The Gardening Thread

[Strat]

We have some seriously talented gardeners here, I'd like to see some garden pics and learn from the experienced gardeners here on Avalon. I've been gardening for quite some time myself but I'm more of a casual gardener. I go to the nursery and try this soil or that fertilizer, or the other compost. I garden cause I genuinely have fun doing it, even if I don't see the results I want.

I enjoy plants and their diversity; the smell of a tomato plant, the size of cucumber leaves, the toughness of rosemary, etc. I like getting to know them, which sounds dumb if you don't work with plants. But I can look at plants and tell you how they're doing physically, if they need water, if it's too hot out, etc.

I have a few small areas that need to be cleaned up. I get lazy from time to time until I have the proper motivation. So that's where you folks come in. Show me what you got!

Also I would like help with some of my plants as well as general advice. Composting doesn't seem hard but I need to really iron out a plan. I'm in the suburbs so this comes into play a bit, I can't have a trash pile.

I'm also fascinated with soil aka dirt. What soil do you work with? I'm a mile off the beach, on an island. Much of the soil I work with is literally sand like you find at the beach so I have to buy compost.

So lets see it, what you got? Fruit bearing or not, lets see some pics.

[ulli]

Picture of my garden. No snow nor frost to worry about, as I live in the mountains of tropical Costa Rica.
https://scontent.fsyq1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41648622_10217217928306214_4717559002383253504_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_eui2=AeHzn7hQJmBcX-RPon2bbyFtht-rWhXliaOsAtVw2pLvqm8M10cIeHFzslvrdxVMXdt-LUd7O1mQUVu1ak4jmSclQu52Z3PkHDYeL3RdB_23Qw&_nc_ht=scontent.fsyq1-1.fna&oh=96cfb77cef4f738efcfed0e5246942b2&oe=5D79AD9D

Getting started:
Compost tumbler could be the most practical way to go. Here is a small version. $60
https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-Small-Composter-Capacity-Gardening/dp/B0785GSKJ1?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ipad-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0785GSKJ1

[AriG]

Ah, Strat, you warm the cockles of my heart on this subject.

You need poo. Animal excrement mixed with hay to make the best soil. When people ask me what I farm, my response is “I farm soil”. And that’s the heart of gardening/market farming/ farming.

We utilize no till - the layers of soil develop along with the beneficial nematodes and minerals that not only produce healthy and productive plants, but that also produce produce that truly feeds the body versus the factory farmed junk with zero nutrients and flavor that contribute to overeating and obesity.

All that you require is based in growing nutrient rich soil.

We have goats, sheep and chickens. Chicken manure is hot and must compost longer. Goat and sheep is cool and can be used sooner as long as you are pathogen free.

In the burbs, your best option is poultry- fed organic feed forms pure form of compost

Also bees. Don’t need to be honey bees, just pollinators. Lots of mason bee houses available commercially.

Also try in bed worm towers. A five gallon bucket modified to be buried into raised beds in which you can deposit your kitchen and lawn waste. Worm castings are the best!

Love your post and your positive energy!

[Dennis Leahy]

After a few decades of organic gardening, where I knew that healthy soil was paramount, I finally came across some information about micronutrients in organic food that made me see the microbes in the soil in a new way. The microbes "eat" rocks. The microbes don't just break down the organic components in the soil, they also break down the inorganic mineral compounds in (microscopic) "rocks." When the microbes digest the minerals, they output bio-available mineral compounds that the plants can take up. So, of the 999 reasons to eat organic food, include that your body will get more micronutrients from organic food grown in organic soil. "Conventional" farming (inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides) kills off most soil microbes, so even big beautiful produce from conventional farming will contain significantly less micronutrients (and of course, a bunch of toxins.)

[happyuk]

Excellent topic Strat. I will wade in as soon as I get the chance.

[Bubu]

never bare the soil. microbes feed on plants. fungi feed on bacterias as well as plant matters. they excret enzymes that degrade the dirt/rocks and make the minerals bioavailable for plants. If weeds need to be remove do so gradually by replacing with food plants gradually. clearing the plants or baring the land is equal to annihilating the soil microbione. here is my suggestion http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?99818-Bit-Gardening-a-new-concept-in-dirt-gardening

[Blacklight43]

I feed my garden soil with nutrients like kelp and molasses. Last year I made compost in a 2 cu. ft. flower pot ( it was available)which is now working in one of the raised beds. My gardening is all organic and thriving. I live 1 mile from the beach so we don't get a lot of heat here. I use vinegar, Epsom salt and dish soap for weed control. As for garden pests hand picking of garden snails daily seems to work best. And good bugs to eat bad bugs. I fertilize with fish and poo!

Gardening helps me forget whats going on in the rest of the world...and that can be a good thing at times! Namaste.

[Rosemarie]

Crossing my fingers these will upload. The photos are from the garden surrounding my family home at the beach ( on top of a hill ) taken during our summer when it stops raining. The “ Veraneras” , the pink flowers bloom to their best potential during the dry months ( from June to nov) . The yellow flowers from the Guayacan tree bloom after the first rain.

Edit: ups. The first photo is NOT of the Veranera at its full potential. Will look for another one !

[Rosemarie]

Picture of my garden. No snow nor frost to worry about, as I live in the mountains of tropical Costa Rica.
https://scontent.fsyq1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41648622_10217217928306214_4717559002383253504_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_eui2=AeHzn7hQJmBcX-RPon2bbyFtht-rWhXliaOsAtVw2pLvqm8M10cIeHFzslvrdxVMXdt-LUd7O1mQUVu1ak4jmSclQu52Z3PkHDYeL3RdB_23Qw&_nc_ht=scontent.fsyq1-1.fna&oh=96cfb77cef4f738efcfed0e5246942b2&oe=5D79AD9D

Getting started:
Compost tumbler could be the most practical way to go. Here is a small version. $60
https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-Small-Composter-Capacity-Gardening/dp/B0785GSKJ1?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ipad-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0785GSKJ1

Ulli. Your garden is beautiful. What more can you ask than having a river run through your property/ back garden. So lucky. The sound of the river one of the most soothing noises ever. You know, that is my dream.....a little piece of land with a river near it in Cuenca.

[ulli]

@Rosemarie

Lovely. I notice your garden has the lovely, soft Zoysia grass.
It doesn’t work too well in cold climates, unfortunately, as the cold turns it brown.
I have a small area near the terrace, but wish I could have it all over the property.
It doesn’t need cutting, and keeps the weeds at bay, too.

[Bubu]

gardeners also need to realize that plants behave much like any bio specie. they share/ give nutrients to one another through the soil internet, fungi, parent plants also take care of their youngs, like a breasfeedig mom. plants that grew under the care of parent plant are healthier. therefore grow the youngs beside the parents and dont kill the parents while the youngs are not yet weaned.

I have a garden but no camera. just sharing what Ive learned.

[Pam]

gardeners also need to realize that plants behave much like any bio specie. they share/ give nutrients to one another through the soil internet, fungi, parent plants also take care of their youngs, like a breasfeedig mom. plants that grew under the care of parent plant are healthier. therefore grow the youngs beside the parents and dont kill the parents while the youngs are not yet weaned.

I have a garden but no camera. just sharing what Ive learned.

Bubu, this is so interesting. We could do a thread on the symbiosis and cooperation of plants. It shows us how the intelligence that permeates all things is alive and well in the plant world.

[happyuk]

Well rotted manure is no longer cheap in the stores. Check out sites like Gumtree for people who are eager to GIVE this stuff away. After a few weeks I've found 2 x places that want to give away this stuff - a stable in Ynysddu (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ynysddu) and a gypsy family that keep ponies. What I tend to do is let it rot down in compost bins for a few months before using it. Or - come late Autumn spread it over the ground and let the worms do the rest. Either way this stuff is almost miraculous in improving poor soil.

Here are my set of late potatoes ("Desiree") , photo taken today:

And some ordinary garlic, elephant garlic and shallots that I dug up recently, just waiting for them to cure:

[Pam]

Ok guys. I love gardening. I have 3 raised beds and consider making the soil healthy as my primary responsibility. I get such a rush out of composting and watching it turn into a beautiful earthy dirt. I live a stones throw from the ocean and I get sea weed to throw into my compost bin. In the spring I work it into my top level of soil and have watched as the soil becomes more alive every year. There is all kinds of activity in that soil. I love the cycle of life. I grow vegetables and have fruit trees because I like to eat healthy food. I grow flowers because it is a passion of mine. I do a lot of basket and pot planting of flowers as well as some small areas dedicated to flowers. The kind that slugs and snails don't like to eat. I love to go out and listen to the hum of honey bees that are swarming around a blooming California lilac right now.

When I look back, it is not all the times I tried so hard to have fun that I remember so fondly, it is the tiny joys like watching the wasps build their nests and compost progressing or just observing nature that I give me joy.

[Smell the Roses]

What gorgeous garden pictures! Mine would be nowhere near as beautiful, but I love my garden just the same. I've managed to build up the soil pretty nicely on our land. My in-laws recently let me take over their garden plot across the road that they are no longer using. It is very depleted from years of NPK and Preen. I was almost ready to give up on it and just focus on my own gardens, but you folks have inspired me to try again.

[happyuk]

A row of Zucchini coming along nicely.

One or two remaining new potato sets ("Jersey Royal") which I will shortly dig up and save for seed.

To the right are some rows of second earlies ("Charlotte") with a light dusting of Bordeaux Mixture (Copper Sulphate) to ward off blight, also grown from last year's seed:

[Strat]

You need poo. Animal excrement mixed with hay to make the best soil. When people ask me what I farm, my response is “I farm soil”. And that’s the heart of gardening/market farming/ farming.

We utilize no till - the layers of soil develop along with the beneficial nematodes and minerals that not only produce healthy and productive plants, but that also produce produce that truly feeds the body versus the factory farmed junk with zero nutrients and flavor that contribute to overeating and obesity.

All that you require is based in growing nutrient rich soil.

We have goats, sheep and chickens. Chicken manure is hot and must compost longer. Goat and sheep is cool and can be used sooner as long as you are pathogen free.

In the burbs, your best option is poultry- fed organic feed forms pure form of compost

Also bees. Don’t need to be honey bees, just pollinators. Lots of mason bee houses available commercially.

Also try in bed worm towers. A five gallon bucket modified to be buried into raised beds in which you can deposit your kitchen and lawn waste. Worm castings are the best!

Love your post and your positive energy!
If my father read your post he'd glare at me and say, "I told you so." I can be hard headed at times. And thanks for the compliments, much love.

I'm going to quote this post again and ask for particular details. I'm on poor sleep and too tired to be articulate.


After a few decades of organic gardening, where I knew that healthy soil was paramount, I finally came across some information about micronutrients in organic food that made me see the microbes in the soil in a new way. The microbes "eat" rocks. The microbes don't just break down the organic components in the soil, they also break down the inorganic mineral compounds in (microscopic) "rocks." When the microbes digest the minerals, they output bio-available mineral compounds that the plants can take up. So, of the 999 reasons to eat organic food, include that your body will get more micronutrients from organic food grown in organic soil. "Conventional" farming (inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides) kills off most soil microbes, so even big beautiful produce from conventional farming will contain significantly less micronutrients (and of course, a bunch of toxins.)

I don't use any of the 'cides' but I do use conventional fertilizer (10-10-10 and miracle grow). I need to work on this I know. My friend is all organic and some of his plants are what I call 'little shop of horrors mode', meaning they're massive. The size of his collards is unreal. That being said our sunlight conditions are different.

My issue has been the organic route is very pricey from what I can tell. I do know that 'poo' (as AriG so eloquently put it haha) is free. I can find it already composted w/ hay on craigslist from time to time. I suppose I've been lazy on getting it.


The photos are from the garden surrounding my family home at the beach

Wow that's like out of a magazine!


gardeners also need to realize that plants behave much like any bio specie. they share/ give nutrients to one another through the soil internet, fungi, parent plants also take care of their youngs, like a breasfeedig mom. plants that grew under the care of parent plant are healthier. therefore grow the youngs beside the parents and dont kill the parents while the youngs are not yet weaned.


Very interesting, haven't heard this before. What plants do you like to grow in your garden?

[happyuk]

This guy ("Dave") has a wealth of information to draw from, once you penetrate his thick Geordie accent and humour.

He really does know his stuff:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69LPFJGMwBg&t=107s

[Strat]

I live 1 mile from the beach so we don't get a lot of heat here.

