ok. It's gardening time again. Whats going on in your garden? I've got 2 new beds to fill, so this year they will get the tomatoes, carrots, peppers, lettuce, parsnips, greenbeans, and some herbs. The old bed will get some cabbages, parsnips, corn(sweet) and what else I haven't decided.Thinking of a lope or two. I'm trying the Square Foot gardening system this year foe the two new beds. I want to see how it does.I've been reading the book and it sounds interesting and easy.

I was thinking of doing a Topsy Turvy garden this year.

How do you plan on planting the carrots and green beans? rows? bunches? Carrots do great in raised beds. The tomatoes have a large root system and will take a lot of watering because of the drainage. Maybe a little more fertilizer too just because there'll be so many plants. I tried sf gardening once and didn't produce any more than spreading out less plants but it was a dry year. I'm sure the book covers all that stuff. I never read the book, just saw a show on TV and got a wild hair.



Good luck.

According to the chart in the book,you can plant 12 carrots in eack square foot block, one cabbage, one pepper for each square. Leaf lettuce, parsley,basil, is four to a square. Bush beans are 9 to a square( 4 in apart)( but I think that's alot of plants for a 12x12 square).
Aparently using this method you'll be snipping and harvesting constantly, so they don't take up as much space as a regular row garden.

I dunno. Thats what I'll be trying this year. Have to figure it all out.

i'm playin it safe and doing herbs and jalepenos. hahaha.

Plum tomatoes and eggplant, parsley, basil, rosemary, carrots & beans I think--have to check in a few weeks--the seeds are just sprouting in the kitchen...my jungle is starting..

WVD -- any concerns with using treated wood to contain your raised beds?

I will be planting:

Corn -- probably Silver Queen as it seems to do best for me.

Tomatoes -- Brandywine (heirloom pink), Parks Whoppers, and Celebrity seem to do the best for me. "Early" Girls never seem to be.

Lettuce, green peppers, spinach. Gonna try to move my strawberries, but might have to start over on them. Not sure what else.

List your favorite varieties folks! Which work best for you?

I have no concerns. My first bed was done with treated lumber and I feel no side effects

I think I'm going to try to grow some sweet corn this year. I never have so I don't know which kind I'll buy. In years past, I would always buy German Queen tomatoes because hubby likes how acidic they are. But this year I've started my own seeds and have done Big Boys. I tried Jet Star tomatoes last year and they didn't do well at all. Roma's always do good here for me. Also basil. I get masses of it The bees love it. Sure would like to have some of that honey they made last year but I have no idea who has the hives in the neighborhood.

I know I have to build up the soil in the new beds. That'll take time. I'm starting a compost pile this year. I want one of those barrels but hubby says he can make one for me but we need a black plastic barrel. Even a blue one that we could paint black. But nothing that petrolium products came in. Been keeping an eye out in the local shopper's paper but nothing yet.

My strawberries that I moved after they didn't do so well where they were. After 3 yrs I give up. I look at them as annuals now. The heck with it! :

I've never has luck with strawberries & always wanted to actually have a huge bunch of them... We do the usual - peppers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, squash, cantolope and cucumbers. I've used an old trick from my grandmother & plant marigolds all around the perimeter - it helps keeps the bugs away...

Not sure I will have a garden this year. Had to turn the old area I used into a new side yard for the toys for the new little one. I may try some potted planting that some of you had pictured last year. I thin kit will work well on my front porch as it faces east, and my house seems to block any good sunlight from the backyard most of the day.

WVD, I have some barrels that are plastic and white (30 gallon) that did not have bad sutff in them, that I would be willing to part with, or if you are looking for the 55 gallon drums I just saw on East Wilson Blvd someone selling them with tops already cut off for 6 buck apiece yesterday. Near Corsi's pizza.

Any tips on what works well in potted approach would be great.

I'll let the hubby know about the barrels. thanks! As for the container gardening....you can grow anything with a big enough container. I found that the plants are heavy feeders and need LOTS of watering. Every day in the hot summer time.




