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Garden Gate:  Garden Chit -Chat  |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 08:45:17 AM
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Hello out there, does anyone want to chat about gardening or your garden in general? This is a subject close to my heart it's not only a food produceing activity but can be a meaningful part of your life. My neighbor said to me one day " I leave digging in the dirt to other people" and I thought, how sad. If you don't dig in the dirt you miss out on so much of what life has to offer. I had a gaden in south eastern Idaho for 15 seasons, I didn't know much about composting, useing mulch, or companion planting. I just planted the seeds and they grew. I thought I had a green thumb, I was younger and more naive, and did not realize the rich volcanic soil, warm summer weather and the lucky Gods were taking care of things. The season was short but still the gardens were abundant and showy! Then I moved to southern Utah, No problem I thought Twice the length of the growing season-Wrong! I'm more humble now but the challenges and failures keep my interest up. My gardening goes like this. Jan.- Like everyone, everywhere get out the seed catologs and start wishing, but if you order new catologs or seed they won't arrive until late april you should have most of the garden in by then so it can withstand the summer heat. Start planting the first of March for the same reason, some days will be 80 degrees and you think what a glorious spring, but then without fail, April will have a killer frost and take fruit blossoms and whatever else you did'nt protect. Every thing might go fine until June most plants suffer through the summer heat (sometimes over 110 degress) until Sept. then they put on new growth. Sometime in Nov. there is the killer frost, then a winter rest and I start all over! Sometimes my neighbors cattle come by, or bust in rather- to campout in the garden for the night, coyotes love to munch the cantaloupes when they can't find my cats. and occasionally I look under a squash vine to find a sleeping rattlesnake. I'm not whining I love it here but I'm still learning. I think gardening should be that way. It's not something you learn and then your done, it's a process, an on going experience, every day , every season is different, I guess that's the main reason I do it. I have to go to work now. but I hope someone will join me on this subject. How about southern gardening? or North Dakota? ( are there gardens in Noth Dakota?-just kidding) What about Alaska? I happen to know you have amazingly abundant gardens tucked away behind the snow bank!
Farmgirl/gardener-Potter/Poet |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 08:58:47 AM
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Hello Kathy,
Yes, I'll join you in my love of gardening. I think I'm rather blessed in my location for gardening (North Central Washington state), and have had vegetable gardens on and off now for 25 years or more. Recently my vege space is just postage size, but it produces enough fresh veges for me during the summer and fall months and isn't too consuming to take care of. I also have flower gardens, in a rather jumbled combination that resembles the Victorian style, with roses and lots of perennials, which I supplement with a few annuals each year. It compliments my cottage size house nicely. I spend as much time as possible outdoors, and I too especially love digging in the dirt. I thought it came from my farm upbringing, but maybe it's just something that's in ones genes. It is theraputic for me to putter outside, and when a rest is in order, nothing beats a good book in a nice shady location on a hot summer day. We had a spurt of very warm weather the last week or so, and lately it's back to more seasonal temps, but I sure enjoyed it while it lasted... and I'm sure it will return. Thanks for sharing your interest! Clare
Gardener, Stitcher, Appreciator of all things Natural, & Spiritual Explorer |
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Paula J.
True Blue Farmgirl
68 Posts
Paula
OK
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 09:11:47 AM
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Funny how your post corresponded somewhat with my thoughts this morning as I was driving home from taking the kids to school. 
We moved into this house in early March. There is sod in the front yard and a bit in the back; the rest of the acre is mud, rock, weeds, and leftover building materials at the moment. Part (a big part) of the reason my DH fell in love with this house was the chance to landscape "from the ground up" and part of that landscaping will include a new veggie/herb garden for me. His currents drawings call for a lovely garden towards the back of the yard, behind an arbor with a picnic table. I want to get started, but know the land probably needs a year of mulch and compost before I put anything in the ground. It was a pasture in its "previous" life!
Maybe I can do some container gardening this year, although we get a lot of wind out here on the prairie, along with the west sun, so things may dry out or burn up.
Have any of you started with a blank slate? How did you plan what you wanted to do? Aarrgh ... the possibilities are driving me crazy! 
Paula J.
Collinsville, OK
Paula J.
