Garden 2025

[caseydog]

So I awoke this morning to see my grape plant stripped of its leaves. I have no idea what did that. It could have been a deer, but the thing would have had a neck 6ft long. Nothing else was touched. All I have left is a stem. Anyone know if it will survive?

Last night the wind came up, so I went out and tightened all the cords on the canopy cover and filled the cinder blocks with sand. Then I staggered inside.

All I did today was plant the corn and water everything. So naturally, now it's raining. Pffffft.

I have had large, green caterpillars do that. They were the size of one of my fingers. Two of them stripped half the leaves from my pepper plants before I saw them and stopped them.

CD

 

[KatyCooks]

I have finally constructed a Frankensteinian monster around the water butt on the edge of my patio. This is made of some donated trellis panels which have sat, unloved and very weathered, some black cable ties and a lot of outdoor paint. I also canabilised a fourth trellis to replace rotting bits and create the top piece. A watering can fits neatly (I measured). I appreciate this is nothing special, but this week in particular, I am immensely proud of my work.

 

[pepperhead212]

I got the first opened blossoms on both of the Jaspers, which are still the largest, but several have almost caught up, and number have some unopened buds on them. I went out to check them out, and was surprised that they were all dried out! The leaves, that is (I knew that the soil wouldn't be dry), but still, it's been very humid, and I don't touch anything out there if the leaves are wet. I clipped all the early suckers, which all of them have, of course, and noticed all those with unopened buds, even some of the larger plants. But only the Jaspers opened, so far.
First open tomato blossoms, on Jaspers, 5-16 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The cukes are taking off, and I snipped the smallest plants from each pot, leaving the best of the 2 or 3. I gave 6 extra seedlings to my friend today, along with 2 butternut squash seedlings, and she dropped off an extra cucumber seedling she had, so we both have 6 varieties of cucumbers, to compare this year!

 

[dragnlaw]

Nice Miss Katy! now if only those dandelions woudl grown like a vine it would be perfect!
..
.

JOKE!!! you know I'm just kidding, eh?

 

[rodentraiser]

I have had large, green caterpillars do that. They were the size of one of my fingers. Two of them stripped half the leaves from my pepper plants before I saw them and stopped them.

CD

It was a deer. This morning I walked out and the rose and the tomatoes were stripped down to nothing. All I can figure out is the deer jumped over the gate. The arbor is 7ft and the gate is only about 2 1/2 feet tall under it, so that leaves about 5 ft for the deer to jump through. I didn't think the doe would jump the gate with the arbor overhead but she did, so right now I have it blocked off and my empty tomato cages are pointed right at it. If the deer jumps the gate this time, it'll impale itself and I can't say I'd feel bad.

Tomorrow I'll go to Ace and get some wind chimes that will hang from the top of the arbor and about 7ft of more hardware cloth, which I'll lay over the entrance to the gate. Deer don't like stepping on metal, so I think that might do the trick.

I can replace the tomatoes, but the rose is probably toast for this year and that really upsets me.

 

[blissful]

It was a deer. This morning I walked out and the rose and the tomatoes were stripped down to nothing. All I can figure out is the deer jumped over the gate. The arbor is 7ft and the gate is only about 2 1/2 feet tall under it, so that leaves about 5 ft for the deer to jump through. I didn't think the doe would jump the gate with the arbor overhead but she did, so right now I have it blocked off and my empty tomato cages are pointed right at it. If the deer jumps the gate this time, it'll impale itself and I can't say I'd feel bad.

...

A venison garden.
So far this year we've dispatched a few rabbits and we're just about at the point of putting more plants in. What will it be this year, eating our garden besides us? Raccoons...deer...rabbits....?

One interesting and exciting thing about the gardens/SPRING is this for us. Our linden tree almost 40 years? old, great big lovely tree hasn't bloomed now for about 3 years. (it didn't bloom until it was about 25 years old) We only started keeping the bees 2 years ago and we're on year 3. The linden is appearing to be preparing to blossom! This is very exciting, it perfumes the air for about 3 weeks, and it will double the honey flow for that period of time. Linden (also called Bass trees and Lime trees) have a bract (it is a leaf different than the usual linden leaf) with flowers.

