What Are You Growing This Year?

[alex11602]

I spent this afternoon planting our small patio herb garden with my girls so I'm in a gardening type mood.

We planted...

Oregano

Spicy Oregano

Rosemary

Purple Basil

Spicy Basil

Sweet Basil

Sweet Mint

Stevia

Small thing of strawberries

Have carrots and green beans to plant still

Is anyone else planning a garden? If so what are you planting?

[pricklypear1971]

I'm not sure yet. I'm in the desert so summer is a "slow" time of year unless you plant a native summer crop. I have limited space so I'm restricted to pots for now (even worse in summer here).

But I am going to try something. I am thinking of some herbs on the patio since I have summer shade at this house (unlike our other house - full sun all day on the back patio - ick).

And it's probably too late this year but I do want some grape vines.

[alex11602]

I'm not sure yet. I'm in the desert so summer is a "slow" time of year unless you plant a native summer crop. I have limited space so I'm restricted to pots for now (even worse in summer here).

But I am going to try something. I am thinking of some herbs on the patio since I have summer shade at this house (unlike our other house - full sun all day on the back patio - ick).

And it's probably too late this year but I do want some grape vines.

Grape vines would be nice.

My stuff is all in pots too since I live in an apartment, but at least I get my fresh herbs

[notme]

we have herbs:

thyme (german, lemon and *'regular')

*rosemary

*sage

boxwood basil, thai basil, purple basil (!), "regular"

cilantro

dill

tarragon

parsley

*chives

(* - things that survived the winter)

mesculun (sp) greens (seeds)

beets (seeds)

green onions (seeds)

red cabbage & green cabbage (plants)

taters ('seeds')

broccoli (plants)

cauliflower (plants)

brussel sprouts (plants)

carrots (seeds)

sprouts are sprouting!

still have green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cukes, tomatoes to plant - waiting to be sure jack frost is done with us i love gardening

edited to say: i planted a small thing of strawberries, too!! and i have 2 artichoke plants i need to put in the ground - never tried to grow them before.... trying to decide if they are exaggerating their size prediction of 6-7' wide! anyone ever grow these?

[ravenwoodglass]

I just finished turning one large raised bed into two smaller ones in a different location. I transfered the soil from the bed into the smaller ones leaving the old space bare. I planted one of the small beds with some radishes, lettuce and spinach but still have a lot more to plant.

I put an arch between the two beds and will grow my beans and cukes on it. Each bed will have a tomato plant in the center and one will be for herbs and the other for my salad veggies.

The area that was left bare by the bed moving will be planted with some corn, peppers, bush beans, pickling cukes and a zucchinni.

I didn't get a chance to do any gardening last year and really missed the fresh veggies picked right before eating.

I'll even be able to plant enough corn to eat some when the ears are tiny and you eat them cob and all.

I just hope we get enough rain. It has been really dry here for spring.

[sa1937]

I'm not much of a gardener except for flowers, a tomato plant (need to wait until mid-May to plant) and a few herbs. My rosemary stayed green during our very strange PA winter (it normally dies); chives are perennial as is my oregano, which are up and thriving. I'll also plant some basil, cilantro and dill but it's too early yet and then see what else jumps into my cart at the garden center.

[Adalaide]

I'm getting ready to get some plants in pots. Probably a half dozen, or maybe even a dozen tomatoes and twice as many cucumbers. I don't really have any space but I also don't want to be spending another fortune this year on buying cucumbers for pickles. I could almost live off tomatoes when they're in season so I doubt I'll have any left over to can. I really wish I had room for asparagus or beets.

[Bubba's Mom]

I have a very small area for planting. I used to just grow tomatoes. I'm not tolerating tomatoes anymore, so I don't know?

I've found I like kale. Tried it for the first time after my DX. I wonder if I could grow that? Green beans are easy growers too?

I guess I should make a trip to the garden center and see what strikes my fancy?

