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.
  • #2,851
Astronuc said:
Impressive! I've seen figs on trees, but not 3 inches diameter - not even in Houston.

*puffs up with pride* Thanks! I really should have placed that one on the gram scale.

Turbo, if you can grow any varieties in your area, you really should get one. They are HEAVEN. I would say even MORE of a difference between peaches and plums. An improperly picked fig will taste like dirt. They absolutely MUST be picked with either cracks or honey dripping, and can not be shipped or they would be a puddle of goo. If you look at the picture, you can see the cracks in both figs.

Which reminds me, I need to run past my rental house and pick Italian Prunes if they are on.
 
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  • #2,852
Ms Music said:
Turbo, if you can grow any varieties in your area, you really should get one. They are HEAVEN.
I don't know anybody who grows figs here. I'll have to look into it. You get nice (though wet) weather moderated by the Pacific. We get relentless (COLD!) arctic highs all winter, and lots of fruit trees will not survive the winters.
 
  • #2,853
In the 4th grade we planted flowers for assignment. Needless to say, mine died...

Gardens r way to expensive for me
 
  • #2,854
turbo said:
I don't know anybody who grows figs here. I'll have to look into it. You get nice (though wet) weather moderated by the Pacific. We get relentless (COLD!) arctic highs all winter, and lots of fruit trees will not survive the winters.

If there aren't any varieties that are cold hardy to your area, figs actually are quite happy in a pot as they are very slow growers. My fig tree is still in a pot, it was just pruned last year for the 1st time. Those two figs actually came from my brother's tree, no one knows what variety it is, but it doesn't produce well here. He has hundreds of figs, but only about 5 that have ripened. I have a Desert King, it had maybe 12 figs, there is one left that will probably be ready tomorrow, and 3 teeny ones that may not ripen. When mine gets as big as his, I will be drowning in figs. Our dad gave him the fig that he has, and my dad passed away nearly 19 years ago.

So if you have a sheltered area that a pot could winter, select something that likes your summer heat and go for it.
 
  • #2,855
My ghost pepper from Rhody.

ghostpepper2.jpg
 
  • #2,856
The weather has turned cold, so the plants are coming into Evo child's old bedroom. Taken this morning, very cloudy. If it was sunny, you would be blinded by the light, windows to the left are south, windows to the front are west. I'm really sad to be moving because my new old place has only a few windows facing west. Not good for wintering sun loving plants. :frown:

011bg.jpg
 
  • #2,857
Evo said:
My ghost pepper from Rhody.

Very nice Evo,

From the looks of it I would guess you are about a month away from getting buds, flowers, then peppers. Your challenge as I see it will be to bring IT indoors, put them on a heat mat to keep the roots nice and warm, and then make sure they get full sun whenever possible, and if needed supplement with a grow light. Once you see flower buds give them a shot of miracle grow plant food. I wouldn't be surprised to see peppers around the beginning of November, continuing to Thanksgiving. You will get hotter peppers if you let them wilt a bit before watering and bring them back. I did this at least six times and it seems that the capsaicin is more potent this year. Once the peppers are gone, trim the stems back like a rose bush and keep indoors for the winter, you may get more leaves but that is no big deal, just keep the roots healthy like I did and you will get peppers again next year. I lost so many plants compared to you, you are careful and obviously have a green thumb. If the leaves get fungus or turn yellow, strip them and new ones will grow back like mine did.

Rhody... :approve:
 
  • #2,858
We have frost warnings in our area - in the middle of September! Lows at night in the mid-30's and highs in the mid-60's already.

Growing season is more or less over.
 
  • #2,859
yeah it got really cold here in detroit, my tomato plants have about 25 green tomatoes on them, had to bring them all inside today, they may never ripen... the plants were starting to really wilt with the cold and too much rain.
My poblanos are doing fine, jalepenos are wilting, green peppers are fine, and cherry tomatoes have only 4 fruit...
 
  • #2,860
This season has been another dud. We had a late cold spring, cool summer that turned into an inferno, first it's too cold for the plants then it's too hot for the plants and then BOOM, cold weather, season over. :frown:
 
  • #2,861
Im almost willing to go buy some (or 1) HPS lights for them. I think one 200W would be fine, I only have a bout 7 plants and they get decent window sun. But does a $50 kit justify some really cheap veggies... Its a tough call, I just want them to succeed!
 
  • #2,862
Hepth said:
Im almost willing to go buy some (or 1) HPS lights for them. I think one 200W would be fine, I only have a bout 7 plants and they get decent window sun. But does a $50 kit justify some really cheap veggies... Its a tough call, I just want them to succeed!
If they live throught the winter, you will get a headstart on next year's crop and won't have to get new plants.
 
  • #2,863
Evo said:
This season has been another dud. We had a late cold spring, cool summer that turned into an inferno, first it's too cold for the plants then it's too hot for the plants and then BOOM, cold weather, season over. :frown:
This reminds me of the time when a late spring frost was forecast and my peach trees were in full bloom. Since I really wanted to do something to save the blooms, I bought a bunch of these, put 200 watt heat lamps in them, and clamped them to the trees so the heat went up through the blooms. It was a hard freeze, but it worked.

clamp-lights.jpg


Now I use a couple to light and heat Rogers coop.
 
  • #2,864
dlgoff said:
This reminds me of the time when a late spring frost was forecast and my peach trees were in full bloom. Since I really wanted to do something to save the blooms, I bought a bunch of these, put 200 watt heat lamps in them, and clamped them to the trees so the heat went up through the blooms. It was a hard freeze, but it worked.

clamp-lights.jpg


Now I use a couple to light and heat Rogers coop.
I've done something similar with plastic sheets and a 100W lightbulb for tomato plants, or just plastic by itself, to prolong the growing season for a couple of weeks.
 
