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Post by craftedbys on Apr 16, 2022 23:38:59 GMT
Is anyone excited about the coming growing season?
Has anyone else gotten a start on their garden and flower beds? Or, if it is still too cold, do you have plans for once the weather warms up?
I would love to hear what the Peas are growing this year.
Vegetables? Flowers?Annuals or perennials? Tried and true plants or something new?
Where are you getting your plants? Local nursery, big box store or online? (Favorite online source?)
Starting from seeds or buying plants?
I will come back and answer my own questions but I can't wait to hear from our Peas that have a green thumb. I am usually a dig a hole and plop it in and hope for the best kind of person, so I am always open to learning how to actually be successful at growing things.
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mlana
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,523 
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Post by mlana on Apr 17, 2022 1:49:09 GMT
I plan to put out my plants next weekend and I can’t wait !
I started redoing my fenced garden last year, replacing the old decaying beds with 7x3’ galvanized metal beds that are rounded on each end. Currently I have 7 filled with 2 assembled and 4 more to assemble. I also have 4’ round beds to assemble and 6 3’ fire rings to set up.
3 of the beds have garlic, lettuce, radish and greens planted in them. The pansies I planted earlier this year among the garlic are spectacular but the lettuce is trying to overtake them. We are cutting lettuce every 4 days at the latest and barely keeping up with it.
Peas are planted along the edge of 2 beds. Usually I plant them in quart milk containers with the side cut out. I remove the end and slide them into a trench. This year I used a new toy that spaced the holes perfectly. I covered the area with a mulch of weeds to keep the birds from pulling the sprouts up. I also filled the beds with whirlygigs to discourage the birds from the peas and strawberries.
Strawberries are scattered over 3 beds with radishes and spinach interplanted. One of those beds has misc plants a friend shared that will be transplanted into the front yard soon.
I have 3 fire rings and 1 4’ round bed along the front fence. They are planted with bulbs, peonies, clematis, and iris and other flowers. I have lots of lilies, dahlias, caladiums and hostas to plant there.
I put my overwintered geraniums out on the deck today, freeing up table space for my tomatoes and pepper starts. I have a ton of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and basil almost ready to go in the garden. My lavender and achillea need to be hardened off this week.
Tomorrow I’ll be starting my flower and other herb seeds.
So far, my seed starting has gone well. I trialed some older seeds and the results were mixed. I will be tossing the seed packets with low germination. It kills me to toss seeds, but I don’t have time to deal with bad seed every year. I’ve decided I don’t want a seed collection - I want a garden!
You can tell I’m ready to get going, right ?! Lol.
Marcy
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Post by Merge on Apr 17, 2022 2:29:21 GMT
We’re through with spring and rounding the bend to summer. I haven’t planted a thing outside. Focusing on not killing my houseplants this year.
Oh - I might go get a basil plant and a thyme plant for the patio tomorrow. My mint came back from the roots and I have a big rosemary bush already, so I could round out my herbs. It’s too late for cilantro or parsley here.
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iowgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,119
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Post by iowgirl on Apr 17, 2022 2:50:39 GMT
I would love to hear what the Peas are growing this year. About 1300 acres of corn and 900 acres of soybeans! Cold spring - I haven't seen any planters even moving in my area yet. We are no-till, so the ground stays colder longer. We won't be planting for a while yet. Need some warm days and sunshine! |
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Post by Legacy Girl on Apr 17, 2022 2:53:34 GMT
I just moved my little pot of pansies from my front yard and "planted" them in my front hallway for the evening. Freeze warning tonight! Sigh....
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Post by katlady on Apr 17, 2022 3:05:51 GMT
Our tomatoes are growing nicely. Still green, but quite a few of them. About a month ago, a nursery had a tomato festival and I bought some "exotic" tomato plants, the kind you don't normally find in nurseries. I've got seasonal (annuals) flowers planted, did them slowly over the last couple of weeks.
I usually buy my plants from nurseries. For online, my mom's favorite is Annie's. There is a nursery up in Orange County that carries them in season, so I take her up there around this time.
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Post by Linda on Apr 17, 2022 3:05:56 GMT
I have pumpkins, zucchini, and carrots plants - started from seed and doing well so far. My cosmos are already blooming. I planted a bunch of bulbs in a new garden this spring and they're coming up fast (gladioli and I'm not sure what else). I've had mixed success with germination in my wildflower garden - so I picked up some more seeds and will re-sow the empty spots.
