Gardening
I started gardening the first full growing season after moving into this house. It was also shortly after getting diagnosed and starting treatment, when I was still in training for infusing my medication. For me, it's mostly about edible stuff! I surprised quite a few people that first year, 1) because I had been so sick there was a big expectation I would give up on it 2) because I never had any interest in houseplants or flowers.
Since then, I have expanded what I grow.
There's still a fair bit of snow out back, but I started some herbs inside as I needed something for now, a little promise of spring to myself. They sprouted a bit earlier than the seed back suggested, and seeing that first sign of green makes me so happy!
What do you like to grow?
I love to grow EVERYTHING I can! However, I moved from rural Louisiana (where all you have to do is look at the ground with intent and most anything you want will sprout up and take over) to downtown Chicago. I no longer have a yard, and I live in a basement (it's like a subterranean cave in here!) where you can't even grow anything by the windows. Ugh! I miss being outside with my fingers grubbing in the dirt.
It's so hard not to be able to walk into my yard and pick fresh herbs for a breakfast omelette (harvested from backyard chickens, no less!), or a bowlful of tomatoes for lunch. And no more butterfly garden!
Is it ok if I live vicariously through you, and all the other 7 Cups green thumbs? I need a garden fix. ;)
@ladylazarus1971
Going from what you had to a basement must be difficult at times!
Maybe you can help me out a bit, as I usually just google as a I go. Beets and carrots are the new things I'm adding in this year!
I have a square planter with the bottom cut out and it's in the corner by the fence so pretty shaded. Last year I had tried rhubarb that someone gave me, but it just died off. Any recommendations for something to put in there?
@AffyAvo What growth zone do you live in, and what exposure does that part of the yard get?
@ladylazarus1971 I'm zone 3. The area doesn't get much sun due to being right up again the fence.
@AffyAvo Okay. I'll start thinking, and post a little later on. But I'm still wondering about exposure-- I know the area's in shade, but I'm trying to get an idea of how much INDIRECT sun +/- warmth the area gets based on which compass direction it does get any sun exposure too. One last question too... are you specifically looking for edible planting, or just anything at this point that might be happy growing there?
@ladylazarus1971
All last year I thought of the spot being shaded, but now I'm thinking a big part of the problem isn't the fence, but I don't think it filled up! So with the dirt level being low the pot was shading whatever was in there. I'll have to top it up some.
It's in a NE corner. I'll try to pay more attention to it when the sun is out to see when shadows are being cast.
Edible is ideal, but if it's non-edible at least something would be growing in it!
Grieving over a pop star
@AffyAvo That's awesome! I love to grow edible things too. I used to have a big garden. Now I live in an apartment, so I have to stick to things I can grow on the patio. I do a few things like strawberries, a lettuce mix, peas, basil, and a tomato plant. I love to make fresh pasta sauce with tomato and basil I grew myself.
@Elle22 Yum! What time is dinner? ;)
Feeling fistraited
Okeedoke-- here's some thoughts for your zone 3 shady spot!
Fiddlehead ferns (Ostrich ferns) would grow like gangbusters in full shade. They make an interesting addition to salads or wilt really nicely, sort of like spinach. You rreally only get a crop fairly early in the season though. Some leaf lettuces will tolerate being under a tree, but will not thrive even though they do produce greens. Most recommendations for lettuces suggest 4 hours of sun. Certain varieties of "wild" leek do alright in shadier conditions, and as a plus, they are perennial.
I haven't tried the follwing, but have had aquaintances who have had some success with these: ALPINE strawberries in light shade, groundnut vines (might be challenging to locate), and American black currants.
Doing a little research, I came across info for a plant called "Good King Henry," which appears to be some European cousin of spinach. It purportedly does well in partial shade with moist, well draining soil. But other than that, I don't know a darned thing about it.
A couple of websites that may have useful details for you:
www.northenshade.ca/plant-list
www.permies.com/t/10302/plants/Shade-Tolerant-Edibles
Also, sort of an off-the-cuff idea, but have you given any thought to cultivating mushrooms there? I've been doing some research while considering doing so myself. There are fairly inexpensive and not altogether too-complicated do-it-yourself kits available these days all over the place. If nothing else will work, maybe those will!
Good luck! I'll be ROOTING for you-- hahaha! ;)
@ladylazarus1971
Thanks so much! I really like the idea of fiddleheads! I've heard about them from people who live east from me, I have never noticed them here. Might need to order online?
I'm not a mushroom fan, so those are out. I like the other suggestions!
@AffyAvo For the ferns I'm sure you could get them online, or perhaps even in a local nursery or gardening supply store. If you have access to an agricultural college/ university in your state or locale, they often have great info on local plants/ microclimates and what to grow in them. I forgot to mention that in my last post. They might even know where you could source them in the wild near your area, if that might be of interest. And some coo-op extensions of the schools occasionally offer free plants to people in their areas, so as to foster the recultivation of local plants that they'd like to see reintroduced.
Keep me in the loop, will you? I would love to hear all about your (and everyone else's!) gardening adventures.
@ladylazarus1971
Hmmm, West Coast Seeds has the most common edible type but there aren't the best for the spot. The planter is pretty small. I might look in a different variety or end up with something different.
If worse comes to worse I'll throw some pea seeds in there, they liked the back of the fence so I might get some later in the season with the more shaded spot.
I'll let you know.
