What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

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    Evo garden
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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on successful gardening techniques, emphasizing organic methods and the cultivation of various plants. Participants share personal experiences with growing perennials such as blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, as well as vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers. The conversation highlights the importance of gardening as a spiritual and fulfilling activity, while also addressing challenges like deer damage and water restrictions. Additionally, cultural differences in gardening practices between the U.S. and Spain are noted, illustrating varying access to gardening spaces.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of organic gardening principles
  • Knowledge of perennial plant care, specifically for blueberries and raspberries
  • Familiarity with vegetable gardening techniques, including planting tomatoes and peppers
  • Awareness of common gardening challenges, such as pest control and water management
NEXT STEPS
  • Research organic pest control methods for vegetable gardens
  • Learn about the best practices for propagating berry plants
  • Explore techniques for creating a cutting garden
  • Investigate deer-resistant plants suitable for landscaping
USEFUL FOR

Garden enthusiasts, organic gardeners, and individuals interested in sustainable gardening practices will benefit from this discussion. It provides insights into plant care, gardening challenges, and cultural perspectives on gardening.

  • #3,001
AARGGH, I was editing my post and someone messed it up!

I went to the dentist and I am in pain. And part of my face isn't moving. And I'm allergic to my hypo-allergenic eye makeup and my eyes are swollen and burning.
 
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  • #3,002
This was fun. Thanks for the support. I've got to go though - my wife has two feet that she claims are in desperate need of a massage. :wink: Hope you're feeling better soon again Evo.
 
  • #3,003
Astronuc said:
Hmmmm. :rolleyes:

Just don't pick her peppers!

Oh God, Astro, wouldn't that be a hoot, grow a monster trinidad scorpion tantalizingly close to the street, property line. I can just imagine what some poor unsuspecting soul would do when they took a good bite out of one of those suckers. Oh, the pain, building and building for ten minutes. Ok, I am having way too much fun here and only semi-serious.

Rhody... :devil: o:)
 
  • #3,004
Evo said:
One year I decided to plant dafodils, tulips. and hyacinths. I spent days digging up and de-clodding a bed all around the front of the house. I added new soil, conditioners and bone meal, I paid a fortune for imported bulbs. I finally got it all planted and put a little fence border around them.

One day before they were about to come up, I went outside and the neighbor's mutt was loose again and had dug up and chewed every last bulb, well, except the last one he was still chewing. These people were just totally clueless. If they hadn't come up yet, what damage did he do?

Dang Evo. This happened to me, albeit it was one of my X's who managed to get a couple hundred dollars worth of bulbs dug up and gone while I was at work. :mad:
 
  • #3,005
Grandma and granddaughter just rang my doorbell and dropped off some new daffodils. Apparently the little girl was the guilty party. It was pretty funny seeing her hide behind the fence while she apologized.
 
  • #3,006
Borg said:
Grandma and granddaughter just rang my doorbell and dropped off some new daffodils. Apparently the little girl was the guilty party. It was pretty funny seeing her hide behind the fence while she apologized.
Good, I'm glad to hear that some people still do the right thing. Maybe there is hope.
 
  • #3,007
Evo said:
Good, I'm glad to hear that some people still do the right thing. Maybe there is hope.
It definitely warmed my heart. :smile:
 
  • #3,008
Daffodils are tough! One of my neighbors claims that they have to be allowed to blossom and put out greens every year, or the bulbs will not be able to survive. Tell that to the border of the daffodils on the north end of my garden that I mow every year with my John Deere, and which come back every year without fail. There are others planted nearer the road (and subjected to road-salt and other stresses) that flower every year. Some flowering plants are pretty tough.
 
  • #3,009
Borg said:
It definitely warmed my heart. :smile:
What a sweet evil little child... hehe... :biggrin:

Rhody... I know, I know, stop poking threads that should fade naturally, sorry, I couldn't resist.
 
