2020 Gardening Thread

[Mrs. DantesDame]

We have having perfect garden weather, but I feel like nothing is happening.

That being said, the kiwis are about to flower, the grapes look like they will once again be prolific, the frogs are super happy (video link below) and self-seeding sunflowers are plentiful.

I planted a bunch of cucumber and pumpkin from seed, and about half of them are finally starting to put out some good leaves. Dan has planted some of his tomato plants (finally!).

But I need more... I will try this weekend to get some lettuce planted, and maybe a couple of eggplant.
And I still need to build the raised bed. I'm now thinking of making it a combination raised bed / cold frame.


Frogs:
https://photos.smugmug.com/The-Garden-1/Pond/i-zsXvCfs/0/1c4ab066/1280/IMG_0596-1280.mp4

[jadziadax8]

It was a good day to be out. It’s finally warmed up and it will be dry for a couple of days. I intended to cover the veggie garden and put the vegetables in. I moved them out back, and then noticed how bad the dandelions were in the butterfly garden bed. That led to a weeding session, which led to the realization that none of the six packs of milkweed seeds I planted last fall survived the winter. That led to a trip to the local garden supply store, where I was able to purchase milkweed and several other native perennials for that patch.

Fourstring volunteered to plant those while I covered the veggie garden with weed blocker. The kids were voluntold to put the herbs in the planter boxes. By the time I was done with the weed blocker, it was HOT and we all decided to take a break. The veggies aren’t in yet, but they’ll hold until tomorrow.

In the meantime, I’ll cool off with some tonic water flavored with rhubarb simple syrup, courtesy of the rhubarb patch. 😋

[CLAY]

My peas and radishes are coming up, the drip irrigation is down and covered with my tarp and the kids planted beans yesterday.

[mr.awesome]

Asparagus is done, had a good crop this year. Will be having a banner crop of strawberries and raspberries. In the flower gardens poppies are opening up.

[doc4216]

For a second year in a row, my tomatoes are flowering but not producing.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Our strawberries are producing in decent numbers for the first time. Next year I want to sort out something like this system to use:

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The raspberries are going to inundate us soon - the bushes are just LOADED with berrries!

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I let the sunflowers self-seed and have been thinning them out. Dan hates this plot, as he says that it is a waste of space. Bah - I like the sunflowers. Plus, it is on the north end of the garden, so it doesn't cast any shade.

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The pergola is covering nicely with this year's grapes, and I'm still trying to find a female kiwi growing, so that I can get some fruit

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Dan has been really good about coming with me to the garden this spring. Sometimes he helps, Sometimes he just holds down the hammock 

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[viffergyrl]

For a second year in a row, my tomatoes are flowering but not producing.

Do you have flowers that attract pollinators?

[Vulcanbill]

For a second year in a row, my tomatoes are flowering but not producing.

Do you have flowers that attract pollinators?

murder hornets

[Andrew]

For a second year in a row, my tomatoes are flowering but not producing.

Do you have flowers that attract pollinators?

If you have no polinators, well I guess you get to be the bee.
Needed tools 1 q-tip or small soft paint brush
how to be a bee: take said tooling and brush the center of each of the flowers

Your flowers are now experienced and ready to produce

 


worked for me when I had no bees visiting

[jadziadax8]

Last year our brick patio started sagging, so we got it replaced. One of the things that we asked them to do was to extend the bricks out along the line of patio into an outline for another garden patch. Due to weather and other issues, they could do the patio last fall, but they couldn’t finish the garden patch until last week. This one will hold strawberries and herbs.

[CLAY]

Beans are coming up, and the boy and I planted the greenhouse plants yesterday.  I also had a radish sandwich yesterday from mine, which I LOVE!  Radishes are always the first payoff of the garden.  Things are progressing!

[mr.awesome]

Have been eating strawberries like crazy. This is today's harvest.

[jadziadax8]

Om, nom nom.

The new garden area got built too late this year to plant strawberries, but they are going in that spot next year for sure!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Have been eating strawberries like crazy. This is today's harvest.

My strawberries are long gone, but the raspberries are coming in flush!

The near container is from two days ago, and the other one just from yesterday - with plenty more coming in!

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I am still amazed at the quantity of berries I get off of these bushes considering I didn't even know they existed when I took over the garden in 2017!

