Zone 9 Gardeners ~~ Anyone want to join? - Page 3

[journeymom]

What's the difference between 9a and 9b? This is the first I'm hearing of an a and b.

[FarmerCathy]

From what I've read in each zone there is 20-30 degree range. So if your on the lower end or cooler end your a if your on the higher temp range your b.

[loraxc]

I'm zone 8 or 9. Had a great winter garden this year. We always do better in winter than summer.

Right now I have tomatoes in pots (trying to avoid disease issues in our plot), basil, eggplants, peppers, zucchini, squash, beans, and cukes all chugging away. This year we put in soaker hoses (hard to water consistently with a 1yo tailing you) and I'm very curious to see how that goes. We have consistent problems with powdery mildew, disease, stinkbugs, and pickleworm caterpillars--would love any suggestions on these.

ETA we also have a lime, a satsuma, a Chinese honey, and a pomegranate. The pom hasn't produced yet but the rest all do. My lime tree is covered in baby limes!

[Annikate]

Everything is sprouting! : I ordered this book which should help me a lot this year. [Huh. I can't get the link to work. :]

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals

I have 3 more smaller beds to prepare and I think I'm going to plant my purple kale and maybe some muskmelons. I tried melons last year but they were not protected and got eaten up very quickly. Probably by our resident bunny rabbit.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by loraxc

I'm zone 8 or 9. Had a great winter garden this year. We always do better in winter than summer.

Right now I have tomatoes in pots (trying to avoid disease issues in our plot), basil, eggplants, peppers, zucchini, squash, beans, and cukes all chugging away. This year we put in soaker hoses (hard to water consistently with a 1yo tailing you) and I'm very curious to see how that goes. We have consistent problems with powdery mildew, disease, stinkbugs, and pickleworm caterpillars--would love any suggestions on these.

ETA we also have a lime, a satsuma, a Chinese honey, and a pomegranate. The pom hasn't produced yet but the rest all do. My lime tree is covered in baby limes!

Watering underneath should help with powdery mildew. Oh, I love my dad's pom's they produce really well.

[soygurl]

Subing... we'll see if I can get this garden thing going!

[wantingagirl2b#4]

Seems there are alot of California gardeners on here, but I am zone 9 according to my zip code finder. I am down south. Glad I found my zone of gardening friends!

[FullMetalMom]

Originally Posted by soygurl

Subing... we'll see if I can get this garden thing going!

Me too! I'm in south Florida. Alas, I have but a small porch to grow things in containers. Any suggestions? Right now I've only got basil and oregano planted, but I just ordered some seeds.

Also, Sapientia - do you still have that persimmon bread recipe?

ETA: I just realized I'm in Zone 10. I don't care, I'm staying.

[Annikate]

Originally Posted by FullMetalMom

ETA: I just realized I'm in Zone 10. I don't care, I'm staying.

[CultivatingMyRoots]

Is anyone else getting a spurt of HOT weather?

I have serious dirt moving to do, and at seven months preggo and with a toddler in tow, moving/tilling in the heat is the last straw. My BH ctx really aren't helping, although they seem strongest when I do the dishes, not when I'm gardening. My poor plants need homes!

I also have some sort of plant infiltrating my front garden, I'll post soon with pics and see if anyone has ideas. It really doesn't look like a weed, but if it's something obnoxious I want to pull the little squirts instead of transplanting them.

I'm off to go plan/meditate in the hopes of motivating myself to get the big stuff done before my plants kick the bucket.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by CultivatingMyRoots

Is anyone else getting a spurt of HOT weather?

I have serious dirt moving to do, and at seven months preggo and with a toddler in tow, moving/tilling in the heat is the last straw. My BH ctx really aren't helping, although they seem strongest when I do the dishes, not when I'm gardening. My poor plants need homes!

I also have some sort of plant infiltrating my front garden, I'll post soon with pics and see if anyone has ideas. It really doesn't look like a weed, but if it's something obnoxious I want to pull the little squirts instead of transplanting them.

