Gardening: 2002-2009 Seasons

[melkor]

It was 29 degrees out this morning here in northern ca, the tomatoes that are under a row cover are still looking good - the others all died. Winter has clearly arrived.

[fifi]

Leaving my gardens will be hard. Harder than leaving that front door that my babies came home from the hospital through. Harder than leaving the kitchen that I sole-handedly remodeled. Oh, and then there's that plot that Diana and Paul dug up and planted for our wedding anniversary when I was in the hospital when Heidi was born.

Oh my goodness. You bring a tear to my eye. How many gardens I have had to leave. There is something about a garden that is a living extension of ourselves. And then there are the treasured plants that we have maintained. And there are the ones that we have propogated from a treasured friend's gift. I have a pot of jade plant descended from an unexpected gift from some business friends (that became treasured personal friends) when I was in the hospital 25+ years ago. I would die before I would lose that plant. My sister has some surviving violet plants from a strain that our mother dug up in some woods somewhere maybe 50 years ago. When I was a kid, we made the violet jelly from those plants. There is the miniature rose bush that my late beloved basset hound almost killed by munching the buds and flowers. Then there are the memories related to the more transient residents of the garden. There is the trellis where the kids would "steal" the snow peas so that I never got enough for a stir fry. Here is the planting bed where my sister accused me of interferring with the sex life of the squash when I took the stamens from the one male flower in the patch and went around to the female flowers in the early morning.

For my part, I mourn what I have lost from my past gardens as though they were family members. But I also look forward to building that new one as though, god like, I am bringing a new life into being. And that is a very good thing to do.

[robyn]

<<As I sit writing, my peach tree, which lost all her leaves last week, is now in full bloom. This is a first; she has never bloomed in November. Of course, there won't be enough time for the fruit before a freeze hits us, unless we are extremely lucky.>>

I live in north Florida. Climate similar to yours - probably a bit warmer (we are zone 9a - you are probably 8). In all likelihood - you don't get enough chill hours on a regular basis for something like peaches. Everyone worries about whether plants will freeze in certain zones - but not enough retailers tell us how many chill hours we need for certain plants to flower/fruit successfully. We have had a very warm winter across the south as of today - so a lot of our plants which would rather be dormant now have been forced into late season blooming/growing. We're getting the flowers now we would otherwise get in the spring.

By the way - one thing that always works for me in the spring (late February to early May) is Martha Stewart spring mix seeds from KMart. Easy as pie to grow and tasty to boot. Gotta love Martha . Robyn

[lovebenton0]

<<As I sit writing, my peach tree, which lost all her leaves last week, is now in full bloom. This is a first; she has never bloomed in November.  Of course, there won't be enough time for the fruit before a freeze hits us, unless we are extremely lucky.>>

I live in north Florida.  Climate similar to yours - probably a bit warmer (we are zone 9a - you are probably 8).  In all likelihood - you don't get enough chill hours on a regular basis for something like peaches.  Everyone worries about whether plants will freeze in certain zones - but not enough retailers tell us how many chill hours we need for certain plants to flower/fruit successfully.  We have had a very warm winter across the south as of today - so a lot of our plants which would rather be dormant now have been forced into late season blooming/growing.  We're getting the flowers now we would otherwise get in the spring.

First freeze last night. It is 30 degrees out here now as the sun is rising in crisp clear air. Of course the peach tree has lost blooms by this morning. The warm winters are definitely a problem for growing the fruits, and I have no idea what this tree is rated at since it was already here when we bought the property. Our neighbors have one rated higher for freezes so it holds off until the wather is legitimately warm, in April. The get a nice little crop every year. A friend out in Fredericksburg told me to wait until almost the last freeze, near the end of March, even if she has already bloomed, cut some of the branches back then and it will force the tree to bloom again. That is how she tricks hers every year into giving her such a good crop. It's worth a try. I'll let you know how it works out.

