Your Garden

I think we're going to be getting a greenhouse to put my 80 bazillion orchids in. I'd like to put it to good use growing tomatoes and other assorted yummies, since my dogs always eat my plants if I plant them in my yard.

Your basil that did not survive?? Is this some sort of exotic basil? The basil I grow is an annual that dies off with the first hard frost in autumn and I kiss it goodbye.

It wasn't exotic. Italian sweet basil from Bunton's. However, someone mentioned it potentially coming back from a fallen seed. Now that I think about it, I'll bet that is what happened. The little seedling popped up next to the original basil bush (which looked completely dead). Not being that knowledgable, I thought that maybe the above ground part of the plant had done some sort of underground runner & the seedling sprung up from that. Similar to what my mint does.

Similar to what my mint does.

LOL, Leann, when I first read that sentence I thought it said "Similar to what my mind does." And I thought Tell it girl, my mind does that, too...and then I realized you'd said MINT.

That's awesome! I almost snorted water out of my nose.

We have a really small Highlands backyard, so there's not a lot of room for veggies. However, I use the retaining wall that runs along the side of the yard with about 8 inches in width for herbs. Depending upon how bad the winter, some herbs are perennials & some I have to replant.

-Sweet Basil (hot house flower)
-Chives (perennial)
-Mint (you can't kill it. It's like kudzu)
-Shallots (perennial)
-Tarragon (perennial)
-Thyme (usually manages to hang on by a thread)
-Oregano (sometimes perennial)
-Flat leaf parsley (looks like some of the parsley might have survived)
-Curly parsley
-Cilantro (dead)
-Rosemary (Sometimes it survives, but not the past two winters)
-Regular Sage (it's a survivor)
-Purple Sage (seems to be even hardier)
-Lemon grass (dead)
-Various leaf lettuces (dead)
-Catnip (dead)

Leann,

If you feel like expanding, I've had very good results growing veggies in self-watering containers on my deck ( along with my raised beds). There is an excellent book on the subject: " Incredible Vegetables from Self-Watering Containers: Using Ed's Amazing POTS System ". I have a lot of gardening books from years of gardening and this one is excellent. I use the self- watering containers sold by Gardener Supply ( www.gardenersupply.com)- they are very well-made and last for years.

Deb

Here's mine:

Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Lemon Thyme
Chives
Oregano
Marjoram
Italian parsley
Basil ( Bunches)
No cilantro- I can't grow it

Green onions
Golden Beets
Red Beets
Several Lettuces
Spinach
Arugula
Swiss Chard
Red Kale
Brocolli
No snap peas- I swore last year I wouldn't try again- I never get many, and then it gets too hot. ( Brian reminded me of this when I talked about planting them again this year.
New crops this year- Asparagus and Rhubarb ( I'm so excitied- it only took me ten years to realize I'm staying in this house and could plant an "investment" plant)

Pole Beans
Filet Beans
Chinese Long Beans
Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes ( lots of different hybrids)
Strawberries
Blueberies
Nasturiums ( for salads)
NO eggplant- again I just can't get it to grow...
Squashes- Zucchini and Crookneck ( Trying again but I appear to be the only gardener who has problems with them)
Cucumbers
Small pumpkins

Deb

I encourage everyone to register for the http://www.15thousandfarmers.com/
as previously mentioned. You get some good perks. Also, pick up a copy of Edible Louisville for ideas and inspiration! Last year, I bought 10 grow boxes and had one heck of a yield. Grew it all on the porch. This year, I'm installing 4' by 24' raised garden bed. I'm using the grow boxes, too! And don't forget to grow some catnip for your felines- they love it!

I'm planting my first garden this year thanks to the help and guidance of the new local group started by Gary Heine and Valerie Kausen, 15 Thousand Farmers

I'm planning to do this too, but have a question - I probably won't get it set up until next weekend, thus I've missed the 4/1 date for lettuce, carrots, and peas - does it really matter if I get them in 2 or 3 weeks past the suggested date?

Having lived in an apartment or condo for the past 7 years, and just recently moving into a house, I'm a total newbie at all this.

I'm planting my first garden this year thanks to the help and guidance of the new local group started by Gary Heine and Valerie Kausen, 15 Thousand Farmers

I'm planning to do this too, but have a question - I probably won't get it set up until next weekend, thus I've missed the 4/1 date for lettuce, carrots, and peas - does it really matter if I get them in 2 or 3 weeks past the suggested date?