I will also collect the bract (sp?) and flowers (which are in tiny clusters) to use in an herbal tea. They are known to help with sleep, relaxation, and anxiety. The flowers are used in some perfumes. Tinctures of the flowers are also made then added to sugar syrup for a cordial. The young linden leaves are tender this time of year and edible. The bees love this tree too.

I wonder if the honey from the linden flowers will also be a natural medicinal that will work to enhance sleep?

 

[Kathleen]

@blissful Bliss, your garlic seems to be thriving! I am hopeful!!! The beets are limping along with them, so I am hopeful there as well. Perhaps you sent me something that broke my curse!!! When should I harvest?

Sadly, most of the onions died. I am using the space to grow an acorn squash with three kinds of mini-melons. I will trellis them to attempt to avoid rodents or racoons from getting to them before we do. A few onions survived so I am simply letting them be.

The potatoes growing in brown boxes have really ramped into high gear. If the beans and potatoes grow, we won't starve! Well, one of us won't!

 

[KatyCooks]

Nice Miss Katy! now if only those dandelions woudl grown like a vine it would be perfect!
..
.

JOKE!!! you know I'm just kidding, eh?

Bloody things!!!

Meanwhile, I complained to my tomato plant supplier that only 5 of the ordered 10 tomato plants had arrived. So they sent me another 10. So now I have 15, which is too many to cope with in my tiny garden. I usually have 2....

Most will die I am sure... but today I watched a video by an American guy who said some interesting things about tomato growing... (for instance - "don't put them in full sun" and "don't pinch them out".)

So, I will be moving my ludicrous amount of tomato plants into the the shade of my lovely tree - and putting flowers that love sun into their place! We shall see what happens.

 

[blissful]

@Kathleen harvest for garlic isn't until the end of june or beginning of july. There is a scape that will come up in the middle, which you can cut off while the bulb gets bigger. (middle of june?) Being in those raised beds means you'll need to water a little more, keeping it mildly moist until it is getting near harvest.
Think about harvesting after the 4th of July.

I weeded around the stalks of the garlic tonight. We have them planted in landscape fabric which cuts down on the weeding by 95%. 9 rows of 33, so around 300. Funny looking weed I found, it looked just like an okra plant. There were lots of seeds that didn't germinate last year so I guess that is where that came from. We pulled it up and replanted it in the other garden.

 

[dragnlaw]

"Up here" we plant our garlic after Halloween. We harvest after the scapes appear and start to turn. Best not to let them bloom.
Cut the scapes when you will. I'm thinking of harvesting them soon this year as I found them a little tough last year.
Wait and let the leaves start to turn brown. Let those bulbs get big!

 

[larry_stewart]

I think the huge amount of rain we had the past week or two messed up my onions. The greens on most of them are wilted and floppy. Im hoping they bounce back . Everything else seems to be ok, although we'll be getting a cold spell ( not freezing, just cold) the next week or so. Ive been hardening everything for the past few weeks, so I dont think Ill have an issue.

Hoping to get cukes, kirbies, string beans, pole beans , remaining sunflowers , eggplants in tomorrow .

I'll be making room for sweet potatoes and okra which will go in in a week or two. Got the slips rooting and the okra in pots with their second set of leaves ..

I still have some left over onion plants that still appear to be vital, do you think it's too late to plant them and get full sized onions ? I initially planted the others 1st week of April and usually harvest July'ish?

 

[blissful]

@larry_stewart we are in the middle of planting our onions just now. We put some in last week, some this week and we'll put more in next week.
You CAN, if you wish, cut the greens on your onions back a little so the weight of them does not bend the neck of the onion. Look around in YOUTUBE for MI Gardener. He trims his onions while they are seedlings, then later as they grow. Once the neck of the onion is bent, the onion is done getting bigger so try to keep it straight as long as possible. That is what is last video was about.

We have a cold spell tonight. The tomatoes were brought in the house. The cold frame closed up. The cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower-I covered with empty produce boxes-plastic, with stones on top so they don't blow in the wind. This may help if we get a freeze. I hope this is the last freeze of the season.

