# Why not raising Veges and Fruits?



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Since we have a thread "Raising Checkens and Poultry", I wonder why we don't have any thread for "Raising Vegetables and fruits."

We know that more and more people are turning to veges and fruits as a healthy food.

I am not too good in growing anything. But I do have 6 fruit trees in the backyard. They seem to be doing good because, where I live, California soil is very good. I plan to grow them organically with no spray etc.

Anyone else growing this stuff, as a hobby, health concern, financial concern or any other reason...


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## kindlequeen (Sep 3, 2010)

My DH and I have attempted growing a garden for the past two years now.  Financially, it's been the worst investment ever!  For the amount of money I put into growing strawberries last year, I could have bought 2 or 3 cases of them at the farmers market (our 6 or 7 plants only yielded about 5 good berries).  The plants are more mature this year but the initial investment in pots, soil, compost, organic spray to keep bugs out, lady bugs and so on made me wonder if we weren't a bit insane.

I'd love some tips for keeping the birds and squirrels away though, that seems to be a major issue in our garden.


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## Shayne Parkinson (Mar 19, 2010)

We have a vegetable garden and a small orchard. Over the years we've learned that some things just aren't worth struggling with, as they don't suit our local climate, but what grows well grows *very* well. In the vege garden, corn, tomatoes, salad greens, artichokes, asparagus, beans and fennel are all prolific. For fruit we have blueberries, strawberries, apples, pears, apricots, figs, persimmons, nectarines, plums, quince, feijoas, loquats, guavas, grapes, passionfruit ... I think that's it. 

We net the berries against birds, otherwise we'd get nothing at all. For the other fruit, the birds take a tithe, but generally still leave us with more than we can eat.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Great idea !

I am blessed (cursed?) with a green thumb and have turned a fair amount of virgin desert into an Oasis of trees, shrubs and flowers.  I do put herbs, onions, garlic,  radishes and tomatoes into the border gardens......

However, "Real" veggies need a great deal of care and end up pretty expensive......I think the last time I did bell peppers they calculated out to about $20/lb ! Ha!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I wish I had a garden, I would go insane. When I grew up we had everything growing, from Rhubarb to Potatos to strawberries to Cauliflower. We did it to save money as we didn't have any. 

Unfortunately I have to live in apartments so I am a little limited what I can grow. Best growing medium I found are Earthboxes. I have had mine for 10 years now. I can't grow anything like squash as they get so big they take over my balconies, so I stick with Peppers of all variety, herbs and such. I don't really pay for anything other than the seedlings. If I had more space, or again a garden and a greenhouse, I would grow from seed which is cheaper. The soil in my Earthboxes is good for 4 grow seasons at least. All I have to do is replace the fertilizer strip each year. And put water in the tank  .

We already have some of the peppers now. 

My dream is to one day live in a house and I can grow more stuff.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I love growing food crops. I had a wonderful vegetable and fruit garden in my back yard when I lived in Tucson. Since we moved out in the country, I have been fighting with gophers. It has taken me years to find ways to grow food without losing most of it to gophers. I am currently growing asparagus and have two apple trees that bloomed well this spring. I am preparing for my traditional Fourth of July weekend garden planting in time for the monsoon rains.

My two favorite gardening books have been: 

_How to Grow More Vegetables (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine_ by John Jeavons. I have the Fifth edition in paper and saw that the Eighth edition will be available for the Kindle in February 2012.  This book, in its various editions, is often available in libraries. DH and I are working toward producing much of our food by the time we both retire.
_Square Foot Gardening_ by Mel Bartholomew. I have the 1982 edition. I still follow some of the tips from that edition that have been removed from the later edition. My favorite is the poking a hole twice as deep as needed, filling it half way with vermiculite, adding the seed, and then filling the rest of the way with vermiculite. This seems to help a lot for me, especially as I do not use his new soil mix. I use my own soil mixed with lots of homemade compost. My other favorite tip is planting indeterminate tomato plants deep or sideways so that only the top few leaves are above ground. This works great where it is hot. However, I do not hand water (I use a drip system) or use artificial fertilizer or any pesticides.

I agree with Shayne about first focusing on plants that do well in your area, especially ones you like. I also recommend getting in touch with local gardeners to learn their tips, especially about what to plant when in your area.

EDIT: After reading some of the review statements for "How to Grow More ...", I downloaded a sample of _The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (10th Anniversary Edition): Discover Ed's High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions_ by Edward C. Smith where the W-O-R-D System stands for Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds, and Deep soil. It may become my favorite gardening book. 

Since I garden in a desert, I use a combination of raised beds and sunken beds. I am for each person following whatever works for them:

deep till or no till gardening
window box gardening, container gardening, rooftop gardening, back yard gardening, edible landscape gardening, community gardening, or guerella gardening
raised bed, sunken bed, flat bed gardening
local grocery, farmer's market, you-pick farms


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## susie (Mar 4, 2011)

Two words... Strawbale gardening.
One link... http://www.google.fr/search?rlz=1C1AVSX_enFR406FR406&q=strawbale+gardening&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=fr&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=677


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

I'd love to have a fruit and veggie garden.

The squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs and birds who visit my yard would love it too.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

We put in a garden every year. Last year, the deer decided it was their personal salad bar, so this year, I'm putting up a deer fence.

I like tomatoes. You really haven't tasted tomatoes until you've had them fresh from a garden. The store bought ones are pale imitations. Chocolate Cherry tomatoes are the best. Nice and sweet.

Here's a picture of our garden from a few years ago:

 (click for larger version)


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

susie said:


> Two words... Strawbale gardening.
> One link... http://www.google.fr/search?rlz=1C1AVSX_enFR406FR406&q=strawbale+gardening&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=fr&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=677


THANK YOU !!!


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

what surprised is that growing your own fruits and veges is more expensive?  I thought it should be the other way around.

I don't remember but TV show was showing a family who can grow their own stuff, better, healthier and cheaper.  I don't recall the show but was a local channel. I am not much of a TV fan but sure there will be gardening shows.


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## Christopher Bunn (Oct 26, 2010)

I live and work on a farm. We grow about fifty million different things. Well, not really. We grow lettuce (iceberg, romaine, red leaf, green leaf and butter), chard, corn, lots of different kinds of tomatoes, beets, carrots, snap peas, green beans, snow peas, artichokes, broccoli, celery, strawberries, radishes, kale, mint, dill, basil, oregano, rhubarb, summer squash, zucchini, pumpkins, apples, pears, cabbage. Hmm. I think I'm forgetting a couple things. We sometimes grow watermelon and cantaloupe down next to the river (a degree or two warmer there, which makes all the difference), but we didn't plant any this year. 

The birds are a pain, but we don't have any gophers. If you're using big implements like discs, they get smart and move away. We have fences for the deer.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I just started my garden this week. It's not large; only a couple of buckets. I'm growing two types of tomatoes, summer squash and zucchini. That's about what I use in my cooking, so I might as well try to cut down on the grocery bill that way.

I'd like to have a larger garden, though. Would be a great way to think ideas for books through.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

The initial investment can be pretty pricey. We built a raised bed system this year and that was pretty pricey. Toss in 30 pots and all the soil to fill it all (80 bags) and, well , it aint cheap. We are going to be buying a composter this weekend so we will be cutting down on fertilizer and soil costs the rest of the summer and next year.

That said, we are hoping to have some great home grown cucumbers, carrots, shallots, sweet peppers, beans, tomatoes, and lots of hot peppers.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

ProfCrash said:


> The initial investment can be pretty pricey. We built a raised bed system this year and that was pretty pricey. Toss in 30 pots and all the soil to fill it all (80 bags) and, well , it aint cheap. ...., and lots of hot peppers.


Nice looking garden. The deck pictures remind me my house on East coast before we moved to west coast.

The hot peppers are more common than I thought. Not bad.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I just added beans, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes to my little plastic bucket oasis.


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## valleycat1 (Mar 15, 2011)

We grew a huge variety of veggies & sold them at the farmer's market for about 5 years.  Attempts to do so on a small scale now that we aren't vendors have not been too successful, though we have the perfect spot for a couple of tomato plants (which is one vegetable we really dislike the commercial variety of).

In our yard we also have about 14 varieties of citrus and 10 different fruit trees, plus 2 pecan trees, which have been a huge success. (We live in Central California where just about any kind of fruit/nut tree will grow).  The only problem we've had is avocado trees - no matter what we do, the gophers demolish the roots - so we depend on friends & neighbors for freebies there!


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## Sienna_98 (Jan 26, 2009)

The cost of growing your own depends a lot on your soil and climate. I grew up in Ohio. We had good soil and plenty of both rain and sunshine, so it was much cheaper to grow your own. Now I live in Central Texas. We have very poor soil, so you pretty much have to build up the soil wherever you want to garden, which is expensive in both labor and materials. On top of that, while we have plenty of sun, the rain - <sigh> not so much. Watering a vegetable garden (while much better with the square foot gardening method), is an added expense. On the other hand, there is simply nothing so good as a home-grown tomato. Just for my own use I have 8 tomato plants (different varieties with different harvest periods).


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm still at the preparing to plant stage. This far north it's risky to plant before June. The weeds are doing fine though. Tomatoes did great last year, green peppers were an embarrassment. Broccoli turns out not to be worth it for square foot gardening. 

My main goal though is being beneficial to wildlife -- butterfly garden and a lot of good stuff for the birds and the bees.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

I walked outside wondering why the backyard smelled like fish this weekend and found out that we are apparently fertilizing our plants with seaweed and fish based fertilizers. They are two different fertilizers that are applied the same day.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Atunah said:


> I wish I had a garden, I would go insane. When I grew up we had everything growing, from Rhubarb to Potatos to strawberries to Cauliflower. We did it to save money as we didn't have any.
> 
> Unfortunately I have to live in apartments so I am a little limited what I can grow. Best growing medium I found are Earthboxes. I have had mine for 10 years now. I can't grow anything like squash as they get so big they take over my balconies, so I stick with Peppers of all variety, herbs and such. I don't really pay for anything other than the seedlings. If I had more space, or again a garden and a greenhouse, I would grow from seed which is cheaper. The soil in my Earthboxes is good for 4 grow seasons at least. All I have to do is replace the fertilizer strip each year. And put water in the tank .
> 
> ...


I've been sticking my toe in, we have one Earthbox...I'm trying asparagus, though I'm beginning to think that wasn't the best choice for an earthbox. We have 2 of those upside down planters, one with tomatoes and one with cucumbers. We also have strawberries in a container.

I am pretty sure it would be cheaper to buy at the store, but this may actually make me eat more instead of just not buying them at the store.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

I grew up w/ my parents having a garden (sometimes 2 or 3).  I am 3 of 5 (I have 4 brothers) so it was way cheaper (and tastier) to grow fresh veggies and to can the excess for the wintertime.  This helped when my bros got older and more popular and my mom would end up feeding a lot more boys.  They still garden, even though all of the kids have grown up and moved out.  My dad does it for relaxation.  When he's had a really bad day, he'll go out to his garden (which is a good portion of his backyard) and "watch the garden grow".

Dad's garden has bad soil, but he has done compost, found cheap ways of getting fertilizer (one year he cleaned out a friends barn, w/ the understanding that he got all the manure) and he's bought soil occasionally.  It's not as good as the dirt I've got in my yard, but it's a lot better than it was when they moved in over 30 yrs ago.  

