Gardening

[Earthy]

Is anyone planting a garden this year? We do every year here and we love it!

This year we are growing tomatoes, peppers, onion, strawberries, sugar snap peas (YUM!), radishes, carrots and maybe corn. I use the squarefoot garden my dh made for me after I read the book on Square Foot Gardeing, by Mel Bartholomew. Last year I tried lettuce, but the bunnies ate it.

[missinseattle]

I would LOVE to plant a garden and we have plenty of room- an acre backyard. Problem is we have 3 large dogs who have free run of the backyard so it would be impossible to plant a garden. If I had raingutters on the side of the house I would plant a few things there but we do not and landlord doesn't see the need.
I did plant a bunch of flowers in our front flower bed though. And I have a planter with a few herbs- oregano, thyme, basil, and chives.

[angan8]

My mother keeps reminding me to put in a garden because of the drought in Australia .We are heading into winter but our winters are mild and we can grow well in them .
July is our coldest month and I have had green beans germinate then.

[Earthy]

http://www.homeschoolspot.com/showthread.php?t=5384&highlight=gardening

I don't know if this link will come up but it is on these forums. It is Square Foot Gardening. I do the same thing! Last year was my first year and it worked wonderful!

[Frugalcountrymom]

We are trying I did get up some radishes, carrots and strawberrys but the main garden has been put on hold cause of the bad weather we keep having here in Texas in our area on the weekends. We have been busy trying to just repair stuff.

The night before we had over 80'mile winds and the weekend before that tornado sightings. Looks like a fall gardeing for us :(

Sam

[Ava Rose]

I love to garden. I am somewhat new to it as I have only done it for four seasons. My last two I didn't do well...wasn't out there everyday weeding...and part of the garden that was neglected was covered in weeds. However...that was the part that we didn't use...it was set up for strawberries but critters ate them. That didn't matter as my dh acts like he will not allow me to have one this year. He just doesn't understand that it was difficult having a newborn and a garden at the same time. Maybe for some it wouldn't be hard...but for me it was a bit much.

I want to try that square foot gardening if my dh ever lets me have a garden again. We kinda did that for the strawberry patch (that never came to be...lol) but we didn't enclose the entire garden. It is not a big garden. I live in the city.

[ABall]

we have 4 tomato plants I have a corner of wild flowers and a few rose bushes in the back some plants in the front along with a lemon and a lime tree.

[KrisRV]

wow, I would love a garden Nellie, think I will come and help you with yours. RV traveling no room for garden.

[Ava Rose]

wow, I would love a garden Nellie, think I will come and help you with yours. RV traveling no room for garden.

C'mon Kris...couldn't you put it on the roof?? Lots of sun! lol. I think RV traveling is way cooler than a garden anyway.

[KrisRV]

Ava Rose never thought of that will have to run that by dh when he gets home in the morning. I don't know what he think of it, but I know the girls will love it.

[Earthy]

Kris TX, I would love some help. Actually my first Square foot garden went so well that I want to make another one! If I can figure out how to put a photo of it on here I will:)

[Earthy]

Ranchermom- Yes I saw your cool photo on the old link I posted. That was neat. Too bad about the weather there hope you get some kind of a garden a little later.

[KrisRV]

wow Nellie that is neat would love to see the pictures if you get them up. I hope you do.

[P.H.]

I'd like to see them, also, Nellie. And, Kris, I have friends who do "container gardening" in bug buckets. You can get free plastic buckets from the bakery department at many grocery stores. Ask for the buckets that frosting for cakes comes in. Wash them up, punch small holes for drainage, and you're ready to add soil and plants. Then, whenever you move, you can simply pick them up and move them with you. Of course, I do think Ava Rose's idea of the roof-top garden sounds more romantic! Give that a try first!

[Earthy]

I asked in the questions to see if anyone could tell me how to post photos.

I have done a container garden when we lived in apartments. It worked great.

[Ava Rose]

I asked in the questions to see if anyone could tell me how to post photos.

I have done a container garden when we lived in apartments. It worked great.

Did you get an anwers on how to post your photos? It is really easy! When you reply to a thread don't do the quick reply go advanced. Then look scroll down the screen until you see a button that says, "manage attachments". It is under the heading of Additonal options. After you click on manage attachments, click on browse or if you have a url link just type that in where you see the button for that. Anyway...once you hit browse it will bring up the pictures and stuff on your computer. You will then have to find the pictures you are looking for. Once you find the picture hit open on the little pop up screen where you see your photos. Then hit upload which is next to the browse button.

Here is the tricky part...your photos have to be the right size. So if it doesn't upload you will have to resize your pictures. To do that...you have to go to your picture software and edit it. JenniferErix is a wiz at this...you may want to PM her if you have questions on resizing. I know she said she will even do it for people if necessary. This is very nice of her. However, I am one to have to know how to do it myself...LOL.

[Earthy]

I know my photos are too large for uploading. I tried it just to see and they are. I will see what I can do.

[Earthy]

http://www.frugalgardening.com/

Neat frugal ideas for gardening.

BTW bunnies or chipmunks are eating my pea plants!! I am so upset, last year they didn't!

