General Discussion > Throw Down the Gauntlet

Planting / Growing Your Own - 2017

(1/117) > >>

G-dog:
OK - let's get this party started!

What are you growing this year?
Trying anything new this year?
What did you learn from past years?
Best tips to pass along.
Having problems?

Poundwise:
- tomatoes, peppers, basil, lettuce so far, but I have seeds fore every occasion
- I'm going to try to get some new soil in my garden so I can have a real garden!  Also I'm going to leave one fruit each on the new little apple trees I planted last year...
- I learned that I have to water consistently in the summer!  I thought that shade would keep the soil moist, but it's dry shade and all my shrubs died.
- You don't have to plant all the seeds in the packet and then thin.  Plant just what you need. Or, if your seeds are old, start them in baggies or indoors first, and then set the seedlings out later. Square foot gardening is great!
- Yes, see my post in DIY about contaminated soil!

Rural:

 Here we go! I have tomatoes sprouting outside in raised beds already. These may survive; we're a long way from last frost historically here, but it's been a weird spring, and this raised bed is right against the south side of the house we are set up for passive solar heat gain anyway.


Tomorrow, I'm planting lettuces and spinach in our atrium, which stays even warmer because it's south and enclosed  on three sides.  I probably should have planted there about mid February, but I'll get a cutting or two before they bolt.

Tris Prior:
Posting to follow! My community garden org's seed swap - AKA help yourself to shittons of free seeds! - is tomorrow and I'm bouncing off the walls with excitement. So I figure I'll be starting seeds tomorrow when I come home from that.

Even better news: in a month we're moving to an apartment with full-sun garden space that I will be allowed to plant things in. I need to verify with the landlords that they don't use pesticides on the existing ornamentals that are planted nearby though, before I start sticking stuff in the ground there.

In my community garden bed, assuming everything made it through the winter (we're not allowed in until late April so cannot check), I should have:
-dwarf raspberry
-dwarf blueberry
-3 strawberries
-oregano
-thyme
-chives
-garlic
-chocolate mint, which I attempted to overwinter in a container so it doesn't take over the bed. I have never successfully overwintered anything in a container so we'll see.

I'll be adding lettuce, spinach, chard, onions, dill, basil when it gets warm enough (may just leave that in containers; our spring can be fickle here), sugar snap peas, lots of tomatoes, and peppers. I'm thinking I'll cut down a bit on the tomatoes this year and put more peppers in their place. I did well with the mini pepper varieties last year.

Beyond that, I'll be growing whatever I find at the swap that looks interesting. I kind of want to try something new this year but am not sure what. Maybe some new herbs? I have failed repeatedly, every time, at anything in the squash family so I think I'm done trying.

Eggplant is out this year, I've grown it twice and realized that I just don't like it that much. (Pretty sure I've still got some in my freezer from last summer!) Best to use that space for something I'll eat, since I only have the 1 raised bed and whatever space I'll have in the backyard.

G-dog:
Do many of you use inoculated (Rhizobium sp.) when planting peas? We will try it this year. Along with planting the peas much earlier - tomorrow. We haven't had much luck with peas (or any early spring plant). Thus may be the year!

We've had trouble growing radishes, carrots, beers and the like. We get tops, but the roots don't fill out. My spouse may be pulling them too early, but still there is very poor development.

I've already got some seeds started - three tomato varieties, jalapeņo peppers, beans, one cabbage (planted 3 seed each of 2 varieties - got one seedling), and some marigolds for borders.

We've grown lots of tomatoes and peppers for several years. We need to back off this year to allow some rotation and recovery. Though I doubt my spouse can resist ....

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page