Ditto, but different coast. The heat here is absolutely brutal. My plants can take the morning sun but they must be in the shade around 2pm-ish. Some plants can take it (like rosemary) but very very few.

Here's a hidden gem of a youtube channel. This guy does legit ital cooking and it's neat to see how he lives his life. In this video he gives a brief tour of some herbs in his garden:
uMrBj7beln8

[Nenuphar]

I am so happy you started this thread, Strat! I love to see pictures of other people's gardens and hearing about what grows well in other climates.

We are in zone 2a (though I have read that it is now closer to zone 3 in recent years). We have a little house and a decent-sized yard. I started gardening almost by accident about 15 years ago. I grew two tomato plants, two pepper plants, and some curly blue kale. My first taste of those heirloom tomatoes was a game-changer and is what got me hooked on gardening and on heirloom/open-pollinated varieties.

Once I figure out how to upload pictures here, I will post a few. :blushing:

[Nenuphar]

Testing, testing, 1 2 3...


The garlic patch. :)



40849

[Patient]

Picture of my garden. No snow nor frost to worry about, as I live in the mountains of tropical Costa Rica.
https://scontent.fsyq1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/41648622_10217217928306214_4717559002383253504_o.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_eui2=AeHzn7hQJmBcX-RPon2bbyFtht-rWhXliaOsAtVw2pLvqm8M10cIeHFzslvrdxVMXdt-LUd7O1mQUVu1ak4jmSclQu52Z3PkHDYeL3RdB_23Qw&_nc_ht=scontent.fsyq1-1.fna&oh=96cfb77cef4f738efcfed0e5246942b2&oe=5D79AD9D

Getting started:
Compost tumbler could be the most practical way to go. Here is a small version. $60
https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-Small-Composter-Capacity-Gardening/dp/B0785GSKJ1?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ipad-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0785GSKJ1

Ulli. Your garden is beautiful. What more can you ask than having a river run through your property/ back garden. So lucky. The sound of the river one of the most soothing noises ever. You know, that is my dream.....a little piece of land with a river near it in Cuenca.

Ok, I need to learn more about Costa Rica. What a beautiful spot you have there. And I didn't notice the river when I first looked at the pic.

[Bubu]

gardeners also need to realize that plants behave much like any bio specie. they share/ give nutrients to one another through the soil internet, fungi, parent plants also take care of their youngs, like a breasfeedig mom. plants that grew under the care of parent plant are healthier. therefore grow the youngs beside the parents and dont kill the parents while the youngs are not yet weaned.

I have a garden but no camera. just sharing what Ive learned.

Bubu, this is so interesting. We could do a thread on the symbiosis and cooperation of plants. It shows us how the intelligence that permeates all things is alive and well in the plant world.

Dr Suzanne Simard; HOW TREES TALK TO EACH OTHER


https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other/transcript?language=en

[ulli]

Picture of my garden. No snow nor frost to worry about, as I live in the mountains of tropical Costa Rica.


Getting started:
Compost tumbler could be the most practical way to go. Here is a small version. $60
https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Gro-Small-Composter-Capacity-Gardening/dp/B0785GSKJ1?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-ipad-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0785GSKJ1

Ulli. Your garden is beautiful. What more can you ask than having a river run through your property/ back garden. So lucky. The sound of the river one of the most soothing noises ever. You know, that is my dream.....a little piece of land with a river near it in Cuenca. Knocking on my neighbors wnlight and BR for some sugar. Jaja, just kidding you guys.

Ok, I need to learn more about Costa Rica. What a beautiful spot you have there. And I didn't notice the river when I first looked at the pic.

The land of four acres was given to us by my father-in-law ten years ago. He used it for his cows to graze there. I honestly could not see us ever doing much with it. Overwhelming challenge. There was no water, no electricity, no proper enclosure other than a barbed wire fence to keep the cows in. It has been a slow process.

We also did not notice that the land on the other side of the river was an island, until our house was built, and I looked at our property on Google maps. The island stretches a little more than the length of our property. The river front is about 180 feet. No one can ever build there. The garden will always be surrounded by nature.

[Brigantia]

What an interesting and informative thread! I moved back to the UK almost 2 years ago and ended up with a garden that had been badly neglected, so that is a huge work in progress. I'll post a pic when it's looking a bit better than it does right now! :bigsmile: Before then I was in Italy, I knew a bit about planting by the moon already but over there, it's huge. All the old farmers do it, and garden centres give away calendars at the end of the year with a lot of info about moon planting.

In a nutshell, plant things that grow above ground when the moon is waxing, and things that grow below ground (bulbs, onions, potatoes etc) when the moon is waning. With a couple of exceptions, when the moon is in an Air or Fire sign, don't plant or pot on anything and don't do anything on the day of the New or Full moon. I was convinced when I planted 12 French bean seeds on a random day and only 4 germinated. I later planted another 12 according to moon planting principles - all 12 came up.

It sounds a bit woo woo I know, but the moon exerts an influence on Earth - tides, for instance. My mum was a nurse and she told me that back in the 1950s, surgeons would never operate on the Full Moon (unless an emergency) as they said that blood flows faster.

[Strat]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

[ulli]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

Pee on it once in a while.

[Rosemarie]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

Gardenias Are my favorite flowers and I cannot grow them in Guayaquil because of the weather. I don’t think they like heat or humidity or I don’t know what. In Cuenca o Quito , cities on the Andes , no problem. Weather is cooler. Even in San Salvador , El Salvador where I lived 18 years I had bushes and bushes of gardenias. But The city is also 2, 162 above sea level. Maybe they like a little height ?

[Strat]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

Pee on it once in a while.

My 4 pawed friend damn near killed my oregano doing this. Said oregano is currently in the plant ICU.

[ulli]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

Pee on it once in a while.

My 4 pawed friend damn near killed my oregano doing this. Said oregano is currently in the plant ICU.

Can’t trust doggies to get the dosage right. Plus they sometimes return to the same spot over and over. Poor Oregano.

[Strat]

Only happened once. I can't be mad at him, I mean look at this face:

[Bubu]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

is it isolated from other plants?
you need to encourage bacteria growth around. put some food scraps or even poo since its not food plant, along with some cut weeds, wood chips and cover with cardboard. the soil needs to be moist all the time. If you see a gardenia that is healthy get some soil not more then a foot from its trunk and place it on you gardenia and cover with mulch or cardboard. this will inoculate bacteria and fungi that favors gardenia.

[Brigantia]

Funnily enough, I've just taken a few photos of my garden. My cat was on the windowsill, chattering as they do when they see birds, and I looked out and there were two greater spotted woodpeckers on the fence. My American friends may think that is no big deal, I went to California once and saw loads of them there, they seemed to be quite fearless. In Britain, they seem to be a lot more shy and timid and I've never seen any in a garden before.

Can you spot one on the top left hand side of the trellis? They're not great photos as I only have a point and shoot camera and was taking them through the window. I only have a small garden, long and narrow, but two years ago it had 2 foot high grass on the lawn and the borders full of weeds. My next project is to get the trees and shrubs tidied up, there is also an 8 foot high elder that is just a giant weed!

[Brigantia]

Only happened once. I can't be mad at him, I mean look at this face:

With pets that adorable, you can forgive them anything!

[Strat]

is it isolated from other plants?
you need to encourage bacteria growth around. put some food scraps or even poo since its not food plant, along with some cut weeds, wood chips and cover with cardboard. the soil needs to be moist all the time. If you see a gardenia that is healthy get some soil not more then a foot from its trunk and place it on you gardenia and cover with mulch or cardboard. this will inoculate bacteria and fungi that favors gardenia.

It is isolated. Plants closest to it are about 2' away (one rosemary and one mint).

Can I place all the things you said directly on top of the current soil, or do I need to sorta dig it in?

[Omi]

I absolutely love gardening! Thank you Strat, for starting such a wonderful thread!

It feels to me that plants, flowers, and trees can talk when observing them more carefully.
Taking care of them and connecting with nature is a very soothing and healing experience.


It sounds a bit woo woo I know, but the moon exerts an influence on Earth - tides, for instance. My mum was a nurse and she told me that back in the 1950s, surgeons would never operate on the Full Moon (unless an emergency) as they said that blood flows faster.

I don't think it's woo-woo at all how the moon gives its influence on earth, perhaps when we think about the effects that the sun has on all living organisms on earth.

I used to work at a place called the Goetheanum where they had biodynamic agriculture. Their farming method is largely based on cosmic activities. Each day of the week, each hour of the day has a connection to the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

They also had a few cows in their grounds. I loved 'em cows, they were so gentle and sweet!
Their horns were never cut off, unlike most farms that would dehorn their cows due to the lack of space they have for keeping many of them in a confined area and the risk of those poor crammed up cows hurting each other with their horns.
Those lucky cows at the Goetheanum had tons of space to graze and freely roam around. The mothers' milk was for the calves to be fed and not for humans to consume. And their poo was an important part of farming.
So again, as a few here seem to have already mentioned, poo is a great fertilizer.


Here's a bit about biodynamic farming:


Biodynamic agriculture is a form of alternative agriculture very similar to organic farming, but it includes various esoteric concepts drawn from the ideas of Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925).[1][2] Initially developed in 1924, it was the first of the organic agriculture movements.[3] It treats soil fertility, plant growth, and livestock care as ecologically interrelated tasks,[4][5][6] emphasizing spiritual and mystical perspectives.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodynamic_agriculture

[Rosemarie]

The value of one single tree.

[Bubu]

is it isolated from other plants?
you need to encourage bacteria growth around. put some food scraps or even poo since its not food plant, along with some cut weeds, wood chips and cover with cardboard. the soil needs to be moist all the time. If you see a gardenia that is healthy get some soil not more then a foot from its trunk and place it on you gardenia and cover with mulch or cardboard. this will inoculate bacteria and fungi that favors gardenia.

It is isolated. Plants closest to it are about 2' away (one rosemary and one mint).

Can I place all the things you said directly on top of the current soil, or do I need to sorta dig it in?

just put everything on top of the soil.
If you have a garden at the edge of the forest, you will notice that the plants closest to the forest are healthier. This is because after the weeds are remove , (die of of soil ecosystem), the first ones to be colonize by the helpful soil ecosystem are the area closest to the undisturbed patch (forest). I ask if its isolated because if it is then there is a very good chance that the soil in your gardenia patch is dead, meaning it has no ecosystem. That is why isolated patch should be avoided. You have to connect your garden to the forest ecosystem, each plant/weed serves as connecting nodes for fungi and bacteria, because they only go where there is organic matter to support them. This is the reason I suggest "Bit Gardening" to leave undisturbed patch so the disturb patch will be colonize soonest. Its like a small wound heals quickly. Anyways if you are serious about gardening you should learn about soil. Soil contains all the minerals that is needed by plants to grow, except nitrogen and oxygen, in a form that is non bioavailable to plants. the soil critters make it so. This means that we dont need to add minerals aka fertilizer but rather make those minerals bioavailable. only soil ecosystem can accomplish it. That is why my advice on encouraging bacterial growth.
Here is a link to another forum for serious gardener. Although I very seldom participate I just go there to read. Its a forum that is the worst moderated. I can not even say "I disagree" because its not nice hahaha. And the owner loves to say "I am the only one who decides" lol. Just so you have an idea where you might go. This forum is also a wealth of knowledge for gardener. https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil#637639. Dr. Bryant Redhawk is a soil scientist that generously shares his discoveries on this forum.

[Strat]

Here's the gardenia, along with the area I want to clean up. As I said before, the soil is just sand. Fine grain sand like at the beach. If you grabbed a handful of it, it would run through your fingers like water. It gets exposed to brutal heat so keeping it wet is difficult. It's wet now cause we've been having rain lately.

EDIT: Just realized you can't really see it in the pic unless you have a sharp eye. It's above the rosemary and to the right of the mint.

[Bubu]

I think you have to build the soil. Put organic matter ( grass clippings, leaves ,wood chips etc.)and cover with cardboard or even use carpet. Also read the threads of Bryant Redhawk.