Collinsville, OK
dragonflybodywork@earthlink.net |
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HiDez Gal
True Blue Farmgirl
122 Posts
Roberta
Joshua Tree,
CA
USA
122 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 2:00:12 PM
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Hi Kathy,
Gardening in your area sounds so much like my area that i had to chuckle reading your post...i keep a piece of plastic pipe in my garden during the summer months so i can lift squash leaves, etc. before i stick my hand down to pick because you never know what might be sleeping beneath the leaves.
Southern California is often thought of as kind of a garden spot with a pretty good growing climate but i am out the high desert which has really different growing conditions. As you spoke about the sudden temperature changes i was able to relate because we have the warm ups and then a sudden cold snap and then all of a sudden it is summer. We have lots of wind which can be hard on some plants but i have learned some ways to buffer the wind a bit and create some pockets with their own little microclimates for those things that aren't going to survive without that type of care. I actually moved the garden from its original location at my husband's suggestion and was he ever right about where to place it. The new location is so much better protected and the scaled down, intensively planted garden is so much easier for me to care for and uses much less water. It is now on the east side of our house - morning sun, afternoon shade and southern sun in the winter. I was much too ambitious with my first garden which was very large and although it was on a part of our property with pretty good, deep soil as well as completely fenced - including a chicken wire cover, in this difficult climate i made way too much work for myself with too many beds and planting things that were just not well suited.
My biggest garden pests are the Beechy Ground Squirrels (called Rock Squirrels in some parts of the West) and the pack rats. They can live where they want outside of my garden just not in it. When they invade my little spot i generally trap them in a Havahart and move them down the road a bit. My husband always teases that "the squirrel beat you home" but it really does seem to help take some of the pressure off of my plants if i set the Havahart regularly. The Beechy's are very destructive and seem to like to go down the bed and prune everything to the ground. I wouldn't mind sharing if they left a little for us but they are greedy little souls. I do have a fence around my garden but they can climb practically anything. Once the resident bobcats begin rearing their young we seem to have fewer rodents which helps to keep those populations under control. (Just don't eat my chickens Miz Bobcat! Aren't i the fussy one?!) |
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sourjayne
worker bee
67 Posts
sarah
seattle
washington
67 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 2:07:56 PM
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I started pretty much clean -- I moved into a little house in December, so I haven't seen it during the growing season. I have no idea what might already be here, or what it will look like when the surrounding trees and shrubs are in bloom.
The people who lived there before had a large dog who had free reign over the small yard. He managed to destroy all but a few stubborn clumps of whatever lawn there was, and, when the snow melted, I found the dog had left half the yard covered in mess.
On the first nice day, I raked all the debris away and felt much better about the place. I drew a little layout of the yard, shading in where the fences and trees cast shadows in the morning and afternoon.
I started collecting seeds. Any time I went to a store and passed a rack, I'd grab a packet of whatever flower looked good at the time. Then I came across a seed catalog and ordered a packet of everything that I wanted to try. I don't know if many of these plants will grow here, but I thought it'd be fun to try out as many plants as I want, finding which ones I like growing and noting it for later.
I looked on the seed packet and made a list of plant height and light requirements. I know I should pay attention to soil and watering requirements, but I'm not going to kid myself. I don't have time to be that finicky. If it grows, great! If not, better luck next time.
Then I went to my drawing of my yard and filled in plants that grow in sun in the sunny areas, plants that grow in shade in the shady areas... plus I checked a few gardening books for info on companion gardening. If a book said to grow cosmos near lettuce, or whatever, I'd fill it in on my drawing. I also tried to put the tall plants along fences and walls and shorter plants in front. I'm going for an informal, cottagey, flowers exploding everywhere type of thing.
I asked around, and got "May 15" as a good bet for the average date of the last frost in this area. I marked every weekend on my calendar backwards; "four weeks until May 15," "six weeks until May 15," "8 weeks until May 15." I organized my seed packets by when they can be started indoors, according to the package. I started pansies and violas first, then, a couple weeks later, "Evening Glories" in peat pots, bell peppers, lavendar... Coming up on the 4 week mark, my house is starting to feel full of little seedlings. I can't wait to plant them outside so I can have my kitchen table back!
When it was warm the last couple of weeks, I went out and worked the soil, planted some lettuce and kale, and sprinkled some clover seed around. I read that it makes a good living mulch, and it improves the soil for planting stuff in it later. I also bought a few pansies and violas from a local nursery, just to have some blooms for early color.
I was pleased to find some tulips and hyacinths coming up. They're behind schedule, looking around at everyone else's yard, but at least they're coming up now.
