Gardening Thread

[ultramarineblue]

For JtohisPB and all you other gardeners out there:

What are you planting this year?

 

[unregistered]

 

[Sir_Winston54]

: blink : It's way too early to start *serious* thinking about gardening up here yet, but we've been talking a little about what we want to plant.

I was thinking maybe three 2-foot wide, 15-or-so-foot long rows (with 2-foot paths between them) in the back corner of the yard. I think *she's* thinking maybe FIFTEEN 2x15 rows...

 

[graceanne]

We're going to do tomatoes, beets, pumpkins, carrots, and (possibly) elephant garlic.

 

[WriterDom]

I'm going to try to get some lettuce and turnip greens planted this weekend depending on what the 10 day outlook says. Tomatoes inside. Then after Easter I'll be planting a lot of stuff.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

I'm going to plant my usual tomatoes and peppers. If I get really ambitious, I may plant a Garden of Earthly Delights.

 

[DVS]

 

[Canadian_cutie]

I've got some seedling already growing! This year were going to have: tomotoes, cucumbers, eggplant, Yellow banana peppers, long green chilies, parsley, garlic, romaine lettuce and whatever else I can squeeze in. I love gardening!

 

[Canadian_cutie]

Anyone know what the kind of fruit tree would grow best in Southern Ontario? Would a lemon tree yield good fruits?

 

[callinectes2]

I am in the coastal deep south and pretty much need to start over from scratch. The crazy cold weather killed pretty much everything except my azaleas, camellias, and some naturalized lilies. The angel's trumpet may come back from the root (I hope) but everything else is toast. I need to start figuring out what I want to plant.

 

[callinectes2]

Anyone know what the kind of fruit tree would grow best in Southern Ontario? Would a lemon tree yield good fruits?

I'd think the winter would be way too harsh for any kind of citrus.

 

[chy_girl]

For years we did a garden in the flower beds around my apartments, but so little people help with things that it turned into a full time job all on its own. We're grassing a bunch of stuff this year, but there's some debate over putting in raised beds.

If they're done right and we used companion gardening we'd be able to grow a fairly good deal of produce. It's simply a matter of deciding if I'm ambitious enough to build the beds and do all the gardening.

 

[Yasashii_Kaze]

: blink : It's way too early to start *serious* thinking about gardening up here yet, but we've been talking a little about what we want to plant.

I was thinking maybe three 2-foot wide, 15-or-so-foot long rows (with 2-foot paths between them) in the back corner of the yard. I think *she's* thinking maybe FIFTEEN 2x15 rows...

Sounds like my kind of woman!

 

[BiBunny]

I wish I didn't have a black thumb, or else I'd grow at least tomatoes and squash. Home-grown tomatoes are always best (and we all love tomatoes). Squash is mine and the Master's and the Kitty's favorite veggie.

 

[MasterPhoenix]

I haven't thought of it yet, but I may do Tomatoes and peppers again...

 

[Yasashii_Kaze]

Here's a question for all you gardening gurus. We live in Zone 4 and I'm looking to start some plants indoors, what with March being here and spring fever rapidly spreading. What plants have you found do best started indoors, taking a shorter growing season into account? When is the best time to start them? How do you keep cats out of your growing project, especially when one of them has a penchant for eating potting soil?

Okay, yeah, that's more than one question.

 

[bitchee62]

To keep the cats out of my seed flats. I set up a shelving unit in the laundry room put double stick carpet repair tape around the top, bottom and sides then stick the plastic film for insulating windows to the tape. So far they haven't figured out how to get to all of the tempting un-pooped in potting soil.
If you don't have that much room or start that many plants you could try covering the plants with a net or try spraying the top of the pots with bitter apple spray. You would have to renew that after watering though.
You will need a good light source about 12" - 16" from the seedlings with full spectrum light. I use the 4 light 4' shop lights as they are the least expensive and I can hang them from the shelf above my seed flats. I also put a fan in the room to help strengthen the stems.
We are in zone 5 so I can't help with plants for zone 4. I have friends who live in Alaska who grow most of their veggies including some that are warm season stuff.