Having lived in an apartment or condo for the past 7 years, and just recently moving into a house, I'm a total newbie at all this.

Shouldn't hurt at all. You might have problems with your last planting cycle, but the first crops will be fine. For the most part, if the plants get warm weather, sunlight and water they grow.

I'm planting my first garden this year thanks to the help and guidance of the new local group started by Gary Heine and Valerie Kausen, 15 Thousand Farmers

I'm planning to do this too, but have a question - I probably won't get it set up until next weekend, thus I've missed the 4/1 date for lettuce, carrots, and peas - does it really matter if I get them in 2 or 3 weeks past the suggested date?

Having lived in an apartment or condo for the past 7 years, and just recently moving into a house, I'm a total newbie at all this.

Shouldn't hurt at all. You might have problems with your last planting cycle, but the first crops will be fine. For the most part, if the plants get warm weather, sunlight and water they grow.

Thanks. I figured it shouldn't make a great deal of difference as long as I'm not off by 2 months.

I'm planting my first garden this year thanks to the help and guidance of the new local group started by Gary Heine and Valerie Kausen, 15 Thousand Farmers

I'm planning to do this too, but have a question - I probably won't get it set up until next weekend, thus I've missed the 4/1 date for lettuce, carrots, and peas - does it really matter if I get them in 2 or 3 weeks past the suggested date?

Having lived in an apartment or condo for the past 7 years, and just recently moving into a house, I'm a total newbie at all this.

Brad,

Many spring crops don't like it when it gets warm and they go to seed ( bolt) or die off. Unfortunately Peas and lettuce are amongst these- when weather gets too warm the lettuce plants will bolt ( get tall, bitter and create seeds) and pea vines will stop producing and or/die. Carrots should be just fine- just very late. .At this point, my experience is you are too late for peas before the heat sets in, but it doesn't hurt to try. ( I always put peas in by St. Patricks Day and still barely get peas before they shrivel from the heat) . You might get in 1-2 crop of lettuce from seeds- look for seed that say "heat tolerant" if possible. The other option is transplants for lettuce- which is the way I would go. You can pick up small lettuce plants for very little money, and quickly recoup the couple of weeks you've lost. John has beautiful lettuces at the Bardstown Farmers market.

Hope that helps,

Deb
.

I encourage everyone to register for the http://www.15thousandfarmers.com/
as previously mentioned. You get some good perks. Also, pick up a copy of Edible Louisville for ideas and inspiration! Last year, I bought 10 grow boxes and had one heck of a yield. Grew it all on the porch. This year, I'm installing 4' by 24' raised garden bed. I'm using the grow boxes, too! And don't forget to grow some catnip for your felines- they love it!

Linda- Thanks for the lead on 15Thousand Farmers; I knew the organizations but didn't know you could get discounts. I'm getting the soil for my new raised bed at a discount - thanks to you!

Deb

Brad,

Many spring crops don't like it when it gets warm and they go to seed ( bolt) or die off. Unfortunately Peas and lettuce are amongst these- when weather gets too warm the lettuce plants will bolt ( get tall, bitter and create seeds) and pea vines will stop producing and or/die. Carrots should be just fine- just very late. .At this point, my experience is you are too late for peas before the heat sets in, but it doesn't hurt to try. ( I always put peas in by St. Patricks Day and still barely get peas before they shrivel from the heat) . You might get in 1-2 crop of lettuce from seeds- look for seed that say "heat tolerant" if possible. The other option is transplants for lettuce- which is the way I would go. You can pick up small lettuce plants for very little money, and quickly recoup the couple of weeks you've lost. John has beautiful lettuces at the Bardstown Farmers market.

Hope that helps,

Deb
.

Very helpful. Thanks, Deb.

My freaking spinach has some kind of dreaded lurgy...OUT comes the fungicide.

My plan to continue ignoring my garden after it's planted is now in action. Last year everything grew like mad when I ignored it, so I'm hoping this year I get similar results. The two thymes, the rosemary and the oregano are all back from last year and growing very well, and now I've got a couple more thymes, some different basils and a couple of mint plants in the backyard to go with.

I found out what my mystery plant from last year was. I remembered buying it and planting it, but I didn't hang on to the little card that came with it. It turned out to be vietnamese coriander, which is fine except for:

In many Vietnamese herbal remedies, it is used to repress sexual urges....Many Buddhist monks grow coriander in their private gardens and eat it frequently as a helpful step in their celibate life.