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Green fried are delicious! Sure looks different with the foliage gone from the background, but we, people of the dirt
, do know how to adapt. Your garden looks great.
-
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2015 Gardens
- Thread starter BenchCo Spydermade
- Start date
Green fried are delicious! Sure looks different with the foliage gone from the background, but we, people of the dirt
, do know how to adapt. Your garden looks great.
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I am also a new gardener. Finished my studies and now at my first real job, meant to improve my skills and knowledge in order to prepare myself to study Garden Design.
....
Good that there is this thread. So people can give me suggestions about tools
Dunno why but I started writing in this forum even if not specific for gardeners and now I am here.
Garden design ... nice. Are you planning a career in landscaping, working with architects ... or in a related field? I trust you will get to play with lots of tools on the job for comparison. Get the feel and come to know what you need to buy.
My favourite is a light hoe that you kind of slide back and forth to take the weeds. It cuts both ways. My dad threaded the padded 'knob' from an old vehicle gear shift onto it and the action just makes hoeing so easy. Not ground breaking hoeing, maintenance hoeing. Lazy gardener here.
Honestly, like the OP and others, I keep my favourite annuals right on my patio, like you do your garden plants on your balcony, and I can enjoy them close to the kitchen much more than if they were further away from the door.
Welcome, best of luck, and enjoy your gardening :thumbup:
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Most of my annuals are on the patio, close to the kitchen door for enjoyment. The veg garden is close.
The vines are doing beautifully this summer - pole beans, black eyed susans, morning glory ... and wild weedy ones too. Sigh.
The experiment in growing Amaranth, a grain, from seed, encourages me to do it again. Some varieties are beautifully decorative ... but the love-lies-bleeding is truly eye-catching and unusual to see here.
Tent caterpillars are abundant and very noticeable this year. On the 26th more geese flew overhead in > formation, for the third time in two weeks
. This is early. I am afraid to read the Almanac prediction for this winter!
Garden on!
The vines are doing beautifully this summer - pole beans, black eyed susans, morning glory ... and wild weedy ones too. Sigh.
The experiment in growing Amaranth, a grain, from seed, encourages me to do it again. Some varieties are beautifully decorative ... but the love-lies-bleeding is truly eye-catching and unusual to see here.
Tent caterpillars are abundant and very noticeable this year. On the 26th more geese flew overhead in > formation, for the third time in two weeks
. This is early. I am afraid to read the Almanac prediction for this winter!
Garden on!
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2013
- Messages
- 1,892
The geese are flying in small formations overhead. The tent caterpillars are decorating the trees with huge webs, the pines are dropping cones, the fireweed is tufting, the jays are squawking low in the branches. There is a mouse scratching away to get out of the 'tin cat' in the kitchen as I write! And so it begins early. You know
The tomato plants are done, cut down and the fruit harvested. Most of the tomatoes are given away to friends and neighbours, keeping just enough to use as they ripen. Somehow it is a relief not to have to guard the garden. I did toss a lot of ground fall 'jelly beans' for the dogs! Big Party.
Scarlet runner pole beans are something that just keeps on producing. So delicious raw. The high ones will just grow huge and provide the seed for next year.
Cuz Sasha is just so cute ...
Here she is lapping from one of the garden water containers/dog waterers.
First time planting for me is the amaranth, 'love-lies-bleeding'. This plant should be a lot more vigorous ... but I like it so much that I have already decided to grow it again for sure. Next time I will do better.
The old favourites, the old fashioned ones ... I never tire of. Nothing seems to eat them. They require nothing fancy. Enough water and decent soil ... and they smile all day long.
Defending the garden from cricket attack. Extra roughage.
Defending the garden from the cool shade of the porch.
Ah yes, Lumpy caught cooling off in yesterday morning's heat in the drip waterer. OK, it is a chicken waterer but Lumpy is not judgemental. Insects, toads and frogs love these perpetual drips. Look down, way way down.
Sorry, no time to up the shutter speed to stop the action. Scientific name: fuzzy grey-muzzled grass-roller
How's your garden growing?
The tomato plants are done, cut down and the fruit harvested. Most of the tomatoes are given away to friends and neighbours, keeping just enough to use as they ripen. Somehow it is a relief not to have to guard the garden. I did toss a lot of ground fall 'jelly beans' for the dogs! Big Party.
Scarlet runner pole beans are something that just keeps on producing. So delicious raw. The high ones will just grow huge and provide the seed for next year.
Cuz Sasha is just so cute ...
Here she is lapping from one of the garden water containers/dog waterers.
