Who Gardens and What Do You Grow?

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Posted by Theresa111 • 3/29/11
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I have never gardened but I have always admired those who always seem to know what to plant, and how to take care of those plants.

If you garden, when do you start preparing? Which seeds do you plant? Why did you feel it was important to start planting your own fruits and vegetables?

Perhaps you could provide some good tips for any of our members who are considering planting a garden and watching it grow.

gardening, gardening tips, how to garden

Discussion Replies

+1 vote

LadyGourmet (3/30/11)

I can't wait to start my garden..I will be planting basil, eggplant, zucchini, parsley, tomatoes and much more. It is a wonderful way to get outside and think and watch and care for all that is in your care..It is also much easier on the wallet to grow the herbs and veggies. I love it.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (3/30/11)
  
  Send me your address and I'll ship you an empty crate. I want some flowers from the squash or is it zucchini?
  
  It must be satisfying to just go outside and pick the items you want. When do you suppose you will commence planting Catherine? Since you live up north there has to bea time difference from the south where Amy lives.
0 votes

amybyrd21 (3/30/11)

We already have cabbage green and red, brocolli, onions, green onions, 4 different lettuces and tomatoes in the ground. (under plastic protected from frost) We are planning on corn, green beans, different squashs, tomatillos, and what ever else we come up with.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (3/30/11)
  
  Incredible! When do you start planting Amy?
0 votes

Belle (3/31/11)

I actually bought my first herb the other day. It's a lovely and fragrant Rosemary plant, and I can hardly wait to be able to use it. I've been liberating Rosemary from other people's yards and gardens. I'm so ashamed.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (3/31/11)
  
  Send me some in an envelope from west to east.
2. 0 votes
  
  Belle (4/07/11)
  
  They would wilt before you got them. Go to a nursery and pick some out. Fresh is more flavor.
0 votes

sugarpies (3/31/11)

I wish I had space to garden. I'd give anything to see if I could grow peanuts in Arizona. As it is, I'm limited to my two huge Rosemary plants by the front walk and my planter of herbs in the Summer. Michael usually has a tomato plant on the patio as well. That's about all we can manage in our tiny yard.

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1. 0 votes
  
  amybyrd21 (3/31/11)
  
  Sugarpies I think my hubby has peanuts to plant this year. This will be our first time. I remember my dad growing peanuts once. they came out all contorted like the carrots due to nemitodes in the ground. But they were still good lol.
2. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (3/31/11)
  
  Could you make a tiny greenhouse and grow peanuts inside? I really have no idea and it's why I'm asking.
3. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (4/02/11)
  
  I don't even have room for a greenhouse. We have a 14x14 patio of brick and the rest of the back yard is taken up by a HUGE grapefruit tree (the one citrus I can't eat).
  
  Amy, we always had peanuts when my grandfather had his "garden" (which was about 3 acres total). He usually planted valencia peanuts but I always loved the Jumbo Virginia variety. It's still my favorite for boiling. I've got to get someone back east to send me a shipment of green peanuts this summer... I've been craving for two summers now! LOL
4. 0 votes
  
  sugarpies (4/04/11)
  
  As a complete aside. I just got a review copy of a new southern cookbook. One of the recipes deals with using raw peanuts (dried green peanuts) and a slow and low cooking process to rehydrate them and turn them into boiled peanuts. I'll have to give this a spin and see if it is edible. I have REALLY high standards for boiled peanuts. LOL
5. 0 votes
  
  Belle (4/07/11)
  
  Why do people boil peanuts?
0 votes

Theresa111 (4/01/11)

Can I realistically have a garden in a 4' X 2' space?

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0 votes

amybyrd21 (4/01/11)

Theresa111 you can have a container garden. They are super cool and easy to keep. No weeding lol. Exspecially if you have a deck so they can get sun. And 4x2 is a good spot for a few things.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/01/11)
  
  I have a deck on the top floor and we face North West and West. What can I grow and how do I keep the birds and hawks from eating the food? Give me lots of ideas of how to do this because I want to fix something I helped grow. Thanks!!
  
  Oh. there is no roof over the deck, so when it rains there is no protection. The sunlight is direct.
2. 0 votes
  
  urbanideas (4/01/11)
  
  You can still do it Theresa. Also if you have old drawers that is a perfect container to get started. Here are some good links:
  ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/vegetable/container.html
  
  containergardening.wordpress.com/great-ideas-for-container-gardening/
  
  there is another awesome one but cannot find it now. Will post when I find the link
3. 0 votes
  
  urbanideas (4/02/11)
  
  Here are more links:
  www.aGardenPatch.com/ - this one for small space with no garden/yard is perfect. I know a few people using this system, in apts in NYC and other places and LOVE IT!
  For those who can compost this is the very best site you will need to learn all about it: www.smelllikedirt.com/
4. +1 vote
  
  amybyrd21 (4/02/11)
  
  I have totes from the dollar store, a few boxes that hubby put together and old drawers from old cabinets. If they are metal drawers make sure they have drain holes in them. You can grow peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, you can even grow potatoes in them if the box is deep enough. There are several sites on potatoes that show you how to grow then using newspaper and a box. You need to dtart you a kitchen worm bin like Wesley has. It is on my blog.
5. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/03/11)
  