We planted tiny trees earlier in the spring (from the Arbour Day foundation) - 3 crepe myrtle, 5 dogwood, and 5 red buds - 11 are leafing out, I'm still holding out hope on the other two. And I planted a hydrangea last weekend.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 10:59:50 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2022 3:17:20 GMT
I’m itching to get my plants in the garden. There is still so much to do.
This is the first year I’ll be using weed cloth and drip lines. Hoping beyond hope it cuts weeding to just a hand full of hours a week.
The garden needs the cultivated but I have to wait until the ground sets a little more.
All my plants I start from seed and some start at the beginning of January I begin with lisianthus. They will be going out under frost cloth at the end of next week.
I have four garden spots.
potatoes are 20ft by 20ft plot.
Main garden is 100ft by 100ft
Pumpkins are 20ft by 15 ft
And my cut flower garden is 40 ft by 40ft.
The stocks, snapdragons and black eyed Susan, calendula and hollyhocks are all in the ground under frost cloth.
Potatoes, peas, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflowe, Brussels sprouts and onions are all in and sprouting.
An 6x8 greenhouse is full of tomato and peppers.
Also have a 10x26 hoop style green house that is busting at the seams with plants.
Our official last frost date is May 9. Hoping I can plant most first week of May if forecast is good for the following week.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 10:59:50 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2022 3:21:05 GMT
I would love to hear what the Peas are growing this year. About 1300 acres of corn and 900 acres of soybeans! Cold spring - I haven't seen any planters even moving in my area yet. We are no-till, so the ground stays colder longer. We won't be planting for a while yet. Need some warm days and sunshine! Oh my that is a lot! I live out in the country surrounding my endless corn/soy fields and I could never imagine doing that work. It takes a special kind of person to have the patience and determination to complete such a huge undertaking. I would cry during planting, spraying and harvesting when looking out seeing how much more needed to be done. Hope this growing season is a good one. |
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Post by supersoda on Apr 17, 2022 3:53:44 GMT
We’ve spent the last few weekends planting and getting the yard and patio in shape. We significantly enlarged our front flower beds after we lost a lot of landscaping in the big freeze a year ago, so we’ve replaced a lot of shrubs and added two small trees. One is a weeping redbud right outside my office window and I love it so much! The other is a small Japanese maple with gorgeous, delicate red leaves.
I have no confidence in my ability to grow anything from seed, so I’ve been buying all my bedding plants. Last weekend we went to a native plant sale at one of our arboretums and then hit nursery at the farmers market. I got a flat of moss roses that is putting out huge gorgeous blooms.
I did a small raised garden last year with tomatoes and herbs. The tomatoes were really too big for the space so I wasn’t planning on doing them again, and many of the herbs have come back in their own, so I haven’t done a darn thing with it yet.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on Apr 17, 2022 5:02:34 GMT
My reply will be short because I am NOT a gardener, but 10-20 years ago I enjoyed growing herbs and decided to try that again this year. I found a bunch of gorgeous plants at a farm stand when I was visiting my mom in Ohio, and brought them home to Virginia. I've put some into pots and the rest need to go into my front flowerbed...I really need to get that done in the next couple of days. I've got peppermint, spearmint, sage, pineapple sage, lemon thyme, two different lavenders, chives, rosemary, dill and basil.
The remainder of my front flowerbed is currently sporting some random perennials that were in a wildflower seed mix I put down last year. I bought some more seeds and plan to plant those soon, too. I want the bed to be welcoming to birds, bees and butterflies. It's all a scattered mess but hopefully I can have a lot of blooms for them this summer. Right now red clover is blooming like crazy and I'm going to add alyssum, salvia, daisies, etc. And the herbs should attract them, too.
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,632
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Post by janeliz on Apr 17, 2022 14:00:50 GMT
I’ve gotten a few things planted. I mostly do containers, though I did add a few small ground-cover plants to a bare area in the backyard.
My Mexican Heather, Vinca, and Elephant Ears are coming back from last year, and I added a few new Heucheras to my container garden.
I always do mint, basil, and parsley in containers, and I have some rosemary and lavender in a bed that I planted when we moved in 19 years ago.
I planted a blueberry bush a few years ago, and it looks like I’ll finally get some berries this year!
I have a few rose bushes, and they’re starting to bloom. They’ll fade a bit once it gets really hot here. Same with my Clematis.
I don’t have any tried and true secrets! It’s a lot of trial and error here in my part of the country. Sandy soil and hot summers aren’t great for gardening.
