I challenge you to grow some...

[bombshell]

yusssss this is awesome. i'm planning on building a trellis on the side of my deck to grow viney things (green beans and cukes), and i really want to figure out a cold frame so that i can have greens throughout the winter. i grew up on a hippie farm where we grew a lot of our own produce, even had a mini-orchard with peach and plum trees. i am a canning queen.

even though i can't grow all the things i want in my little rented yard, i am lucky enough to live in an area with a really thriving local-food scene. a half-chest freezer has been one of my best investments to store the bounty for use all year round. 

this is gonna be a fun thread to follow as things start to grow

[Vector]

Bombshell- I made the most simple, cheap cold frames, 4x4, out of scrap wood and just stapled plastic over them. We've had greens all winter out of 4 of them. Really almost anything will work. Two of them I made to be ventable, the other two I just prop up on sticks if it gets too warm. 

[Elastigirl]

Bombshell- I made the most simple, cheap cold frames, 4x4, out of scrap wood and just stapled plastic over them. We've had greens all winter out of 4 of them. Really almost anything will work. Two of them I made to be ventable, the other two I just prop up on sticks if it gets too warm. 

I think one of my goals next challenge is going to be to make some cold frames. I keep saying how one year I'm going to try it-I think it should be this year

[JB 2.0]

This seems like a great idea! marking my territory so I can easily come back and read the whole thing when I'm less tired.

[JB 2.0]

I've got a spiffy little greenhouse on my patio. I got it from Amazon.com, and it's basically a 3 tier shelf with a translucent greenish raincoat that zips up. I live in the desert, and because of where I am in my apartment complex, I only get like 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Any tips from my fellow rebels? All advice would be appreciated.

[Vector]

You shlould be able to grow all greens, cherry tomatoes, etc. larger tomatoes and large peppers may not ripen. But lettuces, mustard greens, basil, etc should all be good in 4 hours.

[empeg9000]

You shlould be able to grow all greens, cherry tomatoes, etc. larger tomatoes and large peppers may not ripen. But lettuces, mustard greens, basil, etc should all be good in 4 hours.

I agree with Vector. The green house may help you though at least with the tomatoes since they like a warm soil. 

[I-Jo]

For those of you short in space!

http://cdn.optmd.com/V2/62428/452396/index.html?g=AQATsAQ=&r=www.gardenguides.com/685-guide-container-gardening.html

Edit... forgot this one

http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/garden-canning-long-term-food-storage/777-advice-portable-vegetable-garden.html

[joedog]

I use the Square Foot gardening system too. My big triumph last year was vertical watermelons. I've got lettuce and tomatoes growing in the garage right now. I'm excited for this growing season.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

[I-Jo]

I have done space to grow. .. not sure if i want to do something like this or not. I think they are fugly and don't want them in my porch but ultimately i need it to be the easiest solution.

[Georges]

The lettuces and mustard greens that went to seed last fall...  have given us a little head start this year!

We went to go prep up our garden bed and found a bunch of just-sprouted (first leaves) stuff going already.

I'm sooooo looking forward to fresher-than-store-bought food again :D

[rketterman]

Long time no see!  Lots going on here.  Looks like I'll be moving and starting my new job June 1.  This means I may be a bit late for the "typical" growing season here.  I did get my hands on some plants I'm growing in containers indoors at the moment.  Grapefruit Mint, Chocolate Mint, and Stevia.  I was amazed by the stevia.  I've had my share of stevia powders and liquids but I was not prepared for fresh off the plant stevia. 

 

Typically the stuff in stores has a bitter after taste to me.  Not the fresh stuff!  Like a mouth full of sugar with each leaf. 

 

Since it looks like my wife and I will be moving into an apartment I'm looking at alternatives to a "normal" garden.  I'm considering a windowfarm.  It's an interesting concept I think:

 

http://www.windowfarms.com/build-your-own/

 

On another note:  while transplanting some house plants I have to larger containers I found that one of my containers had earthworms in them!  I've seen my share of worms, maggots, larvae, etc and these were definitely earthworms!  Has anyone ever seen this in a container that has been strictly an indoor container?

[Georges]

Earthworm!  That's some healthy soil you cultivated there!  I've never had that happen, but I'd be darn proud of my soil if it did!

[Vector]

Spring is being very good to us this year- not super hot yet, not too floody. Pulled the last of the overwintered mustards for the chickens yesterday. Overwintered lettuces are growing so fast we can't keep up. All the paste & cherry tomato seeds have sprouted as well the basils, lettuces, radishes, chards, spinach, chervil, purslane, etc etc etc. Next up goes the first try at a Tennessee summer salad garden...whole bunch of stuff I've never tried before, either growing or eating. Gangbusters so far!