  • #3,010
I have a saw-whet owl in the woods on the other side of my back-yard pond. He's been calling regularly, looking for a mate. Very monotonous call that sounds like back-up alarm on heavy equipment. They are tiny, but can kill lots of mice and voles, especially when their chicks hatch and need to be fed. Luckily, there are a lot of pileated woodpeckers up here, so nest-holes in trees are plentiful.
 
  • #3,011


This is slightly unrelated to the thread, since I'm not growing hot stuff, but instead sweet stuff: peaches. Since there's a lot of talk about growing plants in this thread, I thought it would be the best place to get a word of advice.

I have this bonsai peach tree on my roof terrace, which has already flowered (early March) but since then it's been 1) hot and 2) cold (in that order). The leaves look really weird: like they've melted (see the picture). Is this caused by a sunburn or cold it be frost damage? I'm wondering whether I should move it to a more shaded area, which won't be easy on the terrace.
 

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  • #3,012


Monique said:
This is slightly unrelated to the thread, since I'm not growing hot stuff, but instead sweet stuff: peaches. Since there's a lot of talk about growing plants in this thread, I thought it would be the best place to get a word of advice.

I have this bonsai peach tree on my roof terrace, which has already flowered (early March) but since then it's been 1) hot and 2) cold (in that order). The leaves look really weird: like they've melted (see the picture). Is this caused by a sunburn or cold it be frost damage? I'm wondering whether I should move it to a more shaded area, which won't be easy on the terrace.
It's a fungus called peach leaf curl, my peach tree had it too. Unfortunately you can only treat it at the end of the growing season. My tree did fine the following year.

http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/factsheets/leaf_curl_sheet.htm

http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com/2011/04/peach-leaf-curl.html
 
  • #3,013


Evo said:
It's a fungus called peach leaf curl, my peach tree had it too. Unfortunately you can only treat it at the end of the growing season. My tree did fine the following year.

http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/factsheets/leaf_curl_sheet.htm

http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com/2011/04/peach-leaf-curl.html

:bugeye: :bugeye: really! Oh boy. I have a plum tree as well that has just awakened, could it be infectious? *edit:* apparently yes, I'll try to paper the trees with some extra fertilizer. Thanks for the sharp eye Evo!
 
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  • #3,014


Monique said:
:bugeye: :bugeye: really! Oh boy. I have a plum tree as well that has just awakened, could it be infectious?
I don't see anything about this specific fungus infecting plum, but best to keep them apart.
 
  • #3,015


Evo said:
I don't see anything about this specific fungus infecting plum, but best to keep them apart.
I've been fighting Monilinia fructicola (brown-rot) for years now.

brownrot_big.jpg
 
  • #3,016
  • #3,017
Monique, can you post some pictures of your fruit trees? These are in containers?
 
  • #3,018


Evo said:
What kind of fungicide are you using?
You can't get the good stuff anymore , so I'm using Acme zineb 75w fungicide.

BTW; thanks for moving this here.
 
  • #3,019
I'm looking to terrace a hillside in my yard that's otherwise junk vines and weeds. Barring any other suggestions, what materials should I use to retain? The beds won't be going above 2-3 feet so it shouldn't be too heavy for the retaining wall, I'm more concerned with cost/aesthetics (railroad ties are out due to creosote concerns).
 
  • #3,020
feathermoon said:
I'm looking to terrace a hillside in my yard that's otherwise junk vines and weeds. Barring any other suggestions, what materials should I use to retain? The beds won't be going above 2-3 feet so it shouldn't be too heavy for the retaining wall, I'm more concerned with cost/aesthetics (railroad ties are out due to creosote concerns).

I like the natural rock look, myself:

http://www.gardeneureka.com/-Newsletter/RockWall_2.jpg

But brick can be very nice too. I'm not sure where you live, but in North America these are common:

http://www.boralbestblock.com/resources/files/customImages/Photo_Album/Keystone_2/PICT0034-1rs.jpg

They can be pretty good, and don't always have to be as formal as in that pic.
 
  • #3,021
Evo said:
Monique, can you post some pictures of your fruit trees? These are in containers?

