The Joy of Gardening

[MsTinkerbelly]

My mother and sister were/are avid gardeners, and my sister married someone with magical gardening skills. I however have a major black thumb, and struggle to remember to water the trees and small number of plants we have.

My sister and her husband moved to Idaho this past January, and since there is such a small growing season, they started most of their plants in the house and are waiting for the thaw to plant. They have a large bank of floor to ceiling windows that are acting like a green house, and the pictures show that they are going to have a great bounty eventually.

The biggest problem for the garden will be the dear living on the property, as they live in the Forest on a mountain, but my b-in-law thinks he can build a fence that will keep them out. We will see..........

[Soft*Silver]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

The biggest problem for the garden will be the dear living on the property, as they live in the Forest on a mountain, but my b-in-law thinks he can build a fence that will keep them out. We will see..........

good luck on that..the fence line needs to be at least 9 foot high and even then if hungry, they will attempt to leap it. The best thing to do is to buy some mountain cat urine and keep it placed around the parameters of the garden. They stay away from their predators. The other thing they can do is to plant a hedge of boxwood around the fence line. They do not eat boxwood and its scent is strong to them and thus, they might not bother whats inside.

I too live in a short season area..range 5. NE Ohio. I cannot start anything inside because we have 4 cats and they tear up my starts. We are considering putting grow lights in a room in the basement, for a seed starting area. It would keep the cats away. Maybe next year once I get this garden started.

I freeze my seeds over from one year to the next. Most seeds that actually need a cold dormancy should be frozen for a few months, if not over the actual winter period.

I had a pup that use to climb into my raised beds and pull up all my plants. Lord he was a terror! LOL. He was so happy with himself for "helping" I couldnt hold it against him! He has passed on (long story short, a neighbor shot him. The neighbor is now in jail) but I will never forget him wagging his tail, smiling at me with my huge sage plant in his mouth!LOL

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by Chad

Hi friend,

Thank you for the tip on seeds. I love gardening, my parents and grandparents were avid gardeners. I grow food, herbs, and flowers.

Thank you,
Chad

You're welcome Chad.... But, after reading soft*silver's post on seed dormancy, I am now reminded about something: I keep my jars of seeds outside on the patio. We get four distinct seasons here (albeit each season comes with rain), so I'm guessing the seeds wintered properly on the patio. But you live in Texas, so maybe that's why you freeze your seeds (???).

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

My mother and sister were/are avid gardeners, and my sister married someone with magical gardening skills. I however have a major black thumb, and struggle to remember to water the trees and small number of plants we have.

My sister and her husband moved to Idaho this past January, and since there is such a small growing season, they started most of their plants in the house and are waiting for the thaw to plant. They have a large bank of floor to ceiling windows that are acting like a green house, and the pictures show that they are going to have a great bounty eventually.

The biggest problem for the garden will be the dear living on the property, as they live in the Forest on a mountain, but my b-in-law thinks he can build a fence that will keep them out. We will see..........

My sister lives in northern Idaho. It's very beautiful in her part of the panhandle ....(LoLo pass, area). Elk, deer, bobcats, cougars, bear, and moose, are sometimes spotted on her mountain. My sister's husband died suddenly two Christmases ago, but her husband's hobby was fly-fishing. He taught her how to fish....so she catches salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout during late springs runs until late summer, early fall. It sounds like your sister and her husband will enjoy living in northern Idaho.

Originally Posted by Soft*Silver

I make THE best chocolate toffee nut cookies in the world! And apple pie? Yes yes! Cherry pie, blackberry pie, strawberry pie...you name it. I am just getting into baking breads now. By hand, no machine.

I am not really a cake baker..tho I can and do make cakes. I just dont favor doing them. Not like I do cookies and pies!

I have won over many with my baking skills...it is a joy for me!

That's so sweet!

