Spring Garden Planting

[protector2814]

Starting to plan what I think I'm gonna take a crack at growing in the vegetable garden this year. I made the mistake of planting my tomatoes in front last year, so when they came up, they ended up shading everything behind them. Live and learn.

- Tomatoes (gonna stick w/ just Italian Plum this year, I find the larger varieties go to waste in my fridge, while I'll eat entire plums at a time.
- peppers (red, green and some sort of hot, I'd love some recommendations)
- Leeks (would appreciate any advice if you have it)
- Lettuce (I have luck w/ this)
- Basil, Rosemary, mint, lavendar
- maybe carrots, but I end up always hitting clay.

I'm gonna peel off last years mulch and add another 4 inches of garden soil as I do every year. Today I severely cut back my Crape Myrtles (I have one way to close to the house and I don't really care if I cut too much off, if you get my drift.

I'm not mulching my main beds this year. Mulch has gotten to freakin' expensive, so I'm just gonna refresh and fluff last year's. Spring fertilizing the yard, I guess in the next 2 weeks.

What are you all putting in, vegetable or otherwise?

[Babytoxie]

I like your menu. As far as hot peppers, you can't go wrong with basic jalapeños. If you want something really hot, try habaneros (I warned you).

This will be my first full year in a new house. Due to the previous owner's lack of inspiration, I have an almost blank slate. I planted a red oleander at the start of fall last year and thought I'd killed it, but it looks to be getting back in shape.

I'm focusing on drought-tolerant plants, as the past several summers have been murder down here. Last week, I put in some monkey grass, Spanish lavender, and stonecrop along one side of our driveway. The available space is only about 6" wide, so I couldn't get too crazy. I also have some geraniums and petunias in pots. I hate annuals, but I had to make my wife happy somehow.

Next to our house is a utility easement - about 3 lots worth of grass. I'm going to throw some wildflower seeds out there and see what happens.

There'll be much more to come this summer, finances allowing. I may try vegetables one of these days. Some folks in the office bring in all kinds of great stuff, so I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to get something going.

[protector2814]

You can't go wrong w/ lavender. In the late summer when there's a breeze and a patch of lavender is growing near your lawn chair.....heaven. Thnx for the hot pepper advice. I gotta go stronger than Jalapenos...I like 'em hotter.

[Babytoxie]

Then I think habaneros will do the trick. The first time I ate them, I made the mistake of loading them onto a burrito and paid for it... twice. :confused2

After posting yesterday, I went outside and looked at the driveway again. I think I need to rearrange some things. Never satisfied - I'll be like this all summer.

[protector2814]

I've cut back down a multi branched tree and want to pevent the branches aimed towards my roof line from ever growing back. I remember, when I was a kid, seeing stumps of branches tarred to prevent grow back. Anyone know if this really works and if so, can you just tar a branch stump w/ regular tar?

[Babytoxie]

No ideas on that branch issue, but I did get a few more things planted this past weekend. All are hardy in Texas summers and are mostly drought tolerant:

Blackfoot daisy - mounding clusters of small white flowers on thin stalks, <1 foot tall. Blooms all summer.
http://www.wildflower.org/image_archive/640x480/PCD4234/PCD4234_IMG0027.JPG

Dragon's blood stonecrop - a nice evergreen groundcover that turns brilliant red in fall.
http://www.intrinsicperennialgardens.com/Gallery/Perennials_Groundcovers/Sedum%20spurium%20'Fuldaglut'.jpg

Black and Blue Sage - covered with deep blue flowers all summer.
http://www.calfloranursery.com/images/pics/s/salvia_black_and_blue.jpg

Dianthus - not as drought-resistant, but still a worthwhile investment. Low dense mats of thin leaves sporting stalks of small flowers all summer. Lots of beautiful patterns of red, white, and pink in this species.
http://www.hairypotplants.co.uk/ekmps/shops/kirtonfarm/images/dianthus-flashing-light-113-p.jpg



And so many months left to go!

[Marvelito]

I've always wanted to plant an herb garden, but I don't have a green thumb whatsoever, how difficult is it to grow and maintain these things? I hate having to buy a bunch of something when cooking, and 90% ends up going to waste because I don't need that much.

[protector2814]

Just go to Lowes or Home Depot in the next few weeks (after the 1st week of April) and buy a few potted-herbs. Oragano, basil, tyme, whatever you want. Plant them close to your house so the rabbits and deer won't have easy access, and make sure you put them in some soil that you've airated and broken up. Ideally, add a bag or two of bagged garden soil.
Read the little plastic card and make sure you water when it gets real hot.