First time planting for me is the amaranth, 'love-lies-bleeding'. This plant should be a lot more vigorous ... but I like it so much that I have already decided to grow it again for sure. Next time I will do better.
The old favourites, the old fashioned ones ... I never tire of. Nothing seems to eat them. They require nothing fancy. Enough water and decent soil ... and they smile all day long.
Defending the garden from cricket attack. Extra roughage.
Defending the garden from the cool shade of the porch.
Ah yes, Lumpy caught cooling off in yesterday morning's heat in the drip waterer. OK, it is a chicken waterer but Lumpy is not judgemental. Insects, toads and frogs love these perpetual drips. Look down, way way down.
Sorry, no time to up the shutter speed to stop the action. Scientific name: fuzzy grey-muzzled grass-roller
How's your garden growing?
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- 19,385
Always good to see some action shots of your ankle nippers. Not that they would ever do that.
My second two tomato plants that I put in pots continue to grow that I started in July. The Big Boy variety plant has fruit that are about silver dollar sized now and the Early Girl has a few small ones, but is not really doing all that well. We'll see how long it is before the first frost. Historically, after Sept 15, a cold front cold come anytime, but typically it is much later. We routinely have flowers growing in the garden in November and especially on the porch where they are protected somewhat.
Not that they would ever do that.My second two tomato plants that I put in pots continue to grow that I started in July. The Big Boy variety plant has fruit that are about silver dollar sized now and the Early Girl has a few small ones, but is not really doing all that well. We'll see how long it is before the first frost. Historically, after Sept 15, a cold front cold come anytime, but typically it is much later. We routinely have flowers growing in the garden in November and especially on the porch where they are protected somewhat.
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Always good to see some action shots of your ankle nippers.
My second two tomato plants that I put in pots continue to grow that I started in July. The Big Boy variety plant has fruit that are about silver dollar sized now and the Early Girl has a few small ones, but is not really doing all that well. We'll see how long it is before the first frost. Historically, after Sept 15, a cold front cold come anytime, but typically it is much later. We routinely have flowers growing in the garden in November and especially on the porch where they are protected somewhat.
I think planting tomatoes in succession can really work. I've never tried it. Always there is an over abundance all at one time for me. In stages, the fruit would come along as it is needed. Even, perhaps, the air flow would be better and there might be less chance of diseases that thrive in crowded conditions. Check. Good idea.
Marigold & Monarch
Just when I thought that protecting the milkweed patch, the fencing, the waiting and watching was coming to nothing this year, there is this happening right now in the veg garden ...
My first monarch sighting this year was July 6th I believe. Timing is about right for this little guy to bulk up for the flight south. Keep an eye out for this one, would you?
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Excellent on the butterflies. We have been having Swallowtails regularly hitting our flowers for the last month. Don't think I've seen any Monarch's which is odd. Nice pictures of the Monarchs by the way.
The problem unless you grow your own tomato plants is that all the plants are available at the same time in the various retail outlets. They get older, may not grow a lot, but they are older just like the ones you have planted that are triple the size at that point. I think the trick is to find new plants later in the season and space them out a bit. We certainly had an over abundance of tomatoes beginning in July, but there was a lot of waste. There are just too many to give away.
I think next year I'm going to spend the larger bucks for really big potted tomato plants (a couple), then plant in two more about two or three weeks later and hopefully again in another couple weeks. I only grow six mater plants. Planting here begins in early to mid April. I usually have my garden ready to go around April 1st, then begin planting.
I yanked two old plants out today that were pretty much dead or almost dead. Probably going to till that part up and plant some onions and lettuce. We'll see. May take a couple more maters out. Of the original six plants, only two (both Big Boys) are still putting out new growth. The other two remaining plants are static with smaller fruit (versus the fist sized ones I prefer) that are slowly ripening. The small ones that are not mature are not as tasty; more acidic.
Been hand digging violets out of my yard today. Dug about a loose wheel barrow load. Plan on aerating in the next week or two and over seeding with fescue. I have been spraying the violets weekly or bi-weekly and only now after probably 4 applications of broad leaf killer are some of them looking like they are croaking. Violets seem to thrive in poor soil conditions and the soil in my yard isn't so good and portions are shady and not well drained. I may get a load of mushroom compost (horse manure) and spread it around the back yard (half inch), but that introduces a lot of weeds too. Have to ponder that one....
The problem unless you grow your own tomato plants is that all the plants are available at the same time in the various retail outlets. They get older, may not grow a lot, but they are older just like the ones you have planted that are triple the size at that point. I think the trick is to find new plants later in the season and space them out a bit. We certainly had an over abundance of tomatoes beginning in July, but there was a lot of waste. There are just too many to give away.
