No Garden chatter?

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I figured by now I would have seen someone posting ‘I have just planted tomatoes’, or that ‘the dahlias went in last week’, or ‘how lovely the tulips look this year’. Maybe I am missing the forum that it goes in, or maybe it is just left for the garden websites.

Nothing.

Well, I hope to plant tomatoes on Saturday or Sunday. I am putting in several of the basic styles and types as well as a half dozen tomatoes called Romeo. It meaty like Roma, but is much much larger-pint jar size or maybe larger. I hope to can salsa this fall, so a good meaty tomato will work the best.

I hope to plant the ‘betternut’ squash the same day. Like butternut squash. I will try, and probably fail on the broccoli again. I have head and leaf lettuce planted, and some herbs. I can’t believe I kept rosemary growing all winter.

I put in the dahlias last week. Actually did well on keeping them over winter. Next year, I will stick with sawdust as that method seem to work best for me.

I put in a flower bed, or expanded the bed I had. I put in a 100 bulb blend of tulips and daffodils, plus some Asiatic lilies I bought off ebay.

I have cut a couple meals of my asparagus.

I still have to clean up a new bed for my strawberries. The blueberries failed there, I hope the strawberries will be okay.

Apple trees look like they will bud soon. I hope my peach tree does something. It is running late.

Well, that is it from my garden.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Today is our last frost date. I usually do some veggies and flowers. I get discouraged because the groundhogs are, well, HOGS! They take a bite out of each tomato and pepper and leave me with very few even when I put a little fence around. Will probably get everything in the ground this weekend if possible weather-wise.

Started trimming the hedges. I have more than any one woman deserves in her lifetime. Peonies should be blooming very soon. They are my absolute favorite.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I want to plant some tomatoes this year, but haven't gotten around to it, yet. I haven't even put in my annuals, which I normally have in by Mother's Day. This year it seems like spring is taking it's time getting here.

Maybe I'll get started this weekend.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

Way behind here. All I have in so far is Sugar Snap Peas, onions and lettuce. Still pretty cool here at night, but I'll be planting very soon.
Oops, forgot the asparagus, which has provided several sides for my Mrs. and the neighbor across the street already. I probably forgot to mention it because I would have to be in danger of starvation to eat it.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I probably forgot to mention it because I would have to be in danger of starvation to eat it.

[Elan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elan]

Put our tomato plants in last weekend (5/3) along with Jalapeno, Bell and Serrano peppers. Planted blueberries and blackberries about a month ago. Blueberries, which are supposed to be harder to grow, look good, but the blackberries may not make it. Ironically, the volunteer blackberry plant that I keep trying to kill from under the base of our Serbian Spruce looks great . Still need to get the cukes in the ground. Strawberries looking good -- the birds will be happy.

I added some more coneflowers to the bed in front of the retaining wall as well as a couple daisies and asters. I leave most of the annuals/potted stuff to my wife. I'm a big perennial fan.

Our weather here has been bizarre. High on Tuesday was in the mid 60's -- supposed to be in the low 90's Sat, Sun and Mon, and then back to highs near 70 by next Tuesday.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

Oops, forgot the asparagus, which has provided several sides for my Mrs. and the neighbor across the street already. I probably forgot to mention it because I would have to be in danger of starvation to eat it.

My wife will go to the store, buy asparagus, but won't eat the ones fresh from the garden. Last night, I held up a handful of garden fresh vs store bought. Very hard to tell the difference. Garden was slightly darker, but nearly the same size, maybe slightly larger. It is 'Kim logic'. Put the asparagus on the grill, very nice.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Even better, my new composter arrived yesterday!!!

ENVIROCYCLE SYSTEMS INC.

I've been quite busy outside so far this year.

Started by clearing the front planter, improving the soil and buying new bulbs that are now coming up. the front garden is huge and I've taken at least 10 tarploads of leaves and crap out it and more needs to be done.

Dug up and divided lots of hostas and such for Mom's place ("curb appeal" - trying to sell). Have been working now in the back yard, clearing the giant veggie garden. We're lousy with Queen Anne's Lace, but also have more poison ivy than usual and too many raspberry bushes.