Originally Posted by Soft*Silver

good luck on that..the fence line needs to be at least 9 foot high and even then if hungry, they will attempt to leap it. The best thing to do is to buy some mountain cat urine and keep it placed around the parameters of the garden. They stay away from their predators. The other thing they can do is to plant a hedge of boxwood around the fence line. They do not eat boxwood and its scent is strong to them and thus, they might not bother whats inside.

I too live in a short season area..range 5. NE Ohio. I cannot start anything inside because we have 4 cats and they tear up my starts. We are considering putting grow lights in a room in the basement, for a seed starting area. It would keep the cats away. Maybe next year once I get this garden started.

I freeze my seeds over from one year to the next. Most seeds that actually need a cold dormancy should be frozen for a few months, if not over the actual winter period.

I had a pup that use to climb into my raised beds and pull up all my plants. Lord he was a terror! LOL. He was so happy with himself for "helping" I couldnt hold it against him! He has passed on (long story short, a neighbor shot him. The neighbor is now in jail) but I will never forget him wagging his tail, smiling at me with my huge sage plant in his mouth!LOL

I can tell you've got some awesome pointers on how to manage deer. Thanks for your helpful ideas!

I might add that deer love to eat roses. It's their "chocolate." They tend to do that often in late fall as they forage for food.

That's just awful what happened to your dog. My sincere condolences.

And .....Good Morning to all. Have a joyful day!

[Medusa]

I just potted some rosemary and a bell pepper plant. I do believe I'm heading back out for more because I need some basil, romas, and jalapeños

[Chad]

My morning glorys look great and are blooming. The cilantro is about an inch tall and looks great. The 4'o'clocks are not productive yet.

The peach tree has started blooming. Yay!

Lastly, the Dewberry vines have new berries growing. Yay!

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Chad

My morning glorys look great and are blooming. The cilantro is about an inch tall and looks great. The 4'o'clocks are not productive yet.

The peach tree has started blooming. Yay!

Lastly, the Dewberry vines have new berries growing. Yay!

I can't get my peach trees to fruit...any suggestions?

[MsTinkerbelly]

The weather has been so different in California this year, that my citrus and peach trees are already flowering, and my Japanese Empress tree is already growing leafs instead of blooms!

The Japanese empress loses all leafs in the late fall, grows beautiful flowers at the tip of all the branches in spring, and then grows large elephant sized leafs in summer/fall. Right now I have large green leafs, and a few of the branches have flowers.

Because of the early blooms, the bees are barely buzzing, and I haven't seen the big carpenter bees around the empress tree at all. I am seriously worried about the lack of bees...I have maybe 10 honey bees buzzing my fruit trees! Last year there were so many I would have to close my door to get some quiet.

Our food supply is in serious jeopardy without bees!

[Chad]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

I can't get my peach trees to fruit...any suggestions?

How old is your peach tree? Has it every produced peaches?

[Soft*Silver]

I finally got my berry garden in! Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries!

Veggie garden coming soon! My grand daughter is going to do this garden with me. I want her to grow up knowing where food comes from, that it isnt just found in stores!

At an auction, I bought a weather vane (with a horse of course!) on a pole, for my garden. I love it so much!

Sometime this week, I have to tackle my shade garden. It has become overgrown and I really need to get in there and pull out all the weeds!

I went to Lowes for soil today and god help me...it took everything in me not to buy out the store! There was so much I wanted to get! So many new ideas!

[Soft*Silver]

ok, I need suggestions. I have a troop of groundhogs living under my garage. Damn things eat my fresh plants! I am going to fence in my veggie garden, but I need a way of getting rid of these pests!

Has anyone successfully gotten rid of ground hogs? How did you do it?

[homoe]

A suggestion to keep an eye out for unique wooden boxes with either art or writing on them.

Nothing can brighten up even a small space more a colorful flower box!

[homoe]

Nice especially when your yard space is limited!

[Truly Scrumptious]

Originally Posted by Soft*Silver

I too live in a short season area..range 5. NE Ohio. I cannot start anything inside because we have 4 cats and they tear up my starts. We are considering putting grow lights in a room in the basement, for a seed starting area. It would keep the cats away. Maybe next year once I get this garden started.