It's easy and you'll have fresh herbs by mid June. Might as well throw a tomato plant in the mix too.

[Marvelito]

Just go to Lowes or Home Depot in the next few weeks (after the 1st week of April) and buy a few potted-herbs. Oragano, basil, tyme, whatever you want. Plant them close to your house so the rabbits and deer won't have easy access, and make sure you put them in some soil that you've airated and broken up. Ideally, add a bag or two of bagged garden soil.
Read the little plastic card and make sure you water when it gets real hot.

It's easy and you'll have fresh herbs by mid June. Might as well throw a tomatoe plant in the mix too.

The only way deer and rabbits would have access would be if I brought some into the backyard myself! :D Not too much wildlife in my neighborhood.

Ok, so it sounds simple enough, I will definitely do that. I'll try to turn the soil this weekend, and start getting it ready for planting next weekend.

Thanks for the tips! :)

[protector2814]

The only way deer and rabbits would have access would be if I brought some into the backyard myself! :D Not too much wildlife in my neighborhood.

Ok, so it sounds simple enough, I will definitely do that. I'll try to turn the soil this weekend, and start getting it ready for planting next weekend.

Thanks for the tips! :)

I was in your boat. Once you make it through one season, you'll be an old pro and can "up your game" in the following years. Plenty of sun, weed and water ...that's about it. Your cold beer will taste so much better after an hour in your new garden, plus a fresh basil pesto that you make w/ your own herbs, some pine nuts and olive oil will be the pay off. Keep us informed and ask questions. Good luck!

BT your flower choices are wonderful! How warm is it in your neck of the woods now? I still haven't put my main stuff in the ground yet. We keep geting these cold snaps.

[Babytoxie]

Thanks! Since the beginning of March, we've been in the 70s & 80s, then this past week dropped into the 50s during the day. It's warming up now, and we're probably going to be this way for the rest of spring.

There's still so much more that hasn't made it to the nurseries yet: day lilies, lantana, rock rose, althea. I have a lot to do this summer.

[Babytoxie]

Last night/this morning = RAIN!!! And more on the way later this week.

:D

[Collection King 13]

What are some good low-light perennial plants?

[Babytoxie]

Not sure how these would do in your climate - a perennial in warmer areas may be an annual in colder areas - but:

Something I like in low-light areas is Aucuba japonica, known as a "gold dust plant". It's fairly bushy if left alone but can be pruned to let other things grow under it. These can get anwhere from 5 to 7 feet tall and have broad leaves speckled with yellow, with red berries.

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/images/aujav16.jpg


Variegated liriope (aka lily turf) is a type of monkey grass, but the leaves are striped instead of the standard solid green.


A Japanese maple will always make a shady spot more interesting. It's smaller than a standard maple and the leaves are very dark reddish-purple. There are varieties for all kinds of light levels, including some that prefer full shade.


Hydrangea does well in shade, especially if it can get some morning sunlight.

[Collection King 13]

Cool! Thanks!

[cblakey1]

This year I'm doing the following:

1. Sweet 100's tomatoes
2. Roma Tomatoes
3. Any interesting heirloom or hybrids I find
4. 3 varieties of cucumbers (love to try hothouse)
5. Banana peppers
6. Thai hot peppers
7. Jalapeno peppers

Herbs:
1. Rosemary
2. Basil
3. Thai Basil
4. Thyme
5. Sage

.. and any interesting herbs I might find.

Planting at my house here in Virginny starts around mid-April.

Gonna Add several new bags of planting soil and black Manure. If you have a Meadows Farms near you in MD, you need to get that manure.

[cblakey1]

- Tomatoes (gonna stick w/ just Italian Plum this year, I find the larger varieties go to waste in my fridge, while I'll eat entire plums at a time.

You ought to try cherry tomatoes. It's Sweet 100's for me.

And on the bigger varieties I just turn 'em into pasta sauce and salsa. Just finished my last frozen package of pasta sauce last week and boy am I ready for more!

This is what I was picking on a daily basis last summer

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/tomatoes.jpg

- peppers (red, green and some sort of hot, I'd love some recommendations)

I find Thai hot peppers are hearty, grow all season, and are hotter'n all get out.

[protector2814]

This year I'm doing the following:

1. Sweet 100's tomatoes
2. Roma Tomatoes
3. Any interesting heirloom or hybrids I find
4. 3 varieties of cucumbers (love to try hothouse)
5. Banana peppers
6. Thai hot peppers
7. Jalapeno peppers

Herbs:
1. Rosemary
2. Basil
3. Thai Basil
4. Thyme
5. Sage

.. and any interesting herbs I might find.