My mom also agrees about the tomatoes.  She can tell a difference between a store bought and a homegrown.  She also goes out to the garden w/ a saltshaker too.


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## Shana Norris (May 31, 2011)

My husband and I grow some vegetables each year. We have VERY sandy soil, so we built a raised bed and filled it in with garden soil. Otherwise, nothing will grow in our yard (even the weeds are barely hanging on). We're hit or miss with tomatoes. Some years we get tons, other years the plants all wilt and die. They seem to be doing okay this year *crossing fingers* so hopefully I'll have some tomatoes soon. We are apparently born cucumber farmers though. We end up with tons and tons of cucumbers with no work on our part, other than planting the seeds. Last year we gave away a bunch of them, and still ended up having to eat cucumbers with every meal for the entire summer just to use them all up. This year we're hoping to pickle and can some of them.

We also grow lettuce, collards, corn, and carrots. But the bugs killed off our lettuce and collard plants just as they started coming up this year, so we need to replant those and try again. We have a few blueberry bushes in our yard, but they're all still pretty small and don't have many berries. Between the birds stealing them and the three year old that lives next door coming over to eat them right off the bushes, the husband and I don't get to enjoy very many of the blueberries!

I agree about fresh from the garden tomatoes. Store bought ones don't taste anywhere near as good.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Does anyone here know a truly earth-friendly bug repellent for veggies?


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## Anita (Jan 3, 2009)

MichelleR said:


> Does anyone here know a truly earth-friendly bug repellent for veggies?


I am by no means a gardening expert....all I have done is research on the topic  but if you google on "Companion Planting" you may find some interesting information. Companion planting can draw beneficial insects that will take care of the 'pests' for you.

Here is a link to a description of companion planting: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/ecogardening/complant.html

An example of companion planting would be planting nasturtiums in your garden to draw aphids away from your vegetables. Aphids love nasturtiums, as do insects that eat aphids - which acts to further control the aphid problem for you.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Anita said:


> I am by no means a gardening expert....all I have done is research on the topic  but if you google on "Companion Planting" you may find some interesting information. Companion planting can draw beneficial insects that will take care of the 'pests' for you.
> 
> Here is a link to a description of companion planting: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/ecogardening/complant.html
> 
> An example of companion planting would be planting nasturtiums in your garden to draw aphids away from your vegetables. Aphids love nasturtiums, as do insects that eat aphids - which acts to further control the aphid problem for you.


This is great info and should put me on exactly the right track. Thanks!


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## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

Michelle, you can try a mix of castile or dish soap and water and spray. I've heard it works well. I used a non toxic veg spray I picked up at home depot. They had one for roses as well when I lived at my previous house where I had a wall of roses. This house we have a fence to move and some regrading prior to rose planting.

The year before last it was war with woodchucks. I was and still am a huge fan of container gardens, and lost just about all but my sage, which has doubled each year it stayed in the whiskey barrel (got it at the local agway). Last year I let it go, due to other stuff happening, but this year, I'm back at it. I wanted to do raised beds but we need to move a fence so I can get to the rest of my lot. Instead, I flipped a whiskey barrel over, put another on top, hung another planter off a shepard's crook and Bob's yer uncle. Planted parsley, german thyme, greek oregano, cherry tomatos, basil (lotsa basil). I'm going for another bucket and a few more shep crooks, as I want to plant a bunch of Jalepenos. We cook w/them a ton. I use a mix of humus/manure, and potting soil w/more towards the pot soil, and that always works well. I'm blessed w/ a green thumb. I also usually mix flowers near by to attract bees and buterflies. in the back it's sage. In front, salvia (a type of sage), bee balm, lavender, purple iris and yarrow. I love mixing in petunias and pansies, and most reseed and grow back each year. I grow what I'll use or what I like to smell, and what grows well in my area. This year I expect a ton of storms, so I'm going small scale.

I have pix up at my blog. Just went in the day I took it, so should fill out soon.


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## kCopeseeley (Mar 15, 2011)

I just want to comment on the cost aspects of an at home garden, for those who commented on how expensive it is:

The first year IS an investment.  I spend $60 on heirloom seeds (I will explain in a second), $45 dollars to rent a tiller (because I started literally from the ground up, on unworked soil), and $60 on a timed mist sprayer sprinkler system (bought the parts from Lowes).

But, because I bought heirloom seeds, which you can harvest your own seeds from, I spent a total of $7.99 this year.  I kid you not.  So this year, I'm getting a garden full of veggies for about one tenth of a grocery visit.

I am a square foot gardener, and I practice organic gardening.


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## kCopeseeley (Mar 15, 2011)

MichelleR said:


> Does anyone here know a truly earth-friendly bug repellent for veggies?


My garden was decimated by earwigs last year and I tried literally every mix it up yourself spray I could find, but to my disappointment, nothing kept them away. Until I discovered diatomaceous earth. You can't buy it at any hardware store, unless you want stuff mixed with bug killer, but you can buy it in bulk online. Diatomaceous earth is a bunch of dead sea creature skeletons and does no harm to your garden or your plants. It will not make your food poisonous. It is very fine, however, so I bought a flour sifter, and I use that to apply it. If you live in a really windy area, I would advise a face mask, because the fine powder isn't great to breath in.

This year, I haven't had to replant, and thanks to the sun finally showing up, my plants are in great shape.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I'm an avid veggie gardener.  But initially it is expensive -- the dirt to get started will set you back 100 dollars alone.  The good news is you don't have to replace it every year.  The bad news is that you have to water out the ying-yang and that can be very expensive in some places.

Anyone in Texas having problems or questions about what to grow--let me know.  It's the end of our growing season here (most things are dying from the heat).  I grow tomatoes, onions (very well as an overwintering crop)  cucumbers.  In the winter, I start onions, grow snap peas, lettuce and sometimes tomatoes that have to come indoors during the cold.

I work at it.  Very, VERY hard--many hours.  Gardening is not for sissies.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

kCopeseeley said:


> It will not make your food poisonous.


Always a good quality.


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## Retired (May 6, 2011)

I do try, I really do. And then the bears and deer and rabbits and snails and slugs and ants and robins come. And an unknown beastie who claws the bark off my fruit trees. And never mind the molds and the blights... I spend more time fighting wildlife than seems right.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

In my garden, I have a section fenced off for the spreading vine type plants, such as cucumbers, zucchini, gourds, watermelon, cantaloup, etc.

On another message board, we were discussing this, and every time I referred to these types of plants, I had to list the examples, like I did above.  Then someone informed me that these types of plants have a name - Cucurbits.

So now I have a cucurbits section in my garden.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

Speaking of cucurbits, I don't understand why people buy these types of plants.  They grow from seed so quickly, you're going to have those plants you're buying in two or three weeks anyway.  Save the money and buy the seeds.

Other plants, like tomatoes and peppers, it makes sense to buy the plant instead of the seed, at least here in the north.  Because you have to start them so early and you'd need to start them indoors or a greenhouse.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

kCopeseeley said:


> My garden was decimated by earwigs last year and I tried literally every mix it up yourself spray I could find, but to my disappointment, nothing kept them away. Until I discovered diatomaceous earth. You can't buy it at any hardware store, unless you want stuff mixed with bug killer, but you can buy it in bulk online. Diatomaceous earth is a bunch of dead sea creature skeletons and does no harm to your garden or your plants. It will not make your food poisonous. It is very fine, however, so I bought a flour sifter, and I use that to apply it. If you live in a really windy area, I would advise a face mask, because the fine powder isn't great to breath in.
> 
> This year, I haven't had to replant, and thanks to the sun finally showing up, my plants are in great shape.


Interesting, thanks.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We grew about 90% of our veggies from seeds this year. The Hubby spent three months cultivating the various hot pepper plants and a few months cultivating the tomato and sweet pepper plants. The others were planted as seeds (Carrots, onions, cucumbers). we have bought a few hot pepper plans (he is nuts) and a strawberry plant.


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## kCopeseeley (Mar 15, 2011)

ProfCrash said:


> We grew about 90% of our veggies from seeds this year. The Hubby spent three months cultivating the various hot pepper plants and a few months cultivating the tomato and sweet pepper plants. The others were planted as seeds (Carrots, onions, cucumbers). we have bought a few hot pepper plans (he is nuts) and a strawberry plant.


Man, I wish I could grow strawberries here. It's a snail's paradise. And go ahead, ask me if I've tried to keep them away. hahaha I buy my strawberries in a store. *sigh*


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We ate our first peppers from the garden last night. One Beaver Dam pepper and one Hot Banana pepper. They both went on the grow again next year list.


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## Val2 (Mar 9, 2011)

Fruit and veg is so cheap here in Spain, it's hardly worth it. But I did grow veg in South Africa and also in the USA which was very rewarding. Harder to grow in the Uk because of the weather but also did it there.


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## bobavey (Sep 14, 2010)

I love fresh fruits and vegetables, but I, too, am not good at gardening. As fast as I grow it, the birds and insects eat it before I can.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

I love the smell of tomato plants.  Nothing more relaxing than getting up early on the weekend and tying them off.

Think I've finally fixed all the holes in my fences so the groundhog can't get in.  Hungry little varmit set my beans and cucumbers back a couple of weeks.

Looks like it's going to be a good year for peppers.

And my deer fence is almost complete.  I think in one of my former lives I was an old netmaker in a fishing village.

BTW, a good tip for tomato growers:  If you go to flea markets, grab some cheap knitting yarn. It's perfect for cutting into short lengths for tying the plants to the stakes.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

So far we harvested: 

Hot peppers: Beaver Dam, Anaheim, Fresno, Black Scorpion's Tongue, Chicago Sport, and Aji Crystal.
Sweet Peppers: Purple Beauty, Japanese Shisistu (or something like that), Greek Peppercini (sp)
Long Beans (really, really long)

We have a great deal more in bloom but I won't bore you with all of them. My hubby did a count and we have 40 hot peppers, 20 sweet peppers, 4 types of tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, scallions, eggplant, and horseradish in various stages of development. 

I have not been overwhelmed with either of the sweet peppers. They were fine but nothing exciting. I really like the Aji Crystal, Black Scorpions Tongue, Chicago Sport, and the Beaver Dam hot peppers. 

Life is good


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I've eaten two tomatoes so far.

I currently have five tomato plants. Squash/zucchini. Beans. Cucumbers. Carrots. Green peppers. Everything is growing so well!


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## Ilyria Moon (May 14, 2011)

I live in a flat (apartment) so have no outdoor space. I get a weekly delivery of organic fruit and veg from a local supplier, sourcing from local farms, and I grow cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, and various herbs on the indoor windowsills. My living room and spare bedroom face south, so I get a lot of sun.


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## Ursula_Bauer (Dec 12, 2010)

swolf said:


> I love the smell of tomato plants. Nothing more relaxing than getting up early on the weekend and tying them off.
> 
> Think I've finally fixed all the holes in my fences so the groundhog can't get in. Hungry little varmit set my beans and cucumbers back a couple of weeks.
> 
> ...


That's a great tip, I will try. I ended up w/another whiskey barrel full of plants, including another tomato (an heirloom ), and the cages won't fit w/the other plants crammed into the space. I also wound up trying seeds for the first time, and all germinated, so it's kind of crowded. Happily, the height confounds the groundhogs so far. They got my petunias on the deck, but we have the trap now, so the war lingers on. And yes, the scent fo the garden in morning, esp tomatoes, and basil, is amazing!!!!!


