club The Great Gardening Thread of 2023

[KB Girl]

21 hours ago, Sepherina said:

Saw this….most def trying….

 

We tried that last year, but we did it in buckets. It worked alright but actually required more effort than I liked, too much watering and took too much remembering them x) my executive function isnt great so my garden needs to be able to withstand some periods of neglect you know. 

We also tried a bed of potatoes that were put on top of the soil and then covered in straw- so to get them out we didn’t have to dig, just remove the straw. It was great, almost no watering. Will do it again this year. 

[KB Girl]

My February seedlings are doing well! Started some more today, including tomatoes indoors. 
 

Spoiler

 

[Everstorm]

On 3/23/2023 at 6:38 PM, KB Girl said:

My February seedlings are doing well! Started some more today, including tomatoes indoors. 

Wow!  You started a lot!  Where do you keep them all?

[KB Girl]

5 hours ago, Everstorm said:

Wow!  You started a lot!  Where do you keep them all?

The tomatoes are in the windowsill and the rest are in a closet in the backyard covered with hard plastic against the frost. I’m actually hoping we can get a proper tiny greenhouse for the backyard this year. I’d love more space for starting seeds and maybe grow some big tomatoes in the summer (our summers aren’t quite warm/long/dry enough for bigger tomatoes). 

[Darciana]

Been awhile since I checked in.

 

I have little baby habanero, jalapeno, cucumber, cilantro, and parsley plants. I just moved the cucumber and peppers outside as the cold snap should be over with. The rickety, cheap plastic greenhouse will hold my herbs as I collect them and keep them guarded from the worst of the Texas sun until I can get a bigger better method of shading them.

 

I have a little tomato plant and strawberry plant. Tomato is growing, but still a small little guy. The strawberry plant already gave me a very delicious strawberry and I have 2 more that are ready to be picked probably today or tomorrow. Both are inside due to the cold snap though I'm thinking of moving them outside a little later today. I might repot the strawberry into a hanging planter.

 

I did try to put some bell pepper seeds and tomato seeds in a pot to see if they'd germinate (more of an experiment). Unfortunately, they were outside during one night of a cold snap so I'm not sure if they'll grow. I really need to pay better attention to what day the cold weather blows in as I've been off by a day all winter...

 

 

[Sepherina]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:13 PM, KB Girl said:

We tried that last year, but we did it in buckets. It worked alright but actually required more effort than I liked, too much watering and took too much remembering them x) my executive function isnt great so my garden needs to be able to withstand some periods of neglect you know. 

We also tried a bed of potatoes that were put on top of the soil and then covered in straw- so to get them out we didn’t have to dig, just remove the straw. It was great, almost no watering. Will do it again this year. 

 

I would love to have a bed of potatoes but that would require expanding our current garden….hmmm decisions….Minion #2 does love gardening….and potatoes are their favorite vegetable…

 

 

On 3/26/2023 at 2:56 AM, KB Girl said:

The tomatoes are in the windowsill and the rest are in a closet in the backyard covered with hard plastic against the frost. I’m actually hoping we can get a proper tiny greenhouse for the backyard this year. I’d love more space for starting seeds and maybe grow some big tomatoes in the summer (our summers aren’t quite warm/long/dry enough for bigger tomatoes). 

I would love a warm sunny place to start seeds.  I have considered using our back enclosed patio (not insulated and not heated) as a place to put seed starts. However the source of light for that room faces west and is heavily shaded by a massive maple tree (enough that it keeps the back half of the house cool in the summer).   Has anyone tried grow lights perhaps for seedlings?

 

 

Since I didn’t get any seedlings in earlier and our plant dates for most things are in about 4 weeks, I bit the bullet and ordered plants through Burpee.  

Spoiler

What I ordered:

• 25 Bare root June bearing strawberries (should be here by Monday)
• 25 Bare root ever bearing strawberries (wish they would be here Monday and hope they are not on backorder)
• 2 super sweet 100 hybrid tomato plants (these are cherry tomatoes, are like candy and make great sun dried tomatoes)
• 1 super sauce hybrid plant.  (My family isn’t big on raw tomatoes outside of the cherry size but love spaghetti and salsas)
• 1 hot jalapeño plant
• 1 hot poblano (Ancho) pepper plant (Plan is to dehydrate a good portion of these)
• 1 sweet Corno di Toro pepper plant
• 2 lavender plants (Didn’t survive winter this year. We make simple syrup every year from the flowers. I hope to learn how to make infused oil with them as well)
• 1 rosemary plant (mine didn’t survive the winter this year)

 

Other stuff we have coming:

• Some unknown number of potato plants
• Some unknown number of onions
• Salad greens
• Green onions
• Basil
• Cilantro

Things I think survived winter

• My container of parsley…..it still looks green. It wintered in the enclosed back porch.
• My container of mint…has some small specs of green poking out.
• Random annual flowers that self seeded in their pots or survived this year’s mild winter.
• The oregano that has taken over its side bed that I now mow out of the lawn…anyone want oregano lol?
• 4 blueberry bushes. (I need to check in on these ASAP and protect them from the birds)

 

[Ranger Hal]

On 4/1/2023 at 5:16 AM, Sepherina said:

Has anyone tried grow lights perhaps for seedlings?