Due to miscommunication we had 12 tomato plants but there are only 2 of us so I found homes for 8 of them. Have sweet pepper plants, snap peas, lettuce, and a conservative 2 seeds for squash planted.

Found new tomato cages at Home depot that are taller than what I have and triangular where one side opens so you can reach in. I can use our old cages for the pepper plants if they get big enuf (peppers have never grown well for me) or the snap peas.

I'm well under way and that new composter is going to really help me keep things thriving. It makes "compost tea" which will be like liquid gold!!

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I have redone my compost system. Old bin would give me a couple shovels full. I am going to have a larger, more open system that should compost better. Never done the tea, only throw the compost in the garden.

When the wife mowed yesterday, (she mows, I do the snow blowing) I had her bag so I get the clippings for my compost and the lawn thatch doesn't get as thick.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I have redone my compost system. Old bin would give me a couple shovels full. I am going to have a larger, more open system that should compost better. Never done the tea, only throw the compost in the garden.

When the wife mowed yesterday, (she mows, I do the snow blowing) I had her bag so I get the clippings for my compost and the lawn thatch doesn't get as thick.

Open doesn't work - deer, doggie, bunnies, racoons, possibly coyotes (have heard them but not seen them in the yard).

My neighbor of many years back had a 2pallet by 2 pallet square that was awesome and perfect for dumping in tarploads of leaves. Before I could ask for the pallets when they were going to move, he burned every last one. It might not have worked for us but I would have tried it.

Have wanted enclosed turnable barrell type for a while and didn't want to build it. Allegedly can have first batch done in 4-6 weeks and start a new batch. Speed is good!

We won't bag the mower but there are the usual places to find the clumps of grass and raked some of those to dump in.

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

....
Have wanted enclosed turnable barrell type for a while and didn't want to build it. Allegedly can have first batch done in 4-6 weeks and start a new batch. Speed is good!

I have one of those, it is fast, but the mice are constantly chewing through the screening on the bottom of it. make sure you get someting tougher than regular screening to block the hole in the bottom.
If you leave anything longer than 3 days without moving it, the mice build a nest in it.

We cleaned out all the birdhouses, grill, our plow truck and the composter this past weekend...

Now moving on to gardening...

I'm going to the regional market this weekend to get my plants for the flower baskets. I only plant flowers as I'm afraid the anilmals will eat the veggies.

[Keitht Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Keitht]

Hopefully frosts are no longer a risk here in the west of England so we have started planting up tubs and baskets outside. I've just put in some lily bulbs and the more delicate plants like fuschias, alstromerias etc will be going out in the next few days. Over the past several days I've finally managed to get various shrubs cut back and the branches shredded. It should have been done some weeks ago but has been so wet I didn't think using an electric powered shredder in the garden was a good idea.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I was inspired so I went out and planted some carrots. If the showers stay away I'll try to get cukes, squash, romano beans, kohlrabi, more carrots, more onions and Okra in by the end of the weekend. We do open composting and have no problems with critters. Neighborhood cats keep the little critters in check if my big one doesn't run them off. The deer, coyotes and the bear don't seem attracted to the compost pile.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Tony

I probably forgot to mention it because I would have to be in danger of starvation to eat it.

vintner

My wife will go to the store, buy asparagus, but won't eat the ones fresh from the garden.

Hmmmm, I love asparagus, and would think home grown would be outrageous. . One of my favorite veggies.

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

And here in SW FL, DH's garden is almost done. We've had yellow and red tomatoes, carrots, green beans, beets, Texas sweet onions, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli. There are still some tomatoes out there and some onions. He was given a free box of mustard and collard greens, egg plant and some sort of HOT peppers. He took all of the mustard and collard greens to church and people took them home. He also has a banana tree (no bananas yet) some blackberries, 2 orange trees and a peach tree. He is always trying something new out.

He has built long narrow boxes to put them in...a raised bed...so the excess water can drain out..or hold it in. Here that is a must. And he just bought a "Compostumbler" which is in the garden area. With summer and our rainy season (we hope) coming, he'll be bored and planning for next year.

Happy gardening to all of you.