  'Tis sort of a sad day. I pulled the brussels sprouts today.

I had to harvest all the vegetables from the garden yesterday afternoon. It was already blowing hard and very chilly for us with the front on the way. Typical here, we will be in the low 50s for a high for two days, freeze last night and colder tonight, then back to 40s low and 68-74 high for the next few days. Just enough to have to strip the garden of the last vegetables. Almost three dozen green tomatoes; the grocery was selling green tomatoes this week for $1.59/lb. I figure I carried in about five bucks worth. Always a good excuse to have fried green tomatoes and salsa verde with homegrowns, though I wish they could have grown for another week or so. The chilis were still abundant, but not tolerant of this cold at all, so they all had to come in, (Anaheim, jalapeno, cayenne, hot, and sweet banana peppers) along with the Ichiban eggplant. The "spring" greens that surprised me by growing all summer, even in the heat, are now cleaned, washed and in the veg crisper. The garden is too much to cover and hold out for warmer weather in a couple of days. The Tabasco peppers, which are perennials in their own warmer climate, knew the freeze was coming and suddenly dumped nearly all their leaves yesterday, leaving me with a last picking of varied sunset colored peppers for vinegar sprinkle. I looked out this morning, and my terraced garden appears to be old spinach someone left on sticks in my yard. It is always sad. But then we enjoy the last harvest and take a break for a couple months.

As usual, I am overflowing with fragrant basil and the last of that is in the big kitchen pantry, drying in its rack, scenting the downstairs whenever I open the door.

All my potted plants are inside now. My livingroom looks like a greenhouse. The Bay Laurel trees and Norfolk pines are in for the season; I can't move them on my own, they have grown too much. I want to repot them one more time then transplant the Bays out in the yard next fall. They are about four feet tall now and just starting to branch out. I have been babying them so far; had them for over three years now and love drying my own bay leaves for cooking and sharing. Some of the smaller cactus, succulent, and euphormia (Africa's versions of cacti) can go in and out with warm weather. My only potted herbs this year are a healthy Italian Oregano, new this season, and garlic chives I have been growing for three years now, so they are in with the rest.

Leaving my gardens will be hard. Harder than leaving that front door that my babies came home from the hospital through. Harder than leaving the kitchen that I sole-handedly remodeled.

I left the land, the trees, and gardens I had nourished and encouraged as my children, after 16 years, with tears flowing down my cheeks. I don't think I could stand to lose this one. We have talked about moving, but every time it comes back to the green, the flowers, our grapes, fennel, wild persimmon, the terraced garden we fill with tomatoes and peppers, rock walls of roses, onions and garlic appear every spring as a gift, honeysuckle blooms with wild perfume over the porch, and the live oak that covers the back deck with cool shade even in August. And every time we say, no we can't leave this. Susan, may your new gardens give to you new joy, what ours have given to us.

[Hopleaf]

Anyone doing anything remotely gardening-related? And shoveling snow doesn't count.

We finally got some measurable snowfall in Chicago. About 5 inches fell last weekend and it finally feels like winter. Now it can go away.

My garden beds are resting peacefully under about 3 feet of compressed leaves, with some chicken wire and rocks to hold it all in place.

Still figuring out what I'll be adding into the fold for next year and what to put in my new beds (expansion in progress!).

So, let's hear an update, eh?

[fifi]

As I think I have mentioned, all of my gardening is taking place at my sister's house for the time being. She is in NW Houston.

We are currently trying to figure out what to do about the mirlitons. They are starting to sprout from the base and one sprout already had a baby mirliton. It is beginning to look like a mild winter but we are still prone to surprises. I am suggesting that we pile mulch around the base of the biggest vines so maybe they will sprout again in the spring. The vines that went everywhere went down some weeks ago, as did the towers with morning glories and moon vines.

The oja santa (root beer plant) is looking ragged around the top but there are still some nice leaves underneath.

The herb beds are looking kinda ratty, with the exception of the lemon grass on steroids.