I think next year I'm going to spend the larger bucks for really big potted tomato plants (a couple), then plant in two more about two or three weeks later and hopefully again in another couple weeks. I only grow six mater plants. Planting here begins in early to mid April. I usually have my garden ready to go around April 1st, then begin planting.
I yanked two old plants out today that were pretty much dead or almost dead. Probably going to till that part up and plant some onions and lettuce. We'll see. May take a couple more maters out. Of the original six plants, only two (both Big Boys) are still putting out new growth. The other two remaining plants are static with smaller fruit (versus the fist sized ones I prefer) that are slowly ripening. The small ones that are not mature are not as tasty; more acidic.
Been hand digging violets out of my yard today. Dug about a loose wheel barrow load. Plan on aerating in the next week or two and over seeding with fescue. I have been spraying the violets weekly or bi-weekly and only now after probably 4 applications of broad leaf killer are some of them looking like they are croaking. Violets seem to thrive in poor soil conditions and the soil in my yard isn't so good and portions are shady and not well drained. I may get a load of mushroom compost (horse manure) and spread it around the back yard (half inch), but that introduces a lot of weeds too. Have to ponder that one....
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Susan,
Beautiful pictures of your flowers, plants and sweet dogs!
Thank you.
Cate
Beautiful pictures of your flowers, plants and sweet dogs!
Thank you.
Cate
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- 19,385
Thought I would give an update on my potted tomato plants (2nd crop)..... The plants grew fine, but didn't develop the thick stems I like. The fruit are ripening now, but they aren't as large as the ones planted earlier. I don't know if it reflects being in pots, the season, or older plants that looked young when I planted them. But it is what it is. I am going to space my tomato plants out over a period of about a month next year (two plants per month) which will take me to about June 1 with the regular plantings rather than July. Still no first frost yet here.
I over seeded my yard (aerated first) and the new fescue is coming up in record 7-day time frame versus two or three weeks when it gets colder during the night. I'm pleased so far with the results, but I have had to water the yard which I detest doing. Getting a good rain today. So, that is good.
I have just about chopped up most of my regular garden tomato plants now and planted lettuce and broccoli. Still a few clingon tomatoes getting ripe, but nothing to write home about.
I over seeded my yard (aerated first) and the new fescue is coming up in record 7-day time frame versus two or three weeks when it gets colder during the night. I'm pleased so far with the results, but I have had to water the yard which I detest doing. Getting a good rain today. So, that is good.
I have just about chopped up most of my regular garden tomato plants now and planted lettuce and broccoli. Still a few clingon tomatoes getting ripe, but nothing to write home about.
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Notes from the Republic of Tilth
It seems like the plants have given a collective sigh here, now that the UV is not as strong. Lots are just sporting nice, productive green foliage and flowers while others are getting leggy and thinning out. But, the plus is that this is the time to enjoy the gardens without the work! The pruning of the shrubs is done but there is a little relocating of the wild brown eyed susans and reinforcing of the entry garden to do yet. The ripened seed pods that I like need to be scattered where I want them to grow. That's cold weather work. For now, the sun is shining, the temps are perfect. It must be fall in paradise!
Those violets are little beauties, except when they overtake a lawn. Grass here, is a challenge - to keep it out of the aggregate on the laneway ... while encouraging it to grow where wanted (and to keep the pups from over-fertilizing it to death). On the aggregate it has taken two weeks with a shovel, rake and wheelbarrow to clean it up ... and now I must persevere with regular dragging to take out the seedling grasses and weeds. Fall is the best time for seeding grass with the dew overnight providing moisture, and I do seed any spots needed which then grow up bright green and tall, sprouting above the existing. And that, I consider a win! It lives.
All the scarlet runner beans are now foot longs ... The pups line up at the plants and bark for treats. My little veggie dogs.
22-rimfire
BTW ... you mentioned that you grow Lantana ... which I googled to find that I have a couple plants here, but we call them Verbena. They are still blooming pink and white here, after I found that deadheading forces more growth. They have been a treat all summer long and still blooming.
It seems like the plants have given a collective sigh here, now that the UV is not as strong. Lots are just sporting nice, productive green foliage and flowers while others are getting leggy and thinning out. But, the plus is that this is the time to enjoy the gardens without the work! The pruning of the shrubs is done but there is a little relocating of the wild brown eyed susans and reinforcing of the entry garden to do yet. The ripened seed pods that I like need to be scattered where I want them to grow. That's cold weather work. For now, the sun is shining, the temps are perfect. It must be fall in paradise!