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

tkkenyon said:


> Man, I am so jealous.
> 
> I have to move someplace warmer. I keep moving northeast!
> 
> TK Kenyon


I'm in the northeast. Just had a late start.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

Turns out the fencing isn't keeping the groundhogs out. He seems to be in love with the bean plants.

Found a burrow hole inside the garden fence, so yesterday morning I put up a new fence between the hole and the beans. When I came home around noon, he had dug under the new fence to get at the beans.

So in the afternoon I went and bought a trap, and I'm hoping to find a dead groundhog in my garden soon.

Type of trap I bought:


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We are in pepper heaven here. Hubby made a salsa using 6 sorrano peppers that is very good. We are using the long beans for many different meals. And we should have enough ghost chile peppers to stop a herd of rampaging elephants if need be. The tomatoes are starting to ripper, Thai eggplants have been pulled. Life is good.


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## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

I'm a farmer wannabe, so we have a mondo garden (except it's not doing all that well this year, because the weather was bad until almost May).

Veggie-wise, we're growing:

Corn, green beans, cayennes, tabascos, green peppers, jalapenos, ghost chiles, about 10 kinds of tomatoes, eggplants, okra, straightneck squash, crookneck, zucchini, scalloped squash, carrots, onions, cukes, watermelons, and cantaloupes.

Fruit-wise:

Apples - Jonathon, Gala, Fuji, Winesap, Red delish, Golden delish;  peaches; plums; nectarines; pears; blueberries; muscadines; cherries; figs; white grapes


Boy. When I write it out like that, it sounds like I have a problem.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

You are not growing 40 hot peppers, I would say that you are doing just fine. (winks)


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## Fredster (Apr 11, 2011)

ProfCrash said:


> You are not growing 40 hot peppers, I would say that you are doing just fine. (winks)


Sadly, I think we might be growing more -- all those peppers I listed are two rows' worth. 

(mostly jalapenos, though, about 30)


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

That is only five. (winks) We have 40 hot pepper and 15 sweet pepper going right now. It is a little bit silly. I have convinced the hubby that we need to pick our favorite 15 hot peppers for next year.


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## Retired (May 6, 2011)

I saw the title and thought, "Because it's too much darned work just to grow treats for the deer, rabbits, slugs, snails, bugs, robins, bears . . ."

But I do it anyway. When spring comes, there's something about the dirt that I can't resist. I end up planting rows and rows of veggies, and having high hopes for my fruit trees even though year after year I prove myself woefully fruit challenged.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Tonight we are making a paella using lilac peppers, blushing beauties, serranos, beaver dams, and black scorpions tongue peppers from the garden. Yummy


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## lazyjayn (May 18, 2011)

I envy anyone who can successfully garden veggies. I gave up after hail took out my entire garden (in August) two years in a row. I mean, I love green tomatoes, who doesn't. Just not 20lbs worth.

Note--growing veggies in Wyoming at 7200 feet it exciting, and not in a good way. I think if I ever try again, it'll have to be someplace where it doesn't snow *every* month. Like Oregon, maybe.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

lazyjayn said:


> ..growing veggies in Wyoming at 7200 feet it exciting, and not in a good way. I think if I ever try again, it'll have to be someplace where it doesn't snow *every* month. Like Oregon, maybe.


California is a great place to grow veges and fruits. I have planted some fruit trees in the backyard. I am not too good at growing veges. But is a good hobby for healthy life style.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Just went out for my morning check on my veggies. The original two tomato plants are about three feet tall. I have flowering on my cukes (I saw little baby cukes behind the flowers!) and my peppers (FINALLY!). Tomatoes are bursting all over my plants. My beans are sprouting. 

I seriously don't know why I never did this before.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

DH and I will be doing a veggie garden next year.  We've finally decided that based on DH's goals, it would not be worth our time to move from our house, so we'll have the time and space to have a veggie garden again.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

what are burpless cukes? Do some make you burp? I'm clueless on that....

ahh found a research paper that was interesting....http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wehner/articles/art090.pdf


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We are growing white cucumbers, I had no idea such things existed, but they do. They are quite yummy and growing at an insane rate. The Hubby ordered picking salt and spices to make pickles and to start picking some of the hot peppers (pepperocinis and Chicago Sport Peppers). The tomatoes are being used in sauces and salads. We are getting ready to pull out the dehydrator for all the hot peppers.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I'm pleased with this first garden. A little concerned with my squash; there's something happening, but nothing of interest. Tomatoes, doing great. I have two peppers making their entrance into the world. Cucumbers are another month or so away from full maturity (the pains of living in Massachusetts, our growing season starts in May, but doesn't kick into high gear until July). Beans are sprouting, carrots are doing as well as can be.

Not minding the hot weather, trying not to complain about it. My garden certainly isn't complaining, that's for sure.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Yeah the plus side to the hotter weather is more yummy fruit and veg from the garden


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

susie said:


> Two words... Strawbale gardening.
> One link... http://www.google.fr/search?rlz=1C1AVSX_enFR406FR406&q=strawbale+gardening&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=fr&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=677


Well, that looks interesting. I'll have to look into trying that out. Last year the deer and groundhogs ate my entire little garden, so this year I planted right next to my house. So far, so good, no one has eaten the pumpkins. I also semi-gave up on growing veggies, I'm better at growing flowers but maybe I'll try this hay-bale thing in the future.

Dawn


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I noticed yesterday there's now something officially happening with the squash.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Wind/storm came through this week and trashed my Earthboxed cucumbers, I'm not sure how many are going to survive. They had been doing so well and were showing signs of producing


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## Retired (May 6, 2011)

My long english cucumber plant is still a miserable little thing, same six inches tall as when I planted the seedling a month ago. It's mocking the huge trellis I built for it. The pickling cukes I planted from seed the same day are doing well, though.

With the rain we've been getting, I haven't had to put a sprinkler on the garden yet. Usually I have to water by June.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

My wife called me at work yesterday and said, "You're a murderer."  She had gone up to the garden to see if there were any cucumbers ready, and discovered a groundhog dead in the trap.

When I got home, I went up, preparing myself to feel bad for the animal.  But I discovered that before the trap got him, he had eaten all of my bean plants.        

As a message to all the other groundhogs, I placed his body on their run in the woods.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

swolf said:


> My wife called me at work yesterday and said, "You're a murderer." She had gone up to the garden to see if there were any cucumbers ready, and discovered a groundhog dead in the trap.
> 
> When I got home, I went up, preparing myself to feel bad for the animal. But I discovered that before the trap got him, he had eaten all of my bean plants.
> 
> As a message to all the other groundhogs, I placed his body on their run in the woods.


My Papaw would do the same things to crows. He would shot them and then hang them from a tree in his yard as a warning to all other crows. Either that or to irritate my Granny.


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## SSantore (Jun 28, 2011)

We always have a garden.  Harvested kale (DH loves it--not me) yesterday to freeze.  Had lots of asparagus earlier this year.  Blueberry bushes are turning.  Yum.  By next week they should be enough ripe ones to pick some to eat.  They are so loaded this year that I'm sure lots will go in the freezer.  Now if I can just keep the wild turkeys out of them.  

Soon green peas and green beans will be ready, maybe next week.  

Not only does it taste better if you raise it, we don't put poisons   on our garden, either.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

swolf said:


> My wife called me at work yesterday and said, "You're a murderer." She had gone up to the garden to see if there were any cucumbers ready, and discovered a groundhog dead in the trap.
> 
> When I got home, I went up, preparing myself to feel bad for the animal. But I discovered that before the trap got him, he had eaten all of my bean plants.
> 
> As a message to all the other groundhogs, I placed his body on their run in the woods.


LOL!!!! Darn groundhogs!!!
Dawn


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

The beans are sprouting!!!!!!!


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

My plum and apricot trees planted this year are growing very well.  It is pleasure to see those tiny leaves growing. The first thing I do every morning is go out, breathe fresh air and look at these plants.

For veges I count on my son; and tomatoes in his backyard are growing great. Wish all the best to my fellow garden lovers.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I've picked beans, a cucumber, a zucchini and tomatoes. This morning, I picked my peppers.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

I have been giving away entire bags worth of hot peppers at work on top of the number that we have dehydrated. We have made our own habanero, hot cherry pepper, tabasco, bhut jolakia, and devil's tongue powders, dehydrate well over 250 orange Thai, 200 Super Hot Red Thai, and 100 Ka Pang (sp) peppers and there are four gallon bags of habaneros in the freezer. The scary thing is that the pepper plants do not look like they have been harvested. It is nuts.

Our tomatoes did not work out as well. The carrots are looking to be a decent size finally. The cucumber was doing well but then was killed after two weeks of high temperatures.


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## LCEvans (Mar 29, 2009)

Great thread. I just noticed this. Unfortunately, I am usually very bad at growing food. The one exception is my grape vine, which always gives us a good crop. One problem I have is that my yard gets too much shade. I did manage to grow a few strawberries this year and a couple of peaches survived the squirrel attack. Tomatoes—only got 2.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I have a dream that some day I will own a house where I can grow vegetables. The problem is I am too poor to afford a house and have a black thumb.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

Fresh tomatoes from the wine tastes just great. It's worth growing your own tomatoes even if you don't grow anything else.


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## zeus (Aug 15, 2011)

When I'll have a house, I definitely will grow fruits, veggies and berries. Maybe some flowers and herbs too. That way, I'll know for sure what I eat.


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## 40977 (Mar 31, 2011)

I tried growing beans organically this year.  After losing half the stalks to squirrels leaping into my pot and snacking, I have managed to produce one, single green bean.  

It will be the best green bean I've ever eaten.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Just steamed some zucchini from my garden for dinner. Best zucchini I've ever had.


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

*Sandy Harper* said:


> Fresh tomatoes from the wine tastes just great.


I'm assuming that's a typo. If not, then I've discovered a new way of eating tomatoes.


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## Retired (May 6, 2011)

My tomatoes are starting to turn orange. Now, here's hoping they don't get blight. I've been trying not to water them very much this year so the funguses and things don't have good growing conditions.

I never did get around to putting up trellises for the pumpkins and squash, so they're running rampant now, taking over the pole beans.

I hope the tomato wine wasn't a typo, lol.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

LCEvans said:


> Great thread. I just noticed this. Unfortunately, I am usually very bad at growing food. The one exception is my grape vine, which always gives us a good crop. One problem I have is that my yard gets too much shade. I did manage to grow a few strawberries this year and a couple of peaches survived the squirrel attack. Tomatoes-only got 2.


I moved last year from NC to CA. I always had trouble growing anything there. Because I was too lazy to put new soil to replace the red soil. I lived in Cary. My friend in Asheboro was great at growing veges. He loved growing garden than practice medicine. Well, who won't.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

swolf said:


> I'm assuming that's a typo. If not, then I've discovered a new way of eating tomatoes.


I meant tomatoes ripened on vine as compared to ripening in food store containers. Does it make little better sense or still bad? Thanks for pointing out.


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## Retired (May 6, 2011)

*Sandy Harper* said:


> I meant tomatoes ripened on *wine* as compared to ripening in food store containers. Does it make little better sense or still bad? Thanks for pointing out.


The typo gods are running amuck. But it still sounds better than regular tomatoes to me.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Picked my carrots yesterday. Only have bean plants and tomatoes left.


