Gardeners in the Asylum

We've been starting a new one every year but I figure to just let it roll...


Watcha growin'?

[Chainsaw13]

I've got garlic sprouting already. Hopefully I get the full 36 heads I planted. Not sure what I"m going to do in the rest of the planters. I need to figure out how to automate a pump for my rain barrel first.

[Mattso3000]

I'll let you know when the ground thaws.

I have artichokes getting tall and raspberries coming up far and wide. Nothing new though. I have a big pile of compost to add first.

[shilala]

I'm gonna clean up the bed beside the house in the next couple days. Just need to pull the spent broccoli plants.
I've got big ideas for the garden out back and I just thought up another flower bed for out front, so I'm in full idea mode.
We had sprinklers installed in the Fall, so it's going to be a joy not having to fertilize and water anymore. All I gotta do is fill up a jug and hook it to an injector and it'll fertilize while it waters. There's a rain guage tipper on the house that keeps from overwatering, too.
I'm really going to be in heaven.

[shilala]

If you guys would like to do some seed trading, that'd be cool. I'll dig my seed bucket out soon and let you guys know what I've got. If anyone wants to try their hand at tobacco, I have some open-pollinated seed that's from Perique, San Andres MX and Havanah 2000.
I think I'll plant Perique beside the house this year and just gather seed from it. I'll probably do San Andres next year. After that I can go back to selecting my own strain.
I want to work on my purple sunflowers, too.

I will be starting my first garden this year. Lots of veggies are planned. I haven't decided exactly what I am going to plant yet.

[SvilleKid]

I'll be flipping the garden soil over in the next couple of days with the tractor. I'm looking very strongly at converting part of the area into an Asparagus bed, and a small area into a fresh herb garden. I had a herb garden in the past, but the oregano ended up taking everything over. This time I'll be careful about dividing the areas of the individual herbs.

I'll be checking the local co-op this weekend for seeds, plants and potatoes. With the weather being much warmer this winter, I am seriously thinking about jumping the Good Friday plant guideline by at least two weeks. Maybe three.

[mkarnold1]

Originally Posted by Mattso3000

I'll let you know when the ground thaws.

Man, if you want to have a garden in MN you got to start early. I got a dozen tomatoes started and ready to sprout. Looking at getting my bells, jalapenos, habaneros and chilis started soon. When I get the ground stirred up I put carrots, beans, onions, potatoes, and zuchini in. I also use planters to grow chives, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil.

[Jefft72]

We have some tomatoes, peppers (jalapeno, habanero, bells), beans, and cilantro started from seeds and ready to move to a bigger home. We just put about 30 strawberry plants into dirt this evening.

We have had success in small backyard gardens in the past mostly growing tomatoes, peppers and squashes. This year we want to try our hand at some hydroponic growing. Specifically some vertical solutions to pack more into the given space. I am only needing to find a solution to the problem of getting power to a submersible pump that will continuously pump nutrient rich water into the vertical growing system 24/7. There is one outdoor outlet in the backyard, but it would seem silly to run an extension cord across the yard, not to mention unsafe. I thought about burying conduit to run the extension cord through, which would seem like a decent compromise. The best solution of course would be to take a run from the box and have a gfci on the end sticking out of the ground and protected however necessary.

I just got around to starting my seeds last night. The weather has varied from warm to cold, so I think I'll be okay. I do wish I would have started my seeds two weeks ago.

[Chainsaw13]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I have artichokes getting tall and raspberries coming up far and wide. Nothing new though. I have a big pile of compost to add first.

How long did it take you to establish the artichokes? I've read it takes a couple years for them to produce, is that right?

Originally Posted by Chainsaw13

How long did it take you to establish the artichokes? I've read it takes a couple years for them to produce, is that right?

Not here. First year you get small ones, after that they get multiple stalks from each plant. You can divide them and really get a lot of 'chokes. Gophers and deer will wipe them right out. Mine are planted in boxes with a screen bottom. Every big 'choke you cut off gives you three or four smaller 'chokes further down.

[Chainsaw13]

Looks like I need to plant some this year. Love fresh grilled chokes with a squeeze of lemon.

[Ahbroody]

Originally Posted by mariogolbee

I just got around to starting my seeds last night. The weather has varied from warm to cold, so I think I'll be okay. I do wish I would have started my seeds two weeks ago.

Hoping this weekend. My wifes been on me.

[shilala]

I figure if I start the 1st of April, I'm good. I'd like to get flowers started sooner.
The boy is off school 3 weeks for spring break starting Saturday, so we should be able to get the plant stand set up along with the other umpteen million things that need done.

[Mr B]

I would love to start early since we have been having such great weather (60's-70's) however, every time I have have tried to start early, some bad cold weather comes thru and either freezes or stunts the growth on my starters.
However this weather sure has me wanting to plant the veg.

[smitty81]

Originally Posted by Jefft72

We have some tomatoes, peppers (jalapeno, habanero, bells), beans, and cilantro started from seeds and ready to move to a bigger home. We just put about 30 strawberry plants into dirt this evening.
We have had success in small backyard gardens in the past mostly growing tomatoes, peppers and squashes. This year we want to try our hand at some hydroponic growing. Specifically some vertical solutions to pack more into the given space. I am only needing to find a solution to the problem of getting power to a submersible pump that will continuously pump nutrient rich water into the vertical growing system 24/7. There is one outdoor outlet in the backyard, but it would seem silly to run an extension cord across the yard, not to mention unsafe. I thought about burying conduit to run the extension cord through, which would seem like a decent compromise. The best solution of course would be to take a run from the box and have a gfci on the end sticking out of the ground and protected however necessary.

We had strawberry plants for 3 years. It all started with 4 small plants. They grew in the snow and frost, Couldn't kill the damn things off. If you let them, they will grow everywhere and spread like a weed. It wouldnt have been so bad but we could never get any decent sized berries off them and they never produced much.

I hope you have better luck than we did.

I think I'm gonna grow some more tomatoes this year, always had good luck with them.

[SvilleKid]

Just a quick afternoon, but I got 17 tomato plants (5 varieties), 3 Bell pepper plants (no hot peppers this year, still have plenty in freezer from 2011), half a dozen broccoli plants. Potatoes and seed crops going in tomorrow.

[SvilleKid]

Woke up early this morning, couldn't go back to sleep. Nice outside, and rain was expected later in the day, so I went ahead and did some more gardening. I've now added new (red) potatoes, pink-eye purple-hull peas, butterpeas, rattlesnake green beans (just enough for fresh - I have plenty canned from 2011), cucumbers (for pickling), Squash, Zucchini, sweet corn (again, just enough for fresh - plenty still in freezer) and okra. I have some sweet potatoes to plant in next several days, but still have about 1/3 of space available. I need some ideas! NOT going to plant cabbage or lettuce (just not cost effective, and no good way to preserve). We don't care for turnip greens, mustard or Kale, and it's really too late to plant spinach. If I can find seeds, I might consider a mound of spaghetti squash. I'd love to plant multiplying (or bunching) onions, but I haven't found them locally anywhere in last 5 years. Bulb onions also not cost efficient (can buy cheaper than I can grow). If nothing else, I guess I can plant watermelon and cantaloupe. Those take up lots of room. Only problem, when they get ready, they get ready at same time, and no good way to preserve them. Will entertain suggestions.