A good friend of ours has a big bed in the backyard that her late husband piled leaves on for years. Looking at that wonderful soil under there makes your mouth water. We are about to make her into a gardener.

Immediate planting goals are lettuces, chard, parsley, thyme (it seems to die here when it gets hot), radishes... we are still thinking.

[Priscilla]

Mulching everywhere heavily with fallen sycamore leaves.

Harvesting excellent Satsuma mandarins.

Roses will be ruthlessly pruned right quick here, also the apple tree only not so ruthlessly.

Daffodils up an inch or so! Putatively pink varieties, in fact it was the appearance at long last OF pink daffodils that allowed them into my garden at all. I like daffodils and they are the flower of my birth month, March, too.

I don't hold out much hope for the pink coloration, however -- last year, their first in the ground, they bloomed all right, profusely, even, but in an array of yellowish tones only a couple of which were maybe verging on corally. Can't have that.

If I wanted YELLOW flowers in my garden I'd PLANT 'em, wouldn't I.

However, is there the teensiest chance that after their interim year of acclimation to my garden microclimate they might bloom pink, as pink as the new dawn, pink like the big white cat next door's ear linings, pink just like in the catalogue photos?

If they do not I am afraid they will have to find a new home.

[jackal10]

Hope springs eternal. Daffodils are pushing through the ground - looks like a very early spring.

Started to plan what to grow this year. Dug some beds over.

Jerusalem Artichokes, Carrots, rainbow chard, leeks, kale and a few sprouts still fresh from the garden.

Today sowed tomato seeds for greenhouse tomatoes. They always put too many seeds in the packet, so lots spare.

Currently a fairly random collection:

Sungold - Wins the taste test every time. Very sweet yellow cherry

Gardeners Delight. Red cherry Good flavour

Fireworks II. FLame derived, early determinate red. Got mildew last year.

Marianna's Peace. Billed as the worlds most expensive, tastiest tomato we shall see. Looks like a pink Brandywine

Wins All Late large red

Pink Ping Pong

Purple Calabash

Earl of Edgecombe.

What tomatos should I grow for best flavour?

[lovebenton0]

Anyone doing anything remotely gardening-related? And shoveling snow doesn't count.

Still figuring out what I'll be adding into the fold for next year and what to put in my new beds (expansion in progress!).

So, let's hear an update, eh?

Does starting a garden thread next week on the Texas forum count?

Actually, we are just getting ready to gear up here in Central TX. Tilling under in another week or so. Have to throw some new dirt on the garden, finally, this season. The eggplant and chiles gave up one last surprise gasp right around New Year's! Should be buying seeds very soon. I'm cutting back the fennel, and the Tabasco plants (that have not given up yet, even though we have had some pretty cold nights/days for Tabasco).

(Of course, my unstable peach tree has bloomed and fruited again, and been frozen out, but more blooms are popping now, it's been in the 60s for a week. If she will just keep doing this I may get one incredible crop of peaches off her yet this spring.)

Clipping lots of rosemary from my two giant rosemary bushes, and some baylef sprigs for a dozen winter bouquets for my whole family that is arriving this weekend. The roses and the lantana (I know, just pretty stuff, but they need attention, too ) are due to be cut back. And I still have to decide whether to plant these bayleaf trees in the ground or transplant them into one size larger pot, again. They have been my babies, I mean they are only four feet tall, and I just don't have what I consider to be "the spot" for them, yet. They are doing well in the house forest right now, along with the oregano, chives, aloe veras, Norfolk pines, euphomias, etc.

The greens will go in late February or early March, then the tomato plants, and the eggplant, basils, beans, and corn will go in the first of April right after our last freeze. I may try squash again this year, but I swear new vampires come to suck the life out of my squash every time! I want to grow some brussel sprouts this year. The garlic and spring onions will be up in another month or so.