[ulli]

Found this on FB, from a former (retired) Avalon member
Meet the bean house, a vertical gardening innovation which not only provides structure for viney tendrils but makes picking and finding easy. It is, of course, mobile to facilitate rotation and with the addition of a tarp, makes a fine winter storage unit for "things gardens need". No end of uses for a portable shed that can shade untimely transplants while providing the cat with a perfected nap spot.

https://scontent.fsyq1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/64584153_2266899030046304_3410920747101585408_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&_nc_eui2=AeGFa1F7xIZeOwiqITtUjEYtaqITEnJ5VKrWHa0cOqgRNJ7X0f7vZxv0BWh1SqUqSuTm3dZzIA3RQ36xNSpOxlZ9zKB vTHIxr-26cW70PDBlHA&_nc_oc=AQmBwXcqFOFIRdxjYkOUbb1_UA4KO48pUwiECXHLIAUiEOCraqEwxoZFLqxtDwAbKzs&_nc_ht=scontent.fsyq1-1.fna&oh=872468e553a598cf7e27dcaacebce19d&oe=5DC663EB

[Rosemarie]

Found on the net, perfect garden tip for this thread.

[Rosemarie]

I woke up this morning and went to water my plants and found one of my bonsais had flowers I have never seen before ! It felt like it was Christmas in June. I inherit that bonsai 20 years ago from my mother. I must be taking good care of it to see it bloom for the first time I thought. I took a photo. Sent it to my cousin who helps me take care of them and she laughs and says that that is a little orchid she put around the limbs ! Still, it was a nice suprise ..... but that tells you how much I l know about plants.

[Brigantia]

Found on the net, perfect garden tip for this thread.

Companion planting is a fascinating subject! I noticed when I lived in Italy that the farmers planted roses at the end of rows of vines. They are there as a 'sacrifice' plant that attracts insects that would otherwise attack the vines.

Certain plants do well together, others you need to avoid being in proximity. Carrots do well with onions, as the onion smell repels carrot root fly. French marigolds are good at repelling aphids, potatoes and tomatoes grow well with them.

I could go on and on, but it is a huge subject and there are books about it.

[Rosemarie]

This is my happy place. Have not been here in a couple of weeks and love to see all the orchids blooming. We just let them be. No fertilizer or anything. They just like the salty air than comes from the ocean. I guess.

[Rosemarie]

Looks like I have hijacked this thread.
Found this ...
Native Americans had this technique were they would plant corn, bean and squash crops close to each other. The corn provides a structure to the beans to climb , the beans give nitrogen to the soil and the squash spreads on the ground to prevent weeds from growing.
These companion crops were known as The Three Sisters.
Supposed to thrive together.

[Pam]

I need advice for a gardenia: I planted it about 2 years ago. It never grew, it just kinda hung in there. It does bloom every year but not much. It looks really shoddy right now. The soil definitely sucks. Can I use compost as a side dressing, or should I do something else? I'll take a pic when it's not raining.

I used 10-10-10 in the past, and it did create new growth, but I'm curious what yall think.

Pee on it once in a while.

That or get a male dog .......!!!!!!

[Nenuphar]

:sun: Any vegetable gardeners out there? :tea:

Our season is just getting going, so some things are still quite small.

Snap beans and cabbage

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqoLr_uXXRM/XR-XbrxJopI/AAAAAAAAFaw/3NYc_N0cneAtM65VQ0HWzejGTFbg-BrtQCEwYBhgL/s1600/cabbage%2Band%2Bsnap%2Bbeans%2Bnorth.JPG

A bee in the (weedy!) raspberry plot

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TZgAqobvOWI/XR-eaKKP7PI/AAAAAAAAFec/hzXs5mnDWRcCLqrNSyndg_RooHqroMBRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/AAA%2BBee%2Braspberries.JPG

[Sue (Ayt)]

This is a wonderful thread!
Here's another short video about the underground forest ecosystem:
yWOqeyPIVRo

[Nenuphar]

It has been a very soggy summer in our neck of the woods. Hopefully, August will bring some heat and sunshine our way so the garden can flourish.

Some of the tomato plants have finally begun setting fruit. "Early Annie" and "Scotia" are producing like crazy (woohoo!). I'm growing a number of new varieties this year and am eager to see how they produce and what they taste like. I am especially eager to see "Midnight Sun", a bicolour oxheart developed by Karen Oliver, and Coastal Orange Pride, a very compact/dwarf variety that produces round, orange fruit.

[bojancan]

This is not directly about gardening, but perhaps more detailed explanation of what the above video “How trees secretly talk to each other” talks about.

Un2yBgIAxYs

[Forest Denizen]

This is SO COOL!!! :flower:

When I was a kid, I used to spend hours designing my future home, which ALWAYS included a giant, glass roofed, indoor jungle!!

Little did I know I'd live like a vagabond most of my life!

Check this out..

aYXGb_oMslk

[Rosemarie]

I live in a country with very lush vegetation. We have all the tropical plants you can dream off.
I love gardens and when I moved 18 years ago back to Ecuador I fell in love with a ground floor apt in a building that had a small piece of land besides it which I could transform in the garden of my dreams.

After some years of trail and error everything is working at it should. I have 2 mango trees, they were in the property but cast a big shade , so I trimmed them and keep small. A plumeria tree I brought as a stick more than 17 years ago from Hawaii and that give the most delicious fragrance and I have spanish moss hanging from some branches, spider lily’s around the mango trees, some philodendron plants growing wild, and rabbit’s foot ferns as ground covering and foxtail asparagus.

There are also different kinds of palm trees, spiny licuala palms, cabbage palms, black palms, and golden-fruited palm. Around the trunks Of the palm trees I have orchids and bromelias. All year round the garden is lush , with abundant vegetation and very easy to take care of it. The only problem might be the iguanas that love the orchid flowers.
Ivy in all the walls.

Below some old photos, but it looks the same.

[Sue (Ayt)]

I wonder if anyone has any advise as to keeping squirrels out of gardens?
They have devestated my efforts this year, sadly.

Had a wonderful season for peach trees this year, and I was so happy to have my tree just loaded with beautiful, almost ripe peaches. I watched carefully, but noticed no critters bothering them as they ripened. In fact, I had planned to harvest it on a day it rained heavily, so had to delay until the next morning. But in the morning, I couldn't believe my eyes when I went outside to find every single peach gone! It was like the peaches had disappeared, with not even a trace or remnant!
I actually thought some human peach thief may have come in the night, as they were so cleanly just gone. But I am sure my dogs would have made a racket, as few come down our quiet lane.

Anyway - I did a search of "peaches disappearing from tree" and seems like others have had this experience. One person even witnessed a veritable army of squirrels taking all the peaches in a couple of hours once they reached perfect ripeness, while many others were stymied like me. One gal even jokingly suggested that ET's had zapped her peaches up to their ship! But really, it almost did seem supernatural.

Since then, the squirrels have also mostly wiped out my tomatoes, and my swiss chard. So disappointing. I have been learning, and my garden has gotten better each year. I really thought this year was my best yet... until the squirrels.

[Ti]

Dang, that's just devastating. Monsters! I had some nice swiss chard that got eaten too, but alas, my hopes were crushed much earlier by things other than squirrels (not a good year for growing things up here), 80% of my plants were wiped out by an abnormally late frost. At least I grew some potatoes and those have been successful. D: My tactic for squirrels has been to give them very easy to access sunflower seeds so that hopefully they'll just be lazy. It seems to be working to keep them from destroying my birdfeeder, but it doesn't stop the rabbits, who I believe are the eaters of the chard and lettuce. I suppose you could try this during peach season, just provide some very easy to access food for them as a distraction during those prime few days. I didn't even end up with enough to make a salad! I dunno how to grow enough to survive at this point while combating the critters. D:

I do let my cat into the back yard while I'm awake, as he's not a jumper, which does have some adorable small animal pest control perks, but it's not a flawless solution as I only let him out if I'm awake and around to keep an eye on him.

[Rosemarie]

Ayt. Look at the positive side. You gave food to a army of squirrels. How can you be mad with that beautiful face.

[Ti]

I relayed this story to my housemate and she sends her condolences and her renewed desire to destroy all squirrels (I do attempt to prevent this squirrel genocide because I feel a certain sort of kinship to the adorable lil bastards). Funny lil story, I knew I needed more squirrel distraction food, and I thought that in the store, and about 5 seconds later my eyes went straight to a 50% off bag of unshelled sunflower seeds just sitting there for me. Well. For the squirrels.

Successfully harvested enough potatoes to share a handful with a couple of friends though! :D And they were super impressed to have food that didn't exist without my intersession.

Now, this is the first time I've ever done potatoes. I did them in buckets with drainage holes, a decision I would DEFINITELY do in future years (this has made it possible for me to shove my hand down the side and just grab potatoes without really damaging the inner root structure, hopefully allowing it to keep producing until it's frosted). I just discovered though, that I can get felt planters which attest it's better for the root structure of plants, and they're suggested for growing potatoes. Since I want to keep going with potatoes indoors, does anyone have any experience with these compressed fabric/cloth planters? I love that they're cheap, they break down over time, and allow for more oxygen flow... I suppose my biggest concern is that water will get all over the place.

[Nenuphar]

:bump:

Anything new with my fellow gardeners? :sun:

[Strat]

:bump:

Anything new with my fellow gardeners? :sun:

Actually yes, good timing.

I'm completely redoing one section of my yard. I want an area to sit out and read and not constantly worry about upkeep. I haven't designed it yet, but I want to have 1-3 smaller raised beds, possibly a brick pathway and then a garden ornament (thingy) of some sort. It's a toss up between a chimenea (dunno bout that, it's Florida), a fountain (PITA upkeep), a saint or a buddha. Remains to be seen.

Maybe just a bird bath? I dunno.

What about you?

[Nenuphar]

Oh, that sounds so nice, like a private sanctuary. I hope you'll post a picture when you have it done!

No gardening for me at the moment (it was -40 degrees Celsius a few days ago :smow: :canada: ). I'll be able to start some transplants (e.g., tomatoes, peppers) indoors in early April, and will be able to put some little "milk jug greenhouses" (to start brassicas, pansies, and some herbs) outside against the south side of the house in late April/early May. In the meantime, I am scratching the gardening itch with seed trades, seed catalogs, and watching youtube videos for new growing tips.

[Nenuphar]

:bump: :sun:

[Lilybee8]

43378

:bump:

Anything new with my fellow gardeners? :sun:

Actually yes, good timing.

I'm completely redoing one section of my yard. I want an area to sit out and read and not constantly worry about upkeep. I haven't designed it yet, but I want to have 1-3 smaller raised beds, possibly a brick pathway and then a garden ornament (thingy) of some sort. It's a toss up between a chimenea (dunno bout that, it's Florida), a fountain (PITA upkeep), a saint or a buddha. Remains to be seen.

Maybe just a bird bath? I dunno.

What about you?

Hello Strat, new to PA, just joined this lovely thread.. I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

[Strat]

:bump: :sun:

Update on my end: I didn't do any major redesign. I did plant though because of the timing. I have a small herb garden as well as some collards and tomatoes. I live in the suburbs so I don't have much room to plant.


43378

:bump:

Anything new with my fellow gardeners? :sun:

Actually yes, good timing.

I'm completely redoing one section of my yard. I want an area to sit out and read and not constantly worry about upkeep. I haven't designed it yet, but I want to have 1-3 smaller raised beds, possibly a brick pathway and then a garden ornament (thingy) of some sort. It's a toss up between a chimenea (dunno bout that, it's Florida), a fountain (PITA upkeep), a saint or a buddha. Remains to be seen.

Maybe just a bird bath? I dunno.

What about you?

Hello Strat, new to PA, just joined this lovely thread.. I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

Hey! Welcome to the forums!

Glad to hear you've got the gardening bug and congratulations on the new home, that's awesome. I have some pics of my garden on my phone, I'll have to post them here later. Some of the other pics folks have posted are just incredible, like out of a magazine.

The desert of Texas sounds amazing, I've never seen a desert in my entire life! It's on my bucket list. Anyway, I definitely can relate to the poor soil issue. I live just off the beach and much of my soil is sugar sand. Poor soil is a big issue for gardeners.

So, for sure other folks here can help you far more than I can. I would feel silly offering advice here. That being said:

I think one quick tip would be to grow what is natural in your area. I think this is less an issue for more proficient gardeners but for amateurs like me, this makes a big difference. For instance, collard greens thrive here with little need of care (in form of soil amendment, fertilize, water, etc) whereas other plants need constant attention. Tomatoes are babies in comparison.

Growing in buckets is probably the easiest way to grow veggies. Maybe experiment to see what you like. I used to use modified 5 gallon buckets from the hardware store, but I now use planter bucket/thingys because they look so much better than the buckets. I don't want my yard looking like a construction site, I've got enough of that going on as it is.