[alex11602]

I have a very small area for planting. I used to just grow tomatoes. I'm not tolerating tomatoes anymore, so I don't know?

I've found I like kale. Tried it for the first time after my DX. I wonder if I could grow that? Green beans are easy growers too?

I guess I should make a trip to the garden center and see what strikes my fancy?

All of these gardens sound so nice!

My husband found a small kale plant at Walmart when he went for $4, I'm not sure if they would have it around where you live though. We have never had kale before so we didn't go for that one.

[alex11602]

I'm getting ready to get some plants in pots. Probably a half dozen, or maybe even a dozen tomatoes and twice as many cucumbers. I don't really have any space but I also don't want to be spending another fortune this year on buying cucumbers for pickles. I could almost live off tomatoes when they're in season so I doubt I'll have any left over to can. I really wish I had room for asparagus or beets.

I love homemade pickles. I may have to look into doing some this year, thanks for the idea.

[alex11602]

I'm not much of a gardener except for flowers, a tomato plant (need to wait until mid-May to plant) and a few herbs. My rosemary stayed green during our very strange PA winter (it normally dies); chives are perennial as is my oregano, which are up and thriving. I'll also plant some basil, cilantro and dill but it's too early yet and then see what else jumps into my cart at the garden center.

It was a very strange winter this year. We bought a tomato plant that just stays in it's large pot, I tried planting one our first year and got one cherry sized tomato the whole year, but last year we got probably 100.

[alex11602]

I just finished turning one large raised bed into two smaller ones in a different location. I transfered the soil from the bed into the smaller ones leaving the old space bare. I planted one of the small beds with some radishes, lettuce and spinach but still have a lot more to plant.

I put an arch between the two beds and will grow my beans and cukes on it. Each bed will have a tomato plant in the center and one will be for herbs and the other for my salad veggies.

The area that was left bare by the bed moving will be planted with some corn, peppers, bush beans, pickling cukes and a zucchinni.

I didn't get a chance to do any gardening last year and really missed the fresh veggies picked right before eating.

I'll even be able to plant enough corn to eat some when the ears are tiny and you eat them cob and all.

I just hope we get enough rain. It has been really dry here for spring.

That sounds like a nice set up. Fresh veggies are the best, I'm lucky since even if we don't grow it there are 2 farm stands within 3 miles of us so we can still get fresh.

[alex11602]

we have herbs:

thyme (german, lemon and *'regular')

*rosemary

*sage

boxwood basil, thai basil, purple basil (!), "regular"

cilantro

dill

tarragon

parsley

*chives

(* - things that survived the winter)

mesculun (sp) greens (seeds)

beets (seeds)

green onions (seeds)

red cabbage & green cabbage (plants)

taters ('seeds')

broccoli (plants)

cauliflower (plants)

brussel sprouts (plants)

carrots (seeds)

sprouts are sprouting!

still have green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, cukes, tomatoes to plant - waiting to be sure jack frost is done with us i love gardening

edited to say: i planted a small thing of strawberries, too!! and i have 2 artichoke plants i need to put in the ground - never tried to grow them before.... trying to decide if they are exaggerating their size prediction of 6-7' wide! anyone ever grow these?

What a selection!!! That sounds amazing.

[kareng]

Shhhh! Don't tell the city! I'm growing 3 basil plants in my front yard landscaping! One grew there accidently (stray seed from trash) last year and did really well but gardening isn't allowed in front yards.

[love2travel]

Stop it! I won't be planting anything until the end of May when it is warm enough. Our season is waaayyyyy too short. My husband built me high raised beds (huge) so I do not have to bend. They also have seating all the way around. This year I am growing:

- arugula, chicory, endive, kale

- micro greens

- a few kinds of lettuce

- edamame (soy beans)

- green beans

- a few kinds of tomatoes

- a few kinds of peppers (we must transplant them quite large, like tomatoes)

- carrots planted together with radishes - radishes come up far earlier and make room for the carrot seeds

- we must buy transplants of herbs (we could never grow by seed):

- rosemary

- lemon thyme, English thyme

- a few kinds of basil

- chives, garlic chives

- chervil

- sage

- Greek oregano

- marjoram

- tarragon

- I just know I'm missing several herbs!

