Veggie gardens

[TooPatient]

Thought it would be fun to talk about fruit/veggie gardens as we're coming up to the time to plant stuff!

So, what fruits and veggies do you grow? What do you do to keep animals from eating all your plants? Any great things to make the soil friendlier to certain things?

What are you planning to do? What would you have done differently in planting?

Pictures are great too!

 

[TooPatient]

We have established and producing:

Rosemary (Tuscan?)
thyme -- lemon, lime, and silver
oregano -- Mexican and Greek
Sage -- regular and purple
blackberries
blueberries (4 varieties)
strawberries
chives
lavender
mint (several varieties)


Still getting established and not producing yet:

quince tree (in for 2 years)
fig tree (in for 2 years)


I've got a bunch of stuff starting in trays in our house right now. We also got a little mini-greenhouse (like 4 ft tall) to see if that helps get them further before planting in the ground:

10 varieties of tomatoes ranging from cherry sized to full sized including heirlooms (some will grow in pots others with tomato cages)
cucumbers
lemon cucumbers
jalapenos
Brussels sprouts
bell peppers (5 color mix)
watermelon
scallions


My biggest challenge to come if figuring out where to plant all of this stuff (assuming they sprout & grow!) where our dogs won't get them, the neighbors' dogs won't get them, and the rabbit won't eat them...
Our front yard is pretty safe from everyone but the rabbits. We do have some garden boxes but not enough for everything and the rabbit goes in the garden boxes too.
I'm trying a garlic/chili/water solution to see if that helps.


Any advice on rabbits? I'd rather not have heaps of wire around the yard and I don't think that would keep the little ones out anyway. I don't mind sharing some, but they ate everything last year!

 

[Gypsy]

We have a patio, so our gardens are modest. I'm not sure my DH will do much this year.

We will do an herb garden regardless. Tarragon, Mint, Basil, and Sage. We don't normally do Rosemary as there is plenty out here everywhere.

And we usually do several types of tomatoes. But my DH is not sounding like he wants to do that this year.

 

[kenny]

I usually do tomatoes and strawberries.

I fertilize them with 'worm tea' and casting compost from my vermiculture bin.
The worms eat certain kitchen scraps, reducing what we send to a landfill.

It would be cheaper and easier to just buy toms and straws but home grown taste sooo good.

 

[sarahb]

We have rabbits too. I read some where to use vacuum bag contents, spread it around the bottom, which I did, seemed to work. It wasn't very pretty though. One year I staked & wrapped chicken wire--they got in anyway. Good luck, they're just as bad as squirrels!

 

[packrat]

We took our veggie garden out and put in another flower bed last year. We had peas the year before that in part of it....mmmmm..we only managed to save enough to add to a meal a few times, the rest of it we sat out there and popped them open and ate while picking them. My parents used to have a garden as big as our entire back yard.

 

[TooPatient]

We have a patio, so our gardens are modest. I'm not sure my DH will do much this year.

We will do an herb garden regardless. Tarragon, Mint, Basil, and Sage. We don't normally do Rosemary as there is plenty out here everywhere.

And we usually do several types of tomatoes. But my DH is not sounding like he wants to do that this year.

It is a lot of work! Herb gardens are amazing!

 

[TooPatient]

I usually do tomatoes and strawberries.

I fertilize them with 'worm tea' and casting compost from my vermiculture bin.
The worms eat certain kitchen scraps, reducing what we send to a landfill.

It would be cheaper and easier to just buy toms and straws but home grown taste sooo good.

They are so yummy

Anything home grown has been far better than anything I've gotten at the grocery store or even the farmers markets. Just so much better when it doesn't have to sit! We also get to do a bunch of heirloom varieties and other "off" varieties that you can't buy often. I didn't know until we were growing that there are so many varieties of thyme!

 

[TooPatient]

We have rabbits too. I read some where to use vacuum bag contents, spread it around the bottom, which I did, seemed to work. It wasn't very pretty though. One year I staked & wrapped chicken wire--they got in anyway. Good luck, they're just as bad as squirrels!