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## Bryan R. Dennis (May 19, 2011)

I'd like to start a garden soon. Until then, I've been going to the farmer's market. What a difference in flavor for grocery store produce. I can eat heirloom tomatoes raw, they're that delicious. From what I've researched, a straw mulch technique looks to be a good way to get started. I wonder about rodents though.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Bryan R. Dennis said:


> I can eat heirloom tomatoes raw, they're that delicious.


I love to eat tomatoes raw in salad or sandwich. These are good source of lycopene; powerful antioxidant (great for prostate health).


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I'm sad to say that my 2011 Garden is pretty much done... I still have three plants -- two tomatoes, one tray of beans -- still going, even though I've suspended watering. I've spent today taking the old Miracle Gro and spreading it behind the house... the 2011 Garden will live on in 2012 as my strawberry patch!


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

swolf said:


> I'm assuming that's a typo. If not, then I've discovered a new way of eating tomatoes.


Let us see, will Vine (not wine) make better sense...lol. The tomatoes that ripe on plant. Thanks for pointing out. I came back after a long time. Happy holiday season everyone.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Just planted my "germination test" vegetable garden in a 10 foot long raised planter It is a test because the newest seeds that I planted were bought for the 2002 growing season. The oldest seeds were marked 1982 and the rest were from 1992-1995 including some seeds I saved from luffas I grew in the early 90s. If the test goes well, I won't need to buy seeds when I plant the beds on Fourth of July weekend in time for monsoon. 

Planted:

10 luffa seeds from luffas I grew when we lived in Tucson more than 16 years ago.
4 Zucchetta Rampicante-Tromboncino left in a packet marked for the 1993 growing season. This heirloom climbing summer squash is DH's favorite zucchini. Hope all four grow!
4 Italian parsley seeds from a packet marked for 1992.
8 yellow summer squash seeds of two different varieties. I forgot to write down the packets. Will update later. Possibly from 2002, more likely mid 90s.
Broadcast common chive seeds from packet marked for 1992.
5 nasturtium seeds. I forgot to write down the packet info. Will update later.
39 purple pole bean seeds. I forgot to write down the packet info. Will update later.
Broadcast three types of leaf lettuce seeds. Slobolt from packet for 1991, Dapple from packet for 1995, and, the oldest, White Seeded Simpson from packet marked for 1982.
I think I still have some Imperator carrot seeds in a packet marked for 1976. If I still have that packet, I will plant some Fourth of July weekend.

Can you tell that I have not had time to garden much lately? I will take pictures when plants start growing. (I am an optimist!)

Happy Solstice!


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

just had salad for dinner (it's too hot to cook anything, so salad was dinner) using sweet banana peppers and a cucumber from our garden!  They were tasty (as DD could attest, when DH finished his salad, she came up and helped me finish mine)


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## sheiler1963 (Nov 23, 2011)

I'm a single person and I don't eat much but I plant a few things each yr. I only plant what I will eat or use. One yr it might be tomatoes, onions, green peppers and jalapenos for making salsa and jalapeno jelly that I jar up. Every other yr I plant a cpl hills of zuchinni and I shred and freeze for making bread. Every year I plant double rows of Pioneer brand Bodacious sweet corn and I'm very particular about this brand and strain.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I grew romaine type lettuce this year and they took. Free Salad everyday is pretty sweet!


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## M.V. Kallai (Feb 20, 2012)

I love my little garden. Growing the fixins for salsa this year, of course like last year here in CO, my squash are growing at an alarming and almost unsettling rate. They threaten to swallow everything in their path. You'd think I'd traded a cow to a gypsy for my squash seeds.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

Apple tree in our backyard is full of apples. Can hardly wait for the fruit to ripe.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Just planted my "germination test" vegetable garden in a 10 foot long raised planter....


Four sprouted seeds today: one lettuce, one pole bean, and two squash.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

just picked 11 sweet bannana peppers outta my garden tonight.  On Tuesday, a friend is coming over to help me can them


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Yummy. Our peppers are growing, the tomato plants are going bonkers, and our zucchini are about a foot or more in length. I love the garden.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

First crop of Apricots this season. They are fresh and yummy.


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## Kia Zi Shiru (Feb 7, 2011)

Most people in my family have fruit and veg gardens. We have quite a lot of stuff this year and I love looking at it.

I hope I might find some enthusiasm for making one for myself next year when I move in to an apartment with my boyfriend. Downside is that we will probably have to have quite a bit of our stuff as we don't have a garden, only a tunnel next to our house which is mostly open.
Though our parents don't live too far away, so we might be able to borrow a bit of their gardens


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

So far, it appears that:

9 out of 10 luffa seed (more than 16 years old) sprouted.
3 out of 4 Zucchetta Rampicante-Tromboncino (packet marked for the 1993 growing season) sprouted.
5 out of 8 yellow summer squash seeds (1995-2002) sprouted.
31 of 39 purple pole bean seeds sprouted.
Some of the other seeds sprouted but they are more difficult to identify. It also appears that some mesquite tree seeds and some grass seeds sprouted. If so, those will be pulled as soon as identification is certain.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Bought plants on sale at the local Ace Hardware. 

Yesterday I planted one each of the following in the planter east of the chicken coop: cherry tomato, plum tomato, sweet banana pepper. Discovered that DH had overwatered the planter multiple times as the soil was nearly sour. The planter got no water today and is still too wet but better than yesterday.

Today I planted the following in a planter that was intended for hanging tomatoes but has stood empty except for potting soil for the last two years: purple basil, apple mint, chocolate mint. I loosened the existing soil first and then planted the basil in one corner. While digging a hole on the other side for the apple mint, my trowel hit something. I tried to lift it with my trowel and a field mouse jumped out of the raised planter.   I was surprised! I finished planting the mints. One of the people at Ace had mentioned today that mice don't like mint so I doubt that mouse will hide in that pot again.  

I have almost finished prepping two 4'x8' and two 4'x4' garden beds. All that is left to do before planting is to surround each one with a border of 8"x8"x16" cement blocks and a chicken barricade.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

my banna peppers are growing w/ abandon.  I may have enough to can again, soon.  I'm really glad we planted as many as we did b/c we really enjoy the sweet banna peppers on sandwiches and it's always much tastier if you know you did it yourself.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

despite keeping my Earthbox filled with water, the 105 deg heat has killed my lettuce and the tomatoes are doing that well either


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We have been watering like mad to keep everything growing.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

harvested some cucumbers and bannana peppers tonight.  We picked 17 large cukes and about 11 peppers.  The peppers I'm keeping to can (I'm waiting until the next batch is ready in the next few days) so I can can them and I've already given 4 cukes away to neighbors and I'll have to figure out what else to do w/ them (we aren't huge pickle eaters, so canning pickles is out)


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## Starfire (Jun 25, 2012)

It's been a slow, cool season here with more than the normal amount of rain,w hich has made the garden very happy.

Currently I harvest raspberries, purple podded peas, chives, strawberries, purslain, thyme, oregano, walking onions, kale, catnip, clover, plantain, dandelion, burdock root, chard, horseradish, comfrey. I've harvested 8 of 10 varieties of garlic now and have a dozen+ each pumpkin, cucumber, vining beans, and zucchini plants in. I've got quite a lot of herbs (edible and medicinal), too many wild blackberries, a medlar, and a dozen or so old apple trees.

I still have some herbs, bitter melon, and northern melon to plant out.

I love playing in the garden, and since I don't buy anything save the seeds, it's much less expensive than buying comparable organic produce.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Rain last night! Put trellis netting up today for the luffa and pole bean plants. Planted a new 4x8 garden bed with oats and rapeseed as a cover crop and chicken treats. Two 4x4 beds are almost ready to plant as they just need some compost added. The 4x8 bed that was the past location of the rooster retreat needs to have the walkway on one end relaid due to problems with ants and gophers.

At least one of the nasturtium seeds sprouted and one of the purple lettuces. I have been pulling lots of grass and tumbleweed seedlings.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Planted 16 square feet of tepary beans today. I bought the seeds back in 2004; hope they grow.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> ... Planted a new 4x8 garden bed with oats and rapeseed as a cover crop and chicken treats. ...


Spotted both oat and rapeseed seedlings today.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Planted 16 square feet of tepary beans today. I bought the seeds back in 2004; hope they grow.


Spotted several tepary seedlings today.  My daughter today told me that tepary bean hummus is the best! I am glad I planted so many.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Just planted my "germination test" vegetable garden in a 10 foot long raised planter...


One month after planing my "germination test" garden with old seeds, one of the squash plants, yellow patty pan, bloomed today. Another will bloom tomorrow. One of the purple pole bean plants has grown past the top of the 4 foot supports and the rest are nearly to the top. One of the luffa plants has reached the top of the supports and the rest are over two feet tall. 



Annalog said:


> Planted 16 square feet of tepary beans today. I bought the seeds back in 2004; hope they grow.


So far, 219 out of the 225 seeds planted have sprouted and are visible above ground. That is a better than 97% germination rate. 

Happy gardening!


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We keep losing large parts of pepper plants due to the sudden hard rain and wind storms we have been getting. It is annoying.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

ProfCrash said:


> We keep losing large parts of pepper plants due to the sudden hard rain and wind storms we have been getting. It is annoying.


Sorry to hear that; it must be very frustrating!


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## Starfire (Jun 25, 2012)

My boysenberries are ripening and are LOVELY this year! The first flush of raspberries are over, but because of the odd spring/early summer, some of the plants are forming flowers again, so we may get a second set in another month or so. The purple podded peas are done and I've pulled the vines.

I mixed together a half dozen types of pole beans and they've made it up 3' of trellis so far. The scarlet runners are blooming, but the others haven't started yet.

Lots of flowers on the cukes, zukes, and pumpkins, and a few time fruits have set but nothing to harvest for a few weeks. India Burr Gherkin is planted out and looks happy in the heat but hasn't done much yet.

Egyptian walking onions are thriving, and they're so lovely to eat, both the topsets and the bulbs.

Some brassicas have bolted but are still tasty, but the Russian kale is still going strong. Radish tail radish pods are thriving, sage is sizing up, calendula and nasturtiums are blooming.

Blackberries are still blooming and have a massive set of fruit; I shall be making lots of blackberry ketchup this year!


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

I have Myers's lemon but it is not flowering. Any tips. This should bear fruits all the year along. I am watering regularly but wonder if it needs more nutrition. Anyone else with such experience!


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

You might be over watering it. We have a myer lemon tree and I don't think that we water it that frequently. Check the instructions on watering.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

First luffa bloom today. Saw a couple bees in squash blossoms; hope the bees will pollinate the luffa as I cannot reach them to hand pollinate. Plan to harvest the first patty pan squash today for dinner.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

canned some sweet pickle relish the other day, 9 pints worth.  DH is eating about 1 cucumber a day (and loves it) and DD even joins in the cuke eating.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Our lemon cues are wonderful. They are sweeter then a normal cake. The tomatoes are growing like mad. Lots of pepper. I love the garden.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

ProfCrash said:


> Our lemon cues are wonderful. They are sweeter then a normal cake. The tomatoes are growing like mad. Lots of pepper. I love the garden.


I'll have to remember the lemon cukes for next year. DH loves sweet relish and that's what I'm doing w/ this year's supply. I made pickles in 2006 and we still haven't eaten them. Live and learn!


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

They are pretty cool. They look like lemons and they are a bit sweeter. Very yummy. I have been enjoying the in salads.