I have a 2-foot-long LED grow light that I've used a few times. I used it with an outlet timer so it turns on and off automatically. It worked pretty well for me.

[Artemis Prime]

I bought a grow light bulb for my desk lamp this year. It's my first time using one. Usually my heritage tomatoes take 2 weeks to germinate. This year I had a particularly excellent germination rate and they came up in one week. So far, so good!

 

The thing with tomatoes is they're really sensitive to temperature. 50 degrees won't kill them, but they won't be very happy. So I used to set my seedlings outside on sunny spring days figuring the extra light was good for them, but the chilly temperature kind of cancelled out and benefits. This year they'll stay inside under their grow light unless it's nice and toasty outside for them.

[KB Girl]

I found this little friend in the garden today  

Also pleasantly surprised by how many spinach plants survived the winter! I planted my cabbage seedlings, but just saw that it’ll be -1 tonight.. hopefully they’ll be alright. 

[Elastigirl]

I finally worked in the garden today. I've been thinking I needed to, but between allergies and cold weather, I just haven't done it. It's the time of year where I see all that needs to be done, and I struggle to just get started. So, I made a deal with myself to just work 20 minutes.

 

Last fall, I covered the garden with a compostable paper that is supposed to keep the weeds under control . The paper had shredded, and some of it had come undone, so I didn't know how much help it was. But there was less weeds than the area I didn't do that, so maybe? I had used the black plastic before, but I thought this might help the ground, and then I didn't end up with a bunch of plastic to throw away. I did see several worms, so that is promising.

 

Last fall, my husband had mowed up a bunch of leaves and grass, and put them in the compost. I meant to cover the garden with them then, but never got around to it. I put it down now, and figured it would help the soil now.

 

[KB Girl]

That sounds great EG

 

18 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

It's the time of year where I see all that needs to be done, and I struggle to just get started. So, I made a deal with myself to just work 20 minutes.

This I recognise! I remember a YouTube video somewhere that said to list all the 5 minute tasks you have and just go from there. From Huw whatshisname.. 

[MaeradCase]

I know I mentioned it on my challenge thread, but I wanted to report here that Monday this week I pulled out all the fresh weeds, leaving behind my clover and dandelions (pictured above). Today I pulled out some fresh grass sprouts, sprinkled my half of my region's wildflower seed mix (I'm sharing the other half with my mom) on all those brown sections (primarily toward the front), and then sprinkled my small bag of potting soil across those zones as a thin barrier, though certainly not meeting the directions of an inch depth. 😅 Hopefully it still works out.

 

I'll have to leave the sprouting crab grass alone when the seeds have rested, been rained on, and start sprouting themselves. But I can keep pulling the tall grass out from among the clover. 😃 I'm acquiring quite a heap of grassy remnants to dry out and be of some service later. Also I managed to pull forth one of the stronger saplings, though the root snapped off leaving a long portion down below. These elm sprouts are very prevalent in the corners of the yard. 😅

[KB Girl]

Hello gardening friends!

 

I've spent a lot of time in the garden the past two weeks, half of it in my own community plot and half of it helping a friend setup a large kitchen garden of het own. 
 

My own garden; 

Spoiler

These are my purple asparagus saying hi

My bed with snow peas along the trellis and a row of carrots in the middle- I've covered with straw in hopes of helping them sprout. Under glass are my lettuces. 

 

And I found this beauty while pulling up dandelions. It's a purple ground beetle and it eats snails and carrot root fly among other garden pests- and I am so happy to see it because I think it's an indication we're doing this permaculture stuff somewhat correctly

My friend's garden; 

Spoiler

 

We put down cardboard to kill the grass and covered with quite a bit of compost- the no dig method. It's going to be a large garden! 

My 3yo was very helpful, my 6yo was mostly busy petting the horse and dog and eating snacks xD 

 

[Elastigirl]

@KB Girl your garden is looking good! Love your little helper on your friend's garden

[Elastigirl]

Did some yard work today. It is finally warming up. It was  a frustrating day, but hopefully there are pretty flowers and tasty veggies in the future. My veggie garden is in my front yard, surrounded by lawn. Our lawn is in rather dismal shape, lots of moss and clover and buttercups. The buttercups are super invasive, and they suck good nutrients out of the soil . And they have underground roots, so they keep trying to grow in the veggie garden. I decided I wanted to get rid of them this year. After google help, I decided the first step was to aerate the lawn. So I bought these funky strap over your shoes attachment with spikes on the bottom. You wear them and stomp around the ground,  Hubby wore them when he mowed the lawn. I attempted to wear them, only they kept falling off my tiny elf feet, and making me trip, and I spent most of the time trying to reattach them before  I finally gave up. Then, my next plan was to spray weed and feed. I'm usually an organic only type person, but those methods  had failed, so I thought I would cover the veggie bed, and spray the grass . But after reading the directions, I didn't know how I could protect all my other plants, because it said it would probably kill those. Plus reading all the cautions made me realize how toxic that idea was.  So, next plan was to try and use the hoe to dig up the buttercups. Problem is it's a huge swatch of lawn. I did  dig up a row that was closest to the veggie garden. And then I put lime on ourlawn, and some more grass seed. Maybe that will help. I was feeling a bit defeated and tired. Skipped making dinner and went out to Panerra.  Having a nice salad and chatting with hubby helped me feel a bit better. We came up with an alternate plan, if what I did does not work. We'll cover it with cardboard, and then put wood chips down in that area . I can't make that area part of the veggie garden, as I need space between it and my flower garden, so I can get to the flower garden. I'm actually really liking that idea. it maybe next years project. I think I said this before, I struggle this time of year in the garden. I want to work more, but my allergies get to me, and then I always feel like there is so much to do. I need to be ok with making small changes and having my progress be slow. 