I buy most of my plants from a locally owned nursery, but I’ve ordered plants from Etsy as well.
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Post by maryland on Apr 17, 2022 15:47:14 GMT
My husband usually grows flowers and herbs from seed in the basement. But it's a lot of work, and he is so busy with work this year, and I have to take care of our dog and can't even get my house cleaned much less work on anything extra. So we will buy some this year instead. But with snow flurries today, spring isn't coming anytime soon. I want spring!
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Post by lisae on Apr 17, 2022 16:06:13 GMT
I have planted some gladiolus bulbs. I dug up some last fall with the intention of moving them and redoing the bed. I ended up giving away some and replanting others. I have saved room in the bed for other things.
Our big project this year is in the front of the house. I saved quite a few of my mother's outdoor things when I sold her house. I let many items go with the house and sold some things at the sale but if there was any chance I might use it, I kept it. So now I want to use a few items, not too many at one time. In March, we spent 8 solid hours over a couple of days digging and pulling 4 overgrown shrubs from the front of the house. It was a chore but they are gone. Last week, I got stepping stones from Lowes and earlier this week we put in the stones and remulched. I'm using a chair and bench that was my mothers and some of her pots in this area. Eventually, I'll have more periennials but for now, I'm planting some annuals. I'm choosing only white and yellow flowers for this garden. I call it my Morning Sunshine garden.
Yesterday I shopped for some of the flowers and plan on getting some things in the ground after a cold night coming up Tuesday. That is the last cold night in the forecast so I think I will be safe to plant. I'm really excited to work on my yard. Last spring, I spent a LOT of time at my mothers, doing her yard up one last time to get the house on the market. She passed away in the middle of all that and it was the end of the summer before the house closed so I was weeding and watering at her place all summer with no attention to my own yard until nearly September.
Generally my enthusiasm wanes when the heat, mosquitos and weeds take over but I'm hoping to keep at it this year. I did pretty good here last fall considering my late start. I've seen what good exercise gardening is and I love flowers.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Apr 28, 2024 10:59:50 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2022 21:34:18 GMT
We're starting from scratch. We have a blank slate of a yard again. One of the original tenants (daughter of the builder) said they had a mini orchard, a vegetable garden, and a beautiful flower garden. In the 40+ years since the family sold the house, everything got ripped out, save for a few trees and some scraggly raspberry bushes. There's some flowers on the side of the house but nothing special.
This year is going to be seeing what comes up, what blooms, and deciding what we'll keep. There's some flowering bushes along one side of the yard. They're getting overwhelmed by weeds and some other bush that's more of a weed than anything pretty. I think a lot of stuff is getting pulled out this year. However, DH will be starting his garden soon. He has to dig up the grass for the garden though. I don't know what he wants to start with. We'll buy seedlings though. There's a nursery that has a great selection. Our green beans and tomatoes from there has always done well. He wants to build a mini green house to do seeds and maybe keep a tomato plant year round.
ETA- my mom's cousin is a master gardener so when we have a better idea of how we want to yard to look, I'll ask her to help me plan a flower garden.
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Post by librarylady on Apr 17, 2022 23:28:49 GMT
I will plant caladiums after Mother's day. The Mexican Sunflower is coming up as is the milkweed.
Already blooming are: iris, Byzantine gladiolus, hardy amaryllis, salvia and lantana. My zinnas reseeded themselves. We have to plant the hycanith bean vine.
I am waiting on warm weather so I can plant some penta for the hot summers here.
I purchase small plants, I don't start them from seed.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,171
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Apr 18, 2022 0:21:48 GMT
I started my ornamental pepper seeds on April 1st, inside under grow lights. They are looking pretty good so far.
I have ordered a bunch of annuals from Proven Winners, and will buy others at local nurseries when it’s warm enough to plant the pots outside. I’m in Zone 5b in Illinois and they typically say we can plant around Mother's Day, but who knows? The weather has been crazy this year.
I do have lots of daffodils, crocus and hyacinths coming up or blooming, along with some tulips I planted in a pot last fall. My bleeding hearts are coming up and looking very good so far.
I have romaine and other salad greens growing in my AeroGardens.
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Post by craftedbys on Apr 18, 2022 0:31:13 GMT
Oh my goodness! We have some seriously green thumbed Peas!
Everyone's projects sound so wonderful maybe we should have a photo thread in a few months to see everything in bloom.