I'm off to go plan/meditate in the hopes of motivating myself to get the big stuff done before my plants kick the bucket.

I was going to agree and then actually looked who posted this comment and duh, of course I'm getting the same spurt of hot weather. It was 80 yesterday. Nice. Now its windy. If I wasn't moving and getting ready for Farmers' I'd come over and help you out. Plus I've got the new people taking over my garden down the street and helping them put in irrigation. : It's endless I tell you. Hope you can get it in soon.

[journeymom]

Oh my word, the wind is horrible today.

[FarmerCathy]

I know, I'm about to bring my seedlings in if it gets any worse.

[rach03]

I think I'm zone 9,..Houston TX?

We're moving into our new house in mid-May so I think I might miss the window. I'm completely new to gardening, but reading lots and getting ready to get started! I'll be lurking and trying to learn from you guys!

[koalove]

oh im so glad to have a zone 9 thread! im in sonoma county california~ i think were zone 9b. my onions, carrots, beets, lettuce, peas, spinach, strawberries, and potatoes are off to a good start. the broccoli was a total flop. i planted starts and they never grew, but did throw out little ting heads of broccoli which i proptly removed in hopes of the plant actually maturing. no luck. they look pathetic! ive started pumpkins, squash, cukes, melons, all types of flowers, beans etc and im waiting for april 15th to put them in the ground. the weather has been awesome here so its hard not to want to do it now, but ive gotten excited in the past just to have it all killed by frost! not this year!

[wantingagirl2b#4]

Yes my rule of thumb is after Easter because we always have a freeze just before Easter.

[CultivatingMyRoots]

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

I was going to agree and then actually looked who posted this comment and duh, of course I'm getting the same spurt of hot weather. It was 80 yesterday. Nice. Now its windy. If I wasn't moving and getting ready for Farmers' I'd come over and help you out. Plus I've got the new people taking over my garden down the street and helping them put in irrigation. : It's endless I tell you. Hope you can get it in soon.

Aww, I appreciate the sentiment, anyways. Luckily today the wind made it cool enough to get some work done, and I put up the sides to my raised beds and started moving dirt. I'm going to have to pinch off my strawberry flowers, and that makes me sad, but I remembered that flowering/fruiting weakens them so they won't have well-developed roots, which is better in the long run.

In the meantime, I'm still having to re-pot a few things, but I'm getting a good feel for where things will go in the yard.

Also, FarmerCathy, should I be worried about a late frost? You would know best, neighbor!

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by CultivatingMyRoots

Also, FarmerCathy, should I be worried about a late frost? You would know best, neighbor!

Yes, keep checking on weather.com because last year we had a late frost in April. So, it is possible. Probably not because it is unusual, but can happen.

[widdlelou]

Yeah I love this thread!!

I'm in Central FL and we have a couple I would say semi raised beds. I just planted one and haven't had time to mess iwth the other. Actually I'd call it partially planted one. my husband actually put them in and I'm not happy with the spaceing but what can ya do... he at least did it! I have 2 cherry tomatoes and 2 beefstake and 1 squash plant (these were all starters) then I've done seeds first in little cups then I'll try and transplant with some watermellon (my oldest wanted this and carrots so we are going to try though so far no luck with any or my carrots even making sprouts!) and a few Okra whihc I always ahve fab luck with. I have never ever had luck with strawberries or peppers. I'm like pepper impaired and everyone says they are the easiest to grow! But we've had nice weather and even a few showers latey so Im hoping its a good year this year, though it looks like I've already had one bought of leafminers I think. No aphids yet but its still early!


OH and someone from the first page said soethign about a lot of little red bugs... we ahve them too and they golden rain tree bugs and totally harmless. We have a massive amount of them which is partially why I haven't used the other bed yet. My daughter loves to play iwth them b/c they are friendly.

[widdlelou]

bump