I really have no idea what I'm doing. I read a lot of books on gardening, and look stuff up on the web. I built a compost bin from a design I found on the web -- a cylindrical wire thing. There are a lot of huge earthworms in my soil. They stretch out after I've watered at night -- they're enormous! That has to be a good sign. I'm getting very excited to see what this summer will bring.
Sarah (sourjayne)
No artificial sweeteners added. |
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Paula J.
True Blue Farmgirl
68 Posts
Paula
OK
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2004 : 6:27:31 PM
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Here in Oklahoma, a man was bitten at a Lowe's or Home Depot (can't remember which) over the weekend. He picked up a plant in the garden center and surprised a rattlesnake. Yikes!
pj
>>i keep a piece of plastic pipe in my garden during the summer months so i can lift squash leaves, etc. before i stick my hand down to pick because you never know what might be sleeping beneath the leaves.<<
Paula J.
Collinsville, OK
dragonflybodywork@earthlink.net |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 09:42:47 AM
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Good Morning everyone, No wind today! wow what a treat! just a glorious spring day.
Clare, I have a wonderful visual of your victorian style flower garden, sometimes I think about what I'll plant if I ever move to a cooler climate again here is whats on my wish list- first and most showy the peonies, next the columbines-have you ever looked close at the detailed design of a columbine blossom? I call them the fairy flowers. then comes Oriental poppies,and clematis vines. I have holyhocks,and lilacs, but don't do very well for me. I would take Iris and daylilies with me they are my faithful companions and true believers in (one of the members quotes)-bloom where you are planted. I agree There is nothing like reading a good book in the shade of a beautiful garden!
Paula, I think you are wise to be patient and think compost! for a while. I'm also envious of the opportunity to start with a clean slate so many fun possibilities! I have one suggestion, ask the neighbors from which direction the wind usually blows the hardest and then plant a good wind break. I hope you keep us posted about your progress.
HiDez Gal, Does that mean-High desert farmgal? WoW I know you can relate to my frustration with hour to hour climate changes! I hear your frustrations with the squirrels I love em but I can't live with em. I have domestic cats instead of Bobcats they keep the gophers and squirrels at bay, However, I had to build them a cat-house and lock them up at night because of the coyotes. This makes them way less productive and The gophers know their bedtime schedule. I am learning the hard way about your idea of a smaller protected,intensivly planted, microclimate garden. In order to manage the precious water. I love your last line--Plez don't eat my chickens miss Bobcat---
Sarah What fun for you to be in a new place and enjoy the blooming surprises as they appear it might make this spring extra special. enjoy the journey, and no detail of your garden would be to small to post about, tell us like you see it!
Kathy A.
Farmgirl/gardener-Potter/Poet |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 10:44:42 AM
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How fun to find another Utah gal! I am about center of the state though...and sounds like you have it harder, gardening wise!! We can't plant here quite yet, but its gettting green out and the tulips are blooming. My little herb garden that I planted in the front yard last year (a big half circle..my husband and the nieghbors thought I had lost my mind I am sure) has alot of things coming back..that is fun to see.
We moved her almost 2 years ago from Central coast of Calif where it is most of the time 75 degrees all year, but foggy...SOOOOO...an entirely different experience here. I love the seasons alot though. And...wonder of all wonders..I can grow great tomatoes and peppers!! I got a lot carried away with them last year, so I have salsa canned for the year, and lots of frozen Zuchinni too!! I have my veggie garden fence out back...it is pretty big, not sure of the measurements. I have had my 6 sheep "fertilizing it" all winter and soon they will be moved out so I can till it up and get started planting a few things. I found out last year that I need to get it all planted by the third week in May so it dosn't get too hot too soon. I should have my peas planted this weekend..we will see if the weather cooperates. Our local nursery opens tomorrow for the season. I will be there with bells on!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Paula J.
True Blue Farmgirl
68 Posts
Paula
OK
USA
68 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2004 : 4:02:31 PM
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Excellent idea; hadn't thought to double-check re: wind. Thanks!  I'll definitely keep you posted. It will be an adventure, that's for sure.
One other thing we're trying to work into the "mix" is making room for some tunnels and other dog training stuff. I do earthdog with my Welsh Terrier. We use 9"x9" wooden tunnels and I need to do some work with my dog, as he currently isn't working the rats like he should. So we'll be adding the doggy area to the landscape theme -- not my husband's ideal, but it's reality, so he'll have to live with it! Oh, yes, and there must be room for the kids' trampoline, as well. Think I better look at these plans to make sure he's allowed for everything ...
pj
[quote]Originally posted by Kathy A.
