Gardening!

[dari]

I've just planted my first vegetables, and I'm still trying to come up with names for my garden. I had Scott build me two very large planter boxes ON WHEELS. We're allegedly going to start our home remodel soon, so there was some talk about how starting a garden was impractical, so the garden-on-wheels seemed to be the right solution for us. I think I might call it the "quick getaway garden" or the "gypsy garden" or the "non-committal garden." I don't know, I'm open to ideas.

I did join a gardening forum, but then I decided that I like you guys better, and their moderators aren't as friendly as ours. :) So anyone else want to talk about gardening here? And more importantly, can I see some pictures of your garden? I'll get to asking dumb questions about tomatoes later.

[Ursula]

Awesome! I'm happy to hear about your new garden. I like "quick getaway garden" and "gypsy garden" best!

I was just posting some photos on my instagram today of our garden. Well it's really my grandfather's garden. He lived on a farm growing up in Italy and kept the garden going when he came to Canada in the 50's. I can always remember him having a huge garden and even fruit trees as a kid. A few years ago they moved in with my mom and started a garden here (I'm living with her now too). He passed away in February but did plant some stuff in the fall and in the spring we planted the rest for him. Usually we get a decent harvest but this year it's gone crazy! Yesterday we got about 30-50 heads of garlic. Last week we brought in about 15 cucumbers, 5-10 zucchini, and countless beans (fava and green). We're still waiting on melons, and we have about 100 figs ripening on the tree (first year they've grown to size). We also just harvested a bunch of herbs to dry and preserve. So even in the afterlife, my grandfather's hard work has paid off and fed his family for another season.

[Ursula]

p.s. here's a couple photos of my grandfather last summer in the garden.

[Ursula]

Here's the garlic it still needs to dry out a bit

[Scott R]

i had a big garden at my old house(tomatoes,watermelon,corn,asparagus,peppers and potatoes. This year I made a little garden in the back around a japanese maple. My wife had me plant blueberries, strawberries, chile peppers,bell peppers and basil this yr will take a picture tommorrow when i get off work

[dari]

So even in the afterlife, my grandfather's hard work has paid off and fed his family for another season.

Ursula, thank you so much for sharing this with us, especially the pictures of your grandfather. Scott's mom still lives in the house that his Armenian grandfather, named Henry, built. I do believe that every inch of front and back yard was once producing something, and we're often called down to pick something that he had originally planted. I love the continuity, that my son, who's named Henry (as you know) can eat the oranges that the man who he's named after planted with Scott's oldest brother when he was a little boy.

I'll plant some garlic in honor of your grandfather.

[tammy]

did you put the tomato plants i gave you in?

just for your records they were:

Marvel Stripe:

and pink berkeley tie-dye:

you've seen my garden in person but here are some ideas for you:

summer garden:

this is last years garden...this years has squash, tomatillos, cucumbers in the from instead of melons. also the tomato plants are already 7 feet tall.

winter garden:

here's the homesteading blog if anyone wants to see: Recipes, Garden & Chickens | Marin Homestead

[tammy]

ursula, those are some great pictures of your grandfather and his garden!!

[JAllen]

we had a small garden and constantly had problems with the neighbor's cat, now that i'm selling this house i'm going to set something new up at the new place down south. the cart idea is great, we're going to do some window boxes as well. if ya'll don' already have them, a compost bin and rain barrel are highly beneficial.

this show on npr has loads of great tips: Archive | You Bet Your Garden | Radio | WHYY

also, some important info for why i think its important for folks to start their own gardens.

Biodiversity, biodiversity and mass production - The Issues - Sustainable Table

the varieties and diversity of vegetables has greatly decreased even in the past 100 years

[dari]

Tammy, I knew I'd get you on here with this thread!

Okay, the Marvel Stripe and the Tye Dye are the big ones, right? What's the little one called? And yes, they're all in the getaway carts, along with 6 kinds of basil, some parsley, 2 kinds of lettuce, kale, 2 kinds of squash, bush beans, and probably something else that I've forgotten. I have a little bit of room for a few more things, suggestions, anyone?

BTW, Tammy, I loved your chickens, and the amazing home that Steve built for them, don't think I got around to telling you the other night.

