What are you up to?

[ShwarmaQueen]

(I love these kinda threads, mainly because I just want to chat about gardening. )

This weekend we cleared away junk to make room for the new veggie garden. I layed down 2X4 timbers for the border (the garden size is 8' X 16') so I can raise it up a bit. I'm thinking about digging a trough (?) around the outer edges to help with drainage also. I covered it with black weed fabric to kill the weeds that are growing now, but won't actually be using the fabric in the garden itself. Next step is turning the ground but I'm not too excited about that because it's going to be a lot of work (but theraputic nonetheless)!

I've got my seeds on the way and hopefully this freakishly cold weather will be past when they come and I can put them directly into the ground!

What's everyone else up to?

[whisperkitty]

Nothing

LOL I want to be up to something but I am just sort of winging it. I have planned on a garden every year for the last 6 and have been buying things for it every year but never get to it. My boys are old enough to where I would be comfortable with them outside and my eyes not on them 100%. We own and I have an entire backyard to play with. We do have dogs so I am concerned with how to keep them out of everything since they are scavengers (@@)

I have seeds galore from past years that I think will be fine still. I have lots of starter stuff and just need to get my butt in gear and start some where. I am planning on sectioning out where it will be and getting the grass up soon. Then I have 2- 40lb bags of compost to turn into the dirt. That will be my prep- Can we say half butt? LOL

4.5yr old ds and I started a compost bin out of a rubbermaid container that we have been playing with. (Lidded due to dogs)

Central FL here

[LaurieG]

Spent the day clearing an area for the garden. It used to have shrubs and vines so turning the soil is going to be really hard work. We've never had a successful garden, although the past 3 or 4 years I've started one and then become distracted by other things. This is the largest one I've attempted and I'm much more dedicated to it this year!!! But have a lot to learn...

Also figured out my seed order today. We're doing the small package from Baker Creek, plus a few things I want to be sure we get since the package doesn't say exactly what is in it.

I have a thread on this, but I'll ask here to... The edge of the area where we're clearing for the garden is a retaining wall of railroad ties. They've been there since long before we owned the house so I'm guessing they are 15+ years old. Should I be worried about arsenic in the soil and what can I do about it?

[Ruthiegirl]

Zone 7 here. The snow has finally melted and I took a walk around the garden today. The kale is looking good. We'll have a good crop in a few weeks. The blueberries I planted last Fall all look good too. Lots of leaf buds ready to go.

Need to get a load of compost delivered and then in a couple of weeks I will plant peas, potatoes, and chard, onions, spinach and lots of lettuce.

Under the lights, I have tomatoes, eggplants, basil, parsley, more chard, and onions seeds started. They are looking pretty good. Wish I started them 2 weeks earlier, but ah well.

So, spring is in the works. I dug a lot of new bed space last year, so I don't think we'll expand this year. We are having a couple of very old, brittle trees taken down (before they fall down) so that is opening up some space for fruit trees that I have been wanting. Still would love to get in asparagus and strawberry beds. LOL, my eyes are always stronger than my back this time of year. I want to do more, more, more.

I love gardening.

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by LaurieG

I have a thread on this, but I'll ask here to... The edge of the area where we're clearing for the garden is a retaining wall of railroad ties. They've been there since long before we owned the house so I'm guessing they are 15+ years old. Should I be worried about arsenic in the soil and what can I do about it?

Yes, yes! Get your soil tested! From what I understand, railroad ties are soaked in creosote. Very nasty stuff. Your local county extension office is a good place to find a lab that will do soil testing.

[TheGirls]

I'm strictly indoors still, we got over a foot of snow last week. I have onions, broccoli, and lavender under my lights in the basement. I'm on vacation right now, but when I come back I'm starting a few more things (peppers, lettuce, spinach....)

I'm also planning a fence that we're having built as soon as the ground thaws! I'm super excited about that.

