LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939 
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
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Post by LeaP on May 20, 2017 19:24:23 GMT
For the first time in donkey years (as my English neighbour says), I planted my garden on time. All but one of my tomato plants are thriving and filled with large green tomatoes. I am absolutely dying for one tomato to ripen and the suspense is killing me! I feel like a 5-year-old waiting for Christmas.
In other parts of the garden, a few zucchini and cucumbers have ripened. I'm doing a little Meso American experiment with corn, some kind of squash and beans. The sweet potatoes have sprouted while the regular potatoes are dormant.
I've also developed an obsession with mega pumpkins. I had to file the sides of the pumpkin seeds to get them to sprout. I really want a giant pumpkin patch.
So what is going on in your gardens?
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,159
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Post by lindas on May 20, 2017 19:58:37 GMT
It finally got warm enough to plant so mine went in the ground today. I'm jealous that you already have tomatoes, I'll be lucky if I'm picking anything by mid July.
I went lite lite this year, just tomatoes and peppers and lots of herbs. I would have loved to plant cucumbers and squash but they take up more space than I have available. DH did offer to clear an area down by our shed but I don't feel it gets enough sun to justify my time and energy.
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Post by peasapie on May 20, 2017 20:02:18 GMT
I live in a townhouse development, so it is only patio tomatoes for me. I used to have a big, square-foot-type garden when I still lived in a house.
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Post by leannec on May 20, 2017 20:03:00 GMT
Nothing ... I have a black thumb and I'm lazy  My cherry tree is blooming though  |
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Post by anniefb on May 20, 2017 20:41:25 GMT
Well it's winter here but I'm still growing winter lettuce and silverbeet (swiss chard) in my veggie garden. I also have winter fruit ripening on my trees - lemons, grapefruit, oranges and kiwifruit.
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Post by nellej on May 20, 2017 20:41:29 GMT
Have just looked up your weather LeaP, can't believe how great it is. I am trying to grow cherry tomatoes but have to take them into the shed overnight until it gets a bit warmer here. Currently 50 overnight.
Would love to see some pics of your tomatoes.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 18, 2024 20:55:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 20:43:48 GMT
Can we use this as the May garden and backyard farm thread?
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,850
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Post by teddyw on May 20, 2017 20:48:01 GMT
For the first time in donkey years (as my English neighbour says), I planted my garden on time. All but one of my tomato plants are thriving and filled with large green tomatoes. I am absolutely dying for one tomato to ripen and the suspense is killing me! I feel like a 5-year-old waiting for Christmas. In other parts of the garden, a few zucchini and cucumbers have ripened. I'm doing a little Meso American experiment with corn, some kind of squash and beans. The sweet potatoes have sprouted while the regular potatoes are dormant. I've also developed an obsession with mega pumpkins. I had to file the sides of the pumpkin seeds to get them to sprout. I really want a giant pumpkin patch. So what is going on in your gardens? I would love a pumpkin patch. When you say giant do you mean greater than 50 lbs? My kale, lettuce and radishes are just about ready. I planted my cucumbers in a pot this year because they don't do well in my garden. So we'll see. |
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IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
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Post by IAmUnoriginal on May 20, 2017 22:25:24 GMT
Mother's Day weekend is generally the safe-to-plant date around here. We have a small square foot garden set up in our backyard. Last weekend, my 6 year old helped me pull weeds and top off the bed with some fresh soil and compost. On Sunday, both of my boys went with me for our annual trip to the garden center to get plants for the garden. Mother's Day is also known as Free Labor and No Bitchin' Day in my house. It was the perfect weather for gardening, followed by several days of warm sun. The tomato and pepper plants are off to a great start. The cucumbers plants were pretty small but have already doubled in size. The broccoli is taking its own sweet time. I need to grab a couple zucchini plants this week and get them plugged in. It'll be mid to late July before tomatoes are ready for us. A long road to go...