[Emma's#1fan]

We have struggled with squirrels for many years. A few years ago they wiped out our fruit and nut trees. It was devastating because of the time you have to spend with the trees, bug control, and the water bill is a killer in the hot seasons.
I have my pinto bean and lima bean plants growing in small pots near the house. They have shallow roots and can dry out easily so by having them near the house, Ems can just walk out the back door and give them a daily drink. We were purchading dry beans for the longest time. Then I realized how many beans I can grow and store for the price of a bag.
Patty

[Earthy]

I just went out to put up a cage around one of the plants and I noticed that my strawberries have bites out of them!!! What's going on! Is that rabbits too? I guess I didn't think they would eat my pea plants and strawberries.

[Ohio Mom]

Nellie, birds will eat your strawberries, my parents always put a netting over them. They had beautiful strawberries.

[Earthy]

OhioGrandma- Thanks for the idea!

[AmyU]

I was told to sprinkle cayenne pepper around your garden and it will keep the bunnies out. We have done it and so far so good. We have planted onions, beans, cucumbers sunflowers and lettuce (for our pet bunnies). We need to get some peper plants. We have tried pumpkins too but nothing is coming up.:(

[Earthy]

http://kitchengardeners.org/

:)

[Earthy]

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1134151&item_no=926541

Check out this Grow a Flower Game.

Pretty cute.

[Earthy]

http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/1,7518,s1-2-7-8,00.html

http://www.nwf.org/backyard/
Backyard Wildlife Habitat

[Earthy]

maybe play this??

[Earthy]

http://www.backyardnature.net/

This is a cute site too.

[Earthy]

How is everyone's garden doing so far?

I just finished picking two bags full of green beans!!! I am so excited! I am going to try to freeze some, I hope I can do that with them.

We had a lot of Sweet Peas too...but we at them as fast as we picked them off the vine. :roll:

My tomatoes are doing ok, I picked a few to make fried green tomatoes.

Everything else is growing though not ready to pick.

Love diggin' in dirt:D

[momothem]

My dh is getting a ton of yellow squash
and the herbs are doing well.

[Emma's#1fan]

I love digging in the ground too, Nellie! The ground is our sustenance to life. We couldn't live without it.:)

My garden is growing beautifully. However, I lost some pinto and Bush beans because of the heat wave we had. I watered them three times a day. But the roots are shallow so I couldn't keep up with them. So I replanted some seeds and they are starting to grow. Yesterday I notice thick sprouts peaking through the soil. Yay!!!!
My flower garden is undergoing a radical change. Gophers ate the roots off of four Euonymus. Sadly, they are past the point of no return so I pulled them. My house looks bare without them but I have new plans.:D
So far our fruit trees are thriving! All the almond trees still have almonds so I am assuming our attack on the squirrels has been beneficial. Our peaches are looking good and the birds indulged in our cherries.:(
The apples and pears are still growing and look great. I am looking forward to a high yeild this year.
Patty

[Ohio Mom]

I started my first gardent today - I had always had one with my mom, but this is a first for me. I know, kinda late for Ohio, but I couldn't resist. My chiropractor gave me a tomato plant, it's about 3 feet hight, and has 2 small tomatoes on it. It's in a bucket in my back yard. Fresh tomatoes sometime this year.

[Earthy]

That's awesome! Fresh tomatoes are yummy:)

[AmyU]

Our garden was doing great. We got a big storm yesterday, most of my neighbors had 2 to 3 feet of water in their yards and basement. We were saved from that. The only thing that got real wet was the garden. Most of the plants were laying flat and one sunflower plant broke off. But It could be worse we could be like our neighbors. Thank God we did not get it like they did. I have been say prayers for them.

Back to the gardern, so far we have gotten 2 big batches of bean, the cucumbers are getting there, soon real soon. The onion plants are big, not sure when to pick them. Our pumpkin and watermelon plants are growing nicely. I have cut the lettuce 3 times, the bunnies love it!! We have gotten a few peppers, my hubby would like more.
Except for the rain yesterday the garden has been fun!!

[Earthy]

That's too bad about your neighbors. I hope they get everything cleaned up ok.

Beans for some reason are growing great here too! I wonder if they just don't need as much water as everything else. I was going to put my pumpkin seeds in now...I wonder if it's too late?

Glad your garden is going well for you!

[AmyU]

We have 2 pumpkin plants we planted them about a month a go. A friend of ours who grows gaint pumpkins told us if we just wanted average size pumpkins that we would be ok. They are growing well. No flowers yet. Our friend has little pumpkin but he will pick them because they will ready to soon. He enters a couple contest for largest pumpkins every Oct. My son has had the pleasure of going with him to weigh in. He has been the winner for several years at our local pumpkin feast.
Our seeds are from him, but our will probly not grow as big as his.

Our cucumbers are ready now. I picked 6 on Friday and 2 more today. I also got another batch of beens. I can see the onion popping up so I know some of them will be ready soon. I need to take pictures for our memory book!

[Earthy]

I am putting my pumpkin seeds in today. I hope we get something.

We have SO many beans!!!!