What's Growing in Your Garden RIGHT NOW.

cestlavie · Tar Sands Joined: Feb 12, 2007 Posts: 79

my stealth gardening tactics on a dead end street in the midst of suburbia currently

cigarette butts (by the side of the house along our basement door, inedible) Dont know why they're (still) there but adds to the haphazard (ratty) nature of the place which is good

jerusalem artichokes (naturalized somewhere on the side in partial sun only. In the bank, also on woodland edges...)

orange day lilies (ditto - a large bed of them happens to be growing beyond the woods at the forest edge. They can compete with the JA's, somewhat safe from the deer)

potatoes (right outside my front door, in my flower garden, still planting more around the house for sweet dreams...)

corn (right next to the house yippee!!!)

wapato or indian potato - currently trying my hand at sprouting seeds, also am buying bulk tubers because sprouting might take 2 years (I guess need cold cycle then warm and cold cycle....?)

rampion / campanula rapunculos - sprouting seeds, looking for tubers then I'll be all set...

wild lettuce (forest edge - having great success with these)

dock (grows wherever and multiplying unexpectedly fast)

dandelions and chives in the lawn... (I still envy people with lots of them in their lawn - just havent had time to dig up and transplant roots over to where they should be :>)

english sorrel (they come up early and grow wonderfully, leaves get big in partial shade! And they make a really good soup. But cant eat them every day though...)

roses and violets are growing too

rhubard surprised me how well they do in a shady place. Its safe from deer

I listed the carbohydrates on the top... except for the cigs since I dont smoke. One less thing to worry about that during the long emergency thats just started. I considered growing tobacco for awhile but its not edible

mystiek

I figure this might be under an index, but since we're on the gardening subject here: I have some critter or insect (probably) nibbling on my cabbage leaves. I really hate dumping a bunch of chemicals on the garden if I can avoid it. Any more natural suggestions? Besides when certain products get less accessible we are going to need alternative ways to save our gardens from these nusances. (Yes, Pops, I enjoy the information and talking with gardening buddies too).

thuja

I am very proud of my urban garden, be it ever so humble. We're able to eat as much salad and greens as we need for meals and have planted a ton of potatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, tomatoes, peas and beans.

We're getting ready for our raspberry/blueberry/strawberry crop coming in. Oh and I aslo got my zuchinis, squashes and pumpkins going. I am realizing that I need to build up my soil a bit more with compost and winter crops but all in all its turning out to be the most successful year yet. I want to devote every square inch to food. I think we can become self-sufficient in everything but staples such as oats, wheat and rice.

I've got a mess of chickens for egg laying and next year I want to become a beekeeper and start really producing honey. Maybe I can trade some extra honey for some of those staples down the road...

careinke

Wild Rose,

I have not got fruit from either the Goumi Berries or Honey Berries yet. So I cant attest to how good they are.

I planted the Goumi Berries last year and they flowered this spring, so it looks like I will get my first fruit this year. Hear is a link to the place I bought them from with a picture and some facts.

Goumi Berry

I just got the Honey berries this spring so they probably have another year before I get fruit. Here is a link about them I found on the Net.

Honey Berry

Like many fruits you need to have at least two separate varieties in order two get good fruit. Not sure why, but it is probably true. I bought two different Paw Paws two years ago and one of them died on me. So far no fruit from the survivor, guess I need to get another one.

Cliff (Start a rEVOLution, grow a garden)

WildRose · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1048

Thanks, Careinke. I had never heard of either berry before. I'm finding out that there are many plants that could grow in my area that I've been unfamiliar with!

The honey berry (native to Siberia and Japan) looks like a good possibility for my growing area (zone 3a). I planted raspberries, which I know will do well in central/northern Alberta, 3 varieties in total. I wasn't aware that I needed 2 varieties to produce good fruit, just picked 3 different ones so that I'd end up with fruit at different times during the summer. There's so much to learn!

Ludi

Ludi

mystiek

It really didn't start until after I mulched the garden with straw about 1 week ago-I'll peek under the mulch tonight and see if its too moist or dry. Thanks!

JJ · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 355

Tucker · Tar Sands Joined: Jan 29, 2008 Posts: 59 Location: Orygun

avalonfarms · Coal Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 1

newbie here...hi everyone from Tennessee. We have lots of clay here so it's taken 4-5 years to get the soil really good. I have horses so they helped donate the manure. I compost everything except meat & dairy from the house too. This year I went to raised beds. (12 4'x30' and 12 4'x20')
here's what's growing well now...
asparagus
strawberries
tomatoes
basil
thyme
lemon basil
rosemary
cucumber
potatoes
sweet potatoes
green are almost over with (lettuces & spinach)
squash
onions (white & red)
Brussels sprouts
swiss chard
rhubarb
peas (alaska, snow & english)
pole beans (kentucky wonder)
corn & yellow squash planted in a square (5 rows)

last year I planted 2 fruit trees that are still pretty small (apple & pear)
on my way there now to weed...gotta go!

SpringCreekFarm · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 03, 2006 Posts: 891

Welcome Avalon. You're in good company here. 2400 sqft of raised beds is very impressive. We like pictures here too so don't be shy.

Horses? Clay soil? I'm sure we'll have lots to talk about.

SCF

eastbay

PeakOiler

I went out to the garden this morning to see if I needed to eat another dozen cherry tomatoes, and I did, and noticed the potato plant in the big pot had dried up and all the leaves were dead.

Well so much for that potato plant, I thought, so I emptied the soil out of the pot and guess what made my day?

Very cool. Two Russet spuds weighing in at 568 grams!
Smile

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PeakOiler

Just wanted to add that I removed about 3 "spudlets" from one of the potatoes and replanted those in the same pot with more compost, mulch, and a little sandy loam and watered thoroughly.

Thanks to all the gardeners for sharing their tips on growing container potatoes.
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