 

[dragnlaw]

Haven't actually planted anything yet. I've bought a few things but need to finish getting the nets up and around the garden beds. Those darling chickens can make havoc in there.
I'm discovering all sorts of things I never worried about on the farm. Lots of space is the first thing that comes to mind.

 

[dragnlaw]

Worked in the garden all afternoon. Helped DIL (at least I hope she thought I was helping LOL).
Planted some Fennel. Had bought two pots with ferns about 4"? She looked up a video and they separated each of the fronds when transplanting. So what I thought was 2 is now 7 (or 9?). Tiny fronds but I hope at least some of them will take!
Some lettuce (Buttercrisp) 8.
Fixed the nets but still need a lot of work on them. Placed the parsley and the basil but didn't actually put them in.
The beds are 8 x 4 and we cover them with nets. Birds, squirrels, chickens, rabbits, possums, cats. I crawled around one bed screwing in some 1.5/8th's every 12" or so (my aching back and knees). Just to hook the netting on.
Not sure if my body will allow me to do another bed tomorrow. (yes I can, yes I can, yes I can, yes I can)
DIL dug up and replanted the hanging strawberries in their baskets. We were advised to wintered them in the ground. They are flowering but the chickens love their leaves! Arghhh. So at least the chickens can't reach the leaves. Unfortunately I just remembered, last year the bird (sparrows?) loved the berries and would snatch them up before we could.
Last year I planted a red(?) current bush, it survived the winter and is looking pretty green! Whopeee! Not sure the blueberries survived, saw some tiny green leaves but not even sure they're from the bush or weeds beside them. Time will tell.
Tarragon, 2 Sage, 2 Thyme, Oregano, Chives, Garlic Chives all came back. Tarragon is small but I'm so happy it survived.
Will get some more Basil and Parsley to put in the planters on the deck for a quick grab at suppers. Pulled a chunk of baby chives that started in the herb box, will see if they survive transplant. Have kept them watered but forgot to pot them today.... ahh, there's always tomorrow, if they survive.

 

[larry_stewart]

Very busy day in the garden today. Started the day at 5am ( Im up with the birds basically ).
- Planted Cucumbers, Kirby's, Various string beans , Various pole beans, moved the parsley , made a few herb pots ( basil and parsley), leeks, the left over peppers in pots, which ill plant in the main garden when the garlic is harvested, a few melons, pruned the lower leaves of some of the tomatoes and peppers, moved the cauliflower and broccoli pots into the main garden to get them off the patio, removed the mason bee houses and replaced them with leave cutter bee houses ( only difference is the size of the holes they use to make their cocoons). Noticed a small cauliflower starting to head. Orange tree blooming ( smells as nice as lemon tree flowers ), Figlets forming on about half of the varieties of figs I have. One of the pics shows my dirty finger pointing to the holes of the mason bee house occupied by cocoons made of mud/ clay .

 

[larry_stewart]

@larry_stewart we are in the middle of planting our onions just now. We put some in last week, some this week and we'll put more in next week.
You CAN, if you wish, cut the greens on your onions back a little so the weight of them does not bend the neck of the onion. Look around in YOUTUBE for MI Gardener. He trims his onions while they are seedlings, then later as they grow. Once the neck of the onion is bent, the onion is done getting bigger so try to keep it straight as long as possible. That is what is last video was about.

We have a cold spell tonight. The tomatoes were brought in the house. The cold frame closed up. The cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower-I covered with empty produce boxes-plastic, with stones on top so they don't blow in the wind. This may help if we get a freeze. I hope this is the last freeze of the season.

I've actually seen MI Gardener in the past. Seems pretty knowledgeable. I actually did clip the leaves, which I've done in the past once or twice ( probably after watching is video). haven't done it in a few years, but in light of what's going on with my onions,, I figured it might be a smart thing to do, and I had nothing to lose. I checked on them today, and about %90 look ok, but a few look beyond saving. What kills me is that Im doing exactly what ive always done. The only difference is the amount of rain weave gotten this spring ( more than usual). But what also baffles me is I have a few onions in another area of my property that must have made it through the winter. They look too perfectly healthy. nice and green, long firm leaves, and they have been completely ignored. No fertilizer, weeding and dont get good sun. I almost didnt grow onions this year because of the unpredictable out come , or maybe it is predictable. About 1/3 are keepers , 1/3 ok ( golf ball sized or less), and 1/3 not worth the effort to peel them. Oh well, back to the drawing board. it will give me something to read up on this weekend .