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LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
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Post by LeaP on May 20, 2017 22:29:20 GMT
I would love a pumpkin patch. When you say giant do you mean greater than 50 lbs? My kale, lettuce and radishes are just about ready. I planted my cucumbers in a pot this year because they don't do well in my garden. So we'll see. Yes, I am hoping for over 100 lbs. Per the internet, giant pumpkins descend from the Atlantic Dill variety. I mail ordered 10 seeds and read up on how to raise a giant. You have to fertilize them and thin the vine. I really, really hope it works. Sa |
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LeaP
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,939
Location: Los Angeles, CA where 405 meets 101
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Post by LeaP on May 20, 2017 22:30:28 GMT
Can we use this as the May garden and backyard farm thread? Of course, would you like me to change the subject line? SaveSave |
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,850
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Post by teddyw on May 20, 2017 22:34:13 GMT
I would love a pumpkin patch. When you say giant do you mean greater than 50 lbs? My kale, lettuce and radishes are just about ready. I planted my cucumbers in a pot this year because they don't do well in my garden. So we'll see. Yes, I am hoping for over 100 lbs. Per the internet, giant pumpkins descend from the Atlantic Dill variety. I mail ordered 10 seeds and read up on how to raise a giant. You have to fertilize them and thin the vine. I really, really hope it works. SaWe go to a national pumpkin weigh off every year. They are over 1000lbs. Plus south of here in circleville,oh there's the pumpkin festival. I believe you have to be from circleville to enter your pumpkin there. |
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
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Post by georgiapea on May 20, 2017 22:36:24 GMT
Never been successful with veggie gardening, but I'm at our Florida place and discovered we have a beautiful Gardenia bush/tree that has just begun to bloom. Very pleasant when I'm sleeping in the motorhome with the windows open. We also have huge camellias and azaleas but they bloomed while I was on bed rest with the DVT clot resulting from my stupidity.
I envy all the ardent gardeners who actually do it.
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Post by Tammiem2pnc1 on May 20, 2017 22:40:39 GMT
No place to plant a garden. BUT I did plant a few strawberry plants in a little container and some mint in another one. The mint is looking great and I see a few strawberries sprouting. Can't wait to pick those!
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Post by Delta Dawn on May 20, 2017 22:46:03 GMT
Waste of time for me. No good sun, no good soil, no good location as deck gets too hot in summer and stuff just burns. (tried in the past). We have sand for soil in the garden as we are right near the beach and noting but chives, bay leaf and parsley grow. If we move one day I would like to try tomato plants again maybe.
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Sue
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,234
Location: SE of Portland, Oregon
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Post by Sue on May 20, 2017 23:03:08 GMT
We're finally having a decent weekend here... hurray! No rain! My husband is power washing the decks and then we'll set up our canopy and lawn furniture. While he washed I went to the nursery and bought plants to do up my deck pots. After the decks are done we need to plant a peach tree I started from a pit last year. It's nearly 4' tall now in a too small pot. Don't know if it will ever produce fruit but it's been fun watching it grow. And it's tomato planting time this weekend also. Lots of catching up yard and garden work to do.
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Post by mnmloveli on May 20, 2017 23:26:57 GMT
Finally getting a little warmer here, Long Island New York. Bought our plants yesterday and put up a new garden fence today. Hope to get to planting tomorrow. Tomatoes (Beefsteak, Plum & Cherry), cucumbers, string beans, yellow & green squash, sweet & hot peppers, lettuce & eggplant. Also planting some sun flowers this year - really excited about them.
Can't wait to eat the first tomatoe of summer; always one of the best days of summer.
ENJOY !
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 20:55:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 23:32:46 GMT
If we can get our shit together in the morning, we're buying our seedlings tomorrow and planting them.
First weekend of May in Michigan still have frost warnings. Second weekend is our usual planting time but we got busy with new planter boxes.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 18, 2024 20:55:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 0:34:15 GMT
Can we use this as the May garden and backyard farm thread? Of course, would you like me to change the subject line? SaveSaveThat would be wonderful! Thank you so much! |
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Post by peano on May 21, 2017 1:16:51 GMT
I confess to feeling a little dejected that all the hours of backbreaking labor I put in last summer into newspaper mulching a couple of my gardens has restricted weeds, but more than I would like are peeking through. I need to cut back a lot of my last year's perennial stalks that are looking a little raggedy with the new green growth. I also need to get plants in my planters. On the positive side, I planted a couple packets of nasturtium seeds in my whiskey barrel and 7 or 8 have germinated.
We have pumpkins every year with no effort whatsoever. We just throw out our rotting pumpkins into the compost pile in the late fall, and they sprout new pumpkins every year. We got a ton of the little white pumpkins last year.
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Post by melanell on May 21, 2017 1:17:05 GMT
Nothing yet. We're not really safe from freezing temps overnight until June, so we don't do much outdoors before then. The flowering trees are all blooming this month, though, which is lovely.  |
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 20:55:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 1:21:33 GMT
Then new chicks aren't so new anymore. I won't be surprised if a couple are laying eggs by the end of June.
I bought 3 new duck hens. It will be a long time before they are laying. I am sad that they aren't as nice as the hen we have now.
My garden of weeds is doing quite nice. The weeds are over 5 ft tall. I am not much in the mood to remove them.
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casii
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,466
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Post by casii on May 21, 2017 1:39:51 GMT
We are another area where Mother's Day weekend is the big planting day. Tomatoes, pepper, squash are all going. Onions & potatoes were planted in March. Asparagus and rhubarb are going to beat the band. Strawberries, figs and blackberries coming on.