The most important thing by far is to have fun otherwise this entire experience will be nothing more than plain ol work and chores (bleh). So put on some music, grab a drink and have fun.

Do you know what you want to plant? Keep in mind where in your yard/whatever you want to plant. Some plants require more sun than others and wont produce without enough sunlight.

[Bo Atkinson]

http://harmoniouspalette.com/EasyGardner.jpg

Thanks everyone for the posts and thread. Here is my long wrought out solution for growing food amidst old , strongly established, dominant perennials. Grow bags vastly reduce the compost production efforts and costs, and reduce the soil supplements, and watering... Although my easier irrigation with micro tubes is not working yet, as this already takes up much time.

http://harmoniouspalette.com/EasyGardener.jpg

[Bill Ryan]

Here's a major article from Chris Martenson, who's been posting very high quality videos about Covid-19 ("The Honey Badger Virus") almost every day for three months. His detailed analytical reports are just about the best on the net.

He's predicting major food shortages (and I think he's absolutely right) — and at the end of every video, he strongly advocates planting a garden.

This lays out every simple step, even for enthusiastic beginners who've never stuck their fingers in the soil before. :)


https://peakprosperity.com/DIYgarden

[Nenuphar]

I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

Hi Lilybee8, I'm glad you joined this thread. If you are new to gardening and need some seeds (especially now, when so many seed businesses are either backlogged by 2+ weeks or have temporarily shut down), I would highly recommend joining some of the online seed swapping groups. There are lots on Facebook, and there is a large seed exchange thread on the Houzz site (including a whole section devoted to "newbies"). If you are particularly interested in tomatoes, TomatoJunction might be a fun place to start.

There are many seed sharing groups online, particularly for those living in the USA (I am often envious of this!). If you are very new and do not have anything to trade, people will often send seeds for a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to people in their own country. Gardeners tend to be generous sorts when it comes to sharing seeds and advice! Or, if you are lucky enough to live in an area with a seed bank at your local library or gardening groups that hold "Seedy Saturday" events, those would be great options for free or low-cost seeds as well, and those seeds would be suited to your climate.

Generally speaking, I think growing heirloom/open-pollinated varieties is the way to go, as you can then save seeds from what you grow that will grow true to the variety in subsequent years. There is a place for hybrids, though, particularly if you live in an area with an extreme climate. The season where I live, for example, is quite short, so I can't save seeds from things like cauliflower. So I do grow some varieties of hybrid cauliflower (e.g., Romanesco).

I sometimes include a link in my profile to my blog/garden journal, if you'd like to see what I grow in this region (northern British Columbia).

[Lilybee8]

I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

Hi Lilybee8, I'm glad you joined this thread. If you are new to gardening and need some seeds (especially now, when so many seed businesses are either backlogged by 2+ weeks or have temporarily shut down), I would highly recommend joining some of the online seed swapping groups. There are lots on Facebook, and there is a large seed exchange thread on the Houzz site (including a whole section devoted to "newbies"). If you are particularly interested in tomatoes, TomatoJunction might be a fun place to start.
There are many seed sharing groups online, particularly for those living in the USA (I am often envious of this!). If you are very new and do not have anything to trade, people will often send seeds for a SASE to people in their own country. Gardeners tend to be generous sorts when it comes to sharing seeds and advice! Or, if you are lucky enough to live in an area with a seed bank at your local library or gardening groups that hold "Seedy Saturday" events, those would be great options for free or low-cost seeds as well, and those seeds would be suited to your climate.
Generally speaking, I think growing heirloom/open-pollinated varieties is the way to go, as you can then save seeds from what you grow that will grow true to the variety in subsequent years. There is a place for hybrids, though, particularly if you live in an area with an extreme climate. The season where I live, for example, is quite short, so I can't save seeds from things like cauliflower. So I do grow some varieties of hybrid cauliflower (e.g., Romanesco).
I sometimes include a link in my profile to my blog/garden journal, if you'd like to see what I grow in this region (northern British Columbia).

Thank you soooo much!! That is great! I didn’t even knew they existed.. and yes, I was thinking to start with tomatos, carrots, lettuce, garlic and chili.. this area is very rich in green chili and pecans, we are planning on a couple of pecan trees too, and the house has a beautiful big fig tree, looks like it will give fruit this year for the first time :sun:

Yes, I was looking in for some literature that can help me out, also am looking to see if it’s better to build a green house or just use the space of land openly.. here the summer starts in April :flame:and like this week we will have temp of 98*F and in summer we mostly reach triple digits..

Absolutely, I would LOVE to see your work! And am so very obliged for sharing your knowledge with me. :handshake::happythumbsup::canada:

[Lilybee8]

:bump: :sun:

Update on my end: I didn't do any major redesign. I did plant though because of the timing. I have a small herb garden as well as some collards and tomatoes. I live in the suburbs so I don't have much room to plant.


43378

:bump:

Anything new with my fellow gardeners? :sun:

Actually yes, good timing.

I'm completely redoing one section of my yard. I want an area to sit out and read and not constantly worry about upkeep. I haven't designed it yet, but I want to have 1-3 smaller raised beds, possibly a brick pathway and then a garden ornament (thingy) of some sort. It's a toss up between a chimenea (dunno bout that, it's Florida), a fountain (PITA upkeep), a saint or a buddha. Remains to be seen.

Maybe just a bird bath? I dunno.

What about you?

Hello Strat, new to PA, just joined this lovely thread.. I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

Hey! Welcome to the forums!

Glad to hear you've got the gardening bug and congratulations on the new home, that's awesome. I have some pics of my garden on my phone, I'll have to post them here later. Some of the other pics folks have posted are just incredible, like out of a magazine.

The desert of Texas sounds amazing, I've never seen a desert in my entire life! It's on my bucket list. Anyway, I definitely can relate to the poor soil issue. I live just off the beach and much of my soil is sugar sand. Poor soil is a big issue for gardeners.

So, for sure other folks here can help you far more than I can. I would feel silly offering advice here. That being said:

I think one quick tip would be to grow what is natural in your area. I think this is less an issue for more proficient gardeners but for amateurs like me, this makes a big difference. For instance, collard greens thrive here with little need of care (in form of soil amendment, fertilize, water, etc) whereas other plants need constant attention. Tomatoes are babies in comparison.

Growing in buckets is probably the easiest way to grow veggies. Maybe experiment to see what you like. I used to use modified 5 gallon buckets from the hardware store, but I now use planter bucket/thingys because they look so much better than the buckets. I don't want my yard looking like a construction site, I've got enough of that going on as it is.

The most important thing by far is to have fun otherwise this entire experience will be nothing more than plain ol work and chores (bleh). So put on some music, grab a drink and have fun.

Do you know what you want to plant? Keep in mind where in your yard/whatever you want to plant. Some plants require more sun than others and wont produce without enough sunlight.

Hey! Thanks :sun: well, please know, Mi Casa Su Casa!
I have been saving all kind of plastic or glass container I can get a hold off, since I am unsure if I should/could build a green house and don’t want to wait till it’s finished to start.. the biggest issue here is the temp of triple digits we will start pretty soon now.. and it’s a lovely little spot on my backyard that could potentially become a little bigger if I am successful, it’s pretty nice because it has a partial shade from huge pine trees on my neighbors yard.. hopefully I can share some pictures later.. planning to start with chili since we have good seeds from our neighbor state NewMexico for delicious Hatch green chili, also garlic, onions, carrots, lettuce and maybe tomatoes.. and yes, this “hobbie” will be hard work, but Its better to prepare ourselves for anything.. and who knows even if food supply chain doesn’t get affected, well I will give away some to my neighbors and make new friends...
Must be NICE the beach..:cool:, I lived in Cancun when I was young right before college..:heart: oh boy do I miss it.

[happyuk]

I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one :dancing: just don’t even know where to start... Do you have any pictures of your garden? Oh and did you notice the seeds price skyrocketed? :o it’s insane! Well I had to look for alternatives.. and found this really great YouTube Chanel with great ideas, well at least for beginners like me.. it’s going to be a challenge for me since I live in the desert of Texas lol but hey! I am determined to do this, Any tips?

Hi Lilybee8, I'm glad you joined this thread. If you are new to gardening and need some seeds (especially now, when so many seed businesses are either backlogged by 2+ weeks or have temporarily shut down), I would highly recommend joining some of the online seed swapping groups. There are lots on Facebook, and there is a large seed exchange thread on the Houzz site (including a whole section devoted to "newbies"). If you are particularly interested in tomatoes, TomatoJunction might be a fun place to start.

There are many seed sharing groups online, particularly for those living in the USA (I am often envious of this!). If you are very new and do not have anything to trade, people will often send seeds for a SASE to people in their own country. Gardeners tend to be generous sorts when it comes to sharing seeds and advice! Or, if you are lucky enough to live in an area with a seed bank at your local library or gardening groups that hold "Seedy Saturday" events, those would be great options for free or low-cost seeds as well, and those seeds would be suited to your climate.

Generally speaking, I think growing heirloom/open-pollinated varieties is the way to go, as you can then save seeds from what you grow that will grow true to the variety in subsequent years. There is a place for hybrids, though, particularly if you live in an area with an extreme climate. The season where I live, for example, is quite short, so I can't save seeds from things like cauliflower. So I do grow some varieties of hybrid cauliflower (e.g., Romanesco).

I sometimes include a link in my profile to my blog/garden journal, if you'd like to see what I grow in this region (northern British Columbia).

That's a nice blog you have Nenuphar. Totally agree about the skyrocketing prices of seeds and/or their scarcity right now. I've just received a packet of Berlotti beans on Ebay from a guy in Croatia, given that all the main seed suppliers have all sold out. (He generously threw in some free beef tomato seeds too.)

Since last year I've also taken to keeping a blog, if anything so that I am able to remember where and when I planted things over the course of time.

I've been keeping 'Witkiem' broad bean seeds since 2017, after being given some from my dad:

https://plot-30.blogspot.com/2020/03/planting-witkiem-broad-beans-march-2020.html

Here's how I made a device for obtaining difficult-to-reach cooking apples using a length of bamboo, a toy fishing net and a rusty blade:

https://plot-30.blogspot.com/2019/10/harvesting-bramley-cooking-apples.html

The long hot summer of 2018 was particularly good for courgettes / zucchinis:

https://plot-30.blogspot.com/2018/07/our-courgette-and-zucchini-crop-in-one.html

[Alecs]

Here's a major article from Chris Martenson, who's been posting very high quality videos about Covid-19 ("The Honey Badger Virus") almost every day for three months. His detailed analytical reports are just about the best on the net.

He's predicting major food shortages (and I think he's absolutely right) — and at the end of every video, he strongly advocates planting a garden.

This lays out every simple step, even for enthusiastic beginners who've never stuck their fingers in the soil before. :)


https://peakprosperity.com/DIYgarden


While I share the idea that it’s good to have a food garden, at this point in the game beginners may not be so successful. There’s a lot to consider such as getting the right seeds, dealing with already contaminated soil, having a good growing location, various “pests”, and hungry neighbors. At this point, given a potential/predicted food storage, beginners may be best off sinking their spare currency into:

* stashing long-term dry goods including dried vegetables and fruits (properly stored)

* establishing some type of root cellar (taking a gamble on the availability of long-storage crops from the market, such as sweet potatoes, onions, winter squash, cabbage, and carrots)

* buying microgreen seeds along with organic soil, and seed flats (containers) for growing greens indoor

* planting perennial berry bushes (preferably native to the region)

But for people who want to start gardening (and I know there's already plenty of good posts on the subject including Chris Martenson's web page) I’d recommend the books by Eliot Coleman. (See Amazon and fourseasonfarm.com).

[Lilybee8]

Here's a major article from Chris Martenson, who's been posting very high quality videos about Covid-19 ("The Honey Badger Virus") almost every day for three months. His detailed analytical reports are just about the best on the net.

He's predicting major food shortages (and I think he's absolutely right) — and at the end of every video, he strongly advocates planting a garden.

