Gardening/Maintenance Thread

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:59 pm

Starting to plant one of my raised bed gardens today...

Post by **count2infinity** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:03 pm

I'm excited to plant my deck garden (renting, so we can't put stuff in the ground, just in pots)

The plan:

2 jalapeno plants
Scallions (did you know you can regrow scallions if you don't cut into the white too deep? it's awesome)
Mint
Rosemary
Basil (which sucked last year and died pretty quickly)
Thyme
Tomato
Bell Pepper

Post by **blackjack68** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:25 pm

Peas and Potatoes should be planted already.

Tomatoes in by Mother's Day.

Post by **Willie Kool** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:50 pm

Can't wait to get my hands in the dirt. Unfortunately the ground is still frozen, and right now it's snowing.

Post by **shmenguin** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:25 pm

my front lawn got all sodded up last summer. very pretty. it's not big, so it was a fun hobby of mine to walk around and pluck up every single little weed or bunch of crab grass that started popping up. pulling out a clump of crab grass was like popping a giant zit. very satisfying.

the question is...assuming i won't have any weed problems, what do i need to have done to my lawn to protect it...aside from watering it on the reg?

Post by **tifosi77** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 4:45 pm

Freddy Rumsen wrote:Starting to plant one of my raised bed gardens today...

What kind of potatoes are those? I want to recycle my car tires when I get new rubber by stacking them in the garden and planting potatoes.

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 5:17 pm

goldrush russet seed potatoes

Because of the high water table in Mississippi I have to use raised beds and have used cinderblocks as the perimeter. I then use the holes to plant things, like potatoes. Here is a pic with some tulips.

Post by **tifosi77** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:50 pm

That's a good idea with the cinder blocks. I bought four of those wooden bed kits last summer, and I already don't like them.

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:18 pm

Everything is going in the ground today

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:12 pm

All done

Post by **Willie Kool** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:29 pm

Looks good. What are the posts for?

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 7:32 pm

Willie Kool wrote: Looks good. What are the posts for?

Eventually a u-shaped grape arbor. I have four grape plants planted...not just to wait for them to grow.

Post by **mac5155** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 4:28 pm

Found it. Goody. We're going to be building a raised bed garden this year. What's the consensus.. should I start seedlings inside or just go all farmer brown style and straight into the bed?

Post by **blackjack68** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 4:45 pm

Oops. Just answered you in the bastard child of JTOR.

Post by **blackjack68** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 4:47 pm

mac5155 wrote:Found it. Goody. We're going to be building a raised bed garden this year. What's the consensus.. should I start seedlings inside or just go all farmer brown style and straight into the bed?

Really depends on what you are growing. But starting inside usually gives a better chance of harvest for amny crops.

Peas and potatoes should've already been started. Tomato plants (not seeds) should be in around Mother's Day.

Post by **Kraftster** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 5:01 pm

Lost a weeping blue atlas cedar last year. Very sad. Not a cheap tree, and it was a gorgeous specimen. I have to decide what I'm going to replace it with. I will report back.

Post by **mac5155** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 9:07 am

blackjack68 wrote:
mac5155 wrote:Found it. Goody. We're going to be building a raised bed garden this year. What's the consensus.. should I start seedlings inside or just go all farmer brown style and straight into the bed?
Really depends on what you are growing. But starting inside usually gives a better chance of harvest for amny crops.

Peas and potatoes should've already been started. Tomato plants (not seeds) should be in around Mother's Day.

We are going to do tomatoes (big boy and maybe roma), cukes, green (snap) beans, and my wife wants to try asparagus. I was thinking of trying onions too.

Post by **blackjack68** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:41 pm

Tomatoes and cukes should be started indoors.

Leave lots of room for tomtatoes to be staked later.

Cukes plant 3 plants in a mound about 12" around and 6-8" high.

Beans can be planted directly into the soil. Have somewhere for it to cling onto. When yoy say "snap" you're not talking about sugar snaps are you?

Be careful with Asapargus as it is almost weedlike once you start it. It will return for years. We had a story here at work about a farm that sold out to a Best Buy. After a few years, aspargus sprouted through a crack in the parking lot pavement.
I've seen some people use an old clawfoot tub to grow asparagus to contain it.

Post by **blackjack68** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:42 pm

When starting indoors from seed, I usually overplant and then choose the heartiest looking seedlings for transplant into the garden.

Post by **eddy** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 3:31 pm

I need to find a good alternative to climbing roses for my arbor in front of the house. Moonflower worked excellent, but I'd prefer to not have to replant something every year. The roses were not very successful. Wisteria is the leader as of now. I have trumpet vine covering my back deck making a natural wall and ceiling, so I want to stay away from that. Any suggestions?

Post by **blackjack68** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:04 pm

Honeysuckle too common?

Clematis. Dies but grows back each year.

Post by **Willie Kool** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:06 pm

I wouldn't be surprised if you get a bunch of moonflower seedlings. They are closely related to morning glory, which readily self-seeds.

Clematis would be a very good option. Honeysuckle will attract a lot of bees. Wisteria, if successful, will quickly overgrow your arbor and will need heavy pruning every year.

Post by **skullman80** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:21 pm

What should I do with my monstrosity of a hill...I'm thinking just clean it up, put that black felt stuff down and then either mulch it all, or put some potted plants.. wife might have other ideas though. Right now its an eye sore though. So thoughts?

Post by **mac5155** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 10:33 pm

blackjack68 wrote:Tomatoes and cukes should be started indoors.

Leave lots of room for tomtatoes to be staked later.

Cukes plant 3 plants in a mound about 12" around and 6-8" high.

Beans can be planted directly into the soil. Have somewhere for it to cling onto. When yoy say "snap" you're not talking about sugar snaps are you?

Be careful with Asapargus as it is almost weedlike once you start it. It will return for years. We had a story here at work about a farm that sold out to a Best Buy. After a few years, aspargus sprouted through a crack in the parking lot pavement.
I've seen some people use an old clawfoot tub to grow asparagus to contain it.

Snap just as in plain Jane green beans. The ones that snap when you pick them.

Good call on asparagus. Maybe I'll talk her out of it.

Thanks for all your help!

Post by **Freddy Rumsen** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 10:54 am

Garden is doing so-so....we have had way too much rain and it swamped out half our stuff. But it has helped the pear trees...