Yes, they are in containers the peach tree I recently bought and the plum tree I received in December. I'm still planning to repot them into a bigger container. The peach is a Prunus Persica Bonza (picture 1), the plum a Prunus Domestica 'Opal' (picture 2), you can also see a pot with 'Curly Lady' (Camellia).

You can also see some containers that have started to sprout leaves, which are Anemones, and I planted a Calla but that first takes a while to take root.

Besides that I'm planning to grow some vegetables, but I'm logistically challenged :smile: I also have Mexican Shell Flower bulbs, but I don't know whether I should plant them amongst the Anemones because I think it will be too crowded.

The terrace is double the space as you see in the last picture, but it goes around the corner towards the front of the house and is not boarded.
 

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  • #3,022
How does my garden grow?
Hydroponic, ultra supersonic, that's how!
(couldn't resist... :D)
 
  • #3,023
Logistically challenged? You can surely find room for another container and grow cherry tomatoes... Nothing like going out on the deck and popping a couple of ripe cherry tomatoes into your mouth. I have refrained from growing them since we got Duke, because he is a pick-your-own type of guy and the stems and tops (like all nightshade greens) can sicken dogs.

My plum trees have blossomed, as has the peach tree. The cherry tree is ready to follow suit, as are the apple trees. If we can slide by this month with no hard frosts, this fall (harvest) might be fun. I didn't know if I'd have any luck with peach trees at this latitude, but it's the first out of the gate. Tough little bugger.
 
  • #3,024
lisab said:
I like the natural rock look, myself:

http://www.gardeneureka.com/-Newsletter/RockWall_2.jpg
I did this at the Pit Of Doom. I actually dug up all of the rocks myself from constructions sites. I love this natural look.
 
  • #3,025
Monique said:
Yes, they are in containers the peach tree I recently bought and the plum tree I received in December. I'm still planning to repot them into a bigger container. The peach is a Prunus Persica Bonza (picture 1), the plum a Prunus Domestica 'Opal' (picture 2), you can also see a pot with 'Curly Lady' (Camellia).

You can also see some containers that have started to sprout leaves, which are Anemones, and I planted a Calla but that first takes a while to take root.

Besides that I'm planning to grow some vegetables, but I'm logistically challenged :smile: I also have Mexican Shell Flower bulbs, but I don't know whether I should plant them amongst the Anemones because I think it will be too crowded.

The terrace is double the space as you see in the last picture, but it goes around the corner towards the front of the house and is not boarded.
I love your deck! The little trees are a great accent. I adore camelias, but like gardenias, I have the worse luck with the blooms. :frown:
 
  • #3,026
turbo said:
Logistically challenged? You can surely find room for another container and grow cherry tomatoes...

It's getting the containers and the required potting medium that's been the problem :) The last time we went the car was filled completely with plants (we also bought some indoor plants). I don't have a drivers license, and I live just a bit too far from the flower market to walk the distance with heavy stuff. If it were up to me the entire roof would be a botanical garden :smile:
 
  • #3,027
Monique said:
It's getting the containers and the required potting medium that's been the problem :) The last time we went the car was filled completely with plants (we also bought some indoor plants). I don't have a drivers license, and I live just a bit too far from the flower market to walk the distance with heavy stuff. If it were up to me the entire roof would be a botanical garden :smile:
Aww, well that's something that you can keed adding to.
 
  • #3,028
Evo said:
I love your deck! The little trees are a great accent. I adore camelias, but like gardenias, I have the worse luck with the blooms. :frown:

:biggrin: I love it too, it has sun from dusk until dawn and it's private since we're the only ones with a terrace. The access is through the window that's ajar in the first picture, making it an adventure to crawl through, keeping in mind that the window in the room is about 7-8 feet high. Hopefully we can install an easier access route soon, there is room available for that (through the hatch in the 3rd picture, lower right).
 
  • #3,029
PENG IS GARDENING!

BEWARE![/size]

2e34j9l.jpg


303fmza.jpg


Four tomatoes, two basil and a bell pepper :)
 
  • #3,030
What's the plant to the left of the bell pepper?

When the bell gets bigger, you'll want to repot it into a larger pot, you'll get bigger peppers if it's not root bound.
 

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