You can actually make mini greenhouses with the bottoms of plastic soda bottles. They fit pretty tightly around the pots so unless your cats were really determined, the starts would likely be safe. A 2 L bottle bottom fits snugly around a 4 inch pot, and the 750 ml bottle bottom fits around a 2.5 inch pot. I have some lemon and grapefruit seeds starting this way right now so here's a pic of what I mean.

[Soft*Silver]

I actually use these when I plant seedlings outside. Inside, my cats are prone to use any dirt for litter boxes. I have tried for a few years, and they have won each year. LOL. So I am resigned to starting things outside. I DO want to get a greenhouse going eventually. However, I tend to do things in a big way when in reality, my age and my physical limitations might prevent things from happening. I need to bear all this in mind. I dont believe I am limited until I go to do something. LOL.

What I have going for me, is that I did an internship in horticulture therapy, and specialized in creating gardens for those who had limitations. So, I am designing everything this time, to accomodate me as I continue aging. I have raised beds, and am putting in a few more this year. I grow things vertically when I can...like berries and grapes, peas and beans, gourds and melons.

Originally Posted by Truly Scrumptious

You can actually make mini greenhouses with the bottoms of plastic soda bottles. They fit pretty tightly around the pots so unless your cats were really determined, the starts would likely be safe. A 2 L bottle bottom fits snugly around a 4 inch pot, and the 750 ml bottle bottom fits around a 2.5 inch pot. I have some lemon and grapefruit seeds starting this way right now so here's a pic of what I mean.

[Cin]

Originally Posted by Soft*Silver

Inside, my cats are prone to use any dirt for litter boxes.

Wow. That is impressive. These pots are about 3 inches around and the covers are pretty tight. I have trouble getting them off. Your cats must be quite dexterous, not to mention they gotta have some tiny little bums. LOL.

[Soft*Silver]

Originally Posted by Cin

Wow. That is impressive. These pots are about 3 inches around and the covers are pretty tight. I have trouble getting them off. Your cats must be quite dexterous, not to mention they gotta have some tiny little bums. LOL.

My one boy would spend his time trying to get the lids off. Jet Kitty destroyed the terrariums I had started last year, using pop bottles. They were much like these, but I included a tiny fairy and some whimsical items like itty bitty tiny tools and flower pots. I had to give them away to save them.

My tabby female is the one who scratches in the dirt and her momma, Tiny Teena is the main culprit who act as tho the pots are tiny litter boxes. The cats dont actually make it IN the dirt...the "fall out" drops to the side, but they scratch in the dirt... so i have poo and soil to clean up..and dead plants.

I had hoped to screen in my mud room/enclosed front porch and put some starts in there, but not this year. Thats a project that has gotten delayed.

the only plants I can have in my house right now are hanging plants...

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by Truly Scrumptious

You can actually make mini greenhouses with the bottoms of plastic soda bottles. They fit pretty tightly around the pots so unless your cats were really determined, the starts would likely be safe. A 2 L bottle bottom fits snugly around a 4 inch pot, and the 750 ml bottle bottom fits around a 2.5 inch pot. I have some lemon and grapefruit seeds starting this way right now so here's a pic of what I mean.

That's such a great idea, Truly.

I live in a densely populated urban setting, so I think I can use your helpful idea to grow starter plants at home. We have community gardens in various locales across the greater metro area, but I don't live close enough to any of them, to make use of this kind of program. So I'm going to make use of your idea. Thank you !

-------------------------------.

I'm not an avid gardener, but I do like to garden in small ways. Especially if I can use small foot print ideas and try not to support anything to do with Monsanto. But that's getting harder and harder to do lately. I read somewhere recently that plastic is now found in the human food chain, so that's a scary thought.

I did a tiny bit of looking online for resources that might come in handy (for anyone who wants to do their own research, etc).

Here are two resources that might help:

http://www.almanac.com/content/garde...-order-sources


https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com...-non-gmo-seeds

Happy Gardening.