Here I thought I might be going a bit overboard with what I have planted so far.
Last year was our first attempt at growing so we started small. I only did 4 types of herbs (basil, lemon thyme, oregano, and sage), a pineapple sage plant (which is technically an herb but I only used it a small bit although it grew huge ) 1 grape tomato plant, 1 bell pepper plant, and 2 cowhorn pepper plants that gave me a bumper crop of hot peppers.
This year we are doing more, all the herbs and veg in containers.
I have 4 lettuce plants and a long planter box of spinach that I have been harvesting every few days and it keeps on growing
So far I have 3 tomato plants for big tomatoes, 2 pepper plants (Tabasco peppers and sweet banana peppers).
My herbs are in three long planter boxes. I have dill, curly leaf parsley, cilantro, chives, basil, both regular and purple, German thyme, three of the herbs that survived the winter (thyme, oregano and sage), lemon balm and a rosemary bush.
I have also planted onions, both red and white and sugar snap Peas. My 4 strawberry plants have already given us a few berries.
We won't get anything from the raspberry and blackberry bushes for a year or two, but at least they are underway.
My petite knockout rose bushes that my dad bought me last year have gotten wonderfully thick this spring and I can't wait to see the blooms.
My hydrangeas are budding out nicely and one of the cuttings I took last year has managed to root and grow.
My front year and beds still need a ton of love. I am working on trying to figure out what I want to do to it so most of the flowers and plants are in pits and containers.
I did plant some bulbs last fall in the very front of the 10x10 bed but I hopefully did something smart. I dug a trench along the front side of the bed and then lined it with chicken wire before putting dirt back and planting the bulbs. At least now I know where they are and won't accidentally dig them up like DH keeps doing.
I am in the process of digging up the hostas in the beds along the front porch. I eventually want to dig up the azalea and Acuba bushes as well and put in a line of smaller azaleas or some other shrubs.
We have a flag pole in our front yard that I want to ring with some purple Catmint and some shorter flowers and maybe make a small bed around the mailbox as well.
I was wondering if anyone has ever ordered from GrowJoy?
I have absolutely sucked ar starting things from seeds: herbs, microgreens, flowers. They sprout and then just wither. The only success has been my sugar snap peas so I think I am meant to start from plants, not seeds.
I am going to show DH what y'all are all planting so he can't accuse me of going overboard!
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Post by 950nancy on Apr 18, 2022 1:04:59 GMT
I am learning the best things to plant that most deer will avoid. We're having yard work done this next week and then will start to figure out plants.
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Post by tyra on Apr 19, 2022 16:05:38 GMT
I am always excited to plant, but even more so this year. We are getting a new patio poured, that is going to be about 5x the size of what we currently have. The previous owners built a beautiful deck, but then poured a tiny concrete pad right off of it, with a sidewalk going from the pad to the back garage door. Then they attempted some landscaping. It is horrible, ugly, and a complete waste of space. I am SO excited to have usable space out there in a few weeks!
So in addition to my regular planting, I am tickled to be able to plan out new areas to plant.
We just had 3 inches of snow Sunday night/Monday morning though. Still expecting temps at/below freezing for the next week or two. I won't be planting until into May sometime.
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Post by sunshine on Apr 19, 2022 16:15:27 GMT
I’ve decided to try my hand at some things in grow bags this year. I’ve started with spinach, romaine, carrots and potatoes, all seeds. I started micro cherry tomatoes in my Aerogarden, that have been potted up and looking good-just need to wait about a month to transplant outside. I’m also going to try strawberries in a grow bag. We’ll see.
I currently have some flowers started in my Aerogarden, and will start my last set of seeds this week.
I hope I have some success this year!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Apr 19, 2022 16:18:10 GMT
I cleaned out my herb bed and redesigned it a bit. All that I left was the stone pathway. two rosemary bushes, and a scattering of hostas at the sidewalk end of the bed. I've been amending the soil and getting it ready but have yet to buy the plants and get them in the ground.
My focus has been on container gardening so far. Filling up all the pots and planters that go around the pool and gazebo in the backyard. It's very gratifying because it's instant color everywhere!
My husband pressure washed all the concrete and I've cleaned all the outdoor furniture and cushions. We now need to tackle two awkward little triangular beds at each side of the gazebo. They cover french drain type contraptions that are part of the drainage system for the concrete surrounding the pool so we're restricted with what we can do there. But they definitely need reworking. I'm researching some type of ground cover to put in them.
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