We don't grow generic bell peppers either but blushing beauties and Adrian's. Both are a unique and very yummy taste. We have been experimenting with different varieties of our favorite veggies the pat few years.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Yesterday the purple pole beans, planted 20 June, started blooming beautiful purple flowers. Today the tepary beans, planted 14 July, started blooming very inconspicuous white flowers. 

I had forgotten how sweet, juicy, tender, and flavorful fresh picked yellow summer squash can be. Yummy! Glad my 5 plants are growing and flowering well.

So far the luffa plants have had two female blooms with no males. I hand-pollinated one today with squash pollen. Hope it grows a fruit.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Garden related bump and thump -- While checking and hand pollinating the summer squash this morning, I found a large moth (sphinx / hawk / hummingbird moth) clinging to the underside of a squash leaf above one of the two tomato plants. I suspect it had recently emerged from its chrysalis as it looked young, was vibrating its wings and was still there this afternoon. Bump because I rarely see these up close when they are alive. Thump because these come from hornworm caterpillars. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingidae.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

ProfCrash said:


> You might be over watering it. We have a myer lemon tree and I don't think that we water it that frequently. Check the instructions on watering.


Thanks ProfCrash. I water twice a week and it's sunny most of the time in CA where I live. I don't think over watering is the problem? I did prune and see if that helps. I appreciate your and anyone else's advice. I like Myer lemon and sad to see it without fruits.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*Sandy Harper* said:


> Thanks ProfCrash. I water twice a week and it's sunny most of the time in CA where I live. I don't think over watering is the problem? I did prune and see if that helps. I appreciate your and anyone else's advice. I like Myer lemon and sad to see it without fruits.


Try watering just once a week but maybe a bit more deeply. Most plants respond to slight stress by flowering to reproduce. Pruning, cold, and dry soil are common triggers for various plants. Is it getting too much nitrogen fertilizer? I don't know about citrus trees but too much nitrogen can encourage leaf growth in place of flowers in other plants resulting in beautiful plants but with no flowers or fruit.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> I'll have to remember the lemon cukes for next year. ..


Excuse my ignorance. What are lemon cukes?? Thanks.

I am getting into gardening but quite a way to go. There is nothing like fresh veges and fruits.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

With "cuke" being a nickname for cucumber, Lemon cucumbers are a round yellow sweet cucumber. See http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/cucumbers/specialty-cucumbers/cucumber-lemon-prod000691.html for one variety and a photo.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

Last night, DH, DD and I went out back and picked veggies out of the garden.  Ok, so DD really just played "grocery store" while Papa handed her cukes and tomatoes (she had her grocery cart toy outside w/ her).  I have more than enough bannana peppers to can (again) and DH pulled about 6 tomatoes out of the garden (yuck!  am not a tomato girl).  I picked more than enough green beans for me for dinner (and the left overs I gave to one of our neighbors who love it when we have a garden since we share).  DH also went to his parent's house on his way home and picked corn (they have more land than we do, so they let us put a small patch of corn up).  All this amounted to fresh corn (Ambrosia veriety, very sweet) and steamed green beans plus smoked chicken for dinner for me.  My tummy was very happy (and DD kept swiping bites of our corn, even though she'd already had dinner)


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

If my little guy settles down for a nap, I am going to head out and pick veggies for an afternoon salad. I love the tomatoes in the garden and we have some great peppers and cucumbers.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Annalog said:


> With "cuke" being a nickname for cucumber, Lemon cucumbers are a round yellow sweet cucumber. See http://www.burpee.com/vegetables/cucumbers/specialty-cucumbers/cucumber-lemon-prod000691.html for one variety and a photo.


Thanks Annalog. I never heard lemon cucumbers before. I will like to try for sure. I hope local grocery store should have it. It's a great thread to learn new stuff for guys like me.

If anyone knows, I have another question about the plum tree. It's young leaves look dense and curly for some reason. It is about 2-years old tree. Is it common to have small ants on plum and orange plants? Anyone else have seen something like this.


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## Starfire (Jun 25, 2012)

Lemon cucumbers are very tasty and quite easy to grown. They're an open-pollinated heirloom variety. I find them sweet and tangy. I eat them peel and all (the peels don't seem to cause burping the way peels from standard cukes do).

I ferment them for fresh pickles; they get soft if they're stored long but they're still very tasty a year after pickling (not canned, just lactofermented). I cut them in quarters, put them in a quart canning jar, add ~1 tablespoon of pickling salt (salt with no additives) and a clove or two of garlic, cover with boiled and cool water, and then press them down with a rinse fresh grape leaf or two. I leave them at room temperature until they get sour, then refrigerate. 

They ferment more quickly than standard cukes, and get sort of fizzy inside. Wonderfully delicious!

DrDLN, check the udnersides of the leaves to see if there are aphids or mites. If there are, you can knock them off by spraying with a jet of water from a hose, then spray with soapy water to keep them off. You can also get ladybugs to eat the aphids; if you do get the ladybugs, make sure you leave enough aphids on the plants to keep the ladybugs from leaving in search of more food (I made that mistake once; all the ladybugs left and then the aphids came right back!).

When I lived in the east SF bay area, my orange and lemons often got aphids. Ants like to farm aphids for their nectar, whch is a common reason to see ants on infested plants.


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## Starfire (Jun 25, 2012)

Now that the weather has warmed up (we had the longest, slowest spring, with a frost in JUNE!), my garden is very happy.

I planted a mix of pole beans in a new bed, and some of the vines are taller than me (5'7") now! I've had the first baby scarlet runner beans; still waiting for the kew blue and blauhilde purple pole beans; there are some itsy bitsies, but not big enough to harvest.

My Costata Romanesco zukes are starting to come in and are wonderful, as always. I've gotten my first lemon cuke (YUM) and have many flowers but no other cukes ready to harvest yet.

My Rainbow Lacinato kale is continuing and SO deliciious! My cabbages bolted, though; I'm going to start more seeds this week. They leaves are still tasty, but tough.

My Rat-tail radish pods are VERY prolific and lovely.

Raspberries are going wild getting ready for a second harvest, boysenberries are almost finished, and blackberries are just starting and look to be a SPLENDID harvest. Apples and medlars look good but won't be ready for months.

My pumpkins are finally setting fruit and starting to run across the field <3

I've been harvest plenty of herbs, including calendula, and I'm going to dig some horseradish today and see how it looks.

The garlic is still curing, but what I've tasted has been wonderful. I'm especially enjoying the Pyong Vang Korean garlic; SUCH a great flavour, some heat, and beautiful!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Today I finally got around to planting the 4x8 bed that was under the Rooster Retreat before we moved the Retreat. I planted two kinds of squash, bush beans, leeks, kohlrabi, broccoli, chinese cabbage, Brussels sprouts, radishes, lettuce, and carrots. Most of the seeds are from the 2002 season but one type of squash seed is from 1997, the lettuce seeds are from 1993, and the beans are from 1992. Two square feet planted for most varieties with the beans, carrots, and lettuce getting a few more square feet each. 

It started to rain as I typed this post so I am glad I got the seeds planted in time.  Then the power flickered and the router reset before I could post. Glad the netbook is on battery so I did not have to type this in again.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

DH found thru a co worker a farm that is one of those pay to pick places.  We went there and they had 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes, bannana peppers, and bell peppers already picked (but you could pick them yourself for cheaper, but we had our 2 little ones, so it was easier to get the already picked ones) so we ended up w/ 2 bushels of tomatoes, 1/2 bannana peppers (sweet) and 1/2 of bell peppers.  We also went out and picked a bushel of green beans.  My dad was w/ us and I joked that he never thought he would see his daughter pay someone to pick green beans.  We grew up w/ gardens (5 kids, 4 were boys, so yeah, gardens were a must) and we always complained.  Dad likes to go out and watch his garden grow, it relaxes him.

Yesterday started our canning.  We could only do so much b/c of the kids (DS is still nursing, so I have to be the one to take care of him, most of the time), but we managed to do a batch of pepper butter (it's a pretzel dip) and 10 quarts of a salsa that is so mild it could really be spaghetti sauce.  Next time we make it, we are going to add some jalepeno's to it, to spice it up a bit.  Tonight I'm going to be canning green beans and maybe some more salsa (we'll see how I feel tonight)


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Need to pick purple pole beans today. Hmmm, lunch  or dinner? 

ETA: We had the purple pole beans for dinner. Only the very outside of the skin is purple when uncooked; the rest of the bean is green. After cooking, the entire bean is green. I cooked the beans in a couple tablespoonsfull of water in my smallest "waterless" cookware pan resulting in essentially steamed beans. A yummy serving for each of us.

DH finally said he was tired of yellow summer squash for dinner every night. I did not think I would ever hear him say that!  I will be having squash for lunch and dinner until we catch up with the harvest.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

Annalog said:


> Try watering just once a week but maybe a bit more deeply. Most plants respond to slight stress by flowering to reproduce. Pruning, cold, and dry soil are common triggers for various plants. Is it getting too much nitrogen fertilizer? I don't know about citrus trees but too much nitrogen can encourage leaf growth in place of flowers in other plants resulting in beautiful plants but with no flowers or fruit.


Thanks for the suggestions Annalog. These are producing new leaves but no flowers yet. I will start watering once a week now onward and see if that helps. Thanks.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*Sandy Harper* said:


> Thanks for the suggestions Annalog. These are producing new leaves but no flowers yet. I will start watering once a week now onward and see if that helps. Thanks.


It may take a while for the tree to "shift gears."


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

canned 20 pints of tomato sauce made from tomato.  it only took me most of the day boiling the juice.  Today I'm going to be making spaghetti meat sauce (and cleaning up the mess DD made when she got into the vasilene, again)


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> ... I planted two kinds of squash, bush beans, leeks, kohlrabi, broccoli, chinese cabbage, Brussels sprouts, radishes, lettuce, and carrots. ...


Many radish seeds have sprouted; one squash and a few other seedlings are poking their leaves above ground. 

I will need to pick purple pole beans again today. 

I need to find my camera! A garden spider has built a web between the banana pepper plant and the pole beans. It is in the path of bees flying from squash blossoms on one end of the raised bed to squash blossoms on the other end. The bees fly right through the web, breaking the smaller strands and leaving pollen on the anchor strands. I do not remember seeing a spiderweb partly coated with bright yellow pollen before. 

A few of the squash leaves hang over the side of the raised bed planter and under the barricade fencing above the planter. After the chickens ate the low hanging leaves, they have started jumping up and eating the higher leaves as well. Fortunately the squash plants don't seem to miss these older leaves. So far the barricade fending seems to be working fine to keep the chickens out of the raised planter and the lower garden beds.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Starfire said:


> DrDLN, check the udnersides of the leaves to see if there are aphids or mites. If there are, you can knock them off by spraying with a jet of water from a hose, then spray with soapy water to keep them off. You can also get ladybugs to eat the aphids; if you do get the ladybugs, make sure you leave enough aphids on the plants to keep the ladybugs from leaving in search of more food (I made that mistake once; all the ladybugs left and then the aphids came right back!).
> 
> When I lived in the east SF bay area, my orange and lemons often got aphids. Ants like to farm aphids for their nectar, whch is a common reason to see ants on infested plants.


