Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[snowangel]

Are there any forums on gardening that are as interesting to read as this food forum is?

Did a google (that usage will be in the next Websters ) and came up with this.

Gardenweb

But are they as erudite, witty and wonderful as e-gulleters?

More importantly, do they measure their daffodils?

[Nick]

But are they as erudite, witty and wonderful as e-gulleters? 

More importantly, do they measure their daffodils?

Not likely. And I doubt they measure their daffodils - the true measure of any serious gardener.

[jackal10]

Busy days in the garden

The daffodils are coming to an end, but being replaced by tulips and the plum and pear blossom.

Planted potatoes: Arran Pilot (old fashioned first early, does well here)

Pink Fir Apple

Salad Blue and Salad Red (coloured all the way through - can make blue mash or red white and blue potato salad).

Planted tomatos in the greenhouse, and sowed more lettuce.

Tomatos: Sungold/(Golden Cherry) (small yellow). The sweetest tomato I know. Consistently wins the local taste tests

Gardeners Delight (small red) (wins the taste tests when Sungold doesn't)

Fireworks II (determinate, large red well spoken of but not tried, but I liked the name)

Last year I grew Brigade (advertised as the "Chef's Tomato"); good solid paste tomato but disappointing raw. Great dried and mi-cuit. Maybe one needs different tomatos for different purposes.

Lettuce: Little Gem, Lollo rosso, Buttercrunch.

These are fairly arbitary choices. Which are your favourite potatos, tomatos and lettuce, and why???

[Hopleaf]

Finally! Got my hands dirty this weekend.

Started digging my first bed, removing sod (which I'm using elsewhere), and found that my soil is so absolutely bitchin' I probably won't have to tinker with it much at all. Maybe till in some of the mostly decomposed leaves from my gutter cleaning back in November.

I relocated the sod to this area where nearer the house where there was a bunch of flagstone that I've been removing and using to craft my garden walkway.

My nearly two-year old daughter had a blast getting thoroughly dirty. She even managed to get some soil in her mouth, which taught her a valuable lesson: soil might smell good, but it doesn't taste very good at all.

So now it's Monday morning and I'm relishing that I still have a little dirt under my fingernails.

[snowangel]

So now it's Monday morning and I'm relishing that I still have a little dirt under my fingernails. 

Dirt under the nails -- a grand sight.

It was 93 here today. It felt so good to sweat and be really and truely warm.

As an experiment, about a week and a half ago, I put some soil from pots that I didn't empty out last fall on top of the compost, and scratched in some lettuce and spinach seeds that were about 3 years old. The ground, at the time, just seemed to cold. They are coming up beautifully -- lush and green, so one of my compost bins is now wearing a nice, green crown.

This reminds me of when we moved the outhouse at our cabin. We moved the outhouse, and filled the top of the 55 gallon drum with some of the soil we removed from the hole for the new 55 gallon drum. For about 5 years, every year, the old "hole" was adorned with the lushest, most magnificent tomato plant. Although zone 3, it was full sun, and somewhat protected, and we had great tomatos.

[torakris]

So now it's Monday morning and I'm relishing that I still have a little dirt under my fingernails. 

Dirt under the nails -- a grand sight.

It was 93 here today. It felt so good to sweat and be really and truely warm.

As an experiment, about a week and a half ago, I put some soil from pots that I didn't empty out last fall on top of the compost, and scratched in some lettuce and spinach seeds that were about 3 years old. The ground, at the time, just seemed to cold. They are coming up beautifully -- lush and green, so one of my compost bins is now wearing a nice, green crown.

This reminds me of when we moved the outhouse at our cabin. We moved the outhouse, and filled the top of the 55 gallon drum with some of the soil we removed from the hole for the new 55 gallon drum. For about 5 years, every year, the old "hole" was adorned with the lushest, most magnificent tomato plant. Although zone 3, it was full sun, and somewhat protected, and we had great tomatos.

93 in Minneapolis is April?

Wow! this greenhouse effect is getting scarier and scarier

[Rhea_S]

My tulips and other spring flowers are finally starting to bloom. Not bad considering I only planted the bulbs three weeks ago. I had a huge bag of mixed bulbs that I bought back in November. I was too lazy to plant them and they sat in a paper bag on my front porch all winter. Terrible, terrible. Lovely Maggie told me to go ahead and plant them and now I have flowers. Thank you.