I'm desperate! I might try that in an area and see how it does!
With all of the cats & dogs we have, there is plenty of stuff in the vacuum bag!

Chicken wire was another of the ideas I'd been thinking about. Sounds like it doesn't work very well...

lavender -- One gardening site suggested planting certain things around the garden that have unpleasing odors to a rabbit. They suggested bits of lavender around the garden as one option..... The rabbits lived in/under our lavender plants last year! So that one doesn't work!

 

[TooPatient]

We took our veggie garden out and put in another flower bed last year. We had peas the year before that in part of it....mmmmm..we only managed to save enough to add to a meal a few times, the rest of it we sat out there and popped them open and ate while picking them. My parents used to have a garden as big as our entire back yard.

Your flower beds are gorgeous!

Yeah... eating while picking is certainly a hazard


My grandparents had a huge backyard. Half was left for the dogs and grandkids and the other half was veggies. He was actually able to grow enough veggies to make most meals through summer. It was amazing!

 

[sarahb]

Regarding the chicken wire, this is what we should've done:

Taken a long piece of wood, & laid it down on top of the wire (the bottom, where it met the dirt, think like where a curtain hits the floor), so that the rabbit could not crawl under. Weighted the wood, like a few concrete blocks or bricks or pail of dirt set on top.

Nothing to loose with the vacuum debris, it's worth a try!

Good luck,
sarahb

 

[monarch64]

Avid gardener here! Just got back from the local nursery where I picked up seeds for cool-weather crops--lettuces, sugar snap peas, spinach, etc. I started 2 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from seeds I saved last year (purple Cherokee and Brandywine) and another heirloom variety called Mr. Stripey from a pack of seeds a friend gave me. I started basil last week, and will start a bunch of other things soon. I do raised bed gardening and this year I'm going to attempt an all vertical garden to maximize space. Cucumbers, pole beans, tomatoes, peppers in the beds, lettuces in between rows since they like shade, herbs will go in a dedicated space alongside the house. Hoping for weather like we had last year (ha ha, that's a nutty thought!) because we had the right amount of precipitation at exactly the right times and the temps were perfect all season.

Rabbits...oy. The first thing you can do is try to eliminate any places around your property that make good dens, i.e. brush piles, wood/rock piles, etc. Get rid of places that make suitable habitats and then work on deterrents. Trapping and relocating generally doesn't work. Plus you need to check state laws regarding relocation. Chicken wire keeps them out to some extent but usually only if you bury it so they can't get under. ETA: we live in a housing addition close to a lot of forest, so there is a lot of nuisance wildlife but things like rabbits and other vermin are controlled (at least on my street) by the neighbors' kitties. Our beds are very close to the house and we have motion lights that also act as deterrents. Slugs are probably my biggest issue.

I started taking the local Master Gardener class about 6 weeks ago, and wow, it's a wealth of information. Last week we learned about soil and plant health, never thought I'd be having to remember my table of elements and writing copious notes about nitrogen/potassium/iron (and on and on) at this stage in life! Fortunately my beds are filled with good dark topsoil--where we are in zone 6 is really old earth (and red clay at that) that didn't get the benefit of glaciers--so I don't have to amend much.

I'm dying to get out and till the beds but they're still too wet from all the snow we had this winter. I bought some pansies today to tide me over for a couple weeks til I can get out and dig in the dirt!

 

[momhappy]

Much of my garden got washed away last year (we had heavy rains just a few days after I planted everything). This year, I think I might stick to large patio containers. We usually grow tomatoes, herbs, peppers, lettuce, & jalapeños. I agree with kenny - homegrown tastes SO much better (especially tomatoes).

 

[TooPatient]

Regarding the chicken wire, this is what we should've done:

Taken a long piece of wood, & laid it down on top of the wire (the bottom, where it met the dirt, think like where a curtain hits the floor), so that the rabbit could not crawl under. Weighted the wood, like a few concrete blocks or bricks or pail of dirt set on top.

Nothing to loose with the vacuum debris, it's worth a try!