What are you thinking of putting in your new beds this year, Hopleaf? You must be anxious to hit your new earth. We always had rhubarb in the spot next to the garage in Mudelein. And beefsteak tomatoes and strawberries outside of Detroit. I've never grown strawberries like that since!

Good luck with the new beds, they sound like they are cozily tucked in. Keep us updated on what you're doing.

[mudbug]

I frequent gardening forums throughout the year, a great way to keep you head in gardening during the winter months, and to continually learn. I particularly have learned a ton of information from the first three listed.

Vegetable Gardening

Soil and Compost

Heirloom Plants and Gardens

Tomatoes

Herbs

Asian Vegetables

Fruit and Orchards

Hot Peppers

Organic Gardening

Alliums

Edible Landscape

I'm watching the heirloom garlic bulbs I planted last fall and am eager to see how they do this year. I have several perennial herbs which I look forward to seeing again this spring. I brought in several herbs and plants for overwintering and am eager to get them back outside when it gets warm again.

Over the past few months, the catalogs have been coming in and with a specific interest in vegetables - especially heirloom vegetables, non-hybrid, and non genetically modified vegetables - I've been browsing thru the descriptions and making my planting list according to my zone.

My favorite sources are

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds: Offers over 900 varieties of vegetables. (My favorite!) It's truly exciting to learn about varieties which many people think are 'new' only to find out they've been around a lot longer than we think.

The Cook's Garden Lots to offer with great descriptions for cooks.

Seed Savers Exchange

Richters Herbs: Offers over 1000 herbs

Plant Delights Specializes in ornamentals and always offers the best selection of the new and unusual.

There is also website which rates mail order gardening companies so you can check customer opinions and reviews which has come in handy: Garden Watchdog

It's about time to start getting some serious planning done!

[fifi]

Great links. Many thanks. The Cook's Garden is awesome.

Just curious if any of you use vegetables in with ornamentals. A few years ago, a friend of my daughters gave me The Art of French Vegetable Gardening as a hostess gift. It is a beautiful book and really gave me a lot of ideas. In their perverse way, Amazon also points you to similar books.

Since many of you are in garden planning stages I though I would bring this up. I have used pepper plants and eggplants in mixed beds and have used parsley as a border. One year I had this wonderful red stemmed and heirloom white stemmed chard. It was huge and positioned so that when I sat on my back porch in the evening, the low sun would shine through it and light it up. Gorgeous. (Delicious, too.) But that Bright Lights chard always looked puny to me.

I also had an African Blue basil SHRUB. That thing got to be about 5 feet high and 8 feet in diameter and the purple bloom spikes attracted butterflies galore. I also planted fennel in the front bed and let it become a food plant for pipevine swallowtail butterflies. For weeks, when I left in the morning, I would see a brand new butterfly that had just hatched and was drying its wings. Other herbs, mints and basils especially, were everywhere.

[mudbug]

I actually consider vegetables to be ornamental. Who the heck said they have to be planted in ugly rows anyway? (actully, don't answer that - I know it's just tradition and the way 'it's always been done')

I've never understood why they are separated and deemed as 'not ornamental'. Vegetables (and herbs) are just as beautiful than trees, shrubs perennials, grasses, etc. if not more so.

Check out the Edible Landscape link I posted above. I think you'll enjoy the threads.

Edited January 14, 2004 by mudbug (log)

[jess mebane]

Today, I loaded the youngest Mebane into the obligatory Red Rider wagon and bought spinach, potatoes, heirloom tomato seeds and two artichoke plants from a local vendor. I can sort of muddle my way through everything but the chokes; any suggestions, pointers?

[lovebenton0]

Just curious if any of you use vegetables in with ornamentals. 

Since many of you are in garden planning stages I though I would bring this up. I have used pepper plants and eggplants in mixed beds and have used parsley as a border. 