  • #2,865
We had a frost last night, but not hard enough to kill the garden. Yet.
 
  • #2,866
Evo said:
This season has been another dud. We had a late cold spring, cool summer that turned into an inferno, first it's too cold for the plants then it's too hot for the plants and then BOOM, cold weather, season over. :frown:

Nooooo!

We had a great, albeit late starting, season out here. My Cherokee Purples are the largest tomatoes I have ever grown(4" across!)

Cherokee_Purple_Tomato.jpg


But it started raining two days ago, and I'm afraid they will never turn purple. :frown:

btw, does anyone else cut up water noodles to make armrests for their tomatoes? I think these girls may need bra's or something.
 
  • #2,867
OmCheeto said:
Nooooo!

We had a great, albeit late starting, season out here. My Cherokee Purples are the largest tomatoes I have ever grown(4" across!)

Cherokee_Purple_Tomato.jpg


But it started raining two days ago, and I'm afraid they will never turn purple. :frown:

btw, does anyone else cut up water noodles to make armrests for their tomatoes? I think these girls may need bra's or something.
Very clever. I have made slings for tomato vines by cutting up and tying together plastic grocery bags, then attaching them to wood poles.
 
  • #2,868
I have plenty of peppers (that is, for a few pots). But it is getting cold and I am afraid my peter peppers won't get red, they are green so far; only one looks like ripening. And we had a frost tonight as well, luckily peppers look OK.
 
  • #2,869
I'm wondering if this early onset of wintery weather means we are in store for a very cold winter? :frown:
 
  • #2,870
Frost in September here is not that rare.
 
  • #2,871
Evo said:
I'm wondering if this early onset of wintery weather means we are in store for a very cold winter? :frown:
Ah, we're having unusually cold weather here.
 
  • #2,872
Evo said:
My ghost pepper from Rhody.

ghostpepper2.jpg
Evo,

How many seeds did you start and how many died off or succumbed to lack of water, fungus, aphids, etc... ? I want to compare to my efforts.

Rhody...
 
  • #2,873
rhody said:
Evo,

How many seeds did you start and how many died off or succumbed to lack of water, fungus, aphids, etc... ? I want to compare to my efforts.

Rhody...
Just this one for the ghost. I have one seed left. I used a jiffy 7 pellet. I use miracle grow to water it.

For the ornamentals, I planted all 6 seeds, but only 2 sprouted. I used potting soil. Both are alive and healthy.

I'm telling you, jiffy 7 pellets are the way to go.
 
  • #2,874
Evo said:
Just this one for the ghost. I have one seed left. I used a jiffy 7 pellet. I use miracle grow to water it.

For the ornamentals, I planted all 6 seeds, but only 2 sprouted. I used potting soil. Both are alive and healthy.

I'm telling you, jiffy 7 pellets are the way to go.
Arghh... I feel like a dummy, give Evo the garden goddess with a green thumb one damn ghost pepper seed and she gets 100% success whereas I have about a 20% overall success rate. Do you use miracle grow right from the start or after you transplant them to bigger pots ? Did you water from the bottom, anything else I should know ? I didn't have much luck with the jiffy pellets, that's why I switched to good potting soil instead.

The ornamental's once they produce cute colored peppers will look really cool. I found they are pretty hot too if you decide to nibble on one. Great conversation pieces.

Rhody...
 
  • #2,875
Yesterday afternoon, I was helping a friend lay out fence post lines around his garden. We unknowingly walked too close to (or maybe directly on) a yellowjacket nest - a type of wasp that burrows underground. They came out and swarmed us...we ran for our lives but still ended up with several stings.

It could have been a lot worse, it wasn't a huge nest.

OUCH!
 
  • #2,876
lisab said:
Yesterday afternoon, I was helping a friend lay out fence post lines around his garden. We unknowingly walked too close to (or maybe directly on) a yellowjacket nest - a type of wasp that burrows underground. They came out and swarmed us...we ran for our lives but still ended up with several stings.

It could have been a lot worse, it wasn't a huge nest.

OUCH!
OUCH! I was trimming the hedges once and chopped into a wasp nest. Only got one sting, but that was enough.
 
  • #2,877
Evo,

I asked this question: What and when you use to help you plants get started ?

Do you use miracle grow right from the start or after you transplant them to bigger pots ?

Rhody...
 
  • #2,878
I received some good looking ghost pepper seeds in the mail today.

Thank you rhody. I have Jiffy seed starter soil and pots, so I will be starting some experiments soon.
 
  • #2,879
rhody said:
Evo,

I asked this question: What and when you use to help you plants get started ?



Rhody...
I make a weak solution and start to use it after the pellet is transplanted into the pot. I use it for all waterings.
 
  • #2,880
dlgoff said:
I received some good looking ghost pepper seeds in the mail today.

Thank you rhody. I have Jiffy seed starter soil and pots, so I will be starting some experiments soon.

Evo said:
I make a weak solution and start to use it after the pellet is transplanted into the pot. I use it for all waterings.
Thanks Evo,

I will try that, and Don, Evo and Turbo, read my last https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=3515816&postcount=584" in turbo's hot stuff thread (the linked document), these suckers will grow indoors in three years they can be 12 or more feet high, and I am told you can get two crops per year. If you raise outdoor plants, you want them to reach maturity in August and September, so the article recommends you start them in Jan/Feb. I would like to get an "artificial harvest not based on mother nature's summer heat". To do so requires some kind of wrap around electric blankets that will keep the pot soil about 80 degrees F. That is my next challenge. Something that is safe, and will not burn the house down.

Turbo, I will put some fresh peppers in the mail tomorrow after work, you should have them in a few days.

Rhody... :wink:
 
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