[Mrs. DantesDame]

The new garden area got built too late this year to plant strawberries, but they are going in that spot next year for sure!

I bought a large plastic pipe for my strawberries. I still need to do the work, but the plan is to cut holes in it, fill it full of dirt, and then plant strawberries in the holes. Sort of like this:

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I just need to drill the holes, fill it full of dirt and plant the strawberries. Oh, and figure out where and how to support it


I'm hoping that the tube will help me keep the runners in check, as well as keep the berries off the ground while they are ripening.

[CLAY]

^That is a fascinating design.  I suppose there's no reason they couldn't be waist height- no bending to pick them.  Huh.

[Vulcanbill]

Getting there

[doc4216]

Getting there

Hay bale gardening, I just learned about this.

[Vulcanbill]

Getting there

Hay bale gardening, I just learned about this.

It’s amazing. However, don’t miss the distinction between hay and straw bales. You want straw bales.

[mr.awesome]

Basil is rocking out. Aura is making pesto today . 

[jadziadax8]

Basil is rocking out. Aura is making pesto today . 

I did that yesterday!  I got five batches for the freezer and one for nomming on right now.

[doc4216]

Getting there

Hay bale gardening, I just learned about this.

It’s amazing. However, don’t miss the distinction between hay and straw bales. You want straw bales.

Yes, I read that. Seem like a great option for tight spaces but not sure I want to replace them every two to three years. I would think the decomposition makes a mess.

[Vulcanbill]

The decomposition makes dirt. Really good dirt. Eventually.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I learned something (!) this year about garlic and onions: they are not the same (wrt when to plant, at least)

I had put in onion bulbs last fall and the garlic bulbs in March. Turns out it should have been the opposite way. Anyway, I dug them all up today and am letting them dry in the garden shed.

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[Mrs. DantesDame]

Also, I swear this pumpkin doubled in size since I took this picture a week ago!

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[doc4216]

I have had a nocturnal visitor this week. Had an almost perfectly ripe tomato that was completely stolen. The next day I woke up to this.  Pretty sure it might be a squirrel.

[jadziadax8]

Squirrels are little bastages. They will do that all the time. I have heard that they eat unripe stuff because they’re thirsty, and if you put out water, they won’t touch your garden. I don’t know if it’s true.

[jadziadax8]

Today I stir-fried the first eggplants of the season. 😋

Also, the cucumbers are coming in. I made a big batch of cucumber salad today.

[Vulcanbill]

We have had grilled zucchini and squash several nights now. Kim made the first batch of pickles yesterday and is literally picking cucs for the next batch right now.  Finally got an umbrella for the table in the garden. It's the happy place.

[jadziadax8]

My aunt watched the garden while we were away for three weeks. It’s gone absolutely nuts! I picked enough basil to make 9 batches of pesto. Nearly all the cucumbers were overripe, but I wasn’t going to throw away 8 lbs of them, so I pickled them anyway. If they’re soft, so be it. I also picked a bunch of eggplants with a half dozen more on the vine. Tomorrow night is Sichuan eggplant. 😋

[minimac]

I also picked a bunch of eggplants with a half dozen more on the vine. Tomorrow night is Sichuan eggplant. 😋

How's chances of getting that recipe in a PM? I haven't had it and sounds good. I do make an excellent Eggplant Parm, though.

[jadziadax8]

I got it from here.

I couldn't get the hot bean paste at my local market, so I subbed in Sambal Oelek.  I also got Szechuan peppercorns from Penzeys Spices.

[mr.awesome]

Carrots are coming in. These went into homemade coleslaw last night.

[minimac]

I got it from here.

Thanks! I can't wait to try it.

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Caution: Heat-induced rant to follow 



So I have reached my annual "Why do I bother to keep my garden?" quandry 

Every summer, when the temperatures rise and the rains stop falling, I start to wonder "Why do I have a garden?" Don't get me wrong: I love having a garden. But what I don't love is not having a garden in my backyard, and one that is subject to rules that (quite frankly) I find illogical (such as not being allowed to have an irrigation system on a timer)

Dan still does not really enjoy going to our garden, and when I go to water (which is pretty much the only reason I go when the heat of summer hits), it is only to water and harvest. The harvested stuff I bring home gets washed and put in the fridge, with Dan saying "oh, I should make something!" and then the stuff ends up going bad before he does anything with it. I make zucchini bread and give stuff to neighbors and colleagues.

