The 2019 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

[22-rimfire]

First week of June is when I usually see my first ripe tomatoes. This year was a little earlier. Been eating them on sandwiches just about every day of late. The plants on the container tomatoes were larger to start with than ones I normally would plant in the regular garden. My single garden planted tomato plant (Big Boy) is no where near getting ripe tomatoes yet.

 

[annr]

I think this was the leader by quite a bit. Sandwich sounds good. Or plain. Salt and pepper maybe? (Mother Nature is watering today.)

The basil is super (at least a foot in diameter and 8–12” high): made several batches of lasagna, marinara, bean burgers, and various types of salads and vegetable toppings. Yum.

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[annr]

Tomato, basil, cream cheese, salt and pepper on homemade bread.

Yum.

 

[taldesta]

View attachment 1145537 View attachment 1145538

Tomato, basil, cream cheese, salt and pepper on homemade bread.

Yum.

Beautiful ... and delicious! My tomatoes are knee-high to a weasel and same with basil ...but I am encouraged

 

[taldesta]

Sunrise this morning over my tiny front lawn ... where the grass is losing ground to gardens as often as I can find time to work the shovel
Maple tree planted in 2012 to replace two balsam firs that had shaded the house before being cut down.





The hollyhock looks like a perfect perennial to plant on that newly prepared strip of garden between the 'wild' hill and this lawn just to separate the 'civilized' from the 'weeds pooped by moose'.



In front of the bee balm row in the boulder garden are the stargazer lilies about 10 " tall now, 5 yarrow plants that are being devoured as they emerge sadly ... and a row of red petunias. Dependable petunias - that nothing eats or kills otherwise.

 

[annr]

Anyone grow(ing) cilantro (coriander) outdoors?

Suggestions? Tips? Results?

 

[LEGION 12]

Anyone grow(ing) cilantro (coriander) outdoors?

Suggestions? Tips? Results?

I've tried a few time that and parsley butterflies lay eggs and eat mine every time .

 

[annr]

I've tried a few time that and parsley butterflies lay eggs and eat mine every time .

Thanks. I would have never thought of that! I’ve tried growing indoors and never get a useful, renewing quantity.

Today we add the petunias and some strawberry plants.

 

[22-rimfire]

View attachment 1145537 View attachment 1145538

Tomato, basil, cream cheese, salt and pepper on homemade bread.

Yum.

Never tried cream cheese on a sandwich. Thanks for the idea. I'll even add some basil leaves as I have a very healthy basil plant in a container. Will have to use my English Toasting bread (from Walmart) toasted of course with tomatoes.

taldesta The morning fog adds a really nice touch to your photos.

Added: I tried the tomato sandwich with cream cheese and basil leaves. The basil really over powers everything. I am a big fan of the English Toasting bread sold by Walmart. I have only ever seen it at WM. But I haven't looked real hard either.

 

[22-rimfire]

Sunrise this morning over my tiny front lawn ... where the grass is losing ground to gardens as often as I can find time to work the shovel
Maple tree planted in 2012 to replace two balsam firs that had shaded the house before being cut down.

View attachment 1145720

When I was a kid we had a maple in what we called our "ball field" which was also where we shot our bows, tossed frisbies, and played touch football and after getting older shot handguns there. Well.... I was going out for a pass and suddenly I collided head first into our maple tree that at the time was probably 6 inches in diameter. Almost broke my neck on that deal. I was sore for a couple days. That and a sledding accident probably created my neck problem that I live with day to day now.

 

[LEGION 12]

Not sure what's going on with my raised bed , zucchini is doing great peppers and eggplant not so much basil is looking kind of sad also . To much rain , not enough sun ?

 

[LEGION 12]

Not sure what's going on with my raised bed , zucchini is doing great peppers and eggplant not so much basil is looking kind of sad also . To much rain , not enough sun ?

 

[22-rimfire]

My green peppers are very spindley this year and I can't explain why. Usually it is a shade issue, but the one I have in a container in the shade (or more shade) is going great. In my case, there is competition for sunlight, but not yours Legion. When I see yellowing leaves, I generally try some balanced fertilizer. It obviously could be too much water as well. With the rain and good drainage of raised beds, the nutrients are essentially washed out of the soil with lots of rain or a lot of watering. I notice a big difference between my Miracle Gro potting soil used in containers from one year to the next and I think it's nutrients mostly being washed out of the soil. I would add some nutrients and work it into the soil if there is room to do so.