Reg

 

[AngelicAssassin]

Here's a question for all you gardening gurus. We live in Zone 4 and I'm looking to start some plants indoors, what with March being here and spring fever rapidly spreading. What plants have you found do best started indoors, taking a shorter growing season into account? When is the best time to start them?

i'll skip the cats, but enjoy. It's aptly named "http://zone4garden.com/"

 

[WriterDom]

I have muscadines and blackberries to plant today. The cold weather has me feeling behind on everything else. The heavy planting is still over a month away. I'd like to get a few rows tilled today for lettuce and greens.

I didn't have a big problem with cats in my tomatoes. I had to yell at the girl a few times but she is just a curious cat and wasn't out to harm them. Some other little creature at the tops off several of them last year when I sat the bin outside to get some sun. I almost feel like I've waited too late this year for inside growing but I'll give it a shot.

 

[insert____here]

i have spanish onion and garlic chives that are doing quite nicely. just pruned back my roses...

 

[Aquila1]

Here's a question for all you gardening gurus. We live in Zone 4 and I'm looking to start some plants indoors, what with March being here and spring fever rapidly spreading. What plants have you found do best started indoors, taking a shorter growing season into account? When is the best time to start them? How do you keep cats out of your growing project, especially when one of them has a penchant for eating potting soil?

Okay, yeah, that's more than one question.

I do a few things to keep cats away which seem to work - we have a lot of cats around here (tame and feral), and it infuriates me to find one of my nice seed-beds all dug up (not to mention putting your hand into something disgusting when digging).

1. Own a dog (ok - this might not be your best option ) Dogs are allowed (and encouraged) to chase cats off the garden around here.

2. Get a packet of fine bamboo cooking skewers and a roll of thread. Stick the skewers in the potting soil at random and then twine the thread around like a crazy web - cats HATE this because they can't see the thread and it freaks them when they tangle in it. It doesn't harm them and they usually only try once.

3. Cotton balls soaked in some peppermint or spearmint oil - place a few around the potting soil (or bury them just under the surface for cats that dig). They hate the smell and will keep away. Apparently citrus oils work well too.

4. Pepper (plain or cayenne). Sprinkle it on the soil - they generally won't come back for seconds after that.

Can you tell I HATE having cats get in my garden? I like them fine as pets, but it is warfare in the garden.

 

[insert____here]

hello fellow gardeners...i heard a rumour that burying fish near your rose bushes is very very good for them...if this is true, then can i use fish oil pills instead??

and yes, feel free to point and laugh at the newbie rose grower. my last house had awesome established roses and all i had to do was hack them back regularly. these ones in this house are fairly new and with all the recent bad weather we've been having, i'd hate to see them die.

 

[Yasashii_Kaze]

Cotton balls soaked in some peppermint or spearmint oil - place a few around the potting soil (or bury them just under the surface for cats that dig). They hate the smell and will keep away. Apparently citrus oils work well too.)

Terrific success with the citrus oil idea! I didn't have any, but I did have oranges, so I ate one and zested the peelings. I just mixed it in with a thin layer of top soil, and the cat fought to get away from it when I picked her up for a whiff. She hasn't touched it since!

 

[Yasashii_Kaze]

i'll skip the cats, but enjoy. It's aptly named "http://zone4garden.com/"

What a terrific resource! Thanks!

 

[WriterDom]

I've got 48 tomato plants I'm letting have some sun outside before I stick them in the ground. A new nursery opened this year. Was glad to find some inexpensive plants since the independent hardware store went belly up last summer.

Another hardware store is advertising bulk seed. Trying to stay away from Walmart this year. Way too expensive but they do have some nice variety later in the spring plants.