How does your garden grow?

Babichev

Hello, Cuddle Buddies! I’ve been a bit AWOL lately because I’ve been putting all my attention into creating a garden from scratch under very less than ideal conditions. I promise to be more attentive.

Who else is gardening? How is it going? For me, I’m finally getting focused. I had to move last year during May, a terrible time for a gardener to move. I moved a lot of stuff from my old garden with me and ended up with a big junk pile in the back. What a mess! I’m working on taking care of that now. There is room in the back of this 4 family building for me to garden but the ground was rough, rough, rough. Covered with weeds, vines, and it slopes in two directions. I put down cardboard to kill off the vegetation but didn’t get much done last year. I’m finally getting some focus and it’s slow going. Under the surface there is lots of tree roots, rocks, brick, concrete. I tried to dig a bit to create a somewhat level spot to create a proper compost pile and can only get the shovel an inch or so into the ground before running into some sort of barrier. However, a retired gentleman I know buys used garden/landscaping tools from landscapers going out of business or replacing their tools and so I bought a mattock from him. It’s much better. I’ve been taking out some small tree stumps that keep sprouting. Meanwhile, I’ve invested in a lot of 10 gallon pots. Everything will have to be in containers this year but I’m hoping to create some raised beds. I’ve got a lot of herbs going, a few flowers in some small pots. I planted potatoes in the 10 gallon pots. I also planted some sunchokes in 10 gallon pots both for the flowers and the tubers. They will stay in pots even after I create some beds because they are invasive. I have some strawberries and asparagus in a plot in a community garden. Planning on planting tomatoes, Swiss chard, lettuce, leeks, not exactly sure what else yet. I’ve got two blueberry bushes in pots that are now three years old. I got a small crop last year but the birds got most of them so I need to work on protecting them. Not much to see yet but here’s some herbs, flowers, and seedlings on the back porch.

Who else is gardening? How’s it going for you?

Gallowglass

Still at freezing in MN. I just pruned 2 apple trees. Thinking about creating another raised garden (wood's expensive).

With silver bells and cockel shells 😅

Gardening... We got snow here in Maine today. 🤣 It didn't stick around though.

JoyfulHeart

With 20-some thousand maple trees

Sideon

In this part of the front yard, I trench and plant 300+ bulbs annually. In the middle of this area I planted a wisteria bush that I'm training to be a tree. The pic is 3 weeks old and almost all the tulips have dropped their petals or been dead-headed.

Here's to gardening.

Lovelight

I don't have one going for me. Though props to you, gardening can be so beneficial and provide you a bit of security. ♥️

UKGuy

I mostly try to create a wild garden to attract birds, butterflies and bees. Many of the plants in my garden just grew by themselves from seeds blown by the wind or dropped by birds. I grew a large Yucca from a seed I obtained at White Sands Monument in New Mexico. It's now about 12 feet tall.
In the photos below are Brittlebush (yellow flowers and silver leaves) with the Yucca in the background.
The other photo shows yellow California poppies which come up every Feb/March, and pampas grass. The number of poppies seems to vary depending on rainfall in Nov/Dec. The pampas grass grows everywhere and I either pull it up or relocate it where I want a clump to be. Beyond the poppies is a large Bouganvillea bush which is a constant battle to keep trimmed from blocking the sidewalk.

Babichev

Wow, these are all so cool!

sillysassy

Omgosh you all!!!!!! This is so cool!!!

I am very jealous but I am so thankful for the share. ♥️☀️🌻

I can’t wait to see everything in person!!

Cheers to AWOL on behalf of lovely garden bits. 🦋🌸🌷🍃🌼

TheFunCartel

I am high on the prospects of this year’s crop.

me2

@SweetiSammi ….you beat me to it 😂

My garden consists of Triffids who move closer to the house every year.

CuddleDuncan

@WriterGF you'll be fine as long as you don't look at any lights in the sky.

Also, you really can buy flamethrowers nowadays. I know, right?

I just started my seedling this weekend and I am hopeful.

MissAdventurous

Prepped the beds and made a new raised bed, I'm purging things so don't mind the "junk" it's going this week ☺️

GreatHornedOwl

I'm un-gardening in my woods. I think I've finally extirpated the multiflora rose, and the day lilies, but I'm still doing battle with the common buckthorn, Japanese honeysuckle, and garlic mustard. When I can keep the red maples, box elders, and invasive exotics in check, the wildflowers don't need any gardening. They take care of themselves, quite nicely.