  The only drawers I have are plastic. I'll check out the links you kindly left and see what my husband can build for me to use. Thanks you guys!
6. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/06/11)
  
  That garden patch looks interesting. It could provide me with a summer full of tomatoes.
0 votes

urbanideas (4/01/11)

Love love gardening. We have lots of herbs inside the house so I can use them throughout the year. We grow everything from seeds. We grow cabbage, lettuce, radishes, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplants, squash, etc

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/03/11)
  
  Sounds like you have big yard as Amy does. I enjoy hearing about what you are growing, too.
2. 0 votes
  
  urbanideas (4/04/11)
  
  We do indeed. It is a lot of work, but so worthwhile and seeing the kids help and grab what they want to eat is amazing. I FINALLY have all the herbs I use most often hanging from the ceiling of the window sill of the kitchen. I LOVE the smell and the convenience of having them right here when I need them.
+1 vote

urbanideas (4/05/11)

Here is another awesome link. Love the idea. Even though we have no lack of garden space I would love to have this done too:
lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-turn-a-pallet-into-a-garden/

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1. +1 vote
  
  Theresa111 (4/06/11)
  
  How inventive! I will definitely show Joe this pallet garden. It would be perfect for herbs. Thanks Sofia!
2. 0 votes
  
  kandymom (4/25/11)
  
  I really, really love this idea! Have never seen anything like it before. I am DEFINATELY going to have one of these!
3. 0 votes
  
  kandymom (4/25/11)
  
  I really, really love this idea! Have never seen anything like it before. I am DEFINATELY going to have one of these!
4. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/25/11)
  
  I'm going to show this to Joe so he can construct one for our deck. Hope he'll be keen on the idea.
0 votes

urbanideas (4/07/11)

AM so excited, most of my seeds are planted so now I have to patiently wait for them to grow, then HOPE Spring ACTUALLy arrives in WI so I can transplant them to the vegetable garden. Seems this weekend is not going to be too bad, so will be recruiting my teen's friends to weed the garden and start preparing it!

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0 votes

ldhanagana (4/07/11)

Hi, I have done gardening right from my childhood. I have grown variety of plants at different times. If you are interested please look in to my website dhanusfad.blogspot.com/. I started it only this month. Hope you like it. I will add information on how to go about beginners gardening in few days.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/07/11)
  
  Excellent. I promise to visit this evening! Glad to have you here on HHM!
  
  It veery nice. Keep those gardening posts coming. I'm certain to learn something from everyone and who knows, I might garden this spring and summer.
+1 vote

ibozo (4/07/11)

I have a "garden" since my subdivision has rules about where and what you can plant I cheat a little. I have my herbs up by the house in the back yard and grow rosemary, thyme, chives, thyme, oregano and parsley. Then in pots on the porch and deck I grow Roma tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, red and yellow peppers, lettuces and sometimes jalapenos. Each year we end up adding another plant or 2. I think pretty soon I may have to breakdown and build some raised planters, they are allowed by the subdivision.

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1. +1 vote
  
  ChaffeeStreetCafe (4/07/11)
  
  I won't tell. I think it is industrious to have such a variety of plants.
2. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (4/25/11)
  
  Greg, Grow them and the neighbors will want some. Win them over with your Victory Garden
0 votes

Theresa111 (5/26/11)

My neighbor has a topsy turvey plant hanging on her deck. And it's really working. Going to get one at Home Depot this weekend. I'm gonna be a gardener, too.

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0 votes

Theresa111 (6/08/11)

What are you growing in your garden? What has appeared already and what are you waiting to show up?

I will be visiting a nearby orchard by Saturday I want lots of fruits and veggies without all of the pesticides.

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0 votes

Theresa111 (6/18/11)

Butler's Orchard is so cool. Pick your own strawberries.

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0 votes

Theresa111 (6/22/11)

Now it's time to pick your own Blueberries! I think it is so much easier to pick up the pint of blueberries one of the orchard workers has prepared.

What is coming up in your garden? We really want to know.

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0 votes

LaBronnasmom (6/24/11)

My husband is the gardener. I just water and pick. We planted Indian Corn this year, just to see what would happen. We planted onions last year and this year and didn't get any. Our tomatoes apparently don't have enough lime in the dirt according to a friend. They are green and pretty, but have black butts when they start to get ripe. We planted potatoes this year. Picked a few because the tops were dying, but they are still kinda small. Good though. We planted crooked neck squash and banana squash. The zucchini loves our dirt. We have more of that than anything. We planted pumpkin and some watermellon came up from last year. Planted radished, but I don't think they made it. One pepper plant, no peppers yet. I don't like them anyway. We do have a fruit cocktail tree, pomegranite tree, peach tree, oh, and my favorite a Loquat tree. We had one when I was a little girl in California and I always loved them. This last winter was the first winter since I bought it and we tried to keep it covered and with a light on, but it was too cold so it didn't produce. But it is pretty and looks happy. We'll try again this winter to keep the buds from freezing. I love the fruit.

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1. 0 votes
  
  Theresa111 (6/24/11)
  
  OH my! I had a loquat tree in my backyard, when I was a girl living in Miami! I loved picking the fruit and eating it. it has a taste like no other. I have never had it again, but remember it with such fondness. Your garden sounds pretty large and tonight, I had some grilled zucchini, which was outstanding!