This lays out every simple step, even for enthusiastic beginners who've never stuck their fingers in the soil before. :)


https://peakprosperity.com/DIYgarden


While I share the idea that it’s good to have a food garden, at this point in the game beginners may not be so successful. There’s a lot to consider such as getting the right seeds, dealing with already contaminated soil, having a good growing location, various “pests”, and hungry neighbors. At this point, given a potential/predicted food storage, beginners may be best off sinking their spare currency into:

* stashing long-term dry goods including dried vegetables and fruits (properly stored)

* establishing some type of food cellar (taking a gamble on the availability of long-storage crops from the market, such as sweet potatoes, onions, winter squash, cabbage, and carrots)

* buying microgreen seeds along with organic soil, and seed flats (containers) for growing greens indoor

* planting perennial berry bushes (preferably native to the region)

But for people who want to start gardening (and I know there's already plenty of good posts on the subject including Chris Martenson's web page) I’d recommend the books by Eliot Coleman. (See Amazon and fourseasonfarm.com).

Hi Alec! You are so right, I recently started learning to do some canning and preservation techniques and found really cool videos. I will definitely will look for that book.
Great tips!:happythumbsup: Thank you

[Anka]

Hi there,

I wanted to post here these days but I didn't find the necessary time, now I finally have time.

I have been gardening in the hill area since 2007, and usually here the heat comes later and the cold faster, but I try to adapt every year differently to the weather conditions.
I also have training in agriculture but over time I have adapted to the conditions in the field and not necessarily what is written in the book, so my experience has become my best advisor, and I am willing to share my knowledge with anyone and especially to be able to help.

I planted many seeds, the more the better, to provide family healthy food, the earth is a good resource that teaches us many, Nature helps us many times even if the weather is controlled by others, I adapt with nature, not with them ...

I planted, onion, spinach, carrots, salad, peas, 3 weeks ago in the field and in a protected space I planted peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, basil and more, 6 weeks ago.

So far everything is ok, I take care of every seedling like some little children and I enjoy every ray of sun and the grace of the earth.
Gardening, at a very simple calculation helps my family from one harvest to the next with up to 70% of the food, through the diversity of fresh vegetables, in the jar and in the cellar, some frozen, and through the diversity of cooked dishes.
All we have to do is dare and care, if you have a piece of land it is good to be used also for this purpose, to grow a plant with love and it will give you the gift of the earth.

Below are some photos from my garden, with still small plants...
The seeds are about 50 cents an envelope of about two grams. Before sowing them in the ground, I put them in water with fertilizer, a few days in the heat to increase their germination.
https://i.postimg.cc/13bdKxsD/s.jpg

Part of my garden last year, which survived the six weeks of continuous rain...
https://i.postimg.cc/ydyrBk9T/g1.jpg

cucumbers placed directly in the ground, under cut plastic bottles, to avoid cold and frost.
https://i.postimg.cc/qR4jm4Y6/cucumbers-protected-against-frosting1.jpg

potatoes, placed in open rows with the help of the tractor.
https://i.postimg.cc/cCY7ZzVG/35.jpg


Seedlings of various varieties of tomatoes with determined or indeterminate growth, and cabbage.
https://i.postimg.cc/3r62N3Bj/a2.jpg

Carrot seeds (I chose the shorter harvest option at 80 days to prevent the cold) and in the open row I put the burnt wood ash in reasonable quantities , in order to prevent the appearance of pests.

https://i.postimg.cc/HkmzWpYZ/20200320-1737101.jpg

Garlic planted in autumn in October, which sprouts slowly until spring and grows stronger until harvest (and some poppy plants that I grow to put the seeds in cakes :))

https://i.postimg.cc/sxZQ7ZcY/20200322-1302021.jpg

Thank you to everyone who shares here, the joy of growing plants...:sun:
Love,
Anka

[Lilybee8]

Hi there,

I wanted to post here these days but I didn't find the necessary time, now I finally have time.

I have been gardening in the hill area since 2007, and usually here the heat comes later and the cold faster, but I try to adapt every year differently to the weather conditions.
I also have training in agriculture but over time I have adapted to the conditions in the field and not necessarily what is written in the book, so my experience has become my best advisor, and I am willing to share my knowledge with anyone and especially to be able to help.

I planted many seeds, the more the better, to provide family healthy food, the earth is a good resource that teaches us many, Nature helps us many times even if the weather is controlled by others, I adapt with nature, not with them ...

I planted, onion, spinach, carrots, salad, peas, 3 weeks ago in the field and in a protected space I planted peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, basil and more, 6 weeks ago.

So far everything is ok, I take care of every seedling like some little children and I enjoy every ray of sun and the grace of the earth.
Gardening, at a very simple calculation helps my family from one harvest to the next with up to 70% of the food, through the diversity of fresh vegetables, in the jar and in the cellar, some frozen, and through the diversity of cooked dishes.
All we have to do is dare and care, if you have a piece of land it is good to be used also for this purpose, to grow a plant with love and it will give you the gift of the earth.

Below are some photos from my garden, with still small plants...
The seeds are about 50 cents an envelope of about two grams. Before sowing them in the ground, I put them in water with fertilizer, a few days in the heat to increase their germination.
https://i.postimg.cc/13bdKxsD/s.jpg

Part of my garden last year, which survived the six weeks of continuous rain...
https://i.postimg.cc/ydyrBk9T/g1.jpg

cucumbers placed directly in the ground, under cut plastic bottles, to avoid cold and frost.
https://i.postimg.cc/qR4jm4Y6/cucumbers-protected-against-frosting1.jpg

potatoes, placed in open rows with the help of the tractor.
https://i.postimg.cc/cCY7ZzVG/35.jpg


Seedlings of various varieties of tomatoes with determined or indeterminate growth, and cabbage.
https://i.postimg.cc/3r62N3Bj/a2.jpg

Carrot seeds (I chose the shorter harvest option at 80 days to prevent the cold) and in the open row I put the burnt wood ash in reasonable quantities , in order to prevent the appearance of pests.

https://i.postimg.cc/HkmzWpYZ/20200320-1737101.jpg

Garlic planted in autumn in October, which sprouts slowly until spring and grows stronger until harvest (and some poppy plants that I grow to put the seeds in cakes :))

https://i.postimg.cc/sxZQ7ZcY/20200322-1302021.jpg

Thank you to everyone who shares here, the joy of growing plants...:sun:
Love,
Anka

Wow! Lovely work Anka:, the idea of the plastic cap on the cucumber is excellent! I will have that in mind, even though we have long summers of three digit temperatures here in Texas, we also have very cold winters (short season) but we have -0* temperatures too.
Thank you!

[Strat]

That's an inspiring post Anka! How much time do you put into your garden per day?

[Anka]

Thanks Lilybee8!
  I like the name of your avatar, in my language it is a kind of caress for loved ones.:sun:
Plastic bottles also work on beans or pumpkin, (which is also sensitive to cold) and you can keep them to protect the plants even for a month. I wet the water next to the bottles, I don't raise them to maintain the temperature, and they really work, in the sense that I have fresh cucumbers at least a month faster.
You can also make two successive cucumber crops a year, I put other cucumber seeds again in June, to have fresh tiny and crunchy cucumbers in September when I put them all in a jar for pickles in winter :)

https://i.postimg.cc/QtKvkFgj/111.jpg
Against these hard times, I wish you all a beautiful sunny spring.

https://i.postimg.cc/JhmN8KQ9/a4.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/VLx9Gz0s/a5.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9MmYd1RG/a7.jpg

The joy of spring invites me to work (although instead of work I would use "giving") and planting, the blessing of culture gives me reasons to continue, of course it seems a complicated process, but it's so easy to just make the connection between land and seed.
  I think it is something special and unique for every gardener, in my case good intention at all times and respect for plants matter a lot, I think we manage to create life and sometimes, honestly I do not think so much about how much fruit I will receive , as much as I am interested in the comfort of the plant and her whole life for a season.
Hey, Lillybee8, below in the photos I give you my joy these days, A flowering pear tree and the inspiration of every dandelion thread, for every drop of dew I wish it well in the world.

https://i.postimg.cc/tgxzBWcv/copac.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Pf21zSxr/papadii.jpg

Stay well and stay safe,:heart:
Love,
Anca

[Anka]

Thanks Strat for this thread.

Gardening for me also means work but also a personal option, because I simply really like the connection between my positive intervention and plants, earth, sky.
For example, last year I planted cabbage and the rain (quite cold) started, initially I wanted to go home, but the inspiration (I had headphones in my ears with music to the maximum :)) made me stay.
It was a unique experience that is hard for me to describe in words, the rain that fell on the ground helps me to plant the plants more easily, the plants were satisfied (in the sense that they were very young and straight).
Every day I go to the garden of my house for about 4 or 5 hours, but at different times of the day, for different caring works.
For example, during spring it is good to water the plants early in the morning because they are eager to receive water and then at noon to synthesize it with the sun.
But during the hot summer, I water the garden very well late in the evening (and look at the the wonderful starry sky in between), so that the plants can enjoy the water and the night breeze, because if I water them during the day under the hot sun, the temperature will burn them. .
During the day, I go out to the plants very often to see if they are well, but I have a chair on which I sit comfortably, I eat a cake, I drink a juice, I read something, I listen to music, but in general, I keep them company and help them if necessary.
Because the rest of the time, apart from housework, I write a lot, this year I will combine writing with gardening.:Party:
For me, it is fascinating that I can take care of all the plants as I think every day for the good of people, it is a kind of choice that brings me, among other things, a constant awakening, and it's fun.

Dear Strat, I read about your kind of soil and I think that in your soil, roots grow very very well such as potatoes, beets, carrots, maybe even asparagus, I say this because I once had a garden near a large river near me , and in the sand banks they grow extraordinarily full of minerals and grew extremely large and sweet.
I hope you have the same kind of sand even if is not near a river or any kind of water.

Last year garden with peppers, tomatoes and cabbage.

https://i.postimg.cc/qqjcNLtq/gradina.jpg

And a happy snail.
I gather the snails and place them elsewhere in the garden on the green grass, I can't poison them, but until the strawberries bear fruit, I let them build their family (I don't collect them now for some "children" of snails have very fragile shells)
I collect snails twice a year when they come to strawberries and cabbage :)
https://i.postimg.cc/JnzjDnvx/a3.jpg

I wish you all the best,:star:
Love,
Anca

[Tracie (Bodhicee)]

(A part of) my beautiful backyard.

Featuring a Callistemon Viminalis shrub, commonly known the Weeping Bottlebrush and much loved by Rainbow Lorikeets when in flower.

http://www.anpsa.org.au/c-vim.html

43430

:star:

[Tracie (Bodhicee)]

Thanks Lilybee8!
  I like the name of your avatar, in my language it is a kind of caress for loved ones.:sun:
Plastic bottles also work on beans or pumpkin, (which is also sensitive to cold) and you can keep them to protect the plants even for a month. I wet the water next to the bottles, I don't raise them to maintain the temperature, and they really work, in the sense that I have fresh cucumbers at least a month faster.
You can also make two successive cucumber crops a year, I put other cucumber seeds again in June, to have fresh tiny and crunchy cucumbers in September when I put them all in a jar for pickles in winter :)

Against these hard times, I wish you all a beautiful sunny spring.

The joy of spring invites me to work (although instead of work I would use "giving") and planting, the blessing of culture gives me reasons to continue, of course it seems a complicated process, but it's so easy to just make the connection between land and seed.
  I think it is something special and unique for every gardener, in my case good intention at all times and respect for plants matter a lot, I think we manage to create life and sometimes, honestly I do not think so much about how much fruit I will receive , as much as I am interested in the comfort of the plant and her whole life for a season.
Hey, Lillybee8, below in the photos I give you my joy these days, A flowering pear tree and the inspiration of every dandelion thread, for every drop of dew I wish it well in the world.


Stay well and stay safe,:heart:
Love,
Anca

Anca...

thank you so much for your beautiful inspiring words.... The way you describe your care for your little babies is really inspiring.. And boy, can you garden!

I have a modest 1mx1m little no dig garden and am currently growing heaps of self-seeded coriander (yummmmmm), arugula (rocket), tat soi and dwarf snow peas (yum).

i live too close to a forest to be able to have an open compost heap and some little creature has managed to break into my closed compost bin so I'm currently not doing too well in terms of being able to 'self-fertilise' my soil and so buy mushroom compost instead. I don't like doing this, it just doesn't feel right and also I'm not so sure about how fully healthy mushroom compost really is. But... I recognise that the process of gardening is an ever changing process of learning and adapting, 1 step at a time so i've learned to be patient with myself for the perceived shortfalls.

I wouldn't like to depend on myself for my own food supply! I pray that we won't get to the point of wide scale food shortages.
Farmers markets are greatly flourishing here. I eat keto myself which i suppose does help because it's such a simplification of dietary intake.

Thanks again for your words and pics and please keep us updated!