We always plant a LOT of pumpkins in funny shapes and colors. For both of our oldest childrens weddings, pumpkins played a big part of the decorations. Last year was a lackluster pumpkin year, so I hope this year is better. We've had an almost 200 lb one a few times, but one year I really want to grow a big mothereffer!
We also have chickens and I have one broody who thinks she's going to be a mom. We do have a rooster, so the eggs are fertilized, but her possible hatch date falls right when we are on vacation. I worry about her trying to raise a few babies when we're gone. Luckily we have a housesitter who is a bona fide animal lover. She's not chicken savvy, but I can see her jumping in to watch out for little ones. If the broody does hatch, they will be heritage Ameracaunas which will make me very happy since my chick source is no longer in the business.
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Post by sawwhet on May 21, 2017 14:47:32 GMT
I have 3 raised gardens with 2 types of peas, 2 types of spinach, leeks, beets, basil, thyme, sage, cilantro, parsley, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, English cucumbers, mouse melons, 3 types of carrots and a small patch of asparagus. My rhubarb plant is huge and needs to be divided in the fall. I still have a few patches of space in my square foot box. Not sure what to put in at the moment. I may leave it for a mid July planting for the fall. I also filled 4 planter boxes/pots and bought 2 already finished. Usually, I do them myself but by the time I bought the flowers and more soil, it was the same price to buy them pre-made. My actual ground gardens look like crap. I haven't touched them. There aren't enough hours in the day I support a local farm and I drive out to purchase eggs, grass fed meats and veggies. |
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cakediva
Drama Llama
Making the world a sweeter place one cake at a time!
Posts: 7,444
Location: Fergus, Ontario
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Post by cakediva on May 21, 2017 14:58:58 GMT
I spent yesterday doing a few small things (it's a holiday weekend here in Canada) - picked up my hanging baskets, re-edged my existing garden beds, removed a horrible wegeila that was growing all spindly and weird (even after 4 years of grooming it), moved a few things, replaced a peony that didn't come back up this year and split a hosta.
Now that our deck is all done, I also edged out an area for a new bed, and since our grass is currently mostly weeds, and the ground is as hard as rock, we sprayed that area with round-up. Once all the grass/weeds die, instead of lifting the crap that is there, I bought a ton of soil and triple mix to build up the garden spot right over the dead stuff. Hopefully I can do this tomorrow, but it can wait until next weekend if need be. I'll plant some nice shrubs and other perennials there. Can't wait!!
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 21, 2017 16:32:49 GMT
My veggie garden plot (a raised bed about 12' x 12') is growing great - the plants are tripling or better in size every week it seems, but I'm still a bit away from anything being ready to harvest. Sure am looking forward to it though!
My herb bed is mostly year-round. The only thing that doesn't winter over is basil and parsley. I've had them in for a couple of weeks though and they are growing like weeds. I love strolling right out the door to snip fresh herbs to cook with.
Flower-wise, my gardenia bush is covered and smells heavenly. The seasonal plants are all blooming well -- mostly petunias and geraniums in pots. I also have a hibiscus topiary that has been blooming a lot.
I love to hear what everyone else is growing. I wish I had another sunny spot in the yard for another raised bed. There's so much else I'd like to grow as well.
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Deleted
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May 18, 2024 20:55:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 16:36:45 GMT
We picked up the small plants for tomatoes and peppers. 5 different tomatoes and 4 different peppers.
The hops are growing tall and filling in so soon we'll have a nice privacy wall for our front porch.
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Post by Jamie on May 21, 2017 21:24:07 GMT
Our plants have been in for two weeks or so. 3diiferent tomatos, 2 cucumbers, onions, beans, garlic. Put in three rhubarb plants this year and they have tripled in size in a few days. Also put in raspberries and blueberries but they won't be ready until next year. Our strawberries tripled in size from the 8plants we put in last year. Also have 5 hanging baskets of herbs and one in a pot. The potted one is at least seven years old. Hubby puts it in the garage over winter and ever spring it starts right up agin.
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Post by gypsymama on May 21, 2017 21:49:05 GMT
memorial day is our usual "safe" weekend up here. i picked up a water melon plant, tomato, asparagus, and strawberry at home depot yesterday, planted a nice rose bush in a pot out front, got a lilac today and put it in a bed we cleaned out. (we have the big old crazy building and its very very neglected) i know i should be clearing out and doing it "right" but our season is so short here that i'm just bulldozing ahead and going with it this year. was glad to see some irises and hostas coming up in a bed out back yesterday. oh we also planted a ton of flower seeds and spinich in pots on the porch
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Post by freecharlie on May 21, 2017 22:00:43 GMT
Anybody willing to share pictures for the newbie gardener?
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