You have to look at the cost of the big containers as an investment, because you can reuse them over and over. They can be steep but worth it if you really want to garden. I know of people who have their blueberries growing in containers. They just bring them in for the winter and roll them back out come warm weather.

I just planted some lettuce ,carrots, spinach and parsnips this morning. And transplanted my 8 cabbages that I wintered over in the greenhouse.

STRAWBERRIES - I only buy Artic Strawberries, not very large in size, but the yield is good. We put all of them in hanging pots and hang them off the grape arbor. When fall comes, we bury them in a sand pile, pots and all. We pulled them out of the sand pile last week and they already had new, green leaves starting UNDER THE SAND!

Actually, the berries are for the birds, the kids and an occassional dessert for hubby and me, I harvest the leaves to use for strawberry tea, just the thing for an upset tummy. I haven't had to buy Pepto in years!

Got a question for you folks who actually cook.

I bought a "lime thyme", smells heavenly, but I'm not much of a cook, so I'm not sure what the heck to do with it (except run my hands thru it and enjoy the scent).

I'm thinking maybe a nice rub for chicken, other than that, I'm lost. I do alot of herbal teas, but lime-thyme tea really doesn't sound very appetizing.

Any ideas folks?

whereever a recipe calls for Thyme, use this one.

"Recipe"? You mean open one of those big books with cooking directions in it? :GASP:

Pat, I'm a lousy cook, well not actually LOUSY, I just don't like doing it. Hubby, however is a WONDERFUL cook, AND he likes it, but he can't think of anything except chicken and fish.

Oh well, maybe I'll steep some of it and see what kind of tea it makes.

Or maybe not.

Chicken and fish are fine.

Open the book, Jels, it won't hurt you.

I bet it would be a good ingredient to add in salsa... That's not too hard to mess up!

Tomatoes, peppers, onions and lime thyme! Sounds like a plan, thanks!

And I won't even have to open that evil book.

I think you said you're addicted to starches in another thread so here are some ideas for you taken from some websites:

P.S. If you make your own guacamole, it would be good in there too!

Lime-Thyme Potato Wedges

Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 teaspoon dried thyme 3 large potatoes
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the margarine, lime juice, peel and thyme. Cut each potato into eight wedges; add to lime mixture and toss to coat. Place wedges skin side down on a greased baking sheet. Combine the cheese, salt and paprika; sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until tender.

Lime and Thyme Potato Salad Recipe

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lime peel, finely shredded
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, snipped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In a covered large saucepan, cook potatoes in enough boiling salted water to cover for 10-12 minute or just until tender. Drain.
Meanwhile, for dressing, in a large bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, lime peel, lime juice, thyme, salt and pepper. Add the cooked potatoes; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours.
To serve, if the salad seems too stiff after chilling, stir in a little milk to moisten. If desired, garnish with lime peel and additional fresh thyme.

The potatoe wedges sound great, maybe I can get hubby to make them tonite, uh, I mean, maybe I can make them tonite.

Thanks! I'll let you know how they turn out.

Finally have it all together.......herb garden; 4 different kinds of sage, 2 different kinds of parsley, oregano, 2 different kinds of basil, thyme, and catnip. Veggie garden; tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, watermelons, cantalopes, zuchini, and okra. Out front; marigolds, lavendar, blackeyed susans, and sunflowers. Also pumpkins.

Tomorrow is the frost free date (according to some). I'm late this year, I just tilled the garden for the first time tonight. I'm right now watching the robins scratch around in it and enjoying a cigar and a nice cold beer. Life is good.


I thought last year's was going to be my last garden in Smithsburg but as it turns out I'll get to work this garden for a 19th year. I wish I could take this dirt to Cobb Island, I really don't want to do a raised bed.

It's still a little wet, I'll probably plant next week. Same as every year. I made the garden 3 feet longer so I might try a couple hills of cucumber this year thinking La Nina is going to make it a wet one. Other suggestions are welcome.

Dragon
I am curious to find out what the use for having a raised garden is for? My wife was a farmer but they didn't have them (WAY BACK) Is it for the use of keeping little critters out? That comes to my mind.