As for culinary gardening, I'm starting my herbs this week and my tomatoes and whatever else looks good on the weekend.

[snowangel]

93 in Minneapolis is April?

Wow! this greenhouse effect is getting scarier and scarier

Yes, and it will be in the 30's tomorrow and Thursday with snow flurries predicted.

Edited April 15, 2003 by snowangel (log)

[DRColby]

Just got back from 2-week emergency trip to Columbus, OH. Weather was beautiful so I planted by sister's -who was hospitalized - beds and garden. Forgot about how mucky mid-Ohio clay was until my shoes weighed twice their weight and wife screamed about mud in the house. Anyhow, planted things my way: lots of tough, simple old perennials, some herbs, and some new tender annuals. Weather looked good. The day we left they had a half-hour hail storm so I am waiting to hear how much of my time and investment was destroyed.

Meanwhile back in the great Pacific Northwest I am planning to set out some scarlet runner starts today (if I can figure out how to keep the crows from picking them off), sew some lettuce, say goodbye to the celery root, and try to end the slugs from climbing on the Savoy cabbage and horseradish (never knew they even considered horseradish until yesterday). O well, lots of work and a great Summer ahead.

Dave

[sparrowgrass]

I found a real scary bag of potatoes under the sink, and rather than toss them, I tilled a row in the garden and planted them. That makes about 30 pounds of potatoes I have planted so far--red, white, yellow and blue.

While I had the tiller out, I cultivated around the stuff I planted a month ago. Lettuce will be ready in a week, the other taters are up, and the peas look nice.

Another sign of spring--one of the 4-H projects I do at work is an embryology program. I take eggs and incubators to the schools (and the nursing home, this time), and I have been picking up chicks and incubators all week. 52 chicks so far--so sweet.

And multicultural--black, brown, red, yellow, white.

[torakris]

My garden is slowly expanding, last weekend saw additions of

basil

oregano

cherry tomatoes

swiss chard

bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)

shishito (Japanese green slightly spicy peppers)

[snowangel]

What a wonderful time of year. Emerging everything. First daffodil bloomed today. I have quit measuring things. We had a very dry winter, and I think the lack of early snow cover was not particularly kind to one of my azaleas, and I'm worried about my mongo wisteria, but other things are moving like crazy. Once again, as I have every year since we moved into our house, I spring from bed a first light, grind the coffee, set the coffee maker to on, take a shower, grab that first cup of Joe and bound outside to see what the day will bring.

I spent the better part of last week watching things grow. Laundry be damned.

The crown of spinach on my compost heap is glorious (and tasty), and I have scratched in lettuce (many varieties) in all of the holes in my perennial gardens that will be filled in by said perennials long after the greens have bolted or been eaten.

Our bodies are gradually losing the neon white of winter and we are looking very healty and happy. Today was a day for running in the sprinkler and watching the daffodils bloom. Peter set the the timer and we checked them every 15 minutes. Peter got his first outdoor buzz cut of the year.

The interior of my house is a wreck. There are a bazillion loads of laundry stacked up. But, what is more important? Clean clothes or dirty fingernails? I think the latter.

Paul and I were sort of child-free this evening (Peter and Diana and my mom and dad's, Heidi passed out at 6:30 pm from too much outside fun) and dined al fresco, under our pergola with the icicle lights, on leftover poached salmon, that compost spinach (lightly dressed with EVOO and fresh strawberries), and each other ( ). All bug-free.

Life is SO good.

[torakris]

I spent the day fixing up my yard and working on the garen too, not quite as romantic as snowangel though!

I planted more bsail (can never have too much basil!), jalapenos, Korean hot red peppers, sugar snap peas, Moroccan green beans, and zucchini.. I bought cilantro seeds, arugula seeds, and baby salad mix seeds and hope to get those in tomorrow. Spring really is wonderful!!

[Hopleaf]

I haven't planted a thing, yet have tons of beautiful flowers coming up. It's kinda cool to find out what the previous owners planted. so far, we've identified the hydrangeas, tulips, daffodils, snow drops, and something that looks like an orange version of a lilac.