Bodhicee...:flower:

[Bill Ryan]

(A part of) my beautiful backyard.

Featuring a Callistemon Viminalis shrub, commonly known the Weeping Bottlebrush and much loved by Rainbow Lorikeets when in flower.

http://www.anpsa.org.au/c-vim.html

43430

:star:Wow !!

[Anka]

(A part of) my beautiful backyard.

Featuring a Callistemon Viminalis shrub, commonly known the Weeping Bottlebrush and much loved by Rainbow Lorikeets when in flower.

http://www.anpsa.org.au/c-vim.html

43430

:star:

Thank you Bodhicee for your good thoughts and appreciation, I usually write what I feel and I am what I write, all in honor of the good and beauty of every form of life.

I managed to grow a few Albizia julibrissin trees from seeds, but it takes a year in home-protected pots in the winter, they can be planted in the open field only after two years of life and they need another 2 or 3 years to grow big enough to bloom. I can't wait to enjoy their flowers...It seems to me that you already have albizia there :star:
The flowers are fluffy and must look like this...

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U4MAAOSwLVZVoD8N/s-l300.jpg

I really like your garden, it seems to be a story sheet from a beautiful legend of Nature, I wish I could walk slowly down that alley and stop next to that little statuette because it inspires me to write poetry!:sun:

Thank you for your encouragement and goodwill, indeed, the location inspires peace of mind,
and the weeping tree is the living proof in the creative horizon of Nature in a wonderful phenomenon of that waterfalls of vibrant flowers, it is beautiful, wonderful food for the soul is really essential.

Take care of yourself and all the best to everyone.:heart:

[Lilybee8]

(A part of) my beautiful backyard.

Featuring a Callistemon Viminalis shrub, commonly known the Weeping Bottlebrush and much loved by Rainbow Lorikeets when in flower.

http://www.anpsa.org.au/c-vim.html

43430

:star:

Beautiful Bodhicee!! :heart: thanks for sharing

[Strat]

Today I transplanted (starter plants,) 8 broccoli and 8 romaine lettuce plants. I still have 4 collards and various herbs along with 8 spots free to plant something else. Hopefully this season turns out good.

[Anka]

Today I transplanted (starter plants,) 8 broccoli and 8 romaine lettuce plants. I still have 4 collards and various herbs along with 8 spots free to plant something else. Hopefully this season turns out good.

I wish you a great season!
Please keep a piece of fresh lettuce for me for Christmas !!:flower:
When I have a lot of snow up to the window, I will look at a picture of your fresh vegetables :flower:
I really wish you a lot of joy in gardening!:flower: :heart: :flower:

Anca

[Nenuphar]

The gardening season here wrapped up in mid-September. I got my garlic in late this year, on October 12th. Just in the nick of time, too - in the next few days, we had the first hard frost, and then it snowed. There has been snow on the ground since! Glad to have things put to bed for the season and almost all the produce processed and/or stored.

[Nenuphar]

I am 2 months or so away from being able to start transplants indoors, but am already combing through gardening blogs and seed sites and making "To Grow" lists in anticipation. A number of health issues have sapped my energy in recent years to an alarming degree, but I still do what I can to keep a garden going in the summer. I love seeing things grow.

In late November, I decided to experiment with growing micro-tomatoes. It's neat to watch them develop, though I likely won't start them this early again. I have one main grow-light, and two plants have already grown too tall to fit under it!

Browsing seed sites and reading about various heirloom and open-pollinated varieties is a favourite pastime. Some of the varieties have such interesting histories. It is apparent that last year's demand for seeds and the urge to garden (by many people who, before 2020, never gave it the slightest thought) continues. Many sites are either 2-5 weeks behind in processing orders, or are shutting down periodically for several days to catch up. An 'up' side to all this is that small, independent seed businesses have been doing very well. Many items (most often the basics, like varieties of green beans) were sold out by mid-January on the sites I frequented. Hopefully, this will nudge people to explore the seed libraries in their area, "Seedy Saturday" events (many will be virtual this year), and online forums for trading seeds with other gardeners.

On my wish-list of things to grow this year are a few new-to-me and rare tomato varieties, peppers (often a challenge for me in this zone, 2a/3), and Romanesco cauliflower (I call it, "fractal cauliflower" - tasty and it looks really cool). Though I truly dread the amount of weeding ahead, I can't wait to see the bees, damselflies, and ladybugs who visit once things begin to bloom.

Hoping my fellow Avalon gardeners are well. :sun:

[heretogrow]

I am 2 months or so away from being able to start transplants indoors, but am already combing through gardening blogs and seed sites and making "To Grow" lists in anticipation. A number of health issues have sapped my energy in recent years to an alarming degree, but I still do what I can to keep a garden going in the summer. I love seeing things grow.

In late November, I decided to experiment with growing micro-tomatoes. It's neat to watch them develop, though I likely won't start them this early again. I have one main grow-light, and two plants have already grown too tall to fit under it!

Browsing seed sites and reading about various heirloom and open-pollinated varieties is a favourite pastime. Some of the varieties have such interesting histories. It is apparent that last year's demand for seeds and the urge to garden (by many people who, before 2020, never gave it the slightest thought) continues. Many sites are either 2-5 weeks behind in processing orders, or are shutting down periodically for several days to catch up. An 'up' side to all this is that small, independent seed businesses have been doing very well. Many items (most often the basics, like varieties of green beans) were sold out by mid-January on the sites I frequented. Hopefully, this will nudge people to explore the seed libraries in their area, "Seedy Saturday" events (many will be virtual this year), and online forums for trading seeds with other gardeners.

On my wish-list of things to grow this year are a few new-to-me and rare tomato varieties, peppers (often a challenge for me in this zone, 2a/3), and Romanesco cauliflower (I call it, "fractal cauliflower" - tasty and it looks really cool). Though I truly dread the amount of weeding ahead, I can't wait to see the bees, damselflies, and ladybugs who visit once things begin to bloom.

Hoping my fellow Avalon gardeners are well. :sun:


Don’t you just absolutely LOVE seed catalogue season! I can’t wait to smell the earthy sent of the thawed soil and I wait in earnest for the catalogues! The anticipation along with the veggies I have canned in the pantry keep me going during the cold winter days!

Much Love to you,
Julia

[Strat]

My garden is quite small at the moment but it looks pretty and the broccoli will be great additions to salads. Special thanks to Anka for her advice. Here's an earlier pic:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50811551952_99fb4ec3f8_z.jpg
And here's a pic from today:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50891475868_164e334826_z.jpg

I have another area that's quite small but it looks a bit dull at the moment. Just various herbs and a few flowers. It's a nice reading area though.

[Anka]

Dear Strat,
This is a fairly ripe big broccoli, ready to harvest! Now his younger siblings are going to grow ... :flower:Your plants are very well maintained, the leaves are "fat" and nourished with water and "food", they really look great!

:) If I could add a fortune cookie to the "Thanks" button, then I would say wholeheartedly that you have beautiful happy plants, and your garden will continue to thrive :flower:

I wish you happy weather and good gardening, Strat!

[Strat]

So I harvested the broccoli today. I gave 1 head away and I still have way too much at the moment, I'm going to be eating a lot of broccoli this week. I suppose this will continue as long as the newer shoots grow.

Check out this guy, he is an incredible gardener. The skeptic in me wants to call bull**** but when I hear him speak I can tell he knows his stuff. I only hope I can be as good as him one day:
vv_RGsLrHyY

And a fellow FL boy. Not sure I want to put in this much work but this is inspirational:
hmfP9bNKSIc

[onawah]

How to purify your air with houseplants
from: V-Revealed support@vrevealed.com
2/6/21

"Wwhen it comes to your health, every little bit counts.
Even your… houseplants!

I thought this was really neat. It turns out, certain plants are powerhouses when it comes to purifying the air in your home.

When you know which plants to pick and how to care for them, it goes a long way towards both making your home beautiful and your air free of toxins.

http://https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KQSN6FNX_UBqPoUCC5q1dfVTDs74SMhVYvkITQuPCY4DmWLxlnymbJ5gAofFLMz2HdKFNrcEPKoj-cn-u0fbT39MAE9dzzIT1K_bHmxcGYavGIaGbIjfvt8mMm_4fX3UXVVLWkFq

Here’s a free guide for you… over 40 pages of houseplant info and care to help you get started on the road to naturally clean air. It’s completely complimentary, no strings attached (just click and read):
https://app.box.com/s/gaugd13vdxltbxwzhi9a4gnsdw1jq35i

In this special report, you will learn about top indoor plants that will purify the air you breathe, as well as how to care for them.

You will also learn which toxins are most likely to be absorbed by each particular plant so you better understand how each variety goes to work in helping clean the air.

If you follow directions from this guide and put a little work into caring for these plants, you’ll have a lovely, green home with a superior air supply!

Here are some of the plants they cover that are not only beautiful, but also especially good for a healthy home:

Pothos
Dwarf Date Palm
Peace Lily
Philodendron
Spider Plant
Chrysanthemums
Rubber Plant
Boston Fern
Areca Palm
Dracaena

And, you’ll also get Bonus Tips for how to keep your plants healthy, thriving, and purifying the air you breathe.

All you have to do is click the link and download the book! It’s a great addition to your digital library."

To your health,

The Vaccines Revealed Team

update: (Aloe vera plants should be added to that list)

[Strat]

How to purify your air with houseplants
from: V-Revealed support@vrevealed.com
2/6/21

"Wwhen it comes to your health, every little bit counts.
Even your… houseplants!

I thought this was really neat. It turns out, certain plants are powerhouses when it comes to purifying the air in your home.

When you know which plants to pick and how to care for them, it goes a long way towards both making your home beautiful and your air free of toxins.

http://https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KQSN6FNX_UBqPoUCC5q1dfVTDs74SMhVYvkITQuPCY4DmWLxlnymbJ5gAofFLMz2HdKFNrcEPKoj-cn-u0fbT39MAE9dzzIT1K_bHmxcGYavGIaGbIjfvt8mMm_4fX3UXVVLWkFq

Here’s a free guide for you… over 40 pages of houseplant info and care to help you get started on the road to naturally clean air. It’s completely complimentary, no strings attached (just click and read):
https://app.box.com/s/gaugd13vdxltbxwzhi9a4gnsdw1jq35i

In this special report, you will learn about top indoor plants that will purify the air you breathe, as well as how to care for them.

You will also learn which toxins are most likely to be absorbed by each particular plant so you better understand how each variety goes to work in helping clean the air.

If you follow directions from this guide and put a little work into caring for these plants, you’ll have a lovely, green home with a superior air supply!

Here are some of the plants they cover that are not only beautiful, but also especially good for a healthy home:

Pothos
Dwarf Date Palm
Peace Lily
Philodendron
Spider Plant
Chrysanthemums
Rubber Plant
Boston Fern
Areca Palm
Dracaena

And, you’ll also get Bonus Tips for how to keep your plants healthy, thriving, and purifying the air you breathe.

All you have to do is click the link and download the book! It’s a great addition to your digital library."

To your health,

The Vaccines Revealed Team

Kinda busy so I didn't click the link, forgive me if this is covered in it: I 'played' with this idea years ago and I've been planning on picking up where I left off. NASA did a study on which plants are best for purifying air. When I get a chance to google it I'll post it here.

At the moment I have peace lillys (though they're outside) and spider plants. Spider plants are very very tough, I like them.

[Anka]

I stop here just to say that spring is near, even if it is still cool outside, even minus 10 degrees at night, in the heated space, it is "that time of year" when I have to start sowing all the seeds: peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, celery...all takes time to grow and to be planted in the field, so I, living in a cold area, try to advance the planting by at least two weeks, to have an efficient harvest before the frost in Autumn.

Basically this is the part I like most in gardening for which you need a kind of good intention in it, so it is also a kind of "spiritual" work :), but i also like especially the cultivation of the whole season in close relation with the desires of plants and the weather... more and more capricious every year.
But I'm happy that this year I found seeds from Romanian producers, at a kind of association of over 10,000 members ... and I didn't know about it. They are all workers for Nature, the seeds are not hybrids, some are over 60 years old, some come from research stations over 50 years old (valuable non-monetized research). It looks like a good "conspiracy" and I want to be inside, passing on the seeds for free :)

Over time I have seen how "professional" seeds are genetically halved in production capacity, but especially have clear requirements for "curative management" of the plant with other commercial solutions, and I understand that I do not have to buy them. . I will make my seeds now.