Good luck,
sarahb

Thanks for the tips!

 

[TooPatient]

Avid gardener here! Just got back from the local nursery where I picked up seeds for cool-weather crops--lettuces, sugar snap peas, spinach, etc. I started 2 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from seeds I saved last year (purple Cherokee and Brandywine) and another heirloom variety called Mr. Stripey from a pack of seeds a friend gave me. I started basil last week, and will start a bunch of other things soon. I do raised bed gardening and this year I'm going to attempt an all vertical garden to maximize space. Cucumbers, pole beans, tomatoes, peppers in the beds, lettuces in between rows since they like shade, herbs will go in a dedicated space alongside the house. Hoping for weather like we had last year (ha ha, that's a nutty thought!) because we had the right amount of precipitation at exactly the right times and the temps were perfect all season.

Rabbits...oy. The first thing you can do is try to eliminate any places around your property that make good dens, i.e. brush piles, wood/rock piles, etc. Get rid of places that make suitable habitats and then work on deterrents. Trapping and relocating generally doesn't work. Plus you need to check state laws regarding relocation. Chicken wire keeps them out to some extent but usually only if you bury it so they can't get under. ETA: we live in a housing addition close to a lot of forest, so there is a lot of nuisance wildlife but things like rabbits and other vermin are controlled (at least on my street) by the neighbors' kitties. Our beds are very close to the house and we have motion lights that also act as deterrents. Slugs are probably my biggest issue.

I started taking the local Master Gardener class about 6 weeks ago, and wow, it's a wealth of information. Last week we learned about soil and plant health, never thought I'd be having to remember my table of elements and writing copious notes about nitrogen/potassium/iron (and on and on) at this stage in life! Fortunately my beds are filled with good dark topsoil--where we are in zone 6 is really old earth (and red clay at that) that didn't get the benefit of glaciers--so I don't have to amend much.

I'm dying to get out and till the beds but they're still too wet from all the snow we had this winter. I bought some pansies today to tide me over for a couple weeks til I can get out and dig in the dirt!

Fun!

I've read a bit about vertical gardening and it seems like a great idea for those of us who don't have acres of land. I hope you'll post pictures and tips as the season goes!

We've been clearing out anything I can think of that rabbits may like. We've also got another dog running in the neighborhood so maybe he'll help too. They don't seem to enjoy living where dogs can find them!


Slugs -- Ick!
We (thankfully!) don't have much issue with them. I had to deal with them in a different house and it was miserable! One of the most successful things I tried was planting lots of slug-friendly flowers to keep them distracted. Stuff like marigolds are inexpensive and the slugs (usually) like them more than the other stuff in the garden. Sacrificing some marigolds to save the veggies seemed like an okay trade off!
My mom used to put little cups of beer outside. Something to do with them reacting poorly? I don't think it worked all that well because she was always running around dumping salt on them or sending my brother to pick them up out of the yard...

 

[kenny]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

 

[TooPatient]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

So horrible what they do to tomatoes!

A good tomato is sweet enough without adding any sugar and shouldn't be so bitter/rotten that you need sodium to cover the flavor.

If you're growing cherry toms, try just a pan of them over medium heat until they slowly caramelize and burst to form a delicious just-tomato sauce

 

[monarch64]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

Just watch and make sure you dont toss any into your yard! They take off like crazy (cherries are heirlooms and will volunteer like mad) and you'll be picking a million before you even know it! My husband threw a bunch into a brush pile a couple years ago, and we grew some in a raised bed the next year. We were so inundated with cherry tomatoes we couldn't pick and give them away fast enough. Yes, I froze a ton, canned a bunch, made everything I could think of with them, gave bushels to the local shelters, too. Good luck!

 

[kenny]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

Just watch and make sure you dont toss any into your yard! They take off like crazy (cherries are heirlooms and will volunteer like mad) and you'll be picking a million before you even know it! My husband threw a bunch into a brush pile a couple years ago, and we grew some in a raised bed the next year. We were so inundated with cherry tomatoes we couldn't pick and give them away fast enough. Yes, I froze a ton, canned a bunch, made everything I could think of with them, gave bushels to the local shelters, too. Good luck!

