Gardening

[Tak]

Has anyone else started their vegetable gardens? I'm trying beets for the first time this year and would love any tips. I spent forever, the last three years, getting my soil to a nice mixture and making lovely compost. It's all so much easier than I thought. I feel I must be forgetting something.

[Princess Lala]

Maybe not vegetables, spices, or flowers, but  I definetly wanted to buy some new houseplants!!! We were thinking of getting one of these baby Japanese maples for sale nearby that say Happy Mothers Day on it xD You *can* keep Acers indoors as long as they have their dormant period in winter. I would keep it in a giant pot in the window until we get a house! I also kind of want a Cherry Blossom sapling, because of this crazy dream I had earlier! I've got a green thumb for trees!

[Peloria]

My SO's family owns and operates a landscape/garden center and conveniently we live on the grounds. In the very back corner I have a patch of tomatoes, cucumbers, chile peppers and a bush of cilantro. This Midwest weather hasn't been so keen on my random veggies though, hopefully I can get some advice from his Momma' once the sun comes out! ^^

[Lore-Lei]

We'd love to but every time we'd want to start weeding it out, it starts to rain. We're planning to do it this weekend again, hopefully with success.

[Marlin]

Oh, I love my garden

I'm trying beets for the first time too, this year. I'm planting them from seed, so a ways to go to see if have much success with them.  Since we are now in Autumn where I am, I am getting a cooler crop ready - broccoli, leeks, sugar snap peas and the beets are my focus for now.

Just today we emptied out half our compost bins to get the soil all ready for planting (my chickens LOVED helping turn it over, lol!). Homemade compost is just the best, and you're right, Tak, much easier than a lot of people think. I get a heap of satisfaction knowing that all that good stuff is going into the soil and in turn, to the plants.

[kaoskat]

I don't have a vegetable garden......But someday......Someday I will grow a rainbow of potatoes!

[SnorkMaiden]

I haven't got any fruit or veg in my garden because the soil is very hard, and it's difficult to grow anything in it. That said, I do have a little herb garden that's mostly doing okay. Only today, I added oregano and parsley to last year's chives and thyme. I love growing my own herbs because I use them a lot in cooking. Good luck with your vegetable garden!

[Tak]

I plant everything from seed. If you let it, most will grow back the next year without new seeds. We're blessed with a long growing season and a temperate climate. It usually doesn't get too hot. I water on dry days, but it's rare to go a whole month without rain. I have raised beds that were here when we moved in. It seemed a shame to waste them. I usually kill plants, so it's been an adventure. The first year rhubarb, parsley, squash, and potatoes just sprouted all on their own. I had to look up what they were. Luckily my mom's got a green thumb and a degree in ornamental horticulture. She loaned me her books and has helped so much.

SnorkMaiden, fresh herbs are so much nicer, mint, sage, rosemary, and parsley were already well established here when we moved in. I have a dehydrator to save some for the off season.

[melodys_angel]

Its too soon to plant stuff but I was out weeding the other day (still paying for that too..bit off more then I could chew)

We usually do herbs/veg in pots though since the actual garden is a flower garden.  Tomatoes work really well and the strawberries are coming back from last year.

[kakenterprise]

This is my first year starting a garden.  Right now I have it broken up into 8(I think) different herbs.
I tried growing a few in a planter box inside but the ones that grew just looked super sad.. I'm hoping I have better results this time and that the squirrels stop planting peanuts in my garden>_<

[Tak]

There's a product made of Fox dung that you can put on problem areas or around the perimeter of your garden to keep squirrels out. It has blood in it as well so the squirrels avoid it like mad. It's safe for plants and other animals. Sounds a little nasty, but squirrels are a huge problem here. People feed them and we've chased out most of the natural predators. None of my neighborhood cats hunt.

I was told with herbs to give them a contained area the size you want because most are rather prolific. The lemon balm in my yard does smell great when I mow it though. I'm one who refuses to use chemicals and gallons of water to have a lawn. The clover and lemon balm are hardier and just as soft.

[invaderhorizongreen]

I have a few pepper plants to move outside, non veggie wise, I have a few day lilies.

[Tak]

Are they bell peppers? I've heard they are so finicky. The csa my mom buys a share in grows the most amazing ones. Literally, as good as candy.

[melodys_angel]

I tried mini peppers one year..didn't get much of a crop out of them--then again they were in a planter so that couldhave limited stuff.

[ringwraith10]

I'm starting to think about my garden! I haven't prepared the soil or planted anything yet, but I'll probably get on that soon. I did buy a new Peace Lily for indoors, since the one I've had for years and years recently died. It was getting too much sunlight and I had trouble finding a place where it would be happy. I'm hoping to find a spot for the new plant before it gets too unhappy, too...