I also had an African Blue basil SHRUB. That thing got to be about 5 feet high and 8 feet in diameter and the purple bloom spikes attracted butterflies galore. I also planted fennel in the front bed and let it become a food plant for pipevine swallowtail butterflies. For weeks, when I left in the morning, I would see a brand new butterfly that had just hatched and was drying its wings. Other herbs, mints and basils especially, were everywhere.

Our yard is odd. We have no back yard, but a nice back deck with a big old live oak growing through the center that shades us all year on the east. Makes the back deck a perfect place for potted plants and herbs that don't like getting burned in the blast of the TX summer sun.

We have a terraced yard with the vegetable garden area on the top level about 20 yards south of the house. I grow Tabasco peppers around one of the crepes and basils and assorted peppers around the other; hot Thais, sweet bananas, or cayenne. The cactus garden also sports peppers; jalapenos and anaheims, usually. I have a mass of heirloom tea roses against the rock wall of the earthen ramp leading to the top terrace; spring onions and dahlias growing all around. My fennel (caterpillar/butterfy heaven) and moonflowers are at the top of the ramp as you step into the garden area.

The main vegetable garden area is surrounded by roses and two huge rosemarys, silver sage bushes and a lush hedge with two pines. My crazy peach tree is up there, and a couple other trees; wat'zat trees. I am thinking of putting my bayleaf trees up there. The century plants, cactus, and other Texas stick yous are in front of that. Out along the front rock wall on the house level I have lillies, garlic, more onions, lantanas, and TX hollys. Below the rock wall out front are more wild persimmons and lantanas. I love that riot of colors and aromas, and enjoy picking flowers and nibbling my way through the yard. I like my herbs scattered around the yard. I don't put them in the main garden area.

Where did you get that African blue basil shrub? I grow several varieties of basil every year, depending on what we can find. I would love a blue basil like you described. My two rosemarys are that big.

Thanks for links, mudbug. I'm looking forward to spending time there.

[Hopleaf]

Figured we'd hear a lot from our southern contingent. thanks all. It seems so strange to hear about someone (mebane jr.) in a red rider pickin' out plants in the middle of January...especially when I look out my back window (heck, any window) and see a sea of white.

Well, lovebenton, I'm gonna try leeks I think. But I'm not sure how to incorporate the "sandy soil" element. Figure I'll just till in some play sand (cheap stuff!) in one corner of one bed and see how they do.

Also, more lettuce...emphasis on more. We only did two varieties last year, three plants of each. Once we'd harvested and eaten those, we were sorely disappointed that there wasn't more. But it was our first year gardening. Plus I let the last of each bolt and harvested the seeds. I plan to stagger sow them from the first opportunity through the summer, starting them indoors first.

And definitely more tomato plants, but I will implement a Super Squirrel Defense Program, which may or may not include an air rifle. Right now we've been fattening the squirrels up with various kitchen scraps (funniest image is seeing a squirrel try to lug a carrot to a quiet spot for eating...like the rabbit might take it away any second). So maybe come Spring, several of them will have perished from coronary disease and lack of proper excerise (crossing fingers!). At any rate, I'm pledging not to lose a SINGLE tomato to those fuzzy little shits. I'm thinking pressure treated 1Xs with 6-foot lengths of chicken wire top to bottom. Will have to have a hinged door for pruning and picking, but that's a small price to pay if we get the harvest all to ourselves. there remains the possibility also of electrofying this rig, but that might be overkill (speaking of kill, that's a great idea for the damn furry legions of hell!).

Anyone have a good recipe for Squirrel Stew? (guess I could check the recipe database.)

[sparrowgrass]

I got 13 seed catalogs this week--does that count?

Too cold and muddy in Missouri to even think about getting out in the garden.

I will just go and pick some eggs from the "raised beds" in the henhouse.

[eatmorepesto]

I got 13 seed catalogs this week--does that count?

Which ones would you recommend?

[mudbug]

I got 13 seed catalogs this week--does that count?

Which ones would you recommend?

What are the choices?