I have one suggestion, ask the neighbors from which direction the wind usually blows the hardest and then plant a good wind break. I hope you keep us posted about your progress.
Paula J.
Collinsville, OK
dragonflybodywork@earthlink.net |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2004 : 09:11:51 AM
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Hello Aunt Jenny,---Looks like you have a very busy (farmgirl) life with so many different animals and gardening projects. How's the weather- Up there in central Utah? We had the most beautiful rain storm on saturday night I think it probably reached you also. I'm concerned about the drought but you know we have had rain this winter and spring and the desert is in full bloom many flowers and bushes I have never even seen before are decked out! Every thing is putting on a show. the cactus-clarett cups are particularly beautiful I need to grab my camera and go snap some pictures. by the way the quote you use has such a great feel to it -Bloom where you are planted- Did you have a garden on the California coast? and was it a major adjustment to transplant and bloom in Central Utah? We probably both agree with Sarah and others that farmgirl is a state of the heart. and Bloom where you are planted is a trait of farmgirls every where.
Hello Sarah, Concerning those huge earthworms of yours---I love em- they are our best allies in the garden but when I was a child digging in the flower bed I came across some of those big Idaho earthworms and I was petrified I thought my gardening career was over for sure, and I was only 8 or 9. Anyway, just this week I read about the worlds largest earth worms They grow in one small area of Australia and can reach 12 feet length and 6 inches in diameter. People can actually hear them moving through the earth making a gurgling sound. I'm not kidding....
cheers, Kathy A.
Farmgirl/gardener-Potter/Poet |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2004 : 10:39:53 PM
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Hi Kathy! Yes, I did have a garden in Calif..and boy was it different..sandy soil that I had to water every day...foggy weather, about 75 degrees year round...what a change..but I LOVE the difference! Here we can grow a good tomato..and peppers too, and things are just more fun when there is a challenge, don't you think?
We got snow today!! I couldn't believe my eyes when the high winds we had this afernoon blew in a full on snowstorm!! It snowed for several hours this evening!! I had just noticed today that my lilacs are starting to bloom and the violets that grow under them are coming up again. I love spring. Even weird ones like this year!!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2004 : 10:33:23 AM
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Clare,
I loved the article. I am definately a wabi-sabi gardener! I love every square inch of it and if it is not working with what I put in it I just move stuff around! I have in the past lived in neighborhoods where home owners associations dictated what I could and could not do in my "Yard". It was hard to live within such strict guidlines as what color to paint my house let alone what flowers I could grow. No veggie gardens! We did not live there very long. I have expresssed in the forum topic regarding spirit of place that I use everything we dig up from the earth out here as a form of yard art. Some old car parts have become trellises for clematis vines. Other things have become fashioned into a sort of primitive wind chime. Some tractor parts have been hung in the old (ancient) apple tree to use as a place to hang fuchia baskets. Broken pottery and glass canning jars have become mosaic stepping stones and siding for bird houses. I could go on and on. Just completed moving my iris bed into 6 raised beds lining my driveway, These beds are raised by means of using anything that I could put together to form a box of sorts. Lots of boulders that we have dug up in other areas are lining some of these raised beds. Come spring when all begins to wake up it will be a wonderful greeting to anybody who happens to come up my drive. Happy gardening to you all
Eileen
songbird |
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RavenSkylar
Farmgirl at Heart
1 Posts
1 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2005 : 9:01:48 PM
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Hello to all:
I need some help-I am brand new to gardening, and not really sure what plants grow best in Washington State. I'v recently moved into a house and have a huge yard with LOTS of evergreen trees. I have 3 flower beds-1 is all rhodes, i have planted some lillies-Day and Stargazers(which are by far my favorite), a wagelia, lupins and some butterfly bushes, in with them. The other one is all bulbs-tulips-columbine(wild I think), and small irises. The last is hydrengas, snapdragons, and some type of daisies(light purple petals, with a dark, almost blue, middle)-I don't know if the snapdragons and daisies will come back this year or not. I have a chain link fence i would like to plant some type of flowering vine plant by, for some privacy. The problem is that it is under 3 of my huge trees, and doesnt get alot of sun. I would appreciate any ideas that anyone has for this area, and also for any of my beds. As I said, this is all very new to me and any ideas will be helpful. Also I have a covered patio area and it has climbing roses on 2 of the vertical posts. It looks kind of strange because there are a total of 6 post, and they are right next to each other on the 2 middle ones, and nothing on the other 4-I get pretty much full sun in this area, and would like to plant something that will grow up the other posts, to give it some symetry, but i am not a big rose person. It has to be something that will not take over the whole patio, and pretty much grow strictly vertical. Any ideas??? |
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rachierabbit
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Rachel
Washington
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2005 : 9:06:36 PM
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Kathy,
I call it "Dirt Therapy!" There is something so freeing when you have your hands(and feet when it's above 50 degrees) in the dirt and being one with nature!
