Plotheads - Gardening Thread

[ISUCyclones2015]

Noticed there wasn't a gardening thread and I am sure CF has lots of folks that have a home plot or garden.


This year is my first year doing more than one plant since graduating. I also live downtown Dallas so my options are quite limited. So I went with the double 5 gallon bucket method.

From left to right there is Jalapeño, Hungarian WaxPepper, China Red Bell Pepper, Peri Peri Pepper, Roma Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, and finally Habenero Pepper.

I had a second Peri Peri plant but something ate it completely. My tomato plants are looking pretty terrible but I transplanted them probably a month late and the heat is getting to them.

 

[BoxsterCy]

So, Cyclones Pepperbucket Farms?

 

[carvers4math]

We’ve harvested both red and green cabbages, pablano peppers, and jalapeño peppers.

Have a dozen tomatoes, green, red, and yellow bells, cayenne and habanero peppers, potatoes, and cucumbers as well.

Southern Iowa, so a little dry, but not bad rain so far.

 

[cowgirl836]

also first year doing a "real"-ish garden.

Unfortunately, I noticed some yellow/brown leaves on my peppers tonight and the interwebz tells me it's probably early blight. I hope it doesn't reach my tomatoes

I have sweet corn, green/red peppers, muskmelon, watermelon, Amish paste, cherry, big beef and brandywine tomatoes, and zinnias along the back. Oh, and some herbs. Rosemary, basil, and oregano.

 

[StClone]

Doubt I will do much better than last year where as I had nearly 400 pounds of high quality spuds. My patch is 35' X 37' and have 116 hills of Red and Russets now.

In 2018 the only vine plant I am doing is Pickling Cukes (don't have use for Zucchini and melons/pumpkins take too much room). From spring I am still enjoying great butter lettuce, Spinach and Kale*. Have 17 Okra* plants, 10 cherry/grape/Beef Steak Tomatoes and 10 peppers (none hot). Here in Central Wis Toms are just starting to get about gulf-ball sized.

I have tons of Carrots, Kohlrabi* and three types beans.

* = Are my favorites and if you haven't tried making Kale Chips you may be in for a surprise.

 

[Macloney]

Noticed there wasn't a gardening thread and I am sure CF has lots of folks that have a home plot or garden.


This year is my first year doing more than one plant since graduating. I also live downtown Dallas so my options are quite limited. So I went with the double 5 gallon bucket method.

From left to right there is Jalapeño, Hungarian WaxPepper, China Red Bell Pepper, Peri Peri Pepper, Roma Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, and finally Habenero Pepper.

I had a second Peri Peri plant but something ate it completely. My tomato plants are looking pretty terrible but I transplanted them probably a month late and the heat is getting to them.

I wonder if your tomatoes are getting enough sun? Using a double bucket it shouldn't matter much that they were late, the heat can be tough though. They still should be a lot bigger by now.

 

[Tailg8er]

We have 1 habanero, 1 big beef tomato, and 1 blueberry bush (don't remember the kind, but it's one that is self pollinating - I think), all in pots on our deck. We've been getting 8 or so blueberries a week for 2-3 weeks now. 3 tomatoes plumping up nicely, and have 10 or so peppers - largest of which is about large thumb sized.

I think next year we might take the leap to a raised bed. We're also kicking around the idea of planting a couple apple trees.

 

[carvers4math]

We have an apple tree and a cherry tree.

Have trouble with deer eating the low hanging apples. They are why we quit planting sweet corn.

Have fenced for things rabbits eat. Mangy neighborhood fox has put a small dent in rabbit population.

 

[NWICY]

Some tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peas, onions, potatoes and new planting of rhubarb, so no sampling that for another yr even though it looks really good. Oh yeah also some asparagus.

 

[nocsious3]

I have 5 raised beds, each 27 sq. ft. I also have some smaller beds closer to the house that have mostly herbs.

My lettuce, peas, and regular spinach are done along with my detroit red beets and purple top turnips.

