I challenge you to grow some...

[empeg9000]

I almost managed not to kill anything! (almost)

 

Here is my Before/After:

 

Back in February, nothing but a half dead sage

 

Today! The sage definitely died (I blame the weather) but the rosemary, thyme, basil and tomato plant are sill alive! I almost killed the basil once (forgot to water it, it didn't like it) but now it's in perfect shape and it smells in all the kitchen when I open the window! Having fresh herbs is nice, tomato plant was only a whim, they are good for sure but it was a bit expensive and doesn't hold that many tomatoes for two. I'll probably try another herb next year (sage again, or melissa)

That's a pretty cool setup!

[I-Jo]

Well one of my tomatoes isn't doing well- i'm tempted to rip it out and replace it with another one- I need to go buy some other spicey type things anyawy- the basil has me salivating over fresh spices!!!

 

Can't wait to make caprese and maybe pesto sauce!  WOOT WOOT. 

 

All this rain is making them happy!!  Me too be/c I forgot to water!

[Tateman]

So far my 3 tomato plants are growing to huge plants.  I almost think they will grow taller then me.  The watermelons seems to be doing good.  I need to lay out some tarp and train the vines to grow over on them

[Shereads]

I'm so glad to see other gardeners out here.Since my family lives in an apartment complex I have my bucket garden on my back porch. Some things I just used a cardboard box for. My tomatoes are in my buckets and I hope to get enough to can. My kids think tomatoes are from the devil but love ketchup and tomato sauces. I have some squash going because we eat it and I freeze or bake it up for the freezer. My potato experiment is almost ready to be harvested, First bit of warm I planted them but saw nothing until late last month, My sweet potato needs to be transplanted since I got it to sprout, I was very surprised since it is the one thing my mom and dad were never able to grow.  I grew up with my dad planting a garden every year and my mom doing the tending and harvesting, We have a short growing season here so I get my plants from the local greenhouse half grown. I was dealing with repeated illness in the spring and did not get my early greens out. Now I'll have to wait until fall and get something going. I've been considering one of the hydroponic gardens for small spaces but the price is a bit much. Perhaps I'll save my pennies and just do it next year.

[Tateman]

When I was a kid we use to visit my great grandmother in Arkansas.  The tomatoes she grew were like the size of softballs.  I use to eat them like they were apples.  I'd eat so many that I would get acid burn on my lips.  I love home grown tomatoes!

[Vector]

When I was a kid we use to visit my great grandmother in Arkansas.  The tomatoes she grew were like the size of softballs.  I use to eat them like they were apples.  I'd eat so many that I would get acid burn on my lips.  I love home grown tomatoes!

Those sound like Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifters!

[empeg9000]

Some updated photos of the garden after some work this past weekend. I got some borders around the fence. Mrs Empeg is planting some sunflowers out there and some squash to grow up the fence.

 

 

Tonight we had our first fresh salad of the season!

Mrs Empeg picking the lettuce:

 

Yummy!! Sooooo much better that store bought.

[GingaNinja]

I have peas, beans, radishes, onions and parnips growing outside, hopefully potatoes will show themselves soon as well! Tomatoes inside in the conservatory (not as posh as it sounds). I have really fallen in love with gardening these last couple of years, will post some picture soon!

[Tateman]

Put out some tarp for my watermelon plants to grow out on today.  My tomato plants are almost as tall as I am.  I don't think I ever had some grow this big before.

 

plants by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

Tomatoes incoming!

 

plant3 by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

plant1 by Will Tate, on Flickr

[Elastigirl]

 

Put out some tarp for my watermelon plants to grow out on today.  My tomato plants are almost as tall as I am.  I don't think I ever had some grow this big before.

 

plants by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

Tomatoes incoming!

 

plant3 by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

plant1 by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

Those plants are huge!

[I-Jo]

Those are AWESOME.

 

I'm going to have to stake mine up soon!!!  

 

I have lost one tomatoe and one cucumber already- I'm super sad- I need to go to the store and buy more. 

 These storms are killing me. 

[empeg9000]

Wow those are giant for so early in the year. Ours are finally starting to grow like crazy now that's it's getting warm. 

[Tateman]

yeah, there really sprung up recently.  The back one got tall first, then the middle one caught up.  next thing I knew the front was was all like Me too!  I am very surprised to have seen them get so big

[Tateman]

I have been gone from my garden for like 4 days.  So they didn't get watered.  I just got home today and I found a couple of the stalks form one tomato plant was bent over  So I got them back up and tied them up.  They still looked ok, and the tomatoes seem to be growing fine.  Going to take some pictures tomorrow of them.  I can't believe how big they have grown.  Two of the tomato plants are taller then I am haha.