My garlic, planted in late autumn, sat quietly under the snow cover, and now it has emerged "victorious", it has a considerable reserve of water and organic fertilizer from the chickens, all it needs is a little sun.

https://i.postimg.cc/vHRTbyvF/20210209-122531.jpg

The next spring works after the danger of freezing pass, are the cutting of vines, fruit trees, raspberry bushes and the thinning of strawberry plants.

And finally, thanking you for the thread Strat, I'm happy for spring to come, and I've been looking (as I do every year) for the first snowdrops, dandelions, and crocuses. I found something and I took the weight off them, I will simply share them :flower:

https://i.postimg.cc/mk9rCpB5/fl21.jpg

And the last one, which EFO told me to dedicate for you Strat, just for fun ....:)

Loofah-They simply seem very useful to me, and I received the ordered seeds today. I hope to have a less rainy and cold weather this year because they like the heat, and I can't wait to taste them: in the oven with salt and cheese over and when they cool down a bit, I put sour cream .. .I think it works ... I never tasted them :); they are those big seeds in the middle of picture and they grow quite quickly and are planted in mid-April, I think the temperature should be over 14 degrees in the soil.

https://i.postimg.cc/wxRMCMLQ/20210211-202634.jpg
Here are some ideas on how to use them:)

What Happens When a LUFFA Sponge Goes to SEED?(7:11)
NVX69RPzxpA

The best season ever for all little gardeners !!

[Constance]

ddddddddddddddddddddddddd

[Nenuphar]

I'm bumping this thread for selfish reasons. :o For the first time in 15 years, I'm away from my garden and am missing the whole process of planting, tending/loving, and harvesting terribly. I'm helping my mother following my father's passing, and she lives in a city on the other side of the country from me. My 'gardening' this summer consists of a bit of parsley, annual flowers, and a few greens growing on her balcony. Seeing food prices here has been sobering and makes me miss being able to grow our own food even more. Not being able to makes me feel a bit claustrophobic.

I would love to hear about or see pictures of what my fellow gardeners on Avalon are up to this summer. I'll live vicariously through you until I'm eventually back to my little northern garden!

[Anka]

Thank you for your kindness, dear Nenuphar!:sun:

I understand your need for gardening:) ... for me, it's: "If not gardening, then what?" ... especially in these difficult times, the food I grow gives me the necessary energy and more, the activity itself it is a second nature ...

I know what you mean about the feeling of living in an apartment, I lived in such a small apartments in very big cities, with a very small balcony, and parsley was always within my reach to plant.Vegetables and fruits are extremely expensive indeed, I'm not talking about the extensive way in which they were grown.

Nor could I live for more than a maximum of 6 months (I think...) away from "walking barefoot on earth":) in my garden.
This year, in Romania, the climate did not help me at the beginning of the year, being very cold, and going through too unwanted events, I did not manage, having time, to plant the vegetable plants in time...but I managed to recover the whole season as I wanted.

But still, summer is my garden friend, the sun is accompanied by rainy nights, my care during the day is seen in the healthy green content of the plants, and I am satisfied, hoping that the plants, regardless of the harvest, fulfill their short mission of plants, however, they always offered me more than I hoped.

If it helps, I invite you to my garden table, where I gathered lilies and some raspberries! The afternoons are very pleasant here, a light breeze starts to blow and the peace of the garden is felt in the air; the birds fly over the garden in their game (I feed them fully) and in the shade of two plum trees, sometimes I sit on an old and solid sunbed. There is almost no agitation in the world for me..then. On pleasant summer nights, you can "feel" how the plants "work" and grow ... I think you know the feeling too :)

https://i.postimg.cc/4NjWCqsH/fl1.jpg

I'm sorry for the longing you have! I am with you and your parents, I embrace you all!:heart:
I don't need to know you to understand you.

Flowers for you and the heart of your northern garden!:flower:

Pumpkins blooming in the diligence of bees.

https://i.postimg.cc/FHcDhpHW/dovleci.jpg

Beans for the best preserves I make for next winter.

https://i.postimg.cc/MGStHBcW/fasole.jpg

Tomatoes without chemical fertilizers, with fresh sun juice, for the best cheese and freshly baked bread:)

https://i.postimg.cc/QMJmTM5c/Rosii.jpg

Peppers and eggplant interspersed.

https://i.postimg.cc/RVWgD45z/ardei.jpg

More tomatoes (I have a special relationship with tomatoes, I like to take care of them in a more special way, I have many varieties)

https://i.postimg.cc/xjxs5qZR/mai-multe-rosii-mai-multa-varza.jpg

Cabbage, beets, garlic, and behind the garden I have onions, celery, thyme, parsley, several plants, necessary for a complete diet.

https://i.postimg.cc/cCbXL53j/varza-morcovi-sfecla-rosie-usturoi.jpg

I do everything I can to keep the family's health and immunity at the rank of art, for such strange times.

I hope I helped you, at least a little. Hugs around the world for you!:sun:

Take care!

I forgot to say that this was the beginning of the season when the heat finally came.

https://i.postimg.cc/nh140hV2/2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/wTLcRkSS/1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/y8KhmZKW/3.jpg

With gratitude,
Anca and the garden

[Bill Ryan]

Anca and the gardenWow!! :heart: :flower: :heart:
What an astonishing garden that is... I can barely imagine that!

[Anka]

Thanks Bill!
A thousand hugs to you too!:heart:

A few weeks of work gathered throughout the season and divided according to my pleasure and needs of plants, actually preserves all my energy over the year, especially in communion with plants and nature, the effort feels quite rare and blessed.:star:

I am envious of your climate there, it is perfect in special conditions of care, for most plants!

In the old days when the sky were not so "poisonous", I ate carrots directly from the ground without washing them, now I put them in structured water, even if the water in the fountain is from the center of three springs that flow from 1923.

I wish you good health! :star: And I wish you great health forever!
Be blessed for your pure nature of recognizing what is beautiful!:sun:
Thank you!

Flowers and gratitude, always
Anca and the garden:)

https://i.postimg.cc/t4MSq371/20210529-183400.jpg

[Strat]

Hey Anka! Remember that peace lily you advised me to replant (a long time ago)? Well it started flowering again! I couldn't believe it.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51289595072_5d36bf5418.jpg
Shoddy pic I know, I'll try and take a better one later.

Here's a pic of it from January this year. It's an old plant, I can't remember the last time it flowered:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50815390381_78cefc0b91.jpg

[Nenuphar]

What a beautiful garden you have there, Anka! Thank you for sharing these pictures! :sun: :heart:

You must have an excellent crop of pumpkins at harvest time. What kinds of tomatoes do you like to grow? In March, before I left home, I started seeds of Bellestar, Ropreco, Early Annie, Black Sea Man, EM-Champion, Azoychka, Neves Azorean Red, Gary O’Sena, Valencia, Mrs Schlaubaugh’s Famous Strawberry, Kosovo, and Maglia Rosa. I really hope to be home again by late summer to see them.

There was a very intense heat-wave last week in British Columbia, including the northern region where I live. My partner told me the heat and sun roasted and killed many of the carrot and bean seedlings, unfortunately. I told him to plant some kale, chard, and nasturtiums in the areas the other plants died. We have a short gardening season, but it seems like a waste to let any bit of the garden remain without something growing.

[Anka]

Hello Strat for you and for the peace lily flower! :flower:I am very happy because it has blossomed !! And I am also glad for your joy. Thanks for the photo, she looks very happy in that place!:bigsmile:
I wish you and the sweet peace lili flower, a nice day and a beautiful life!:heart:
Take care!
Anca

Dear Nenuphar!:flower:

Wow, I was looking for your varieties ... they look very interesting!
I don't think I find seeds of these varieties in my area. Europe is invaded by many common varieties, and I bought many in the past, but this year I searched and found with difficulty, very very old tomato seeds, I contacted private individuals, who were nice to share with me their old seeds.

Now, the names are given by people, in their homes, and if I translate some, it sounds fun ... :) but I can say that I have tomatoes with definite growth, and with indeterminate growth, I have colors: yellow, orange, black, and some that remain green when ripe. As shapes, I have as cherries, as eggs, as pears, as "ox heart" and some as mushrooms.
For now, all my tomatoes are green and still growing, but when they ripen I will take a picture.

I'm glad you still have plants in the garden "so that the soil has something to grow" :) I know the feeling.

I plant pumpkins, for the pie, I freeze part of it to make the cake in winter, and for the seeds from them, from which I extract the oil and use it for some dishes, the pumpkins that I don't use, fatten my soil again, and feed all living things.

I wish you a lot of health and joy for plants, those 15 years of experience in gardening to bring you the most beautiful benefits ever!:heart:
Love,
Anca

[Nenuphar]

Hello Strat for you and for the peace lily flower! :flower:I am very happy because it has blossomed !! And I am also glad for your joy. Thanks for the photo, she looks very happy in that place!:bigsmile:
I wish you and the sweet peace lili flower, a nice day and a beautiful life!:heart:
Take care!
Anca

Dear Nenuphar!:flower:

Wow, I was looking for your varieties ... they look very interesting!
I don't think I find seeds of these varieties in my area. Europe is invaded by many common varieties, and I bought many in the past, but this year I searched and found with difficulty, very very old tomato seeds, I contacted private individuals, who were nice to share with me their old seeds.

Now, the names are given by people, in their homes, and if I translate some, it sounds fun ... :) but I can say that I have tomatoes with definite growth, and with indeterminate growth, I have colors: yellow, orange, black, and some that remain green when ripe. As shapes, I have as cherries, as eggs, as pears, as "ox heart" and some as mushrooms.
For now, all my tomatoes are green and still growing, but when they ripen I will take a picture.

I'm glad you still have plants in the garden "so that the soil has something to grow" :) I know the feeling.

I plant pumpkins, for the pie, I freeze part of it to make the cake in winter, and for the seeds from them, from which I extract the oil and use it for some dishes, the pumpkins that I don't use, fatten my soil again, and feed all living things.

I wish you a lot of health and joy for plants, those 15 years of experience in gardening to bring you the most beautiful benefits ever!:heart:
Love,
Anca


Hello Anka, :sun:

I'm sorry for my delay in replying - I didn't see your post until this morning!

I arrived back in British Columbia in September. Our garden was hard hit by the intense heat wave of the summer. There was also a hailstorm in August, which damaged a lot of plants. Many of the tomato varieties I planted were so badly damaged, I composted them entirely and did not save seeds. The ones that were left mostly undamaged and that I was able to harvest were Ropreco, Early Annie, Black Sea Man, and EM-Champion.

I recently did a trade with a lady in Sweden for unusual open-pollinated tomato varieties. I connected with her on a dwarf tomato Facebook page. I wish more people used forums (like Project Avalon) to connect with each other, but unfortunately, most people seem to use Facebook.

There is a tomato forum you might enjoy. The majority of members seem to be American, so most of the trades and seed-swaps tend to happen within the USA, but it seems like a friendly group and it is an enoyable place to discuss heirloom and newer open-pollinated varieties. Sometimes, there are members who share the seeds of old, rare varieties so that others will grow them and the varieties won't be lost. The forum is called, "Tomato Junction (https://www.tomatojunction.com/)".

I love supporting small, independent and family-owned seed businesses, but have also found community seed banks a nice source of interesting seeds.

What kind of pumpkins do you grow for making pies and seed oils?

It is -25 C here this morning, but I am, of course, already thinking about what I'd like to grow in the garden this year. I might end up back on the East Coast and in a city again this year (which means, no garden), but the planning and daydreaming helps me get through the cold winter months!

[Strat]

Bumping this thread, I want to know what my fellow Avalonians have in store for Spring? I'm so happy spring is almost here in FL. I haven't seen the red breasted robins yet but the mulberry tree is starting to fruit as well as the loquat. The loquats taste like candy it's so sweet.

The weather was beautiful today. This time of the year Florida is an absolute paradise.

Anyway this year I plan on growing 6 tomatoes, 2 peppers (habanero and something else), blueberry, passion fruit and whatever else I see at the garden/hardware store that catches my eye.

[Nenuphar]

After being away from my garden all last summer for the first time in years, I was eager to get planting this year. I will admit that it is becoming more challenging for my partner and I to maintain the garden and yard. The compromise has been to let some things go unattended so we can continue on with it. The property does not look as maintained and as nice as it should, but we're still able to grow some things.