 

My peony that my friend gave me is looking big, and I think it's going to be pretty. And this week I'm going to take the cover off my dahlias and I can't wait for them to grow!

[KB Girl]

On 4/25/2023 at 6:14 AM, Elastigirl said:

He came up with an alternate plan, if what I did does not work. We'll cover it with cardboard, and then put wood chips down in that area .

I hope this won't end up being necessary but it does sound like an excellent plan! 

 

[KB Girl]

Spend a couple of hours in the garden today!

Putting in some seedlings, killing dandelions, relocating strawberry runners and planting purple potatoes  

 

Some pictures behind the spoiler. 

Spoiler

 

Some tulips saying hello next to the blackberry we planted last fall

 

This bed is doing well with wild leeks, daubenton cabbage, kohlrabi, yellow chard and radishes. 

 

First asparagus harvest ❤️ 

 

My friends garden where we planted some of our strawberry runners (the others went in-between our asparagus) and leftover seedlings. 

 

[Elastigirl]

5 minutes ago, KB Girl said:

Putting in some seedlings, killing dandelions, relocating strawberry runners and planting purple potatoes  

 

Yay! Yum, purple potatoes. I love them, maybe I'll plant some

[MaeradCase]

On 4/24/2023 at 11:14 PM, Elastigirl said:

I bought these funky strap over your shoes attachment with spikes on the bottom. You wear them and stomp around the ground,  Hubby wore them when he mowed the lawn. I attempted to wear them, only they kept falling off my tiny elf feet, and making me trip

I can picture this so well. Sorry it gave you trouble, but thank you for sharing the scene with us. Hope your tricks work to get rid of the pesky buttercups.

[Salinger]

Just discovered this thread, i am very late to join!

 

I love gardening, but my passion comes in spurts. 

I also rent ... and i get those pangs of anxiety about the landlord just randomly deciding to sell and we get turfed out etc

 

Whats the point in doing the garden when its not OURS?! 

 

Does anyone else rent and feel similar? How do you combat that? x

[KB Girl]

18 minutes ago, Salinger said:

Does anyone else rent and feel similar? How do you combat that? x

It's not that much of a problem for me because I'm focused on growing food and that's mostly one-year plants.. but yeah, I get that too- I would love to put in more asparagus, but that's only worthwhile if we'll be on this plot for 5+ more years. But a lot of things you could move, like the raised beds we put in, we could just move those to a new plot. And the apple tree, we can move that. 

So maybe just focus on things you could take with you? and focus on that you'll enjoy it NOW, it's not for some unknown future. 

[Salinger]

5 minutes ago, KB Girl said:

It's not that much of a problem for me because I'm focused on growing food and that's mostly one-year plants.. but yeah, I get that too- I would love to put in more asparagus, but that's only worthwhile if we'll be on this plot for 5+ more years. But a lot of things you could move, like the raised beds we put in, we could just move those to a new plot. And the apple tree, we can move that. 

So maybe just focus on things you could take with you? and focus on that you'll enjoy it NOW, it's not for some unknown future. 

yes that is true!

 

We haven’t had any indication from the landlord that he wants out but it’s always on the back of my mind!!

 

hoping to be here for a good few years yet!

 

great. Ok.

 

id love to put a photo of my garden space here and see if anyone has any recommendations ?!

 

I’m not a gardener really hahah so great to learn 💙

 

 

[Sepherina]

1 hour ago, Salinger said:

Just discovered this thread, i am very late to join!

 

I love gardening, but my passion comes in spurts. 

I also rent ... and i get those pangs of anxiety about the landlord just randomly deciding to sell and we get turfed out etc

 

Whats the point in doing the garden when its not OURS?! 

 

Does anyone else rent and feel similar? How do you combat that? x

Before we bought our home we did try gardening in pots.  The other option was to rent a bed/plot in a neighborhood garden. We did this one year with strawberries and then rather than up root them when we bought the house I donated them to the neighborhood that I was renting from. 

[Salinger]

Hopefully these images upload 

 

as you can see it’s very concrete city!!! 
 

with a bad wall of soil and weeds (very hard to dig in due to millions of thick roots and stones)

 

x

[Salinger]

sorry the images are so large, i cant edit them to make smaller!!!! x