What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

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Gardening is a cherished activity for many participants, with roots tracing back to childhood experiences and family traditions. Organic gardening methods are favored, emphasizing the use of natural techniques over chemicals. Current gardening efforts include cultivating perennials like blueberries and raspberries, alongside plans for vegetable and herb gardens. Participants express a desire for more space to garden, reflecting on the challenges of apartment living and the joy of nurturing plants. The discussion highlights cultural differences in gardening practices, particularly contrasting American and Spanish lifestyles regarding home and garden ownership.
  • #3,061
dlgoff said:
I was talking to the neighbor the other day about saving seeds. I don't remember her saying what type of plant, but her father-in-law planted 35 year old seeds he had sealed in a mason jar that germinated. Some of the seeds I've saved don't seem to do well. Like my 1980s honeydew melon seeds.

I am impressed with germination of his 35 year old seed.

I've noticed each kind of seed differs in viability. In my experience, smaller seeds seem to fair better than larger ones, in viability > 2 years after saving them. For seeds older than one year old, I typically test them on moist paper towels sealed in plastic zip bags. If you keep track of how many seeds you put in the towels, label and date the bags, you can generate an accurate record of % germination and days to germination by cultivar.

Generally speaking, to maximize the storage of viable seeds. it is a good to keep seeds in tightly sealed containers, in a cool, dry place.

The oldest seed I am aware of germinating and growing into a healthy plant, is the
32,000 year old arctic flower; a narrow leaved campion.
 
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  • #3,062
Last weekend, I let my Mass.-based neighbor borrow my Kubota (his tractor is OK, but not enough to stand the weight of this massive tiller). Later this week, I tilled my garden, and some other neighbors had hinted that they wanted some areas tilled (existing or new), but they have not been forthcoming about timing, so I'm going to remove the tiller tomorrow and put on the hilling/rowing attachment so we can get our own garden ready for planting this weekend. If they want tilling done, they can get their butts down here and help me change the implements. Taylor-way tiller is a monster. If I have my 3-pt hitch raise-lower rate set too high, I can feel the tractor rearing back when I lift it. It's a pain to hook up, but it does a wonderful job.
 
  • #3,063
Can you use a tiller in areas that may have buried rocks or should one excavate first?
 
  • #3,064
feathermoon said:
Can you use a tiller in areas that may have buried rocks or should one excavate first?
Smaller rocks are OK. Anything much bigger than 6x6x6" can bind and slip the PTO clutch. For a smaller tiller, like my old Troy Bilt Horse, you can expect to get tossed and tugged around if you don't locate and remove the rocks.
 
  • #3,065
I don't garden but I do grow bacteria and algae cultures in my room.
 
  • #3,066
Here is my tomato plant the day I bought it 5-14-12.

tomato51412.jpg


Here it is today 5-25-12.

tomato52512.jpg
 
  • #3,067
By popular demand, my ducks, Herman and Martha, outside my bedroom window. Herman has started moulting, mating season is over for him, but these two are inseparable.

ducksh.jpg
 
  • #3,068
Evo said:
By popular demand, my ducks, Herman and Martha, outside my bedroom window. Herman has started moulting, mating season is over for him, but these two are inseparable.

:!)
 
  • #3,069
PENG GARDEN IS PENGING!

2lifrzq.jpg

29gl8w0.jpg


DISCUSS! :D
 
  • #3,070
Wow, looking very nice Peng! I'm jealous!
 
  • #3,071
Turbo, when do you harvest garlic scapes?

Mine are currently approximately 4 inches long from the "nub" to tip, or 6 to 8 inches from the base of the stem to tip. Don't they get bigger and curl? Or should I cut them now?

Peng, your garden looks great! I bet you have so much luck that you turn part of that lawn into garden next year. :wink:
 
  • #3,072
I harvest scapes when they curl and the center swelling is well-emerged. The part from the center swelling to the tip is stringy and tough. From the swelling to the base is the the good part. Chop and use in stir-fries, add to salads, etc.
 
  • #3,073
A good reference site for plant diseases.

http://njveg.rutgers.edu/assets/pdfs/aw/Late-Blight-Webinar_07_02_09.pdf
 
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  • #3,074
My ideal solution to gardening was to let my wife take care of the front garden, the one that need mowing and weeding and I (well a handyman) takes care of the Japanese style back garden whilst is basically trees , pebbles and stones. Leaves me time to think.
 
  • #3,075
YAY Tomatoes! :D There are 4 so far. They look so yummy.

s3zsyb.jpg
 
  • #3,076
Nice tomato peng!
 
  • #3,077
Good job Peng!
 
  • #3,078
Excellent :smile:.
 
  • #3,079
Pengwuino said:
PENG GARDEN IS PENGING!


29gl8w0.jpg


DISCUSS! :D
Peng,

That middle one in the picture (black round pot) looks like a bhut pepper plant but I am sure it isn't. I ripped out some near dead bushes and put in twenty four sweet green peppers. So I have about twenty supers growing in pots in the back yard and these on the side.

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9220/sweetpeppers.jpg

This is a sample of super hot peppers I got from FLA:

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3673/bluescreenj.jpg

If you look carefully lower right of this image over the light brown carpet band, that is a moruga scorpion, the worlds hottest pepper. I sampled a small sliver and in my opinion it has a nice flavor, but O God, it is way hotter than my ghost peppers I grew last year.

Evo, do you have any pics of yours ? and did the white bhut make it as well ?
In the experimental stages of starting and growing a fairly large amount of peppers indoors at my friends honey shop. He wants to go the hydro route, and I prefer soil and forced drip watering system. We will see how it plays out. We plan to grow and use and process them year round.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7217/peppersloose.jpg

Rhody...
 
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  • #3,080
I'll get a new picture of my ghost, it's been putting out weird leaves but healthy as a horse, still waiting to see if it will set peppers now that we're getting high's in the 80's. I don't want to jinx it, but... one flower does appear it might have...no, no, I will jinx it. I haven't planted the white yet, because I want to make sure I have this one figured out first.
 
  • #3,081
My ghosts have been struggling. I have 2 healthy looking ones, and a bunch of not-so-healthy-looking ones. My habaneros do just fine out on the deck in the sun, but the leaves on these ghost plants seem to shrivel up after just an hour or two outside in the sun.
 
  • #3,082
Evo said:
I'll get a new picture of my ghost, it's been putting out weird leaves but healthy as a horse, still waiting to see if it will set peppers now that we're getting high's in the 80's. I don't want to jinx it, but... one flower does appear it might have...no, no, I will jinx it. I haven't planted the white yet, because I want to make sure I have this one figured out first.

NeoDevin said:
My ghosts have been struggling. I have 2 healthy looking ones, and a bunch of not-so-healthy-looking ones. My habaneros do just fine out on the deck in the sun, but the leaves on these ghost plants seem to shrivel up after just an hour or two outside in the sun.

I understand your troubles with them, ghosts are finicky, the trinidad scorpions even more so. The ghosts should get some direct sun, preferably morning or late afternoon. Let the leaves wilt and droop, that is a good thing, every two weeks, add a little fertilizer, I use miracle grow, water from the bottom (if you can). My plants are pretty hardened off by now. They still get some sunburn so I have them all under the deck for a few days, it has been rainy and cool here. If they are taking a sun beating, give them a break in partial shade. I am betting you will get pods this year Evo, be sure to check under the leaves for aphids, mites, fungus, I have had all three from time to time. Good luck. (Malathion diluted in water kills em all, don't use if flowering or podding, however. Spray top, bottom of leaves and soil pretty well and it will rid you of the problem).

Rhody...
 
  • #3,083
Squirrel attack on my ghost! Knocked off that flower that looked like it had set a pepper and broke a branch!
 
  • #3,084
Evo said:
Squirrel attack on my ghost! Knocked off that flower that looked like it had set a pepper and broke a branch!
The Evo curse at work, alive and well, sad to say... Sigh...

Rhody... :eek:
 
  • #3,085
Evo said:
Squirrel attack on my ghost! Knocked off that flower that looked like it had set a pepper and broke a branch!

I have heard squirrel tastes good on the BBQ...

I lost two ghosts to heat stress. Went to work in the morning, plants looked fine. Came home from work, plants are wilted. Water perked up all 6, but two started losing leaves a few days later. So I pulled them off the heating pad.

I shared ghost seeds with two other people, one has said he has some growing, but I haven't heard from the other guy yet. I will try to get a picture soon, and see if I can get an update from both friends.

Not sure if I will do ghosts next year, not really interested in having a heating pad and lights year round! But I will do my best to get pods before I make the decision to turn the heat off.
 
  • #3,086
Ms Music said:
I have heard squirrel tastes good on the BBQ...
LOL. They just de-foliated my beautiful bell pepper. :frown: They ripped the leaves off and threw them all on the ground!

Not sure if I will do ghosts next year, not really interested in having a heating pad and lights year round! But I will do my best to get pods before I make the decision to turn the heat off.
They shouldn't need a heating pad after they've sprouted. I didn't have mine on one.
 
  • #3,087
I just set out the ghosts today (big pots on the back deck). It has been cool and rainy, so I have kept them in the mini-greenhouse. My (periodic) neighbor from Mass. got a late start, so the seedlings are quite small. Hopefully some of them will take off, and I'll weed out the laggards.
 
  • #3,088
Evo said:
LOL. They just de-foliated my beautiful bell pepper. :frown: They ripped the leaves off and threw them all on the ground!

Evil things!

Evo said:
They shouldn't need a heating pad after they've sprouted. I didn't have mine on one.

I live in Seattle. It is currently 5:30 pm, and 55 degrees F. We don't HAVE temps in the 80s until late July.

:cry:
 
  • #3,089
Ms Music said:
I live in Seattle. It is currently 5:30 pm, and 55 degrees F. We don't HAVE temps in the 80s until late July.

:cry:
Oh. Sorry.
 
  • #3,090
We had temps in the 80s through much of May. I won't wander into climate-change territory, but my peach, cherry, and apple trees all bloomed too early before the honeybees were active, and I wonder how much fruit I can expect this season. We don't rely on the fruit, but it's so nice to have fresh-picked fruit instead of stuff bought from stores or even local orchards.
 

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