ITT: Gardens

[Josh]

Lets see some of those gardens that you have going or planning when you thaw out.

This is this years (and first at this house). I still have a bit of work to do to get it how I want it, but plants are in and growing.
I don't typically like raised gardens, but I had a ton of dirt after digging out a 400 sq ft paver patio and nowhere to put it.
Work to do:
Overhead drip system
Trellises for viners

 

[quirkzoo]

Third year for my home garden. I have five 4x8 beds, a couple of fruit bushes, asparagus and hops. Average last frost in Colorado Springs isn't till May 15, but I will have some cold weather seeds in the ground in April. I grew up in Hawaii so learning about lack of water and cold weather is a really new thing for my gardening. My goal is to install a drip system this year. I dripped the xeric area in the front yard last year so it shouldn't be too hard to do the garden in the backyard now that I sort of know what I am doing.

And for good measure, here are my tomatoes from last year.

 

[MordorMongo]

 

[joe]

expanding the garden this year so ill be out there working on it as soon as all the snows gone. ive been gardening in the same spot for about 7 years and its the same garden my grandpa made 40+ years ago. lots of asparagus, rhubarb, peppers, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes and much more.

cant wait to see what this thread turns into come spring.

 

[Frank]

This will be my 3rd year on my plot in the community gardens here in Waterbury. Plot is about 30' x 15-20'. Me and the lady grow a lot of greens (lettuce and spinach in the spring/fall, arugula/mustard in the heat and chard/kale all season 'cause they just don't quit), green beans, beets and last year we did a ton of potatoes. Going to skip the tomatoes this year (maybe a couple Sun Gold cherry's, though) because they just never do well up here without a greenhouse. Taking all the effort from tomatoes and focusing it on peppers and summer squash. Also really want to have a kick ass herb selection this year with some more obsure stuff I can't source locally, i.e. hyper fresh chevril and tarragon.

 

[JoeLikesBeer]

It annoys me that you can't see the pathways from this angle. Do you have brickwork? Also, a clematis would climb that ductwork nicely and give some color during the summer.

 

[MarcatGSB]

I've got two 4 ft by 8 ft raised beds in my front yard, and another 4 by 4. There is so much snow out there right, going to be a late start. We live on a sand dune, so it was important to build the raise beds and build a proper soil. It's been a work in progress but last year we got a shit load of tomatoes, peppers, kale, onions, broccoli, and cabbage. We also have some planters out there that I do cilantro, basil, and thyme in.
Keep the pics coming!

 

[blue_bleeder]

This is what my garden looked like in the beginning last year.

I am just starting to sow the seeds indoors for this year. I am cutting back from last year. Last year was 100 tomato plants and over 80 pepper plants. I ended up canning about 450 jars. It was a bit overwhelming. This year I plan on doing about 75% of that.

 

[Jaminjohnson]

This is what my garden looked like in the beginning last year.

I am just starting to sow the seeds indoors for this year. I am cutting back from last year. Last year was 100 tomato plants and over 80 pepper plants. I ended up canning about 450 jars. It was a bit overwhelming. This year I plan on doing about 75% of that.

Is that the cage you lock the kids in? Aka "the babysitter"

 

[blue_bleeder]

Is that the cage you lock the kids in? Aka "the babysitter"

Dog run...

 

[blue_bleeder]

Finally got some shit planted. 'Bout time

 

[Josh]

Organic pesticides....what're y'all's solutions. I've got something gnawing on my Swiss chard and vinegar/water and soap/water solutions aren't helping any. It doesn't appear to have gone onto other plants, so I'm not quite sure what exactly is eating away at it.
Anyone have luck with a steeped pepper/water solution?

On a side note, three strawberry plants have fruited, and two tomatoes have started to flower.

 

[mjohnson17]

No pics yet (since there' still snow covering my beds) but I have 2 40 sq ft red cedar beds. One's been overtaken by strawberries and the other I rotate with vegetables. Last year I let my 3 year old daughter pick, so we grew broccoli, sweet corn, carrots and green beans.

