Who has their own veggie garden?

[Mrs. Peel]

For the first time, this year I put together a 4'X8' raised bed and am growing some organic vegetables. Or, i should say, attempting to grow some organic vegetables. I've been doing a lot of reading, but I suspect it's really a trial and error process, since zone, weather and soil conditions vary from garden to garden. I've learned some "what not to do" info that will have to be employed next year since I've already done it. It's a massive experiment and I will be happy if I get one type of crop to produce something. Next year I want to create raised beds around the perimeter of my patio with some trellises to grow a few of the vining plants upward instead of outward. I also want to build a potato bin.

 

This year, I've planted lettuce, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, pole beans, acorn squash, butternut squash, a few kinds of tomatoes, sweet peppers and yellow peppers. I'm going to attempt some garlic over the winter in the empty beds too.

 

Even though I just did the planting on Memorial Day, every morning I go outside and am mildly astonished the plants are still alive.

[GtrPlyr]

Kudos on going the organic route. I hope to work in such a garden into the backyard soon .

[austrya]

I just grow some veggies in containers on the deck. Next spring we'll put in a big garden in the yard. It was just too much this year to deal with a big garden and two toddlers.

 

Now that you have a garden, you should try some worm composting.

 

My 6 year old and I built a bin out of an old rubbermaid tote and I went to the bait shop and got some redworms. They eat your food waste and produce some awesome fertilizer in the process. We only have about 100 worms right now (we just started it 2 days ago). It's better to have about 1000 but we'll keep adding them as we get them and eventually they'll multiply on their own. When it's fully up and running, they should be able to compost about 2 pounds of food waste a day.

 

It's a lot better than throwing it in the trash.

 

Oh, and you can do it inside too.

 

Here's a link about it:

 

http://earth911.org/blog/2007/04/02/composting-with-worms/

 

My son thinks it's the coolest thing ever. He's constantly digging in there to find worms.

[Mrs. Peel]

That's great! I'm going to start composting this year, maybe I'll throw in some worms for good measure. I was so happy to see some earthworms in the raised bed yesterday. It didn't take them long to find the good soil.

 

Have you checked out gardenweb.com? It's brimming with useful information about anything you can possibly think of. In addition to many many FAQs there is also a fantastic forum with people ready to answer any question you might have. It has been invaluable in my learning quest.

[austrya]

Yeah, I like Gardenweb. I've posted in there a few times and have learned a lot by visiting their forums.

 

I was on their vermicomposting forum the other day and Jay said I go to the most boring forums in the world sometimes. He's such a brat.

[Mrs. Peel]

 

My husband acted the same way when I told him I was buying garlic online at midnight.

[austrya]

I would withhold veggies then. That will teach him.

[Mrs. Peel]

Ahhhh, good plan, except next year he probably wouldn't be willing to build those new raised beds.

 

Here's another good website I found: 163 Things You Can Compost

Who knew you could throw in old t-shirts?

[bigshoulders]

Isadorah brought some kick-ass seedlings from her farm co-op. With her help over Memorial Day weekend, there's a good 5' x 7' garden in the works. Mostly stuff I'll know I'll cook with, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. This is the first year I've attempted such a garden, though I've been composting for years now. It's all organic.

 

I have hobbit-like qualities that serve me well.

 

Kevin

[jenbobblehead]

I want worms. Do you think they can live in the heat and humidity of the greater DC area?

[bigshoulders]

I want worms. Do you think they can live in the heat and humidity of the greater DC area?

Absolutely.

[austrya]

Sure, they can stay in a basement or a garage when it gets too hot or cold outside. From what I've read, a lot of people keep them right in their kitchen. Jay's too chicken to let me do that. Little does he know that they will be living in our basement this winter. hahaha

 

Just keep them out of the sun and they should be fine.

[Mrs. Peel]

If I kept a box of worms in the kitchen my freakishly humanesque cat would figure out how to open it in 2 minutes.

 

Isadorah brought some kick-ass seedlings from her farm co-op. With her help over Memorial Day weekend, there's a good 5' x 7' garden in the works. Mostly stuff I'll know I'll cook with, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. This is the first year I've attempted such a garden, though I've been composting for years now. It's all organic.

 

I have hobbit-like qualities that serve me well.

 

Kevin

 

What kind of compost setup do you have, Bilbo?

[froggie]

 

here are the remains of mine before winter comes and the days all start late...

 

[Party @ the Moontower]

We grow awesome peppers for salsa.