[sparrowgrass]

The one I am recommending to myself is Gurneys, because it came with a $20 gift certificate.

Really, however, I mostly dream my way thru the catalogs, and end up actually buying from local sources. I like the catalogs, because they have lots more information than you can find on the backs of the packets, and I try to find the same varieties here at home.

If you are thinking of ordering perennials, order from a company in your planting zone, or close, anyhow. Easier to find things that fit your hardiness requirements.

[jschyun]

Okay, I've got garden fever and it's not even Feb yet.

I just planted my spring garden. Just for my own happiness I will post all the varieties.

Self made loose leaf mix including Sunset, Forenschluss (okay romaine, but I'll pick it early), Burpee Bibb, Black seeded Simpson, some other old seeds i threw in.

golden, chiogga, and early wonder beets.

kinbi yellow, st. valery, nantes, danvers half long, mokum, babette carrots

white egg, golden ball, and that purple top turnip

some yellow watermelon from 2 years ago (it just sprouted so what the hell)

green arrow peas, dwarf sugar snow peas

tuscan kale, red winterbor kale

golden acre cabbage, waltham broccoli

some granex onion seeds

dill (snails got it)

I just discovered Fedco Seeds, a small cooperative seed company. My new favorite catalog to look at even though it's black and white. they even have minutina and a lot of the carrots that I want. Also their lettuces. I can just read that catalog day after day, but I decided not to buy this year, because I'll wait till next year so that I'll have diminished my seed supply enough to justify $25 worth of seed, to qualify for the free shipping. These people are so weird, they don't do online ordering, they close in April.

I can't wait till summer!

[Hopleaf]

Ok, ok...the snow's melted, the birds are chirping, we had a 50 degree day in Chicago this past weekend. I don't wanna jinx us, but come on...even the Beloved Cubbies are suitin' up for ______ Training. And I certainly have a _________ in my step. And just the other day, the ______ on my back screen door broke.

It's almost here folks. What are you gonna do about it!?

Personally, I think Puxatawny Phil had his head up his own yaya when he said he saw a shadow. Whatever! Goes to show you can never trust a sub-dwelling groundhog. ....Varmint Kong....Sianara!

Oh! He got all a that one!

Happy Spr....oooh, almost did it.

[DRColby]

It's a beautiful sunny day in Puget Sound today. Spread 15 cubic yards of composte last week. Fava beans are up, and cat has left a pile in center of my sprouting letuce. Where I dig he digs later. To get even I threaten t to pull his catnip out. On my way out now to pick some late winter greens for supper.

Looks like it's going to be a great garden year, but then - at this time of the year - every year look like it's going to be great for gardening.

Dave

[snowangel]

Happy Spr....oooh, almost did it.

Yes, you did. Jinx us, that is. A fresh 6" here today -- wet and heavy, but beautiful with the snow on the tree branches.

I, too, am thinking gardening. We move later this month and although we bought in the winter, there wasn't much snow, and it appears that I will have a blank slate. Don't know how much gardening I will do this summer -- I should probably take the season to watch the sun and how it moves and how the different places in the yard "feel."

We did write into the purchase agreement of this place that I can come back in the summer and take some slips of plants .

[Mayhaw Man]

Looking for a huge rain tonight (same storm that creamed Texas yesterday. If things go well, most of the garden will get planted on Sunday p.m. Ground is ready and the plants (partiicularly eggplants, tomatoes of various sorts, and cucumbers are all doing nicely and are ready for transplanting).

[Hopleaf]

Yes, you did. Jinx us, that is. A fresh 6" here today -- wet and heavy, but beautiful with the snow on the tree branches.

well? how abotu now. We're less than 1 week away fromt he official start of Spring. I think it's nearly safe to say the "S" word.

I see a dethatching rake in my future, and a few hours spent behind my tiller.

Ooh, the smell of fresh, most earth...cannot be too far away.

Course, we're only expected a high of 36?F today.

But June is right around the corner!!