 

[Kathleen]

@larry_stewart I'm willing to embark on the onion journey with you. I have always struggled to produce any kind of root vegetable with the exception of potatoes. I'm so excited by the possibility of getting garlic this year. When I bought honey from Bliss, she graciously sent me some seed garlic which I planted. So I don't know whether it is a lucky change for me or Bliss's garlic that has me hopeful. Beets in front of the garlic are limping along but I am hopeful there too.

The onions were heartbreaking. I bought a selection of bulbs from Dixonson's Farms. They started beautifully and then all fell flat. Like here we are lalalala and now we are dead. I *really* would love to have onion growing.

BTW, have y'all tried the honey that Bliss's bees produce? If not, go for it! It is absolutely delicious! You can get it in a bottle or still in the comb. Yes, this is a shameless plug for Bliss but I am not compensated for it except for the enjoyment of the delicious honey that we purchased from her!

 

[dragnlaw]

Spent a couple more hours in the garden today. Got the herbs in and the tomatoes.
I'm impressed with the fennel, all seem to be standing up!

those others are lettuce and my little tarragon
Tomatoes are 4 Better Boy and 4 San Marzano, will get 4 mini types.

Split the pulled chives into 4 bundles and plonked them in some empty plastics from the other herbs. They looked pretty green!
Strawberries are perky today after being moved into the air.

Still have to secure the nets on the tomatoes, the ends are still open. Also still have two beds not even planted yet. Pea's in pods and green bean and maybe yellow bean too. But as they are from seeds must make sure the nets are ready first! Not feeding the wild birds and already feed the chickens their own stuff. LOL.

We have 9 bags for potatoes that will go on the grass to the left of the garlic.
My pole bean last year were a spectacular failure. Will try again but want to wait till the forget-me-nots have finished as that's were I put them. While I'm waiting I'll try to tie the poles into teepee tents.

 

[rodentraiser]

One interesting and exciting thing about the gardens/SPRING is this for us. Our linden tree almost 40 years? old, great big lovely tree hasn't bloomed now for about 3 years. (it didn't bloom until it was about 25 years old) We only started keeping the bees 2 years ago and we're on year 3. The linden is appearing to be preparing to blossom! This is very exciting, it perfumes the air for about 3 weeks, and it will double the honey flow for that period of time. Linden (also called Bass trees and Lime trees) have a bract (it is a leaf different than the usual linden leaf) with flowers.

I wonder if the honey from the linden flowers will also be a natural medicinal that will work to enhance sleep?

A friend gave me the book "Miles to Go" about the Arabian stallion *Witez II. From that book I learned that linden trees are very special in Poland.

I haven't done anything in the garden for three days, but it's been blowing a cold wind and alternately cloudy and rainy. I just don't like going outside in weather like that.

But the good news is, no more deer depredations. I had crisscrossed the space above the gate with parachute cord, which was fine, except I had to take it down every time I went through.

So I got some wind chimes (that don't chime, naturally, what do you expect for only $15?) and 7ft of 3ft wide hardware cloth. I took down the parachute cord and put up the chimes and then laid down the wire under the gate, 3ft of it on my side and 4ft on the other side. I replanted the tomatoes and so far - knock on wood - no deer has gotten in to chow anything else down.

Of course, they go in a large circle in our neighborhood, coming back every couple of days. So we'll see what happens in the next week.

 

[Kathleen]

I went to check on the raised beds outback today. We have had a couple of inches of rain. The melons and squash seem to be happy, but the garlic looked beaten up. Some of the garlic plants seem to be rotted right where the leaves touched the bulb. This has happened in the past, but this raised bed has very good drainage. So...I am worried that the garlic will die like it has in the past. Does anyone have suggestions?

Also, I noticed multiple scape emerging, so I've clipped those and will use them soon in something.