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Thread: The Gardening Thread

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    Canada Avalon Member Nenuphar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread


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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

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    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)


    Anything new with my fellow gardeners?
    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 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? 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?

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  5. Link to Post #63
    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    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.

    Quote Posted by Lilybee8 (here)
    Attachment 43378
    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)


    Anything new with my fellow gardeners?
    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 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? 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.
    Last edited by Strat; 23rd April 2020 at 12:26.
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

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    United States Avalon Member Bo Atkinson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread



    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.


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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    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.

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  11. Link to Post #66
    Canada Avalon Member Nenuphar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Lilybee8 (here)
    I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one 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? 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).
    Last edited by Nenuphar; 23rd April 2020 at 20:54.

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    Mexico Avalon Member Lilybee8's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    Quote Posted by Lilybee8 (here)
    I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one 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? 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

    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 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.
    Last edited by Lilybee8; 23rd April 2020 at 20:22.

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    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.

    Quote Posted by Lilybee8 (here)
    Attachment 43378
    Quote Posted by Strat (here)
    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)


    Anything new with my fellow gardeners?
    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 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? 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 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.., I lived in Cancun when I was young right before college.. oh boy do I miss it.

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  17. Link to Post #69
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    Quote Posted by Lilybee8 (here)
    I am very interested in starting my own garden, I am very exited since we finally got a home where I can have one 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? 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...arch-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...ng-apples.html

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

    https://plot-30.blogspot.com/2018/07...op-in-one.html
    Last edited by happyuk; 23rd April 2020 at 20:49.

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  19. Link to Post #70
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    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.
    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).
    Last edited by Alecs; 24th April 2020 at 20:56.

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Alecs (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    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.
    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! Thank you

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  23. Link to Post #72
    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    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.


    Part of my garden last year, which survived the six weeks of continuous rain...


    cucumbers placed directly in the ground, under cut plastic bottles, to avoid cold and frost.


    potatoes, placed in open rows with the help of the tractor.



    Seedlings of various varieties of tomatoes with determined or indeterminate growth, and cabbage.


    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.



    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 )



    Thank you to everyone who shares here, the joy of growing plants...
    Love,
    Anka
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Anka (here)
    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.


    Part of my garden last year, which survived the six weeks of continuous rain...


    cucumbers placed directly in the ground, under cut plastic bottles, to avoid cold and frost.


    potatoes, placed in open rows with the help of the tractor.



    Seedlings of various varieties of tomatoes with determined or indeterminate growth, and cabbage.


    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.



    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 )



    Thank you to everyone who shares here, the joy of growing plants...
    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!

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    United States Avalon Member Strat's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    That's an inspiring post Anka! How much time do you put into your garden per day?
    Today is victory over yourself of yesterday. Tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Thanks Lilybee8!
      I like the name of your avatar, in my language it is a kind of caress for loved ones.
    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,
    Love,
    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    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.
    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.



    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


    I wish you all the best,
    Love,
    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    (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

    Click image for larger version

Name:	My back garden.jpg
Views:	140
Size:	269.4 KB
ID:	43430


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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Anka (here)
    Thanks Lilybee8!
      I like the name of your avatar, in my language it is a kind of caress for loved ones.
    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,
    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...

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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Bodhicee (here)
    (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

    Attachment 43430

    Wow !!

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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Gardening Thread

    Quote Posted by Bodhicee (here)
    (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

    Attachment 43430

    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
    The flowers are fluffy and must look like this...



    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!

    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.
    And all this to be just human.

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