OMG, tons of toms?
The perfect woman; Will you marry me? ……… for your cherries, of course.

 

[monarch64]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

Just watch and make sure you dont toss any into your yard! They take off like crazy (cherries are heirlooms and will volunteer like mad) and you'll be picking a million before you even know it! My husband threw a bunch into a brush pile a couple years ago, and we grew some in a raised bed the next year. We were so inundated with cherry tomatoes we couldn't pick and give them away fast enough. Yes, I froze a ton, canned a bunch, made everything I could think of with them, gave bushels to the local shelters, too. Good luck!

OMG, tons of toms?
The perfect woman; Will you marry me? ……… for your cherries, of course.

Kenny, if I have the amount of cherries this year as I did last, I will PAY SHIPPING to send them to you!!! I can't remember ever getting so pissed having to harvest something as I did with those. First world problems, for sure! You can have them ALL!

eta: My daughter loved picking and eating them ripe off the vines. I HATE when they explode in my mouth and shoot out anyway. So annoying. And the skins...when you cook them it seems like all you're left with is seeds and skins instead of flesh. Sorry, I am happy to send them all your way! Maybe I just don't know how to deal with them the best way?

 

[TooPatient]

My cucumbers have sprouted!

It happened some time today after 10am and before 3pm
(Not that I've been watching...)

I've got those little trays with clear lids sitting on my kitchen counters to get them started inside. Will shift out to the mini-greenhouse when I have to take the lids off. May still have to shift them to the garage at night, but at least they'll have a head start!

Looks like the jellybean tomatoes may be the next to sprout... or maybe the heirloom cherry tomatoes?


Did get out in the yard to prune back the herbs. Hoping to have as much as we did last year! The oregano is already sprouting up and the sage is looking good too!

Oh.... and the strawberries have decided to take over the yard! They are popping up everywhere!

 

[NTave]

We grow: Tarragon, rosemary, oregano, peppermint (careful with this one, it becomes a weed, better to box it, but awesome for spur of the moment mojitos), thyme, chives (also weedish).

We also grow. raspberries and blackberries, but have trouble with deer on the raspberries. We used to have a strawberry patch, then I mowed over it (oops).

We also grow: peas, different kinds of green beans, eggplant, multiple varieties of tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash,beets, lettuce mix, pumpkins and whatever else tickles our fancy when we (meaning the kids and I) buy our seeds.

Its a labor of love. I can certainly buy plenty of organic produce for the amount that I spend on supplies for the garden (200 or so per season) but its fun, and the kids get a kick out of it. Every winter I contemplate a CSA vs garden.

Also, every year the garden wins, and I plan to scale down the garden, and then I end up not. Between grad school, children, work and spending time at summer "camp", we (meaning me, bc Im the only one that weeds) do not have the time to keep up with a large garden, and it gets a bit wild by the end of growing season, which drives me batty.

I also grow peonies, roses, and blue hydrangeas and a bit of wild flowers like cone, etc.in cape (cape cod) like fashion, although the climate isn't as temperate as it is there and my flowers are not as lush.

 

[NTave]

Sweet 100s are wonderful, hardy lil cherry tomato plants that grow abundant fruit. I pink puffy heart Sweet 100s.

 

[Nyc2chigal]

I didn't read thru, but decided to reply once I saw the topic!

How do you folks feel about hydroponics?
Reason I ask is because we can't have much of a garden in our backyear (we live in a townhome and share the backyard).

 

[TooPatient]

I didn't read thru, but decided to reply once I saw the topic!

How do you folks feel about hydroponics?
Reason I ask is because we can't have much of a garden in our backyear (we live in a townhome and share the backyard).

I haven't looked into hydroponics for home use, but have read a bit about it and it sounds really cool!

How much space do you have? If you've got a bit of yard space, you might look into vertical gardening like Monarch is trying. It seems like a great way to get a lot of veggies from very little space.

