Posted on 04/25/2020 6:49:47 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.
This thread is non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.
NOTE: This is a once a week Ping List. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!
Good Morning! :-)
Greetings from Zone 4b in Western Maine where the garlic is up.
I use Epsom Salts-1 tbsp/gallon all through this seedling phase right up until they go into the garden. Then I am very careful to use fertilizer that includes calcium. No end rot allowed in my garden.
I had a fungus last year. Going to water my garden with baking soda mix today to hopefully stop that bugger.
Tomato and pepper plants go in the raised beds next week.
Come on, sun !
I’m in Zone 6 in Upstate NY.
Since moving here (Stanley, North Dakota),not much opportunity (or space) to garden. Grass is getting green,warming days make me want to be out in it! All my houseplants froze on the trip even though they were covered. The only survivor is a mamilaria cactus which is making a beautiful comeback. moved it out onto the back porch yesterday (Faces east). Nice roomy slab back there.
Peas 4’ tall and fixin to bloom.
Tomato plants blooming.
Pepper plants blooming.
Pole beans @ 2’ tall.
Cantelope and cukes doing well.
Zone 8a.
Good morning from Zone 5. Hubby is going to rototill the veggie garden today! We will plant the radishes, then have to wait for more until late May.
Middle of Missouri here.
52 and rain this morning.
Maybe build a fire in the wood stove...
Good morning Diana! I am looking for couple of plants to put on my balcony. I live in Southwest Quebec very close to well I’m about an hour away from Ogdensburg New York so I’m not sure what zone that puts me in but I need something that can adapt to very short summers
I would love to get a small well maybe about 3 feet high, tomato plant Sweet Tomatoes. And a small, 3 feet high miniature strawberry Bush if that exists. It would be great if it could produce fruit in the first year, ie, next August or September. Could also be raspberries or blueberries, or really any other fruit. Actually maybe I’ll put three plants oh, I have the room on my balcony. Maybe something that can produce kale, any dark green lettuce.
Good morning! Do any of you grow veggies and such in raised beds or containers? My first-ever attempt to grow veggies was in a 5’ x 8’ homemade raised bed. It was only a limited success. The bed was built with those hinged plastic corners. They’re pretty sturdy, but still they fell apart after one growing season. Maybe it’s this desert climate (Zone 8b, I think). It’s hard on everything. I’m going to replace it with two 4’ x 6’ galvanized steel beds. In the meantime I’m experimenting with a “patio grow box” — so far ao good — and even a couple of those nice plastic-coated reusable grocery bags. They’re working like a charm — one strawberry and one Japanese eggplant. Please share any tips for container and raised bed gardening, esp. in a hot, dry climate.
Howdy. Here in SE Texas. We really didn’t have a winter, so I planted my vegetables in late January. Going around the horn I have: Cantaloupe, strawberries, blackberries, carrots, celery, banana peppers, cherry tomatos, jalapenos, cilantro, green onions and beefsteak tomatos.
I like to cut up a large tomato into slices, put some mozarella cheese on it and bake in the oven. Goes good with beef.
Bumping your plea for ideas UP. I've only ever gardened in the Midwest, so I know little about desert gardening other than you will be eating fresh tomatoes in February and I won't, LOL!
I use cedar boards (well it is leftover siding from jobs) glued and t-nailed at the corners. Nothing over 6 inches tall except for the potato bed.
I have good soil, but I like the order of borders.
I do have some heirloom romas in a small container. Think miniature tomatoes. Little 2-3 oz. romas.
Companion planting is a good thing. Beans corn and squash, and mint planted with the tomatoes.
Just some ideas.
This week I stumbled upon a youtube video that recommends placing a whole egg in the soil before planting. has anyone tried it?
My sun-scalded tomatoes look a little perkier this morning. Left their bucket covers off last night .... they’ll be uncovered all day today probably - rain in the forecast, temps mild enough.
Looks like some of my “old” seeds are coming up! Radishes for sure ... the fresh seed (jalapenos, bell pappers) I believe I see some peeping through.
I think I have voles in the raised beds. NOT good. Anybody got a good way to catch/get rid of them? By “catch”, I do not participate in catch & release programs. I am seeing small holes/tunnels in one bed (where I planted flowers) & I saw a similar hole in one tomato bed. Birds hang out in & around my garden all the time - cannot use anything that would hurt them - garden is fenced, so dogs getting into anything is not an issue.
We currently have 3 different bluebird nests with fledglings - one box has never been nested in before & it’s been out for years ... I think previous years’ fledglings are looking for places to “adult” ... we are seeing a lot of bluebirds around here. At the feeders, the predominant birds visiting right now are Goldfinches.
Spotted a coyote last evening while finishing up the garden work - hanging out in the oat deer food plot next door (I have a straight shot view from the garden). The neighbor (my bro/SIL) have chickens so it’s Chik-fil-A for predators. The coops/yards were just reinforced after a fox found a way to dig in - hopefully, the coyote(s) will not have any luck.
Rainy day again - no mowing.
Went to the local WalMart for some plants (I am going to try seeds this year, too) and was met with a barricade. I found out the governor had indicated that the plants were non-essential. Go figure!
Peas and lettuce are up in the raised beds. Planted onions last week. It’s been super wet and cold here. There have been years in the past when we would have had a good start on field work, possibly a big chunk of corn planted by now. This is not that kind of year.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.