MetaChat - Garden check

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21 May 2007

Garden check It's that time of year again. So, bunnies, what are you growing this year?→[More:]So far I've put in:

sweet peas (which warrant special mention by virtue of being a really wonderfully smelly heritage mix. Mmmmmm)
strawberries
snow peas
spinach
lettuce
mesclun mix
borage
artichokes (okay, just one today, but more to go in when I get to it)
peppers (banana, thai dragon, red bell, yellow bell)
basil (genovese and purple so far, with thai to go in soon)
misc other flowers

To come:
beans
squash
a heritage pumpkin-rouge vif d'etamps, aka cinderella (it's flatter than normal, and a lovely deep reddish orange)
tomatoes (think I might try some upside-down, after reading an article about it)
carrots
radishes
cauliflower & broccoli (thanks to bunny suggestions from last year)
shallots
potatoes (I'm going to compare the stacked tire method with the in-ground method, just in the name of SCIENCE!)
sunflowers
a few herbs (savory, marjoram, something else I can't remember offhand)
cukes

Yeah, I'm really behind on some of these. For some reason, I'm having trouble getting the soil amendment stuff (kelp, poo) organized so that I can get the veg garden ready to go.

How are your gardens coming along?

post by: elizard at: 21:17 | 24 comments

In or regrown from last year:
Borage
Bee Balm
Sweet Peas
Arugula
Red Oak Lettuce
Baby Bibb Lettuce
Thyme
Basil
Sage
Parsley

To go in:
Tomatoes (Big Boy, something else)
Eggplant

posted by plinth 21 May | 21:37

I don't have a vegetable garden, but I grew sweet potato vine as ground cover in my front yard. Does that count?

posted by Doohickie 21 May | 21:39

New this year: Spinach, swiss chard, sorrel, leeks, arugula, fennel, Grandpa Admire's lettuce, Amish Deer Tongue lettuce, Tennis Ball Lettuce, and orach. Perennials from last time: native wild strawberry, Russian chives, thyme. Waiting for it to get warmer: Moon and Stars melon, various heirloom tomatoes, genovese basil, lemon balm, squashes.

posted by Miko 21 May | 21:48

I was all set to grow lettuce, because I just love walking out to the garden, breaking a few leaves off, and putting them on a freshly made sandwich.

But we have a guest living in our yard this summer! A bunny (Eeeeeeeee!!!)! I am not sure if I want to just grow the lettuce and give bunny something to eat or not bother at all, but either way, looks like no homegrown lettuce for Citrus this summer.

But still, bunny! In our yard! He's fluffy and cute!

posted by CitrusFreak12 21 May | 22:39

The peas are coming to an end soon. Coming along nicely however are eight tomatoes; two grape, two Roma, two cluster, and two beefsteak. Three English style low acid cucumbers. Two bell peppers. Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley, Oregano, Basil, Dill, and Cilantro.

Added two new roses, planted sweet peas to climb up the bigger roses, and about 60 Impatiens, 16 Marigolds, and around 30 other annuals. Added about three dozen new bulbs to the beds. I plan to add a couple more Hostas.

posted by arse_hat 21 May | 22:40

I don't have a vegetable garden, but I grew sweet potato vine as ground cover in my front yard. Does that count?

Of course it counts, Doohickie! It's a plant, right? It's in your garden? Yep, it counts.

I also have a couple of old roses (a white damask and a pink tricorn moss) that actually seem to have survived the trip from Vancouver, in pots, down the highway. I could just hug them for that, but then I'd be all full of holes. My sage, rosemary, chives, mint, oregano, and dwarf Aztec mock orange also survived that harrowing trip, as did last year's carnations, which are thriving since I plunked them into the flower beds. Sweet peas to climb up the roses sounds wonderful, arse_hat.

In fact, they all sound wonderful so far. Sounds like a photo friday later in the season might be in order.

posted by elizard 21 May | 22:46

Oh, I so want to have a garden. The landlords would never let our apartment backyard be turned into a garden, so I've considered growing stuff in pots or plastic tubs, but have no idea how to get started. I want to grow all the staples I eat regularly -- tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, onions, swiss chard, etc.