[Tateman]

Ok, so updated photos

 

IMG_3184 by Will Tate, on Flickr

The last two tomato plants are taller then I am.

 

The red watermelon vines.  There are a few watermelons starting to form as well

IMG_3196 by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

These are the yellow watermelons 

IMG_3198 by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

I can't wait for all these tomatoes to ripen

IMG_3199a by Will Tate, on Flickr

IMG_3200a by Will Tate, on Flickr

IMG_3201a by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

[UltraPoweR]

I like the idea.We really are dependent on the thing called "grocery stores" and we probably couldn't feed ourselves otherwise if our life ACTUALLY depended on it(kiosks,subways and street markets don;t count,'cause you are still BUYING food and not growing,hunting or taking it).As soon as I get the exercise habit thing down,I'm focusing on growing some...cherries.Yeah,tasty and pretty nutritional.Thanks for the eye opening post and the refferences,added to my WAITING list.

[Determined]

The very first thing I did last year when I became a country mouse was to grow tomatoes. My roommate is a landscaper, and is great with flowers, but can't grow food. I'm the opposite. Together, it works.

 

This year, we've expanded. Realizing that while heirloom tomatoes are cool to look at, they're utterly useless and more trouble than their worth, we're doing roma and pink this year - en masse! Our cukes are about to sprout, and the zuchini looks like it's on steroids.

 

The slugs got the spinach, and my roommate's assistant got the lettuces (big, stupid man-feet), but the beans (PURPLE!!) are about to go wild.

 

In addition, the dog and I went picking wild strawberries yesterday. Wheee!

 

Wild raspberries will be ready in about 10 days.

[mevre]

 

great thread! we've got plumb and pear trees, several kinds of raspberries, a melon vine or two, a few alpine strawberries** tucked away in various corners of the garden, tons of grapes, trying to start some hazelnut trees, tomatoes, pumpkins, herbs [especially mint] coming out of our ears, cucumbers, peppers, green onions, chickens, and bees! the bees are the newest addition to our little backyard farm, and it's been so exciting to learn how to bee keep. i cannot wait for the fresh, raw honey this fall. mmmmm...
there's wild huckeberries and blackberries around, those are fun to pick. i also usually go morell hunting up in the woods with my mom early in the summer. we missed it this year, but we had a nice big haul last time.  : ]
since we live in a fairly rural area, we also have close friends who own farms, and this is where almost all of our meat and milk comes from. having a relationship with the earth as you grow your own food and knowing exactly where your dinner came from [and that it was humanely cared for, and even loved, in its life] makes my own life a lot less stressful.

as many of you know, there is nothing more satisfying than eating the first fruits of your garden labors, be it radish, tomato, or anything else, no other food ever quite tasted so good. and it makes me so happy to see those beautiful plant pictures! hooray for self sustainability!

**these are the tastiest, most adorably petite strawberries in the world. you have to check them out if you don't know about them! not great for mass production, but they're one of the only kinds of strawberries that haven't been wrecked by pesticides and other human intervention.

 

 

[mevre]

also: a little off topic [maybe?] but i really want to start doing some herbal wildcrafting this summer and fall! not really sure how to get started though. anyone have any experience in this area or advice on a good first few steps to take?

[Tateman]

Check out my melons by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

My red watermelons are starting to get pretty big  it is amazing how much they are growing now.

[Tateman]

Got the first Red tomato today

 

First red tomato! by Will Tate, on Flickr

[Elastigirl]

 

Got the first Red tomato today

 

First red tomato! by Will Tate, on Flickr

 

Nice, 

[Tateman]

looks liek I got a second one today, and I think my first red watermelon is ready too

[Anduril]

Wow, you are all doing awesome ... my yard has had some setbacks, between two tornadoes, being out of state for two weeks, and then torrential rains. Finally got most of the weeds out of my yard and found that some of my stuff (lettuce, a fig tree that I thought was destroyed) is still okay under all that!

 

I did plant some onions and arugula this week, so that 's something.

 

Wanted to let you know about a contest I have going on my website that ends tomorrow -- I know it's short notice to enter but some of the photos (especially this last entry) are really inspiring.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

My wife's tomatoes are just starting to grow here in DE. We might have to axe the cucmber plant as it's attacking one of the tomato plants. Didn't realize cucumbers were climbers when we planted it.