Thanks Starfire. Excellent advice. I live basically in the same area. I will look for aphids. Since these feed on plant photosynthates, these can attract ants. How do you spray with soap? I use water hose for water. Can I put some liquid soap on plant branches and then spray with water? Where do you get the lady bugs? Sorry, if I asked dum questions. Thanks.


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## QuantumIguana (Dec 29, 2010)

We have plenty of raspberries in our back yard. They grow in June and July, and then in August they stop producing for a while. Then they come back larger than the earlier berries. I've had raspberries as late as the first week of November. Granted, they were a bit sad looking at that point, but still edible.

We're growing cherry tomatoes. We have violets that grow on their own, these can be eaten as a cooked green. I want to plant purslane. I could pick it from the sidewalk, but who knows that chemicals have been there?

My goal is to kill my lawn. Kill, kill, kill. It is a waste of time mowing a lawn, it produces nothing. I'd rather have flowers, or low-maintenance ground cover that doesn't require mowing.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> ... Planted a new 4x8 garden bed with oats and rapeseed as a cover crop and chicken treats. ...


The heat and lack of rain is causing the oats and rapeseed (canola) I planted to wilt. I watered them last night and let the chickens in to that garden bed this afternoon. Happy chickens.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

DH and I went thru the garden and did some much needed maintainence.  We've had some strong wind/rain the past month or so and needed to re stake our tomatoes (and we culled some out, DH went a little tomato crazy this year).  We're hoping that this will give our plants that extra boost they need to massively over produce before the end of the year (DH is also going to get fertilzier for it as well).  I also have to can more relish and quite possibly salsa


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Since the chickens had eaten most of the oat and rapeseed (canola) plants, I turned the soil and remaining plants over with a garden fork so that I could plant more seeds. I disturbed an underground nest of field mice. I guess the mice thought oats meant a field.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Something has eaten my tomatoes. And I'm not a happy camper.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

DH brought home 2 dozen ears of corn last night, so tonight I'm going to try to make corn relish. Here's a small portion of what I've canned this year:


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Sprouts are showing in the 4x8 bed that I replanted with ground cover/chicken food last Friday. This time I planted oats, canola, and wheat grass.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Alle Meine Entchen said:


> DH brought home 2 dozen ears of corn last night, so tonight I'm going to try to make corn relish. Here's a small portion of what I've canned this year:


What you've done already looks beautiful! Do you have a recipe you like for corn relish or are you making it up as you go along? Please share whichever recipe you use.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

The tomatoes have finally started to ripen and the tepary beans are blooming.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

crebel said:


> What you've done already looks beautiful! Do you have a recipe you like for corn relish or are you making it up as you go along? Please share whichever recipe you use.


The recipe I used came in a box of jars from Better Homes and Gardens. It wasn't that difficult to make (unlike some of the stuff we canned) and since I don't know how corn relish is supposed to taste like, it tastes good! Here's the recipe from the BH&G website:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/relishes/blue-ribbon-corn-relish/



> Blue Ribbon Corn Relish
> 
> Makes: 80 servings
> 
> ...


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

I love corn relish, so I'm really glad you included the link and recipe.
This has reminded me that I need to get my act together and plant lettuce. If I do it now, we'll have lettuce all winter. It's great to be able to go out and pluck a few leaves for salad in Jan, although I do have to use row covers.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Just planted my "germination test" vegetable garden in a 10 foot long raised planter. ...
> 
> Planted:
> 
> ...


I harvested my first luffa today. It was a small one so the resulting loofah (plant sponge) is less than 2 inches in diameter at the widest point and about 6 inches long, but only 3 inches long for the most usable section. The sponge is smooth and suitable to use on my face so this one will go in my shower instead of in the kitchen.  I was not sure I would get any usable sponges as I planted the seeds on the summer solstice and these plants need a long growing season. Now I know that all the large early luffa fruit will produce usable sponges. 
































I have been harvesting the fruit that set in the last month and feeding them to the chickens since there is not enough time left for them to form a good network of fibers.
















Based on information from Wikipedia, the luffa plants I have are most likely Luffa aegyptiaca (smooth or Egyptian) and not Luffa acutangula (ridged or angled).


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

My Myers lemon plant is growing very well but no flowers and fruits. I did put some fertilizer and have tried not to over water. As I understand these are supposed to flower the year around.

Any advice and comments will be appreciated. Congratulations to you all successful growers.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> My Myers lemon plant is growing very well but no flowers and fruits. I did put some fertilizer and have tried not to over water. As I understand these are supposed to flower the year around.
> 
> Any advice and comments will be appreciated. Congratulations to you all successful growers.


How old is your Meyer lemon tree? According to Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_lemon, "a tree grown from seed usually begins fruiting in four years."


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Harvested the dry pods from the tepary bean plants this morning. I was able to pick most of them before the pods shattered to spread the seeds. I have already harvested more seeds than I planted. There are lots of green pods left and the plants are still blooming. I think that these are doing amazingly well considering they have gotten little water other than from rain, I probably planted them too close together, and the seeds I planted were from the 2004 season.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

Retiring this year's garden and getting it ready for winter later today.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Pulled up four spent zucchini plants and found a missed zucchini. I broke it up and gave it to happy chickens.  Pulled up half of the bush bean plants and have enough green beans for dinner.  

Will harvest some banana peppers later today. Will put the pepper plant in a large pot this weekend. 

Plan to pull up the rest of the squash and bush beans tomorrow or the next day. The rest of the garden is still growing.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Annalog said:


> How old is your Meyer lemon tree? According to Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyer_lemon, "a tree grown from seed usually begins fruiting in four years."


I bought the plant from Nursery about 2 years back. It did produce about 3 lemons last year. You think age could be the factor?
I do appreciate your response, Annalog.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> I bought the plant from Nursery about 2 years back. It did produce about 3 lemons last year. You think age could be the factor?
> I do appreciate your response, Annalog.


I do not think age is a factor if your Meyer lemon produced fruit last year. l have not grown citrus and do not have any other suggestions. Maybe someone else will have a suggestion. Have you asked at the nursery where you bought the plant?


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## JRWoodward (Apr 26, 2011)

A passing bird pooped out some seeds, and we got whole crop of savory Cushal squash. In the front yard, no less.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

We are working on adding to an existing raised bed planter and adjoining water line. My plan is to have raised bed planters on three sides of the vegetable garden with gates at each corner. Each of the three long planters will actually be two planters with a water station in the middle. (The fourth side has a short raised bed planter and the hen and rooster pens. ) We hope to get the ground work finished while the weather is still nice. 

So far DH has connected the water line to the end of the planter-to-be but cannot cap the end of the water line until after he finishes putting in the footing for the raised bed planter. I pruned a mesquite tree that is next to where the next raised bed planter will go so that Raymond could remove the temporary fencing that is in the way of the end of the first planter-to-be. (The temporary fence has been up for about 15 years! It is not surprising that a mesquite tree has grown up from a small bush and grown through the temporary fence.  There is a second smaller mesquite tree/bush that will need to be removed completely as it is in the middle of where the second planter will go.  )


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Annalog said:


> I do not think age is a factor if your Meyer lemon produced fruit last year. l have not grown citrus and do not have any other suggestions. Maybe someone else will have a suggestion. Have you asked at the nursery where you bought the plant?


Thanks Annalog. I will try that. My son has some other variety of lemons and it produces so many that we can't pick them up. But these are larger and have thick skin.

I will wait for some body to respond who have similar problem or I am the only one who is growing impatient for no reason...


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I finally cut down the dead asparagus ferns yesterday. A brass 4-way hose fitting split from the cold (17 F). One nasturtium is still holding on but the rest of the vegetable garden is done. However I am thinking of covering one raised bed and using it as a cold frame.

I am almost finished moving this year's composted litter to the new raised bed. Over 60 cubic feet of beautiful compost; I doubt I will ever buy compost again! The chickens helped during the compost move by finding and eating the grubs and cutworms in the compost.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I love the *Living with the Land* attraction at Epcot in Disney World. This time I saw sweet potatoes grown in hanging pots where the vines grew as the roof of a ramada. What a great idea! I want to try this one!

I believe that Epcot grew their sweet potatoes hydroponically so I might need to figure out how I can do it.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Four or five years ago I bought a couple greenhouse kits. Today I started digging the foundation.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Have fun!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I have been delayed by rain and snow. I will start digging again soon.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> I have been delayed by rain and snow. I will start digging again soon.


So far I have dug an area 6' x 8' about 10" deep. The area I plan to dig is 12' x 17' with it about 14" deep on one end and probably 6" deep on the other end since the location is sloped. The top 8" to 12" is mixed gravel, rock, silt, sand, and clay. (That is not counting the chunks of asphalt left from roadwork before we bought the acre lot.) I am trying to stop at the top of a thick layer of silt and clay that seems to run through our property as I am hoping that will give me a level base to work from. If not, it will at least let me separate the top rocky stuff from the mostly rock free soil.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Today I planted a thornless Apache blackberry, an Amity raspberry, and 10 Allstar strawberry plants. I bought all of them as bareroot plants at Wal-Mart. Hopefully they will all grow but some of the strawberry plants looked pretty sad.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Here is the list of plants we bought. My hubby has a ton of pepper seeds ready to start so this is only a portion of our garden. We also have asparagus and horseradish growing.

Broccoli, Purple Sprouting
Corn, On Deck Hybrid
Cucumber, Lemon
Radish, Watermelon
Squash, Gourd, Ornamental Luffa
Squash, Zucchini, Ball Hybrid Mix
Tomato, SuperSauce Hybrid
Tomato, Sunchocola Hybrid
Tomato, Italian Ice Hybrid
Squash, Summer, Eight Ball Zucchini
Raspberry, Double Gold PPAF
Marionberry
Tayberry, Blackberry-Raspberry
Brokali, Apollo Hybrid
Pumpkin, Prizewinner Hybrid
Rhubarb, Crimson Red
Sunflower, Mammoth Russian
Strawberry, Gourmet Collection 
Spinach, Bloomsdale Long Standing
Lettuce,Forellenschluss
Lettuce, Black-Seeded Simpson


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I am still waiting for my Myers lemon plant to produce some flowers and lemons. It keeps growing...

Any suggestion is welcome.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Just out of curiosity, how cold does it get where you are, Anna?
> 
> And a kind of on-topic side note, we're doing a garden this year. God help us.


This time of year our lows are in the mid 20s and our highs are in the mid 60s. In January we had a week where the lows were 6 F and the highs were in the mid 40s.

The snow I mentioned was less than an inch deep when it stopped falling and had mostly melted by the next day.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

So we decided to turn the area that we mulch into a large raise bed area. We are awful about weeding and the grass is creeping into the area. Hubby is out getting the lumber today. We are using pivoting corners you can buy from Gardener's Supply company. We also picked up a raise bed for raspberries and strawberries. If things go well we are thinking of picking up the raised bed for blueberries.

Should be a great gardening season. We are growing onions, lettuce, asparagus, hot peppers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, corn, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, raspberries, marion berries, blackberry/raspberry hybrid, strawberries, luffas, and some things I am sure I forgot. We won't be picking strawberries this year so that the plants send out more runners for next year. We can pick asparagus for a few weeks, its the second year, and then need to let it go so it produces more. 

I see some nice days in the back yard with the dogs and the baby this growing season.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

The fruit trees in my backyard are blooming and go out as often as I can and love every minute of it. The spring is here in N. California...


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We got some help planting lettuce and onions today.