[notme]

love2: you are missing LEMONGRASS lolz i am going to try it sometime soon: you have made me so curious!

[love2travel]

love2: you are missing LEMONGRASS lolz i am going to try it sometime soon: you have made me so curious!

Believe me, if we had the climate for it, I'd grow it. There is absolutely no chance for it here.

Thankfully it is so cheap to buy!

Ah, yes. Just thought of one obvious herb I had previously forgotten - mint. A few varieties, actually.

[Cathey]

I have to pot and not use the earth do to Chlordane 50 yrs ago on the property. We've been lucky with the mild winter and the thyme, rosemary and oregano have wintered nicely and I've been using them all winter. Mint is up and growing.

So the pots are:

Thyme, lemon thyme

Basil , Thai basil

parsley

sage

chives

rosemary

oregano

dill

mint

tomatoes - plum, grape and beef steak (each has its own place on the plate)

I have potted zucchini (oooh love those flowers fried), Japanese eggplant, sting beans, red green and frying peppers in the past. If you space is limited pots works nicely. Don't forget the marigolds they keep the bugs away.

Happy cooking all.

[ravenwoodglass]

Shhhh! Don't tell the city! I'm growing 3 basil plants in my front yard landscaping! One grew there accidently (stray seed from trash) last year and did really well but gardening isn't allowed in front yards.

Thanks for mentioning that. I want to relocate before too long and will have to make sure that I don't move into a city with that type of code. Geesh. One of the nicest veggie gardens in my city is in someone's front yard. Their front yard is 3 times the size of my back yard. They have a huge pillared house set wayyyyy back and have it planted with every veg you could imagine. It is beautiful but I did wonder when they first did it why they removed all their grass.

[Simona19]

This year I planted 4 types of cucumbers (seeds, at least 50 plants), Italian parsley, dill, 2 types of carrots, bell peppers, 1 chili pepper, 1 beef steak tomato (plant), 1 yellow tomato (plant), yellow, pink -ugly, red cherry and beef tomatoes (seeds), Brussels sprouts and broccoli plants, radish - its out, and European celery.

I was planning to grow butter beans in pots, but something happened and I might loose my garden. When I made hole for the tomato plants, I found a termite nest. I made my little garden next to garage. Now, the termites must be treated with some strong chemical. All garden should be soak with it. Everything what I planted would be ruined. If I wait until seeds will come out, I would be able to replant them into pots. Or, there is one more option: use baiting station. I would be able to keep my garden, but the price for this is $660,--. The risk with this is that termites can travel between baiting stations for food into my garage. If somebody had problem with termites, what did you use for it?

I also bought 1 concord grape and 1 raspberry plant. I will plant them by the side of house.

[Simona19]

It was a very strange winter this year. We bought a tomato plant that just stays in it's large pot, I tried planting one our first year and got one cherry sized tomato the whole year, but last year we got probably 100.

Last year was the year for tomatoes, but I would like to give you some points how to plan them.

1. Choose a plant that is heirloom, not hybrid. Hybrid plant might grow very nicely, but you won't have many tomatoes on them. Others might have tomatoes, but they will get rotten before they turn red.

2. Plant your tomato plant very deep. If you using store bought plant, dig a very large hole, pure 1 gallon of water in the hole, place tomato plant inside and cover it with soil (I will use special black soil from store). Soil should reach leaves.

3. When the tomato plant will grow higher, you would have to apply more soil around roots. You should make a little hill. More roots, more fruit.

4. Never water your tomato plants from the top! Don't put water on leaves! Water only ground around them. If you made the hill already, water soil just under the hill, next to the plant.