On the go are garlic (bulbs and bulbils of various kinds), tomatoes (I love growing heirloom varieties), cabbage, peas, potatoes, dry beans, snap beans, herbs, some flowers. A few carrots, winter squash, zucchini, patty pans, and kale. During the night this week, a deer or two must have come through the yard (and we're in town!) because the next morning, we discovered some of the peas, cabbage, kale, etc had been sampled!

We have an apple tree and crapapple tree, so I'm looking forward to making jelly and fruit crisps in the Fall. I'd love to have more perennial crops (like rhubarb, lovage, etc.) but we don't really have the space, and these are things that really do have to be maintained properly. Our energy is already stretched thin, so those plans are on the back burner, for now.

One of the things I like about starting my own transplants is that I often have extras to share after I plant my own. Sometimes, this allows me to connect with new and interesting people. This month, I did a trade with a woman who lives out of town on a large property with her family. Tomato transplants and herbs for fresh eggs and different herbs, and a fun (albeit quick) chat about the different things we're growing. I am from a small province - land there is measured in acres. Here, land is often measured in sections. This lady and her family live on a half section (320 acres) so have plenty of room to grow the vegetables and raised the livestock they wish to! Looking forward to catching up with her again at the end of the season for another chat, and maybe another trade.

[DeDukshyn]

It's been a cool spring here in the BC interior, so things got off to a bit of a slow start, but now I think the greenhouse is doing better than last year. We also had ~40C temps here for about two or three weeks last year in June, which consistently overheated the greenhouse, and some plants suffered because if it.

So this year in the greenhouse we got corn, onions, already harvested all the radishes (regular and icicle - will probably do another planting soon), spinach (also all harvested, might plant more), Arugula (mostly all harvested, letting some seed to collect seeds), beets, two kinds of kale, three kinds of lettuce, cabbage, green and red bell peppers, cayenne peppers, jalapenos, lots of tomatoes, some herbs (basil, oregano, coriander (some for seed), thyme, chives), peas (which aren't doing great for some reason), cucumbers (also not doing great for some reason), beans (also not doing great - they're all in the same area - maybe the soil is weak there), carrots, and I think there's a couple broccoli plants.

We've been eating a ton of greens - almost can't eat enough to keep up with the growth. We also let grow a bit and harvest any "wild spinach" (lamb's quarters - a proliferous wild weed that is incredibly tasty and nutritious) that springs up in the greenhouse beds.

Outside the greenhouse there's potatoes, squash (which isn't doing well), and of course the rhubarb just grows back every year. It's looking like we'll get a better harvest than last year which wasn't great. It's a bit tricky with a limited growing season - weather plays a huge part.

[Sue (Ayt)]

, already harvested all the radishes (regular and icicle - will probably do another planting soon),

DeDukshyn - What did you do with all the radishes you harvested? I didn't know what to do with them all this spring, and we couldn't eat that many! Besides giving them to friends, I am really curious if there is something else you can do with them?

[DeDukshyn]

, already harvested all the radishes (regular and icicle - will probably do another planting soon),

DeDukshyn - What did you do with all the radishes you harvested? I didn't know what to do with them all this spring, and we couldn't eat that many! Besides giving them to friends, I am really curious if there is something else you can do with them?

Radishes are best planted in a staggered fashion a few weeks apart in smaller batches, because they are ready to harvest in such short time, this way you don't end up with a giant batch all at once.

We ate all ours. Put them in green salads, potato salads (a must in potato salads), slice and just eat as a snack with a sprinkle salt and maybe a drizzle of vinegar, thin sliced in sandwiches, did a random fermented vegetable jar (old school pickled vegetables) and threw some in, made a couple batches of Korean kimchi with the radishes (used instead of daikon radishes - taste pretty much the same).

They can also be frozen (after blanching) or dehydrated, and when dried can be ground into a powder for a flavouring additive in spreads, and dressings, or whatever.

Edit: I've never cooked with them but that's a thing as well ... some recipes here: https://everythingradish.com/10-ways-to-cook-radish/

[Harmony]

It's been a cool spring here in the BC interior, so things got off to a bit of a slow start, but now I think the greenhouse is doing better than last year. We also had ~40C temps here for about two or three weeks last year in June, which consistently overheated the greenhouse, and some plants suffered because if it.

So this year in the greenhouse we got corn, onions, already harvested all the radishes (regular and icicle - will probably do another planting soon), spinach (also all harvested, might plant more), Arugula (mostly all harvested, letting some seed to collect seeds), beets, two kinds of kale, three kinds of lettuce, cabbage, green and red bell peppers, cayenne peppers, jalapenos, lots of tomatoes, some herbs (basil, oregano, coriander (some for seed), thyme, chives), peas (which aren't doing great for some reason), cucumbers (also not doing great for some reason), beans (also not doing great - they're all in the same area - maybe the soil is weak there), carrots, and I think there's a couple broccoli plants.


I've found peas don't like the warmer weather, especially the snow peas. I try to get them in fairly early after the frosts are finished.

Even though I am in the Southern Hemisphere, the spring season was quite cool. It is hard to know if it will continue that way so when putting in beans, I wait until I think it is the right time and it will be warmer, but with the unexpected weather lately that isn't possible, so I put in some and then wait a while, maybe 2 weeks or so and then if it was cooler than was expected plant more inbetween the first ones, and if still cool just keep repeating until the weather is good for beans. The reason why you do this is because if beans have a cold slow start, they stay stunted in their progression, even when the weather becomes warmer, and never recover their fullest potential. They can still flower and fruit, and the more flowers, the better the pollination will be.

I have been planating Purple Kings and Red Runner beans which love to climb and usually are good producers. The Red Runner beans can come up the next few years as well from roots under the ground, but I like to put some fresh seeds inbetween the older plants each season as the newest ones produce the best. If it is too hot the red runner flowers fall off the plants and don't produce, but towards the end of the hot season can produce very well. They are very large and tasty beans though. I have heard the White Runner isn't so tempeture sensitive, but I haven't found the seed for those yet.


Your gardens DeDukshyn and Nenuphar sound really wonderul and productive.:flower::heart:

[DeDukshyn]

It's been a cool spring here in the BC interior, so things got off to a bit of a slow start, but now I think the greenhouse is doing better than last year. We also had ~40C temps here for about two or three weeks last year in June, which consistently overheated the greenhouse, and some plants suffered because if it.

So this year in the greenhouse we got corn, onions, already harvested all the radishes (regular and icicle - will probably do another planting soon), spinach (also all harvested, might plant more), Arugula (mostly all harvested, letting some seed to collect seeds), beets, two kinds of kale, three kinds of lettuce, cabbage, green and red bell peppers, cayenne peppers, jalapenos, lots of tomatoes, some herbs (basil, oregano, coriander (some for seed), thyme, chives), peas (which aren't doing great for some reason), cucumbers (also not doing great for some reason), beans (also not doing great - they're all in the same area - maybe the soil is weak there), carrots, and I think there's a couple broccoli plants.


I've found peas don't like the warmer weather, especially the snow peas. I try to get them in fairly early after the frosts are finished.

Even though I am in the Southern Hemisphere, the spring season was quite cool. It is hard to know if it will continue that way so when putting in beans, I wait until I think it is the right time and it will be warmer, but with the unexpected weather lately that isn't possible, so I put in some and then wait a while, maybe 2 weeks or so and then if it was cooler than was expected plant more inbetween the first ones, and if still cool just keep repeating until the weather is good for beans. The reason why you do this is because if beans have a cold slow start, they stay stunted in their progression, even when the weather becomes warmer, and never recover their fullest potential. They can still flower and fruit, and the more flowers, the better the pollination will be.

I have been planating Purple Kings and Red Runner beans which love to climb and usually are good producers. The Red Runner beans can come up the next few years as well from roots under the ground, but I like to put some fresh seeds inbetween the older plants each season as the newest ones produce the best. If it is too hot the red runner flowers fall off the plants and don't produce, but towards the end of the hot season can produce very well. They are very large and tasty beans though. I have heard the White Runner isn't so tempeture sensitive, but I haven't found the seed for those yet.


Your gardens DeDukshyn and Nenuphar sound really wonderul and productive.:flower::heart:

Ok that explains my beans ... they were started indoors (as many plants here have to be due to short growing season) but we had several mornings near freezing after they were put into the greenhouse. We thought they wouldn't even make it, but they lived, and just never recovered properly.

Just harvested a massive batch of basil this morning for drying. I can hardly keep up with it.

[Blacklight43]

For the last year my garden has been decimated by something. I replanted carrots and lettuce and as soon as the carrots were ready to eat something would just help itself. So 2 weeks ago I invested in a humane trap for small critters and so far it has rendered 5 rats and 1 ground squirrel which i relocated to a new home (not mine). I decided to start the new plants inside and let them get a little bigger before planting in the raised bed. I also reseeded the carrot area.

This morning the first of the carrot seeds emerged and I planted the Romaine lettuce. And I keep the trap set with store bought carrot and peanut butter. I also have garlic, onions, peppers and sun gold tomatoes (tiny variety) as it doesn't get hot enough here for the regular sized fruits. I was running out of space so am using plastic crates for 2 varieties of potatoes. With a lot of hard work and prayer I should get a salad or two in a couple of months.

For now I'm not interested in an alternative meat supply provided by my trap!LOL

[Nenuphar]

Popping in to say hello, bump this thread, and see how others are doing with their gardens this year. :)

We had unseasonably hot weather last month (along with a lot of smoke; it has been an early start to the wildfire season this year, unfortunately). We were able to get the garden in 2-3 weeks earlier than usual. So far, so good, except for the loss of my cabbage transplants due to root maggots and a row of snow peas stripped by hungry/bored sparrows. Arhg!

One of my experiments this year has been making a batch of EM-1 ("effective microorganisms") to water into the garden periodically over the next few months. In a nutshell, and as I understand it, EM-1 helps the plants take up nutrients in the soil and also combats pests/microbes in the soil that are not beneficial to the plants. This is a good article for more information: What Are Effective Microorganisms? (https://www.permaculturenews.org/2016/01/19/what-are-effective-microorganisms/)

A few years ago, I bought some ready-made from this business (https://www.gardenerspantry.ca/product/effective-microorganisms/) and the garden loved it. The price was not unreasonable, but the cost to ship it was more than I was willing to spend this year. I found a video with instructions on how to make a batch and watered the first diluted application into the garden and raised beds two weeks ago. Hopefully, the garden will respond well to this homemade brew.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emTCsCHwRAM

[Bo Atkinson]

Thanks for the mention of the soil -inoculant, and I might try some. I was most interested to Rudolph Steiner's book Agriculture, (back in the 1970s). A method for making field-sprays and compost-sprays was given, but we just ordered some to use back then, when our land was stark. Steiner's field sprays reminded me of Frodo the hobbit who inoculated the land of Mordor to correct it, to initiate new ecosystems, to repopulate that land. (Popular 1960s book).

Intensive addition of humus has been the biggest need, (added yearly), and is a hard chore, as I'm not a farmer, nor have tractors with special attachments, and we needed to do other jobs for income. This always pushed me off the gardening chores. So the land is shared by many weeds too, so long as they add mulch-material, and support the pollinators and bird-life, full-season!

http://harmoniouspalette.com/June2023Garden&DomePA.jpg

We devoted much of our life architecturally, to grow flowers indoors too, my wife's life interest, and my task was innovating translucency with a low budget, in the (non-transparent) windows and dome, and waterproofing the floors, (despite hard winters here, with many big trials and errors). Several dome layers were added for winter-insulation, so that the sunlight sadly gets filtered. Greenhouse growing is impaired, like the stubborn delays of human evolution.

The hard labor of establishing gardens, (and from a former junkyard here), needed a dreamer's emotional inspiration for the kickstart. We developed a couple acres of fairly-wild permaculture, which is much cruder than the ideal. A realization came early-on, that the little-supported organic movement had always achieved the same or better results without the Steiner (or bio-dynamic) sprays. We aim to keep a self-balanced ecosystem, and leave it behind us, (now in our 52nd year on this land).

Nowadays, there are many kinds of beneficial insects under the general name Integrated Pest Management, (or IPM). These are a wide range of organisms, while the growing zone determines specific varieties. Gratefully even government agencies like the USDA have quickly become expert at this approach instead of chemical pesticides alone. This is one spot of rationality in the USDA. IPM is worth studying for garden uses, even from simple beginner remedies. (Web search it). Over the decades, the right bugs for your successfully-sustained-garden, might naturalize a fledgling-ecosystem.