But I love spring time in the garden: the planning and preparation, the nurturing of the seedlings, and the training of the grape and kiwi vines. I love to watch the frogs and the fish and the birds. I love fall, when things start to die back and I trim the vines down and harvest the last of the pumpkins and the birds scavenge for the last of the sunflower seeds. I love winter, when everything is silent and waiting for the tender, warm rains of spring.

Summer can just f*ck right off 

I honestly think that if I had a house with a garden that I could just walk out to any time, even for a couple of minutes, I would much better appreciate it. Anyway, you gardening nerds are my audience today. I don't expect any solutions here - just venting.

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[jadziadax8]

I don't expect any solutions here - just venting.

*hug*

[CLAY]

I get uit.  I'm spoiled- the garden is right in the backyard, watered by drip connect to a zone on my sprinkling.

But my brother?  He puts one in EVERY year, doesn't tend it well, gets a few tomatoes and deer and rabbits get the rest.

[jadziadax8]

rabbits get the rest.

F those guys.  And squirrels who take one bite of a green tomato and spit it out.

[Vulcanbill]

rabbits get the rest.

F those guys.  And squirrels who take one bite of a green tomato and spit it out.

I assume our Chipmunks are doing the same since that's what we have a bunch of.  Rarely see squirrels and never that far inside the fence.  Either way, they are jackholes.

[Vulcanbill]

Caution: Heat-induced rant to follow 



So I have reached my annual "Why do I bother to keep my garden?" quandry 

Every summer, when the temperatures rise and the rains stop falling, I start to wonder "Why do I have a garden?" Don't get me wrong: I love having a garden. But what I don't love is not having a garden in my backyard, and one that is subject to rules that (quite frankly) I find illogical (such as not being allowed to have an irrigation system on a timer)

Dan still does not really enjoy going to our garden, and when I go to water (which is pretty much the only reason I go when the heat of summer hits), it is only to water and harvest. The harvested stuff I bring home gets washed and put in the fridge, with Dan saying "oh, I should make something!" and then the stuff ends up going bad before he does anything with it. I make zucchini bread and give stuff to neighbors and colleagues.

But I love spring time in the garden: the planning and preparation, the nurturing of the seedlings, and the training of the grape and kiwi vines. I love to watch the frogs and the fish and the birds. I love fall, when things start to die back and I trim the vines down and harvest the last of the pumpkins and the birds scavenge for the last of the sunflower seeds. I love winter, when everything is silent and waiting for the tender, warm rains of spring.

Summer can just f*ck right off 

I honestly think that if I had a house with a garden that I could just walk out to any time, even for a couple of minutes, I would much better appreciate it. Anyway, you gardening nerds are my audience today. I don't expect any solutions here - just venting.

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Kim's reply via email:

"I can totally relate, but gardening is like motorcycling:

People are intrigued when you tell them you're a gardener.
If you're not passionate about it, it will become old and tiresome in a heartbeat.
It's a good skill to have and one that more people should learn. 
It calms the soul.
Even the worst day of gardening is still better than not gardening at all.
The value you receive from the sense of accomplishment and the sheer enjoyment of gardening far exceeds the time and effort you put into it.
The awe and wonder of Creation surrounds you.
Not all seasons are as enjoyable for gardening.
It's mentally, emotionally, and physically satisfying.
It's what you make of it.
The long, dark, cold days of winter feeds the passion for starting a new gardening adventure in the spring. 
It can be shared with your friends and family.

Even though the end of the summer brings the frustrations of fighting the pests that are decimating my harvest and my excitement over watching stuff spring to life wanes and turns into disdain as I struggle to keep things alive, I know full well I will garden again next year - not because it's a skill I happen to have, but because it's a passion.  So....it's just like motorcycling."

[Mrs. DantesDame]

I know full well I will garden again next year - not because it's a skill I happen to have, but because it's a passion.  So....it's just like motorcycling."

This pretty much sums it up for me. I've always enjoyed plants: first houseplants and then landscaping and eventually vegetable gardens. The frustration I experience is temporary, yet every year it comes and every year I ask myself the same questions. Eventually the heat goes away and I soon forget that it was ever a problem 

Thanks for the virtual ears, you guys