Currently growing:

Granex hybrid yellow onions
Danver's carrots
Red Bell peppers
Blau Hilde purple pole bean(heirloom)
Oregon Spring Tomato
Sungold Tomato (awesome!)
Black Cherry Tomato (heirloom)
Red Cherry Tomato
Goliath Giant Tomato
Brandy Boy Tomato
Orange Blaze Bell Pepper (awesome! and AAS award winner)
Strawberries (Albion variety, everbearing)
Pattypan Squash (can't remember variety, it's heirloom)
Zucchini (can't remember variety)
Yellow Squash (can't remember variety)
Seychelles Pole Green bean (awesome and AAS winner!)
Garlic
Sweet Basil
Lime Basil (very cool)
Malabar Spinach
Cilantro
Mint
Sage
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary (2 different kinds, one is called BBQ rosemary)
Blackberries ( Chester variety thornless and these are new this year and we won't get fruit this year)

 

[nocsious3]

also first year doing a "real"-ish garden.

Unfortunately, I noticed some yellow/brown leaves on my peppers tonight and the interwebz tells me it's probably early blight. I hope it doesn't reach my tomatoes

I have sweet corn, green/red peppers, muskmelon, watermelon, Amish paste, cherry, big beef and brandywine tomatoes, and zinnias along the back. Oh, and some herbs. Rosemary, basil, and oregano.

When you plant corn you really need at least a 4x4 area packet pretty tightly.

Tip:
When you read a seed packet and it says 6'' spacing it means 6" centers which corresponds to 3" apart. It's confusing and most people make that mistake. Corn is wind pollinated and you need that size plot to get good pollination and so you end up with nice full cobs with no missing kernels.

 

[carvers4math]

I have 5 raised beds, each 27 sq. ft. I also have some smaller beds closer to the house that have mostly herbs.

My lettuce, peas, and regular spinach are done along with my detroit red beets and purple top turnips.

Currently growing:

Granex hybrid yellow onions
Danver's carrots
Red Bell peppers
Blau Hilde purple pole bean(heirloom)
Oregon Spring Tomato
Sungold Tomato (awesome!)
Black Cherry Tomato (heirloom)
Red Cherry Tomato
Goliath Giant Tomato
Brandy Boy Tomato
Orange Blaze Bell Pepper (awesome! and AAS award winner)
Strawberries (Albion variety, everbearing)
Pattypan Squash (can't remember variety, it's heirloom)
Zucchini (can't remember variety)
Yellow Squash (can't remember variety)
Seychelles Pole Green bean (awesome and AAS winner!)
Garlic
Sweet Basil
Lime Basil (very cool)
Malabar Spinach
Cilantro
Mint
Sage
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary (2 different kinds, one is called BBQ rosemary)
Blackberries ( Chester variety thornless and these are new this year and we won't get fruit this year)

Is cilantro easy? It and limes are all I usually need to buy for salsa.

Also is garlic much work? I use so much of that. Do you do softneck or hardneck?

 

[nocsious3]

Is cilantro easy? It and limes are all I usually need to buy for salsa.

Also is garlic much work? I use so much of that. Do you do softneck or hardneck?

I do hardneck garlic. Garlic is easy, but you plant it in the Fall like a tulip bulb. I planted mine in late October. You just take a clove with the bottom root end facing down and put it maybe 2 or 3" under the soil. It comes up very early in the Spring and will be ready later this summer/early Fall. Look up garlic scapes though as you can harvest those right now and it's like bonus garlic.

Cilantro is easy but you need to keep planting it usually throughout the year because it grows and then goes to seed pretty quick. Just throw down a bunch of seed and lightly cover no more than 1/4 of dirt. 1/8 is probably better. Keep it moist and you'll have a bunch of Cilantro in a few weeks. You want a lot of seeds in a small area and you don't need to worry about crowding with Cilantro.

 

[carvers4math]

I do hardneck garlic. Garlic is easy, but you plant it in the Fall like a tulip bulb. I planted mine in late October. You just take a clove with the bottom root end facing down and put it maybe 2 or 3" under the soil. It comes up very early in the Spring and will be ready later this summer/early Fall. Look up garlic scapes though as you can harvest those right now and it's like bonus garlic.

Cilantro is easy but you need to keep planting it usually throughout the year because it grows and then goes to seed pretty quick. Just throw down a bunch of seed and lightly cover no more than 1/4 of dirt. 1/8 is probably better. Keep it moist and you'll have a bunch of Cilantro in a few weeks. You want a lot of seeds in a small area and you don't need to worry about crowding with Cilantro.