@AffyAvo Just wondering how things have gone this year with your gardening. I hope well, and that you found something fun to do with that trouble spot. As for me, I moved into an apartment with actual sun and windowsills quite recently, so I am looking forward to doing some indoor gardening ar least. I even have a tiny basil plant happily sitting in my kitchen window, making me happy.
So, how goes the outside summer world in AffyAvoland?
@ladylazarus1971
I haven't stuck anything in that corner planter yet! It was a funny year, really early spring but we actually had frost later in May compared to the last few years. We've also been doing a few projects - I have a shed so I now can keep everything nearby! I just finished up with my main plots today. I have carrot seeds still, I think I might give those a try there. If it's actually filled up to the top I think they will be ok there. Hopefully I can get my husband to fill it up for me tomorrow, that kind of heavy work is too much for me.
Peas seemed so easy this year, I don't think the seeds from last year are doing too well. I have a few good plants but some spots are completely empty. I've just been starting them inside and transfering the ones that sprout normally. Right now I'm trying the paper towel thing, as even inside the success rate has been low.
I was slow in buying seed potatoes - the prices really went up this year. Had limited choice at one store but I figured it was time, so I figured one 'boring variety' and then I would go elsewhere, until I found out they were on sale! So ended up taking the only 2 options there. Saw some peaking out of the soil today, so starting them a bit later hasn't had a negative effect.
Brussel sprouts look great, it's nice to have some big grean plants already with starting some inside. The ones I started outside are on there way.
Thinned a few rows of carrots, waiting for some ones I started later to come up. I've thinned a few beets, but need to get more on that. It's fun to see their colour already.
Herbs are looking good. Got some in the garden, some in larger pots that I found at a dollar store - transplanted today. Still have some root bound ones in the starting pots, need to move those over to something. I plan to give some to my sister once she moves to a new house.
There's one red strawberry almost ready to be eaten :)
I don't really do flowers, I usually leave that up to my husband. Last year it was 2 planters out front. This year we've both upped it. Planters again, plus he bought some small cheap flowers for 'herb pots' I have that have no drainage and have multiple spots per set. I picked out a humming bird hook and we have that coming off our porch with a hanging planter I actually picked out. He found another one he like so got another hook to put in the backyard. Never guessed I would have so many flowers!
@AffyAvo haha that was a long post, but I feel good! I did so much today and I was never feeling like oooh this is going to trigger an attack. I did take lots of breaks, some due to the heat and some just so I wouldn't push myself too hard. Still, for me I did so much. I was also out a fair bit this week so the 2 combined together do not fall within my typical limits!
@AffyAvo I am SO glad you are having such an active and fun season in the yard-- lateness of Spring and all. Enjoy that first mouth-watering bite of strawberry, and say hello to all the herbs from me. ;)
Garden has been doing well!
Half the beets did well, other half didn't really grow up. My plan for them to grow before some of the other stuff I had them close to didn't go so well. Something also seemed to be eating the leaves which likely didn't help. Would totally do these again though, will just give them more space. I choose seeds based on colour to avoid a mess. Maybe next year I will choose for something more climate based?
Peas were good and are coming to an end, quality is certainly going down on what I am still getting.
Potatoes looked so pretty for a while, some have such nice flowers and this year I got one variety that did it. Last year I had almost none. Haven't pulled any up yet as the ground has never really dried. Hopefully this week.
Happy with carrots. Would pick for specific ones in the future! Really like the purple ones but go so few of them in a mix.
Am just getting some ripe tomatoes now, besides the cherry ones. Looking forward to having enough to do something with them at the end of the month!
I am so glad I didn't do a bunch of cucumber plants. Hubby doesn't like them. I heard they don't do well here. While they need to be started inside and don't like their roots touched they did great in the coconut coir pots I started them in to make transplanting easy. I've done 2 batches of pickles already! The first few I got from one variety (I tried 2, due to hearing they don't grow great here) were really bitter but the rest have been good.
Herbs have all pretty much bolted, but that's expected. I think I had beginners luck with the basil last year. This year almost all of the sweet basil I started died. I have one really big bushy plant though and another smaller one that's kinda being smothered by my cucumbers. Had one I did up in a pretty herb pot with some other stuff that was doing ok and it just died really quickly overnight, no idea why. I think I might try planing dill very soon again for more pickles! Currently I have some plants with flowers that are pretty much at my eye level. Not really what one wants from dill, but they are kinda fun to have out there.
Squash and brussels sprouts will have to see. Did squash and peas together, that seems to have worked well. Squash is of course growing all over the place and I seem to have some decent fruit. Did one bush variety (bought seeds my first year, didn't realize they were a bush variety) in a planter. It hasn't even flowered but it took up my last 2 of those seeds which haven't never done well and gave me one nice big plant so it looks nice out front at least. There are buds so maybe I'll get some flowers this month.
@AffyAvo My! You have been a busy little gardener this year! I am still jealous, but am so glad you are having such a great time getting your hands in the soil. <3
@AffyAvo My garden currently consists of a small succulent, a golden sunrise cherry tomato plant, and a cucumber plant. It's small, but next year, I'm hoping to go all out! I love growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I also like to tend to other types of flowers and plants, but food gardening is my absolute favorite!
@Behindhazeleyes Starting small is a great way to get used to it! Sounds like some lovely plants to have. I'm hoping to get some ripe cherry tomatoes next week myself!