5. After every rain the leaves on plants will turn yellow. Why? Tomatoes don't like water. They will have fungus groving on them. You should pick all yellow leaves, or cut a half of leaves from the plant. All of them!

Then you should spray them with antifungal spray (I will buy it in Home Depot, save bottle from Windex where I will make mixture and spray them). Do the same with cucumbers, spray them with untifungal liquid. Usually every week. Don't be afraid to cut leaves of, or leave the half of plant without leaves. Nothing will happen to them.

6. One more tip. Where the leaves are attached to the plant, the small plants will start to grow. You need to cut them out from the bottom up- only half plant. Leave the higher half untouched because the plant will have tomato branches growing there.

Why you need to do that? The plant will be nice, will be like a bush, but it wouldn't have many tomatoes. It will use its power for leaves, not for fruit.

[dilettantesteph]

I'm in zone 6 and this last winter I experimented with fabric garden row covers. It was a mild winter, but I was able to harvest turnips, rutabagas, beets, cole crops, leaf lettuce, parsley, parsnips and carrots all winter. Now cole crops and turnips are bolting and we have lots of greens to eat. This spring I have planted and eaten radishes. My strawberries are blooming and hopefully the peas will start to bloom soon. I tried starting peas in the fall to get earlier peas in the spring but that experiment was a bust. The ones I started late winter/early spring seem just as big as the few that survived over the winter.

It's a fun challenge trying to grow your own food.

[Bubba's Mom]

Thanks to this thread I went to Home Depot yesterday to see if they had kale plants. They did. In fact all of their herbs and veggies were 1/2off. I got kale, spinach, broccoli, 2 kinds of tomatoes, stevia, strawberries, lavender, and sweet mint.

I grew mint where we used to live so I know it spreads like crazy. I planted that in a big pot.

I'm going to plant the strawberries in a pot too. I'm not expecting a big crop, but maybe I'll get the occasional "gardener's treat"? I love strawberries, but the ones I get in the store are picked so green for shipping they never get a nice flavor.

I got everything planted but the strawberries. Our last frost date here is May 10, so it's early to plant the tomatoes, so that's a gamble. It's been unusually warm here though.

[Simona19]

Thanks to this thread I went to Home Depot yesterday to see if they had kale plants. They did. In fact all of their herbs and veggies were 1/2off. I got kale, spinach, broccoli, 2 kinds of tomatoes, stevia, strawberries, lavender, and sweet mint.

I grew mint where we used to live so I know it spreads like crazy. I planted that in a big pot.

I'm going to plant the strawberries in a pot too. I'm not expecting a big crop, but maybe I'll get the occasional "gardener's treat"? I love strawberries, but the ones I get in the store are picked so green for shipping they never get a nice flavor.

I got everything planted but the strawberries. Our last frost date here is May 10, so it's early to plant the tomatoes, so that's a gamble. It's been unusually warm here though.

If you didn't planted your strawberries yet, you can try my pyramid planting. I bought big pot filled with dirt, planted strawberries around perimeter, leaving middle of pot empty. Place another, smaller pot in middle (make at least 10 bigger halls on bottom of the pot for water drainage) , and again plant your strawberries around perimeter. Finish with the smallest pot. Plant strawberries around perimeter and one in middle. You will save space and have a very nice decoration for your yard, or patio.

Strawberries are perennials. They will grow from year to year. Frost don't bother them. I planted my strawberries like that last year and this year they came up without problem. I think that you can plant them.

If we will have frost in future, you can just cover them with clear plastic foil (even garbage bag for recycle can work) over night, and uncover them later during day. You can do it with every vegetable (tomato, cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, etc.)

[love2travel]

It's a fun challenge trying to grow your own food.

Is it ever. It is so gratifying as well. There's nothing like going to your garden to pluck something fresh. Not only that but it gives me such pleasure to watch my "babies" sprout! I literally go outside several times a day to see how things are progressing. I just have to wait a month to start planting then things will grow like crazy with all our sun and heat.