Vegetable garden 2012 - who's in?

[white85carrera]

I'll play.

[Zeke]

With all the room a couple of you have, why a square in the middle of general area? Why not follow the lines of the woods or do something whimsical. It's like you want to live in the city.

And here we are drawing abstract shapes in a postage size lot!

[vonsmog]

Originally Posted by Zeke

With all the room a couple of you have, why a square in the middle of general area? Why not follow the lines of the woods or do something whimsical. It's like you want to live in the city.

And here we are drawing abstract shapes in a postage size lot!

Well I can't speak for others, but for me, it is easier to till in a square and run the fence. And my spot is close to my barn so I can run water to it. I have five acres with a house with 20'x24' deck, a barn, and a large ice rink. So you have to put the garden somewhere, yet don't want it to spoil any views when sitting on the deck. Plus too close to the woods just invites the animals to come in for a snack just that much easier.

[white85carrera]

Yeah, maybe not so creative, but whimsical takes some work. 3.5 hrs mowing a week gets me leaning to straight lines......I did put another 60ft circle in down below that will be a couple types of sunflowers, that feels a bit whimsical.

[daepp]

So Cal here - hardly any winter this season. Late Feb planted romaine and Swiss chard seed. Seem to be sprouting well. Also Armenian cucumber seed, early girl and big boy tomatoes. Keeping fingers crossed! Three carryover artichokes supplemented by three new.

[slodave]

I'm having some luck now. The lettuce has recovered and I have been able to snip some leaves for a couple of very fresh leaves along with the spinach. It too, has recovered. I think I figured out how I can start seeds inside my place, but I'll have to see in a week or two. I have four tomato seeds that are using these small soil packs that are directly in a window sill. It seems they get plenty of direct sunlight all day. I do have to make sure the little soil packs don't dry out during the course of the day though. I may be able to make a trough that fits between the window and blinds, maybe it can hold a little water that can be wicked up as needed.

[vas930]

Looking good, Dave.
We had a great crop at our yard this year.

[dan79brooklyn]

End of April Update.

The onions which I planted back in November are growing nicely. I have about 60. So I'm hoping that's a years supply.

I planted 5 tomato plants, 3 cucumber plants, a couple rows of corn, eggplants and green peppers. I 'cheated' and bought seedlings from the local hardware/garden supply store. The Grandmother from next door hooked me up with a few more seedlings that she was thinning from under her plastic.

I also planted carrots and salad greens from seed also some bush beans as well.
The snowpeas growing on the string I planted a few months ago, hopefully I will be eating some soon...

[Superman]

I guess I need to post some pictures. Perhaps I will take them tomorrow. My plants are humble as yet, but the garden is 30' x 15' and this is the pacific northwest, where plants are REALLY happy. Our gardens start late, but they are started.

[HardDrive]

My wife and I live in the city, and as such, our space is limited.

But just so this whole thread doesn't turn into some kind of 'Oh, lets sing Kumbaya and share Fig Newtons' love fest, let me say this: You biatches are going down.

Our beets, fennel and greens are top notch.

Gardening, made better with 100% more smack talk.

[genrex]

Ha! Gardening... working with the soil... that has a calming effect, right?

Hey, put down that entrenching tool...

[LeeH]

Not a lot of room at our hosue. Our zucchini is doing well. Had no idea the plants got so big! That's watermelon on the other side. Can't see the cantelope for the zucchini. If the cantelope is gone in the morning I'll know the zucchini got hungry over night. I was a little concerned it was reaching for my daughter's toes.

[slodave]

My garden has been a disaster this year. I have been fighting the squirrels and even though I think they are all relocated now, I think there is a stealth squirrel still around. My lettuce and spinach were decimated over and over. Even though I though I did a pretty good job netting the garden area, they still got in. The last two would eat my garden first, then find there way to the live trap. I really need to find out about the city plots that are near me and get on the waiting list. No strawberries yet either, as the little Fokkers ate them too.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by LeeH

Not a lot of room at our hosue. Our zucchini is doing well. Had no idea the plants got so big! That's watermelon on the other side. Can't see the cantelope for the zucchini. If the cantelope is gone in the morning I'll know the zucchini got hungry over night. I was a little concerned it was reaching for my daughter's toes.

You can hide my zucchini plants in your hands without touching the leaves.

[Superman]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

My wife and I live in the city, and as such, our space is limited.

But just so this whole thread doesn't turn into some kind of 'Oh, lets sing Kumbaya and share Fig Newtons' love fest, let me say this: You biatches are going down.

Our beets, fennel and greens are top notch.

Gardening, made better with 100% more smack talk.

Them's fightin' words, pardner. Smile when you say that.

I'm going to beat your beets until they are dripping blood, your greens will be green with envy and I'm going to get a funnel that puts your fennel to shame. You will be sorry, my friend, that you threw this gauntlet down.

[vas930]

Originally Posted by slodave

My garden has been a disaster this year. I have been fighting the squirrels and even though I think they are all relocated now, I think there is a stealth squirrel still around. My lettuce and spinach were decimated over and over. Even though I though I did a pretty good job netting the garden area, they still got in. The last two would eat my garden first, then find there way to the live trap. I really need to find out about the city plots that are near me and get on the waiting list. No strawberries yet either, as the little Fokkers ate them too.

Dave, try making a low cover out of chicken wire.
That works on my garden and keeps the animals out.
Its firm so you can bend it to shape.
Join a few to make it as wide and high as you need.
Give it a go.

[slodave]

Hi Vas,

I know that would do it. I just didn't want to invest in the wire. Yes, this time it really cost me, but I try and keep the associated costs low. This is more of a hobby in this spot. It was also to prove a point to my mom. I just keep trying to better last year. This year, the squirrel's bettered me. My best option to continue, is to get on the waiting list and rent a city plot. Bigger area, more sun throughout the year and and a bigger yield that can become cost effective.

[wdfifteen]

I'm in.

Here it is as of May 17.




Two trellises of raspberries
1 big asparagus patch
2 apple trees
4x10 June bearing strawberry bed
4x12 everbearing strawberry bed
herb and greens garden (collards, kale, basil, herbs)
winter onions
salad onions
tomatoes
tomatillos
wax beans
turnips
beets
carrots
sweet peppers
hot peppers
Pontiac potatoes

[wdfifteen]

This is why my vegetable gardens are rectangular:



Try to get "whimsical" with this thing and it'll break your back.

Our flower gardens are designed more creatively:

[Paul_Heery]

We are extremely limited regarding space to plant. We just have a few planters on the deck.

This is the one we use the most. This planter has basil and cilantro. It is great to run out and pull of some herbs while cooking.



Here are some peppers that we just started a short while ago. We will probably need to move them into separate pots at some point. In here are jalepenos, serranos, and cubanelles.



And last, our first try at a tomato plant. Meet Mater.