Planting at my house here in Virginny starts around mid-April.

Gonna Add several new bags of planting soil and black Manure. If you have a Meadows Farms near you in MD, you need to get that manure.

Excellent list!!! I'm gonna copycat some of it.
I do grow the cherry-toms for my kids. I like 'em split in half, mixed w/ crumbled bleu cheese & balsamic vinagrette, spread over a grilled, rare NY strip.

[Babytoxie]

You ought to try cherry tomatoes. It's Sweet 100's for me.

And on the bigger varieties I just turn 'em into pasta sauce and salsa. Just finished my last frozen package of pasta sauce last week and boy am I ready for more!

This is what I was picking on a daily basis last summer

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/tomatoes.jpg


Oh man that looks great! I'd rather have cherry (red or yellow) or roma. Easy to deal with, barely any mess compared to a hothouse tomato, and a superb taste!

[bat_collector]

i wanna grow an herb garden
but don't think I have room

[cblakey1]

This was my herb garden around mid-April:

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/misc/garden041310.jpg

Here's the same garden around the end of May:

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/misc/herbs.jpg

I learned a very valuable lesson about broccoli - they need room. The big plants in the pic are about 8 broccoli. They only yielded 1 floret each. :banghead:

The lettuce on the far left (being pushed out by broccoli) was cool as we just plucked what we wanted to use on any given night. Wait too long though and it gets bitter.

[cblakey1]

These are the tomato plants about 1.5 months after planting. By the end of the season they towered over the white fence on the left. I had to come up with a creative support system for them. There were four tomato plants and about 6 various hot and sweet peppers.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/misc/tomatoes.jpg

When I was too lazy to go to the garden for my herbs, I'd pluck from my decks' container garden.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/misc/container_garden.jpg

[cblakey1]

i wanna grow an herb garden
but don't think I have room

Container gardens are the way to go for this. You can put them practically anywhere.

Get a bunch of oversized terracotta pots, fill 'em up with potting/planting soil, and seed and you're good to go!

I ran out of room for my cukes last year so I'm trying something different. I'll post pics as the Summer progresses if it is a success.

[Babytoxie]

Has anyone tried a hanging (upside down) tomato planter? Seems like something I'd see on an old Ronco commercial. :rolleyes2

[protector2814]

My nextdoor neighbor had 2 last year and he said the tomatoes blew. I saw the plants and wasn't impressed. Scraggily looking w/ mystery type tomatoes, + a hanging container looses water like crazy in the hot months. He was watering all the time.

[Babytoxie]

I had a feeling...

Thanks.

[protector2814]

Enough of these cold snaps. I'm planting this weekend come hell or high water.

[Babytoxie]

Good man, stand up to that damn weather.

Got some more things in the ground last weekend: a few dwarf daylilies for the sunny spots and some ajuga for the not-so-sunny spots. Texas rock rose is finally available, so I lined the driveway with it. This stuff gets enormous and is covered with pink flowers...

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t211/daveydooski/rockrose.jpg


Unfortunately, this isn't from my yard. Once things start filling in, I'll post some photos.

[cblakey1]

Here's the garden planted this weekend.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/garden.jpg

Here's the herbs

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/herbs_use.jpg

And here's the tomatoes

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/tomatoes3.jpg

I'll post progress pics in a month or so.

[Babytoxie]

That's a great set-up, can't wait to see progress shots!

Question: do herbs grow well enough in window boxes? We have some mounts for boxes outside our kitchen and dining room windows - seems natural enough to plant them out there. I am guessing herbs need full sun, or is partial sun okay?



In other news, the local Calloway's is selling Japanese maples for $10 this weekend. :thumbs2:

[cblakey1]

That's a great set-up, can't wait to see progress shots!

Question: do herbs grow well enough in window boxes? We have some mounts for boxes outside our kitchen and dining room windows - seems natural enough to plant them out there. I am guessing herbs need full sun, or is partial sun okay?

Yep, they grow well in window boxes. Partial sun is OK. If you look back at my post with the herbs in a planter, they get minimal light.

In other news, the local Calloway's is selling Japanese maples for $10 this weekend. :thumbs2:

Love it. Very hearty trees. In my post called "The New Ride" you can see a Japanese Maple I planted 5 years ago. When I planted it it was like, 4 ft tall. Now it's over 10 and only kept in check by my annual pruning.

Look at that big-butt tree!

