Who has started their own garden this year? page

[Mainer]

Just started a garden with the children this year. Its small and is of the raise bed configuration. We had to sacrifice a bunch of blueberries by weedwacking an area to accomodate the new bed. This was a tough call as I love wild blueberries and so does the family. Fortunately most of the small acreage we own contains blueberries. While this is great on one hand, it poses many other challenges such as the fact that there isn't a level square inch on any part of our property. There is also much rock and ledge. Blueberries love this kinda stuff. Digging is an exercise in frustration and agony I must say.

We planted beans, green onion, squash, pumpkin, tomato, peas, carrots, and lettuce. Might have to put a fence up at some point to keep the critters out. If all goes well may enlarge the area next year, but may have to sacrifice a couple of trees to gain some much needed light. This is a bummer too as I enjoy the shade they provide and they are beautiful in the fall, but hey, they would also make great firewood and provide a good workout I suppose!

So who else has started a garden, what did you plant and what configuration?

[Fern]

I just planted my garden this past weekend, we were told we had pretty good soil so we just added some topsoil and put everything strait in the ground. We planted tomatoes, like 10 variations of peppers from sweet to very very hot, orange and blue pumpkins, cucumbers, beans, beats, radishes, and carrots, onions and strawberries. If this year goes well we will at least double the size next year. But neither my husband or I have ever had a garden so we don't really know what to do.

[Mainer]

Good luck Fern, have to let us know how it turns out.

[geekfish]

I put a raised container bed in this year and a lot of potted herbs. Started some of the plants a month ago inside. See if I can grow some of my own veggies this year. Tomatoes, peppers (bell and hot), cucumbers, lots of lettuce. Big question is whether we can control the rabbit and deer that seem to eat all the shrubs.

[Lady Grok]

Add me to the list of the clueless who have planted a garden! It's all in containers, as we are currently "without yard", but have a nice sunny deck. Everything seems to be blooming and happy, and the strawberries have proven to be delicious so far.

We have 6 tomato plants (mixed varieties) , strawberries, black beauty zucchini, Ambassador and yellow squash, Armenian and lemon cucumbers, Pumpkins, rainbow bell peppers, lettuce, some crazy magenta stuff the lady at the farmer's market called "Hillbilly spinach" and a few kitchen herbs.

[Mainer]

Big question is whether we can control the rabbit and deer that seem to eat all the shrubs.

Since we are all primal here I would recommend you find your neighborhood archery hunter and come hunting season have them take care of those critters for you and you can fill the freezer for the winter!

[Mr.M]

Just started my own garden not too long ago; a month tops. All stuff is planted in containers (for now, anyway), eventually I plan to move to using the yard if things go well. So far I've got arugula, kale, tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, and oranges. Gonna add some chard to that soon (this week or next), and any other kind of green leafy vegetable that will grow well in my area.

Pretty exciting stuff, really. Actually harvested and ate some arugula this past sunday...I'm not sure if its my own bias, or maybe because its 100% fresh, but it was the best tasting arugula I've ever had.

[Mainer]

Pretty exciting stuff, really. Actually harvested and ate some arugula this past sunday...I'm not sure if its my own bias, or maybe because its 100% fresh, but it was the best tasting arugula I've ever had.

Sweet!

[fxdwgmikeb]

18 Tomato plants. Going to can tomatoes this year, where else can you get no sodium tomatoes in glass? Asparagus that I have been trying to get to grow in for a couple years. Tips any one? Strawberries, rhubarb,(no pies!) 6 blueberry bushes and a plum tree. Plus endless wild blueberries, raspberries and black berries!

[Grol]

I'm in the desert (same climate as Vegas)-- so I start planting in March and everything gets cooked by late June. Some plants survive and make a comeback when things cool down in late September. I've been addicted to growing tomatoes since the early 90s. There's 26 varieties in the backyard right now and that's me cutting back. Most of them are cherry tomatoes because they do best out here. I'm also growing a few varieties of peppers, zukes, melons and some herbs, can't live without my fresh cilantro, parsley and basil. Everything is started from my own saved organic seed except for two favorite hybrids, a melon and a mater.

Primal Diva just reminded me I should always put in Armenian Cukes out here. They're actually melons and do better than any veggie I know when the temps are going over 110 every day.

I design and install "backyard veggie farms" as a side business (this idea is getting hot, btw), and keep a couple Q and A veggie gardening threads in other forums. This place has been incredibly helpful to me, so if this is something I can help others with, ask any questions you may have. I have a commercial mater crop that's finished for the year. I am into hydroponics, aquaponics and aeroponics. I grow indoors and out. It's my therapy and a very mature addiction. I even send free heirloom seeds every winter to folks like you all with an active interest. It's good to keep the great ol heirloom lines in circulation.