And I'm trying to figure out what to put in front of my house - it's a north face, so very shady, and we pulled out all the hedge last year so it's a blank slate. About 8' from the house to the (fairly busy) sidewalk, so the plants need to be pretty tough. Plus my DP really wants color. So full shade, color, super tough, I don't know where to start, lol.

[onthemove]

I have only planted my lettuces (outdoors) I usually wait until St. Patricks Day to start my tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds(indoors) but may plant them over spring break as the ground has thawed and we haven't seen any snow since mid January.

we usually have to wait until mid may to plant the entire garden because we have to wait for the ground to dry after it thaws but this year has been so dry, we may be able to plant a little earlier.

we are zone 6a

dh talked about putting in an asparagus bed this year. We would like to plant a fruit tree but we can't decide what to plant. And blackberries would be a nice addition as well.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by whisperkitty

4.5yr old ds and I started a compost bin out of a rubbermaid container that we have been playing with. (Lidded due to dogs)

Central FL here

I've been reading all about composts and haven't decided if I'm going to jump in this year or wait. I'm zone 9 so I can compost rather quickly if I do decide to do it later but I don't want to get over my head with the new garden thing, you know?

What's your basic technique?

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

The blueberries I planted last Fall all look good too. Lots of leaf buds ready to go.

I thought berries needed a few years to produce?

Originally Posted by TheGirls

And I'm trying to figure out what to put in front of my house - it's a north face, so very shady, and we pulled out all the hedge last year so it's a blank slate. About 8' from the house to the (fairly busy) sidewalk, so the plants need to be pretty tough. Plus my DP really wants color. So full shade, color, super tough, I don't know where to start, lol.

You want to put a veggie in there or just something new?

[Ruthiegirl]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

I thought berries needed a few years to produce?

I am looking at the leaf buds. They are fat and healthy. Flowers will emerge later and I expect a very small number of berries this year.

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by Ruthiegirl

I am looking at the leaf buds. They are fat and healthy. Flowers will emerge later and I expect a very small number of berries this year.

Oh i see. I would absolutely love to do berries but I don't think I have the room. Wonder if I could just stick them in where a shrub used to be (full sun) or maybe just go to the local pick-your-own farm and forget the hassle.

[TheGirls]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

You want to put a veggie in there or just something new?

Just something new and fun. I have gobs of room for edibles out back, as long as it won't, say poison the toddler. I'm thinking about trying nasturtium in the window boxes this year but would love something perennial for the in-ground plantings...

[lmonter]

I got my little order from Territorial. That's what I've done.
Been drooling over greenhouses.
But hopefully this weekend hubby will be able to mess around in the yard and create me a greenhouse out of cattle panels, 6mil plastic, scrap lumber and stakes/rebar. Plan to do some sort of winter-sowing as well as straight up planting in pots in the greenhouse as soon as it's finished - since things will germinate when they're ready.

Will hit the local nursery up for more pots at some point here (doing half containers this year - easy weeding for me, plus if we do end up moving, I'm taking half my garden with me!). And need to get on the ball with seed starting. Need hubby to find all my goodies that are strewn about the yard/garage though. Whoops. Didn't really get around to putting things away nicely this last year what with barely functioning because of pregnancy. Oh well.

[lakeruby]

I am SO EXCITED about gardening this spring! I have about 50ish tiny tomato seedlings up, and my 50ish peppers are just starting to sprout. We ordered several types of tomato and pepper seeds this year from Baker Creek (how could we reisist their gorgeous catalog?!?) and shared each seed packet with 2 other people-- and we still will have wayyyyy too many plants. I'm planning to barter seedlings for chicken feed supplies, though. We only have a small patch of sunny yard to work with, but I'm determined to make the best of it!

This past weekend we got a load of compost for our garden bed, and cleared out some weeds.

I also have two Earthboxes that are growing shallots and garlic. I'm tempted to just go ahead and harvest them (and eat them as scallions and green garlic) so that I can have the space for tomatoes....