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/IMG_3672.jpg

[Babytoxie]

Hey, get that car out of the way! :D

[protector2814]

Guys - I just wrote an article & put up a list of 4 cocktails you can make with the spring & summer herbs you're growing. All are good - http://www.mr-booze.com/2011/05/20/herb-drink-recipes/

[Babytoxie]

Basil in a cocktail? Wow, that's crazy, but not crazy enough to turn me away. Thanks for the heads-up!

[protector2814]

Basil in a cocktail? Wow, that's crazy, but not crazy enough to turn me away. Thanks for the heads-up!

I made the Strawberry Jive last night and man, it's really good. The basil is very subtle but its also tastefully present in the drink. You'll need to make that honey syrup which is simple - 1 part honey to 1 part water, boil then cool.

Let me know if you try any. :)

[cblakey1]

Basil in a cocktail? Wow, that's crazy, but not crazy enough to turn me away. Thanks for the heads-up!

You'd be surprised. Basil is good in alot of sweets.

[cblakey1]

Guys - I just wrote an article & put up a list of 4 cocktails you can make with the spring & summer herbs you're growing. All are good - http://www.mr-booze.com/2011/05/20/herb-drink-recipes/

Good stuff.

An herb I noticed prevalent this year is the Stevia plant. Wonder if it would be good to muddle in a Mint Julep vs. the powdered sugar?

[cblakey1]

Update on my garden. One month and a few days..

It's going crazy! Already got jalapenos, early girl tomatoes started and the cucumbers started from seeds are going batsh!t.

Cukes:

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/cukes.jpg

Maters:

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/maters.jpg

Herbs:

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/herbs.jpg

[protector2814]

Just about done w/ my harvest(s) this year. Just grew Roma tomatoes & picked pounds of them from June 'til now. Made buckets of tomatoe sauce that I've frozen. We ate salads, made gazpacho, gave a lot away. Basil was amazing but turning tough now. My Rosemary didn't make it through the heat. Jalepanjo & other assorted peppers thrived but have peaked. Green peppers were bountiful. Mint was the usual thriving weed it always is.

On a side note - the heat and lack of rain have really done a # on my lawn. By this time last year I'd cut the grass 17 times...this year 13.

Now it's just silly hot August. Weeds grow but that's just about it.

[cblakey1]

My garden is about shot too.

Multiple harvests of Cherokee purple (best.tomato.ever), roma, early girl, and sweet 100's (more like sweet 1000's) cherry tomatoes. Made lots of marinara which I froze, salsa, and 'mater sandwiches. The romas that are still coming in are being blanched nightly and frozen for a future vat of tomato sauce.

On the herbage side.. basil, sage, rosemary still thriving. Salads, main dishes and homemade pesto were the beneficiaries of this great haul (which is the gift that keeps on giving).

Japanese eggplant, asian peppers and jalapeno were plentiful and are still yielding consumables. The banana peppers are just starting to grow. Crazy stuff I know, but I'll take it!

The cukes didn't do squat. Got a couple of the first ones, but after that, none really fully developed.

Actually grew so much of everything this year I was taking stuff in to work on a weekly basis.

Had a hard time this year with birds as they ate or pecked 1/3 of the tomatoes. I have to plan a strategy for protecting them next year.

Anyway.. I'm gonna watch the barren tomato plants for a week or so and this that show no sign of new growth will come down.

Sad to see the season go though. :bawling:

Any suggestions on a good consumable to plant for Fall?

[cblakey1]

End of season shots:

The garden bed. Keep in mind that the tomato plants were 8' tall 'til a pesky wind took 'em down. Gonna build an arbor next year.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/garden_wide.jpg

Asian peppers still flourishing.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/asian_peppers.jpg

[cblakey1]

Banana peppers just starting.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/banana_peppers.jpg

Poor little cukes doing their thing.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/pickle_cuke.jpg

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/regular_cuke.jpg

[cblakey1]

Basil hangin' in there.

http://i482.photobucket.com/albums/rr187/cblakey1/basil.jpg

I cut 'em back and they came back. :buttrock:

[cblakey1]

I made the Strawberry Jive last night and man, it's really good. The basil is very subtle but its also tastefully present in the drink. You'll need to make that honey syrup which is simple - 1 part honey to 1 part water, boil then cool.

Let me know if you try any. :)

I think basil would be great in a Pims Cup.

[protector2814]

1st time this has happened to me in my garden, but my front two tomato plants are "sun-breaking" the light on the two behind. I plant them the same way every year but with as much rain & gray skies as we've had this Spring, I guess the short light we've had is more precious this year.