Those violets are little beauties, except when they overtake a lawn. Grass here, is a challenge - to keep it out of the aggregate on the laneway ... while encouraging it to grow where wanted (and to keep the pups from over-fertilizing it to death). On the aggregate it has taken two weeks with a shovel, rake and wheelbarrow to clean it up ... and now I must persevere with regular dragging to take out the seedling grasses and weeds. Fall is the best time for seeding grass with the dew overnight providing moisture, and I do seed any spots needed which then grow up bright green and tall, sprouting above the existing. And that, I consider a win! It lives.
All the scarlet runner beans are now foot longs ... The pups line up at the plants and bark for treats. My little veggie dogs.
22-rimfire
BTW ... you mentioned that you grow Lantana ... which I googled to find that I have a couple plants here, but we call them Verbena. They are still blooming pink and white here, after I found that deadheading forces more growth. They have been a treat all summer long and still blooming.
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Maybe it is a UV thing with tomatoes?
I like lantana. It blooms all summer long with minimal care. I think verbena is the wild form (whites and pinks I believe). I treat the Lantana as an annual.
We still have hummingbirds here and it seems as though they are really hitting the lantana a bunch now. My suspicion is that it is not a favored flower, but with the fall, the number or new flowers with pollen is probably dwindling; hence they are hitting the lantana hard. Not seeing any male hummingbirds, but have at least two females that are hitting the feeder and flowers everyday. There were males earlier, but maybe I am seeing the hummers that are old or can't make the trip. I don't know. They say that the real number of hummingbirds is probably like a factor of 6 higher than what you think you see. Not so sure of that. The bluebirds have been quite active too of late.
I still have quite a few of the danged violets in my back yard (turf area). I dug up many, but there are still stragglers that I missed or were smaller then. I'll probably address them off and on between now and mid-summer next year. I don't want to tear up the new grass seedlings. There were a lot of brown/un-vegetated portions in my back yard that I in essence killed with herbicides trying to kill violets earlier in the year. Just a temporary set back as the new grass should fill in nicely.
I like lantana. It blooms all summer long with minimal care. I think verbena is the wild form (whites and pinks I believe). I treat the Lantana as an annual.
We still have hummingbirds here and it seems as though they are really hitting the lantana a bunch now. My suspicion is that it is not a favored flower, but with the fall, the number or new flowers with pollen is probably dwindling; hence they are hitting the lantana hard. Not seeing any male hummingbirds, but have at least two females that are hitting the feeder and flowers everyday. There were males earlier, but maybe I am seeing the hummers that are old or can't make the trip. I don't know. They say that the real number of hummingbirds is probably like a factor of 6 higher than what you think you see. Not so sure of that. The bluebirds have been quite active too of late.
I still have quite a few of the danged violets in my back yard (turf area). I dug up many, but there are still stragglers that I missed or were smaller then. I'll probably address them off and on between now and mid-summer next year. I don't want to tear up the new grass seedlings. There were a lot of brown/un-vegetated portions in my back yard that I in essence killed with herbicides trying to kill violets earlier in the year. Just a temporary set back as the new grass should fill in nicely.
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cj65
Gold Member
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What is that species of salamander?The geese are flying in small formations overhead. The tent caterpillars are decorating the trees with huge webs, the pines are dropping cones, the fireweed is tufting, the jays are squawking low in the branches. There is a mouse scratching away to get out of the 'tin cat' in the kitchen as I write! And so it begins early. You know
The tomato plants are done, cut down and the fruit harvested. Most of the tomatoes are given away to friends and neighbours, keeping just enough to use as they ripen. Somehow it is a relief not to have to guard the garden. I did toss a lot of ground fall 'jelly beans' for the dogs! Big Party.
Scarlet runner pole beans are something that just keeps on producing. So delicious raw. The high ones will just grow huge and provide the seed for next year.
Cuz Sasha is just so cute ...
First time planting for me is the amaranth, 'love-lies-bleeding'. This plant should be a lot more vigorous ... but I like it so much that I have already decided to grow it again for sure. Next time I will do better.
The old favourites, the old fashioned ones ... I never tire of. Nothing seems to eat them. They require nothing fancy. Enough water and decent soil ... and they smile all day long.
Defending the garden from cricket attack. Extra roughage.
Defending the garden from the cool shade of the porch.
Ah yes, Lumpy caught cooling off in yesterday morning's heat in the drip waterer. OK, it is a chicken waterer but Lumpy is not judgemental. Insects, toads and frogs love these perpetual drips. Look down, way way down.
