Spring Planting

[M2d]

i usually do tomatos and zuccini. this year, i added brussel sprouts. I also pulled my ground cover in front of the house and put in a couple dozen strawberry plants. i figure, as long as I have something growing there, i might as well be able to eat it.

[El Diablo]

All,

This kinda makes me want a yard. I guess I could do some planter boxes or something on the balcony, but eh, don't care enough for that.

[FeliciaLee]

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All,

This kinda makes me want a yard. I guess I could do some planter boxes or something on the balcony, but eh, don't care enough for that.

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Come on down and garden on my land. I'll give you a quarter acre, no problem!

Last year we had a long thread like this, and Ray even jumped in here and there to encourage us all. I hope he finds this one. I think it's very valuable to know how to grow one's own food.

Felicia [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[MrMon]

Felicia points out an interesting problem, which is finding plants that work for you. Everyone has a microclimate in their planting area that may or may not work with some things, and only trial and error will tell you what works.

I mentioned that I like to grow white cucumbers, but when I started, I had a variety that was developed in Maine, which quickly burned out here in St. Louis. By checking through the seed catalogs, I was able to find a version that did work here, and now have a lot better success rate, if I remember to water the garden. A lot of plants are possible if you find the variety that works for your region, which is why I love heirlooms. Someone is bound to have developed something that works for your area, if it's at all possible.

[nineinchal]

I saved my seeds from my really good pot. I want to plant these, however I live in Brooklyn. Can I grow this indoors with sunlight only? Or would it be better to take this up to the roof?

There are also several tracts of undeveloped land by the ocean. Will the salt water affect my weeds?

Nineinch

[guids]

If anyone grows tomatoes, try growing yellow tomatoes along with it, they are great, a little different, more "dense" I guess would be the word, but they taste awesome.

[Mermade]

I put my garden in a couple of weeks ago. I have a large yard (for Los Angeles) but the back is filled with mature trees and there isn't enough sun to put in a full garden. The only spot with potential for a full garden is the one big patch of what is supposed to be green lawn which I am in constant struggle with. Sometimes I dream of just cultivating the whole thing and putting in a true potager but with one son and another on the way, it's not realistic to take away the one flat grassy play space.

Boy do I lust for those lovely french style gardens that intermix vegetables, herbs, and flowers. They are works of art. I got this book The Art of the Kitchen Garden and used to spend lots of time in the bookstore pouring over others.

Instead I do some container gardening on my patio. My set up is counter to everything I know about gardening. I grew up spending all summer in our vast garden weeding, picking, etc. We ate through the whole summer just on what we grew for the most part. My plants get great morning and early afternoon sun and then are mostly in shade. They are placed directly in front of a large concrete garden wall. The larger garden is also partially shaded by a small tree. BUT, this actually turns out great. I've found that the sun can burn so hot here in the mid-late afternoon that the plants can scorch. All my plants thrive pretty well.

In my self-watering raised bed I have a row of white alyssum follwed by a row of deep blue Lobelia like this:

followed by red leaf lettuce, bib lettuce, white onions, watermelon, and cantalope. I purposely put in crops that will be pulled out eventually because the watermelon and catalope are spreaders. I'm going to train the foliage off the bed to start where it can spread to its hearts content and then when the onions are out and the lettuce is done I'll let the vines take over.

I've suggested this before somewhere but I do my tomatoes in these tomato success kits. I got my first one when I was living in an apartment in Ithaca, NY. There I had a balcony garden that you would not believe. I really think it is the perfect answer for people who are in apartments or have no yards. Actually, my mother who still has that enormous garden has moved her tomatoes into these containers. They have a water resevoir which keeps the soil consistently moist. The kit is expensive $60 or so, but it comes with soil, cages, fertilizer, mulch... I got both of mine as gifts. This year I accidentally did 3 cherry varieties, sweet 100s, yellow pear, and juliet. I think I misremembered that Juliet are Campari size, but the stake said oblong cherry. Then I'm trying an heirloom variety, Big Rainbow. The fruit is supposed to vary from golden yellow, to deep orange, to red. I'm looking forward to that one. I always do one experiment tomato. Last year's experiment was a black tomato.

In another container I put jalepeno and Hungarian wax peppers. I have a terracotta strawberry planter. Then the herbs I have are: Rosemary, English Thyme, Tri-color sage, garlic chives, cilantro, Italian parsley, oregano, and arugula. They are in a number of terracotta pots that sit on a low brick wall that the larger containers and beds sit behind. I'll put in basil, but they aren't selling the plants yet.

I also planted in one of my flower beds double impatiens and some checkered lilies behind them.

I would love some advice on my lawn problems. I'm a bit alone out here, since I live in L.A. and do my own gardening. This is too long as it is. Maybe I'll post my problems and my questions later.

[JojoDiego]

I put in a row of green beans a couple weeks ago, and I plan to add another row or two every couple weeks to get a continuous supply. I'm going for quantity this year, and the green beans were very productive last year. A mildew attacked my peas and pumpkins last year, but not the beans. I might regret this plan later this year when I've been obliged to pick beans for weeks on end. Fresh green beans are amazingly better than supermarket beans, though.

I also planted a couple sweet potatoes that I'd gotten going inside in water this winter, but it's probably too early, and it's only two plants. I might try watermelons again, but they've proved frustrating the past few years. I'm in San Diego in an area with a crappy clay soil. I think I've worked it into better shape this year, but we'll see.

[FeliciaLee]

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If anyone grows tomatoes, try growing yellow tomatoes along with it, they are great, a little different, more "dense" I guess would be the word, but they taste awesome.

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I'm growing some yellow cherry tomatoes this year. I'll let you know how I like them in about three weeks or so.

You are in STL, right? You should be able to grow anything with nary a speck of work (I was born and raised there).

Felicia [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[FeliciaLee]

Thanks for the great update! Are your tomatoes from last year still alive? I know that you said they'd made it through the frost, but are they still hanging on? Does it look like they will produce again this year?

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I would love some advice on my lawn problems. I'm a bit alone out here, since I live in L.A. and do my own gardening. This is too long as it is. Maybe I'll post my problems and my questions later.


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I'm not a big fan of lawns, especially in California, where you have NO water. So anything I say is probably going to be too political and steering you towards getting rid of that. We have no water here, either, but we don't grow lawns. I don't know of one person in my area with a real lawn. Desert landscaping is just kind of the norm, and accepted. Gardens and landscaping is mostly done through graywater and/or drip irrigation, using very drought tolerant trees and shrubs.

One of my favorite websites is from Victorville. It doesn't say outright to get rid of your grass, but it does have lots of ways to help you save water if you are careful. I'll include it, and I'll be happy to send you the other websites I frequent if you wish.

http://www.vvwater.org/guide/index.htm

Congrats on the baby!

Felicia [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]