Yesterday I did a recon visit to Ace Hardware looking to see what kind of containers they have that are not tall but large. Essentially I want something that amounts to a 6" tall walled container with a "floor" (or big planter box that is wider than what you normally see for sale). Then a visit to Walmart and did the same looking around. All I can come up with that is practical is to either make my own or buy "under bed" plastic storage containers and burn holes in the bottom for drainage. I am going to use these containers for onions later this fall. Will have to wait and see what kind of garden space is available, but the onions that over winter are never fully mature by spring and occupy needed space for other stuff. So, I'm thinking containers.

 

[taldesta]

When I was a kid we had a maple in what we called our "ball field" which was also where we shot our bows, tossed frisbies, and played touch football and after getting older shot handguns there. Well.... I was going out for a pass and suddenly I collided head first into our maple tree that at the time was probably 6 inches in diameter. Almost broke my neck on that deal. I was sore for a couple days. That and a sledding accident probably created my neck problem that I live with day to day now.

Running into that old 'immovable object' can be painful and lasting ... ah, youth

 

[taldesta]

Not sure what's going on with my raised bed , zucchini is doing great peppers and eggplant not so much basil is looking kind of sad also . To much rain , not enough sun ?

Peppers posted here last summer convinced me to start a few plants in the wild veg garden this year - late going in ... and it seemed wise to include them within the 'soon to be' Daisy fence intended to protect the tomatoes from dog theft Also the taller tomato plants may provide some shade from the afternoon uv that bakes this garden. Finally we're having lots of sunshine. These tomatoes in the ground are looking much healthier than in the containers so far.

 

[taldesta]

Yesterday I did a recon visit to Ace Hardware looking to see what kind of containers they have that are not tall but large. Essentially I want something that amounts to a 6" tall walled container with a "floor" (or big planter box that is wider than what you normally see for sale).

Not suggesting this is a solution at all, just interesting. You may recall my 'trash-bag' potato grow experiment last year, which worked well on a small scale. Although late going in, I have used two fabric bags that came with my seed order this spring to plant another potato experiment. Almost all of my annuals are in containers and mobile ... and it gives me freedom to change my gardens to what works for me. I've been thinking about using landscape fabric for bottoms and 'felt-like' fabric for sides to make some economical ones (that will kill more grass for me) Grass war is relentless! Large, fabric containers will not be so easily relocated, though.

For convenient watering, I placed these beside black currents (L) and gladiola's emerging (behind) in the dug strip that separates the lawn from the weeds.



And for anyone worried that Crockett is out of work, please know that the summer job is just blooming ...

 

[LEGION 12]

I fertilized the raised bed yesterday seems to have helped , I used liquid fertilizer because that's what I have going to look into something that slow releases for the next time .

 

[22-rimfire]

taldesta Petunias seem to do better in a cooler climate like yours. My Dad's would be very full with healthy leaves like yours. Maybe he pruned them which I tend not to do other than occasionally knock off the old blooms. I had a couple that actually survived the winter and are blooming that I simply put the containers up against the house and water occasionally. So, I guess there are benefits depending on where you are.

When the time comes, I'll figure something practical out for the onions. I am essentially looking for 6" tall rectangular trays like you get plants at the nursery, but maybe a bit larger. I have a number of these plastic concrete mixing tubs that are heavy duty plastic and inexpensive.... they would work, but I would hate to cut holes in them. I use them to keep my indoor plants in so I don't have to worry about water getting on stuff and I can lift 6-8 pots at a time outdoors for a dose of sunshine if I choose to. Most of those plants are outside now anyway and the tubs are empty.

I am enjoying the tomato harvest while it lasts this year. The Patio tomatoes aren't large, but have been plentiful. One small tomato is sufficient for one sandwich without waste. Last year I seldom even ate a garden grown tomato, but with all the rain, they really didn't do well.

This year on rainfall at the house, we are at about 80% of the normal annual rainfall for my area and June is not quite finished. Other than one month, the rains have been consistent, But we did have a two-three week no rain period and the yard was beginning to suffer.

I hope your peppers do well. In my opinion, they do better in a cooler climate like the petunia observation. I enjoy watching them grow probably more than many of the other vegies.

 

[22-rimfire]

Running into that old 'immovable object' can be painful and lasting ... ah, youth

It is observations like this that has made me not encourage my grand kids to play tackle football at school or otherwise. You pay later in life for the injuries.