Sorry, no time to up the shutter speed to stop the action. Scientific name: fuzzy grey-muzzled grass-roller
How's your garden growing?
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2013
- Messages
- 1,892
Hi cj65,
I am unsure as to what salamander the drip waterer is crafted from. No birds, toads, frogs or insects seem to fear it though ...
The drip waterers, plain or in salamander form are certainly an attractant in the garden, and are of so little effort once in place.
I am unsure as to what salamander the drip waterer is crafted from. No birds, toads, frogs or insects seem to fear it though ...
The drip waterers, plain or in salamander form are certainly an attractant in the garden, and are of so little effort once in place.
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Thanks for the updates and pretty pictures too!
I had and have more deer in the back yard and they are eating up a storm with my natural grass planted from seed. They are eating the the natural foliage behind my water rights ditch and further back to the no build zone.
The deer are here on a daily basis - year round.
I do not like some of the $$$!!! stuff that they eat but such is life. I changed that since I built this house because they even ate deer resistant plants!
I am not going to fence this entire town lot. I live with them and they live with me. This goes for the other animals and birds including eagles too. They have NO fear of me. They come right up to the house all around and even up to the edge of the front porch.
Cate
I had and have more deer in the back yard and they are eating up a storm with my natural grass planted from seed. They are eating the the natural foliage behind my water rights ditch and further back to the no build zone.
The deer are here on a daily basis - year round.
I do not like some of the $$$!!! stuff that they eat but such is life. I changed that since I built this house because they even ate deer resistant plants!
I am not going to fence this entire town lot. I live with them and they live with me. This goes for the other animals and birds including eagles too. They have NO fear of me. They come right up to the house all around and even up to the edge of the front porch.
Cate
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- Jan 24, 2013
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You lucky gal, you!
Rupestris ... tomatoes mid Oct! Great pictures. Some plants here also liked it when the sun and heat slowed and they gained new life.
It has been a sweet summer indeed ... and fun to see here on BF what gardeners are growing. Lots of ideas and experiences.
Here, bundles of geraniums (mine and a friend's) are collected for overwintering. There is still much work here to tidy up and compost the annuals, plant some new container perennials in the ground, wrap some shrubs and protect the young shade trees, the maple and the locust, from sun scald.
It seemed like there was plenty of time this year to enjoy both the flowers and the fall colours.
Oct 10th
Oct 17th
Oct 18th
In January/February I will start the geraniums and some seeds, but I am reconciled to not giving my living room over to start such a volume of plants as I did this year. The experiments paid off beyond my hopes, though, and every day I have thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful blooms, the food, Lumpy and Slick, the monarchs, the critters shenanigans to share the crops!
Thanks for the thread, BenchCo Spydermade!
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I enjoyed the sharing of ideas in this thread. Fall is here. No frost here yet, but things are declining as is their natural progression.
Taldesta, are the red flowers Amaryllis on the Oct 17th picture?
Taldesta, are the red flowers Amaryllis on the Oct 17th picture?
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Hey all, thanks for making this a great garden thread this year! I went MIA because my landlord made me take down my garden and I was kinda not happy about it. Actually he came one day and it was mostly gone.[emoji35] I was pretty furious and didnt wanna be a wet blanket. I do have 2 refugee pepper plants that I took to my dad's apartment and he's taken care of them like his grandpeppers!
Anyways, I hope the season stretches for us. It's like it was just yesterday we were caring for seedlings and planning stuff out[emoji25] . But my favorite part of this particular hobby is a fresh start every year.[emoji2]
Anyways, I hope the season stretches for us. It's like it was just yesterday we were caring for seedlings and planning stuff out[emoji25] . But my favorite part of this particular hobby is a fresh start every year.[emoji2]
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The red flower is a begonia, planted as a corm this past spring. Back in post 183 you may be able to see them better from the front in the first and third images. Also red in the third image is impatiens.
From Canadian Tire they came in a plastic bag of 6 corms packed in wood shavings and the bloom colours were red, yellow and white ... huge stems to support beautiful foliage and flowers the size of an open hand.
Eventually the stems and upper plants needed sturdy support and ties.They don't like their leaves getting wet so I put them on the edge of the covered porch where they took sun from dawn to about 12:30 pm. They thrived. I was surprised.
I have taken the corms out and packed them in wood shavings for over wintering. With luck!
They also were so big that they were a 'fence' stopping the pups from going directly off the porch in that direction where they would be 'watering' the sod.There is much self defence in these plantings because the sod I laid in 2014 was peed to patches and was replaced this spring. So, my logic is that begonias can prevent patchy grass.
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