That's a good point, I didn't think of that. I was thinking of doing it because the ground is all clay on the island. There's no drainage. The problem I have with it is it's not conducive to using a tiller if you use some kind of a wall. I wouldn't know how to garden without a tiller.

I'm thinking of digging out a garden just 2-3 inches deep, just below the grass' roots and just piling up some good soil and using mulch (maybe grass clippings) to keep the dirt in place after I've got it all worked up and everything planted.

Without the mulch a rain like we had last weekend could be ugly.

Planted my early planting of corn a few weeks ago and only about half came up -- I was hoping for some warmth! Jeez -- only 60's next week, too. Damn this cold, excessively wet weather!

Finally got the garden in tonight. This is late for me.

Tomatoes: One of each... Sweet 100 cherry, Big Boy, Better Boy, Roma, Early Girl (bush), Rutgers, Celebrity, Heirloom Brandywine.

1 zucchini, 1 yellow squash, 2 jalapeños, 3 hills of cucumber (1-pickle, 2 slicing), some cilantro and some dill in the back corner.

I'm waiting one more night to plant the basil. I heard it may get down to 45 tonight.

Basil will be ok. I have 3 different varieties of it on the north side of my house, and it has been quite cold here a few times since I planted it. I haven't lost anything I've planted yet.

A good variety there, Id, no pun intended. I think Rutgers is an heirloom as well. My Dad remembers them from his day so I planted some for him this year.

Celebrity always does well for me, Brandywines did last year as well.

Now if I can keep the d@mn groundhogs at bay…

My mum and dad's stuff.

wow! gorgeous! all of it. I'd like to get some chickens too, but with the cats and the dogs, they may not live long enough to produce and egg.

Ditto what Dragon said! It's beautiful.

I want chickens too! Just a couple. But if the dog didn't kill them, the fox that lives behind us probably would. Plus, my neighbors would probably freak.

Heather, what is the purple flower spilling out of that terra cotta pot? It is stunning. I want one.

What's this flower? I want one! It looks so exotic!!

Were those artichokes I saw growing? And where's the kitty weed Heather?

I think this is one PP was talking about. It looks like a strawberry Jar( thats what the pot is called) and as for the flower I want to say an Lantina, but I think that wrong. Maybe it's some kind Dianthis ( Pinks)

The purple flowers look like lobelia. Gorgeous!!


The one that's pink and purple that Phish likes is Fushia.

And those "artichokes" are what we call "hens and chicks". Can't remember the official name but it's a succulent. Love em!

Heather, your parents property is beautiful!

Yes! This is the one I'm talking about.

I was thinking dianthis too, WV, but I'm just not sure. I'm getting one of those pots and that flower (as soon as we all agree on what it is).

There ya go!

http://www.gardenguides.com/plants/info/fl...als/lobelia.asp

http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfi...t.asp?code=A592

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...m%3D1%26hl%3Den

Thanks!

Looks like you'll need one plant for each hole in the Jar PP. Now I have an idea for next years hanging planters at the gazebo

Yeah. That's what I was thinking WV. It's not too late to plant it now, is it. I thought I might cruise through Lowes this weekend and look for the planter and then find the flowers.

I don't see why you couldn't. Although, it may not be as big as Heather's parents it should still do well and look pretty.
Either Lowes or Home depot may have the pot. They can be expensive tho. especially that big. and either place could have the plants.

Yep. The expense of the pot could end my plans. But, I could always buy a smaller pot and start small.

Thanks for the compliments y'all. I don't know what the names are.

In my zone, dianthis (pinks) can be grown as perennials. Some I keep in the garden and some I keep in pots. I winter the potted ones in the potting shed and pull them out early - before Mother's Day. The ones I keep in-ground are at least 6" and in full bloom, the "wintered" ones are just now starting to bloom - werid, I would have thought it the other way around!

I took some beautiful pix a couple of weeks ago, but I can't figure out how to get the darn things downloaded (why, oh why am I so computer stupid?) The look GREAT on my camera though! Maybe I can get my kid to teach me how to get them off my camera and onto this site, after all, I taught him to walk, he can at least help poor ol' mom get some pix on the stupid computer!

