Gardening Thread

[hviola]

Just wanted to post a new one. I haven't seen the old one in a while. How is everyones garden doing?

Mine is going well. My onions, radishes, peas, spinach, and lettuce are growing great!! They are all in containers this year, lol. My tomatos, peppers, and herbs are all still inside under the lights. They won't go out for another 3 weeks or so. My basil is looking shabby, but everything else is doing well.

I am so looking forward to my first homegrown organic salad.

I thought about getting a raspberry vine. Does anyone know what kind of soil they like? I'm starting some blueberries next month and they like acidic soil. (No fruit the first year though )

[YorkieMom55]

What a great thread idea. You are so far ahead of me. We did clean up the yard and beds yesterday and today so we're ready to go once it warms up a little more. DH wants to try an upside down tomato hanger this year for his "crop". We'll see how that works out.

[yorkiegirl83]

I was just looking for the old thread too! I need to go back and re read everyone's posts because I started a bunch of seeds indoors and it's NOT going well!

I started cherry tomatoes, basil, green onion, and cilantro. They shot right up, but now they aren't growing and there's what looks to be a white mold or something on the soil! I am so confused because they've been planted over a month now and were doing so great.

I water them with room temp water and have really babied them, but I'm clueless! I have a bunch more seeds so I debated trying again, but I'm afraid the same thing will happen since I don't know what I did wrong!

Help!? : )

[hviola]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

I was just looking for the old thread too! I need to go back and re read everyone's posts because I started a bunch of seeds indoors and it's NOT going well!

I started cherry tomatoes, basil, green onion, and cilantro. They shot right up, but now they aren't growing and there's what looks to be a white mold or something on the soil! I am so confused because they've been planted over a month now and were doing so great.

I water them with room temp water and have really babied them, but I'm clueless! I have a bunch more seeds so I debated trying again, but I'm afraid the same thing will happen since I don't know what I did wrong!

Help!? : )

What kind of soil did you use? They might have stopped growing because they either outgrew the pot (roots coming out bottom) or have too much water. (Keep the soil consistency like chocolate cake) Did you use any fertilizer or prefertilized soil? That can burn up little plants. Also, how is the lighting? I found the best way is to use a fluorescent shop light above them.

Heres a picture of my tomato plants and some lettuce mix.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by hviola

What kind of soil did you use? They might have stopped growing because they either outgrew the pot (roots coming out bottom) or have too much water. (Keep the soil consistency like chocolate cake) Did you use any fertilizer or prefertilized soil? That can burn up little plants. Also, how is the lighting? I found the best way is to use a fluorescent shop light above them.

Heres a picture of my tomato plants and some lettuce mix.

I bought one of those pre made "mini greenhouses" from Home Depot that has the little soil pods that fill up the container when you pour water on them.

I didn't use anything else on them and I've been watching that the soil doesn't get too mushy as I've killed my other batch of herbs doing that, yikes .

It said on the package to not keep them in direct sunlight so I had them in a sun filled room but not right in front of the windows.

Maybe they do need replanted, because it's just tiny little starter pods -- so they may be too packed in.

Should I toss them because the soil has some mold on it? That freaks me out so much! I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this gardening thing. I was so excited to see them shoot up so fast and now they look so sad

[chachi]

Im doing a flower garden but AI might do some topsy turvy tomatoes

[sandyapk]

I bought one of those pre made "mini greenhouses" from Home Depot that has the little soil pods that fill up the container when you pour water on them.

I didn't use anything else on them and I've been watching that the soil doesn't get too mushy as I've killed my other batch of herbs doing that, yikes .

It said on the package to not keep them in direct sunlight so I had them in a sun filled room but not right in front of the windows.

Maybe they do need replanted, because it's just tiny little starter pods -- so they may be too packed in.

Should I toss them because the soil has some mold on it? That freaks me out so much! I'm not sure if I'm cut out for this gardening thing. I was so excited to see them shoot up so fast and now they look so sad


In response to your questions,
I had the same thing happen to me last year when I tried the same contraption. Put the seed in and watered it, the plants grew big and strong then, poof nada. Mold and nothing beyond a nice starting shoot.

I would toss them and start over with a new soil and good luck!!

[hviola]

I used some peat pots last year. Once they sprout, you take the lid off and put them in direct light.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

Originally Posted by hviola

What kind of soil did you use? They might have stopped growing because they either outgrew the pot (roots coming out bottom) or have too much water. (Keep the soil consistency like chocolate cake) Did you use any fertilizer or prefertilized soil? That can burn up little plants. Also, how is the lighting? I found the best way is to use a fluorescent shop light above them.

Heres a picture of my tomato plants and some lettuce mix.

Wow, you are on the ball! I think I am going to give in and just buy my plants from the nursery. I keep thinking about that topsy turvy thingy too. They have one now that you can put 3 plants in!