[tammy]

you have 2 big marvel stripe plants and a smaller berkeley tie dye. the marvel stripe is an heirloom tomato that is a GIANT plant and a huge producer...it is a sweet tomato with less acidity than the red tomato. it really is a favorite around here because it has beautiful fruit that are also tasty....bust taste is subjective.

here is a post with more info on the marvel stripe: Marvel Striped: Monster Plant & Prolific! | Marin Homestead

next year will get some plants started for you...i do for loch.

i'll also let you know when to transition from your summer to winter garden since we have similiar weather.

i love the winter garden. that's when i do: garlic, swiss chard, brocolli, cauliflower, beets

[dari]

you have 2 big marvel stripe plants and a smaller berkeley tie dye. the marvel stripe is an heirloom tomato that is a GIANT plant and a huge producer...it is a sweet tomato with less acidity than the red tomato. it really is a favorite around here because it has beautiful fruit that are also tasty....bust taste is subjective.

here is a post with more info on the marvel stripe: Marvel Striped: Monster Plant & Prolific! | Marin Homestead

next year will get some plants started for you...i do for loch.

i'll also let you know when to transition from your summer to winter garden since we have similiar weather.

i love the winter garden. that's when i do: garlic, swiss chard, brocolli, cauliflower, beets

Awesome, thanks for helping make my garden feel fancy. Did I mention that neither Henry or Scott eats tomatoes? Maybe I will grow some peppers for salsa, what's a good mild pepper?

[Ursula]

Those tomatoes look amazing!!!!!! I want to eat them all!!

[AlannaCA]

What a great thread! i really like gypsy garden but its seems youve already named it! i do not have a green thumb at all! i wish i did because i would love to be able to grown my own veggies, it also doesnt help that i live in a condo right now, not enough sunshine on my balcony.

like ive mentioned before i come from a large Italian family and everyone gardened and thats how they fed there families on very little money. while i was growning up my mother had at least 3 gardens in the back and then 2 in the front which were supposed to be for flowers but it wasnt uncommon to find the fresh herbs and some tomatoes or garlic had migrated from the back to the front. we grew apples, cherry tomatoes, zuchinni, pumpkin, string beans, hot peppers, cuccumbers, garlic, peas(those were my favorite!!) tons of basil, mint, and parsely. i think a couple times we had lettuce too! until the day my grandfather (my moms dad) passed he would go out to his garden. he was so proud of it! even now a days when i go to my cousins houses and they have started families of their own and i see that they have started gardening it really makes me smile, its kind of like a piece of our history and it really brings back great memories. i really see it as something that is dying out as each new generation in my family is born, hopefully i can learn to grow my own garden one of these days.

on my other side(portuguese) my gandmother grew a few veggies like tomatoes and beans but she was more into her roses! these big beautiful roses that you could smell from a mile away! my grandfather loved his grapes! it was the best sitting on the deck in the backyard under the grape vine canopy that he built. then every year he'd a make new batch of wine. oh and how could i forget the pear tree they had, it was HUGE! and i think thats why they ended up having to cut it down because it out grew the backyard. wow, feeling really nostalgic right now!

[Scott R]

Some may no The midwest is in a drought. My city is rationing water and I can only water on odd days excluding wed and thurs. That means this week I could only water monday and friday. Everything is burning up in the 100+ temps. Needless to say I have been watering illegally but that has only kept some of my plants alive. My bell peppers are burning daily, chili peper is doing ok but blueberry plant may not make it and strawberry plants are ok but not producing anymore :(

[jade1955]

I'm not at all into gardening. Too much hard work for a fat lazy bastard like me.

Some lovely photos and stories on this thread though.

[Shannon Shirley]

Awesome, thanks for helping make my garden feel fancy. Did I mention that neither Henry or Scott eats tomatoes? Maybe I will grow some peppers for salsa, what's a good mild pepper?

Serrano peppers are pretty mild, thought id mention a book from the 80's called "strawberries in november" its about gardening in the east bay and the issues of subclimates in nor cal. timing is everything , this country is so damn large ,that everywhere is different. I could never grow okra in norcal, in alabama it grows like weeds. hope all is well with Scott and his, it looks like it.