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## Bec (Aug 24, 2012)

I really miss my Mum's garden back in Australia - nice orchard full of peaches, plums, apricots, berries, apples, pears, cherries, quince, nectarines, nashi, tamarillo, grapes, banana passionfruit... I'm probably forgetting some. She also has a lovely herb garden and veggie garden.

Now I live in an apartment so my gardening is limited to my balcony. Last year I grew a lot of herbs (coriander/cilantro, basil, oregano, chives, parsley) - didn't have much luck with my spring onions (I only got two) and my first batch of radishes were a disaster. I planted out my tomato seedlings too late - I only got a few ripen before it got cold again, so I've learnt my lesson there.

I'm really looking forward to the growing season this year. I've already got my tomatoes and herbs started inside, and some spinach and spring onions outside.

I'm really looking forward to the time when I have my own house and garden. I'd love to be able to grow so much more.

Part of my balcony jungle last August:


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I just dream of having something like Allinson's mom. But have neither the energy nor the talent to do it. The fruits and veges we get from the store have no taste and no one know how old these are and what goes in to raise them..sprays and other nasty stuff.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We have seeds germinating in the basement.


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## HAGrant (Jul 17, 2011)

I have moles in my yard, I think because I don't put herbicides/pesticides on the grass, so there are grubs, so the moles show up. I don't want to poison them. Can I still grow vegetables? Last year I grew tomatoes on my deck in a big container, but I would like to grow some things in a bigger area.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Today I planted a thornless Apache blackberry, an Amity raspberry, and 10 Allstar strawberry plants. I bought all of them as bareroot plants at Wal-Mart. Hopefully they will all grow but some of the strawberry plants looked pretty sad.


I thought the snow and cold snap the day after planting killed all of these but today I saw tiny leaves on two strawberry plants and one of the berry bushes.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

DreamWeaver said:


> We grow lots of fruits and veggies at our house here in Southern California, including various bananas, navel and mandarin oranges, apples, peaches, blueberries, peppers, goji berries, guava, passion fruit, cinnamon, artichokes, swiss chard, taro, tea, and coffee beans. We harvested the first ripe tomatoes of the season yesterday.


Congratulations, DreamWeaver. You have lot of fruits that I like. You or anyone knows, if I can grow guava in N. California.I live near Livermore in Bay area. I really like guava and I think it stays green all the year around. What variety of guava do you grow? Pine apple guava is the only one that Nursery thinks we can grow. But i am not fan of that variety. Thanks.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Over the course of yesterday and today, DH has pulled up about 50 feet of paved path, dug trenches, and laid pipe to add five additional water spigots to my garden. Now four raised beds and the hen pen have their own water faucets.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Today I saw some beautiful cherry tomato plants at our local Ace Hardware, one red and one black. DH and I had gone there to buy some needed items and to use a coupon ($5 off a $25 purchase). The other items totaled just under $19 and two plants ($2.99 each) brought the total to within 45 cents of $25. We added a 50 cent piece of salted caramel. By my calculations, the tomato plants cost me 50 cents each. 

I will be planting them tomorrow.


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## kdawna (Feb 16, 2009)

That is an adorable picture of Professors little boy playing in the dirt! I hope he doesn't "help" you too much and undo your planting!


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Hehehe we will be keeping a close eye on him. I am worried about the dogs. Last year they ate tomatoes, brocolli, radish, cucumbers, and some other stuff.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I could cry every spring when I go to Home Depot to pick up the veggies I can grow. I so long for a garden, a house.  

I did order 2 more Earthboxes making my total 6 now. Only 4 are usable though as the other 2 have one rosemary tree each in.  

I am hoping our crappy old balconies don't collapse with all the weight.  . I am going to have 3 boxes with a variety of peppers from bell to hot. And the other one will by for herbs. 

I can't grow tomatoes as they are messy being upstairs. I can't grow squash as they take over the balcony, yep, tried that one year.  

So I am waiting for my new Earthboxes and the cold front to be over. My plants are happily sitting in the bedroom. I found some purple colored basil that will look pretty as a bush. 

Planting is a tad messy on a balcony.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Can anybody he help with this stupid question I have? How do you get the lady bugs in your plants to take care of aphids? Or these come by itself if there are aphids....Thanks.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Gardners Supply sell some nice balcony boxes that have water reservoirs so you don't have to worry about watering as much. Some are for things like carrots and onions. They also have bags specially made for growing potatoes, peppers, and carrots. We are looking att rying potatoes and carrot bags next year.

We order preying manti and lady bugs every year so we can put them in our garden.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Thump: something took my red cherry tomato plant, roots and all. 

Bump: The asparagus plants in both beds are sprouting!


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

MamaProfCrash said:


> We order preying manti and lady bugs every year so we can put them in our garden.


Thanks MamaProf.. I will check with local nurseries...


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Annalog: if this is the first year for asparagus let them grow and don't pick any.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

MamaProfCrash said:


> Annalog: if this is the first year for asparagus let them grow and don't pick any.


I think that this is year four. I was away from home during prime picking season so some of the spears are very thick.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Gotcha. We are in year two for asparagus and year one for strawberries, raspberries, marion berries, and tayberries. Lots of growing but no harvesting. Next year is going o rok.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Progress on the digging of the foundation for a greenhouse and adjoining raised beds. 5' x 7' x 20" complete out of 12' x 17' area. The depth will vary from 20" to 16". I have the "top soil" (rocks and dirt) cleared from the 10' x 15' area inside the boundary blocks. Now I am digging out the underlying clay layer and part of the more sandy layer beneath that. This part is easy digging as there are few rocks.  When that is done I will put down 1/2 inch wire mesh to keep out gophers and put the block foundation over that. The greenhouse itself will be about 5.5' x 16.5'.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Dozens of small apples on my two apple trees! This should be my first real harvest year. There were three apples last year that we harvested too late and gave to the chickens.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Cool. I want to find fruit trees that will thrive in my area.

We have been eating home grown lettuce and spinach for a few weeks now.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

Even though we are planning on moving and putting the house up for sale later this summer, we did plant some plants.  Mostly tomatoes, sweet banana peppers and cukes.  We wanted something simple that is also something we will eat.  It does give our backyard and nice look and will hopefully bring in some interested parties


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## CatherineM (Jan 9, 2013)

We have an accidental strawberry.  Right by the well.  Musta been birdshit cuz we can't figure out how ELSE is got there, LOL.



I'm watering it and it's doing swell.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Ohhhh runners from it could mean many accidental strawberries. Our strawberries, marion brry, and tae berry finally arrived and are planted. We have been eating lettuce from the garden for over a month. There is a beaver dam pepper growing, flowers on the tomato plants, and the cucumber is starting up the a frame. Ohhh fresh produce we love you.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

I have a plum tree which is supposed to be juicy sweet variety. But the plums are hard and not so sweet. I wonder if I got the wrong variety or something to do with watering, fertilizer etc. There are lot of small ants on this plant too. Appreciate any info. Thanks.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

DH bought a book a few days ago on greenhouses and other garden projects. I had looked through it and saw some good ideas. Then yesterday DH pointed out one photo and suggested that we build a storage shed between the two greenhouse kits with the doors opening to the shed instead of to the outside. Great idea and I am glad we got sidetracked last year and never put up the kits. Today we decided to add the extra 8 feet to the west. This will change the area to dig to be 12' x 25' instead of 12' x 17'. We are both much happier with the new plan even though it is more work.

Edited to add: While outside yesterday, looking at the tree to the west of the planned greenhouse, we decided to move everything at least six feet north as well. More dirt and a large pile of rocks to move. More calories to burn. 

ETA: Adding outside raised beds to the ends so now the area to dig is 12'x30'. However it won't be as deep on the west end as the original foundation. Some of the existing hole will need to be filled in but that will be after I am nearly finished with digging.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

I started watering the asparagus earlier this week. It has been so warm that I will be planting my vegetable garden soon.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I live in N. California. It's pleasure to see apricot, plum, almonds with beautiful flowers. My lemon and orange should be flowering too. But these citrus plants have not given me almost any fruit. The reason is the wind. In April, it gets quite windy and most of the flowers do get fertilized but are too weak to resist wind. 

Any suggestions to save these tiny citrus fruits from the wind will be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Happy gardening you all.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

DrDLN, any possibility of adding a wind break for next year?

I was once again delayed in planting my vegetable garden. After reroofing and repainting our house, we will be doing the same to the chicken coop with the leftover materials. I decided to move and change the raised bed next to the coop. Now it is 3'x10' instead of 4'x10' and four inches farther east so that I can get between it and the coop. While I was moving the blocks and soil, the chickens reminded me why I always wear gloves when digging. One hen pounced on a centipede that I had not seen and then two other hens tried to get it so that they could eat it instead. Fortunately, there were enough bugs for all of the chickens.  

We thought of another way to build trellis support into the raised beds and will be testing it on this bed. DH needs to cut four cement blocks for the corners to match the bond beam blocks in the lower row of blocks in the raised bed planter before I can finish filling it and plant luffa and other seeds.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

The never ending winter delayed the planting of radishes and the like but we are under wa now. We have spring onions, regular opnions, shallots, potatoes, carrots, garlic, lettuce and spinach in the ground. The strawberries, raspberries and marion barries are all budding. We planted blueberry bushes but don't expect anything from them this year. I am  waiting for the asparagus spears to break through sometime soon. We are in our third year of the regular asparagus so we are looking forward to many harvestings from those. The purple asparagus is in its second year so we might leave it untouched again this year or pick it for a few weeks and then let it go.

Peppers and tomatoes and other stuff is started in the basement and has been re-potted once. The squash and zucchini seeds are ready to be planted when the time comes. And best of all, the almost 2 year old has been helping with the planting. By helping I mean he is moving dirt from a bucket to pots to a bag/ground/bed/deck someplace that we don't necessarily want it but who cares because he is almost 2 and enjoying being outside with Mom and Dad and helping. 

I love this time of year.


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## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

Annalog said:


> DrDLN, any possibility of adding a wind break for next year?


Good to see this. Same problem. What is wind break Sorry, to be ignorant.

I have another problem for which I will appreciate any help. How do I protect my fruits from birds? A friend of mine suggested covering with net. Anyone with experience using net or some other method to protect from birds. Thanks in advance.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*Sandy Harper* said:


> Good to see this. Same problem. What is wind break Sorry, to be ignorant.
> 
> I have another problem for which I will appreciate any help. How do I protect my fruits from birds? A friend of mine suggested covering with net. Anyone with experience using net or some other method to protect from birds. Thanks in advance.


Hi Sandy, I should have written "windbreak" as one word. A windbreak is something that shelters an area from the wind by creating a barrier that either forces the wind around or above the area or reduces the force of the wind. For large areas this is often a planting of trees but there are smaller ones that can be made from fencing or other structures. From Wikipedia:


> Fences called "windbreaks" are also used. Normally made from cotton, nylon, canvas, and recycled sails, windbreaks tend to have three or more panels held in place with poles that slide into pockets sewn into the panel. The poles are then hammered into the ground and a windbreak is formed. Windbreaks or "wind fences" are used to reduce wind speeds over erodible areas such as open fields, industrial stockpiles, and dusty industrial operations. As erosion is proportional to wind speed cubed a reduction of wind speed of 1/2 (for example) will reduce erosion by over 80%.