In the meantime, I'm considering growing a number of psychoactive plants -- morning glories, salvia div, etc. No one but me and my partner will know that they potentially do more than look pretty.

posted by treepour 21 May | 23:40

treepour, container gardening can be great. I grew tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and herbs on a 4 by 12 balcony. Just get some big pots and some potting mix and some liquid fertilizer. It may be a bit late depending on where you live but hell, just jump in.

posted by arse_hat 21 May | 23:55

Our roses are blooming, and the apple trees that we ruthlessly pruned don't look like they are in chemo any more. Our grapes are also greening up nicely. My sprinklers and drip hoses completely died over the winter and even two days of replacing blown drain valves has not resuscitated them and I'm ready to call in a pro.

posted by craniac 22 May | 00:11

We have huge numbers of grapes. If it is too wet this summer it should be a banner year.

posted by arse_hat 22 May | 00:17

not too wet

posted by arse_hat 22 May | 00:23

My garden is much smaller in my new town, but this year I'm going to attempt tomatoes. In Alaska. Without a greenhouse. I think that project may be doomed before it even begins. I've also got herb seeds, just the basics - basil, oregano, chives, parsley. And a bunch of flowers.

We're not supposed to plant anything until this weekend, though I might fudge that a bit. I went to a greenhouse last weekend and and itching to get my fingers in the soil.

posted by rhapsodie 22 May | 00:38

Three roma tomato plants, one hot pepper plant, carrots, basil, cilantro. All doing fine. Not sure when to thin the carrots.

A weekend of Extreme Yard Work including Way Unsafe Tree Trimming has just yeilded double the light in the garden area, so I would like to put in some more tomato plants or something, but I won't be able to till after June 1. I don't know if I'll still be able to buy a ready to go plant somewhere then.

posted by rainbaby 22 May | 06:06

Treepour! Treepour! Treepour!

posted by Miko 22 May | 07:24

Wow, some of you have big gardens! Color me jealous.

Yukon gold potatoes
Red and yellow onions
Elephant garlic (which I am not too enthused about, but I figured what the hell)
Six different tomato plants
Three jalepeno plants
Black seeded simpson lettuce
Derby green beans
Two cumcumber plants
Two zucchini plants
Three basil plants
Green bell pepper plant
Red bell pepper plant

And lots and lots of flowers

posted by tr33hggr 22 May | 08:07

I have something odd growing in the back of my fridge. I was going to name it if/when it gets bigger.

posted by Zack_Replica 22 May | 08:57

rhapsodie, a link for you:
The UpBeet Gardener (in Kodiak, Alaska)

posted by tr33hggr 22 May | 09:03

Hey, thanks for the references to Container Gardening, arse_hat and Miko! I can't wait to get started. I'd been looking for sites that offer some tips, but I kept googling "pot gardening" which produced a distinctly different set of results. :)

posted by treepour 22 May | 12:20

tr33hugger, how can you not be enthused about elephant garlic?!?

In my container garden (which I was calling my "pot garden" until I realized I could call it something else and stop confusing my friends and family):

two kinds of hot Thai peppers
cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
lettuce-leaf basil
globe basil (you canNOT imagine how good this smells)
oregano
spicy oregano
thyme oregano
lemon thyme
lemon balm
peppermint
cilantro, er, corriander (there, TheDonF, are you happy?)
marigolds
cucumbers (lots!)
french lavender
two kinds of poppies
cosmos
lobelia
pink lupins
pink snapdragons
pink jasmine (whoa, I guess I went kind of crazy on the pink things!)
three kinds of strawberries
fresias
naked lady lillies (thanks, mudpuppie!)
calla lillies (ditto!)

elizard, I was just talking to cmonkey about how much I want to come see you, but money is a limiting factor!

posted by Specklet 22 May | 12:37

Speck, I've never had it before, and it is usually derided by garlic enthusiasts. But I'll make a big batch of pesto or roast it or something!

posted by tr33hggr 22 May | 12:49

Roast it, roast it!

posted by Specklet 22 May | 12:58

Mmmmm, making me hungry. Ok, roast it I shall!

posted by tr33hggr 22 May | 13:03

cilantro, er, corriander (there, TheDonF, are you happy?)

Yes! Garlic butter for all!

posted by TheDonF 22 May | 13:07

Perrenials:

Butterfly bush, lilacs (two kinds - old fashioned, and dwarf Korean), honeysuckle, day lillies, bee balm, carnations, salvia, hibiscus, gladiolus, azeleas, violas, roses, daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, and a couple of plants whose names I forgot.

Annuals:

Pansies, petunias, gerber daisies, Oriental Poppies, marigolds.

Fruits/Vegetables:

Strawberries, tomatoes, eggplant, and watermelon.

posted by redvixen 22 May | 18:11

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