Dulcie7

I'm in Texas and started gardening for the first time ever! Cherry tomatoes, bell pepper, banana peppers, lots of herbs, marigolds, Nasturtiums, bush beans, autumn beauty sunflowers, blackberries, strawberry, lavender, passionflower, tradescantia Zebrina. Just tonight I sowed some seeds: morning glory, scarlet Zinnias, and mammoth sunflowers 🤗🌻 Still need to sow my cucumber seeds and plant some seed potatoes.

MissAdventurous

The update 🤗🤗💓💓

Babichev

Love seeing these! I don’t really have much to show yet.

Here’s a question I’ve been thinking about: what would grow well next to a west facing wall? It doesn’t get the sun all day but it does get it during the hottest time of the day. I’m thinking of putting some full-sun things there in pots and see how they do. Specifically, I’ve planted a couple of asparagus crowns in 10 gallon pots until I’ve prepared a place for them in ground, wondering how they would fare there. Also thinking of trying a blackberry and maybe move one of the Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes) there. Long term I’m thinking about permaculture with an eye towards native edible plants.

I’m also trying to think of how to keep strawberries manageable. I love them but they take a lot of maintenance, trying to keep the runners in check, keeping track of this year’s plants, last year’s plants, etc.

My fatal flaw is that I want to grow EVERYTHING. I’m trying to control myself. Also, I’m bad about labeling things. I have some sort of native pollinator wildflower coming up and I have no idea what it is. Eventually it will become obvious.

Babichev

I have several favorite gardening YouTUbe channels that I’ve found inspiring and full of good information. Here are some of them:

Epic Gardening was the first I’ found. He’s in California, very different climate than mine, but the information is very good and presented well - clear, concise, to the point.

MIGardening is in Michigan, more northern than I am but closer to my climate. They also sell seeds and they have become my main supplier. It’s my way of paying them back for all the good advice I’ve gotten from them.

Self Sufficient Me is in Australia. Climate is different, they can grow some things we can’t, but overall good advice. He’s big into raised beds.

Simplify Gardening is in the U.K and is big into potatoes. I’m trying potatoes in 10 gallon pots after he compared in ground and in pots two years in a row and his container potatoes outperformed those in ground.

There are more but those are a few of my favorites. I’ve gotten lots of good ideas, good information, and good inspiration from them.

Do you have any favorite YouTube channels, websites, or other gardening resources?

blisscuddles

@Babichev You may like this channel: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC9V_-gqJsZNOy4v_HqbRz3w

Photo from last year. I don’t buy vegetables at the store between June and November!
Keep experimenting, keep reading, keep learning, keep at it! Observation and persistence are key.

MissAdventurous

My budget this week be like.... 🤣🤣🤣

Babichev

@blisscuddles - Oh yes, I’ve seen his, too. Very good AND I think he’s in NJ. Their climate is similar to ours.

@pianomann - That is amazing! I bow in your general direction!

Babichev

It’s cold and chilly out but I visited my plot in the community garden. I won’t harvest any asparagus this year, I just started those plants from seeds last year. However, looks like I’m going to get some strawberries if I can keep the birds off of them.

stormydaycuddle

I once grew a full green bean bush in the garage with no sun, water or attention for a few months. Thought it was a miracle....Walked around thinking I was a saint for like a week. lol.

cuddles_ndream

Interesting video on how to grow pineapples 🍍 from the store

@Dulcie7 How fun that you’re getting into gardening! Heads up, mulching with wood chips can tie up nutrients and stunt plant growth, unless the chips are fully aged (grayish in color).

I like throwing down fresh wood chips on the pathways between my raised beds. Makes the garden look nice. When the chips are fully aged, I’ll scoop some of them into the beds.

Happy growing! 😊

Babichev

On wood chips:

https://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/woodchips.html

The summary: Good for mulch around trees and shrubs because they are deep rooted, not so good around annuals and shallow rooted perennials that are getting their nutrients from near the top of the soil. However, one can get around that by using a layer of nitrogen-rich compost or other nitrogen supplement on the top of the soil before putting down the chips.

TheMidnightOwl

Unlike my beloved Emily Dickinson who was a phenomenal gardener well-versed in botany, I have a brown thumb and somehow end up killing every plant I’m responsible for. But I enjoy other’s gardens very much.