Take the road less traveled and enjoy the view! |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2005 : 09:23:31 AM
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Rachel, You are so right about, "Dirt Therapy" The Garden is the best alternative therapy for me. It can cure the blues, provide inspiration to pull me out of a slump and give herbal medicines for most of whatever ails me. I think we even talked about companionship on another thread from birds and wildlife. There really is nothing like it for those of us who are hooked, is there.
Raverskylar, your flower gardens sound so beautiful, many of your flowers are on my wish list to plant when I move to a more northern climate, I love stargazers, Lupins, and columbines, hydrangeas and a lot of other plants that like it a little cooler in the summer. Since we live in very different climates I tried to imagine what I would plant In your yard and also here since I'm always plant scheming and yard dreaming. On the shaded fence for privacy I would plant Grape ivy or Honeysuckle here they are both somewhat evergreen. The patio posts with lots of sun I would maybe think about Clematis vines some take more heat than others or if it is very hot like here, I would plant the Trumpet Vine-which the Hummingbirds love or again Honeysuckle which I love. Two other suggestions would be climbing hydrangea or Wisteria, depending on the growing conditions at your place. Hope this helps a little, keep us posted as things bloom it's so nice to read about the beauty of flowers. ~Kathy |
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free bird
Farmgirl in Training
26 Posts
Laura
Victoria
Texas
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2005 : 05:03:24 AM
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Kathy A--I just read now what you said earlier about rattlesnakes in the garden--Here in subctropical south Texas we really have to watch out for all kinds of snakes--copperheads, water mocassins, coral snakes. Gee I've had so many close calls.
Guess what? Now that I have chickens in my garden I haven't seen any snakes in the garden because the chickens actually eat baby snakes (except for those nuisance egg-eating rat snakes that come in to visit the coop--they're way too large for the chickens to eat. One of these days I'll figure out how to chase away the rat snake, but actually I'd much rather see a rat snake in the garden than a copperhead because a rat snake would not put me in the hospital for two weeks, a copperhead sure can...)
So that's another benefit to keeping chickens in a garden! They control the snake population.
And yeah I know what you mean about having to get vegetables planted early before the summer heat.
I love my chickens |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2005 : 05:27:10 AM
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Here in Florida we have had some big-time rainy days, but today is clear and sunny and breezy! My new little tomato plants are holding up well in all the rain and have even become stronger for it. The baby broccoli plants are doing great - hope it does not get hot too soon for them to give me some lovely little florets. My snap peas are also growing like weeds, and I have a lot of weeds that need removing from around them. It is hard to weed snap peas, as all too often, the stem of the pea comes out with the surrounding weeds! So I let the weeds grow around them a bit.
I already have a little green pepper forming from a leftover plant from last year. I did not take out the strongest of the pepper stems, and now they are coming back. That makes me so happy, as they were great yielders last year. Hope that proves true again. I wish I had more land to have a bigger garden!
jpbluesky
"Keep us here, all simply in the springing of the year." From A Prayer in Spring by Robert Frost |
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MeadowLark
True Blue Farmgirl
2206 Posts
USA
2206 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2005 : 06:14:33 AM
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Oh ladies I can just imagine the beauty of your early spring gardens so lovingly tended! You are enjoying the warm balmy breezes too...Yesterday was the first sun filled day I have had in a week! What a joy to see that Easter sun rise! My daffodils are putting out their first tentative blooms, yipee! I also have a lenten rose, or hellebore plant that has been blooming for 2 weeks now. This lovely little flower always is the first to bloom and it is alwys during the Lenten season. The birds are singing so seetly today...the Meadowlarks, Robins, Quail, Pheasant, Warblers. They are loving this sunshine too!
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
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Garden Gate: Garden Chit -Chat |
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Garden Chit -Chat