We also bought about 10 packets of various flower seeds from Baker Creek, and a few from High Mowing Seeds. No idea where those are going to go, but I just HAD to have those gorgeous sunflowers, zinnias, calendula and marigolds. We try to do our gardening by the biodynamic calendar, so I think i'll be starting some of those flower seeds on Thursday (a flower day!).

Happy gardening everyone!

[ShwarmaQueen]

Originally Posted by TheGirls

I'm thinking about trying nasturtium in the window boxes this year but would love something perennial for the in-ground plantings...

Oh those look amazing! I don't think they'd last long in the Texas heat come August though (>100F)!

The other Tilling thread got me thinking about my plan to turn the ground where I am going to plant. Will turning the soil (6 inches?) destroy the goodness like tilling does? How would you plant into hard soil?

[kcstar]

For how to plant with hard soil, I've been doing sheet composting. It's sort of like a lasagna bed, but not necessarily all that raised. It's cost a lot, buying the composted manure, garden soil, and sometimes mulch, and works slowly (months to a year), but the insects, worms, and plant roots are tilling the hard ground underneath it all for me.

I planted more spinach, lettuce, and kale out back two weeks ago, but I don't see any sprouts. With the lettuce, I'm afraid that means birds or something got to it. I've also set out some broccoli and cauliflower, but I'm not sure it's doing so well.

I planted one blueberry bush in the fall, but it took some damage while we were out of town and I don't know how it will fare. I planted a second one two weeks ago, so we'll have to see.

I'm still trying to figure out where to plant the grape vines, so they're inside right now.

I've started tons of seeds indoors.

Flowers:
cosmos
zinnia
viola
pansy
petunia
snapdragon
morning glory
moonflower
nasturtium
marigold
allysum
gypsophilia
bachelor's button

Vegetables:
cherry tomatoes
bell peppers
banana peppers
jalapenos
eggplant
tomatillo
acorn squash
pumpkin
watermelon
cucumber
a Korean squash kinda like zucchini
green onions (2 kinds)
Chinese cabbage
bok choi
pole beans
bush beans (black beans)
sugar snap peas
regular peas

Herbs:
basil (purple, sweet, lettuce, and bush. Might still look for lemon / lime)
spearmint (for a container)
rosemary (had to try it)
tarragon
garlic chives

and I tried some Iris bulbs and rhizomes this year. I might consider some over-wintered Tulip bulbs from Walmart, but not as sure on those.

[TheGirls]

I'm no help on the digging up, since I'm ahead on that one - we had to dig down over a foot to pull the hedges, so it's already pretty well dug, and there wasn't sod to speak of... I'm actually going to have to get some dirt to fill the holes in unless whatever I plant has a massive root ball...

Last year I did some new landscape beds out back using cardboard to kill the grass, then covered that with mulch and watered it every day for a few months. It was way easier than digging, and the plants did well, but it took months. I did the cardboard in spring, and planted the bed in late summer with blueberries and potted lilies. I also do not have particularly hard dirt, fortunately.

[Ruthiegirl]

The tree guys are coming tomorrow!!!

We have 3 ancient, brittle trees that have been breaking branches in every big storm of the past few years. Poor old things were planted too close together and have grown to be tall straggly messes. And tomorrow they will be be cut down. >cue small moment to mourn the passing of trees<

But! I will now have new space and more sun for fruit trees and a strawberry patch!

[FarmerCathy]

Transplanting germinating seedlings to bigger pots and waiting for it to stop raining so I can cut the cover crop down and then wait another 4 weeks to plant.

[Owen'nZoe]

Just waiting for the snow to melt here. *twiddles thumbs*

[Shellie]

Well, I am in zone 9-10 (or 8, depending on where I look LOL) and it's already quite warm here (low-70's during the day). I got a bunch of nursery transplants in my raised beds during the last half of Feb. Today I am on my way outside to plant some radish and carrot seeds. I was planning on putting my English cuke seeds today but the forecast is calling for high-40's next week so I guess I'm waiting on those.