Gardening

[momskeeztoo]

Still nothing really growing. We planted carrot, beets, spinach. Anyone else getting started? our new composter my husband made. Mostly from stuff around the house. Just had t buy barrel $10. They're not easy to find!

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Looks like frost Saturday morning.

[momskeeztoo]

We don't have anything out that can't stand a little frost. All cool weather stuff. Hopefully it sprouts before we leave for Az.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

We don't have anything out that can't stand a little frost. All cool weather stuff. Hopefully it sprouts before we leave for Az.

When do you leave for AZ??? Do you have somebody to water your garden while you're away??

 

My friend has one of those community plots and she grows heirloom tomatoes and she always hooks me up. They're really good. I like the yellow and purple ones the best.

[momskeeztoo]

Leave Tuesday 😎 I think garden will be okay. Neighbors are pet sitting. Can't really ask them to do too much.

[tarponhead]

Still nothing really growing. We planted carrot, beets, spinach. Anyone else getting started?!

Not yet but I just concentrate on tomatoes and peppers.

 

For composting I just leave s little bucket on the kitchen counter and throw in the egg shells, spent coffee grinds, veggie ends etc and dump them out periodically (3x week) on the garden. I already turned the soil over, will do again soon.

 

Mbike is a level 3 Gardner (grows grapes) and Shadows posted pics of a good reclamation effort to grow veggies

Edited April 22, 2016 by tarponhead

[Shadows]

My "reclamation" couldnt even grow shade modified grass with fertilized seeds.

The aloe i had in a pot died too.

 

Im just puttin a hammock here.

[enjoralas]

Just getting out into my patch for the first time today. Lots of work to do since I didn't touch it after the first frost last year.

 

Before pic:

 

[momskeeztoo]

Nice. All raised beds

[enjoralas]

Nice. All raised beds

Mostly, all the area uphill of that arbor is free form, but I usually just throw watermelon and squash up there and give them the run of the area. Probably add a few beds up there this year though.

 

It started out as all rows, no beds. Then I did beds down the right, and tried these fabric grow tubes on the left, but the week's got inside them and it was awful. I had to go to all beds just to be able to keep up with it.

 

Can't see in the pic but there's a drip watering system on the whole thing too. That was the best thing I've done yet

[Ride Delaware ?]

I only participate in fruit gardening at this time. I've had blueberry bushes for 5/6 years at this point. I currently have 14 plants and I separated an errant sucker from another plant, which would make 15. I would estimate 8-9 fruiting plants this year. I have 13 of them in a fenced in area to protect from deer, and I will add a net later in the season when they begin to fruit.

 

I also have 2 peach trees and 2 plum trees in their 3rd years, but they are in a different plot without ready access to water, so they have struggled.

[momskeeztoo]

Do you get any blueberries? Someone told me would take several years before you would actually get berries. We have 1 raspberry bush, usually birds get all the berries! We need to make a separate place for berry bushes. We also have to restart a strawberry patch. A lot more room in our yard, now that it's not taken up with trampolines, bike jumps, summer ski set ups, etc.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

RideDE is in a different climate. Much longer growing season.

[momskeeztoo]

There are a lot of wild blueberries up in the Poconos. Berries get ripe, they are small, but delicious.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Do peach trees grow in the Lehigh valley??

[toast21602]

Yes

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Why is this in general chat??? Shouldn't this be in the lounge??

[enjoralas]

Probably there or the Summer --> Land forum.

I've been wanting to plant a fruit tree or two, but haven't gotten to it. I tried blueberries but my soil wasn't acidic enough and I lost them. I put a half dozen strawberry plants in their place, and they grow well but only produce very small berries. At least my 2 year old enjoys what the birds don't

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

We used to have flowers in four flower pots at work but was a pain watering them everyday and eventually bugs would destroy them so now we have fake flowers.

[JFskiDan]

My roommates in college did some "gardening".  at least thats what they called it.  

[Shadows]

I didnt know theres companies that exist solely because if corporate offices.

Corporate flower tenders or whatever. They drive around and tend plants at offices

[momskeeztoo]

Yeah, I thought about that after I already started Should prolly be "On Land" Oh well.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Yeah, I thought about that after I already started Should prolly be "On Land" Oh well.

It's alright momskeeztoo just be more careful next time ;-)

[momskeeztoo]

I didnt know theres companies that exist solely because if corporate offices.

Corporate flower tenders or whatever. They drive around and tend plants at offices

Sounds like a nice job. Doubt it pays much. 

[Ride Delaware ?]

RideDE is in a different climate. Much longer growing season.

I don't think our zones are too much different regardless of growing season.

Do you get any blueberries? Someone told me would take several years before you would actually get berries. We have 1 raspberry bush, usually birds get all the berries! We need to make a separate place for berry bushes. We also have to restart a strawberry patch. A lot more room in our yard, now that it's not taken up with trampolines, bike jumps, summer ski set ups, etc.

On average, you will get berries starting in year two. However, the crop is usually small and it is worth it to pluck the flowers and allow the plant to put the energy into new growth. You will have a decent crop in year three. However, I recently bought plants from Dimeo Farms in NJ, and you can buy 3 year plants for $10 (absolute steal). They come flowering, but once you plant them you'll probably want to pluck the flowers so that the root structure can adapt to its new home. Those will produce well in year 2.

Probably there or the Summer --> Land forum.

I've been wanting to plant a fruit tree or two, but haven't gotten to it. I tried blueberries but my soil wasn't acidic enough and I lost them. I put a half dozen strawberry plants in their place, and they grow well but only produce very small berries. At least my 2 year old enjoys what the birds don't

Unfortunately, blueberries do require a PH from 4.5-5. If the PH is above that, then the roots basically stop sucking up nutrients and starve the plant. We have a fairly neutral sandy ish soil down here, so I am able to remedy that problem by using Holly Tone acidic fertilizer a couple times a year and pine bark mulch to lower the PH enough to help the plant grow. I have also had to treat my water with vinegar to lower the PH immediately. My plants don't thrive, but I get decent growth and they are large enough to produce a decent crop.