I kinda lost my little plot where I had my garden one year as we extended our deck. Last year I put my tomato and green pepper plants on each side of my hydrangea bush! lol I have been looking at one of the pre-fab raised garden set-ups. Our neighborhood is only about 5 years old and it was woods before that. Tons of pine trees. We have our immediate backyard and then it goes further back but the soil there is so rocky, hard, solid and weed infested that a raised bed would be the smart way to go. Has anyone ever bought one of those?

[xmasbaby75]

Great thread! We already have our lettuce (2 varieties) and onions (2 varieties) in the ground. Broccoli is soon to follow. The hyacinths are in bloom now, and the tulips should be very soon. It will still be another month before the rest of the veggies go in. We have blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries all starting to grow back, and there's even life on the rose bushes. I just love the spring - new beginnings.

[roxies_mom]

Love this thread! I was going to go out today and get my little box ready. It's too small so Dh is going to make a bigger one this weekend. Trying to decide what things are safe to plant right now. Luckily my sister is the green thumb in the family. She has her own compost and was here last weekend and made me one too. She's very green as well. Recycles everything, cans and the list goes on. Not sure how the 2 of us can be so different and yet so much alike!! She doesn't even use her garbage disposal, instead she keeps a container next to the sink and puts banana peels, eggs shells, coffee grounds etc. in it and then dumps it in her compost. We should all be more like that to save our poor earth. I have to admit it's catchy because I want to be more like that now. Any suggestions on what's safe to plant right now? Should I put the seed right into the dirt or should I buy plants that are already started?

[xmasbaby75]

Originally Posted by roxies_mom

Love this thread! I was going to go out today and get my little box ready. It's too small so Dh is going to make a bigger one this weekend. Trying to decide what things are safe to plant right now. Luckily my sister is the green thumb in the family. She has her own compost and was here last weekend and made me one too. She's very green as well. Recycles everything, cans and the list goes on. Not sure how the 2 of us can be so different and yet so much alike!! She doesn't even use her garbage disposal, instead she keeps a container next to the sink and puts banana peels, eggs shells, coffee grounds etc. in it and then dumps it in her compost. We should all be more like that to save our poor earth. I have to admit it's catchy because I want to be more like that now. Any suggestions on what's safe to plant right now? Should I put the seed right into the dirt or should I buy plants that are already started?

Do you know what zone you're in? I know that I am in a zone 6, and it is safe to plant onions, garlic, some hardy herbs, lettuce, broccoli, violas, pansies, etc.

[RowdysMom]

I'm in central Texas and my garden is really doing GREAT! All of my tomatoes are blooming and some have set on fruit. My pepper plants are all blooming and I have a 4 inch jalapeno that I could eat, but I'm leaving it on for a little while longer. We've been eating strawberries for a couple of weeks now. I'm madly using my cilantro because it will be too hot for it in just a week or so. My dill, parsley and basil look GREAT. My oregano and rosemary have not grown quite as fast and something ate the top leaves off my bay leaft plant.

My summer squash and eggplant are just growing, not blooming or anything yet.

Here are some pictures.
1. covering everything for a cold snap week before last - oh and my "John Deer tractor" LOL! It's my garden seat on wheels
2. end view of the garden
3. close up of tomatoes
4. strawberries with a couple of red ones peeking out.

[MyLadies]

They say it's still too soon for me to plant here. I did put out some Brussel Sprout plants, they like cooler weather. I'm itchin' to plant my tomatoes. Its still near if not freezing at night here.

On a positive note, spring bulbs are popping up. Crocus, Tulips...

OH! And whats cool ... I planted some Pansies in the fall called "Glacier Pansy".... they were covered with 4 feet of snow for like 3 months .. and guess what? 3 or 4 of em are still alive and blooming!!

Here's the Crocus. (tulips aren't open yet).

[mblab]

I LOVE this thread! For the past few years I've loved every occasion I've been able to garden. Living in an apartment for two years made that difficult, but I tried my hand at container gardening. Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try disaster always strikes one way or the other. We had a bonzai that got left out in the cold without water for too long (it was my boyfriend's responsibility and he forgot when school got crazy one week) and poor Fuki (that was his name) never recovered. My strawberries lasted through everything but rarely bloomed (when they did the ants got to the fruit before I could) and were not sweet berries!

We're moving, so all my plans for our current house have to change for the new place. I have a few pots that are available and I'll probably grow a few basic flowers and maybe herbs. With the set up of our backyard I may see if my boyfriend will build me a small box, so I can try to have some pretty and healthy gardens like I've seen you ladies have! But I don't really know what I'm doing, nor do I know anyone else that does.

I'll really enjoy watching and reading everyone's successes on here though!

-Vicky (from zone 8b, but I don't even know what to do with that )