 

Oh, and we have 10 chicks so far from three mommas, another one sitting. First time we've hatched someone elses eggs under one of our girls. She doesn't seem to notice the colors are a bit off...

[Rhyme]

This thread is really piquing my curiosity. I've always been too wigged out by mosquitoes and chiggers to bother with gardening, but I may have to look more into this. The prospect of fresh stevia just may be worth the risk!

 

My dad is really into aquaponics. Essentially, you take the water from a fish tank and pump it into a plant bed, and vise versa -- the fish waste is good for the plants, and the plants clean the water for the fish. He's experimented in the past with success, and he recently got a GIANT tank for fish. I'm not sure if he plans on setting it up this year, I'll have to ask.

[Autumn]

Late reply, I know, but I thought I'd chime in.

 

I definitely agree! Even just growing a couple of fresh herbs in your window can be a great start. We have a lot of community gardening programs where I am. I'm actually doing a summer internship as a community nutritionist, so I'm lucky enough to also participate in gardening on a large scale; being able to have a variety of fresh produce that I've grown will be awesome, and I get to share it with my local community and help educate people on eating fresh.

[rketterman]

Earthworm!  That's some healthy soil you cultivated there!  I've never had that happen, but I'd be darn proud of my soil if it did!

 

It kind of freaked me out in all honesty.  I know earthworms are a good thing but when they are in a container that's never been outside...its just weird! lol

 

Oh, and we have 10 chicks so far from three mommas, another one sitting. First time we've hatched someone elses eggs under one of our girls. She doesn't seem to notice the colors are a bit off...

 

I'm so jealous! My goal is to eventually get a place where my wife and I can have a garden, a coop, and maybe some goats for milk...those are some nice looking chicks.

[Vector]

It should be hilarious in about a month...the chicks are Australorps, mom is a mongrel game/bantam. They should end up 3x her size in a few months!

[Teros]

I will be atttempting green beans this year.  anything I should know about them? I've literally NEVER grown anything ever.

[empeg9000]

I will be atttempting green beans this year.  anything I should know about them? I've literally NEVER grown anything ever.

Nope. They are jut like growing anything else

[Georges]

I've literally NEVER grown anything ever.

Plants want to grow.  Your job is to let them.

Put them where they'll get sun, make sure the dirt doesn't get too dry (especially if they're in containers instead of directly in the ground).  They'll do the rest.

I think it's why I like plants so much more than children.

[Fonzico]

So, I've never really gardened before... aside from some potatoes in a barrel, and some failed attempts with herbs. But this year, we're living in a place with a yard! So I'm trying

 

I spent the last week weeding (the last people to live here didn't do much with it, so it was a job and a half) and tilling the soil, and my papa kindly brought over a load of composted dirt, which is now spread over the top of everything, making it look much nicer! Although I know all those weed roots I couldn't get to are just going to come right back up...

 

Anyways, I've planted beans, peas, turnips and onions and some wild flowers in the beds, and am planning to add sweet peas and tomatoes. I also have lettuce, and basil, rosemary and spearmint in containers on the deck, and the yard already has a thriving chive plant (mmm!) and two apple trees.

 

Now to wait and see what happens!

[empeg9000]

So, I've never really gardened before... aside from some potatoes in a barrel, and some failed attempts with herbs. But this year, we're living in a place with a yard! So I'm trying

 

I spent the last week weeding (the last people to live here didn't do much with it, so it was a job and a half) and tilling the soil, and my papa kindly brought over a load of composted dirt, which is now spread over the top of everything, making it look much nicer! Although I know all those weed roots I couldn't get to are just going to come right back up...

 

Anyways, I've planted beans, peas, turnips and onions and some wild flowers in the beds, and am planning to add sweet peas and tomatoes. I also have lettuce, and basil, rosemary and spearmint in containers on the deck, and the yard already has a thriving chive plant (mmm!) and two apple trees.

 

Now to wait and see what happens!

Good for you! Good luck with your garden.

[Elastigirl]

Yesterday I spotted my first veggie sprouts-yay for radishes and quick rewards!

[BeastMistres]

I haven't been on here in a while. I'm up to about 40lbs of produce from my yard for the year! That's just what I've weighed, I know that the blueberries and herbs never make it to the scale. Last year I got 50lbs, so we're gonna beat that this year. I love growing my own food. It's fresh, it tastes better than anything you can buy, you can grow so many varieties that you won't ever find in a store.

 

You can grow pineapples from the discarded top of an older one. I have 6 now, 1 or 2 are about 4-5 years old, so I should be getting my first pineapples this year or next!