You might also look at things that do well in pots -- certain tomatoes (some even love hanging pots!), Brussels sprouts, some peppers, etc. Maximize your pot space by planting some herbs or lettuce around other plants.


If you do try the hydroponics, you'll have to share how it goes!!

 

[TooPatient]

Sweet 100s are wonderful, hardy lil cherry tomato plants that grow abundant fruit. I pink puffy heart Sweet 100s.

Yay!!!

I've got some of them just starting to sprout! I haven't tried this variety yet so I'm glad to hear someone has had lots of success with it!

 

[Ninna]

Raspberries are great this season and apples are blooming. We also have geese, deer and rabbit problems, we installed this unit is by the berries a few years back:
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/product-reviews/B000071NUS it is on timer to avoid accidental showers [near garbage bins].

For the vegetable garden I got this from the garden center last year:
http://catrepellentguide.com/water-...ion-activated-sprinkler-animal-repellent-2-0/ this unit has a larger coverage area, low battery warning, adjustable sensors and almost leak free. It should be avail at Amazon/ebay by now.

 

[kenny]

This year it's cherry toms.
They seem to have more flavor.

I'm gonna plant tons of toms, cook my own tomato sauce and freeze it.
No added salt or sugar.

I love tom-based sauces but all the store-bought ones are chock full of sodium and often even sugar.

Just watch and make sure you dont toss any into your yard! They take off like crazy (cherries are heirlooms and will volunteer like mad) and you'll be picking a million before you even know it! My husband threw a bunch into a brush pile a couple years ago, and we grew some in a raised bed the next year. We were so inundated with cherry tomatoes we couldn't pick and give them away fast enough. Yes, I froze a ton, canned a bunch, made everything I could think of with them, gave bushels to the local shelters, too. Good luck!

OMG, tons of toms?
The perfect woman; Will you marry me? ……… for your cherries, of course.

Kenny, if I have the amount of cherries this year as I did last, I will PAY SHIPPING to send them to you!!! I can't remember ever getting so pissed having to harvest something as I did with those. First world problems, for sure! You can have them ALL!

eta: My daughter loved picking and eating them ripe off the vines. I HATE when they explode in my mouth and shoot out anyway. So annoying. And the skins...when you cook them it seems like all you're left with is seeds and skins instead of flesh. Sorry, I am happy to send them all your way! Maybe I just don't know how to deal with them the best way?

Thanks M64, that's very generous of you but I think we'll have plenty since I'm ripping out some shrubs to make room for TomLand.

 

[TooPatient]

Raspberries are great this season and apples are blooming. We also have geese, deer and rabbit problems, we installed this unit is by the berries a few years back:
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/product-reviews/B000071NUS it is on timer to avoid accidental showers [near garbage bins].

For the vegetable garden I got this from the garden center last year:
http://catrepellentguide.com/water-...ion-activated-sprinkler-animal-repellent-2-0/ this unit has a larger coverage area, low battery warning, adjustable sensors and almost leak free. It should be avail at Amazon/ebay by now.

Neat! I love that it is just water so it startles them away without hurting them!

Do they work with the rabbits too? The dogs are less of a problem (out front) but we do have rabbits and some deer too...

 

[monarch64]

^^Kenny, you're welcome. TomLand 2014 sounds awesome! I wish you success in this gardening endeavour!

I don't know much about hydroponics. I've rooted cuttings in water, done the head of celery trick where you regrow the stalk in water (it works!), but that's about it. There's a place close to us that specializes in hydroponics and water features (they keep tilapia inside in one of theirs!) but I've never been in for a visit. Ny2Chigirl, do you have a balcony or patio? You can do lots of container gardening and vertical gardening in small spaces like those, you just need to plant things according to how much sun the area gets.

I forgot to mention fruit in my original post. We started blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries last year. The blackberries did great, but the raspberry did not take off. We got the strawberries in super late, so no fruit but the vines did well so I'm hopeful we'll see some fruit by June. Here are a couple blackberry pics: