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.
  • #3,001
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.
 
  • #3,031
Which tomatoes are those? You'll need plant stakes and ties, even if they are 'bush' types.
 
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  • #3,032
Nice garden, peng! Amazing how many tomatoes four plants will produce.
 
  • #3,033
lisab said:
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.

I would love to do this natural rock retaining wall. I am in 'merica, live right by a small stream with lots of sandstone like those pictured. It'd just be a LOT of hauling. Might have to make it a long term goal (until I can find someone with a truck and a free afternoon anyway).
 
  • #3,034
Astronuc said:
In our yard, we have two plants with similar leaves - garlic mustard and anise hyssop...

Garlic mustard is an invasive species and is one of the first greens. It takes a bit like mustard greens and faintly like garlic.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/alpe1.htm
The mustard garlic (Allaria petiolata) is growing vigorously in our low hedgerows this time of year. It is interesting that one link in particular casts such a harsh picture (get out the organic vapor masks, soak it down with paraquat :eek:..

It is an ecological threat in the U.S. But it does have a positive side too.
Did you know, like cattail, most parts of this plant are quite edible. Our European settlers in mid 1800s brought them over and planted as a spring vegetable. This was in an era where people were relying on their root cellars to provide them with vegetables all winter. As you point out, it is one of the first greens to come up in spring and was a welcome vegetable at the dinner table.

This video clip illustrates its uses far better than i can describe.
 
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  • #3,035


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
(As your reference explains), in addition to autumn spraying, you may alternatively treat for fungus in spring before the buds swell. I sprayed my peach trees with Bordeaux mix (sans slaked lime), and hopefully get some nice peaches this summer
 
  • #3,036
I can't wait to start tilling and hilling my garden this year. We've had a lot rain lately (including today) and I'm reluctant to drive my Kubota over the lawns and tear them up just to get a jump on the season. I hope my new MA neighbors come up for a visit soon, so I can have another couple of people handling that big PTO tiller to install it on the Kubota. Also hope they had good luck with heat-mats and grow-lights to get Rhody's ghost peppers going. That would be fun to compare what she can pull off down in Weymouth with what we get for quality and yield here in Maine.
 
  • #3,037
Pengwuino said:
PENG IS GARDENING!

BEWARE![/size]

You don't need no stinking bell peppers, those are for woosies...

If you dare, PM me and I will send you some ghost seeds, then we will see what the Pengwinator is made of.

The gauntlet has been thrown.

Rhody...
 
  • #3,038
rhody said:
You don't need no stinking bell peppers, those are for woosies...

If you dare, PM me and I will send you some ghost seeds, then we will see what the Pengwinator is made of.

The gauntlet has been thrown.

Rhody...

OFFICIAL NOTICE !

Peng hasn't taken me up on the offer, so I will open it up to first timers, anyone want some ghost pepper seeds ?

Rhody... :eek:
 
  • #3,039
rhody said:
OFFICIAL NOTICE !

Peng hasn't taken me up on the offer, so I will open it up to first timers, anyone want some ghost pepper seeds ?

Rhody... :eek:
I'm finally going to start mine, but you can send more, just in case.

It's finally warm enough - no danger of frosts/freezes - I hope.

Regarding mustard garlic (Allaria petiolata), we have some, but not too much. However, we found out that it is edible and actually tasty, so we eating it. It does taste with a hint of garlic flavor.
 
  • #3,040
My Mass neighbor was up this weekend with her husband. The ghosts took longer to germinate and sprout than normal chilies, but apparently the germination rate was very good, and she has separated the seedlings (planted in 3s) into slightly larger pots. We are looking forward to comparing/contrasting the performance of the ghosts here in Maine and in coastal Mass. Extra seeds are in her freezer, but it sounds like we should have plenty to plant in our gardens.

My lawn is still too wet. I mowed yesterday, and that little Cub was ripping stuff up. I policed the lawn of sticks and stones with the UTV (Duke-mobile) and even being as careful as possible, I rutted the lawn and leach-field a bit. We have rain forecast for the rest of the week until Friday, so it will be a while before I can get the Kubota down there and till. I also promised an older neighbor a whole bucket-load of composted cow manure for his garden-spot, but I can't get to that pile until the ground dries out some. Also don't want to tear up that bit of lawn between his gravel drive and his garden. A 30 hp (nominal) diesel tractor can get a lot of stuff done pretty fast, but its weight can also complicate stuff for land-owners.
 
  • #3,042
feathermoon said:
Ghost pepper seeds?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7FNNFjMHaI&feature=related

I'm in!
Ghost peppers are quite nice. Reasonably hot, but not real snarly,with a sweet rich taste. If Amy and I get good crops this year, we may be able to set aside a bunch of seeds, so I can send you some. We'll have to see. Rhody has been quite generous, and I'll be happy to pay it ahead forward if we can get lots of seeds.
 
  • #3,044
Cool guys. I'll PM Rhody and see; else check back later in the year!

Maybe we should start a PF seed bank. :p

Speaking of, do you all plant heirloom, hybrid, gm, doesn't matter mainly? Sorry if the topic has been covered in the near 200 pages of topic. Personally I plan to order heirloom seeds this year because my friend keeps pestering me about not feeding the monsanto-machine.
 
  • #3,045
feathermoon said:
Cool guys. I'll PM Rhody and see; else check back later in the year!

Maybe we should start a PF seed bank. :p

Speaking of, do you all plant heirloom, hybrid, gm, doesn't matter mainly? Sorry if the topic has been covered in the near 200 pages of topic. Personally I plan to order heirloom seeds this year because my friend keeps pestering me about not feeding the monsanto-machine.
The seeds of newer varieties that you buy at the store or order from a seed catalog are naturally hybridized to develop resistance to disease, have less seeds, more flesh, larger size... they are not genetically modified.

But heirloom tomatoes can be fun for different colors, odd shapes, etc... Let us know how they turn out!

Oh, and heirloom tomatoes are also hybrids. The original tomato was the size of a berry.
 
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  • #3,046
Evo said:
The seeds of newer varieties that you buy at the store or order from a seed catalog are naturally hybridized to develop resistance to disease, have less seeds, more flesh, larger size... they are not genetically modified.

But heirloom tomatoes can be fun for different colors, odd shapes, etc... Let us know how they turn out!

Oh, and heirloom tomatoes are also hybrids. The original tomato was the size of a berry.
Do you know what verity of tomato plants who's vines are good for climbing trellises (say like 8 to 10 feet)?
 
  • #3,047
dlgoff said:
Do you know what verity of tomato plants who's vines are good for climbing trellises (say like 8 to 10 feet)?
Just off the top of my head grape tomatoes are great climbers. I grew one last year, it quickly outgrew it's 6 foot trellis and I had to start creating string "webs" to tie it to.

Others I have let grow along the ground where I had the room. I'll look them up.
 
  • #3,048
Evo said:
Just off the top of my head grape tomatoes are great climbers. I grew one last year, it quickly outgrew it's 6 foot trellis and I had to start creating string "webs" to tie it to.

Others I have let grow along the ground where I had the room. I'll look them up.

Thanks Evo. So far my Big Boy plants are moving up my new trellis but I don't expect them to make it all the way up.

Speaking of vines, I set out three different verities of Blue Berries today and one was a vine. They say it gets up to 8 feet tall and spreads to a 10 foot width. The other two verities tags said up to 10 feet tall; one spreading to 8 feet the other spreading to 5 feet.
 
  • #3,049
One of my favorite vining tomatoes is the Moskvich. It tends to fruit early, and the tomatoes are usually quite firm and tasty. We had a crappy growing season last summer, so they didn't do that well, but they will perform well when they have have a 4-ft tall cattle-panel "fence" to climb on. Just check them every few days and tie them to the fence with some scraps of soft cloth when they stray. They will be fine.

I have started concentrating on the Moskvich tomatoes for salads, etc, and the Marianas (Roma variant) for sauces. Last summer, we got hit with late blight, so I was picking the sauce tomatoes and making marinara like crazy to stock the freezers. I hate to pay the agri-giants when I can make make much better foods at home and freeze them.
 
  • #3,050
By the way, the word you want is "varieties" not "verities". If you want to discuss the "verities" go to the philosophy section!
 

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