Thanks so much! The cilantro sounds super easy and I would have some by the time I am picking tomatoes.

I like the thought of doing the work in the fall on garlic, will have to investigate that a little more. Assuming maybe mulch through winter and storing the finished product somewhere dry like onions although we hang those.

 

[NWICY]

I have 5 raised beds, each 27 sq. ft. I also have some smaller beds closer to the house that have mostly herbs.

My lettuce, peas, and regular spinach are done along with my detroit red beets and purple top turnips.

Currently growing:

Granex hybrid yellow onions
Danver's carrots
Red Bell peppers
Blau Hilde purple pole bean(heirloom)
Oregon Spring Tomato
Sungold Tomato (awesome!)
Black Cherry Tomato (heirloom)
Red Cherry Tomato
Goliath Giant Tomato
Brandy Boy Tomato
Orange Blaze Bell Pepper (awesome! and AAS award winner)
Strawberries (Albion variety, everbearing)
Pattypan Squash (can't remember variety, it's heirloom)
Zucchini (can't remember variety)
Yellow Squash (can't remember variety)
Seychelles Pole Green bean (awesome and AAS winner!)
Garlic
Sweet Basil
Lime Basil (very cool)
Malabar Spinach
Cilantro
Mint
Sage
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary (2 different kinds, one is called BBQ rosemary)
Blackberries ( Chester variety thornless and these are new this year and we won't get fruit this year)

Amazing garden. If I may make one suggestion if you can get a triple crown thornless blackberry. I think you will like the flavor much better, they are quite a bit more sweet than the Chesters. They also show ripening better than the Chesters they get the shiny purple/black color vs kind of a dull purple/black of the Chesters. Either rate still an amazing garden you have.

 

[cowgirl836]

When you plant corn you really need at least a 4x4 area packet pretty tightly.

Tip:
When you read a seed packet and it says 6'' spacing it means 6" centers which corresponds to 3" apart. It's confusing and most people make that mistake. Corn is wind pollinated and you need that size plot to get good pollination and so you end up with nice full cobs with no missing kernels.

It's probably hard to tell from the picture, but the area with the corn is probably 6-7 ft wide by 5 ft deep? There's 3 vertical rows and one making a sort of upside down "L" as the border around the back. So I can plant them closer than the packet seems to indicate then? That's good because I read that and thought it was odd. Grew up on a farm and I was like no way the corn is that far apart. We never grew sweet corn though. I definitely put it closer than the directions, sounds like I could have done even closer. Have a couple bare spots where the seed didn't come up. Might have had them too deep.

And further examination of peppers this morning makes me think it's a bacterial spot, not blight. Unsure if that's better or worse, but I picked off the worst looking leaves and threw them in the trash to hopefully help stop it from spreading.

 

[cowgirl836]

every year I say I'm going to start strawberries somewhere so we can get going on that two year process, but I never do.

 

[nocsious3]

Amazing garden. If I may make one suggestion if you can get a triple crown thornless blackberry. I think you will like the flavor much better, they are quite a bit more sweet than the Chesters. They also show ripening better than the Chesters they get the shiny purple/black color vs kind of a dull purple/black of the Chesters. Either rate still an amazing garden you have.

The blackberries were a spur of the moment purchase with my daughter at Lowe's. I wish I would have researched the variety better.

 

[nocsious3]

every year I say I'm going to start strawberries somewhere so we can get going on that two year process, but I never do.

Bare root strawberries are pretty cheap really. You can get 25 bare root plants off of Amazon for like $15. Norse farms is a good vendor. I want to try the Delizz variety because I'm not super satisfied with the taste of my Albion variety.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

I wonder if your tomatoes are getting enough sun? Using a double bucket it shouldn't matter much that they were late, the heat can be tough though. They still should be a lot bigger by now.

It gets about 7 hours a day from my observations and that's about all I can give them since I am limited to my patio and the surrounding buildings. All of this was an experiment anyway so I am just happy they are growing somewhat.

Thanks so much! The cilantro sounds super easy and I would have some by the time I am picking tomatoes.

Cilantro is the devil to me and I can't seem to keep it alive. I would love to have a fresh little container of it but it hates me