. 

i don't recommend a window to grow seedlings. i learned that lesson the hard way. you can put them directly under a shop light and use that as a grow light. just keep it close to the plants to keep the stems strong. most of the time it is just an couple of inches above the plant.

since the days are nice here and we really only have to worry about the nights getting cold, i built a safety cage out of chicken wire and set mine outside on the porch during the day. the cage keeps the birds off my plants and they can grow up straight instead of reaching for window sun.


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## luvmybhm (Mar 16, 2016)

been so busy now that the weather warmed up. have some alaska peas in the garden bed. they are up and out and a couple of inches tall now. i put up a chicken wire trellis for them to crawl up. hopefully they will stick around long enough to get some peas. 

i put some bush beans in the garden bed already too. i think the birds got a couple of them, but i put a ton of them in there...so we will get enough if they come up.

i had a bunch of tomatoes seeded and outside on a shelf. the wind got them and blew them over just as they got their first little leaves. i saved as many as i could and ended up with 24 plants in their own little pots now. 2 or 3 look like they may not make it, but still have plenty for the garden. the hard part is that when they got knocked out of their pots they kinda fell everywhere. they were no longer in the pots that told me what kind they were...so not it will be plant them and see what comes up on each one. lol.

we planted 1 red potato in a pot just to see if we could get another potato to grow. the little one went to water it this morning and it has finally sprouted through the dirt. now i will just let it grow til it dies off and turn it over to see what we get.

i put hub's spinach in a makeshift raised bed made out of an inverted plastic shelving shelf. they are finally up and getting some real leaves on them. in about another week they should be big enough to pick some.

here's a pic of the potato. she was so proud she was the one to find out it had finally broken through. 

View attachment 20160316_095349.jpg


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## luvmybhm (Mar 16, 2016)

here's the tomatoes after their emergency transplant and the little onion bed i threw together for my candy onions. 

View attachment 20160315_131039.jpg


View attachment 20160315_131115.jpg


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## Ho Ho Tai (Apr 23, 2016)

Shameless bump for a thread too good to disappear.


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## luvmybhm (May 1, 2016)

my dear friend ho ho dropped a not so subtle hint  that i should post on this thread with an update...so here ya go!


my garden is in full swing. i have 21 indeterminate tomatoes in the wood chip bed. right now they are about a foot or so high and just getting their first set of flowers. by the end of summer they will be 7'+ high. my posts are only 7'..so if they get bigger than that they are on their own...lol.

i also have peas, zucchini, peppers and eggplant in there. 

in separate raised beds i also have cukes and pole beans just starting to climb their trellis.

i have a few last minute things going in, but otherwise we are off to a strong start. we finally got a soaking rain last night into this morning. i threw epsom salt and coffee grounds in the garden beds before the rain, so they should have a good growth spurt coming on. 

fyi..if anyone else on here gardens, starbucks is doing their free coffee ground give away this summer as well. just stop in any starbucks and ask for free coffee grounds for your garden beds. they are a great source of nitrogen for compost bins, great for worm bins (worms love coffee!) and roses love them too. you can even sprinkle them around plants that are prone to getting slugs. slugs don't like the acid or crunchy feeling of having to go over them.

hope everyone is growing something!


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## Ho Ho Tai (Jul 7, 2016)

I promise that this is the last time I bump this thread. I have nothing to add to it but do like to come back and read through it occasionally just for the sheer fun of it. I hope you do too.


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