I maximize space by using different mutual support strategies like:

• sun/shade - broccoli & carrots in the partial shade of the rows of corn
• fast & slow maturing - radished & broccoli
• Verticals - growing green beans & squash up on tomato cages.

Best part was my daughter has a blast picking out the seeds, planting them, watering, and ultimately eating them. Nothing like seeing her pull a bean off the vine or a carrot from the dirt and just sink her teeth into it. We even got some good ears of corn!

I also have some hops (Fuggle & UK Kent Golding) growing up a rope trellis up and over my shed.

 

[quirkzoo]

Organic pesticides....what're y'all's solutions. I've got something gnawing on my Swiss chard and vinegar/water and soap/water solutions aren't helping any. It doesn't appear to have gone onto other plants, so I'm not quite sure what exactly is eating away at it.
Anyone have luck with a steeped pepper/water solution?

On a side note, three strawberry plants have fruited, and two tomatoes have started to flower.

You might try this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth
http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

Should be fairly easy to find at most garden shops. You just sort of dust it all over and at the base of plants. We had some critters going to town at our community garden and this stuff really helped.

 

[quirkzoo]

Best part was my daughter has a blast picking out the seeds, planting them, watering, and ultimately eating them. Nothing like seeing her pull a bean off the vine or a carrot from the dirt and just sink her teeth into it. We even got some good ears of corn!

Same thing here. My daughter was 2 when we first started gardening in our current house and she had so much fun helping me plant peas, watching the little vines grow up the trellis, seeing them flower, then turn into pods. She was so excited the first time I told she could pick one she ran into the house yelling,

"I GOT A PEA, I GOT A PEA, I GOT A PEA"

To which my wife yelled, "Get to the bathroom now, go, go, go"

 

[mjohnson17]

Organic pesticides....what're y'all's solutions. I've got something gnawing on my Swiss chard and vinegar/water and soap/water solutions aren't helping any. It doesn't appear to have gone onto other plants, so I'm not quite sure what exactly is eating away at it.
Anyone have luck with a steeped pepper/water solution?

On a side note, three strawberry plants have fruited, and two tomatoes have started to flower.

It probably depends on what exact is eating away at your plants but I've had good luck with lemon/water solution. I've also heard that burring banana peels around the plants helps for certain insects. I guess that's an age old remedy.


For the lemon solution I grate the rind of a whole lemon and squeeze the juice into a pot then add enough water to fill a spray bottle. Then bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling I let it boil for about 5 minutes, then kill the heat, let cool and dump into the spray bottle. Apparently the lemon oil is the key but it cant hurt to have lemon juice in there as well

The lemon mix works great for ants too. I used to use it inside my house to keep the little buggers out when we had a dog. That way I didn't have to worry about some toxic chemicals around the dog.

 

[Josh]

I have never heard of the lemon water solution before. I will definitely be trying that. Thanks.
My grandparents used to tell me allthe time about the banana trick, but whenever I'd be in their gardens, I never saw it in use. Figures it was just an old wives tale passed from generation to generation.

 

[Frank]

Garlic and water can be helpful as well, and allegedly helps with disease control.

The most helpful thing you can do is find out exactly what is eating them aand then figure out how to kill whatever it is.

 

[gwcad]

Here's mine from last year on planting day. Some did better than others. I have a few different ideas this year. Obviously quite jealous of you folks that have space for real gardens.

 

[mcaulifww]

4th floor balcony garden. got tons of herbs (basil, oregano, spearmint, etc.) squash, bush beans, tomatoes, cukes, bell peppers and strawberries inside under my hydroponic system. Almost everything has sprouted from seed (except the strawberries) already and I started less than 2 weeks ago. planted some onions in a pot outside last week.

Gonna try some companion planting with some garlic and onion carrot and radish with the bigger plants. I definitely don't have the space for what I've got but I figure I'll take the strongest and give it a shot and then try and pass off the rest onto my parents.

Will take pics later.