 

 

Organic-tomatoes, cilantro, basil, onions,beans,corn, lettuce,squash,peppers,cucumbers..etc. We also have a bunch of baby trees in our garden.We planted over 450 trees...but only 70 survived.Hopefully some time in the garden will help.Hoping to grow a money tree so we can retire.

 

Nothing better than picking enough from the garden to make an entire meal!

[bigshoulders]

What kind of compost setup do you have, Bilbo?

I have one of those "Earth Machines." It's made of durable black plastic, is well-ventilated, and has a trap door to scoop the ready to use compost out of the bottom.

 

Earth Machine website

 

There was an awesome program in Raleigh a few years back where I purchased mine for $40. I had no idea they charged what they do for these things.

[Big Perm]

yes, mrs. perm & i also volunteer with the green corn project, which goes around bringing organic gardens to people who can't afford to do it themselves, we teach them, build and help maintain the gardens for the first 2 years. it's great.

[pillowy star]

Awesome Hubby and I are planning to move into a bigger place next spring/early summer, and we are definitely going for something with at least a tiny gardening opportunity. He is quite experienced in growing veggies from his childhood, I am so NOT, but I am really eager to learn and do this.

[m_thomp]

I'm bang into this. We suffer because our garden is a lawn and a patio (both very small) so we don't have the luxury of too much spare soil for planting anything, even flowers.

 

We've got round this by buying some vegetable and potato growing containers they're circular sacks that you fill two foot with compost with plant your seeds and bulbs in there.

 

Currently we've got potatoes, french beans, courgette (zuchini), aubergine (eggplant), tomatoes, jalapeno chilis, carrots, rocket (arugula), basil, coriander, rosemary and parsley growing.

 

The courgette, beans and augergines have been growing from seed in window sill propagators, we planted them outside in the big wide world this weekend. I opened the curtains this morning to see the courgettes (zuchinis) had started flowering. A drizzle of wee came out of me with excitement.

[fatheadfred]

Here is an excellent source for seed from around the world that has adapted to the midwest climate, although they have customers nationwide. There is a ton of info in their forum, as well. http://rareseeds.com/

 

If you are in the Northeast this is a company that fights the power. Their artwork and slam on Monsanto et al. is refreshing. http://www.fedcoseeds.com/

 

Someone mentioned garlic, yeah I am going to try that as well. Half the education of gardening seems to be learning that it is a year round experience.

[austrya]

I'm growing an heirloom variety of tomato this year and I'm saving the seeds to start plants with next year. There are all sorts of seed exchanges out there and hopefully I can grow most of my garden for free next year by using those. Nothing like eating organic for free!

[Mrs. Peel]

That's a great idea. I don't have any "rare" veggies that I can get seeds from this year, but maybe after I buy some for next year I can start trading in the future.

 

The weather report was calling for the potential of hail on Saturday, so I spent a long time rigging up a cover for my veggies and moving all the potted ones underneath a table. I also secured tarps over my beautiful hosta plants since last year they were destroyed by a 10 minute hailstorm. Of course, since I was proactive this time, we didn't get any hail, just heavy rain, and water quickly formed pools on top of the coverings, so as soon as it stopped I had to go back outside and undo everything I did before the plants were smothered. All seem to have fared well, though.

 

We spent the rest of the weekend clearing out some overgrown maple saplings (those suckers grow fast!) to get some more sunlight to the small raised bed. Building a potato bin is definitely on my list for next spring, as well as creating raised beds with trellises surrounding our patio.

 

yes, mrs. perm & i also volunteer with the green corn project, which goes around bringing organic gardens to people who can't afford to do it themselves, we teach them, build and help maintain the gardens for the first 2 years. it's great.

 

That's awesome, Permie!!

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Last night my dad told me that he and his wife always felt guilty about having a lawn in southern california. With food prices so high, they've decided to tear out the entire front lawn and plant veggies. Neat!

 

They were inspired by this family that lives in the same town:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?...3733&page=1

[Big Perm]

Yeah, we are trying to finish our "living" front yard, no more mowing or anything, it's beautiful and natural, we know many folks who do it, they inspired us.

 

and not all food, just native grass, and plants that sustain themselves with almost zero maintenance, yo we ow!

[Mrs. Peel]

That is so cool!

 

I was thinking of replacing the ornamental plants in a circular bed in front of our house with edible ones, but I'm not sure what would look attractive. Since it is the front yard I don't want tall stalks or vines running rampant.