I also have tons of wood chips courtesy of the arborist that felled a tree for me (it was overgrown with grape vines, which have also been removed).

Our new membership to the National Arbor Day Foundation is already paying off as we got 10 saplings in the mail the other day for free just cuz we joined up (I highly recommend everyone join this group, it's only a $15 annual membership). Several flowering dogwoods, a french lilac, and a flowering pear tree. We're planting them where the English pine once stood.

Still trying to guage when my frost date is so I can start planting my beds. I'm definitely not waiting past Mother's Day. Might even chance it this coming weekend.

[guajolote]

Hop - average frost date in Chicago is May 15 (saw it on http://www.chicagobotanic.org/, a great gardening resource, especially the plant finder).

We live close to the lake so I took a big gamble and planted tomatoes and herbs yesterday. Thank God for the rain today.

[jackal10]

400 plants of Chamomile Treneague have just arrived for a camomile and thyme lawn on top of the outdoor bread oven. As soon as it stops raining I'm outside to plant them at 3-6 inch spacings. The theory is to keep it quite dry so as to inhibit the grass.

Frost date here is 1 June "Ne'er cast a clout till May be out"

Meantime the greenhouses are full with starter plants: Tomatos, Chili peppers, cucumbers, pole beans red brussel sprouts, purple sprouting broccoli pumpkins, winter squash, basil, lettuce, pansies for bedding, Amaranth, sweet corn...

Outside the radishes are coming, as is spinach, and chinese mustard. Potatos just showing through. Broad (Fava) beans up, but patchy - need to re-sow. Sweet peas are up, but no sign of the purple podded eating peas.

The apple blossom is lovely but patchy. The Egremont Russet is full on, but the Ellisons Orange is not there at all. No buds even. Allington Pippin in between.

The grass needs cutting, the herb garden tidying, and the clematis tying in. The cock pheasants stroll around crowing, and either doing battle or claiming ownership. The hens, meantime, come out for brief breaks then scuttle back to sitting on their eggs hidden in the brambles and the long grass.

[Hopleaf]

Thanks for the link guajolote. My thing is that the last frost date is not something that remains the same year in and year out. So, while the average date is 5/15, I'm trying to figure out what factors determine the last date. Like is Dew Point any indication of when the last frost might occur? I guess I just want to get started planting since I've been chomping at the bit for what um 5 months now and have busied myself with prep work. It comes down to knowing the light is at the end of the tunnel, but not quite seeing it yet.

I'll investigate the Botanic Garden's Web site more. Thanks.

That rain is great, isn't it? Everything is that vibrant color cuz it's all wet. And the area grasses seem to have sprung to life overnight. I might actually get to start up my brand-spankin' new lawnmower!!

[snowangel]

Thanks for the link guajolote. My thing is that the last frost date is not something that remains the same year in and year out. So, while the average date is 5/15, I'm trying to figure out what factors determine the last date. Like is Dew Point any indication of when the last frost might occur? I guess I just want to get started planting since I've been chomping at the bit for what um 5 months now and have busied myself with prep work. It comes down to knowing the light is at the end of the tunnel, but not quite seeing it yet.

I'll investigate the Botanic Garden's Web site more. Thanks.

That rain is great, isn't it? Everything is that vibrant color cuz it's all wet. And the area grasses seem to have sprung to life overnight. I might actually get to start up my brand-spankin' new lawnmower!!

There are no reliable indicators. You can look at a 30-day forecast, but a good portion of that is based on statistical averages and what the weather patterns are at that point.

Remember, too, that the ground is still cold. Maybe not on the surface, but go down 9-12", and it is cold. Certain things do not like cold ground, most notably tomatos and peppers. Until the soil reaches a certain temperature, and nighttime temps average above a certain point (mid 60's, I think), they will just sit there. Plant green bean seeds when the ground is too cold and the seeds will rot.

Rmember, too, that although a lot of stuff in your garden has come up, there may be other "late comer uppers" that haven't come up yet. I know that my balloon flowers and butterfly weed are always quite late, and if I got to anxious to plant, chances are I'd damage what's trying to come up.

Now is the time to sit back and watch what's there just grow. In a month, you'll be so busy you'll wish you'd taken this opportunity to just enjoy...