While the description above mentions fencing that only lets a little wind through, lattice or more open materials can also be used that lets through more wind but breaks it up so that the force is not as strong. My neighbor put 4'x8' vinyl lattice panels supported horizontally a few feet above the ground between two end supports between trees to provide a combination privacy and windbreak along one edge of the property. If the wind is coming over a fence or wall and hitting the fruit trees, then it is possible that adding lattice above the fence could break the force of the wind enough to protect the flowers on the trees.

I have not yet used netting to protect my two apple trees from the birds as last year was the first year that the trees had more than a couple small apples. I might try netting this year. I have tried netting in the past in my vegetable garden but will never again use netting near the ground as some snakes and lizards got caught in the netting and died. If I use netting again I will make sure that it is suspended in a way that no animals should be able to get caught in the netting.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We use netting to try and keep our dogs out. It didn't work. The dogs still got in and ate tomatoes and we had a problem that birds got in and the dogs almost caught the birds that got trapped.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> ...
> We thought of another way to build trellis support into the raised beds and will be testing it on this bed. DH needs to cut four cement blocks for the corners to match the bond beam blocks in the lower row of blocks in the raised bed planter before I can finish filling it and plant luffa and other seeds.


DH cut the four cement blocks today and I built the plant supports. We partly filled the bed and will finish another day.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Our local library recently started a lending seed library.  We can check out three packets (3-5 seeds/packet) every 6 months and are supposed to return saved seeds from what we planted along with a report on how the seeds we planted grew and produced. I checked out two varieties of pepper (paprika and a small hot pepper) and a sunflower (Hopi black dye). Fortunately, , I was again delayed in planting my vegetable garden so I have room for these. Yesterday I finished prepping my main 4x8 garden bed by adding 6 small wheelbarrow loads of composted coop litter. The chickens once again helped by finding and eating several grubs.  After they finished, I covered the bed to keep the chickens out. l also finished prepping the new raised bed and put the plastic fencing back around it so that the chickens will not be able to get into it. It had been a favorite dust bathing location but they still have the rest of the garden for dust bathing until we finish the NW corner bed. Then I should be able to reclaim three more beds that are currently buried.


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## sstroble (Dec 16, 2013)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Since we have a thread "Raising Checkens and Poultry", I wonder why we don't have any thread for "Raising Vegetables and fruits."
> 
> We know that more and more people are turning to veges and fruits as a healthy food.
> 
> ...


We have 5 fruit trees in CA soil like yours. The desert like climate in the summer and the damp, rainy, foggy winters are a challenge to keeping them healthy, especially with the current drought leading to water rationing...


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Annalog said:


> I have not yet used netting to protect my two apple trees from the birds as last year was the first year that the trees had more than a couple small apples. I might try netting this year. I have tried netting in the past in my vegetable garden but will never again use netting near the ground as some snakes and lizards got caught in the netting and died. If I use netting again I will make sure that it is suspended in a way that no animals should be able to get caught in the netting.


Great info Annalog. Thanks. How about throwing the net over the tree when fruits are ready to attract birds! I saw one of my friends using for her plants to save from dog...


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Planted garlic cloves under my apple trees today. Apparently it is the best time here to plant garlic as the cool weather before winter should help more cloves develop. Also cut down the brown asparagus fronds instead of waiting for spring. Added two wheelbarrow loads of composted coop litter to the apple trees, a wheelbarrow load to each asparagus bed, and half a load to an experimental planting of oats under a cold frame. The oats were packaged for the 2002 season so it will be surprising if any grow. These are intended as a cover crop.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> ... an experimental planting of oats under a cold frame. The oats were packaged for the 2002 season so it will be surprising if any grow. These are intended as a cover crop.


After a week and a half I had given up on the oats. Then on the last day of December, we saw lots of green in the cold frame. Most of the oat plants are about 4 inches tall. I will try to remember to water them the next warm morning that the outside pipes are not frozen.


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## drchimrichalds (Oct 6, 2014)

I would love a small veggie garden! I have the space and the perfect spot in my yard, but I dont think I have the time. How much time per week does everyone put into their patch to keep it going?


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## Melody Simmons (Jul 8, 2012)

drchimrichalds said:


> I would love a small veggie garden! I have the space and the perfect spot in my yard, but I dont think I have the time. How much time per week does everyone put into their patch to keep it going?


You can grow stuff anywhere - even in pots. But let me tell you this - soil can make a big difference. The soil must be really good. We like chicken poop fertilisers - those work really well, also cowdung (all organic and stuff) - we've always grown vegetables and especially green herbs and leaves wherever we lived, it is just how I grew up...so right now I have basil, mint leaves, oregano, lettuce and even watermelons and a bunch of other things in my garden. You must be pretty dedicated though - you will need to do regular watering and weeding. We do it as exercise and to get fresh air....but it is a lifestyle really (we do not have other types of social distractions to keep us busy so the garden gets all our love and attention).


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

drchimrichalds said:


> I would love a small veggie garden! I have the space and the perfect spot in my yard, but I dont think I have the time. How much time per week does everyone put into their patch to keep it going?


A lot depends on your soil and if you have to deal with pests. I am certain that I have spent more time setting up my current garden beds to keep out gophers and other critters than anything else. When I lived in Tucson, we didn't have gophers because the ground was so hard due to caliche (underground concrete-like limestone).

After prep and planting, I probably averaged about 15 minutes a day taking care of the garden. I spend more time with the chickens.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> After a week and a half I had given up on the oats. Then on the last day of December, we saw lots of green in the cold frame. Most of the oat plants are about 4 inches tall. I will try to remember to water them the next warm morning that the outside pipes are not frozen.


Planted more oats in another 4'x8' garden bed and moved the cold frame to that bed. The chickens are enjoying eating the foot tall oats planted last December 10th. Not bad for seeds over 12 years old.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I grow my stuff in Earthboxes. My reason is because I have to grow on balconies, 2nd and 3rd floor. I don't have a garden. 
http://earthbox.com/
I use the regular sized ones to grow peppers, bunch of the, I have rosemary trees in some of the others and I have a couple of smaller ones to grow salads and spinach. I can only do the salad in winter as its just too hot here in summer to do that in South Texas.

We have a huge crop every year and one year I grew squash, in previous years I grew tomatoes. I gave up the tomatoes because I am upstairs it was a bit of a mess when they fell off. . Didn't want to annoy my downstairs neighbors.

Even I ever hopefully live in a house with a garden, I will still use my earthboxes. Will be easier on the ground anyway. You only set them up at the start of the season with the soil, fertilizer strip and dolomite if needed and then all you do is put water in. That is it

I have 6 big ones and 2 smaller ones. 4 of the big ones I have had since 11 years or so. They last. 
You should see my huge parsley I have in one. My salad is out of control, I can't eat that much. 

I just started all my pepper seeds indoors in Jiffy peet and those go into the 3 boxes in spring. I'll have 18 different peppers going in them. We love peppers.

I dream of having a house and a garden and lining up my earthboxes in a neat row. Kind of instead of a raised bed. I would still have some of those too I am sure if I ever have a garden.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

My salad










and 2 of the currently empty larger Boxes. I haven't cleaned up yet, just pulled the dead roots out. Those are on the staircase


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Love the Earthboxes, Atunah.

The hole for the expanded greenhouse project is over 80% dug. The hole will be 12'x27'x3' for the foundation containing the underground part of the subterranean heating/cooling system. Both DH and I are getting excited about putting in the foundation and filling the hole back up.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a question, if anyone can help with it please.  The lemon plants have black stuff on the leaves and even some of it on lemons. After for over a year, it seems to be disappearing.  First I thought it was some kind of fungus but could it be just pollution...  Fungus should continue to grow. BTW, nothing is used to treat it. All came by itself and is going by itself.  Thanks in advance...


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

DrDLN, I don't have any suggestions other than to take a few of the leaves showing the changes to a local nursery that carries citrus trees.

DH discovered yesterday, while laying out the blocks for the foundation, that the hole needs to be 2 feet longer. This means that we are no longer 90% done digging but 80% done. The pile of sandy soil on the east end will need to be moved. The chickens will have sand in their pens sooner than expected. 🐓🐔🐤🐣


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Annalog said:


> DrDLN, I don't have any suggestions other than to take a few of the leaves showing the changes to a local nursery that carries citrus trees.


Thanks Annalog. That's a good idea. Looks like it is not common problem with citrus because we have quite a few smart people like you who know a lot about gardening....


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Thanks Annalog. That's a good idea. Looks like it is not common problem with citrus because we have quite a few smart people like you who know a lot about gardening....


I haven't ever grown citrus so I don't know if it is a common problem or not. However, I do know that local nurseries tend to have more knowledgeable people.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Planted garlic cloves under my apple trees today. Apparently it is the best time here to plant garlic as the cool weather before winter should help more cloves develop. Also cut down the brown asparagus fronds instead of waiting for spring. Added two wheelbarrow loads of composted coop litter to the apple trees, a wheelbarrow load to each asparagus bed, and half a load to an experimental planting of oats under a cold frame. The oats were packaged for the 2002 season so it will be surprising if any grow. These are intended as a cover crop.


Saturday I noticed that the garlic leaves were about 6 inches tall and looking great. However, as of Monday, the good news is that none of my chickens are vampires! The bad news is that the garlic I planted in the Fall under the apple trees has been eaten down to the ground and partly dug up. &#127793;&#128020;&#128019;  I have now covered the space around and between the two trees with lattice. I hope that the remaining bulbs resprout. &#127793;&#127793;&#127793;

I have a second bed of oats that I planted just for the chickens but it isn't ready yet.

The asparagus has started sprouting so I need to start watering that and surround it with fencing until the harvest is done and it is tall enough to fend off the chickens.

Apparently my chickens prefer garlic over asparagus as the asparagus is much closer and not yet eaten.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Something is destroying leaves and even flowers of my citrus plants. Anyone knows what could it be? Ants, aphids.... Will vinegar spray help. I don't want to use any chemicals. I will appreciate your help. Thanks.


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

We are harvesting lettuce like mad people. The cauliflower is starting to come in. Our spring onions are great. Everything else is planted and growing nicely. I need to look for strawberries since we saw them starting to grow last weekend.

I did see a large rodent in the yard. It was not a rat and looked like a beaver but we don't have beavers in our area so we are guessing muskrat. Calling to pest control people. Something dug through the raised bed with the asparagus the past few years and killed all the asparagus so we are starting from scratch there.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

MamaProfCrash said:


> I did see a large rodent in the yard. It was not a rat and looked like a beaver but we don't have beavers in our area so we are guessing muskrat. Calling to pest control people. Something dug through the raised bed with the asparagus the past few years and killed all the asparagus so we are starting from scratch there.


What does the pest control people do with the rodent?? Just curious. You seem to have a great garden....


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## MamaProfCrash (Dec 16, 2008)

Pest control can remove the giant rodent from our yard. Last year we had a rat that created a hole in our raised bed that killed the asparagus and rhubarb. The giant creature in the yard this year ate a bunch of the broccoli. The last thing I want is for the dogs to go after a rodent who is almost as big as our 45 pound beagle mix and for one of them to get hurt. I have no problem with catch and release when it comes to something that big. We live in suburbia, not a rural area. I am fine with removing rodents from my house and property if need be. When they start destroying stuff and might be a threat to my pets, I will try and remove them.

It seems to have gone away so we did not call any one. We don't do anything to try and deter squirrels and birds and the like from munching on things. They don't really do that much harm. But things that are harmful are fair game.


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