The May Apples are pretty much done blooming, one of my favorite flowers - so delicate, but strong! My Artic Strawberries actually have RED berries already! I think I mentioned before that I winter my Artic Strawberries, in their pots, buried in a sand mound, when I pulled them out in late, late winter, they were already green with a little new growth!

We've almost finished putting in the pond, hubby bought some fish (gold fish and a couple small koi) and frogs moved in and laid eggs a mere 3 days after the water was put in. We've got gazillions of teeny-tiny tadpoles. Bait anyone?

We also put in another herb garden (my fav) and a wildflower garden. Did the old wildflower garden a few years ago, what a pain in the butt! Seeds must have blown everywhere, whole damn side yard was an out-of-control wildflower garden for a couple of weeks - at least until I couldn't take the accompanying weeds anymore and had hubby mow the whole fricken thing down. I was much more careful sowing the seed for the "new" wildflower garden this time, got baby plants popping up everywhere, sure do hope they turn into flowers, I hate to think I tilled and faced that whole area just for a new weed garden!

Short list of herbs would include 3 types of lavender, lime thyme, pineapple sage, stevia, bee-balm (oswego tea), lemon mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena (I like lemon teas!), lime mint, peppermint, common mint, spearmint, nasturtium, chocolate mint (my favorite tea), wintergreen, and of course, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic...all the old stand-bys. My herbs are my connection with Mother Earth, I can't cook worth a tinker's damn, but I can brew a fantastic tea AND cut down on store-bought, chemical-laden medicines just by cruising thru my backyard! Not to mention the heavenly smells that waft thru the air when I walk thru it, or more importantly, when my cats decide to play hide-and-seek in it, spreading and mixing all the scents you can imagine! I think I've posted this before, but it's worth mentioning again - let your herbs grow wild! Allow them to roam over your edging and creep into your yard, that way, when you mow, those heavenly scents are scattered thru the air and makes a most wonderful addition to the scent of fresh-mowed grass, and most herbs don't mind too much if you step on them, some even LIKE it!

My veggie garden sucks. It's almost all in pots because we live in the deep woods, hence, a very limited veggie garden. Peppers (sweet, hot and bell), cucumbers, tomatos (various types). I put my Sweet 100 and Grape tomatoes in pots and sit them on the deck, under the pussy-willows that line the back of my deck. The tomatoes then can climb the pussy-willow and find their own sun. Always looks odd with bunches of grape tomatoes dangling from high up in the pussy-willow tree, visitors always ask, "What kind of tree is that?" with a confused look on their faces! But the kids and hubby enjoy picking them off the tree and eating them as snack food when we're outside (which in the summer, seems to be ALL the time).

Fruit consists of my infamous Artic Strawberry, we DO eat the fruit, but the plants are primarily for medicinal use - strawberry leaf tea is wonderful for an upset tummy, and I harvest them as much as I can thru the warm months to keep back for that very purpose. Fruit trees are miniature peach, ming cherry and plum. Hubby just got a fig-tree on clearance @ Lowes. WTF am I to do with FIGS? We also have grape arbors, blackberry patches, raspberry patches and of course, hundreds of huckelberry bushes growing wild on the property. A little later, I'll get some cantalopes and watermelons in too.

I'm sure I've missed something, I always do...but suffice it to say that if you come to visit me during the warm months, I can prepare you a wonderful meal from stuff you prolly didn't even know you COULD eat. Your very own back yard is just FULL of edible goodies. But please, don't take my word for it, do your own research and KNOW what you're eating. Don't be like hubby and poison youself and kids by "thinking" you know what is what. Wild Mushrooms. Need I say more?

OMG!!!! I just read what I wrote. I'm long-winded, what can I say?

they do have smaller strawberry pots. I've seen them. You could do 2 small ones instead of a big one

Oh man, I am greeeeeeen with envy! You have just described my dream back yard. (well, add a pool and deck and some kiwi vines and oh, yeah, a gardener).

Figs!!! Jels, they are the best fruit out there right off the tree. Nothing like the dried fruit. Really good. Save me some!:)