[Hopleaf]

Oh, I am enjoying watching what comes up, snowangel, as I said a few posts back. There's so much already and I'm sure more to come.

I guess it's just a matter of trying to understand the whole frost thing. I did find a few explanations of dew point which I found particularly fascinating, most notably this:

Dew Point Explanation

And you mention soil temperature; is a soil thermometer an essential tool? Cost?

[snowangel]

And you mention soil temperature; is a soil thermometer an essential tool? Cost?

No. Just poke your finger down as deep as you can, or dig a little in an area you are certain doesn't have any plants (or that you don't care about), but avoid checking up against the house. A soil thermometer just seems like another piece of equipment one would not be able to find next year (aka garage clutter).

Rule of thumb for planting in our area of Minnesota is last weekend in May; assume you could probably go a week or two earlier, but Mother's Day seems pretty early this year.....

Now to the good news! My daffodils and pulmonaria are finally blooming. With the exception of the few things noted above and my wisteria, I think just about all of my perennials are up. And, as I check my wisteria every day, I am reminded that the watched plant never buds.

[maggiethecat]

Hop - average frost date in Chicago is May 15 (saw it on http://www.chicagobotanic.org/, a great gardening resource, especially the plant finder).

We live close to the lake so I took a big gamble and planted tomatoes and herbs yesterday. Thank God for the rain today.

That's one hell of a gamble---remember snow, May 28th, last year?

But I utterly sympathize. Which tomotoes, BTW?

Here on the Blasted Prairie I don't get that lovely Lake Effect.

And yes, hearty thanks to The Big Guy for the rain. Sweet peas are evincing interest.

[torakris]

A visit to a nursery this morning gives my garden some new Korean red peppers, ekoma leaves (similar to the Japanese shiso), and yellow mini tomatoes.

[Richard Kilgore]

Not from seeds, but my herbs from Whole Foods are doing okay in pots after a few days --- Italian Parsley, Fennel, Oregano, Thyme, a couple of different Rosemarys, Sage, Basil, Mexican Mint (substitute for Taragon), and a couple of other mints.

[snowangel]

Morning of May 1:

I am awakened by a hot, but sweet breath on my face. Before opening eyes, I sense that it is not long past dawn. I listen; hear the shower running, so I know that the hot breath is not that of DH ( ). Open eyes. I see Peter (age 7). In one hand he has my magnifying glass. He has my binoculars around his neck. In the remaining hand, he has a bunch of flowers and greens -- a few stray "weed" violets, Johnny jump-ups, and daffodils, and some spinach (from my compost crown), tied together with a twist-tie.

"Happy May Day, mom!" I picked flowers that are as beautiful as you are. "And, I need a little help with breakfast. I picked some of that green spinach stuff from the compost thing. I even peeled a couple of the hard boiled eggs. Time for salad. And, the best thing...I think I saw a little greenish thingie on your wisteria. I think it is alive again!"

As I've said before, Life Is Good. So, it was spinach, with hardboiled eggs, lightly dressed with evoo and a touch of balsamic (the good stuff my brother-in-law brought me from Italy last summer) for breakfast. We walked to school together, and he gave me a big hug and kiss when I left him at his classroom.

Oh, to have a child young enough to think that having mom walk you to school, hug and kiss you in front of all of his friends is a grand thing. It is even grander to have a child that shares the passion for the garden thing.

Fear of frost be damned, he and I have a date tomorrow afternoon to plant basil. A packet of seeds is really cheap.

[tsquare]

Tomorrow is Seattle Tilth's Plant sale! No doubt full of surprising starts for my very late to get going garden. I did buy a few tomato and pepper starts last weekend at the Arboretum Foundation plant sale. One was a pepper plant recommended for drying your own paprika - anyone try this? I didn't think to ask if the starts were organic...but they will raised as such.

Last weekend I spent hand chopping waist high cover crop and starting to human rototill the soil. In one area I have lumbering fava plants in full flower, with slender pods of beans starting to appear. Will I have the patience to wait for them to mature? Pea and potato plants are growing before my eyes, artichoke plant has a few small heads (?), and last season's mustard and greens are bolting. Tarragon is back fully green, and there are signs of life on the lemon verbena!