2009 Zones 3-5 Gardeners - Page 3

[Juvysen]

re: high water table...

We live up on the side (toward the top) of a hill, but the ground gets REALLY wet and saturated on the uphill (backyard garden ) side of our house. We really need to work on drainage back there. The water from the hill runs out onto the road right by our house, too *sigh*. You wouldn't think being on top of a hill you'd have issues with your yard being too wet, but *shrug* there it is, I guess...

[limette]

I want that chicken coop garden! That is so awesome.

[Teenytoona]

Hey so glad that calendar helped! I should probably see if I can add it to a sticky. I love that thing!

[GISDiva]

Hi all, a Zone 5-er here. I have three small raised beds that cover almost all of the only sunny spot we have in our entire yard. This will be the second year with these beds, I also did raised beds at our last house. Last year everything went nuts with the fresh soil. Well, except for the snap peas the rabbits got to. But now I have a fence! So we'll try those again.

I'm also going to try to clear out some pampas grass that the previous owners planted long ago (read "well-established") so I can plant some raspberries, we'll see how far I get again this year. That stuff is killer to dig out. We had some at the old house and I miss them!

Hey, I'm growing shallots (from seed) for the first time this year - are they pretty much like onions in schedule and maintenance?

[Theoretica]

I'm HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited for spring I can hardly contain myself!!!

:::

Now let's cross our fingers that DH will build my frames this week....then i'll start my early seeds w/a frame cover and get this year going strong!

Anyone else get borderline orgasmic while flipping through seed catalogues or wandering the local garden store????

:

Maybe it's just me, but this time of year just gives me the squealys!!

[kalisis]

I'm a zone 4 and just starting to learn about gardening. My mom has the greenest thumb around, but me, I'm just learning.

So, I have some pseudo-SFG boxes that were built last year, but the kid I asked to build them didn't want to saw the wood, so they're actually like 6'x4'. I don't know, maybe I'll pull them apart and do them right or not. They're in complete full sun tho, so maybe I'll put some really hardy, sun loving plants there.

I'm eager to be here and soak up some of this info.

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by Theoretica

Anyone else get borderline orgasmic while flipping through seed catalogues or wandering the local garden store????

:

Maybe it's just me, but this time of year just gives me the squealys!!

That's how I felt recently at Lowes!

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by Teenytoona

Hey so glad that calendar helped! I should probably see if I can add it to a sticky. I love that thing!

My dad thanks you too.

Does this seem right? I seeded my onions and leeks on Monday in trays and the onions have already sprouted. Shouldn't it have taken a bit longer?

I am extremely anxious to get started.

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by tayndrewsmama

Does this seem right? I seeded my onions and leeks on Monday in trays and the onions have already sprouted. Shouldn't it have taken a bit longer? .

Not if the soil is warm. I bought a heating pad to put under my seeds and my spinache sprouted in two days. I'm just going to grow my spinache indoors.

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

Not if the soil is warm. I bought a heating pad to put under my seeds and my spinache sprouted in two days. I'm just going to grow my spinache indoors.

Well, the funny thing is that those are the two trays that I didn't have heat underneath. I only have one heating mat and I put the leeks on that. They haven't sprouted. The other two I have been rotating daily underneath the AeroGarden lights for some warmth. Who knew? I would have expected the heat mat to produce quicker results than just the lighting.

[guestmama9911]

Originally Posted by tayndrewsmama

Well, the funny thing is that those are the two trays that I didn't have heat underneath. I only have one heating mat and I put the leeks on that. They haven't sprouted. The other two I have been rotating daily underneath the AeroGarden lights for some warmth. Who knew? I would have expected the heat mat to produce quicker results than just the lighting.

Well, congratulations, then!

I just moved my tallest onions seedlings into a plastic bin. I drilled holes in the bottom and filled it with organic potting soil.

[Theoretica]

Originally Posted by alisaterry

That's how I felt recently at Lowes!

OMG...I : lowes!

[guestmama9911]

Their bags of potting soil and compost and cedar chips are finally in stock here. I bought a bag of compost because mine is still frozen and not composting yet. I'm putting cedar chips outside around the bushes along the sidewalk.

[Jennifer3141]

Good morning everyone!

It's so exciting to read what everyone is doing. My yard is still buried under three feet of snow. But that's ok. It's still February.

As soon as the snow is gone, I'm putting in 4 4 foot by 4 foot raised bed gardens for vegetables. Last year, I planted about 200 flower bulbs around the house. I can't wait for spring!

This year, I'll be planting pixie apples trees and bluberry and honeyberry bushes all over.

I love the links! Keep them coming!

[Dabble]

I think I'm going to try seed-starting indoors for the first time this year (as opposed to buying plants or direct-sowing that I have done in the past).

Advice please! What do you wish you had known about starting seeds?

[Juvysen]

Originally Posted by Chimpmandee

I think I'm going to try seed-starting indoors for the first time this year (as opposed to buying plants or direct-sowing that I have done in the past).

Advice please! What do you wish you had known about starting seeds?

The few times I tried, I forgot to water them, and then over-watered them... I wouldn't recommend that

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by Chimpmandee

Advice please! What do you wish you had known about starting seeds?

Two things I wish someone would have told me one of the many times I wrecked seeds by 'letting' them get leggy was to a. make sure they weren't on a heat source after sprouting and b. to make sure they had a light source a few inches above them.

I wouldn't say I just let this happen, because I didn't know why it was happening to stop it.

[Dabble]

Originally Posted by Juvysen

The few times I tried, I forgot to water them, and then over-watered them... I wouldn't recommend that

Years ago, I tried that method too. You're right, it isn't very effective.

[Dabble]

Originally Posted by tayndrewsmama

Two things I wish someone would have told me one of the many times I wrecked seeds by 'letting' them get leggy was to a. make sure they weren't on a heat source after sprouting and b. to make sure they had a light source a few inches above them.

I wouldn't say I just let this happen, because I didn't know why it was happening to stop it.

: Can I just use a regular gooseneck lamp with a broad-spectrum "plant bulb", or do I need to get some special equipment?

[Ceinwen]

I'd love to join in! I'm Melissa and I live in northern Ontario. My location is pretty much split between 3b/4a. I'm going to go back and read all the posts so far - but first a quick question! What seed companies do you all recommend for Canadian buyers? I'm a little slow off the hop this year and need to get going! Thanks so much for any input!

ETA - I need a catalogue (online or paper) that will tell me what seeds/plants grow in which climate zone. I'm useless without that!

ETA Again - We just got about 25 cm of snow last night, with another 10-15 coming today. I mean, come on... I know it's the cold white north - but I've had about enough already!